Visitor management systems and methods

• US 8,629,755 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mohammed Hashim-Waris
• Original Assignee: Mohammed Hashim-Waris
• Inventors: Hashim-Waris, Mohammed
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adnan, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US13/058,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 340 55- 554, 340/5.61, 340 582- 583, 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 701/29, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/5.52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Various apparatus, methods, techniques and systems are disclosed for admitting, tracking, monitoring and processing data about visitors and vehicles that visit an access-controlled environment. A network having one or more greeting stations and a number of linked answering stations collects and manages data concerning visitors and/or vehicles in the access-controlled environment, and can manage or assist individuals in managing granting access to the access-controlled environment, monitoring visitors and vehicles present in the access-controlled environment, limiting movement and access to certain areas in the access-controlled environment and generating records and other data about each visit. Some embodiments of the network are also adaptable for use in providing traveler assistance and consular services for various types of individuals.

Claims

1. A management system for controlling visitor and vehicle access to an access-controlled environment via a plurality of access points, the access-controlled environment comprising first and second areas inside the environment, the system comprising:

a network comprising one or more server devices and a memory device;

a first vehicle access point for controlling vehicular access to the first and second areas inside the access-controlled environment, the vehicle access point comprising a vehicle barrier, a scanner, a vehicle scale and a camera;

wherein the vehicle access point is configured to collect vehicle data, the vehicle data comprising;

vehicle weight;

a photograph of one or more vehicle parts;

identification signature data from a vehicle responder, if available; and

vehicle data, if any, stored in the memory device;

further wherein the vehicle access point stores collected vehicle data in the memory device and, based on vehicle data collected at the vehicle access point, the vehicle access point;

refuses vehicular access to the environment;

grants vehicular access to the first area;

grants vehicular access to the second area;

a first visitor access point comprising a greeting station connected to the network and adjacent an entryway in a visitor access area of the environment, the greeting station comprising;

a video screen, a camera, a speaker and a microphone;

a visitor detection system configured to detect when a visitor has entered the visitor access area;

a visitor proximity system configured to detect when a visitor has approached the greeting station;

wherein the greeting station is configured to collect visitor data via the following;

one or more peripheral input devices;

one or more peripheral biometric data capture devices;

one or more visitor option selection devices;

visitor data, if any, stored in the network memory device; and

a plurality of answering stations, each answering station comprising;

a video screen, a speaker and a microphone;

wherein each answering station is configured to present an answering station operator with a plurality of options for dealing with a visitor calling from the greeting station based on collected visitor data, the plurality of options comprising at least one of the following;

conferencing with a visitor at the greeting station;

opening the entryway to grant a visitor access to the environment;

printing a visitor badge;

wherein the network is configured to prioritize available answering stations in the plurality of answering stations based on collected visitor data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a phone system connected to the network, wherein the phone system is included in the prioritization of available answering stations.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the visitor detection system and the visitor proximity system provide data to the greeting station to evaluate at least one of the following:

visitor language limitations;

visitor mobility limitations;

visitor disabilities.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the peripheral input devices at the greeting station comprise:

a keyboard, a mouse, an RFID scanner, a touch screen, an image scanner, a barcode reader.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the visitor data comprises at least one of the following:

a visitor name, a visitor company affiliation, one or more physical disabilities of a visitor, language limitations of a visitor, visitor biometric data, scanned document information.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the visitor option selection devices comprise one or more of the following configured to allow employee entry, general inquiries and customer service, directory assistance to find a particular individual with who to speak, mail and goods delivery, and pre-scheduled visitor appointments:

a touch screen, a keyboard, a voice-activated control, a mouse.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first area is a registration area configured to perform at least one of the following:

collect visitor data, collect additional vehicle data, register a vehicle, register a visitor, obtain instructions for a visit.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of digital signs configured to provide instructions to vehicles and vehicle operators inside the environment, the plurality of digital signs being connected to the network and the instructions being based on collected vehicle and visitor data.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of responders, wherein each responder has a unique identification signature; and

a plurality of scanners, wherein each scanner is configured to detect a responder identification signature and to provide position data about the position of each responder to the network.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a scanner matrix inside the environment, the scanner matrix connected to the network;

a plurality of responders, wherein each responder comprises a unique identification signature;

wherein the visitor monitoring system is configured to collect tracking data for each responder, the tracking data comprising;

positional data comprising mapping each responder'"'"'s position in the scanner matrix; and

temporal data comprising timestamps associated with the positional data;

wherein the combination of positional data and temporal data provides a record of movement of each responder throughout the scanner matrix and any departures of a responder from the scanner matrix;

a display monitor connected to the network, wherein the display monitor is configured to display the position of each responder in the environment.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the scanner matrix comprises at least one of the following:

a 3-dimensional matrix in one or more buildings;

an array of scanners along roads and paths traveled by vehicles in the environment.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising digital signage inside the environment, wherein the digital signage is configured to provide assistance and instructions from the network in response to detection of a specific responder by the scanner matrix.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

one or more responder dispensers on a periphery of the environment or in the environment, wherein each responder dispenser is configured to physically dispense responders when authorized to do so by the network, and further wherein the network maintains identification signature data for each responder that is dispensed and associates identification signature data with visitor data or vehicle data for the visitor or vehicle to which a responder is dispensed; and

one or more responder collectors on a periphery of the environment or in the environment, wherein each responder collector is configured to physically receive responders when returned by a visitor or vehicle, and further wherein the network maintains identification signature data for each responder that is collected and associates the collected responder identification signature data with the visitor data or vehicle data for the visitor or vehicle to which a responder was dispensed.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein prioritizing available answering stations in the plurality of answering stations based on collected visitor data comprises performing a skills-based evaluation of the resources and capabilities of individuals associated with the plurality of answering stations.

14. A method for controlling visitor and vehicle access to an access-controlled environment via a plurality of access points, the access-controlled environment comprising first and second areas inside the environment, the method utilizing a network comprising one or more server devices and a memory device, the method comprising:

controlling vehicular access to first and second areas inside the access-controlled environment at a vehicle access point, the vehicle access point comprising a vehicle barrier, a scanner, a vehicle scale and a camera;

the vehicle access point collecting vehicle data comprising;

vehicle weight;

a photograph of one or more vehicle parts;

identification signature data from a vehicle responder, if available; and

vehicle data, if any, stored in the memory device;

the vehicle access point storing collected vehicle data in the memory device and, based on vehicle data collected at the vehicle access point, the vehicle access point;

refusing vehicular access to the environment;

granting vehicular access to the first area;

granting vehicular access to the second area;

controlling visitor access to the access-controlled environment at a first visitor access point comprising a greeting station connected to the network and adjacent an entryway in a visitor access area of the environment, the greeting station comprising a video screen, a camera, a speaker and a microphone;

a visitor detection system detecting when a visitor has entered the visitor access area;

a visitor proximity system detecting when a visitor has approached the greeting station;

the greeting station collecting visitor data via the following;

one or more peripheral input devices;

one or more peripheral biometric data capture devices;

one or more visitor option selection devices;

visitor data, if any, stored in the network memory device; and

based on collected visitor data, the network prioritizing available answering stations in a plurality of answering stations, wherein each answering station comprises a video screen, a speaker and a microphone and further wherein each answering station presents an answering station operator with a plurality of options for dealing with a visitor caning from the greeting station based on collected visitor data, the plurality of options comprising at least one of the following;

conferencing with a visitor at the greeting station;

opening the entryway to grant a visitor access to the environment;

printing a visitor badge.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing an emergency notification to selected visitors and vehicles in the access-controlled environment using a plurality of digital signs.