Door system and method with early warning sensors

A sensor system for a door is includes a door configured to provide selective access between a first area and a second area; a door controller for controlling whether the door can open or be in a closed and locked position; a motion sensor for detecting motion in an area proximate to the door, the motion sensor configured to be operatively connected to the door controller; an object recognition sensor for recognizing objects in an area proximate to the door and proximate to the area where motion sensor detects motion, the object recognition sensor configured to be operatively connected to the door controller.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent disclosure relates generally to doors to secure areas and, more particularly, to a door system and method to detect an inappropriate approach to a door system and wrong way movement through a door system.

BACKGROUND

Doors have long been used to provide access from one area to another. Most doors allow two way access. Often two way access is not desired. For example, at airports, after passengers have debarked from an airplane, the passengers will leave a secure portion of an airport to an unsecure portion of the airport. A doorway to freely allow passengers to leave the secure area is desired. However, it is not desired to allow passage way through that doorway from the unsecured area to the secured area. Rather, movement into the secured area generally takes place through a different portal that required screening to both passengers and objects such as carry-on baggage.

To guard against unauthorized entry of either people or objects to a secured area by going the wrong way through an exit, security personal are located at the exits. However it is manpower intensive to locate security personnel at the exits. Further, relying on security personnel alone renders the exit security susceptible to human error. As such, it may be desirable to provide a door system and/or method of operation that can augment or, perhaps in some embodiments, replace human security personnel stationed at exits from secure areas to non-secure areas.

SUMMARY

The foregoing needs are met to a great extent by embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, wherein, in some embodiments allows a door system and/or method of operation that can augment or, perhaps in some embodiments, replace human security personnel stationed at exits from secure areas to non-secure areas.

In one aspect, the disclosure describes a sensor system for a door includes a door configured to provide selective access between a first area and a second area; a door controller for controlling whether the door can open or be in a closed and locked position; a motion sensor for detecting motion in an area proximate to the door, the motion sensor configured to be operatively connected to the door controller; an object recognition sensor for recognizing objects in an area proximate to the door and proximate to the area where motion sensor detects motion, the object recognition sensor configured to be operatively connected to the door controller.

In another aspect, the disclosure describes a sensor system for a door including: a door assembly including a door configured to provide selective access between a first area and a second area; a door controller configured to control whether the door can open or be in a closed and locked position; a first and second wall connected to the door assembly, the first and second wall defining a corridor leading to the door assembly; a first motion sensor configured to detect motion in a first area, the motion sensor operatively connected to the door controller; an object recognition sensor system for recognizing objects in a second area, the object recognition sensor system operatively connected to the door controller.

In yet another aspect, the disclosure describes a method of limiting access through a door. The method including: sensing a first area for movement toward the door with a motion sensor; initialing a warning if movement is sensed toward the door; sensing movement toward the door in a second area with an object sensor; locking the door if movement toward the door is sensed in the second area with the object sensor.

Additional features, advantages, and aspects of the disclosure may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure as claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a door system10in accordance with the present disclosure.FIG. 2is a top view of the door system10that provides passage through a wall11that separates a secure area9from a non-secure area8. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, the door system10includes a revolving door assembly12. Other embodiments may not use a revolving door assembly12but rather a different type door.

The door system10includes a corridor14defined by two sides or walls16. The corridor14channels traffic that has exited the door assembly12on their way to the unsecured area8. The door assembly12includes door panels18, which, in the non-limiting embodiment shown, rotate. The door assembly12includes a shroud20. The shroud20has openings22and24which constitute an entry24and exit22for the door assembly12.

A sensor frame26is located in the corridor14. The sensor frame26includes one or more side supports28and a header30. The embodiment shown inFIG. 1has only one side support26as the header30is supported at one end by a wall, but in other embodiments, the header30may be supported by a side support28at either end. In other embodiments, the header30may have one or no side supports28but rather is supported by walls or other structure.

The header30provides a mounting place for several sensors32,34, and36. A first motion sensor32is mounted to the header30and oriented to detect movement in a first area38at or just in front of, the entry way to the corridor14.

Another type of sensor or group of sensors34are also mounted to the header30. These sensors34are referred to “counter sensors,” “object recognition sensors” and/or lock down sensors34. In some embodiments, the counter sensors34are configured to recognize a human body. For example, the counter sensors34may recognize a human head and shoulders. Once the recognition is made, the sensors34will count one human has passed by. The object recognition sensors34are mounted and oriented to monitor and count how many people pass through and area40. The area40monitored by the counting sensors34may be located near the exit of the corridor as shown inFIG. 2. In order to monitor the entire area40multiple counter sensors34may be used. As shown in the example embodiment illustrated in the FIGS., three object recognition sensors34are used. It will be understood that in other embodiments, more or fewer sensors34may be used in order to monitor the entire area40desired to be monitored.

As seen inFIG. 2a second motion sensor36(or sensors36, if more than one are needed to monitor the entire area42) are mounted to the header30. The sensor36is configured to monitor area42in the corridor14for motion.

In some embodiments, the motion detection sensors32and36are sold and marketed as EAGLE Unidirectional activation sensor for automatic pedestrian doors, sold by BEA headquartered in Liege, Belgium, part of the Infrastructure Sensors Division of Halma plc. In some embodiments, the “counter sensors” are sold and marketed as the IRMA MATRIX sensors of the iris infrared intelligent sensors from iris-GmbH of Berlin, Germany.

A user interface37, such as, a keypad37is mounted on the door shroud20. The user interface37allows a user to interact with a controller associated with the door system10and will be explained further below.

FIG. 3is a partial cross-sectional view of the header30. The header30in the embodiment shown inFIG. 3is squire in shape and has a nominal dimension of 4 inches. It will be understood that in other embodiments, the header30may have other dimensions or shapes. Further, in other embodiments no header30may be used, as the sensors32,34, and36may be supported and oriented by other means (such as a ceiling, struts, a support frame, or other suitable structure).

FIG. 4illustrates an embodiment where the door system10includes warning lights46. The warning lights46may be mounted on the header30as shown inFIG. 4or on any other suitable structure. In some embodiments, the warning lights46are located near the exit of the corridor14. The warning lights46may also include or be located near an audible alarm.

In addition to warning lights46, warning signs48may also be located near the exit of the corridor14. The warning lights46and warning signs48are intended to warn and deter pedestrians from entering the corridor14from the exit.

Many revolving door systems have electronic controllers. The door system10also has an electronic controller50as shown inFIG. 5. In some embodiments, the electronic controller50may include the revolving door controller52with a module54added on. In other embodiments, the controller50may be an integrated controller. The controller50(or controllers52,54) may be an electronic microcontroller. The controller50receives inputs of the motions sensors32,36and the lockdown or counter sensor(s)34. The controller50also receives input from the user interface37and the memory56. In some embodiments, the controller50may receive inputs from a remote computer system60which may have its own input device62and the internet and/or a remote cloud64.

The door controller50outputs data and/or command signals to the lights,46, memory56, audio alarm58, and door12. In some embodiments, the door controller50may also output data and/or command signals to the remote computer system60, the remote cloud and/or internet64, the user interface37and the memory56. It will be understood the the controller50may send or receive signals or commands to anything operatively connected to the controller50.

In some embodiments, aspects of the door system10may be retrofitted to existing revolving door assemblies12. For example, the Horton Automatic Series 9130 and/or Series 9131 ControlFlow one Way Security Revolving Door. It can be used on models with or without Light Curtain and Object Detection.

If a pedestrian approaches the door system10from the wrong direction (unsecured side8), while there is no traffic exiting the door system10, the early warning detection routine of the controller50signals the audible alarm58and/or initiates warning lights46to warn that pedestrian they are entering a prohibited area. If the pedestrian continues toward the door the lockdown detection sensors34signals the revolving door12to stop and instantly lockdown. When the revolving door12is stopped and locked down, no passage is possible through the revolving door12. The lockdown may require a manual reset by a building official or unlock the door system10. The reset may be done remotely such as via a remote computer system60or by the keypad/input device37. The remote computer system60may be operated by a government security agency (such as the Transportation Security Agency (TSA)) or a private security security entity.

In some optional embodiments, when there is traffic flow exiting the door system10in the intended direction, this movement is sensed by the second motion sensor36. The controller50is configured to disable or ignore signals from the first motion sensor32when movement is sensed from the second motion sensor36so that if a pedestrian approaches the door system10from the wrong direction8, the early warning detection motion sensor(s)32and the audible alarm58and warning lights46will not activate. If that pedestrian continues toward the door system10the lockdown detection sensor(s)34signals the revolving door12to stop and instantly lockdown. The lockdown may require a manual reset by a building or government security official (for example a TSA or other security official).

Optionally, when the lockdown occurs, the early warning detection including the audible alarm58and warning lights46may activate. Events such as activation of the warning lights46and/or audible alarm58as well as a lockdown event may cause a warning or other signal to any of the cloud/internet64the remote computer system60and may be recorded in the memory56. The warning or other signal may instigate additional monitoring of the door system10or other actions to be taken.

Typical minimum spacing between the lockdown sensors34and the revolving door12is about 10 to 11 feet. This space allows for exiting passengers who may dwell in the area just outside the revolving door12door without causing false alarms.

A typical width of exit travel lane is about 42 to 120 inches. In some embodiments, the distance from radius of revolving door12to the lockdown sensors34is about 10 feet. In some embodiments, mounting height for lockdown sensor34is about 84 inches maximum.

The early warning sensor32is typically a BEA Eagle Sensor set up for one-way traffic detection toward the restricted side of door. An additional Eagle Sensor36is mounted on the opposite side of the mounting tube or header30to disable the early warning sensor32while normal traffic is exiting the door12. (This prevents possible false signaling of the early warning sensor32.

The lockdown sensor(s)34may reliably discriminate between normal exiting traffic and unauthorized traffic attempting to approach the restricted side of the revolving door12. When a pedestrian is detected traveling in the unauthorized direction this sensor34initiates an immediate lockdown of the door12. Both or either the early warning sensor32and the lock down sensor(s)34may also detect objects moving the wrong way as well as pedestrians.

As discussed above, both early warning sensors32,35and lockdown sensors34are connected to the revolving doors' master control52and locking system through an intelligent interface module54to insure accurate warning and lockdown signals.

The module54may be particularly useful when expanding and existing revolving door12to include the additional components of the full door system10. The additional capabilities of the door system control50may be achieved by connecting the module54to the master control52. Where a full door system10is used from the beginning rather than upgrading a revolving door12, the door system may include the module54and the door controller52or include the capabilities of the module54in an integrated door controller50.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of exemplary aspects, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs, aspects, applications or modifications of the disclosure.