Real-time screening interface for a vehicle screening system

• US 8,089,340 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cochran, Edward L., Rye, Jeffrey M., Anderson, Bruce W., Markham, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/650,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle screening system for screening vehicles and occupants for entrance to a secured facility is disclosed. The system can include a processor and an interface that communicates with the processor, wherein the interface displays identification information extracted from a vehicle occupant associated with a vehicle for processing by the processor. Additionally, a plurality of controls are associated with the interface and the processor, wherein the plurality of controls facilitates the handling and management of the information extracted from the vehicle occupant to either permit or deny the vehicle occupant and the vehicle entry to a secured facility through a security gate.

Claims

1. A vehicle screening system for screening vehicles and occupants for entrance to a secured facility:

a processor;

an interface that communicates with said processor, wherein said interface displays identification information extracted from a vehicle occupant associated with a vehicle for processing by said processor;

a drive-up electronic kiosk associated with said interface and said processor, wherein said drive-up electronic kiosk facilitates the handling and management of said identification information extracted from said vehicle occupant in order to permit or deny said vehicle occupant and said vehicle entry to a secured facility through a security gate and thereby confirm the identity of said vehicle occupant at a safe distance from said vehicle to reduce a risk of exposure to said vehicle;

a car list screen for displaying information within said interface regarding a plurality of vehicles in line with respect to security gate, wherein said car list screen permits a selection of a vehicle designated for secondary screening by a secondary screener from among said plurality of vehicles wherein said secondary screener selects a vehicle from a prioritized list of vehicles, acquires identity information from an occupant of said vehicle, and searches a vehicle watch list for greater information granularity with respect to said identification information gathered from said selected vehicle and said vehicle occupant; and

a car information screen that displays said identification information within said interface concerning said selected vehicle and which permits said secondary screener to add and modify information concerning said selected vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of cameras associated with said interface and in communication with said processor and said plurality of controls, wherein said plurality of cameras obtain at least one video view of said vehicle occupant and said vehicle for display in a particular display area of said interface.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a reader device for extracting particular identification data from said vehicle occupant.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said interface further displays information about said vehicle occupant electronically extracted from a database in response to a query to said database initiated through said interface.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said information about said vehicle occupant extracted from said database further includes any available adverse information concerning said vehicle occupant.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sensors associated with said drive-up electronic kiosk that permits said vehicle occupant to input said data associated with said vehicle occupant as identification information associated with said vehicle occupant, wherein said plurality of sensors includes at least one of the following:

a biometric reader for receiving biometric data from said vehicle occupant, a video camera for identifying a license plate associated with said vehicle, a card reader for scanning a barcode associated with an identification card provided by said vehicle occupant, and an RFID reader for reading an RFID tag associated with said vehicle occupant.

6. A user interface apparatus for use in a drive-up electronic kiosk in a vehicle screening system, said user interface apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a drive-up electronic kiosk that communicates with said processor;

an interface associated with said processor and said drive-up electronic kiosk, wherein said interface instructs and permits a vehicle occupant to rapidly input identification data to said drive-up electronic kiosk and thereafter verifies or denies said vehicle occupant entry to a secured facility through a security gate while confirming the identity of said vehicle occupant at a safe distance from said vehicle in order to reduce a risk to security personnel of exposure to said vehicle;

a car list screen for displaying information within said interface regarding a plurality of vehicles in line with respect to security gate, wherein said car list screen permits a selection of a vehicle designated for secondary screening by a secondary screener from among said plurality of vehicles wherein said secondary screener selects a vehicle from a prioritized list of vehicles, acquires identity information from an occupant of said vehicle, and searches a vehicle watch list for greater information granularity with respect to said identification information gathered from said selected vehicle and said vehicle occupant; and

a car information screen that displays said identification information within said interface concerning said selected vehicle and which permits said secondary screener to add and modify said identification information concerning said selected vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a biometric reader associated with said drive-up electronic kiosk that permits said vehicle occupant to input said data associated with said vehicle occupant as biometric information associated with said vehicle occupant.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said interface comprises a touchscreen display for permitting said vehicle occupant to input said identification data associated with said vehicle occupant.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said touchscreen display comprises a data-entry screen that permits said identification data in the form of a particular identification number to be entered on said touchscreen using a calculator-like graphically displayed keypad including at least one graphically displayed key for permitting said vehicle occupant to correct mistakes and transmit said identification number for processing by said processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said interface comprises a reader device for extracting said identification data from an identification card provided by said vehicle occupant.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said interface displays an instruction screen for instructing said vehicle occupant on how to input said identification data to said drive-up electronic kiosk.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a communications unit associated with said interface, wherein said communications unit permits said vehicle occupant to communicate directly via an audio or video link with a security officer during screening initiated through said interface.

13. A security gate management system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors for detecting an identity of a vehicle or a vehicle occupant with respect to a security gate for entry to a secured facility, wherein said plurality of sensors are located proximate to said security gate for optimal screening and identification of said vehicle occupant or said vehicle;

a database for storing and retrieving identification information of said vehicle occupant or said vehicle;

an interface console for permitting a security guard to electronically and remotely monitor said vehicle or said vehicle occupant utilizing data retrieved from said plurality of sensors and identification information retrieved from said database, which permits said security guard to thereby confirm the identity of said vehicle occupant at a safe distance from said vehicle in order to reduce a risk of exposure to said vehicle, while rapidly and efficiently allowing said security guard to verify or deny said vehicle occupant or said vehicle entry to said secured facility through said security gate;

a car list screen for displaying information within said interface regarding a plurality of vehicles in line with respect to security gate, wherein said car list screen permits a selection of a vehicle designated for secondary screening by a secondary screener from among said plurality of vehicles wherein said secondary, screener selects a vehicle from a prioritized list of vehicles, acquires identity information from an occupant of said vehicle and searches a vehicle watch list for greater information granularity with respect to said identification information gathered from said selected vehicle and said vehicle occupant; and

a car information screen that displays information within said interface console concerning said selected vehicle and which permits said secondary screener to add and modify information concerning said selected vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one sensor for identifying a license plate associated with said vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one video camera for obtaining a video view of said vehicle occupant or said vehicle.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a biometric reader for receiving biometric data from said vehicle occupant.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a card reader for scanning a barcode associated with an identification card provided by said vehicle occupant.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises an RFID reader for reading an RFID tag associated with said vehicle occupant.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said database comprises an extensible database.