Patent ID: 7845115

Claim:
A personal access control apparatus for checking both walking persons and wheel chair users or persons pushing prams through a single passageway having one direction of travel, wherein the walking persons, wheelchair users, and people pushing prams travel on an entrance lane surface, the personal access control apparatus comprising a blocking device having a barrier arm, which is activated by an actuator controlled via a control system, and an authentication reader, wherein upon reading a valid access authorization the blocking device is moved from a blocking position into a release position by actuating the actuator, the access control apparatus further comprising a wheel chair and/or pram sensor including a continuous induction loop that is embedded below the entrance lane surface and below the barrier arm in the blocking position, a first end of the induction loop being disposed along the direction of travel before the barrier arm when the barrier arm is in the blocking position and a second end of the induction loop being disposed after the barrier arm along the direction of travel whereby the first and second ends define a first area adjacent the blocking device, the wheel chair and/or pram sensor for distinguishing the presence of a wheel chair and/or pram in the first area adjacent the blocking device from the presence of a person, wherein the wheel chair and/or pram sensor does not activate the actuator so as to move the barrier arm from the release position into the blocking position until the wheel chair and/or the pram has left the area of the induction loop, and a people sensor for controlling the actuator so that the blocking device remains in the release position after the wheel chair and/or pram has left the area of the induction loop as long as a person is in a detection area of the people sensor.