Improved access-control gate for individual persons

Abstract

An access-control gate for individual passage of people carrying an RFID tag, comprising at least one RFID antenna module, said RFID antenna module comprises a directional antenna capable of scanning RFID tags carried by people approaching the gate along a passage lane. The access-control gate having different setups possible.

Description

Patent ApplicationTitle: Improved access-control gate for individual personsDescription:TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to an access-control gate for controlling access of individual persons to a given area.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In many circumstances there is a need to control the passage of individual persons in order to check if they are entitled to access a certain physical area. One common situation is the control of valid tickets for visitors using a ski lift, bike trail park, sports arena or other enclosed or semi-enclosed areas upon passing through one or several gates placed adjacently side-by-side at an entrance. From the prior art there are several known examples of personnel access gates, e.g. AT 509 119 Al and DE102005017841 Al, especially adapted for the passage of skiers. There are also other systems known from other main areas of application, e.g. ITM 120111605 Al or EP1609942 Al.

[0003] The technology used for controlling the validity in the documents above is based upon RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), which typically uses a reader that sends out electromagnetic waves in a certain bandwidth that induces energy in a corresponding tag containing a validation information, which in its turn triggers the tag to send out said stored information to the reader. A common technical challenge related to individual access-control based upon RFID technology, is to sufficiently precise know the position of the RFID tag read in order to correctly grant or decline access to the person carrying said RFID tag.

[0004] It is the object of the invention to provide improved access-control for people. It is further an object of the invention to provide improved functioning of two or more access-gates arranged side- by-side. Yet another object of the invention is to facilitate the handling and adaptability of an accesscontrol gate.SUMMARY

[0005] In one aspect of the invention, the access-control gate for individual passage of people carrying an RFID tag, comprises at least one RFID antenna module, wherein said RFID antenna module comprises a directional antenna capable of scanning RFID tags carried by people approaching the gate along a passage lane.

[0006] In another aspect of the invention, the access-control has a directional antenna mounted in a mainly horizontal direction.

[0007] In a third aspect of the invention, the reading zone of the directional antenna extends mainly along the passage lane.

[0008] A forth aspect of the invention describes a possible height of the gate's antenna module as a height of 1.5-1.6 m, 1.6-1.7 m, 1.7-1.8 m, 1.8-1.9 m, 2.0-2.1 m, 2.1-2.2 m, 2.2-2.3 m, 2.3-2.4 m, 2.4- 2.5 m, 2.5-2.6 m, 2.7-2.8 m, 2.8-2.9 m, 2.9-3, 0 m, 3.1-3.2 m, 3.2-3.3 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.4-3.5 m, 3.5-3.6 m, 3.6-3.7 m, 3.8-3.9 m, 4.0-4.1 m, 4.1-4.2 m, 4.2-4.3 m, 4.3-4.4 m, 4.4-4.5 m or 4.5-4.6 m.

[0009] A fifth aspect of the invention describes similarly the variable angle towards the horizontal plane the RFID antenna module and / or the directional antenna can be mounted as 0.0-3.0 3.0- 6.0 °, 6.0-9.0 °, 9.0-12.0 °, 12.0-15.0 °, 15.0-18.0 °, 18.0-21.0 °, 21.0-24.0 °, 24.0-27.0 °, 27.0-30.0 °, 30.0-33.0 °.

[0010] In a sixth and seventh aspect of the invention the reading zone of the directional antenna is specified to be directed downwards towards the passage lane and that it is has a generally flat shape.

[0011] In an eighth, nineth, tenth and eleventh aspect of the invention the at least one delimiting structure is described as forming one lateral side of the passage lane with the RFID antenna module is in mechanical and electrical connection with said delimiting structure, that said structure is directly attached to the ground by common fastening means, a slab or a wall or that said structure is attached to a swiveling structure which is attached to the ground, a slab or a wall.

[0012] In a twelfth to seventeenth aspect of the invention the properties of the delimiting structure is further described as being an elongated and hollow structure having at least one opening at or along at least one side. The structure further comprising at least one electrical and / or mechanical modular component mounted on or within said structure, wherein said modular component is mounted on a cover covering at least partly said at least one opening and / or wherein one modular component comprises an access-control evaluation unit evaluating signals received from the RFID antenna module and / or wherein at least one modular component comprises a barrier to moveably block at least a part of the passage lane and / or wherein at least one modular component comprises audio and / or visual signaling means.

[0013] The eighteenth aspect of the invention concerns the evaluation unit controlling the functioning of the modular components based upon the evaluation of signals from the RFID antenna module, yet the evaluation unit could also be positioned remotely only wirelessly connected to the other modules of the gate.

[0014] The nineteenth aspect concerns the direction in which the modular component or components are mounted on the delimiting structure in order to facilitate signaling to the person approaching the gate and / or protecting the cover or covers of the opening from certain directional weather conditions.

[0015] The twentieth aspect shows an example of two directional antennae mounted on said delimiting structure.

[0016] The twenty first and twenty second aspects refer to a system comprising several adjacently positioned access-control gates possibly mechanically connected to one another.

[0017] The twenty third aspect concerns a method for controlling access of individual persons comprising the step of scanning by means of a horizontally mounted directional antenna, an RFID tag carried by a person approaching an access-control gate.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Fig. 1 and 2 shows a general example of an access-control gate known in the art. The read zone is generally short and the person carrying the tag has to do so on the left-hand side and be very close to the antenna for scanning.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a possible setup of the access-control gate according to the invention.

[0020] Fig. 4 depicts an alternative of the movement of the barrier as well as the visual an audio signaling means.

[0021] Fig. 5 shows the possible arrangement of the antenna module mechanically extending in one horizontal direction with the illustrative read zone depicted of the directional antenna.

[0022] Fig. 6 shows another possible arrangement of the antenna module and its comprised directional antenna mounted along the direction of the passage lane with the illustrative read zone of the directional antenna.

[0023] Fig. 7 illustrates an example of reading of an RFID tag in carried by a person approaching the access-control gate.

[0024] Fig. 8 depicts an access-control system with the individual access-control gates adjacently connected to a swiveling structure.

[0025] Fig. 9 shows an example of a gate with more than one antenna module and barriers on a delimiting structure.

[0026] Fig. 10 depicts an access-control system with adjacently positioned access-control gates attached to the ground.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] A common technical challenge related to individual access-control, is to sufficiently precise know the position of the RFID tag read in order to correctly grant or decline access. If there e.g. are several persons in the vicinity of the access-control gate carrying a personal RFID tag with some having a valid ticket and some not, a barred access-control gate must be able to correctly open the barrier for each and every individual person with a valid ticket when said person is at the barrier. And conversely not to open it when the access-control gate when a person carrying an RFID tag with an invalid ticket is at the barrier. Usually so-called passive RFID tags are used which do not send out signals actively from its own power source. Active tags allow for more easily positioning and longer read distances, but they are more expensive and bulkier. They also are less environmentally friendly. There are also hybrid tags, and it is important that the tags scanned are compatible with the antenna as well as the reader of the generated scanning signal.

[0028] The straight-forward way to solve the positioning problem when passive tags are used, is to make use of an RFID with short read range (so called close-proximity RFID e.g. NFC) as shown in fig. 1, and fig. 2 since it fulfills several requirements that must be fulfilled simultaneously; only the ticket of the very person first in line at a certain gate (9) should be read and controlled and it must also bepossible to read the tag through a relatively thick layer of clothing as well as close to the body of a person.

[0029] Also for the common case with several gates being arranged side-by-side - in order to allow for more persons with tickets being checked per unit of time - the close-proximity reader does not easily read the tag of persons from the adjacent line. Close-proximity readers typically read corresponding tags within a read zone extending about 2-10 cm from the antenna. They, thus, have as such the inherent advantage of low interference with tags further away. The read zone of a closeproximity antenna can be slightly increased by increasing the wattage provided, but it will typically not be further than 30 cm, since its effective lobe does not extend further than that while keeping the strength of the magnetic field within safe limits.

[0030] Consequently, the antennas can be directed sideways, in towards the passage lane without the risk of interfering with a tag belonging to a person in the adjacent line, situated approximately 80 cm away, allowing for (passive) tags carried close to the close-proximity reader to be read. A corresponding disadvantage is that the (passive) tag carried by a person has to come within said limited read zone of the reader, which severely limits the possible places the tag can be carried on a person for smooth positioning and read of said tag within said read zone. Thus, a convention has been created in large parts of the industry where this technique is used; the antenna is placed on the left-hand side upon passing through the gate and many alpine ski jackets have a special pocket for the tag on the left sleeve.

[0031] The disadvantages of the close-proximity RFID technology are the limited read zones and hence the few number of places the RFID tag can be carried by a person passing the access-control gate. To compensate for the above draw-back, increasing the size of the antenna module used and / or placing a second antenna on the opposite side are sometimes remedies used. This, naturally, increases the costs, and brings new inconveniences and limitation with it for the technical design of the gate. The persons passing still also often have to push themselves towards the close-proximity antenna in more or less inconvenient and embarrassing ways for the tag to be read. Or they have to stop and bring out the tag from the pocket and hold it against the antenna module. The inconvenience for the latter is especially the case when the person passing is mounted on a bike or accessing a lift without much waiting line. The first disadvantages are exemplified by persons passing the access-control gate carrying a lot of things in their hands and wearing clothes not having any pockets for the RFID tag in a place where it can be easily read.

[0032] The above disadvantages have though been accepted, due to the challenge of determining the position of the - often passive - RFID tag read. The prior art is silent on the possibility of an antenna positioned above the person to be scanned, since said challenge increases to a certain extent with the distance to the tag scanned as well as the wavelength used by the RFID antenna for the scan.

[0033] By placing the antenna module (1) above the person carrying the tag (5) to be read, the possible places where said tag can be carried and still allowing for good readability increases manyfold. The (passive) tag (5) can as shown in fig. 7 also be carried on the right-hand side, but a person can also carry it on the front or left-hand side and still be efficiently read by the same antenna. With the antenna mechanically extending horizontally in its mounted position and with its directed read zone (2) extending downwards towards the passage lane, the read zone can be increased thanks to the dampening effect by the ground avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantages of not reading the intended tag. Yet it can extend all the way to the ground or snow, allowing for efficient reading of tags mounted in or on skis, boots or other equipment. Due to the directionality of the antenna, theread zone (2) can also be well defined and controlled, either by physically adjusting the parts of the antenna or its mounting angle (a) or the power and the phase of power supplied to it. It can be The directional antenna is generally flat, wherein the ratio between its height and length could e.g. be 1 / 3-%, %-l / 5 or 1 / 5-1 / 6.

[0034] As also shown in fig. 7, the mounting angle (a) of the antenna module and / or the directional antenna can be varied in any of the ranges 0.0-3.0 3.0-6.0 6.0-9.0 9.0-12.0 12.0-15.0 15.0-18.0 °, 18.0-21.0 °, 21.0-24.0 °, 24.0-27.0 °, 27.0-30.0 °, 30.0-33.0 °.

[0035] By making use of a directional antenna the functionality of the access-control gate increases even more, especially when the tag is carried under clothing or close to the body of a person approaching the gate. By making use of directional antennas, adjacent access-control gates, shown in fig. 8-10, can be either placed close together or spaced apart, but with no or limitedly overlapping read zones. To be able to read and control the validity of RFID tags carried by persons at places of their liking, the antenna module or antenna array is placed at a height of 1.5-1.6 m, 1.6-1.7 m, 1.7-1.8 m, 1.8-1.9 m, 2.0-2.1 m, 2.1-2.2 m, 2.2-2.3 m, 2.3-2.4 m, 2.4-2.5 m, 2.5-2.6 m, 2.7-2.8 m, 2.8-2.9 m, 2.9-3.0 m, 3.1-3.2 m, 3.2-3.3 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.4-3.5 m, 3.5-3.6 m, 3.6-3.7 m, 3.8-3.9 m, 4.0-4.1 m, 4.1-4.2 m, 4.2-4.3 m, 4.3-4.4 m, 4.4-4.5 m or 4.5-4.6 m.

[0036] The read ranges of the RFID technology used for the invention are the ones suitable for the distances 0.1-0.2 m, 0.2-0.3 m, 0.3-0.4 m, 0.4-0.5 m, 0.5-0.6 m, 0.6-0.7 m, 0.7-0.8 m, 0.8-0.9 m, 1.0-1.1 m, 1.2-1.3 m, 1.3-1.4 m, 1.4-1.5 m, 1.6-1.7 m, 1.7-1.8 m, 1.8-1.9 m, 1.9-2.0 m, 2.0-2.1 m, 2.1-2.2 m, 2.2-2.3 m, 2.3-2.4 m, 2.4-2.5 m, 2.5-2.6 m, 2.7 -2.8 m, 2.8-2.9 m, 2.9-3.0 m, 3.1-3.2 m, 3.2-3.3 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.4-3.5 m, 3.5-3.6 m, 3.6-3.7 m, 3.8-3.9 m, 4.0-4.1 m, 4.1-4.2 m, 4.2-4.3 m, 4.3- 4.4 m, 4.4-4.5 m, 4.5-4.6 m, 4.6-4.7 m, 4.7-4.8 m, 4.8-4.9 m, 4.9-5.0 m. This includes but does not limit the invention to the following RFID technologies: NFC, vicinity, UHF and long-range as well as the existing hybrid or active corresponding tag technologies.

[0037] By electrically and mechanically connecting the antenna module to a delimiting structure, which only forms one lateral side of a passage lane, the access to the read zone is increased. So is also the possibility for e.g. a snowgroomer or snowcat to groom the area underneath the antenna module is increased. The delimiting structure could preferably constitute one and only one lateral side of the lane. Examples of a delimiting structure are an elongated pillar, a steel tube, an elongated steel structure with removeable lids forming one side of said structure. The structure could mainly be made in aluminum, but also materials or compositions such as graphite, glass fiber, hard plastics could be used.

[0038] As shown in fig. 3-5, the gate (10) can be equipped with a barrier (3) of some sort. The barrier could be a metal or plastic bar or a combination thereof. It could also be a visual signaling means (12) with or without an audio signaling means (11).

[0039] The passage lane (7) is an area or path below the antenna, usually in the read zone of the antenna. It is generally indicated in such a way that persons approaching or passing the accesscontrol gate experiences it as a clearly defined lane where a person can pass the gate when not blocked. It can also be the path between a person approaching the gate and the gate itself. It can be in part and at some point, be delimited by a delimiting structure as indicated above. It can also be formed by other delimiting means such as guiding lights or structures or simply by the presence of the antenna module. The passage lane can also be the projection of the directional antenna's read zone on the ground.

[0040] An RFID tag can be a passive tag suitable for NFC, vicinity, UHF and long-range as well as the corresponding hybrid or active technologies. It also includes devices with the emerging BLE technology.

[0041] In some aspects of the invention, the main axis of the directional antenna's active lobes forming at least parts of the read zone extend along the passage lane. By 'antenna' is generally understood the parts contributing to the performance of the antenna and its directionality, but it could also be a subset of these.

[0042] By 'positioned', 'mounted', 'extending mechanically' in a mainly horizontal direction is meant that the physical extension of the directional antenna extend more horizontally than vertically. That is also a possibility for the entire antenna module as well. This particular extension decreases the potential disturbance from the potential support structure as well as makes it well suited to have a read zone extending along a passage lane and covering parts of said passage lane. The latter, in particular, can be the case when mounted at the heights indicated above and the active lobe of the directional antenna directed downwards. The read zone can in one case originate from above, facing downwards all the way to the ground. This in order to cover as much as possible of the person's body and carried equipment while approaching and passing through the gate. Said extension may be done in the horizontal direction across the passage lane (as e.g. depicted in fig. 6) or along the passage lane (as depicted in fig. 7), but also in a direction between these two directions.

[0043] Regarding the tag (5) carried by a person and suitable for be used with the present invention, it can e.g. be carried in a pocket of said person's clothes, in a necklace, in a card-holder, on the wrist, on a bike, on or in skis, ski boots or on or in other sport accessories or other equipment that the person wears or brings with it upon approaching and passing the gate. The type of tag can also differ greatly and comprise types with long-range antennae, with close-proximity antennae, with omnidirectional antennae, vicinity ranged antennae, ultra-high frequency antennae as well as combinations of the two into tags with dual antennae. E.g. a close-proximity antenna and a long- range antenna or a ultra-high frequency antenna and a close-proximity antenna or a vicinity ranged antenna and a close-proximity ranged one.

[0044] Signaling means (11, 12) comprises any of motor noises, one or several vibrators, one or several loudspeakers, one or several televisions, one or several computer screens, one or several tablets.

[0045] A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the ensuing claims.

Claims

CLAIMSClaim 1. An access-control gate for individual passage of people carrying an RFID tag, comprising at least one RFID antenna module, characterized by that said RFID antenna module comprises a directional antenna capable of scanning RFID tags carried by people approaching the gate along a passage lane.Claim 2. The access-control gate of claim 1, wherein the directional antenna extends mechanically in a mainly horizontal direction.Claim 3. The access-control gate of claim 1, wherein the read zone of said directional antenna extends mainly along said passage lane.Claim 4. The access-control gate of any of the preceding claims, wherein said antenna module is positioned at a height of 1.5-1.6 m, 1.6-1.7 m, 1.7-1.8 m, 1.8-1.9 m, 2.0-2.1 m, 2.1-2.2 m, 2.2-2.3 m, 2.3-2.4 m, 2.4-2.5 m, 2.5-2.6 m, 2.7-2.8 m, 2.8-2.9 m, 2.9-3, 0 m, 3.1-3.2 m, 3.2-3.3 m, 3.3-3.4 m, 3.3- 3.4 m, 3.4-3.5 m, 3.5-3.6 m, 3.6-3.7 m, 3.8-3.9 m, 4.0-4.1 m, 4.1-4.2 m, 4.2-4.3 m, 4.3-4.4 m, 4.4-4.5 m or 4.5-4.6 m.Claim 5. The access-control gate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the RFID antenna module and / or the directional antenna are / is variably mounted in an angle of 0.0-3.0 °, 3.0-6.0 °, 6.0-9.0 °, 9.0-12.0 °, 12.0-15.0 °, 15.0-18.0 °, 18.0-21.0 °, 21.0-24.0 °, 24.0-27.0 °, 27.0-30.0 °, 30.0-33.0 °.Claim 6. The access-control gate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the read zone of the directional antenna is directed downwards towards said passage lane.Claim 7. The access-control gate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the directional antenna is generally flat.Claim 8. The access-control gate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the gate comprises at least one delimiting structure.Claim 9. The access-control gate of claim 8, wherein the RFID antenna module is in mechanical and electrical connection with said delimiting structure forming one lateral side of said passage lane.Claim 10. The access-control gate of 8-9, wherein the delimiting structure is directly attached to the ground by common fastening means, a slab or a wall.Claim 11. The access-control gate of claims 8-9, wherein the delimiting structure is attached to a swiveling structure which is attached to the ground, a slab or a wall.Claim 12. The access-control gate of claims 8-11, wherein the delimiting structure is an elongated and hollow structure having at least one opening at or along at least one side.Claim 13. The access-control gate of claim 12, wherein said delimiting structure comprises at least one electrical and / or mechanical modular component mounted on or within said structure.Claim 14. The access-control gate of claims 13, wherein said modular component is mounted on a cover covering at least partly said at least one opening.Claim 15. The access-control gate of claim 14, wherein one modular component comprises an accesscontrol evaluation unit evaluating signals received from the RFID antenna module.Claim 16. The access-control gate of claim 15, wherein at least one modular component comprises a barrier to moveably block at least a part of the passage lane.Claim 17. The access-control gate of claims 13-14, wherein at least one modular component comprises audio and / or visual signaling means.Claim 18. The access-control gate of claim 15, wherein the evaluation unit controls the functioning of the modular components based upon the evaluation of signals from the RFID antenna module.Claim 19. The access-control gate of claims 13-17, wherein said modular component is mounted on a side of the delimiting structure orthogonal to the main direction of the reading zone and / or said barrier.Claim 20. The access-control gate of claims 8-19, wherein each two directional antennae are mounted on said delimiting structure.Claim 21. An access-control system comprising several adjacently positioned access-control gates of any of the preceding claims.Claim 22. The access-control system of claim 21, wherein the adjacently positioned access-control gates are mechanically connected.Claim 23. A method for controlling access of individual persons comprising the steps of scanning and evaluating the validity of an RFID tag carried by a person approaching an access-control gate by means of a horizontally mounted directional antenna.

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