Control and monitoring system and method for access to a restricted area

• US 9,679,425 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digicon S/A Controle Eletrônico Para Mecânica (Investel Representação E Participações Ltda.)
• Original Assignee: Digicon S/A Controle Eletrônico Para Mecânica (Investel Representação E Participações Ltda.)
• Inventors: Elbling, Peter Richard, Arand, Mrio
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US14/760,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20160284142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 340 51- 58, 340531, 340571, 3405681, 3405733, 3405734, 3408253, 34082531, 34082534, 34082536, 34082574
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/08 Turnstiles; Gates for control of entry or exit of persons, e.g. in supermarkets control gates on vehicles B60N5/00 ; bank protection devices E05G5/00; with registering means G07C9/10 ; coin-freed facilities for turnstiles G07F17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 17/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• 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

Abstract

We describe a control and monitoring system and method for access to a restricted area, such as mass transport systems (subways, trains, airports, ships and others), commercial buildings, schools, factories, datacenters, and other places with people moving, composed of a Processing Unit (10) that receives information both from a User Authentication Device (20) and an Image Capture Device (40). The Processing Unit (10) processes this information determining user category as well as user location, speed and direction of movement within a Gated Area (GA). In turn, the Processing Unit (10) triggers one or more Bars of Luminous Elements (31) arranged in Barriers (30) limiting a Gated Area (GA), giving every user (Authorized User [AU], Unauthorized User [UU] or Special User [SU]) a User Category Window (311, 312 or 313) that follows the movement of the user within the Gated Area (GA). A Blocking Device (50) can be activated by the Processing Unit (10) to be partially or fully closed or opened and at a speed proportional to the location, velocity and direction of movement of the user within the Gated Area (GA).

Claims

1. A system for monitoring access to a Restricted Area (RA), comprising:

a Gated Area (GA) having a lateral bound on a side demarcated by a barrier (30) equipped with a Bar of Luminous Elements (31), the Gated Area (GA) positioned before the Restricted Area (RA), entry to which is allowed for Authorized Users (AU) but is restricted from Unauthorized Users (UU);

a Blocker (50) between the Gated Area (GA) and the Restricted Area (RA), the Blocker (50) being for allowing access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Authorized Users (AU) and being for preventing access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Unauthorized Users (UU), the Blocker (50) being normally open so as to allow access;

an Image Capturer (40) configured to;

capture images in an imaging area including the Gated Area (GA) and constantly identify a presence and data representing a location of one or more users in the Gated Area (GA); and

transmit the data representing the presence and location of one or more users in the Gated Area (GA) to a Processing Unit (10);

a User Authenticator (20) for determining a user category type of the user in the Gated Area (GA) chosen from an Authorized User (AU) type or an Unauthorized User (UU) type using biometric or non-biometric identification, the User Authenticator (20) being configured to send the user category type to the Processing Unit (10);

the Processing Unit (10) is configured to;

calculate the location, speed, and direction of one or more users in the Gated Area (GA) simultaneously,

activate, when the user is an Authorized User (AU) type, a first user category window (311) which corresponds to following the position of the Authorized User (AU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a first color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to open, if closed, so as to allow access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Authorized Users (AU); and

activate, when the user is an Unauthorized User (UU) type, a second user category window (312) which corresponds to following the position of the Unauthorized User (UU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a second color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to wholly or partially close so as to prevent access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Unauthorized Users (UU),

wherein the second color differs from the first color.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

entry to the Restricted Area (RA) is allowed for Special Users (SU);

the Blocker (50) being for allowing access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Special Users (SU);

the Image Capturer (40) is configured to constantly identify a presence and data representing a location of the Special User (SU), wherein the Image Capturer (40) transmits the data representing the presence and the location, of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA) to a Processing Unit (10);

a User Authenticator (20) for determining a user category type of the user in the Gated Area (GA) chosen from an Authorized User (AU) type, an Unauthorized User (UU) type, or a Special User (SU) type using biometric or non-biometric identification, the User Authenticator (20) being configured to send the user category type to the Processing Unit (10); and

the Processing Unit (10) is configured to;

calculate the location, speed, and direction of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA),

activate a third user category window (313) which corresponds to following the position of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a third color, in at least some but not all of the luminous elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to open, if closed, so as to allow access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Special Users (SU),

wherein the third color differs from both the first color and the second color.

3. A method of monitoring access to a Restricted Area, using the system of claim 2, comprising:

capturing images, with the Image Capturer (40), in an Imaging Area including the Gated Area (GA) and constantly identifying a presence and data representing a location of a user in the Gated Area (GA); and

transmitting, via the Image Capturer (40), the data representing the presence and location of the user in the Gated Area (GA) to a Processing Unit (10);

determining, with the User Authenticator (20), the user category type of the user in the Gated Area (GA) chosen from an Authorized User (AU) type or an Unauthorized User (UU) type using biometric or non-biometric identification, sending, with the User Authenticator (20), the user category type to the Processing Unit (10);

calculating, with the Processing Unit (10), the location, speed, and direction of the user(s) in the Gated Area (GA),

activating, with the Processing Unit (10), when the user is an Authorized User (AU) type, a first User Category Window (311) which corresponds to following the position of the Authorized User (AU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a first color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to open, if closed, so as to allow access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Authorized Users (AU); and

activating, with the Processing Unit (10), when the user is an Unauthorized User (UU) type, a second User Category Window (312) which corresponds to following the position of the Unauthorized User (UU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a second color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to wholly or partially close so as to prevent access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Unauthorized Users (UU).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one Authorized User (AU) and at least one Unauthorized User (UU) are moving in the Gated Area (GA) at the same time.

5. A method of monitoring access to a Restricted Area (RA), using the system of claim 2, comprising:

capturing images, with the Image Capturer (40), in an Imaging Area including the Gated Area (GA) and constantly identifying a presence and data representing a location of a user in the Gated Area (GA); and

transmitting, via the Image Capturer (40), the data representing the presence and location of the user in the Gated Area (GA) to a Processing Unit (10);

determining, with the User Authenticator (20), the user category type of the user in the Gated Area (GA) chosen from an Authorized User (AU) type or a Special User (SU) type using biometric or non-biometric identification, sending, with the User Authenticator (20), the user category type to the Processing Unit (10);

calculating, with the Processing Unit (10), the location, speed, and direction of the user(s) in the Gated Area (GA),

activating, with the Processing Unit (10), when the user is an Authorized User (AU) type, a first user category window (311) which corresponds to following the position of the Authorized User (AU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a first color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to open, if closed, so as to allow access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Authorized Users (AU);

activating, with the Processing Unit (10), when the user is an Special User (SU) type, a second user category window (312) which corresponds to following the position of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a second color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and send commands to the Blocker (50) to wholly or partially close so as to prevent access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Unauthorized Users (UU);

constantly identifying, with the Image Capturer (40), a presence and data representing a location of the Special User (SU), transmitting, with the Image Capturer (40), the data representing the presence and the location, of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA) to a Processing Unit (10);

determining, with the User Authenticator (20), a user category type of the user in the Gated Area (GA) chosen from an Authorized User (AU) type, an Unauthorized User (UU) type, or a Special User (SU) type using biometric or non-biometric identification, sending, with the User Authenticator (20), the user category type to the Processing Unit (10);

the Processing Unit (10) is configured to;

calculating, with the Processing Unit (10), the location, speed, and direction of the Special User (SU) in the Gated Area (GA),

activating, with the Processing Unit (10), a third User Category Window (313) which corresponds to following the position of the Special User (AU) in the Gated Area (GA) in a third color, in at least some but not all of the Luminous Elements (31), and sending, via the Processing Unit (10), commands to the Blocker (50) to open, if closed, so as to allow access to the Restricted Area (RA) for Special Users (SU).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one Authorized User (AU) and at least one Unauthorized User (UU) are moving in the Gated Area (GA) at the same time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one Authorized User (AU) and/or one Unauthorized User (UU) and/or one Special User (SU) are moving in the Gated Area (GA) at the same time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the luminous elements (31) are equipped with light-emitting diodes (LEDs);

laser beams;

lamps;

or luminous displays of the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the User Authenticator (20) uses biometric identification selected from fingerprints, irises, faces, and palms of the hand.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the User Authenticator (20) uses non-biometric identification selected from magnetic stripes of barcode badges, RFID badges and tags.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the Image Capturer (40) is chosen from video cameras, thermal cameras, or three dimensional imaging systems/cameras.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the Blocker (50) is configured to partially or fully close at a variable speed depending upon (a) the speed of the Unauthorized User (UU) within the Gated Area (GA) while moving in a direction toward the Restricted Area (RA) and (b) the position of the Unauthorized User (UU) within the Gated Area.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the Blocker (50) is configured to partially or fully open at a variable speed depending upon (a) the speed of the Unauthorized User (UU) within the Gated Area (GA) while moving in a direction away from the Restricted Area (RA) and (b) the position of the Unauthorized User (UU) within the Gated Area.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the Image Capturer (40) in conjunction with the Processing Unit (10) are configured to validate an object by way of geometric relationships of features of that object to determine if the object can be authorized, or not, to enter the Restricted Area (RA), and thereby activate the Luminous Elements (31).