System for checking the single crossing of a controlled passage

• US 7,898,384 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saima Sicurezza SpA
• Original Assignee: Saima Sicurezza SpA
• Inventors: Rinaldi, Rinaldo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHANNON, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/657,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 340540-541, 340 51- 52, 340 53- 533, 340561-564, 340555-557
• US Class Current: 340/5.3
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means

Abstract

The system includes an intercepting booth (1) and at least two detecting units (2) and (3), of which the first one analyzes the variation over time of the weight of people or things penetrated into the booth, the second one analyzes the variation over time of the capacity of the electrical capacitor consisting of two metal armors (4) and (5) between which the controlled passage into the booth (1) is comprised. It further includes an electronic programmed processing unit (8) the inputs (9) of which are connected to at least the two detecting units (2) and (3) and the outputs (10) of which are connected to at least one alarm unit (11) and the elements for locking at least the door (13), of the booth (1) that separates the controlled passage (6) from the protected area (14).

Claims

1. A system for checking a single crossing of a controlled passage, comprising:

an intercepting booth (1);

a first unit (2) for detecting a variation over time (t) of the weight (P) of one or more people (7) and/or things in a controlled passage (6) delimited by the intercepting booth (1);

a second unit (3) for detecting a variation over time (t) of a capacitance (C) of an electrical capacitor, the electrical capacitor comprising two metal armours, the controlled passage (6) being located between the two metal armours; and

an electronic programmed unit (8) with i) inputs (9) connected to at least the first unit (2) and the second unit (3), and ii) outputs (10) connected at least to an alarm unit (11) and to a device for controlling at least an opening and closing of a door (13) separating the controlled passage (6) from a protected area (14),

wherein the electronic programmed unit is configured to compare a shape and amplitude of a first signal received from the first unit with a shape and amplitude of a second signal received from the second unit and, based upon the comparison, determine whether more than one person and/or thing has entered the intercepting booth (1) and, upon a positive determination that more than one person and/or thing has entered the intercepting booth (1), activate the alarm unit (11) and prevent an opening of the door (13).

2. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intercepting booth (1) comprises interlocked doors.

3. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intercepting booth (1) has a structure shaped as a parallelepiped.

4. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intercepting booth (1) has a structure shaped as a cylinder.

5. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intercepting booth (1) has at least one mobile base (20) forming a weighing surface operatively connected to the first detecting unit (2) and configured to dynamically detect the weight of the one or more people (7) and/or things inside the intercepting booth (1).

6. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first detecting unit includes a mechanical-electrical transducer configured to transform a mechanical variation, over time, resulting from a variation of the weight of the one or more people (7) and/or things in the intercepting booth (1) into an electrical signal with an amplitude variable over time proportional to said variation of the weight, the first signal received by the electronic programmed unit comprising the electrical signal.

7. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a measurement of the variation over time (t) of the weight (P) of the people (7) and/or things in the intercepting booth (1) ends with a closing of an access door (18) through which the intercepting booth (1) is accessed from a free area (16) separate and distinct from the protected area (14).

8. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first (4) of the two metal armours is located in a floor of the intercepting booth (1) and a second (5) of the two metal armours is located towards a ceiling of the intercepting booth (1).

9. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second detecting unit (3) produces an electrical signal of amplitude variable over time proportional to the variation of the capacitance (C) of the electrical capacitor, the electrical signal being produced from a moment the one or more people (7) and/or things penetrate into the intercepting booth (1) to a moment an access door (18) closes, the second signal received by the electronic programmed unit comprising the electrical signal.

10. The system, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an optical detecting unit (22) configured to produce a third signal proportional to a number of light rays interrupted on an interdiction plane by the one of more people (7) and/or things in the intercepting booth (1), the third signal being produced from a moment the one or more people (7) and/or things penetrate into the intercepting booth (1) to a moment an access door (18) closes,

wherein the access door (18) provides access to the intercepting booth (1) from a free area (16) separate and distinct from the protected area (14),

wherein the inputs (9) of the electronic programmed unit (8) are also connected to the optical detecting unit (22) to receive the third signal, and

wherein the electronic programmed unit (8) is further configured to compare the third signal with the first and second signals to further determine whether more than one person and/or thing has entered the intercepting booth (1).