Dual turnstile

• US 9,784,032 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boon Edam Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boon Edam Inc.
• Inventors: Perkins, Mark, Boyle, John, Measom, Kurt, Dolenschek, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): REPHANN, JUSTIN B
• Application Number:
  US14/837,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20160060944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 49 42, 49 49
• 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: G07C 9/10 Movable barriers with registering means

Abstract

A turnstile having two hub and arm assemblies funnels individuals to different sides or lanes. Machine intelligence allows the turnstile to select which side or lane an individual transits. The turnstile may randomly, pseudo-randomly, or strategically which side or lane an individual transits.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a. a processor; and

b. a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

i. determining a presence of an individual approaching a turnstile comprising two hub and arm assemblies;

ii. randomly determining a transit decision based on a random number, wherein the random number is compared to a configurable threshold value associated with a side of the dual turnstile;

iii. unlocking one of the two hub and arm assemblies in response to the transit decision; and

iv. locking the other one of the two hub and arm assemblies in response to the transit decision.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise generating a lane indicator for directing the individual to an unlocked one of the two hub and arm assemblies.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise displaying a lane indicator for directing the individual to an unlocked one of the two hub and arm assemblies.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise executing a rule to determine the transit decision.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise counting respective rotations of the two hub and arm assemblies.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable threshold value is configurable to effect the transit decision to achieve a desired frequency of which at least one of the two hub and arm assemblies is unlocked and locked.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the configurable threshold value is configurable to bias the transit decision to favor one of the two hub and arm assemblies.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, the configurable threshold value is configurable to effect the transit decision to achieve a desired ratio of unlocking and locking between the two hub and arm assemblies, and wherein the ratio is based on the counts of rotations associated with the two hub and arm assemblies.

9. A method, comprising:

a. determining, by a turnstile, a presence of an approaching individual;

b. selecting, by the turnstile, one hub and arm assembly of two hub and arm assemblies, wherein the selecting, by the dual turnstile, one hub and arm assembly of two hub and arm assemblies is randomly selected based on a random number, wherein the random number is compared to a configurable threshold value associated with a side of the dual turnstile;

c. unlocking, by the turnstile, the one hub and arm assembly selected; and

d. locking, by the turnstile, the other one of the two hub and arm assemblies;

wherein the individual is permitted to transit the one hub and arm assembly selected.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a lane indicator for directing the individual to the one hub and arm assembly selected.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a lane indicator for directing the individual to the one hub and arm assembly selected.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising executing a rule to select the one hub and arm assembly.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising counting respective rotations of the two hub and arm assemblies.

14. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

a. receiving a presence of an individual approaching a turnstile comprising two hub and arm assemblies;

b. randomly determining a transit decision based on a random number, wherein the random number is compared to a configurable threshold value associated with a side of the dual turnstile;

c. unlocking one of the two hub and arm assemblies in response to the transit decision; and

d. locking the other one of the two hub and arm assemblies in response to the transit decision.

15. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise generating a lane indicator for directing the individual to an unlocked one of the two hub and arm assemblies.

16. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise displaying a lane indicator for directing the individual to an unlocked one of the two hub and arm assemblies.

17. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise executing a rule to determine the transit decision.

18. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise counting respective rotations of the two hub and arm assemblies.

19. A turnstile, comprising:

a. at least two hub and arm assemblies configured to form at least two passageways, wherein the hub and arm assemblies are configured to be selectively at least one of unlocked and locked;

b. a passage mechanism, operably connected to the hub and arm assemblies, wherein upon activation of the passage mechanism at least one of the hub and arm assemblies is selectively unlocked and at least one of the other hub and arm assemblies is locked;

c. an indicator configured to direct an individual, upon activation of the passage mechanism, to an unlocked one of the hub and arm assemblies; and

wherein selecting which of the hub and arm assemblies is at least one of locked and unlocked is randomly selected based on a random number, wherein the random number is compared to a configurable threshold value associated with at least one of the hub and arm assemblies.

20. The turnstile of claim 19, wherein the hub and arm assemblies when in an unlocked state are rotatable in one direction.

21. The turnstile of claim 19, wherein selecting which of the hub and arm assemblies is at least one of locked and unlocked is based on a rule.

22. The turnstile of claim 19 further configured to count respective rotations of the hub and arm assemblies.

23. The turnstile of claim 19, wherein the indicator comprises a display displaying a lane indicator for directing the individual to the unlocked one of the hub and arm assemblies.

24. The turnstile of claim 19, wherein the passage mechanism comprises one of a switch, button, touch pad, scanner, and sensor.

25. The turnstile of claim 19, wherein the passage mechanism is remote from the hub and arm assemblies.