Virtual gate system

• US 20050092831A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Sandoval, Greg, Kroncke, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A virtual gate provides the impression of a gated entry without a physical barrier. As such it functions as a gateway to access areas including transit Rail or, potentially, prepaid Bus services. The VG would require the interaction of the patron to present ticket media to the card reading mechanism. This action turns the gate light indicators to Green for Go or Red for No-Go, accompanied by corresponding tones to alert the patron and fare enforcement officers as to the status of validation. The ticket readers can be placed on both ends of the gate. This allows the gate to be configured for traffic flow in either direction or act as two equivalent Stand Alone Validators.

Claims

1. A virtual gate, comprising:

a housing;

located in the housing is an access card reader;

an interface board for communicating with the access card reader; and

a visual indicator to indicate whether a transaction has been completed.

2. The virtual gate according to claim 1, wherein the visual indicator indicates a go or a no-go situation.

3. The virtual gate according to claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is either an illumination of a green light to indicate a go situation or an illumination of a red light to indicate a no-go situation.

4. The virtual gate according to claim 2, further comprising a speaker connected to the interface board so that the speaker emits an audible tone.

5. The virtual gate according to claim 4, wherein the speaker is capable of emitting a first audible tone indicating a go situation and further is capable of emitting a second audible tone indicating a no-go situation.

6. The virtual gate according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of virtual gates arranged in a row to define a virtual barrier.

7. The virtual gate according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of virtual gates arranged generally in a row and generally parallel in relation to each other to define a virtual barrier between a restricted area and a non-restricted area.

8. The virtual gate according to claim 7, wherein the virtual gates allow traffic to flow into and out of the restricted area.

9. The virtual gate according to claim 7, wherein the virtual gates are reversible to control traffic into and out of the restricted area.

10. The virtual gate according to claim 7, wherein the virtual gates are upgradeable so that physical gates may be added to each virtual gate.

11. The virtual gate according to claim 10, wherein the virtual gates include a motor located in the housing and the motor is connected to the interface board.

12. The virtual gate according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of virtual gates define a virtual gate system, and the virtual gate system further comprises indicia located along the alignment of the virtual gates to further define the virtual barrier.

13. A virtual gate system for controlling access to an area, comprising:

a plurality of virtual gates arranged generally in a row and generally parallel in relation to each other to define a virtual barrier between a restricted and a non-restricted area;

each virtual gate comprising;

a housing;

located in the housing is an access card reader;

an interface board for communicating with the access card reader; and

a visual indicator to indicate whether a transaction has been completed.

14. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the visual indicator indicates a go or a no-go situation.

15. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the visual indicator is either an illumination of a green light to indicate a go situation or an illumination of a red light to indicate a no-go situation.

16. The virtual gate system according to claim 14, further comprising a speaker connected to the interface board so that the speaker emits an audible tone.

17. The virtual gate system according to claim 16, wherein the speaker is capable of emitting a first audible tone indicating a go situation and further is capable of emitting a second audible tone indicating a no-go situation.

18. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the virtual gates allow traffic to flow into and out of the restricted area.

19. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the virtual gates are reversible to control traffic into and out of the restricted area.

20. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the virtual gates are upgradeable so that physical gates may be added to each virtual gate.

21. The virtual gate system according to claim 20, wherein the virtual gates include a motor located in the housing and the motor is connected to the interface board.

22. The virtual gate system according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of virtual gates define a virtual gate system, and the virtual gate system further comprises indicia located along the alignment of the virtual gates to further define the virtual barrier.

23. A method of controlling access to a restricted area, comprising:

reading an access card;

checking the validity of the access card; and

indicating the conclusion of the transaction by illuminating a go or no-go indicator light.

24. The method of controlling access to a restricted area according to claim 23, further comprising emitting an audible tone to indicate the conclusion of the transaction.

25. The method of controlling access to a restricted area according to claim 24, wherein the audible tone indicates a go situation or a no-go situation.

26. The method of controlling access to a restricted area according to claim 23, further comprising upgrading or increasing value on the access card in a second transaction.