Quick Pass Exit/Entrance Installation and Monitoring Method

• US 20110128381A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Control Module, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Control Module, Inc.
• Inventors: Bianco, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,767,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/149
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A quick pass exit/entrance installation and method is particularly adaptable for controlling and monitoring the exit and return of vehicles to and from a secured area. The identification of the driver and the vehicle is automatically determined and the exiting transaction is undertaken while the driver remains seated in the vehicle. The vehicle VIN and the image of the license plate may be automatically obtained at both the exit and entrance lanes. An image of substantially all four sides of the vehicle may be automatically obtained on both exiting and entering the facility. The information is processed and receipts are issued while the driver remains seated in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A quick pass exit/entrance installation comprising:

an exit lane with opposed exit sides and an exit gate and a tail gate;

an exit camera system having a field of view which covers substantially the entirety of the exterior sides of a vehicle disposed in said exit lane between said tail gate and said exit gate;

an exit terminal disposed at one exit side and having a video display, a driver image camera and a driver license reader;

an exit reader for electronically identifying the vehicle in said exit lane;

an entrance lane having opposed entrance sides and a one-way gate;

an entrance reader for electronically identifying the vehicle in the entrance lane; and

an entrance camera system having a field of view which covers substantially the entirety of the exterior sides of a vehicle disposed in said entrance lane between said entrance sides and one-way gate.

2. The installation of claim 1 wherein a said reader for reading the vehicle VIN is an RFID reader.

3. The installation of claim 1 and further comprising a processor wherein images from said exit and entrance camera systems are compared.

4. The installation of claim 1 wherein said exit terminal further comprises an intercom and a receipt printer.

5. The installation of claim 1 wherein said exit reader comprises a reader for reading the vehicle VIN.

6. The installation of claim 1 wherein said exit reader comprises a license plate reader.

7. The installation of claim 1 wherein said entrance reader comprises a reader for reading the vehicle VIN.

8. The installation of claim 1 wherein said entrance reader comprises a license plate reader.

9. The installation of claim 1 further comprising a processor for processing information received from said exit terminal, said exit reader, said exit camera system, said entrance reader and said entrance camera system.

10. The installation of claim 1 wherein said exit camera system comprises a front camera and a rear camera at each said opposed exit sides.

11. the installation of claim 1 wherein said entrance camera system comprises a front camera and a rear camera at each of said opposed entrance sides.

12. A method for monitoring vehicle egress from a secured area comprising:

(a) reading a driver ID card at an electronic module adjacent an exit lane while the driver is seated in the vehicle;

(b) recording an image of the driver while the driver is seated in the vehicle

(c) displaying information to the driver at the electronic module;

(d) issuing a receipt to a driver from an electronic module; and

(e) and automatically determining the identification of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising communicating by voice between an electronic module and the driver of the vehicle while the driver remains seated in the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising reading the VIN of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising obtaining an image of the vehicle license plate.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising acquiring an image of the vehicle from substantially all four sides while the vehicle is adjacent the electronic module.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising processing the information obtained from steps (a)-(b) and (e) to determine whether egress from the facility is allowed and generating a signal for releasing an exit gate.

18. A method for monitoring the exit of a vehicle from a controlled facility and the return of the vehicle to the controlled facility comprising:

(a) reading the ID of a driver in the vehicle while the vehicle is in an exit lane adjacent an electronic module;

(b) obtaining an image of the driver while the driver is in the vehicle;

(c) automatically determining the identification of the vehicle;

(d) acquiring an image of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the exit lane;

(e) reading the driver ID at an electronic module adjacent an entrance lane to the facility;

(f) automatically determining the identification of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the entrance lane;

(g) acquiring an image of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the entrance lane; and

(h) processing the information of steps (a)-(f) to correlate the data upon exiting the secured facility to data acquired upon entering the secured facility.

19. The method system of claim 18 further comprising automatically reading the VIN of the vehicle at the exit lane and the entrance lane of the secured facility.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising automatically acquiring an image of the vehicle license plate while the vehicle is at the exit lane and at the entrance lane of the secured facility.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising displaying information at the electronic module adjacent the exit lane.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising displaying information at an electronic module adjacent the entrance lane.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising issuing a receipt to the driver from an electronic module adjacent the exit lane.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising issuing a receipt to the driver from an electronic module adjacent the entrance lane.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein acquiring the image of the vehicle further comprises acquiring an image from substantially all four sides of the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising processing the information from steps (a)-(c) to determine whether egress from the facility is allowed and to generate a signal for opening a gate across the exit lane.