Patent ID: 8619141

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: locking system for a portal having a first side and a second side, wherein the portal is configured to swing about an axis through the first side between an opened position and a closed position; a detection system configured to detect when a robotic vehicle is located within a selected distance of the portal; and a portal access system that unlocks the portal when the portal is in the closed position and the robotic vehicle is detected within a selected distance of the portal using the detection system, wherein the portal access system comprises: a portal movement system, wherein the portal movement system moves the portal between the opened position and the closed position; and a controller associated with the portal access system, wherein the controller unlocks the portal when the robotic vehicle is detected within the selected distance of the portal and the portal is in the closed position and moves the portal to the opened position from the closed position, wherein the controller determines whether a number of unauthorized objects are present within an unauthorized distance, determines whether the portal is in the opened position or the closed position responsive to the number of unauthorized objects being present within the unauthorized distance, closing the portal responsive to the portal being in the opened position, and keeping the portal closed until the number of unauthorized objects are no longer present within the unauthorized distance responsive to the portal being in the closed position and the robotic vehicle being present within the selected distance.