System for security checking or transport of persons by an elevator installation and a method for operating this system

• US 7,620,817 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Gaussmann, Andreas, Friedli, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US10/829,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/10.31, 340/5.21, 340/5.64, 342/30, 342/42, 713/182, 713/185, 713/186, 380/277, 187/384, 187/396, 187/395, 704/246, 704/275, 455/422.1, 455/41.2, 455/411, 324/658, 324/661, 235/385, 235/380, 235/382, 235/436, 726/2, 116/64
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/468 Call registering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4676 for checking authorization of the passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration

Abstract

A system for security checking or transport of persons by an elevator installation and to a method of operating this system wherein in a person is authenticated by at least one authentication signal. At least one mobile authentication device carried by the person detects an authentication signal of the person and checks it with at least one person reference. In the case of correspondence of the authentication signal and the person reference, at least one identification code is provided. The identification code is detected by a stationary recognition device and assigned to a predefined travel destination or to an input travel destination input at the recognition device by the person.

Claims

1. A method for security checking or transport of persons by an elevator installation comprising the steps of:

a) generating at least one authentication signal caused by a person interacting with a mobile authentication device and seeking to use the elevator installation;

b) detecting the at least one authentication signal with the mobile authentication device;

c) the mobile authentication device checking the at least one authentication signal with at least one person reference;

d) in the case of correspondence of the authentication signal and the person reference, the mobile authentication device providing at least one identification code;

e) detecting the at least one identification code with a stationary recognition device of the elevator installation; and

f) assigning to the identification code one of a predefined travel destination and an input travel destination input at the recognition device by the person.

2. The method according to claim 1 including supplying the mobile authentication device with electrical power from at least one energy source external to the mobile authentication device.

3. The method according to claim 1 including selecting as the authentication signal a biometric signal being one of a fingerprint, a hand geometry, a facial profile, an iris pattern, a retinal scan, a thermogram, a smell, a voice, a signature and pressing of a button.

4. The method according to claim 1 including checking whether at least one user reference exists for the detected identification code.

5. The method according to claim 1 including comparing the input travel destination with at least one access authorization for generating one of a control signal and an alarm signal.

6. The method according to claim 1 including comparing the input travel destination with a list of travel destinations of an access authorization for generating one of a control signal and an alarm signal.

7. A system for security checking or transport of persons by an elevator installation comprising:

a mobile authentication device adapted to be carried by a person, said authentication device detecting an authentication signal caused by a person interacting with the mobile authentication device and checking whether said authentication signal corresponds with a person reference, said authentication device generating an identification code when said authentication signal corresponds to said person reference;

a stationary recognition device of the elevator installation for detecting said identification code; and

a checking device connected to said recognition device for assigning to said identification code one of a predefined travel destination and an input travel destination input at said recognition device by the person to generate a control signal for the elevator installation.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said authentication device includes a sensor for generating said authentication signal in the presence of the person.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein said sensor is a camera for detecting at least one of a fingerprint, a hand geometry, a facial profile, an iris profile, a retinal scan and a signature of the person.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein said sensor is one of a thermal camera for detecting a thermogram of the person, a smell sensor for detecting a smell of the person, a microphone for detecting a voice of the person, and a button for detecting pressing of the button by the person.

11. The system according to claims 7 wherein said authentication device is adapted to be powered by an external energy source.

12. The system according to claim 7 wherein said authentication device includes a transmitting and receiving unit and said recognition device includes a transmitting and receiving unit for communicating said identification code.

13. The system according to claim 7 wherein said authentication device includes a data store for storing said person reference and compares said person reference with said authentication signal to generate said identification code.

14. The system according to claim 7 wherein said authentication device includes a data store for storing said identification code prior to detecting said authentication signal.

15. The system according to claim 7 wherein said recognition device includes input means for receiving said input travel destination from the person.

16. The system according to claim 7 wherein said checking device includes a data store for storing said predefined travel destination.

17. The system according to claim 7 wherein said checking device includes a data store for storing a user reference and compares said user reference with said identification code to generate said control signal.

18. The system according to claim 7 wherein said checking device includes a data store for storing an access authorization and compares said access authorization with one of said predefined travel destination and said input travel destination to generate said control signal.

19. A method for security checking or transport of persons by an elevator installation comprising the steps of:

a) selecting as an authentication signal a biometric signal being one of a fingerprint, a hand geometry, a facial profile, an iris pattern, a retinal scan, a thermogram, a smell, a voice, a signature and pressing of a button unique to a person seeking to use the elevator installation;

b) generating the at least one authentication signal caused by the person interacting with a mobile authentication device;

c) supplying the mobile authentication device with electrical power from at least one energy source external to the mobile authentication device;

d) detecting the at least one authentication signal with the mobile authentication device;

e) the mobile authentication device checking the at least one authentication signal with at least one person reference;

f) in the case of correspondence of the authentication signal and the person reference, the mobile authentication device providing at least one identification code;

g) detecting the at least one identification code with a stationary recognition device of the elevator installation;

h) checking whether at least one user reference exists for the detected at least one identification code;

i) assigning to the at least one identification code one of a predefined travel destination and an input travel destination input at the stationary recognition device by the person; and

j) if the input travel definition is assigned, comparing the input travel destination with one of at least one access authorization and a list of travel destinations of an access authorization for generating one of a control signal and an alarm signal.