Virtual security guard

• US 9,659,421 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automated Security Integrated Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Automated Security Integrated Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Boles, Samantha, Kwiatkowski, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Application Number:
  US14/792,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20170011571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1012 Zone surveillance means, e.g. parking lots, truck depots
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/25 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for remotely controlling access of vehicles into and out of a secured area. At a kiosk located at the point of entry into the secured area, information for identifying a vehicle and/or its driver are obtained via input devices at the kiosk and stored at a remote operations center. While a vehicle is inside the secured area, the stored information may be viewed, modified, and/or supplemented. Once a vehicle is authorized to exit the secured area, an electronic indication is received at the operations center. At a kiosk located at the point of exit from the secured area, identifying information pertaining to the vehicle and/or driver is again obtained. The information is verified at the operations center to ensure a sufficient match with identifying information for the vehicle and/or driver previously stored, before the operation center transmits a signal allowing the vehicle to exit.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access of a vehicle to and from a secured area, comprising:

a first kiosk coupled to a first security barrier, said first kiosk comprising;

a first communications unit configured to transmit a request to enter the secured area and first identifying information associated with the vehicle over a communication network to a first location remote from the secured area; and

a control mechanism configured to deactivate a first security barrier for controlling entry into the secured area when said first communications unit receives a first electronic signal over the communication network from the first location granting entry;

a second kiosk coupled to a second security barrier, said second kiosk comprising;

a second communications unit configured to transmit a request to exit the secured area and second identifying information associated with the vehicle over the communication network to the first location; and

a control mechanism configured to deactivate a second security barrier for controlling exit from the secured area when said second communications unit receives a second electronic signal over the communication network from first location granting exit; and

wherein a processor at the first location is configured to receive over the communication network an electronic authorization generated from a second location inside the secured area for the vehicle to exit the secured area, and to generate said second electronic signal upon a determination that the first identifying information matches the second identifying information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to generate the second electronic signal if a time stamp associated with the electronic authorization is within a predetermined time range.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first kiosk further comprising:

a first camera configured to obtain a first electronic image of a driver of the vehicle;

a first card reader configured to obtain first identification data of the driver; and

wherein the first identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said first electronic image of the driver and said first identification data of the driver; and

wherein the second kiosk further comprising;

a second camera configured to obtain a second electronic image of the driver;

a second card reader configured to obtain second identification data of the driver; and

wherein the second identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said second electronic image of the driver and said second identification data of the driver.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first kiosk further comprising a first image capturing device coupled to a first card reader, wherein said first image capturing device is configured to obtain a first electronic image of an identification card of the driver;

and wherein the first identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said first electronic image of the identification card; and

wherein the second kiosk further comprising a second image capturing device coupled to a second card reader, wherein said second image capturing device is configured to obtain a second electronic image of the identification card of the driver; and

wherein the second identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said second electronic image of the identification card.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a first camera coupled to the first kiosk, wherein said first camera is configured to obtain a first electronic image of an identifier of the vehicle, and wherein the first identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said first electronic image of the identifier of the vehicle; and

a second camera coupled to the second kiosk, wherein said second camera is configured to obtain a second electronic image of the identifier of the vehicle, and wherein the second identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said second electronic image of the identifier of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the identifier of the vehicle comprises a license plate of the vehicle or an identifier associated with a trailer of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to apply a digital image correlation technique to determine the first identifying information matches the second identifying information.

8. The system of claim 1,

wherein the first kiosk further comprising:

a first bar code scanner configured to obtain a first bar code of the vehicle or of a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein the first identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said first bar code; and

wherein the second kiosk further comprising;

a second bar code scanner configured to obtain a second bar code of the vehicle or of the driver of the vehicle;

wherein the second identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said second bar code.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises

a first scale coupled to the first kiosk, wherein said first scale is configured to obtain a first weight measurement of the vehicle, and wherein the first identifying information associated with the vehicle comprises said first weight measurement;

and

a second scale coupled to the second kiosk, wherein said second scale is configured to obtain a second weight measurement of the vehicle, and wherein the second identifying information associated with the vehicle further comprises said second weight measurement; and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive, over the communication network, from said second location inside the secured area, an updated weight measurement of the vehicle and to update the first weight measurement with the updated weight measurement so that the determination that the first identifying information matches the second identifying information comprises a determination that the updated weight measurement matches the second weight measurement.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises:

a first communications system coupled to the first kiosk configured to enable two-communication between a driver of the vehicle and the first location; and

a second communications system coupled to the second kiosk configured to enable two-communication between the driver of the vehicle and the first location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said first communications system and second communications system is a voice communications system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said first communications system and second communications system comprises an input device and a screen display.

13. A method for remotely controlling access of a vehicle to and from a secured area, comprising:

receiving, at a first location remote from the secured area, over a communication network, a request to enter the secured area at a first security barrier;

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, first identifying information obtained at a first kiosk coupled to said first security barrier;

storing, at the first location, the first identifying information;

generating, at the first location, an electronic signal to deactivate said first security barrier;

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, a request to exit the secured area at a second security barrier;

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, second identifying information obtained at a second kiosk coupled to said second security barrier;

determining, at the first location, that an authorization generated from a second location inside the secured area for the vehicle to exit the secured area has been electronically received over the communication network;

determining, at the first location, that the first identifying information matches the second identifying information; and

generating, at the first location, an electronic signal to deactivate said second security barrier.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, at the first location, that a time stamp associated with the authorization is within a predetermined time range before generating the electronic signal to deactivate the second security barrier.

15. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first identifying information comprises:

a first electronic image of a driver of the vehicle obtained by a first camera mounted on the first kiosk; and

a first identification data of the driver obtained by a first card reader mounted on the first kiosk; and

wherein the second identifying information comprises;

a second electronic image of the driver obtained by a second camera mounted on the second kiosk; and

a second identification data of the driver obtained by a second card reader mounted on the second kiosk.

16. The method of claim 13,

wherein said first identifying information comprises a first electronic image of an identification card of the driver obtained by a first image capturing device coupled to a first card reader mounted on the first kiosk;

and

wherein said second identifying information comprises a second electronic image of an identification card of the driver obtained by a second image capturing device coupled to a second card reader mounted on the second kiosk.

17. The method of claim 13,

wherein said first identifying information comprises a first electronic image of an identifier of the vehicle obtained by a first camera coupled to the first kiosk;

and

wherein said second identifying information comprises a second electronic image of the identifier of the vehicle obtained by a second camera coupled to the second kiosk.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the identifier of the vehicle comprises a license plate of the vehicle or an identifier associated with a trailer of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining, at the first location, that a seal on a trailer of the vehicle is intact before generating the electronic signal to deactivate the second security barrier.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination that the first identifying information matches the second identifying information is made using a digital image correlation technique.

21. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first identifying information comprises:

a first bar code of the vehicle or of a driver of the vehicle obtained by a first bar code scanner coupled to the first kiosk; and

wherein the second identifying information further comprises;

a second bar code of the vehicle or of the driver of the vehicle obtained by a second bar code scanner coupled to the second kiosk.

22. The method of claim 13,

wherein the first identifying information comprises:

a first weight measurement of the vehicle obtained by a first scale coupled to the first kiosk; and

wherein the second identifying information further comprises;

a second weight measurement of the vehicle obtained by a second scale coupled to the second kiosk; and

further comprising the steps of;

receiving, over the communication network, from said second location inside the secured area, an updated weight measurement of the vehicle;

updating, using a processor, the first weight measurement with the updated weight measurement so that the step of determining that the first identifying information matches the second identifying information comprises determining that the updated weight measurement matches the second weight measurement.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, additional information from a driver of the vehicle obtained at a first kiosk coupled to said first security barrier; and

transmitting, from the first location, over the communication network, requests or instructions to the driver;

wherein the steps of receiving additional information and transmitting requests or instructions are performed before the first security barrier is deactivated.

24. The method of claim 23,

wherein the additional information is obtained via a voice communication system connected to the first kiosk.

25. The method of claim 23,

wherein the additional information is obtained via an input device coupled to the first kiosk and the instructions to the driver are displayed on a screen display.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining, at the first location, that a GPS device is present in the vehicle before generating the electronic signal to deactivate the second security barrier.

27. A system for controlling access of a vehicle to and from a secured area, comprising:

a first kiosk coupled to a first security barrier, said first kiosk comprising;

a first communications unit configured to transmit a request to enter the secured area and first identifying information associated with the vehicle over a communication network to a first location remote from the secured area; and

a control mechanism configured to deactivate a first security barrier for controlling entry into the secured area when said first communications unit receives a first electronic signal over the communication network from the first location granting entry;

wherein a processor at the first location is configured to store said first identifying information, to receive over the communication network first credentials of an exit token generated from a second location inside the secured area after the first identifying information is accessed from the second location, to associate the first identifying information with said first credentials, to generate an indication of approval to exit associated with said first credentials, and to remove the indication of approval to exit associated with said first credentials upon use of the exit token; and

a second kiosk coupled to a second security barrier, said second kiosk comprising;

a second communications unit configured to receive, over the communication network, said indication of approval to exit associated with said first credentials;

an exit token reader configured to read second credentials; and

a control mechanism configured to deactivate a second security barrier for controlling exit from the secured area, without accessing the first identifying information, when said second credentials correspond to said first credentials for which said indication of approval to exit has been received.

28. The system of claim 27,

wherein the communications unit of the second kiosk is further configured to receive an expiration time corresponding to the indication of approval to exit associated with the first credentials received from the first location;

and

wherein the control mechanism of the second kiosk prevents deactivation of the second security barrier if the expiration time has elapsed.

29. A method for remotely controlling access of a vehicle to and from a secured area, comprising:

receiving, at a first location remote from the secured area, over a communication network, a request to enter the secured area at a first security barrier;

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, first identifying information obtained at a first kiosk coupled to said first security barrier;

storing, at the first location, said first identifying information;

generating, at the first location, an electronic signal over the communication network to deactivate said first security barrier;

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, first credentials of an exit token generated from a second location inside the secured area after the first identifying information is accessed from the second location;

associating, using a processor at the first location, the first identifying information with said first credentials;

generating, using the processor, an indication of approval to exit associated with said first credentials;

transmitting, from the first location, over the communication network, said indication of approval to exit to a second kiosk coupled to a second security barrier for deactivating the second security barrier, without accessing the first identifying information, when second credentials read by an exit token reader at the second kiosk correspond to said first credentials for which said indication of approval to exit has been received; and

removing, using the processor, said indication of approval to exit associated with the first credentials to prevent future use of the exit token.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the first location, over the communication network, a time stamp corresponding to the first credentials of the exit token;

transmitting, from the first location, over the communication network, an expiration time corresponding to the first credentials to the second kiosk for preventing deactivation of the second security barrier if the expiration time has elapsed.