Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INGRESS/EGRESS CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AIRPORT CONCOURSES
AND OTHER ACCESS CONTROLLED AREAS
Technical Field
This invention relates to the control of movement into and out of secured
or access-controlled areas, and more particularly, to a control system to
effect
movement of airline passengers from a public area of an airport terminal into
a
secure, controlled area such as a concourse leading to gates by which
passengers
embark onto an airplane and from which disembarking passengers exit the
concourse into the public area.
With the threat of airline hijackings which began in the 1960's and 70's,
and the more recent terrorist threats of placing bombs on airplanes to blow
them
up during flight, airports have been more and more involved with passenger
safety
and airplane security. To this end, airports in the United States have
established
control points within their terminals. Typically, these control points are set-
up at
those areas leading from the public areas of the terminal (where ticket
counters,
ground transportation centers, restaurants and gift shops are located) into
the aisles
(concourses) where the airplane gates are located. A control point functions
to a)
screen people entering the concourse from an entry (or Q side) and b) insure
that
no one circumvents the control point by trying to enter the concourse through
its
exit (or X side).
At present, a control point typically includes one or more conveyors onto
which passengers are required to place any luggage, handbags, or other
articles.
These items are then conveyed past an X-ray machine (or other screening
device)
by which the contents of the items can be viewed by security personnel. If a
suspicious item is spotted, the item is removed from the conveyor and required
to
be opened by the person carrying it so a close visual inspection can be made.
Each person is also examined. This is done by having the person pass
through an archway or portal which includes a magnetometer, for example, that
provides a primary level of screening. If the magnetometer detects an object
which is suspect, an alarm is sounded and the person is stopped by security
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personnel. The person is usually requested to empty his or her pockets, step
back
through the archway and re-enter it again. If the second passage does not
cause an
alarm, the items the person removed are returned to them and they are allowed
to
continue. If an alarm again sounds, the person may be requested to cycle back
through the arch yet a third time, or security personnel will use a
magnetometer
wand (a second level of screening) to go over the person's body to locate
whatever is causing the alarm. It will be appreciated that having people
recycle
through the primary screening point clogs the lane leading to the checkpoint,
and
creates a bottleneck for others needing to get to their gates.
Heretofore, the exit (X Arch) side of the control point has usually been
open; that is, there are no restrictions such as at the entry (Q Arch) side.
One
reason for this, of course, is to not impede deplaning passengers from leaving
the
concourse area. However, a major drawback to this arrangement is that an open
space is provided for someone wanting to circumvent the security checkpoint or
who inadvertently wanders into the exit passage. While exit lanes are usually
clearly marked, the warning is a visual warning only and may be missed by
someone not paying attention because they are otherwise engaged in looking for
deplaning family or friends. Usually this X side of the security point is
manned
by security personnel whose function is to stop people from entering the
concourse this way. If, however, someone enters a concourse through this exit
route and eludes the security personnel stationed there, the effect is the
concourse
must be shut down until the person is located. This includes prohibiting
planes
located at gates along the concourse from leaving until the intruder is found
or
determined to no longer be in the area. This causes substantial delays,
passenger
inconvenience, and missed connections. A number of these incidents have
recently occurred at major airports with the resultant cost running into
millions of
dollars in each instance.
Other problems attendant with current security checkpoints include
incorrect information as to the number of passengers entering a particular
concourse. Airlines, in effect, rent gates from an airport. One measure of the
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rental charged by the airport is the number of people using a concourse to
embark
on planes flown by a particular airline. As people pass through the
checkpoint,
they are automatically counted and a report including this count is
periodically
created. Airlines are then assessed based upon the count. The difficulty with
this
procedure in current installations is as follows:
As noted above, if a passenger passing through the checkpoint triggers an
alarm, that person is asked to go back through the portal, empty his or her
pockets,
and pass back through. In doing so, that person is counted three times. Once
when they first enter, a second time when they have to go back through, and a
third time when they re-enter. Most people successfully pass through the
checkpoint the first time, but some do not. The resultant multiple counting of
people sufficiently distorts the reported volume as to have a significant
economic
impact.
Another problem which occurs is theft and fraud. With conventional
installations, a person approaching the entrance places their luggage,
briefcase,
purse, laptop computer, camera, etc. on a conveyor which conveys these
articles
past an X-ray unit as previously mentioned. The person then retrieves their
articles from the other end of the conveyor and proceeds to their gate. While
the
articles are examined, and the persons passing through a portal are being
screened,
as a rule, no one checks to see that the correct person is retrieving the
articles.
One reason for this is the limited number of security people assigned to the
checkpoint and the multiple duties they are required to perform. As a result,
if
there is a long line of people waiting to pass through the portal, items may
reach
the other end of the conveyor well before their owner. If someone picks up
someone else's camera, for example, no one will likely notice. On the other
hand,
if someone passing through the entrance claims that an article has been
stolen,
there is no way to know if the person is telling the truth or not. As a rule,
the
airport/airline/security agency/insurance company pays off on a claim that can
be
in the range of hundreds or thousands of dollars.
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Background Art
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the
provision of a passenger security system for use in airports and other
facilities in
which both ingress into a controlled part of a facility and egress therefrom
must be
strictly controlled and monitored. The ingress and egress portions of the
security
system can be implemented together, or separately.
It is further an object of the invention to not only control ingress into a
secured area, but to also increase the pass-through rate of people into the
controlled area. To this end, visual cues are provided by which approaching
persons can readily tell which lanes through the checkpoint are open and which
are not, how they are to proceed through the checkpoint, and what items are
prohibited. The system operates to not unduly delay passengers heading for
gates
and increases the number of people (throughput) who can pass through a
screening point over a given period of time; all of this without comprising
security. Provisions are also made for the efficient screening of handicapped
individuals. Further, the system provides an accurate count of all persons
passing
through the control point to facilitate auditing by an airport, for example,
of those
people using a concourse. In a multi-lane facility, individual lane counts are
also
made.
Another object of invention is a multi-stage screening of passengers
entering the checkpoint. The multi-stage approach allows passengers who pass a
primary security screen upon entering the checkpoint to immediately continue
down a concourse. Those passengers who fail the primary screen are not
directed
to go back through and re-enter the checkpoint, which can clog the checkpoint
and
cause delays. Rather, these passengers are directed away from the main
passenger
flow to a secondary screening point where they are subjected to a second and
more rigorous check. Those passengers who pass this check re-enter the normal
passenger flow downstream from the checkpoint. Those who fail this second
screening are subjected to a personal search by security personnel. The
security
screening implemented by the system, besides improving flow through the
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checkpoint, requires a minimal amount of space (so more lanes can be provided,
if
desired), as well as fewer security personnel.
Yet another object of the invention is an audio/visual system for efficiently
moving people through the checkpoint. Light bars installed adjacent each lane
are
color controlled to indicate which lane is open and which is not. DVD or
similar
visual displays show passengers approaching a lane how to proceed through the
checkpoint. Other visual displays indicate those items (explosives, firearms,
etc.)
which are not allowed through the checkpoint, as well as other pertinent
information. The visual system also routes passengers through the various
levels
of screening to efficiently move people requiring further screening out of the
way
of passengers who can move on to their gate.
A further object of the invention is a continuous monitoring of all people
approaching the checkpoint and providing a visual indication to the people
that
they are being watched and their actions recorded. This substantially reduces
the
possibility of theft since a potential thief can see his activities are being
monitored. Similarly, the number of fraud claims is substantially reduced
because
recorded events are readily played back to see if a claim is legitimate.
Another object of the invention is an egress control by which passengers
exiting a concourse can readily do so, but by which persons inadvertently or
intentionally attempting to toss items (weapons, explosives, etc.) through the
exit
arch or circumvent the ingress checkpoint are prevented from doing so. Flow
control doors extend across the portion of the concourse through which
passengers
exiting the concourse pass. The doors are controlled to only open outwardly
and
can be commanded to remain closed in the instance of a violation of the egress
device. Further, motion detectors located in the exit passage detect movement
of
people approaching the exit. Multilingual audio and visual alarms, as well as
a
monitoring system, are utilized to warn people away from the exit, to alert
security personnel, and to obtain a visual recording of those approaching the
exit.
These control and detection features further eliminate the need for security
people
to constantly monitor the exit.
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Another object of the invention is a control unit for controlling operation
of the system. The control unit allows security personnel to selectively open
and
close passenger flow lanes, monitor video from all the lanes, record video,
and
transmit video to remote sites. The control unit facilitates electronic
control of
passenger flow through the lanes and collection of lane information, and
closed
circuit television (CCTV) monitoring of incoming and outgoing luggage. The
control unit provides touch screen control for all user functions, password
protection, remote monitoring from a supervisory console and remote, dial-in
servicing and diagnostics.
Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a flow control system
which makes more effective use of security personnel located at the
checkpoint,
thus reducing the overall cost of security. The system operates as
unobtrusively as
possible without compromising security at the checkpoint, and while improving
passenger flow and substantially eliminating bottlenecks.
In accordance with the invention, generally stated, an ingress/egress or
flow control system (commonly referred to as "Q control" and consisting of a Q
entrance arch and an X exit arch) controls passenger flow into and out of an
airport concourse, for example, or into and out of other secure areas. The
system
includes at least one entry (Q Arch) portal through which enplaning passengers
enter into the concourse on their way to an airplane gate. A security screen
located at the portal screens each passenger as they pass through the portal
for the
presence of items such as firearms and explosives which are prohibited. The
security screen identifies any person suspected of carrying a prohibited item
through the portal. A secondary portal is located downstream of the first
portal.
A visual display system is responsive to an indication from the security
screen to
route a suspected person from the first portal to the secondary portal where
further
screening takes place to determine if the person is indeed carrying a
prohibited
item. However, the visual display system provides a further display which
allows
all the passengers who passed the security screen to enter the concourse and
proceed to their gate area.
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Another, separate (X Arch) portal is provided for deplaning passengers to
exit the concourse. A monitoring system continuously monitors this portal to
insure that people do not inadvertently or intentionally try to bypass the
entry
portal or toss items through the portal. Audio and visual alarms are activated
when someone attempts to enter the concourse through the exit portal to both
warn the person away and to alert security personnel of a possible intruder.
An
imaging system is also activated to obtain a video of image of the intruder,
this
image being recorded to help identify the intruder if necessary. Other objects
and
features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ingress/egress (Q/X)
system of the present invention viewed from the approach to the entry side of
the
checkpoint;
Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the system viewed from the opposite
side of the checkpoint entry;
Fig. 3 is another perspective view of the system illustrating lanes by which
regular and handicapped passengers are directed through the ingress (Q Arch)
side
of the checkpoint;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a conveyor and secondary screening portal
of the ingress side of the system;
Figs. 5 is a top plan view, in schematic form, of the ingress portion of the
system;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the egress (X Arch) side of the system
viewed from the public area side of the checkpoint;
Fig. 7 is an elevational view, in schematic form, of an egress lane;
Fig. 8 illustrates one portion of a control panel display for the Q control
panel portion of the system;
Fig. 9 is an illustration similar to Fig. 8 for the X control panel portion of
the system;
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Fig. 10 is another illustration of a control panel display showing an alarm
stimulus configuration for the X Arch portion of the system;
Fig. 11 is another illustration of a control panel display showing an
audible alarm menu for the X Arch portion of the system;
Fig. 12 is another illustration of a control panel display showing a creep
detection set-up for the X portion of the system;
Figs. 13A and 13B illustrate photo-optic sensors used in the ingress and
egress sides of the system (Fig. 13A), and a simplified block diagram (Fig.
13B)
illustrating how the detector outputs are used to obtain an accurate
throughput
count for the system;
Fig. 14 is representation of a prior art system of checkpoint control;
Fig. 15 is a block diagram illustrating how video images from various
cameras and monitors are recorded; and,
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a control podium for use in place of a
system monitoring station where space is limited.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts
throughout the drawings.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 14 illustrates a conventional passenger
screening system such as is found in airports. Passengers P wanting to enter a
concourse C approach one of a plurality of portals R through which he or she
must
pass. Each portal has an associated conveyor V on which a passenger places
their
luggage L and other articles they are carrying. The articles are conveyed
through
an X-ray machine X where the contents of the luggage are scanned by a guard G1
viewing a monitor M. The passenger then passes through the portal and as he or
she does, they pass through a magnetometer (not shown) built into the walls of
the
portal. If the passenger is still carrying objects (keys, metallic jewelry)
which set
off the magnetometer, an alarm sounds and another guard G2 instructs the
passenger to remove watches and jewelry they are wearing and whatever is in
their pockets. As indicated by the sinuous line, the passenger then passes
back
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through the portal and re-enters through it again. If a person and luggage
pass the
screening, the passenger retrieves the luggage from the end of the conveyor
and
proceeds down the concourse. If the passenger or their luggage requires
additional
inspection before being allowed to a pass, they are diverted to an inspection
area I
where the luggage is opened for visual inspection by another guard G3, or the
passenger is more thoroughly searched. For purposes previously discussed, a
counter located at each portal counts the number of people passing through the
portal.
A wall W separates the ingress side from the egress side of the concourse.
People exiting the concourse pass on the opposite side of wall W from where
the
inspection portals and conveyors are located. To prevent someone (an intruder
N)
from bypassing the ingress screening and entering the concourse the wrong way,
a
guard G4 is stationed on the egress side of the wall.
As discussed in the Background section of this application, there are
numerous problems and drawbacks associated with the current configuration. An
ingress/egress (Q/X) passenger screening system 10 of the invention, as is now
described, solves these problems and overcomes these drawbacks. For purposes
of the following discussion, system 10 is described as used in an airport
setting.
However, it will be understood, that system 10, or portions thereof can be
used in
any environment where access control is employed.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, system 10 includes an ingress or Q section
indicated generally 12, and an egress or X section indicated generally 14. In
addition to sections 12 and 14, system 10 further includes a control console
or
system monitoring station 16 which is located in proximity to the other
sections,
or it can be remote thereto. For convenience, the control station is shown
located
in proximity to the other sections in Fig. 1. In general, and as described
hereinafter, Q section 12 incorporates an information system and directional
lighting built into a facade. The information system provides passenger pre-
screening information that provides both preparatory and regulatory
information
to passengers as they prepare for the screening process. The lighting system
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incorporates fiber optic lighting for down lighting over luggage conveyors and
lane open or closed indications. A closed circuit television system employs
two
monitors for each passenger ingress lane. One camera provides a facial view of
the person placing an item on a conveyor, and another camera records the
person
retrieving items from the conveyor. The various systems used in the Q section
employ off-the-shelf components.
In Figs. 1 and 2, Q section 12 is shown to include a plurality of portals or
archways 18 by which passengers enter an airport concourse from a public,
unsecured area. Three such portals 18a-18c for use by regular passengers are
shown in the drawings; although it will be understood that system 10 can
accommodate more or fewer portals. Each portal 18a-18c is an open portal which
is wide enough to allow only one person to pass through the portal at any one
time. Each portal is defined by a pair of sidewalls 20a, 20b (see Fig. 3). The
sidewalls are formed of a single panel, or they may be formed from
interlocking
modules which are vertically stacked. Regardless, the sidewalls are spaced far
enough apart that a magnetometer unit 22 can be set in place between them. The
purpose of the magnetometer unit, as previously discussed, is to monitor
people
passing through the portal to detect metal objects carried on their person. A
third
sidewall 20c (see also Fig. 3) further defines the portal. This sidewall is
spaced
from sidewall 20b a distance sufficient to accommodate a conveyor indicated
generally 24 and upon which people entering the portal place their luggage and
other articles for an X-ray inspection. The X-ray unit is built into the sides
of a
tunnel section 26 of the conveyor with the resulting images viewed on a
monitor
by a guard. The images seen on the X-ray screen can be recorded along with
those of the CCTV cameras on a VCR with the use of an optional video scan
converter. A camera 28 placed is directed at the end of conveyor 24 to monitor
the people retrieving items from the end of the conveyor. Trays 29 (see Fig.
3) are
provided adjacent the conveyor for small items such as keys and coins. The
trays
are dispensed via chutes adjacent each conveyor 24 and are continually
supplied
from the backside of the Q arch by screening personnel.
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For handicapped individuals who cannot easily move through one of the
portals 18a-18c, people in wheelchairs, or people who may otherwise need
assistance, a portal 18d is provided. This portal is wider than the other
portals and
is normally closed by a door 30. When a wheelchair bound or other handicapped
person approaches door 30, the door is opened by a guard to admit the person
who
is then personally screened by a guard. As a rule, people accompanying the
handicapped person are not allowed to enter the concourse through portal 18d,
but
rather, they must pass through one of the other portals 18a-18c.
A fascia or headboard 32 extends completely across Q section 12 above
the portals. A series of CCTV monitors 34 are installed in the headboard at
locations above each portal and each conveyor. Different information can be
displayed on each monitor. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, an indication that
a
portal and its associated conveyor are open is indicated by displaying text,
"This
Lane OPEN" on the monitor. If the portal were closed, the words "This Lane
Closed" are displayed. The portal for use by handicapped individuals or those
needing assistance is readily identified by displaying the appropriate symbol
on a
static display handicapped sign. Besides these displays, the monitors can also
be
used to play tapes or discs on which instructions for proceeding through the
portal
can be shown. CCTV cameras 35 (see Fig. 5) are directed toward people
approaching the portal with the monitors 34 displaying the images not only of
the
people but also of them placing their items on the conveyor. These images are
also recorded at monitoring station 16. This has the advantage of letting
people
know their actions are being monitored so someone attempting theft or fraud
(by
claiming to have placed items on the conveyor when they did not) will not for
fear
of being caught. The views provided by each monitor 28 and camera 35 are
recorded, using a video multiplexer VM and time lapse or digital recorder VCR
(see Fig. 15). As previously noted, another CCTV camera monitors people
retrieving items from the end of the conveyor. This further helps reduce fraud
claims. An optional third camera (not shown) is installed to view and record
passengers walking through a magnetometer unit 22.
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The monitors 34 over each portal display DVD based animation to provide
the pre-screening information to approaching persons. In one embodiment of the
invention, this information is written on a DVD disc and played on a DVD
player
dedicated to the particular ingress lane L 1-L3 with which the portal is
associated.
Each DVD player is, in turn, controlled via a serial communications interface
with
a controller (not shown) such as those manufactured by Creston Electronics,
Inc.
of Rockleigh, New Jersey.
In a second and preferred embodiment of the invention, a computer
installed in station 16, for example, executes a proprietary program by which
multiple presentations, each in a mpeg-2 format, can be simultaneously run on
each monitor 34 using one of eight communication channels. The desired
animation or information, as well as audio if desired, is loaded onto a hard
drive
of the computer, and when a particular presentation is to be made, that
presentation is loaded into the computer memory and distributed over the
appropriate channel or channels each of which has an audio capability.
This preferred embodiment has several operational advantages. There is
no longer the need to record a separate DVD disc for each lane since
information
to be displayed for each lane can now be downloaded from a single, master
file.
The system has almost no moving parts which reduces the probability of
breakdowns. The system is designed to automatically restart in the event of a
power failure or system reset. The number of communication ports for the
monitor display system is reduced to one, regardless of how many lanes are in
operation at any one time. Finally, the computer system can also serve a
secondary function of providing a gateway for remote access to the system.
A further embodiment of the invention includes a digital recording system
which can replace video multiplexer VM and time lapse recorder VCR. This
recording system is computer based and is capable of recording imagery from up
to 24 cameras for a period of up to 30 days. Image files are compressed using
MPEG-4 compression, for example. In addition to being transmissible to remote
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sites via appropriate communication links, the image files can also be formed
*.AVI files and sent as e-mail messages.
In addition to the monitors 34, a further display 38 is also provided to
people approaching the entrance. This display is installed between each portal
as
shown in Fig. 1. Display 38 is used with a specialized computer (not shown)
designed to show static or dynamic graphics which display information about
prohibited items such as bombs and guns which cannot be brought into the
secure
area, etc. Importantly, the display is sufficiently large that a great deal of
information is readily displayed. The display also allows the information to
be
readily presented in many different languages so travelers of many
nationalities
are able to know what items are prohibited in the secure area.
A further aid to increasing passenger throughput employs vertically
extending fiber optic lights 42 (see Fig. 3) installed on both sides of each
portal
and conveyor. The lights are installed from the base to the top of each portal
so
they can be readily seen at some distance from the portal. If the portal is
open, the
lights 42 for it and its associated conveyor are illuminated green. If not,
the lights
are illuminated red. These colors are generally recognized as "go" and "stop".
Their use has the significant advantage of allowing those people who are well
back from the entrance to readily ascertain which portal is open and which is
not.
People will tend to enter the line for those portals having the green lights
and
avoid any line for a portal whose lights are red. During tests of system 10,
this
feature has been found to greatly increase the number of people who pass
through
the entrance for a given period with each person being monitored as they do.
The
lights for portal 18d are, for example, blue to distinguish this handicap
entrance
from the other portals.
Referring to Figs. 13A and 13B, Q section 12 of system 10 includes
means for providing an accurate throughput count for people passing through
the
portals. Built into a sidewall 20a or 20b is a pair of optical sensors 44a,
44b.
Passage of a person through the portal, in either direction, is sensed by both
of
these detectors. The output of the sensors is supplied to the count logic 46
of a
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counter 48 as shown in Fig. 13B. When a person enters the portal from the
public
area side, sensor 44a first detects the persons presence, then sensor 44b. The
time
sequence in which the sensor outputs are provided to count logic 46, results
in an
increment input being supplied to the counter to increase its count value by
one.
It is a significant feature of system 10 to facilitate quicker movement of
people through the portals, even though a number of them will fail the
magnetometer screen and have to be further scrutinized before being allowed to
pass into the concourse. This is accomplished by using secondary portals
indicated generally 50 in the drawings. These portals are located downstream
of
the portals 18a-18c so that persons first pass through one the portals 18a-18c
where they are screened as previously described. The portals 50 are located
between the exit side of the portals 18a-18c and the downstream end of their
associated conveyors. The portals 50 are also to one side of the path by which
one
moves from the portal 18a-18c to the end of the conveyor to retrieve their
luggage. As shown in Fig. 5, the respective conveyors 24 and the secondary
portals 50 define lanes L1-L3 through which people pass from the public area
into
the secure area.
On the front of each portal 50 is a display 52 which includes, for example,
direction arrows. If a person passes the primary screen of a magnetometer unit
22,
display 52 provides an indication, a lighted green arrow, for example,
directing
the person to the end of the conveyor (the solid line arrow in Fig. 5) to
retrieve
their items. If the person fails the screen, a lighted green arrow directs
them to
secondary portal 50. Moving the person to the portal removes them from the
normal flow path of people passing through the system so they can be further
scrutinized while not unduly delaying anyone else.
Each portal 50 has a magnetometer housed in it just as the magnetometers
in the units 22. These magnetometers are less sensitive than those in these
other
units. Before entering portal 50, the person again removes personal items and
places them in a tray 29. If the person successfully passes through portal 50,
they
are free to retrieve their belongings from conveyor 24 and proceed on their
way.
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At the outlet end of the portal is a display 54 comprising a vertical
arrangement of
lights extending up each side of the portal. The magnetometer housed in the
portal controls illumination of these lights such that if the person fails the
screen,
the magnetometer output causes lights to be illuminated in the approximate
location on the person's body where the magnetometer sensed whatever it is
that
caused the person to fail the screen. A security guard G using a wand
magnetometer now uses this indication to search the person for the cause of
the
alarm. If the guard locates whatever it is, and if it determined that the
source is
not a threat, then the person is allowed to retrieve their belongings and
continue.
Otherwise, they are detained and removed from the area.
With respect to the items which are sent through the conveyor, if a guard
viewing the monitor 28 spots anything suspect, the item is removed to an area
away from the flow of people entering the concourse where the item is opened
for
inspection. Again this eliminates possible bottlenecks and increases
throughput
through the Q section.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, Q section 10 extends from one sidewall Wt of
the concourse across a portion of the concourse. The outer end of the Q
section is
defined by a sidewall W2 formed of spaced columns indicated generally 60.
Panels indicated 62 extend between the columns. These panels are of a uniform
height. Some of the panels 62 are longer than others. Further, the panels are
made of a transparent material so guards can readily view people exiting the
concourse as well as people who may be trying to enter the concourse from that
side. The other sidewall W3 of the concourse defines the other side of an exit
lane
Lx controlled by X section 14. As shown in Fig. 1, columns 60 and panels 62
are
formed to funnel exiting passengers down the exit lane which is wider at its
entrance and narrows as people approach the exit.
The egress (X) portion of the system includes an arch incorporating
electronic imaging, computing, and detection equipment housed in a facade. The
installation is designed to have a minimum system footprint. The X section of
system first includes an outer portal or electronic archway 64 (see Fig. 6)
through
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which passengers enter the public area of the terminal. Prior to passing
through
portal 64, passengers pass through one of a series of doors 66 which extend
across
Lane Lx. These doors open automatically as passengers approach them, and the
doors open only outwardly. A headboard 68 extends across the top of the doors
and includes signage indicating that this is the exit path from the concourse.
As shown in Fig. 1, portal 64 is in line-of-sight with station 16. The entry
side of portal 64 is shown in Fig. 7, and the exit side of the portal in Fig.
6. The
portal is defined by respective sidewalls 70a, 70b, and a headboard or
bulkhead
72. Headboard 72 includes signage 74 (see Fig. 6) on the entry side of the
portal
indicating that this is the exit. Signage 76 (see Fig. 7) on the other or
outer side of
the headboard indicates that this is not an entry into the concourse and that
persons should not try to enter this way. Further, vertical strips of lights
78 are
installed on the outside of the portal. These lights glow red at all times to
indicate
that no entry is allowed through this portal. In alarm situations, blue strobe
lights
79 located at each end of headboard 72 flash on and off during a pre-alarm or
alarm condition. As noted, the exit portal houses all the components of the X
section control system. The portal functions to provide an exclusion or
"sterile"
area about the exit; that is, an area in front of the portal which is kept
free of
people wanting to approach the portal from the public area.
It is an important feature of the invention that 'passenger movement
through lane Lx is monitored at all times, and is done so without a guard
being
present to monitor the exit lane. Further, X section 14 includes means for
monitoring people approaching portal 64 from outside the portal, and for
warning
them away from the exit lane. No attempt is made to distinguish between those
who inadvertently wander into the sterile area or those who move into it
intentionally. All persons entering the sterile area are considered intruders.
In
operation, X section 14 has both a pre-alarm and an alarm condition. A pre-
alarm
condition occurs when a person enters the exclusion area immediately in front
of
portal 64. When this occurs:
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- an audio message is played announcing the violation and directing the
person to step away from the portal, and'
- the strobe lights 79 on the public area side of the portal begin flashing.
The pre-alarm condition automatically resets after a predetermined interval.
If an intruder physically violates the threshold of the exit portal, an alarm
condition results. In this situation,
- the video system begins displaying alarm video at the control station,
- the audio system begins playing an audio message announcing the
violation and including instructions to the intruder,
- the strobe lights 79 on the public side of the arch begin flashing,
- the conveyors 24 of the Q section stop running, and
- an annunciator sounds at the control station alerting security
personnel.
The alarm condition continues until deactivated by security personnel, or
there is a
pre-programmed automatic reset.
X section 14 incorporates three separate detection technologies and three
separate processing systems. The detection technologies include multi-channel
video motion detection, photo-optics, and directional microwave (doppler
radar).
The processing systems include a computer based video frame grabber, a multi-
point programmable logic controller, and a touch screen command and control
system. As shown in Fig. 6, a CCTV camera 80 installed on the outer face of
headboard 68 is directed outwardly to view people approaching portal 64 from
the
public area. A television monitor 82 on console 84 of monitoring station 16
displays the view seen through camera 80. A guard at the station views the
video
to monitor the activity in front of the portal. The image from camera 82 is
also
recorded. Recordation can be at the monitoring station, or the video signal
can be
transmitted to a remote (off site) location for viewing and recordation at the
remote site.
In addition to the television camera, another pair of the photo-optic
sensors 44a', 44b' are installed portal 64. As before, the direction of
passage
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through the portal is determined by which photo-optic sensor is blocked first
and
which second by a person. For the people passing through portal 64 as shown in
Fig. 6, the correct sequence is first detector 44a', then detector 44b'. If
this
sequence is reversed, then as shown in Fig. 16A, 16B, a passage logic PL is
responsive to trigger an alarm condition.
A directional microwave (doppler) 88 detects movement of people from
the public area toward the portal. The radar is located in the headboard of
portal
64. It is a feature of the invention that very slow movements of an intruder
attempting to move into the secure area through portal 64 are readily detected
and
an alarm sounded. This "creep" movement detection is important because it has
been found that people or objects moving very slowly through a space tend to
become part of the background; so much so, that in many detection schemes,
their
presence is overlooked. As shown in Figs. 10 and 12, a creep detection
capability
is one of the monitoring features incorporated in station 16. The creep
detection
function employed using multiple channels of video motion detection 88 can be
selectively set to monitor movements over a sixty (60) second interval. It may
be,
for example, that someone exiting the concourse may stop in the sterile area
for
any of a number of mundane reasons (adjust their luggage, wait for someone
exiting behind them, etc.). However, people who do pause typically do so only
for a short period of time. With the sixty second creep detection capability
anyone who lingers for a substantial period will cause an alarm.
Referring to Fig. 11, an audio alarm system 92 incorporated in the control
panel of station 16 includes a vertical array 94 of panels 96 each of which
displays
a particular broadcast warning. To the left of array 94 is a column of
pushbuttons
98 which a station 16 operator pushes to sample audio messages which are
broadcast. The operator can select any of the messages as either a pre-alarm
or an
alarm message. To select one of the messages as a pre-alarm message, the
operator pushes an appropriate pushbutton 100 in the column of pushbuttons
immediately to the right of array 94. The operator selects a message to be
broadcast as part of an alarm by pushing one of the pushbuttons 102 in the
column
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of pushbuttons to the right of the pushbutton 100. While not shown, the
messages
are available in languages other than English. When the message is broadcast,
it
is broadcast in each of the selected languages. An annunciator or speaker 102
is
installed in portal 64. The speaker broadcasts the selected warning or alarm
messages. The level of a broadcast message is sufficiently loud as to be
easily
heard over the normal level of noise in the sterile area.
Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, another feature of system 10 is the ability to
provide accurate counts of people entering and leaving the concourse. As shown
in Fig. 8, a panel 104 at station 16 provides count information for the Q
control
portion of the system. As previously noted, both total count and individual
lane
count information is provided. As shown in Fig. 9, count information for
people
egressing from the concourse through portal 64 is also provided. The photo-
optic
sensors 44a', 44b' previously described provide this information in the same
manner as the sensors 44a, 44b with regard to the ingress lanes.
Finally, referring to Fig. 16, in some installations it may not be possible to
accommodate a system monitoring station 16 such as shown in Fig. 1. In these
instances, a control podium 116 is used in place of station 16. Podium 116
takes
up less than 4 square feet of floor space but has housed within it all of the
equipment and software required to operate system 10. A video monitor 118 is
installed in the top surface 120 of the podium. A video recorder (not shown)
is
installed inside the podium. Monitor 118 is, for example, a 17" ruggedized and
sealed computer monitor which provides a high quality image. The monitor is
equipped with a sonic wave touch screen overlay which interfaces with a touch
panel interface device. Monitor 118 is available, for example, from Elo
TouchSystems, and the touch panel interface from the previously mentioned
Creston Electronics, Inc.
Operation of podium 116 basically mimics that of previously described
station 16, as well as replacing various video monitors. An operator of the
system
now has all the various controls and video information located directly in
front of
him or her on the monitor and touch screen. In addition, when the digital
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recording system previously described is incorporated into the podium, live or
recorded video will be able to be displayed on monitor 118.
What has been described is an ingress/egress control system by which
passenger flow into and of a secure area is tightly controlled. The system
maintains a high level of security without unduly interrupting passenger
movement. Use of the secondary portals, light system, and video information
provided to ingressing passengers has been found to increase passenger flow up
to
30% compared to conventional passenger screening systems. While certain
screening aspects of the system are unobtrusive, others such as providing
images
of the people as they move through the ingress portion of the system have been
found to greatly reduce incidents of theft and fraudulent claims of loss.
The egress portion of the system provides a controlled exit from the secure
area and uses a plurality of detection methodologies to identify potential
intruders.
A sterile area is established in front of the exit and anyone intruding or
throwing
objects into this sterile area are immediately detected and warned away. Video
of
any intruder is recorded and stored either on site, remotely, or both. The
egress
portion of the system eliminates the need for a guard to be positioned in the
exit
lane to look for intruders. At the same time, the system is designed such that
an
intruder alarm instantly alerts guards in the area as to an intruder so they
can deal
with him if he does not immediately leave the area.
A control station of the system is located adjacent the ingress and egress
points. The station includes a series of control features by which lanes are
opened
and closed, by which video monitoring is controlled for both the ingress and
egress portions of the system, and by which concourse usage information is
acquired and maintained. The control station also serves as place for access
alarms that are detected by the exit control device. Features such as audible
annunication, video control, and video printing aid in the success of stoping
or
reducing the threat of security breach into secure area.
The system is made of quality materials so to present a pleasing
appearance to passengers and to provide the unobtrusiveness previously
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mentioned. At the same time, the system is effective to provide a high level
of
security with minimum guard personnel.
In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the
invention are achieved and other advantageous results are obtained.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without
departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter
contained
in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
