Access Gate Arrangement for Dynamic Passenger Flow Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing passenger flows in high-traffic buildings is challenging, as existing systems often lead to inefficient use of transportation facilities, resulting in queuing and increased travel times, especially during unpredictable events or peak hours.

Innovation Solution

An access gate arrangement that receives data from external systems like destination control systems, camera arrangements, and escalators to dynamically adjust gate operations, providing real-time instructions to passengers for optimal flow management without requiring individual passenger data collection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional access gates are used without real-time data, then the system is simple to operate, but passenger flows are not optimized and transportation facilities are not used efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger flow efficiencyVSAvoidaccess gate system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The access gate controller receives real-time data from external systems (destination control systems, camera arrangements, escalators, light gates) about passenger flows and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust gate states, providing instructions to passengers for optimal flow management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The access gate arrangement serves multiple functions: it provides access control, collects real-time passenger flow data, dynamically adjusts gate operations, and provides instructions to passengers, replacing the need for separate dedicated flow management systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If real-time data collection from multiple sources is implemented, then passenger flow management is optimized, but the system complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransportation facility utilizationVSAvoiddata collection system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The access gate controller is designed to receive and process data from multiple external systems (destination control systems, camera arrangements, escalators, light gates, automatic doors), making it a universal data collection point that consolidates multiple data sources into a single processing unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines access control functionality with real-time passenger flow management by integrating multiple data collection functions into the access gate controller, which processes data from various sources and provides unified gate state control and passenger instructions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If access gates dynamically adjust based on real-time data, then passenger flow fluency is improved, but the response time and processing speed requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger flow fluencyVSAvoidgate response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The access gate controller receives and processes data from external systems in advance of peak flow situations, allowing it to predict passenger flow patterns and adjust gate states proactively before congestion occurs, rather than reacting to already-formed queues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The access gate arrangement dynamically adjusts its operational state based on real-time passenger flow data, transitioning between different gate configurations (open, closed, one-way, two-way) and providing real-time instructions to passengers to optimize flow patterns continuously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3427236A1Access gate arrangement
Publication Date: 2019.01.16 KONE OYJ

AI summary

Managing passenger flows is an important issue in modern buildings. Particularly in high buildings there will be a lot of people arriving and leaving typically through one access floor. When passenger flows are not managed and passengers are not instructed facilities of buildings are not in optimal use. People may be queueing for one elevator group when another elevator group is not used in full capacity. This can be improved by using an access gate arrangement where the controller of the access gate arrangement receives information from external systems in the building.