VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Various apparatus, methods, techniques and systems are disclosed for admitting, tracking, monitoring and processing data about visitors and vehicles that visit an access-controlled environment. A network having one or more greeting stations and a number of linked answering stations collects and manages data concerning visitors and/or vehicles in the access-controlled environment, and can manage or assist individuals in managing granting access to the access-controlled environment, monitoring visitors and vehicles present in the access-controlled environment, limiting movement and access to certain areas in the access-controlled environment and generating records and other data about each visit. Some embodiments of the network are also adaptable for use in providing traveler assistance and consular services for various types of individuals.
The present application claims priority as a continuation to U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/058,858, filed Feb. 12, 2011, which is a national stage entry of PCT/US09/53828, filed Aug. 14, 2009, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/189,166, filed Aug. 15, 2008.
Each patent application identified above is incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure and for all other purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELDEmbodiments of the present invention relate generally to visitor management for controlled-access environments. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention address improved management of visitors, vehicles, packages and the like with reduced risk to personnel managing visitor greeting, facilitation, management, security and surveillance during a visit to a facility/environment and specifically to an integrated and automated capability to perform identity, personal and non-personal data management, access control, surveillance, communications, tracking and monitoring, enrollment and credential vetting methods for people and vehicles visiting an access-controlled environment.
BACKGROUNDVisitors need to be received and welcomed in a business environment and most businesses employ one or more dedicated receptionists to meet and greet visitors and to facilitate their visit by providing them with directions, delivering requested information to visitors and serving as a “gatekeeper” to the business. When a visitor arrives, the receptionist typically queries the visitor about the purpose of their visit; examines and validates the visitor's credentials to establish identity; establishes the visitor's status and decides to allow or disallow the visit; registers an allowed visitor by logging identity data in some form or fashion; notifies the visitor's host/destination of the visitor's arrival; provides directives to the visitor to complete the visit either by providing directions to the host, destination or visiting venue, advising as to how the visit will occur and transpire; opens or removes any physical barrier to the entry (e.g., opening a locked entrance or raising a barrier preventing entry of the visitor to the access-controlled environment); receives and/or delivers goods, packages, etc. that the visitor is there to deliver or pick up; provides information about the business and/or the visit in a variety of ways (e.g., publications, printed materials, electronic presentations, etc.). In many situations, visitors arrive at an environment (e.g., a campus, building, parking lot) in a vehicle. The environment may have restrictions, allowing only certain vehicles to enter. For example a military base may only allow registered vehicles belonging to the military and/or to military personnel that have necessary documentation and clearances to enter the environment. Occasionally, there are requirements for processing, registering, and allowing other vehicles on a short-term or long-term basis into the environment. Visitors seeking access to an environment may have to register themselves individually as well as registering a vehicle to enter the environment and may be monitored during their presence in the environment. Specific needs pertaining to security requirements of an environment govern such processes, procedures, and policies. In the current security environment, such requirements are more critical and must be implemented and enforced consistently, thoroughly and unemotionally. Embodiments of visitor management systems, access control systems, visitor monitoring systems and the like disclosed and claimed herein fulfill one or more needs in this art, and provide a variety of reception, security, and access-control functions using consolidation of business and security approaches and delivering those through one or more virtualization appliances, methods, and processes.
SUMMARYSome embodiments of the present invention include apparatus, methods, techniques and systems for managing visitors and/or vehicles in an access-controlled environment. One or more greeting stations can be connected to a plurality of answering stations via a network to provide remote assistance with visitors, who also can use automated aspects of a greeting station for facilitating a visit to the environment. Available answering stations are prioritized based on collected visitor data so that skills-based routing/evaluation can be used to determine a visitor's needs. For environments that include vehicle use within the environment, additional features are provided, such as responders for use by visitors and/or vehicles so that visitor and/or vehicle movement can be monitored. Digital signage connected to the network used in connection with monitoring also helps in monitoring responders and in providing specific messaging, information and instructions to visitors and vehicles as needed. When used in connection with barriers and the like, such visitor monitoring systems can also limit visitor and vehicle movement to specified areas of the environment, enhancing visitor and vehicle flow management as well as security of the environment and personnel working therein. Some embodiments of these visitor monitoring systems can be adapted for use in connection with providing traveler assistance and consular services for various types of individuals.
The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 10 shows an exemplary visitor interaction with a visitor management system embodiment when a visitor selects Option 420, ‘View Directory and Speak With An Employee’ of
The following detailed description will refer to one or more embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. Rather, the detailed description and any embodiment(s) presented are intended only to be illustrative. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to the Figures is provided for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments.
Certain terms are used throughout the description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, computer and other companies may refer to components by different names. This disclosure does not intend to distinguish between components that differ insubstantially. Phrases such as “coupled to” and “connected to” and the like are used herein to describe a connection between two devices, elements and/or components and are intended to mean physically and/or electrically either coupled directly together, or coupled indirectly together, for example via one or more intervening elements or components or via a wireless connection, where appropriate. The term “chip” refers broadly to a hardware device that operates in a prescribed manner, for example to process data, and can include various types of such devices (for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processing (DSP) chip, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit (IC), etc.). The term “system” refers broadly to a collection of two or more components and may be used to refer to an overall system (e.g., a computer and/or communication system or a network comprising one or more computers, communication components, etc.), a subsystem provided as part of a larger system (e.g., a subsystem within an individual computer), and/or a process or method pertaining to operation of such a system or subsystem. In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plurals unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings that are not inconsistent to one of ordinary skill in the art relevant subject matter disclosed and discussed herein.
Reference in the specification to “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” etc. of the present invention means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with such embodiment(s) is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the noted phrases in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
The visitor management and related systems deliver improved performance of many functions previously performed by a human receptionist, security guard, and/or assistant performing functions of value in an environment. The visitor management system and other, related systems disclosed herein reduce an environment's security vulnerabilities by reducing physical exposure of individuals to potential threats and by timely tailoring of access-control methods in response to changing security requirements and settings. The visitor management system is a self-servicing solution that makes a remote human attendant available using conferencing (audio and/or visual) when requested by the visitor. The visitor management system also enables cost reduction of operations by performing trivial business functions and saving the costs otherwise incurred in adding staff to perform the same functions. The underlying philosophy in such a visitor management system is “Self Service When You Want It—Live Assistance When You Need It.”
Apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating entry and monitoring of a visitor, vehicle, package, etc. in a physical-access-controlled environment include a greeting station configured as an information appliance connected to one or more answering stations and/or answering station service applications running on computing, communication and/or information devices that are physically and/or logically connected to the environment network permanently or temporarily using various types of connectivity and/or communication. Different types of architecture, methods and configurations can connect greeting and answering stations to form a physical and/or logical system or network in embodiments of the present invention. Such apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating employee, visitor, and vehicle entry into a physical-access-controlled environment offers many benefits, including data gathering related to visitors, employees, and vehicles and allowing selected employees, visitors, vehicles physical access to a controlled environment. Visitors' disability requirements can be assessed and accommodated by modifying system appliances' and other devices' operations and configurations to meet the assessed requirements to permit interactive communication between the system and the individual and/or vehicle. Also, employee and/or visitor language needs can be assessed to allow system modification to permit employee/visitor interactive communication with the system. Skill-based routings of visitor requests contact a live assistance via audio and/or video, finding a live assistant operating an answering station located inside or outside the environment and fulfilling the visitor's contact request.
Embodiments allow a visitor to establish an audio/video session between a greeting station (or other visitor-usable or vehicle communication appliance) and an individual other than a live assistant whose contact information was manually or automatically selected by the visitor (or communication device in a vehicle). A responder (e.g., selected equipment, an individual or live assistant) can provide access to the controlled environment via algorithmic response, keyboard, keypad, number pad, dial pad, mouse click and/or touch capability from the respondent's communication device, during or after the session. Other systems controlling environment access points (e.g., security systems, electronics controlling access barriers, etc.) also can be linked to the system. The system can open entry barriers to permit physical access to the controlled environment and allow the employee, visitor, and/or vehicles access using one or both of automated and/or human decisions based on the employee, visitor, and/or vehicle data presented to the visitor management system. Individuals inside the environment can perform area surveillance in and around a greeting station or other component of the visitor management system from an answering station device. Also, text and/or graphical/picture maps and directions for destinations inside the environment can be printed by a system device.
Individuals operating answering stations can initiate a call and/or take control of a greeting station from the answering station and interact on the employee/visitor's behalf (e.g., providing inputs, making selections on a greeting station display, etc.), irrespective of the physical location of the greeting station device (collocated or remotely located). Likewise, an individual operating an answering station can take control of a display screen and display maps, drawings, pictures etc. and/or to draw, highlight, scribble on such objects to assist a visitor. Also, an individual operating an answering station remotely can enter visitor data prior to the visitor's arrival or during while the visitor is present. Employee data, meeting schedules, etc. can be downloaded, entered, updated, etc. to facilitate a pre-scheduled visit, for example based on an office scheduling system. Finally, embodiments of the visitor management system provide emergency communications, for example by delivering information about the emergency, instructions to follow, displaying emergency exit routes, etc. and opening all controlled access points for exits simply (e.g., by pressing or clicking on a single button).
Embodiments of the present invention can improve human resource, skills and time utilization, especially compared to individuals performing such tasks (e.g., a receptionist, security guard, payroll clerk, etc.) Direct savings can be realized in terms of employment costs by reduction or augmentation of staff and increased productivity of existing staff. Security and surveillance of the environment is improved, including the ability to monitor and perform surveillance remotely from a wide variety of safe locations. Extended hours of reception coverage can be provided without impairing service delivery. Moreover, the remote participation aspect of the visitor management system reduces exposure of environment personnel to active security threats and vulnerabilities.
Visitor flow management through environment access points is improved, as is traffic flow management in environments where employees/visitors bring in vehicles. Visitors and vehicles can be monitored and located more readily during a visit, and electronic visitor logs can be created and maintained more effectively for business, security and forensic needs. Visitor/vehicle data is more accurate because the data is either entered by the visitor himself, or it is obtained through an automated capture process. Sudden changes in security situations can be addressed with more agility and can include emergency communication system providing employees and visitors with audio and visual communications about emergencies, instructions to follow, emergency routes, and opening access points for emergency exit. With regard to employees, automatic collection and disbursement of employee data can be critical to some business applications (e.g., employee arrival/departure records, links to payroll data, etc.). The system can accommodate the needs of visitors with disabilities and/or speakers of foreign languages. These embodiments also provide consolidation and virtualization of services delivery and management.
Reference is made in detail to several embodiments of the current invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A “visitor” (the term “visitor” as used herein can mean one or more than one person, for example a group of individuals) attempting to enter an environment can be classified into three types. “Employees” are people who work in the environment or are employed by one or more businesses located in that or another environment and need to visit the subject environment for a specific purpose such as performing duties and tasks assigned by an employer. “Trusted Visitors” are people other than Employees having a legitimate business need to visit and access the environment to perform tasks and duties (e.g., mail carriers, delivery personnel, messengers, etc. who would have the trust of one or more environment's businesses to access one or more parts of the environment unescorted for short durations during specified or unspecified hours and/or days. “Occasional Visitors” are people other than Employees or Trusted Visitors having a need to visit and access the environment for specific business or personal needs (e.g., visiting an environment office or Employee, to attend meetings, solicit, etc.) for a short or predefined period. Such visits may be scheduled or unscheduled. Based on size, geographical location, mission, different types of visitors described above (i.e., employees, trusted visitors and occasional visitors) may bring vehicles (or other transportation), equipment, or non-business assets inside the environment temporarily or permanently. Additionally, visitors of these defined types may also have physical or language limitations (e.g., hearing or visually impaired, wheelchair-bound, etc.), or might not speak a common language. Employees and Trusted Visitors with such limitations often have predefined arrangements to accommodate their specific needs. For occasional visitors, however, assessing, determining and accommodating specific needs are made at the same time such people seek access to the environment.
Generally a reception process (e.g., the job description of a receptionist) provides assistance in facilitating a visit and implementing security rules using a prescribed philosophy about visitors in the environment. Most businesses' reception areas are isolated from the rest of the business and are located at an environment border, such as an entrance. In many cases, too, the reception area is detached from remaining offices, which results in isolation of the reception area staff from other staff. Environments with large physical/geographical parameters normally have multiple reception areas at convenient locations around the environment. Additionally, some environments have means in place to service the needs of visitors outside normal hours of operations. An after-hours answering service is one example of such a system, where an after-hours phone number is posted in the area. A person answering such a call may be remotely located in another environment (in the same or a different city, state and/or country). Also, businesses normally use a variety of methods to disseminate business-related information (e.g., regarding operations, marketing, etc.) and/or product/service information relevant to visitors' businesses, which can be disseminated via pamphlets, booklets, reports, etc. These publications also are available in a reception area. Another important function of the reception area is to keep visitors entertained while they are waiting, for example with electronic presentations, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. Other critical reception functions are identity management, enrollment, credential validation, surveillance and access-control validation/verification for the environment (e.g., buildings, campuses, complexes and military bases). Such functions typically use visual examination and validation of identification credentials, visitor registration, visit logs and/or similar methods. Based on the environment's security needs, a visitor and/or visiting vehicle (or other non-business assets) may need to be monitored while they are inside the environment. A variety of methods are used to monitor visitors and/or vehicles inside the environment including security cameras, personal escorts, and other surveillance modes.
In high security environments such as military installations and bases, identity management involves more than people alone, and extends to identity management of vehicles and other equipment entering and leaving secured areas, with or without visitors. If general access to the environment is secured and physical access is controlled, then certain security-related functions are performed by one or more receptionist-type individuals who have specific identity management responsibilities for both visitors and equipment. Such functions involve validating the purpose of a visit, ensuring that vehicles and equipment allowed to enter the environment meet security guidelines. If they do, only then will the reception gatekeeper permit a visitor, vehicle or equipment access to a controlled area, usually by operating access-limiting points to allow physical entry to the environment. In some cases the person being visited must go to an entrance and escort a visitor to a meeting place. Such authorizations and validations sometimes involve people inside the environment who have authority and responsibility to either approve credentials remotely or to come to the reception area personally to escort visitors and vehicles inside the environment, staying with a visitor until the visitor and/or vehicle leaves the environment. For example, if a visitor has a meeting with a given employee inside the environment, then the visitor may need to contact the employee, after which the employee may need to call the receptionist to let the visitor come to the employee's office, allow the visitor to bring a vehicle inside the environment, personally go to a reception area to receive the visitor, and/or send another person to the reception area as a representative to receive and accompany the visitor to the designated location inside the environment. All such activities involve costs (e.g., employee time and lost productivity time while completing this process).
Often, if visitor flow is not high in an environment, then security functions are also performed by a receptionist. In environments that have relatively low visitor flow, receptionists may be tasked with additional functions such as managing employee arrival and departure records for time keeping purposes, registering and/or inspecting vehicle authorizations for entering an environment, registering vehicles to grant entry to the environment, etc. There is, however, no real method for measuring productivity in each area of the business/security function assigned to the receptionist for the reason that all these functions are dependent upon receptionist availability, which is an inverse function of visitor flow—the more visitors being processed, the lower the availability of a receptionist to perform additional tasks.
This becomes more complicated in environments with multiple entrances, each with a controlled access point, and in environments where visitors must enter together with vehicles or other transportation. In such environments an additional task of non-person identity management (e.g., vehicle identity management) also must be performed. In view of increased security requirements in many settings these days, this also places receptionist/security individuals at greater risk and exposes them to potential security breach events. Staffing each such entrance with human resources thus results in additional employment costs for “less productive” business functions and increases threats to personal security. Another problem involves staffing visitor entrances during breaks or other absences of a receptionist and/or security guard, when replacement resources must be utilized from a resource pool which otherwise delivers a direct business-related objective. All reception areas must be staffed, otherwise some method of notification needs to inform people inside the environment that a visitor has arrived. Such methods involve a “ring bell” to call, video capture of the visitor, and/or sending images to monitoring stations inside the environment.
Conventional visitor reception systems use a human receptionist to implement functions (e.g., visit facilitation, visit management, control and monitoring of physical access to the environment) critical to business environment safety, security and operations. Using human resources to deliver such functions represents significant cost to a business, and increases management complexities with changing security or other requirements. Such costs can be substantial as such individuals are likely to spend all or a substantial amount of their time performing relatively trivial functions deliverable by one or more embodiments disclosed herein. Also, for personal security, reception staff are exposed to potential harm from a visitor and/or vehicle. Moreover, the ability to quickly react to a changed situation such as security alerts, etc. is minimal in most conventional methodologies; enhancing such capability is another cost factor to the environment.
Conventional reception methods also depend on certain methods of examining a visitor or vehicle for threat evaluation, such as visual inspection by a receptionist, a “gut” feeling or vibe about a given situation, comparing a name, picture, license plate, etc. with a watch list, ensuring that a license plate actually belongs to the vehicle on which it is displayed, etc. Updating each entry point's information incurs significant costs and may not be current or consistent, thus leaving a chance that someone or some vehicle representing a potential threat may enter the environment because the reception point did not have the latest information when processing the visitor and/or vehicle. If the environment requires monitoring of visitors and vehicles from entry time to departure, then an escort is provided to each visitor/vehicle, which utilizes significant human resources and adds considerable operational costs to the environment as well as an increased exposure to security risks for the escorts.
A visitor management system that caters to the needs of a variety of visitors and performs a variety of visit management functions would represent a significant advancement in the field. A visitor management system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention includes identity management, registration, environment access control, surveillance, visitor enrollment and credential vetting, advising a visitor about how the visit will be conducted and facilitated, connecting the visitor to a destination or host using audio and/or visual methods, disseminating selected visitor information using audio, visual, and/or printed materials, examining documents to establish identity, collecting data to verify identity, validating identity credentials, examining vehicle clearance to enter, and validating the vehicle data before allowing access to the environment. There is also a need in the art to separate visitors and vehicles into two classes—those that have necessary identity and clearance credentials to enter the environment and those that do not have such credentials and will need such credentials temporarily and/or permanently so that flow of each class of visitor and/or vehicle is managed efficiently and effectively. Further, in view of evolving and typically more demanding security needs, there is a need to monitor the visitor and/or vehicle inside an environment for the entire duration of their stay in a high security environment such as military bases, etc. in an automated manner. There is also a need to improve environment access to authorized users by operating and removing barriers to entry (e.g., unlocking doors, raising barriers, opening gates) either automatically or by taking input from other individuals and/or devices without distracting them from work or leaving their locations which may be collocated or remote. There is also a need to be able to connect a visitor with an individual belonging to the environment (whether or not that individual is inside or outside the physical environment at that time) using telephonic, video, audio or other methods if the visitor requests such connectivity for any reason (i.e., “live help”). Also, there is a need to improve personal security for individuals performing reception functions, by reducing their physical exposure while performing reception tasks and/or inexpensively updating security watch lists, etc. in order to reduce access of unwanted persons or vehicles to a security-controlled environment.
Embodiments of a visitor management system provide apparatus-implemented systems and methods for virtual reception and/or visitor management at one or more environment access points. As used herein, the term “environment” applies to any area defined by limited access (e.g., a building, group of buildings, hospital, campus, airport, amusement park, stadium, military or non-military base, etc.) where a receptionist or other, similar gatekeeper may be used. Where multiple buildings or the like are viewed as a single environment, the multiple areas may or may not be connected physically and/or logically using networking and communication technologies. The visitor management systems and methods are not limited to any particular environment, however, and may be used in any environment in need of reception assistance.
An exemplary visitor management system (VMS) 300 is shown in
Individuals inside the environment can be contacted by a visitor at a greeting station 301 using an internal name option “View Directory and Speak With an Employee” 420 in
Visitor selection option devices such as those discussed in connection with greeting station 301 can provide visitor options like those shown in
If no special needs are likely, then at 530 the visitor is presented with choices and instructions, such as those shown in
One answering station response process 700 is shown in
When a visitor selects option 405 on menu 400 of
When option 420 of
At the end of each interactive process' execution, the VMS 300 returns to its original state (e.g., providing a visitor with the options of
Data required for execution for options 420 and 440 of
An answering station service can be implemented (e.g., installed on a computing and/or communication device connected to the VMS 300) both physically and/or logically, for example as shown at 310, 315, 320, 325 in
Embodiments of the present invention also can maintain employee time records to assist with pay and benefits. Such tracking enables a VMS 300 to collect employees' time and attendance data, which periodically can be uploaded to a backend business communication server 395 (as shown in
As seen in
The VMS 300 above (also referred to as an “access control system”) also can receive vehicles and control an access-controlled security system where vehicles and non-business assets are also subject to security validation and verification methods, for example using a modified menu of options such as the one shown in
When implementing security measures to permit vehicles into an access-controlled environment, an identifier (e.g., barcodes, stickers, transponders, descriptions in access lists, etc.) typically is issued and used for vehicles that are frequently brought into such an environment. Such an identifier (and any accompanying documentation) is issued after pre-processing/collecting vital data about the vehicle, operator and/or owner. Individuals use visual inspection and/or technology-assisted processes to assess vehicles entering an access-controlled environment. Examples include visually inspecting a sticker, scanning a bar code, transponder automated response to system requests, etc. The access eligibility status of an individual to a secured access-controlled environment (or any restricted domain like computers, networks, files, etc.) often is established using three factors: (1) something the individual knows, (2) something the individual has; and (3) confirming that the person in possession of (1) and (2) is the correct person.
The degree of security and sensitivity can dictate how many of the three factors must be confirmed to establish the identity of an individual for that process and/or transaction. For example, the following activities and corresponding identification confirmation techniques are used: (a) for writing a check, “Something you have” (for example, a driver's license or other acceptable identification) may be sufficient; (b) for traveling by air, two forms of the same type of identifications such as a boarding pass and a driver license might be required; and (c) for entering a military base, a common access card (CAC) as well as a biometric match of a fingerprint (that is, both “something you have” and “confirming you are the correct person”) might be needed (for even more secure access control points, one may need also to know a pass code (adding “something you know”). Again, proving identity typically by a combination of factors is a function of the degree of security enforced at controlled access points.
Some access control system embodiments allow combinations these types of identifying factors before granting a visitor access to an access-controlled environment. The same types of measures are executed in a vehicle access control (VAC) system establishing vehicle identification. Classifications of “employees,” “trusted visitors” and “occasional visitors” also apply to vehicles. Vehicles that belong to the access-controlled environment and gain access to that environment most frequently are viewed as having the same characteristics as employees. Similarly, vehicles that do not belong to that environment, but gain access to the environment regularly have the characteristics of “trusted visitors.” Finally, vehicles that access the environment occasionally are viewed as “occasional visitors.” An important aspect of embodiments of the VAC system is to establish that the vehicle seeking entry is “the correct vehicle.” This is done by attaching a unique signature to each vehicle, similar to fingerprint, which is carried by one and only one vehicle. In some embodiments, a responder is paired to a given visitor, establishing an “visitor identity link” that can be used in tracking, monitoring and processing data concerning a visitor's visit to the access-controlled environment. Similarly, a responder can be paired to a vehicle to establish a “vehicle identity link” that can be used in similar fashion in tracking, monitoring and processing data concerning a given vehicle in the access-controlled environment. A VAC system includes essentially the same apparatus, methods, processes, etc. of a VMS or other access control system. Components, methods and processes are added to enable vehicle clearance and reception, flow management, and authentication, validation and verification of visitor and vehicle credentials for identity management, greeting, and facilitation. A VAC system 1500 is shown in block form in
At a given outer access point, one or more cameras 380 can be mounted where needed and connected to the network 311. A weigh scale (which can be part of a controlled access point 375) under the pavement before an access point gets a vehicle gross weight at that access point, helping to classify the vehicle type. Such scales are commercially available for similar purposes. One or more responders 377 (i.e., devices having unique identification signatures that either advertise the signature or respond to a request for identification; e.g., RFID cards/tags, barcodes, transponders, Bluetooth devices, infrared devices, radio devices, etc.) can be attached permanently or temporarily to a vehicle that will have a unique signature while the responder is associated with the vehicle. If the vehicle belongs to the environment (e.g., an “employee” status), then that vehicle's responder is permanently attached to the vehicle and can be matched to a vehicle weight, license number, etc. Security concerns about responders removed from authorized vehicles and being used on other vehicles are addressed by a validation and verification system.
A scanner 382 (RFID readers/scanners, radio receivers, Bluetooth devices, bar code readers, etc.) in
In
If a vehicle passes the initial access point barrier and is determined to be authorized for access to the building area (for example, via scanners 382 adjacent to one or more barriers), then digital signage 387 can be immediately configured to provide instruction/direction to the appropriate barrier and/or parking area. Speed, as well as accessibility, can be controlled using the barriers. As noted above, greeting station 301 is located at the initial access point. Another greeting station 301 can be placed in the registration area 1140 to assist visitors (e.g., trusted and/or occasional visitors). The second greeting station 301 in area 1140 also can be used to make sure that a non-employee who entered using greeting station 301 outside the access-controlled environment has “checked in” in a timely manner. Moreover, additional cameras 380 can be used in the registration and other areas to track and record visitor movements. These cameras might include audio recording, too. To accommodate visitors who do not have pre-issued responders, a responder dispenser 388 is placed adjacent greeting station 301 in area 1140. Temporarily issued responders can be returned at the conclusion of a visit by placing the responder in a responder collector 389 at the exit/access point of the outer perimeter of the access-controlled environment. Other uses and configurations of the components discussed and disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Operation of the system of
If the system does not validate all parameters at 1735, and evaluates the information as a potential security threat, then a live assistance call is initiated by the external greeting station 301 to an available answering station, with notification of the problem (e.g., license plates do not match, mismatched identification signature and vehicle type, etc.). The answering station operator can conduct further inquiry and/or can instruct the operator of the vehicle seeking entrance on the next steps, for example exiting the vehicle, waiting for security personnel to arrive, turning around and leaving, etc. If the access control system validates all parameters at 1735, the system can now begin identity management at 1740 of the operator and occupants. Once determined to have an acceptable visitor status, the vehicle operator is informed by the access control system of the vehicle's status using a greeting station display, visual display and/or audio loop. A modified version of greeting station menu options of
At this stage, vehicle and operator status have been established and this is used for the flow management inside the controlled environment. Information can be conveyed to the operator using digital displays 387. If the vehicle has a valid identification signature (making it eligible to access the controlled environment) and the operator is determined to be an eligible employee to access the controlled environment, then a digital display 387 as shown in
When a vehicle is sensed at barrier 1120 in
One embodiment of a process 2000 for interaction with a visitor vehicle is shown in
When a vehicle and operator entered an access-controlled environment using an embodiment of the present invention, both vehicle and person had or were given unique identification signatures. For those that entered using a registration process, the identification signatures (e.g., badges, responders, etc. assigned temporarily) are collected at departure, for example using the process 2100 of
Embodiments of the access control system according to the present invention significantly reduce the number of staff required to operate controlled access points, resulting in significant operational cost savings. Another benefit of these embodiments is that they reduce staff's exposure to potential security vulnerabilities and risks, especially before a visitor and/or vehicle has entered the controlled environment. Also, the access control system keeps an electronic log that can be used for forensic analysis and/or data supply to other devices, components and applications, thus reducing redundancy in such efforts.
Some embodiments of the access control system actively monitor and report the location and presence of all visitors (including employees in some cases) and vehicles inside an access-controlled environment. Once visitors and vehicles have entered a controlled environment, especially those imposing high security levels (e.g., military bases), active monitoring of the visitors and the vehicles inside the environment is desirable or even required. Prior systems monitored using security cameras, physical escorts and global positioning systems (GPS). In most situations, the movement of visitors and vehicles in such environments required a physical escort to ensure that visitors and vehicles traveled on a permissible route. These earlier systems had many inherent problems, such as requiring additional staff for escorts, staffing security centers using security cameras to monitor movement and location, etc. One common shortcoming of GPS monitoring is that the signals are usually not available inside a covered building and also can be affected by weather conditions. Therefore such systems were not very useful in monitoring visitors because most facilities are brick and mortar and not under open skies. The inherent problem with security camera monitoring is that it is very difficult to cover every corner of a building with security cameras; there are always areas with no coverage. Also, because security camera-based monitoring is based on images of a given visitor, it is difficult to identify visitors among people whose images are captured using cameras. For example, a visitor in a uniform mixes well in an environment with other uniformed individuals. Those monitoring the environment with security cameras may not be able to identify the visitor. Therefore, there is a need for a system that can actively and unobtrusively monitor each visitor and/or vehicle inside a controlled environment.
One or more embodiments of a visitor monitoring (VMon) system 2200 are shown in
An exemplary visitor badge 2284 of
As a visitor with badge moves around this matrix, the responder identification signature is read by one or more scanners 382, which transmit position data to the VMon system 2200. Based on scanner location and time of the data collection, collected tracking data (i.e., both positional data and associated temporal data) corresponding to the responder is mapped to a cell (e.g., using a timestamp). Responder movement causes new scanners in a given scanner matrix to read the responder signature and to send responder signature data to the VMon system, which generates updated tracking data (also referred to as “visitor/vehicle movement data”), maps the responder to its assigned visitor and/or vehicle and plots the responder's location on a map or other graphical display of the environment. In a multi-story building scenario, each building level has a similar scanner matrix on each floor and a third dimension referencing floor level is added to the matrix addressing scheme, which improves tracking/monitoring capabilities further. An exemplary configuration of a third dimension is shown in
In a system such as the one shown in
In an exemplary process 2700 of
At the end of a visit, when the visitor/vehicle is detected at an outer access point at 2735, the visitor/vehicle operator deposits the responder in a collector 389. Once the responder is returned to and read by collector 389 at 2740, it sends the responder signature to the system where the system finds the associated label and links it to the visitor and a departure record at 2745. Subsequently, the VMon system releases the responder identification signature (and thus the responder) and shows it as “available.” The visitor monitoring system then instructs the security management system at 2750 to unlock the door or to raise the barrier at the exit/access point, creating a departure log of the visitor/vehicle. The visitor/vehicle exits the controlled environment upon completion of visit.
The VMon system 2200 also can be used for wayfinding, providing visitor/vehicle guidance in a controlled environment, and facilitating an unescorted visit. One embodiment of a process 2800 for wayfinding operation is shown in
The VMon system 2200 can operate with distributed processing when multiple greeting stations 301 are installed in system 200. For example, the system can divide tasks among different greeting stations 301, with processed results sent to a central managing greeting station, console 308, or some other device that interfaces with the other system devices such as monitoring displays, digital signage displays, etc. For example, a first greeting station can receive responses from scanners 382 and record movement for a given visitor. If a particular type of exception or event occurs, that first greeting station might pass off responsibility for that visitor to a second greeting station, which in turn passes responsibility for tracking the visitor to a third greeting station if another type of exception or event occurs. The second and third greeting stations can submit their processed information to a fourth greeting station that is configured to function as the managing greeting station. This managing device will send all alarms, notifications, etc. to monitoring displays, digital signage, etc., as well as notifying security personnel if there is a need for human intervention in the visitor's behavior.
Embodiments of the visitor monitoring system significantly reduce the staff required to operate access points, track and actively monitor a visitor/vehicle inside a controlled environment, and provide a virtual escort in such environments, thus resulting in significant operational cost savings. The VMon system also enables monitoring and tracking of visitors and vehicles in all areas of the access-controlled environment, which may not be technically possible using conventional monitoring and tracking tools and techniques. Visitor monitoring systems according to one or more embodiments of the present invention also reduce dangers to the environment and staff posed by potential security vulnerabilities and risks. In addition, the system keeps electronic visitor and vehicle arrival, movement, and departure logs that may be used for forensic analysis and/or providing captured data to other devices, components, and applications, thus reducing redundant efforts and delivering cost savings.
Other embodiments of the VMS can be adapted for using the embodiments and examples shown in the Figures pertaining to the VMS and others. For example, the United States State Department has the responsibility for providing consular services to both U.S. citizens and visa services to non-U.S. citizens. The visas to enter the United States for non-U.S. citizens are issued after establishing eligibility of the applicants, estimating security risks, and delivering consular services. Because of the heightened security environment, delivering consular services now involves keeping applicants at a safe distance from consular and embassy buildings. Some or all of these objectives and tasks can be accomplished using embodiments of the visitor management system and/or a modified remote medical consulting system. Such a consular services system can identify individuals seeking consular services, verify that they are eligible to receive such benefits, and eliminate undesired individuals from accessing embassy and/or consulate buildings while mitigating the security vulnerabilities and threats. Such embodiments enable the person seeking service to fill out electronic forms, pay required fees using cash, credit or debit methods, inquire about the status of a case already being processed, research a topic of interest in a related field from internal and external resources, and such operations that are normally performed in a face to face consular service delivery session. Moreover, such services can be provided to individuals in locations that are remote relative to the physical locations of an embassy and any associated offices. For example, a French citizen might be traveling the United States and require assistance from either the United States State Department or the French Embassy in the United States. Rather than having to travel to such an agency's physical location, and rather than being limited to the restricted assistance that can be provided by telephone or online, one or more embodiments of a consular services system could provide enhanced interactive assistance to the French traveler. Such embodiments use the same basic processes involving skilled-based routing for connecting the consular services seekers and the most competent individuals at the designated providers. The VMS, when connected with an electronic signature capture device, biometric identification device, and machine readable passport reading device, is embodied in traveler assistance stations (TAS), which can be implemented as station 110 of
TAS can help citizens to obtain consular services such as reporting birth of a child, reporting a lost passport, sending emergency messages to families in a home country, requesting new or replacement passports, etc., by obtaining required information and digitally filling out applications, paying fees and scheduling appointments with the closest embassy or consulate location. Also, TAS can print maps, provide directions, print government or non-government forms (such as IRS or similar agency forms), and deliver other information. Such services can be directed to citizens outside the country following one path and non-citizens seeking the benefit of a visa on another path. The services are delivered in one of a select group of standard languages such as “English” and others spoken and understood in the region of deployment. The services are provided by augmenting the methods and processes described above to address the needs of individuals dealing with consular and related issues. Other tools and the like can be provided, such as an intranet/internet browser, connectivity to intranet and internet resources, capabilities to temporarily store information if a link between the service provider and service seeker is broken for any reason, and using security methods to protect data during storage, transmission, and permanent storage and processing.
Non-citizens visiting a country who entered the country on certain types of visas may be required, prior to departure, to establish that they have complied with the terms of a visa during their stay in that country and that they have not been committed any violation of law that would restrict one's status to leave the host country freely. Establishing such facts may require some critical functions at the time of departure (e.g., establishing eligibility to depart the country in good standing, virtually or physically verifying documents needed for departure (such as passport information), arrival/departure records, establishing the identity of the departing person, validating that the departing person is not a person of interest to any security or other government agency, and that the departing person has met all required conditions of their stay subject to which a visa to enter the country was granted). Such embodiments can interface, integrate and/or exchange data with other systems owned and operated by other entities such as citizenship and immigration services, airlines, and/or law-enforcement agencies and authenticate the visitor's departure status from the host country. Currently, this is a manual process performed by authorized officials at an airport or other departure point.
One method for providing consular services using a traveler assistance station coupled to a network begins with the traveler assistance station detecting the proximity of a user and prompting the user to enter user data (e.g., by typing in information, scanning a passport, visa or other document, referencing data already stored in the system, making an option selection, providing biometric data, etc.) to establish the user's identity and the user's immigration or traveler status. Like other embodiments discussed above, the consular services system can prioritize available answering stations, phones, etc. based on the provided user data. A person answering the traveler assistance station can conference with the user at the station, print a document or authorization for the user, notify governmental authorities of the location of the traveler assistance station in the event that the user needs assistance or for security reasons.
With TAS installed at airports and other departing locations, travelers can scan boarding passes, scan passports and submit the biometric data such as fingerprints, etc. The collected data will be compared to the country's security and law enforcement databases. If the person is cleared to depart, they are issued a departure clearance and or a printed authorization on a boarding card or similar departure document. If the visitor is not cleared to depart, designated officials will be notified of the presence of the visitor at the TAS station Like VMS embodiments, answering station services will be provided by authorized officials and an answering station attendant will have capabilities like the ones discussed above in the VMS, for example for conferencing with a traveler assistance station, printing a document or authorization at a traveler assistance station, or notifying other governmental personnel of the traveler assistance station's location.
A supply chain management system (which includes, comprises or is related to a targeted consumer exchange system, a trading exchange system, an individual-consumer-oriented electronic coupon system, and/or an individual-consumer-oriented marketing system) uses apparatus, methods, processes, and functions in specific configurations, methods, networking architecture and integration with some conventional techniques to provide advantages in retail and other fields of business by bringing such manufacturers, marketers, retailers and the consumers into a virtual trading room to exchange information and transact business. The apparatus, configurations, architecture, methods and techniques described herein are used to bring together all trade partners (that is, consumers, manufacturers, marketers, retailers and wholesalers), referred to herein as “sellers,” and service delivery personnel of such sellers in a virtual trading process where a consumer can make informed purchasing decisions, select brands and quantities, obtain desired services, and preserve historical data of purchases for future decisions, budgeting, monitoring, and convenient shopping. Moreover, consumers can create a social network of shoppers who can share their experiences, write blogs, share recipes and events, exchange ideas, make barter arrangements, and sell and exchange goods, ideas, data, processes, methods or procedures for monetary or non-monetary benefits or consideration, and help other consumers through their experiences. In some cases, parties otherwise considered “sellers” might be consumers in the sense that they, too, can use embodiments of the present invention to purchase products and services and conduct other activities using such embodiments and thus be end users of these embodiments.
Manufacturers can offer custom products based on specific consumer needs, provide information about nutrition values, and other helpful information about their products, announce their product roadmaps and/or make a product more attractive to the consumer by offering competitive advantages for a specific consumer using a mix of sales and marketing techniques, providing infomercials, studies, surveys, etc. to a captive or subscribing audience. Moreover, supply and flow of product in merchant retail facilities can be improved and be performed with more precision and timeliness than with earlier systems. Marketers can direct custom marketing to individuals, as opposed to current marketing methods on a national, regional or group basis. The targeted consumer exchange system also enables the marketer to offer just-in-time personalized marketing (e.g., just-in-time discounts, coupons and/or incentives) to a captive consumer while that consumer is shopping. Through the system, electronic authentication-code-protected coupons that have randomly generated authentication codes are offered to a captive audience that is inclined (or has indicated an inclination) to purchase a competitive product and collect real time return on investment (ROI) data for each marketing dollar spent on such coupons in any given market or region, at each retail or wholesale location, at any given time or duration, and to timely determine and quantify the success of any marketing campaign, thereby enabling the marketers to adjust their campaign during execution, which is not available in the current art of marketing. For example, if a campaign target was to sell 100,000 units of a particular ketchup brand and 20,000 units are sold on the first day, then the marketer can adjust the duration of campaign, adjust coupon values, and identify the stores where most of the coupons are used and, if needed, increase the coupon value in areas where response is slow. This is not available in current marketing methods. Similarly, the marketer may decide to stop issuing a coupon, limit quantities, and/or change the coupon value in a particular zip code, thereby allowing the marketer to track the ROI data (including, e.g., collecting real-time ROI data on each marketing dollar spent) which currently takes a significant time period (e.g., several months) to track and for the most part is inaccurate using current methodologies. Coupons are currently printed in newspapers, etc., are taken to a store and redeemed. The store collects these and sends the collected coupons to a manufacturer, who sends money to the store. Unfortunately, such programs are not timely—there is little chance for adjustment and control by sellers of any kind. Most such programs have 45 day cycles that define when data can be collected, evaluated and changes implemented to reflect consumer practices, attitudes, behavior. Moreover, changes in supply of a product, popularity (or lack thereof) in a given area or market, etc. can only be addressed on 45-60 day intervals. Using embodiments of the present invention, such changes can be made on a daily or even hourly basis.
Sellers can offer customized, personalized, and competitive services to consumers and collect important consumer buying habit data to develop new consumer offerings and create new business models. Sellers also can promote their business by offering personalized services and marketing strategies for specific market segments and population demographics and collect vital data about missed opportunities (e.g., by not carrying a particular brand in an area where demand is already generated by manufacturers and/or marketers).
Additional components are introduced to the apparatus, practices, and methods disclosed above with regard to the visitor management and other systems, etc. to create new apparatus, practices, and methods of doing trade using the targeted consumer exchange system. “Web-servers” are devices that use an operating system and a set of application software and services that allow users to access the server with available methods, technologies, and protocols to receive desired service (for example, buying, selling, and making financial transactions using electronic commerce methods (e-commerce)). “Database servers” are computers that use an operating system and set of application software to create, read, update, and delete data using services defined in database management software. “External storage” is a magnetic, optical, etc. media and any device that reads from and/or writes to such media using computing, storage, and retrieval techniques, being connected to a computer, computing device, system, network, etc. using physical and/or logical connectivity. “Web-based applications” are software applications that deliver business solutions and reside on web-servers. These software applications are available to users via Internet or Intranet architecture and access methods. “Databases” are collections of data conventionally stored on database servers and managed using software applications and database management software. “Human interfacing devices” (HIDs) enable one-way or two-way communication between machines (such as computers) and human beings (for example, keyboards, mice, touch screens, displays, etc.). “Data communications equipment” are electronic components that enable communications between devices and equipment using defined protocols and the like.
“Consumer interface devices” (CIDs) deliver functions similar or analogous to those described in connection with the greeting stations and answering stations of the visitor management system and other systems described above. Examples of such devices will be small or large appliances that operate like a greeting station, answering station, etc. Printers are connected to a computing, communication, or similar devices and provide physical output from such devices. “Scanners” receive an advertised data signal from a responder, or send a request for identification when a responder is sensed, wherein the responder identifies itself in response to such a request. Functionally, there are two types of scanners available for this function, active scanners and passive scanners. Active scanners listen to advertised information from responders and passive scanners are activated to get information from a responder. Either type of scanner can be used in embodiments of the supply chain management system. Responder and scanner types must match. Examples of scanners are RFID readers/scanners, radio receivers, Bluetooth devices, bar code readers, etc. One or more components are configured and linked together to develop a network of appliances, services, applications, codes, micro-codes, processes, methods, interfaces, data acquisition and processing techniques/systems, reporting and information presentation methods, systems and techniques, and interfaces to link to other systems, networks, devices, applications, data, codes and micro-codes to deliver or perform methodologies and processes discussed below and their equivalents.
In one embodiment of the supply chain management system architecture, one or more CIDs are connected together either physically or logically with web servers, database servers, external storage, human interfacing devices, printers, scanners and data communication equipment configured to function as a virtual trading room. The supply chain management system components defined above may be mounted on mobile platforms such as shopping carts, shopping baskets, personal mobility devices (power wheelchairs, scooters, etc.), etc. The supply chain management system components are configured to work together or as a stand-alone system. The system can download, retrieve, process, store and periodically update data of interest, local or remote copies of product and service catalogs, business rules/methods, data acquisition methods, data processing methods, processes, computing methods, processes, algorithms, code(s), and information delivery methods, storage methods, store-and-forwarding methods in any visual, audio, legible, electronic, and/or optical form and fashion using any locally attached, remotely located, networked or stand-alone devices, methods, and processes used to deliver such data and information in the form and fashion required by the supply chain management system. The appliances and/or devices can be integrated with other devices, equipment, systems, methods, processes, and applications located locally, remotely, attached to such appliances physically or logically using any methods, protocols, connectivity architectures, code(s), and/or algorithms.
Various connectivity, server, management, etc. devices 2960 are connected to the network via a local connectivity/networking architecture 2974 and communication devices 2909 to facilitate the various functions of system 2900—for example, management servers 2961, database servers 2962, e-commerce servers 2963, web servers 2964, streaming data devices 2965, mobile device servers 2966, email and text messaging servers 2967, file and application servers 2968, content management servers 2969, real time communication servers 2971, external storage devices 2972 (also referred to as “network memory storage apparatus”), and certificate servers 2973. Retail facilities provide access to network 2910 and the domains, apparatus and services available thereon and therethrough using consumer information processing equipment, which includes equipment and apparatus used by consumers and by store owners and operators to access network 2910 and perform the various functions discussed herein.
The supply chain management system can be available to in-store shoppers, shoppers using internet or other non-traditional purchase methods to make current purchasing decisions, and to people who want to do their homework before shopping (e.g., comparing prices, preparing an optimized shopping list, selecting a convenient time to visit a store), and selecting a preferred method of shopping such as pick-up, in-store shopping, pre-paid ordering, home delivery, etc. Product lists can be accumulated over time, and such lists allow online/immediate comparison pricing by consumers and merchants/suppliers. The user interfaces are provided with multi-lingual and other capabilities so that a consumer can select the language of his/her choice and/or make a selection to accommodate a user's disabilities (for example, to assist users who are hearing-impaired, sight-impaired, mobility-impaired, etc.).
A scanner matrix 2924 as defined in connection with
The supply chain management system delivers services to both in-store and off-store shopping customers through consumer information processing equipment such as CIDs and internet/intranet access equipment. For example, a consumer can access and research prices, availability, coupon offerings, store payment policies and services available (for example, home delivery or pick-up). Consumers also can purchase items, prepare shopping lists, select the store(s) to purchase from, and/or the date and time when the purchases will be made. If the store offers delivery or pick-up service (when the order is picked up by store staff, packed, and made ready for pick-up) then services such as pre-paying by credit card or payment at pick-up can be used. The consumer also can save (upload) a shopping list for future reference, print it to take along, download it to a personal device such as a smart phone 2931, phone 2932, PDA 2933, laptop 2934, notebook 2935, desktop 2936, etc. or forward it to stores electronically via network 2910 and retrieve it from the network 2910 (or one of the devices 2960 connected to network 2910) on one of a number of in-store remote consumer devices, such as CID 2922, can operate as a stand-alone or networked system. Remote consumer device 2922 can be a CID mounted on a shopping cart or be provided as a hand-held device by the store, accessed by entering an authentication code provided to the consumer during an off-store session using the internet or intranet. A portable terminal of this type can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,417, issued to O'Hagan et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference for all purposes. These remote consumer devices gather consumer information and store the collected consumer information on one or more network memory storage devices or apparatus, such as external storage devices 2972. Such consumer information can include consumer buying practices, consumer shopping practices, consumer price sensitivity, consumer feedback regarding use of the system, consumer demographics, and consumer payment and pre-payment methods (in-store and external) using checks, cash, debit cards, credit cards or food stamps. Likewise, seller information is collected from sellers, retail facilities and the like and stored on one or more network memory storage devices or apparatus. Such collected seller and/or consumer information can then be made available to various network devices, such as remote consumer devices and/or CIDs, for example.
When in a store, a consumer can use CID 2922 (again, standalone, networked, or shopping cart-mounted) to download previously-prepared shopping lists forwarded to the store earlier. CID 2922 intelligently prepares an in-store shopping route from the current location, and can rearrange the order of items on the shopping list to match the shopping route. An in-store CID 2922 can notify the consumer about the next item to be picked up, checking off items already picked up. This can be done with consumer inputs using a touch screen or scanning picked-up items using a barcode/UPC scanner or the like. If the store has responders on products, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, then the scanner (RFID reader in this example) will scan and read the product pickup. The CID can automatically prepare a sale ticket, which is transmitted to the store point of sale system when the consumer is ready to check out. The in-store CID also can be used to find in-store locations of new items that were not included in the original shopping list, or if there was no shopping list. When the customer is at the checkout counter, a CID or HID (e.g., standalone, networked or cart-mounted devices) can communicate wirelessly with a checkout counter printer or other printer or electronic device and print coupons for the products in the shopping list or redeem by other electronic methods. A checkout person can use these bar-coded coupons to credit the consumer purchases. If no shopping list was prepared in advance, then the consumer can be notified (based on the location of the cart in the store) which manufacturers are offering sale coupons in the present aisle or location (for example, the dairy case). The consumer may decide to accept or deny a coupon; such coupons can be printed or redeemed by other electronic methods at check-out and credit will then be provided to the consumer. If a coupon is not redeemed within a reasonable time period (for example, two hours), then the coupon is invalidated and reissued to another customer (where invalidation and re-issuance criteria can be adjusted by a marketer accessing the network). A shopping cart-mounted CID 2922 can communicate constantly with other CIDs in the store. If communication fails, then store management and the shopper can be notified of the failure. Moreover, if a CID is taken out of a pre-defined area and cannot be tracked by the scanner matrix, the CID can generate a loud, audible noise to identify potential theft or removal of the CID from the permissible use area in the store.
An RFID scanner constantly evaluates items in the cart with RFID tags by scanning the tags and preparing an accurate checkout sale ticket that can be transmitted to the point of sales system at the checkout counter or allow the consumer to pay by credit or debit card at a consumer interface checkout device (e.g., self-serve checkout) or at the cart and provide sales data and payment information to the store point of sales system or other store owned and/or operated computing or data acquisition system in electronic, printed, visual, audio or any other format commonly used to communicate data and information in the industry. A consumer can touch a live assistance button on a CID touch screen and be connected to an answering service operator 2927 located locally (e.g. at a customer service desk in the store) or remotely using two-way video and/or audio conferencing. The answering person can take control of the CID and remotely deliver visual or audio responses and/or directions to the consumer.
Among other benefits of supply chain management system, sending shoppers just-in-time electronic coupons (or other just in time discounts, coupons and/or incentives) with short validity periods enables manufacturers, marketers, suppliers and other sellers to personalize and focus marketing of products and services to individual purchasers right at the time of purchase and to know the immediate and/or precise needs of the customer. Authentication codes on electronic coupons validate coupons and capture data about redemptions such as date, time, store, zip code, etc. Authentication and electronic redemption methods offered by embodiments of the supply chain management system also mitigate against fraudulent use of counterfeit coupons. Recent data suggest a substantial increase in forgery in current discount coupon systems and other such practices which significantly hurts retailers and manufacturers. Also, embodiments of the supply chain management system help sellers optimize their use of resources based on key metrics, data and trends delivered by the system (for example, balancing staff assignments by using predicted consumer traffic data and other similar metrics) in a timely fashion. Retailers and wholesalers can publish in-store location maps and can use the interface to tie to their inventory system or point of sales system for electronic check-out or reduced consumer wait at the check-out.
Medical consultants deliver services by visually and physically examining the patient, interrogating the patient about his/her condition, and collecting data (e.g., blood pressure, pulse, temperature, etc.) to narrow the causes for a patient's medical condition (“diagnosis”). The consultant may have the patient undergo tests performed by machines and other individuals, and may use such test results to refine a diagnosis of the patient's medical condition. During or upon conclusion of such consultation, the medical consultant generates notes using methods such as writing, audio/video recording, etc. Those notes typically become part of the patient's medical record (also referred to as “patient historical data”). At each visit, data such as weight, body temperature, blood pressure, etc. are collected as “vital data.” The consultant reviews and considers current and historical data during patient consultation and treatment.
Patient historical data typically includes the patient's personal information, medical history, family history, and any medical and treatment related notes, test results, radiography images, previous medical treatments and, in some countries, financial information such as the patient's insurance data, etc. Authorized health care service providers such as physicians, consultants, pharmacists, etc. look at this record before providing new or continuing treatment. Strict security/privacy/regulatory requirements in most developed countries safeguard patient medical records and data; developing and under-developed countries may not have such strict requirements. It is imperative for a consultant to establish positive identity of the patient.
Hospitals, clinics and physicians establish their physical locations where they provide healthcare to patients. Patients typically have to go to such locations to have medical conditions diagnosed and treatments prescribed. The shortage of medical consultants and the costs of establishing new facilities leave a large patient base in urban and rural areas without prompt and ready medical treatment nearby. Traveling to such locations economically impacts patients (e.g., lost work/productive time, travel expenses). The situation is worse for highly qualified and experienced specialists such as oncologists, cardiologists, etc., who are in acute shortage in developed countries and might not even be available to patients in some urban areas. In most developing countries, the healthcare delivery infrastructure is almost non-existent and there are areas where no doctor is available to provide treatment to patients in need of healthcare.
Remote examination of and consultation with patients with no assistance at the patient's location is typically inadvisable since the patient may need assistance with medical equipment, documents and other materials, prescription and other information, etc. On the other hand, hospitals, clinics, etc. do not want to have to establish such remote locations themselves, if possible. Embodiments of the present invention of the present invention provide examination/consultation locations at pharmacies, which provide professional personnel already onsite, and typically offer patients locations that are convenient, since pharmacies are found quite readily in many countries and communities. No new facilities have to built, no new staff has to be hired, yet professional-assisted examination and consultation can be provided using embodiments of the present invention.
Apparatus, methods, systems and processes according to embodiments of the present invention enable medical/healthcare providers to deliver services in areas closer to a patient's residence and enable one or more of the following: consultation with patients, remote examination, vital data collection, providing medication prescriptions, test prescriptions, etc. at a remote pharmacy location; consultation among several medical consultants, keeping the patient included in such consultation; patient self check-in at an emergency room or other facility with the option of consulting with a remotely located consultant (e.g., in another emergency room, etc.) in non-life-threatening emergencies (e.g., stomachache, headache, toothache, high temperature, etc.).
Further equipment, devices and components are added to previously defined apparatus (e.g., shown in
Patient identification data readers (e.g., driver license reader, document scanner, barcode scanner, magnetic card reader (e.g., for medical cards, credit cards, etc.), and signature pad, etc.) can be added as input peripherals to the patient station as well as the consultant stations. The remotely operated pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) camera can be controlled by both the patient station and the consultant station. Patient stations can be connected to consultant stations using available networking technologies, methods, and protocols. A secure link can be used between each patient station and consultant station, including among three or more stations.
The remote medical consulting system uses the consultant's eyes, ears and brain and the hands of a patient (or trained assistant) at a patient station to replicate collocated consultation at a consulting location. For example, a patient can point to a body area where there is pain or press the patient's abdomen at points to identify where there is pain and the extent and quality of pain (moving up, moving down, throbbing, constant, etc.)
In an embodiment of the present invention shown in
A consultant station 3530 in
A patient station can be installed in a private room, referred to herein as a “patient room” or any other relatively private location in a pharmacy. The patient room can be supervised by a professional member of the pharmacy's staff. Retail pharmacies are an appropriate location for such patient rooms because they are already associated with healthcare and are found in urban and rural areas. Signs displayed in the patient room can inform patients that this facility is for a non-emergency, follow-up, non-life-threatening treatment and reception only; if the patient is experiencing more serious conditions (e.g., chest pains, bleeding, or a broken bone), then the patient should not use the remote medical consulting room and should instead notify pharmacy staff, call emergency medical services or the like.
When the patient arrives at a consulting room, the patient status is either an “existing” patient (with patient historical data at one or more accessible locations) or a “new” patient (possibly without any accessible patient historical data). The patient initiates a consultation request by proving his/her identity and, in some cases, selecting a consultant station 3530 for the consultation. A new patient also can register with a facility equipped with a consultant station 3530. If a patient station 3500 is associated with a number of consultant stations 3530 located in different facilities, then the patient station provides a list of available facilities. The patient chooses the desired facility contact for consultation and treatment. An interactive guidance system at the patient station displays images and audio loops to assist the patient in proving identity (e.g., presenting a drivers license, a healthcare-issued card and/or other documents to satisfy security requirements) and the patient's age. For new patient registration, patients are asked questions normally asked during healthcare facility registration. If a document must be uploaded to the healthcare facility, a scanner can scan and upload the patient data. The patient may need to sign documents such as HIPAA privacy notices and certifications that the patient does not believe his condition is life threatening. An existing patient can prove his identity by satisfying at least two of the following requirements: (1) something the patient has (e.g., a driver's license, healthcare-issued card), (2) something the patient knows (e.g., date of birth, social security number, etc.), and/or (3) biometric proof.
Once identity is established, patient station 3500 sends that data to medical records server 3512 (which functions as a “patient historical data memory storage apparatus” or the like) to retrieve patient historical data or, for a new registration, to register the patient and obtain a medical records number. The patient then provides vital data using patient station devices and answers questions regarding current medical condition, which can conform to any jurisdiction's medical procedures. Upon receipt of vital data and question responses, a report is created for the consultant using a standard healthcare reporting format. The patient station then requests an audio-video (AV) conferencing session with the selected consultant station and, if none is selected, then the patient's conference is referred to the healthcare facility that is closest to the patient station.
At the consultant station, the consultant proves his identity, authorization, and eligibility to provide consultation (e.g., proving at least two of the three security conditions defined above), verified by an independent healthcare authorization system. Such a system can be included in management station 3516. The consultant can use the consultant station only after being verified and authorized. During the session, the consultant station can “listen” for requests to establish a session with patient stations.
Upon receiving a request to begin a consulting session (e.g., AV conference), a verified consultant acknowledges the consultation request and receives medical report and medical record locator information from the patient station (e.g., collected vital data, other collected patient data, patient station location, etc.). The consultant can then review any received data and consult with the patient. For visual examination the physician can control a patient station camera to pan, tilt and zoom to visually examine the patient. For physical examination the physician can ask the patient and/or an authorized assistant to perform certain requested actions while the physician monitors these activities using the communication apparatus at the consultant station. If the consultant needs patient medical images, the consultant can request and display the images on the PACS display. While connected to the system, the consultant station creates, manages and updates a list of all other consultant stations configured as a group using the management station.
During consultation, if the consultant needs to contact a second consultant, the first consultant can select the second consultant from a list if that consultant is available at another consultant station or alternatively can contact by phone. If the second consultant is available at another consultant station, a request for AV conferencing is initiated by the first consultant station. When the consultant at the second consultant station accepts the request, an AV conference session is established between the first and second consultant stations. The first consultant station can share (subject to authorization) medical images, medical records and/or examination data with the second consultant station in real time. To have a private conversation, the first consultant station can select a “Hold” button that stops the AV stream to the patient station, resuming the patient station conference by selecting “Resume” on the display. A consultant station also can take control of the patient station display to show images, writings, scribbling, drawings, etc. on the patient station screen to explain a point to the patient.
The consultant can request a prescription or test for the patient at the consultant station and sign it using consultant station signature pad. Such prescription or test document can be printed at the patient station printer and/or simultaneously at a pharmacy subscribing to the system, or can be uploaded in digital form to a pharmacy system if such system is interfaced with the remote medical consulting system. At the conclusion of the consultation session, the patient station and any consultant station can be “reset” to be available for the next consultation session. Resetting a patient or consultant station can include making sure that all screens, printers, etc. (i.e., input, output and other devices) are clear of any confidential medical and/or personal information about the patient or the nature of the consultation that was conducted. Also, the patient station and/or consultant station can be disinfected to provide a clean working location for the participants in the next consultation. In addition to those described above, process embodiments are shown in
In
In some embodiments of the present invention, a patient station can be installed in a pharmacy where only pharmacy technicians work and a consultant station installed in another pharmacy where a licensed pharmacist is present. In current practice, pharmacy technicians typically fill prescriptions, but only licensed pharmacists consult with patients about questions they may have about the prescription. In such an embodiment, for example as shown in
Embodiments of the remote medical consulting system provide a significant advancement in tele-medicine and enable physicians and other consultants to consult with patients without being in the same location. This not only addresses the current shortage of physicians, medical specialists and other consultants, but also enables medical services delivery in rural areas, war zones, and/or where medical resources and/or infrastructure are scarce. The remote medical consulting system provides tele-medicine services anywhere in the world and makes medical services available to more patients without significant travel. The retail pharmacy industry benefits by optimizing its investment in pharmacy buildings, providing extended healthcare options to the patients. Healthcare facilities can increase their presence without new buildings, new equipment and/or staffing with on-site medical staff. Patients enjoy significant economic benefits by avoiding unnecessary travel to remotely located healthcare facilities and gain access to various levels of medical consultation from their own location. On a global level, patients in other countries can consult with experts and specialists without having to travel to such countries where those experts reside.
In the area of manufacturing and industrial operations, embodiments of the visitor management station, remote medical consulting stations, and other systems described herein also can be utilized for remote operation of equipment and telematics. Telematics (the combination of telecommunications and informatics) refers to the collection of a defined set of data using equipment, devices, processes and components and then sending the collected data to a remote location. Most of this is done using automated processes. There are, however, situations when such automation does not work and human intervention is required to start, stop, assist in, reconfigure, or continue an operation. Oil drilling, dam operations, and industrial batch processing are some examples of telematics and batch operations which require human intervention from time to time to start, stop, assist in, reconfigure, or continue an operation. Any unplanned or non-programmed occurrence may require human intervention to get desired results. For example, in an industrial operation using a sequence of processing steps, malfunctions in one step or in the sequencing of such steps can lead to system-wide failures, snags, etc.
Using the event handler assembly operation of visitor management system and consultant stations, above, human intervention can be provided using a telephone or cell phone dial pad, or by clicking buttons in answering station devices attached to a production or other network. An industrial/production process stream monitoring system 2300 is shown in
Many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the written description, and thus, the appended claims are intended to cover all such features and advantages. Further, numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, so the present invention is not limited to the exact operation and construction illustrated and described. Therefore, described embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention should not be limited to the details given herein but should be defined by the following claims and their full scope of equivalents, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable now or in the future.
Claims
1. A system for controlling access to an access-controlled environment, the system comprising:
- a network comprising one or more server devices and a memory device;
- a visitor access point comprising a greeting station connected to the network, wherein the greeting station is configured to collect visitor data; and
- a plurality of answering stations, wherein each answering station is configured to present an answering station operator with a plurality of options for dealing with a visitor calling from the greeting station, the plurality of options comprising granting a visitor access to the environment,
- wherein the network is configured to prioritize available answering stations in the plurality of answering stations based on collected visitor data.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a phone system connected to the network, wherein the phone system is included in the prioritization of available answering stations.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the visitor data comprises at least one of the following: a visitor name, a visitor company affiliation, one or more physical disabilities of a visitor, language limitations of a visitor, visitor biometric data, and scanned document information.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
- a first area inside the environment;
- a second area inside the environment;
- a vehicle access point configured to collect vehicle data from a vehicle at the vehicle access point;
- wherein vehicle data collected at the vehicle access point is stored in the memory device,
- further wherein, based on vehicle data, the vehicle access point either refuses vehicular access to the environment, or grants vehicular access to the first area, or grants vehicular access to the second area.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first area is configured to perform at least one of the following: collect visitor data, collect vehicle data, register a vehicle, and register a visitor.
6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of signs configured to provide instructions to vehicles and vehicle operators inside the environment, the plurality of signs being connected to the network and the instructions being based on at least one of vehicle and visitor data.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
- a plurality of responders, wherein each responder has a unique identification signature; and
- a plurality of scanners situated in the environment, wherein each scanner is configured to detect a responder identification signature and to provide position data about the position of each responder to the network.
8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:
- a scanner matrix inside the environment, the scanner matrix connected to the network;
- a plurality of responders, wherein each responder comprises a unique identification signature;
- wherein the system is configured to collect tracking data for each responder, the tracking data comprising;
- positional data comprising mapping each responder's position in the scanner matrix; and
- temporal data comprising timestamps associated with the positional data;
- wherein the combination of positional data and temporal data provides a record of movement of each responder throughout the scanner matrix and any departures of a responder from the scanner matrix;
- a display connected to the network, wherein the display is configured to display the position of each responder in the environment.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the scanner matrix comprises at least one of the following: a 3-dimensional matrix in one or more buildings; an array of scanners along roads and paths traveled by vehicles in the environment.
10. The system of claim 9 further comprising digital signage inside the environment, wherein the digital signage is configured to provide assistance and instructions from the network in response to detection of a specific responder by the scanner matrix.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 20, 2013
Publication Date: Apr 24, 2014
Inventor: Mohammed Hashim-Waris (Madison, WI)
Application Number: 14/137,215
