Gate entry system using short range radio communications with user terminal devices

• US 6,744,369 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sata, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/108,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.1, 340/5.61, 340/540, 340/539.1, 340/573.1, 340/539.11, 340/928, 340/5.3, 340/5.42, 340/5.7, 340/5.72, 340/572.1, 235/380, 235/384, 235/382, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means

Abstract

A gate entry system for regulating passages of passengers is formed by a wall unit for forming a passageway that is extended along a passing direction of the passengers, a gate unit provided at an exit side of the passageway, which is capable of being opened or closed to regulate the passages of the passengers, human sensors for sensing the passengers in the passageway, a radio communication unit for detecting a number of passengers entering into the passageway according to outputs of the human sensors, and carrying out transmission/reception of data with respect to at least one terminal device of one passenger, and a control unit for controlling opening or closing of the gate unit according to the data received by the radio communication unit.

Claims

1. A gate entry system for regulating passages of passengers who carry short range radio technology based portable terminal devices, comprising:

a wall unit configured to form a passageway that is extended along a passing direction of the passengers;

a gate unit provided at an exit side of the passageway, which is configured to be opened or closed to regulate the passages of the passengers;

human sensors configured to sense the passengers in the passageway;

a radio communication unit having a communication possible range within which terminal devices of a plurality of passengers in the passageway can be simultaneously located, and which is configured to detect a number of passengers entering into the passageway according to outputs of the human sensors, and to perform transmission/reception of data with respect to only one terminal device of one passenger in the passageway by establishing a connection only with the one terminal device; and

a control unit configured to control an opening or closing of the gate unit according to the data received by the radio communication unit.

2. The gate entry system of claim 1, wherein the human sensors include a plurality of the human sensors arranged along the passing direction of the passengers.

3. The gate entry system of claim 1, wherein the radio communication unit receives the data that is information regarding a permission to pass the gate unit.

4. The gate entry system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the human sensors has a detectable range at a front side of a communication possible range of the radio communication unit along the passing direction of the passengers.

5. The gate entry system of claim 1, wherein the control unit closes the gate unit when at least one of the human sensors with a detectable range overlapping with a communication possible range of the radio communication unit detects a passenger before the transmission/reception of the data is finished.

6. The gate entry system of claim 1, wherein the control unit permits an entry of one subsequent passenger into a communication possible range of the radio communication unit when a connection with the terminal device of one passenger is already established.

7. The gate entry system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display a state of progress of a processing by the control unit.

8. The gate entry system of claim 7, wherein the display unit is arranged along the passing direction of the passengers and guides the passages of the passengers according to the state of progress of the processing.

9. A gate entry system for regulating passages of passengers who carry short range radio technology based portable terminal devices, comprising:

a wall unit configured to form a passageway that is extended along a passing direction of the passengers;

a gate unit provided at an exit side of the passageway, which is configured to be opened or closed to regulate the passages of the passengers;

means for sensing the passengers in the passageway;

means for detecting a number of passengers entering into the passageway according to outputs of the sensing means, and for performing transmission/reception of data with respect to only one terminal device of one passenger in the passageway by establishing a connection only with the one terminal device, said detecting means having a communication possible range within which terminal devices of a plurality of passengers in the passageway can be simultaneously located; and

a control unit configured to control an opening or closing of the gate unit according to the data received by the radio communication unit.

10. The gate entry system of claim 9, wherein the sensing means includes a plurality of the human sensors arranged along the passing direction of the passengers.

11. The gate entry system of claim 9, wherein the detecting means receives the data that is information regarding a permission to pass the gate unit.

12. The gate entry system of claim 9, wherein the sensing means has a detectable range at a front side of a communication possible range of the radio communication unit along the passing direction of the passengers.

13. The gate entry system of claim 9, wherein the control unit closes the gate unit when the sensing means with a detectable range overlapping with a communication possible range of the detecting means detects a passenger before the transmission/reception of the data is finished.

14. The gate entry system of claim 9, wherein the control unit permits an entry of one subsequent passenger into a communication possible range of the detecting means when a connection with the terminal device of one passenger is already established.

15. The gate entry system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for displaying a state of progress of a processing by the control unit.

16. The gate entry system of claim 15, wherein the display means is arranged along the passing direction of the passengers and guides the passages of the passengers according to the state of progress of the processing.