Intelligent controlled entry-exit system

• US 7,173,532 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xegesis LLC
• Original Assignee: Xegesis LLC
• Inventors: McAllister, Alexander, Kunkel, James, Yadav, Rita, Hanle, John Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/810,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 340/574, 340/518, 340/528, 340/10.1, 340/10.52, 340/5.52, 340/539.1, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/286.01, 340/572.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.1, 340/5.8, 340/5.86, 235/382, 705/1, 705/3, 705/5
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

The present invention is to an integrated end-to-end system and process composed of numerous application systems and subsystems (applicable in total or in subparts) which enables parties (such as businesses, buildings, prisons, governments, etc.) to acquire information (biometric and textual) regarding an applicant requesting entry, verify the acquired information—checking it against defined (e.g., government enforcement agencies) offender lists, and utilizing the acquired information at defined points in the process to track individuals. Further, the system preferably includes mandatory, scheduled check-ins to ensure compliance with the visitation requirements during the stay by the party in the sponsoring facility, country, business, etc.

Claims

1. An stay management system for managing the stay of a visitor to a first zone, comprising:

a) at least one computer for managing data collected by the stay management system;

b) at least one entrance for the first zone having a data entry point for entering data associated with the visitor and communicating said data to said stay management system;

c) at least one communication device in communication with said stay management system for communicating data about the visitor during the visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone; and

d) at least one exit from the first zone having a data entry point for entering data associated with the visitor and communicating said data to said stay management system;

e) a scanner located adjacent said at least one entrance of said first zone for scanning machine readable indicia to access information stored in said computer about the visitor;

f) a scanner located adjacent said at least one exit of said first zone for scanning machine readable indicia to access information stored in said computer about the visitor;

g) means for providing a signal to a predetermined individual that another individual is allowing a visitor to enter or exit the first zone in an instance where the visitor should not be allowed to enter or exit the first zone.

2. A stay management system for managing the stay of a visitor to a first zone, comprising:

a) at least one computer for managing data collected by the stay management system;

b) at least one entrance for the first zone having a data entry point for entering data associated with the visitor and communicating said data to said stay management system;

c) at least one communication device in communication with said stay management system for communicating data about the visitor during the visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone; and

d) at least one exit from the first zone having a data entry point for entering data associated with the visitor and communicating said data to said stay management system;

e) at least one telephonic check-in device located in said first zone which the visitor is required to use to check-in during the visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone; and

,

f) means for verifying that the visitor used the at least one telephonic check-in device when the visitor checks-in.

3. A method of monitoring at least a first visitor in a first zone, the first zone having at least one entry point and at least one exit point, said method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining information concerning a first visitor desiring entry into a first zone prior to entry of the first zone by the first visitor;

a) providing at least one computer having a memory;

c) assigning the first visitor with a unique identifier distinguishing the first visitor from at least one other individual;

d) storing in the memory information concerning the first visitor;

e) associating the information concerning the first visitor stored in the memory with the unique identifier;

f) setting at least one stay requirement that the first visitor must satisfy while in the first zone;

g) updating the information concerning the first visitor stored in the memory during the first visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone to indicate whether the first visitor has complied with the first stay requirement; and

,

f) at the time the first visitor seeks to exit the first zone, checking the memory to see if the first visitor has complied with the at least one stay requirement.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further including the step of:

a) providing a signal to a predetermined individual informing the individual that another individual is allowing a visitor to enter or exit the first zone in an instance where the visitor should not be allowed to enter or exit the first zone.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, further including the steps of:

a) providing a check-in device in the first zone; and

,

b) requiring the first visitor to use the check-in device at least once during the first visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, including the further step of:

a) verifying that the first visitor is using the check-in device when the first visitor checks-in.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein:

a) the check-in device is a telephone.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, including further step of:

a) processing the telephone call to determine whether the first visitor is using the check-in device when checking-in.

9. A method of monitoring at least a first visitor in a first zone, the first zone having at least one entry point and at least one exit point, said method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining information concerning a first visitor desiring entry into a first zone prior to entry of the first zone by the first visitor;

b) providing at least one computer having a memory;

c) assigning the first visitor with a unique identifier distinguishing the first visitor from at least one other individual;

d) storing in the memory information concerning the first visitor;

e) associating the information concerning the first visitor stored in the memory with the unique identifier;

f) providing at least one check-in device in the first zone; and

,

g) requiring the first visitor to use the check-in device at least one time during the first visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, including the further step of:

a) updating the information concerning the first visitor stored in the memory during the first visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone to indicate whether the first visitor has used the check-in device during the first visitor'"'"'s stay in the first zone.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, including the further step of:

a) providing an individual at the location of the check-in device; and

,

b) interviewing the individual located at the check-in device to track the first visitor.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

a) the check-in device is a kiosk.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

a) the first zone is the United State, the visitor is a foreign national and the check-in device is a qualified telephone.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, including the further step of:

a) utilizing call origin information to verify that the foreign national used the check-in device when checking-in.

16. A method as recited in claim 9, including the further step of:

a) verifying that the first visitor is the person checking-in when the first visitor checks-in.

17. A method as recited in claim 9, including the further step of:

a) verifying that the first visitor is the person checking-in through biometric information.

12. A method as recited in 9, including the further step of:

a) verifying that the first visitor used the check-in device when checking-in.

18. A method of controlling access to a zone, comprising:

screening potential visitors by receiving predetermined user documentation regarding the identity of a user desiring entrance to the zone from the user;

validating the identity of the user by comparing the documentation and the user to information pertaining to the documentation and the user in a database;

retrieving additional secondary information pertaining to the user maintained in a database to qualify or disqualify the user from entrance to the zone;

determining whether to grant entrance of the user to the zone based on positively validating the identity of the user and based on the additional secondary information retrieved for the user;

verifying user supplied information regarding purposes for the user entering the zone, said user supplied information selected from the group of reasons for visiting the zone, particular locations in the zone to be visited by the user, and contact information of sponsors to visit in the zone; and

selectively allowing the user to enter the zone only after positively determining to grant entrance of the user to the zone and positively verifying user supplied information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising a supervisory computer analyzing information in the database and comparing it to the user documentation and disallowing the user to enter the zone if the user fails a computerized validation of the user documentation.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising capturing a photograph and a biometric of the potential visitor and assigning a unique, secure ID to one of the picture and the biometric.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising assigning a status to the potential visitor as “

acceptable”

or “

denied.”

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising checking the picture and biometric of the potential visitor against a database of information including previous prequalification attempts.