AI Visitor Routing With Access Point Status for Complex Buildings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing visitors in large-scale environments like multistoried buildings, corporate offices, colleges, and hospitals is challenging due to the lack of intelligent guidance, as existing systems fail to provide clear directions and often require manual intervention, leading to confusion and increased time to reach destinations.

Innovation Solution

An AI-based visitor guidance system that utilizes processors and an AI engine to determine a visitor's current location, access point status, and intended destination, generating optimized routes using AI techniques, considering user preferences, historical data, and real-time updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If floor maps with direction and location details are provided, then visitors can understand location information, but first-time visitors still face difficulty in identifying the correct destination and navigating complex building structures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation informationVSAvoiddestination identification
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces static mechanical floor maps with an AI-based digital guidance system that uses mobile devices, sensors, and processing units to dynamically provide navigation instructions. The system substitutes physical map-reading with automated digital direction provision through the visitor's mobile device, eliminating the need for visitors to interpret complex floor maps manually.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables visitors to independently obtain navigation guidance through their own mobile devices without requiring manual assistance from guides or security personnel. The automated system detects visitor location, identifies destinations, and provides step-by-step directions autonomously, allowing visitors to self-navigate complex building structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual intervention is used to open access doors, then visitors can receive assistance, but dependency on manual aid increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess assistanceVSAvoidvisitor throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual door-opening operations with an automated access control system integrated into the navigation system. The system uses the visitor's mobile device and biometric sensors to automatically authenticate and trigger door unlocking, eliminating the need for manual intervention by security personnel while maintaining ease of access for visitors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an automated intermediary mechanism (mobile device with access control integration) that mediates between the visitor and the access doors. This intermediary automatically handles authentication and door control, replacing the need for human mediators (security personnel) while improving throughput efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If visitors are provided with access cards programmed according to destination, then access control is maintained, but visitors still face difficulty in navigating to destinations and complying with internal guidelines

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess controlVSAvoidnavigation guidance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges access control functionality with navigation guidance into a single integrated system. The mobile device that provides navigation instructions also handles access authentication, combining what were previously separate functions (access cards and floor maps) into one unified digital solution that maintains security while providing comprehensive guidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system makes the mobile device multi-functional by using it for both navigation guidance and access control authentication. This universal approach replaces dedicated access cards and separate guidance systems, allowing a single device to perform multiple functions while improving overall ease of operation.

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

4Ease of operation

If guides accompany visitors to destinations, then personalized assistance is provided, but the large number of visitors makes this approach impractical and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonalized guidanceVSAvoidtime for both visitors and guides
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms personalized guidance from a manual service requiring human guides into an automated self-service system. Each visitor receives personalized navigation instructions through their own mobile device based on their specific destination and real-time location, eliminating the need for human guides while maintaining personalized attention for each visitor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of human guides with an automated digital guidance system that processes multiple visitor requests simultaneously. The system uses sensors, mobile devices, and processing units to provide personalized routing to numerous visitors at once, eliminating the time constraint that limited guide availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4685731A1System and method for guiding visitors in an environment
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP4685731A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4685731A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4685731A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods for guiding visitors to their intended destinations within an environment are provided. The system comprises a processor and an AI engine. The processor receives a visitor request comprising information about a destination in the environment. The processor determines a current location of the visitor. Further, the processor obtains a current status of one or more access points associated with the environment. Further, the processor provides the information about the destination, the current location of the visitor, and the current status of the one or more access points as an input to the AI-engine. Further, the processor receives a route to the destination of the visitor from the AI engine. Further, the processor provides, using at least one multimedia output, the route on a user device of the visitor.