Entrance security system

• US 7,782,196 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woven Electronics LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Woven Electronics LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Shasteen, Sam Snead, Browning, Thomas E. Jr., Piper, Douglas E. Sr., DeYoung, Clifford Leroy, Owens, Mary Hester
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US11/655,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/542, 340/550, 340/545.1, 340/545.3, 250/221, 250/216, 250/227.14, 250/227.19, 250/227.23, 250/227.26, 385/135, 385/136
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/186 using light guides, e.g. optical fibres

Abstract

An entrance denial security system for detecting a fault condition at one or more entrances into a secured area representing unauthorized activity and an attempt to gain entry through the entrance. The system comprising an entrance barrier closing an entrance into a secured area; the barrier including a plurality of hollow structural elements having hollow cores forming a rigid integral barrier; an optical fiber sensor line laced through the hollow cores of the structural elements of the gate for detecting the fault condition; a processor in communication with the fiber sensor line for generating a fault signal in response to the occurrence of a fault condition and identifying the entrance where the fault condition occurred; and a communication device operatively associated with the processor for communicating the fault signal so that a proper security response can be made to the fault condition.

Claims

1. A security system for detecting an unauthorized activity and attempt to enter through an entrance of a secured area comprising:

an entrance gate for controlling entry through the entrance including a plurality of structural elements form a barrier closing the entrance;

a first fiber optic sensor line for sensing a first fault condition representing an unauthorized attempt to open the gate;

a second fiber optic senor line for sensing one of an attempted severance and severance of a structural element of the gate;

a first fiber optic scanning unit for scanning the first optical sensor line and receiving scan signals estimating attenuations in the first optical sensor line;

a second fiber optic scanning unit for scanning the second optical sensor line and receiving scan signals estimating attenuations in the second optical sensor line;

at least one system computer for receiving and processing the scan signals in real-time representing the condition of the first and second optical sensor lines and generating a real-time fault signal in response to a predetermined attenuation in one or more of the scan signals indicating the unauthorized activity has occurred; and

a communication device communicating notice of the fault signal to security personnel.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing of the scan signals includes comparing the first and second real-time scan signals to pre-established first and second baseline scan signals which are characteristic of the first and second sensor lines, respectively, in an undisturbed state.

3. The system of claim 1 including a computer readable medium in communication with the computer;

and a computer program including computer readable instructions in communication with the computer readable medium which includes;

receiving instructions for receiving scan signals from the scanning unit;

baseline initialization instructions for establishing a baseline signal based on initial information from the scan signals;

monitoring instructions for monitoring the optical sensor line by automatically receiving the scan signals in real-time representing the condition of the optical sensor line in real-time;

comparison instructions for determining if unauthorized activity has taken place based on a real-time comparison of the baseline signal and the scan signals;

fault instructions for generating a real-time fault signal in response to a predetermined change in one or more of the scan signals indicating the unauthorized activity has taken place; and

the computer outputting a warning in response to the fault signal to notify an attendant that the unauthorized activity has taken place.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a visual display in communication with the system computer; and

the set of computer readable instructions include display instructions for visually indicating the occurrence of a fault on the display.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the entrance gate includes a barrier composed of hollow structural elements having hollow cores, and the first optical sensor line is laced through the hollow cores of the structural elements.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the entrance gate is moveable and has an open position allowing entry and a closed position preventing entry, and the system includes a sensor unit disposed relative to the entrance gate to detect movement of the gate toward the open position and generate a fault signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the sensor unit includes a first sensor element fixed relative to the gate and a second sensor element carried for movement with the gate.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein one of the first and second sensor elements includes a reciprocating sensor actuator having a deactivated position and an activated position, the sensor actuator engaging the second sensor fiber upon the unauthorized movement of the entrance gate causing the sensor activator to move to the activated position and the fault signal to be generated.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the sensor unit includes a fiber chamber for receiving the second optical sensor line, the reciprocating sensor actuator being carried in the fiber chamber to contact the senor line and form a predetermined bend in the second sensor fiber when activated to produce the predetermined fault signal that is readily recognizable by the processor to reliably detect a sensor activation.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the second fault condition further includes the structural elements being materially damaged to an extent affecting the condition of the sensor line which causes generation of the fault signal.

10. An entrance denial security system for detecting a fault condition at one or more entrances into a secured area representing unauthorized activity and an attempt to gain entry through the entrance, the system comprising:

an entrance barrier closing an entrance into a secured area;

the barrier including a plurality of hollow elongated structural elements forming a rigid integral barrier, said elongated structural element having elongated hollow interior cores;

an optical fiber sensor line extending through the interior hollow cores of the structural elements of the entrance barrier for detecting the fault condition;

a scanning unit operatively connected to an end of the sensor line generating a series of optical scan pulses for transmission from said end outbound along said sensor line and said end receiving reflections of said scan pulses returned back along said sensor line;

a system processor interfaced with the scanning unit for receiving said reflections of said scan pulses, said processor having a set of computer readable instructions stored in a memory on said processor for processing said reflections determining a fault condition and generating a fault signal in response to the occurrence of a fault condition and identifying the entrance where the fault condition occurred; and

a communication device operatively associated with the processor for communicating the fault signal so that a proper security response can be made to the fault condition.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the fault condition includes the sensor line being severed.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the fault condition includes the structural elements being materially damaged to an extent affecting the condition of the sensor line which causes generation of the fault signal.

13. An entrance denial security system for detecting a fault condition at one or more entrances into a secured area representing unauthorized activity and an attempt to gain entry through the entrance, the system comprising:

a moveable entrance gate including a plurality of structural elements forming an integral barrier structure closing the entrance;

the entrance gate having an open position allowing entry and a closed position preventing entry;

a sensor unit disposed relative to the entrance gate to detect movement of the gate toward the open position;

the sensor unit being associated with an optical fiber sensor line for detecting a prescribed movement of the gate from the closed position toward the open position and generating a fault signal if the prescribed movement is detected;

the sensor unit including a first sensor element that is fixed relative to the gate and a second sensor element that moves with the gate; and

one of the first and second sensor elements including a reciprocating sensor actuator having a deactivated position and an activated position, the sensor actuator engaging the sensor fiber upon the unauthorized opening of the entrance gate causing the sensor actuator to move to the activated position and the fault signal to be generated.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the reciprocating sensor actuator forms a predetermined bend in the sensor fiber when activated to produce a predetermined fault signal that is readily recognizable by the processor to reliably detect a sensor activation.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the sensor unit includes a sensor housing having a fiber chamber, the sensor fiber being routed through the fiber chamber with a natural bend producing no attenuation in the sensor fiber when the sensor is deactivated, and the sensor actuator engaging the natural bend of the sensor fiber to form the predetermined bend in the sensor fiber when the sensor is activated causing attenuation in the sensor fiber and generation of the intrusion signal.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the first sensor element includes one of a cam follower and a cam;

and the second sensor element including the other one of the cam follower and cam;

the cam follower being operatively associated with the reciprocating sensor actuator.

17. The system of claim 13 including a scanning unit for scanning the sensor line and receiving real-time scan signals indicating the current condition of the sensor line, and the processor processing the scan signals to detect if one of a plurality of fault conditions has occurred.

18. The system of claim 17 including a baseline scan signal representing the scan signal in the senor line in an undisturbed state, and the processor compares the real-time scan signals to the baseline scan signal to determine if a predetermine fault condition has occurred.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said entrance gate is a swing gate that pivots about a support structure, and the first sensor element carried by the support structure and the second sensor element carried by the swing gate.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the gate includes one of a parallel and intersecting pattern of the structural elements.

21. A method of preventing an unauthorized entry through an entrance into a secured area comprising:

providing an optical fiber sensor line laced through the interior of a plurality of hollow structural elements forming a barrier closing the entrance;

interfacing a computer system having programmed instructions with said sensor line;

generating a series of real-time scan signals in the fiber sensor line and receiving reflection signals returned back along said sensor line representing the current state of the fiber sensor line;

processing the reflection signals on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to initially establish a baseline signal from the sensor line representing an undisturbed state of the optical fiber sensor line and storing the baseline signal in a computer storage medium;

comparing the reflection signals to the baseline signal according to the programmed instructions, and generating a fault signal in response to receiving a reflection signal having a predetermined deviation from the baseline signal;

processing the deviation signal on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to establish a type and nature and location of a fault condition occurring in the barrier at the entrance; and

alerting personnel of the fault condition.

22. The method of claim 21 including generating the scan signal using an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR).

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the fault condition includes the sensor line being severed.

24. The method of claim 21 including scanning the sensor line with a scanning unit operatively connected to one end of the optical sensor line and receiving reflection signals representing the current condition of the sensor line, and transmitting the scan signals to the processor.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the barrier includes an entrance gate having an open position for entry and a closed position preventing entry;

and the method comprises detecting a prescribed movement of the gate toward the open position by comparing the reflection signal to the baseline signal, and generating the fault signal.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the barrier includes a fixed gate closing the entrance wherein the gate includes one of a parallel and intersecting pattern of the hollow structural elements laced with at least one of the optical fiber sensor lines, and the method includes detecting one of a severance and attempted severance of the sensor line by comparing the scan signal to the baseline signal.

28. An entrance denial security system for detecting a fault condition at one or more entrances into a secured area representing unauthorized activity and an attempt to gain entry through the entrance, the system comprising:

an entrance barrier closing an entrance into a secured area;

the barrier including a plurality of hollow elongated structural elements forming a rigid integral barrier, said elongated structural element having elongated hollow interior cores;

an optical fiber sensor line extending through the interior hollow cores of the structural elements of the entrance barrier for detecting the fault condition;

a scanning unit operatively connected to an end of the sensor line generating a series of optical scan pulses for transmission from said end outbound along said sensor line and said end receiving reflections of said scan pulses returned back along said sensor line;

a system processor interfaced with the scanning unit for receiving said resections of said scan pulses, said processor having a set of computer readable instructions stored in a memory on said processor for processing said reflections determining a fault condition and generating a fault signal in response to the occurrence of a fault condition and identifying the entrance where the fault condition occurred;

a communication device operatively associated with the processor for communicating the fault signal so that a proper security response can be made to the fault condition; and

said computer readable instructions stored in a memory of the processor which includes instructions for continuously receiving said reflections of said pulses scan from the fiber optic sensor line, comparing a base line signal to the scan pulses, generating a fault signal in the event the comparison indicates a fault condition, and activating the communication device in response to the fault signal being generated so that personnel are alerted to the fault condition and the location thereof.

29. A method of preventing an unauthorized entry through an entrance into a secured area comprising:

providing an optical fiber sensor line laced through the interior of a plurality of hollow structural elements forming a barrier closing the entrance;

interfacing a computer system having programmed instructions with said sensor line;

generating a series of real-time scan signals in the fiber sensor line and receiving reflection signals returned back along said sensor line representing the current state of the fiber sensor line;

processing the reflection signals on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to initially establish a baseline signal from the sensor line representing an undisturbed state of the optical fiber sensor line and storing the baseline signal in a computer storage medium;

comparing the reflection signals to the baseline signal according to the programmed instructions, and generating a fault signal in response to receiving a reflection signal having a predetermined deviation from the baseline signal;

processing the deviation signal on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to establish a type and nature and location of a fault condition occurring in the barrier at the entrance; and

said fault condition includes the structural elements being materially damaged to an extent affecting the condition of the sensor line which causes generation of the fault signal; and

alerting personnel of the fault condition.

30. A method of preventing an unauthorized entry through an entrance into a secured area comprising:

providing an optical fiber sensor line laced through the interior of a plurality of hollow structural elements forming a barrier closing the entrance;

interfacing a computer system having programmed instructions with said sensor line;

generating a series of real-time scan signals in the fiber sensor line and receiving reflection signals returned back along said sensor line representing the current state of the fiber sensor line;

processing the reflection signals on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to initially establish a baseline signal from the sensor line representing an undisturbed state of the optical fiber sensor line and storing the baseline signal in a computer storage medium;

comparing the reflection signals to the baseline signal according to the programmed instructions, and generating a fault signal in response to receiving a reflection signal having a predetermined deviation from the baseline signal;

processing the deviation signal on said system computer according to the programmed instructions to establish a type and nature and location of a fault condition occurring in the barrier at the entrance;

the barrier includes an entrance gate having an open position for entry and a closed position preventing entry; and

the method comprises detecting a prescribed movement of the gate toward the open position by comparing the reflection signal to the baseline signal, and generating the fault signal; and

alerting personnel of the fault condition.