System for security control and/or transportation of persons with an elevator installation, method of operating this system, and method of retrofitting an elevator installation with this system

• US 7,936,249 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Friedli, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US10/300,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,086 Days
• Field of Search: 187/392, 187/381, 187/384, 187/391, 340/5.5, 340/5.15, 340/5.52, 340/5.82, 713/186, 713/182, 713/200, 705/1, 705/4, 235/375, 704/275
• US Class Current: 340/5.5
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/468 Call registering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4676 for checking authorization of the passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints

Abstract

A system for security control and/or transportation of persons with an elevator installation and a method of operating this system. By means of the system, a person is identified from at least one identification code and from at least one authentication signal. For this purpose, an identification code is entered and/or transmitted by the person, and an authentication signal of the person is captured. Assigned to the identification code and the authentication signal is at least one user profile. An access authorization stored in the user profile, and/or a pre-defined travel destination in the user profile, is/are determined. The authentication signal is checked against at least one reference stored in a user profile. If an access authorization to a travel destination is present, and if the authentication signal and reference correspond, a command signal is transmitted to an elevator installation.

Claims

1. A method for security control and/or transportation of persons with an elevator installation, comprising the steps of:

identifying a person at a first location external to an elevator car, from at least one identification code by way of a recognition device mounted in close proximity to a landing door of the elevator installation, the identifying step occurring prior to entry of the person into the elevator car;

authenticating the person at a second, different location, from at least one biometric authentication signal by an authentication device mounted before or in the elevator car, to check the identifying step;

assigning at least one user profile to the at least one identification code and the at least one biometric authentication signal; and

checking the at least one biometric authentication signal against at least one reference stored in the user profile

wherein the identifying step includes at least one of entering and transmitting the at least one identification code by the person, the method further including capturing the at least one biometric authentication signal of the person, and determining at least one of an access authorization stored in the user profile and a pre-defined travel destination stored in the user profile.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control signal to an elevator control when an access authorization to a travel destination is present and the authentication signal and the at least one reference correspond.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the biometric signal is at least one of the group consisting of a fingerprint, a hand geometry, a facial profile, an iris pattern, a retinal scan, a thermogram, an odor, a weight, a voice, a signature, a keystroke and a walking sequence.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authenticating step includes authenticating the person from at least two authentication signals.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

rendering available information about a travel destination of the person to a control device of the elevator installation; and

checking by way of the control device whether the person is authorized to be transported to the travel destination by checking whether the travel destination is listed in an access authorization stored in a user profile.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein given the presence of the access authorization to the travel destination, and given correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in the user profile, at least one control signal is transmitted by way of the control device to an elevator control to transport the person to the travel destination.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining by a control device of the elevator installation a pre-defined travel destination stored in a user profile.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein given the presence of the pre-defined travel destination, and given correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in the user profile, at least one control signal is transmitted by way of the control device to an elevator control to transport the person to the pre-defined travel destination.

11. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

control means of the elevator installation;

wherein given the presence of an access authorization and given correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in a user profile, the control means are operative to transmit at least one control signal to an elevator control to transport the person to the travel destination.

9. A system for security control and/or transportation of persons with an elevator installation, comprising:

recognition means for recognizing at least one identification code of a person, the recognition means being mounted at a first location external to an elevator car and in close proximity to a landing door of the elevator installation;

authentication means capturing at least one biometric authentication signal of the person, the authentication means being mounted at a second, different location before or in the elevator car, the at least one biometric authentication signal adapted to be used to check the at least one identification code of the person; and

at least one control device that stores at least one user profile of the person, the user profile having at least one of an access authorization to a travel destination, a pre-defined travel destination, and a reference;

wherein the control device is operative to check at least one of whether the travel destination of the person is listed in the access authorization, and whether the authentication signal corresponds with the reference.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the control device is operative to check whether a user profile exists for an identification code.

12. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

control means of the elevator installation;

wherein the control means are operative to determine a pre-defined travel destination, and given correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in a user profile, the control means are operative to transmit at least one control signal to an elevator control to transport the person to the pre-defined travel destination.

13. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

control means of the elevator installation;

wherein given no correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in a user profile, the control means are operative to transmit at least one alarm signal, and if authentication takes place internal to the elevator car, an elevator door is closed and locked and the elevator does not commence travel.

14. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

control means of the elevator installation;

wherein given no correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in a user profile, the control means are operative to transmit at least one alarm signal, and if authentication takes place external to the elevator car, a landing door to the elevator installation is not opened.

15. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

control means of the elevator installation;

wherein given no correspondence of the at least one biometric authentication signal and a reference stored in a user profile, the control means are operative to transmit at least one alarm to a security service.

16. A method for retrofitting an elevator installation with a system for security control and/or transportation of persons, comprising steps of:

installing at least one recognition device at a first location external to an elevator car and in close proximity to a landing door of the elevator installation for recognizing at least one identification code of a person; and

installing at least one authentication device at a second, different location before or in the elevator car of the elevator installation for capturing at least one biometric authentication signal of the person to check the at least one identification code of the person;

wherein the system for security control and/or transportation of persons is configured to assign at least one user profile to the identification code and to the authentication signal, identify at least one of entering and transmitting the at least one identification code by the person, capture the at least one biometric authentication signal of the person, and determine at least one of an access authorization stored in a user profile and a pre-defined travel destination stored in the user profile.

17. A system for security control and/or transportation of persons with an elevator installation, comprising:

a recognition device configured to recognize at least one identification code of a person, the recognition device being mounted at a first location external to an elevator car and in close proximity to a landing door of the elevator installation;

an authentication device configured to capture at least one biometric authentication signal of the person, the authentication device being mounted at a second, different location before or in the elevator car, the at least one biometric authentication signal adapted to be used to check the at least one identification code of the person; and

a control device configured to store at least one user profile of the person, the user profile having at least one of an access authorization to a travel destination, a pre-defined travel destination, and a reference;

wherein the control device is operative to check at least one of whether the travel destination of the person is listed in the access authorization, and whether the authentication signal corresponds with the reference.