Elevator Access Control via Occupant Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In closed spaces like elevators, there is a risk of airborne infection transmission due to close proximity of individuals, especially when infected persons may not exhibit recognizable symptoms, necessitating a method to reduce contact and manage access effectively.
Innovation Solution
An access control system that registers occupants based on their characteristics, assigns them to groups with different access rights, and selectively allows or denies access to elevators according to these rights, using a building management system, occupant registration point, and elevator access control system to manage and schedule access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If people gather in closed spaces like elevators, then transportation and mobility are improved, but the risk of airborne infection transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments occupants into different groups (e.g., by age, health status, or other characteristics) and assigns different access rights to elevators for each group. This segmentation allows the system to manage infection risk by controlling which groups can access elevators at the same time, while still maintaining overall mobility and transportation efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If access control is implemented based on occupant characteristics, then infection transmission risk is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining access rights for different occupant groups before actual elevator access is needed. Occupants are registered and assigned to groups in advance, with their access rights predetermined based on their characteristics. This preliminary setup simplifies the actual access control execution during elevator operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If different access rights are assigned to different occupant groups, then infection transmission is controlled, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining and enforcing access rights based on pre-recorded occupant characteristics. When an occupant approaches the elevator, the system automatically checks their group assignment and applies the appropriate access control without requiring manual intervention or complex user input, thus maintaining ease of operation while controlling infection transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for managing access to one or more elevators of a building is configured to: receive, for a plurality occupants of the building, a respective occupant registration request including at least occupant characteristics recorded for the respective occupant; assign each occupant into one of a plurality of occupant groups based on the occupant characteristics recorded for the respective occupant, wherein each occupant group has respective access rights with respect to said one or more elevators that are different from access rights of other occupant groups in terms of a time schedule of accessing said one or more elevators; and selectively allow or disallow an occupant of the building to access said one or more elevators in accordance with the access rights of the occupant group into which said occupant is assigned.