Method and program for visitor pass system

• US 6,749,112 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Terada, Hirohito, Takayoshi, Junji, Noto, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US10/085,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20020139845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382.5, 235/375, 235/486, 235/382, 235/492, 348/156, 705/5, 705/9
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/02 employing selectable printing plates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

In one aspect of the present invention, a visitor pass system, visitor pass method and visitor pass program which can minimize and expedite visitor formalities, is provided. The visitor pass system comprises a visitor terminal, server and staff terminals. The visitor terminal, the server and the staff terminals are connected via a communication network. The visitor terminal may be placed at a reception area, for instance. The server is preferably a computer which can store a large number of visit data information.

Claims

1. A visitor pass system for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising:

a visit data storing means for storing visit data of a visitor;

an input and output means for entering appointment data and transmitting the appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein;

an identification data reading means for reading identification data from identification means of the visitor;

a visitor identifying means for identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and for preparing visitor'"'"'s data; and

,

a visitor'"'"'s data transmitting means for transmitting the visitor'"'"'s data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the visitor'"'"'s data therein;

an appointment data retrieving means for retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

a permit data output means for outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

2. The visitor pass system according to claim 1, further comprising:

appointment data retrieving means for retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

,

arrival notification data transmitting means for transmitting data to notify the visitor'"'"'s arrival to the input and output means through the communication network.

3. The visitor pass system according to claim 2, wherein said arrival notification data transmitting means transmits arrival notification data to the input and output means through the communication network when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

4. The visitor pass system according to claim 1, wherein said permit data is entry permit data or departure permit data.

5. The visitor pass system according to claim 1, wherein said system is capable of providing an instruction to transmit the permit data from the input and output means to the permit data output means through the communication network.

6. The visitor pass system according to claim 1, further comprising means for unlocking or opening a gate by recognizing the permit data provided on the card.

10. The visitor pass system according to claim 3, wherein said identification data reading means includes first and second identification data reading means.

13. The visitor pass system according to claim 10, wherein said identification means includes a business card and at least said second identification data reading means includes a business card reader for reading characters provided on a visitor'"'"'s business card as the identification data.

14. The visitor pass system according to claim 10, further comprising permit data output controlling means for allowing the permit data output means to output permit data when there is appointment data related to visitor'"'"'s data prepared on the basis of identification data read by the second identification data reading means.

15. The visitor pass system according to claim 13, wherein said identification means includes a bar code and at least said first identification data reading means includes a bar code reader.

16. The visitor pass system according to claim 15, wherein said bar code is provided on a staff'"'"'s business card.

17. The visitor pass system according to claim 15, wherein said visitor identifying means includes number entering means and said appointment data retrieving means retrieves appointment data related to the number entered into the number entering means when there is no appointment data related to visitor'"'"'s data prepared on the basis of a bar code read by the bar code reader.

18. The visitor pass system according to claim 16, wherein said visitor identifying means includes number entering means and said appointment data retrieving means retrieves appointment data related to the number entered into the number entering means when there is no appointment data related to visitor'"'"'s data prepared on the basis of a bar code read by the bar code reader.

7. A visitor pass system for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising:

a visit data storing means for storing visit data of a visitor;

an input and output means for entering appointment data and transmitting the appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein;

an identification data reading means for reading identification data from identification means of the visitor;

a visitor identifying means for identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data;

an appointment data retrieving means for retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network;

an arrival notification data transmitting means for transmitting data to notify the visitor'"'"'s arrival to the input and output means through the communication network; and

a permit data output means for outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

8. The visitor pass system according to claim 7, wherein said arrival notification data transmitting means transmits arrival notification data to the input and output means through the communication network when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

9. A visitor pass system for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising:

a visit data storing means for storing visit data of a visitor;

an input and output means for entering appointment data and transmitting the appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein;

an identification data reading means for reading identification data from identification means of the visitor;

a visitor identifying means for identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data;

appointment data retrieving means for retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

,

a permit data output means for outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

11. The visitor pass system according to claim 9, wherein said permit data is entry permit data or departure permit data.

12. The visitor pass system according to claim 9, wherein said system is capable of providing an instruction to transmit the permit data from the input and output means to the permit data output means through the communication network.

19. A visitor pass method for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein, said appointment data entered into input and output means by a staff;

(b) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor by identification data reading means;

(c) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data by visitor identifying means;

(d) transmitting the visitor'"'"'s data to visit data storing means through the communication network by visitor'"'"'s data transmitting means to store the data therein;

(e) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

(f) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

20. A visitor pass method for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein, said appointment data entered into input and output means by a staff;

(b) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor by identification data reading means;

(c) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data by visitor identifying means;

(d) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network by appointment data retrieving means;

(e) transmitting data to notify the visitor'"'"'s arrival to the input and output means through the communication network by arrival notification data transmitting means; and

(f) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

21. A visitor pass method for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting appointment data to the visit data storing means through the communication network to store the data therein, said appointment data entered into input and output means by a staff;

(b) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor by identification data reading means;

(c) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data by visitor identifying means;

(d) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network by appointment data retrieving means; and

,

(e) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

22. A visitor pass program for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

(a) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor;

(b) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data;

(c) transmitting the visitor'"'"'s data to visit data storing means for storing visitor'"'"'s visit data through the communication network to store the data therein.

(d) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

(e) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

23. A visitor pass program for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

(a) transmitting appointment data entered by a staff to visit data storing means for storing visitor'"'"'s visit data through the communication network to store the data therein;

(b) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor;

(c) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and preparing visitor'"'"'s data;

(d) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network;

(e) transmitting data to notify the visitor'"'"'s arrival to the input and output means through the communication network; and

(f) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.

24. A visitor pass program for managing visitor'"'"'s entry and departure, through a communication network, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

(a) transmitting appointment data entered by a staff to visit data storing means for storing visitor'"'"'s visit data through the communication network to store the data therein;

(b) reading identification data from identification means of a visitor;

(c) identifying the visitor on the basis of the identification data and prepare visitor'"'"'s data;

(d) retrieving appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data from the visit data storing means through the communication network; and

(e) outputting permit data on a card when the appointment data related to the visitor'"'"'s data is found.