The invention relates to a person guiding system as well as a method for operating a person guiding system.

Person separation system with access control are well known in the art and are used, for example in the form of speedgates, to control access to a secure area so that only persons presenting a valid authorization may pass into the secure area.

Such systems may be used in airport environments and at the entrance of office buildings but also to control access to public transportation. In this case, the authorization equates to a valid ticket.

In most situations, for example at airports, once persons have passed the person separation system they have to reorient themselves and figure out the direction they need to take. To this end, it is known to use static signs or information screens displaying the information necessary for the persons.

However, these solutions disrupt the flow of people as persons have to look up or even stop to gather information from the signs or information screens. Thus, it is the object of the invention to provide a person guiding system as well as a method for operating a person guiding system that provides a smooth the flow of people.

For this purpose, a person guiding system is provided. The person guiding system comprises at least two barriers and at least one passage having an automatic door, a controlled passageway in front of the automatic door, and at least one projection unit. The at least one projection unit is located at one of the barriers and/or the automatic door. The at last one projection unit is configured to project an information field including information for a person passing through the person guiding system.

Using projection units, it is possible to provide information to the persons right at an entrance to a specific situation and also very near to them. As such, persons can gather information much more quickly and people flow is increased as the information is readily available to the persons.

The projection units may be projectors based on microlens array technology.

In an aspect, the information field is projected within the natural field of view of a person walking in the controlled passageway, at a height of a most 120 cm, in particular of at most 100 cm above the floor and/or at the floor. These locations are perceived by a person when walking almost automatically so that the flow of people is further improved.

In an embodiment, the barriers are located on opposite lateral sides of the controlled passageway confining the controlled passageway in between, wherein the information field is projected onto the floor in the controlled passageway, in particular in front of or behind the automatic door, and/or wherein the information field is projected onto the floor in front of and/or behind the controlled passageway, leading to a further improved visibility of the information without persons stopping. For example, the automatic door has at least one door leaf mounted movably with respect to the barrier and an actuator for actuating the door leaf, in particular the automatic door having two door leaves mounted to opposite ones of the barrier and two actuators, providing means to separate people and/or control access to the area behind the person guiding system.

In order to further improve the flow of people, the information field may be projected onto one or both of the door leaves of the automatic door.

For a very versatile person guiding system, the at least one projection unit may be located behind the door or in front of the door, wherein the projection unit may be configured to project the information field onto one or both of the door leaves such that the information is readable from in front of the door.

In an embodiment, the person guiding system comprises a plurality of passages, each having one automatic door and one controlled passageway in front of the automatic door confined by barriers, in particular wherein at least one of the projection unit is provided for each passage, leading to a very compact person guiding system.

To reduce the number of projection units, the projection unit may project an information field associated with two or more of the passages and/or the projections unit may project two or more information fields, the information fields being associated with different passages.

In an embodiment, the person guiding system comprises an access control system for verifying authorization of a person, wherein the access control system comprises a reader. Thus, access control functionality is also provided by the person guiding system.

For example, the information included in the information field depends on at least one of the following: the current function of the passage associated with the information field, the current function of the area separated by the person guiding system, the state of the automatic door of the passage associated with the information field, the location of the information field with respect to the door, information received from a central information server, information related to the person which has been verified by the access control system, or the motion of the person using the person guiding system.

This way, the flow of people is increased further as the relevancy of the information is improved so that people need less time to find the needed information.

For example, the information received from the central information server includes the direction to the nearest unoccupied elevator and/or the occupancy of a room, area or building, improving the efficient use of resources of a building.

In an aspect, the information related to the person which has been verified includes at least one of the direction the person has to take after having passed the person guiding system; the direction to the gate or platform of the persons's flight, train or bus; details about the persons's flight, train or bus or the destination of the person, providing the needed information directly and personalized so that the person does need to search for directions at all.

For example, the information about the motion of the person using the person guiding system includes the walking direction of the person, the walking speed of the person and/or the information whether the person is approaching the person guiding system. Thus, the information included in the information field can be further individualized to the situation to improve perception.

In order to effectively guide the flow of people, the person guiding system may comprise at least one projection controller configured to control the at least projection unit to project the information field with certain information, in particular wherein the projection controller is connected to the access control system and/or connectable to a central information server.

In an aspect, the projection controller is configured to control the at least one projection unit to project the information field such that the projected information field and/or the information included in the information field is dynamically changing. The dynamics of the information further conveys the contents of the information to the person using the person guiding system so that information transfer is improved further.

The projection controller may be integrated in the respective projection unit.

The connection to the central information server may be established via a wireless and/or cable bound communication connection, for example also via the internet.

For above mentioned purpose, further a method for operating a person guiding system is provided, in particular for a person guiding system as described above. The method comprises the following steps:

- detecting a person entering the person guiding system, and

- projecting an information field including information related to the person, the motion of the person using the person guiding system and/or information received from a central information server by a projection unit. The features and advantages mentioned with respect to the person guiding system also apply to the method and vice versa. The components of the person guiding system are configured to perform the steps of the method.

In an embodiment, the method comprises the following further steps:

- detecting the motion of the person using the person guiding system, and

- projecting an information field including dynamically changing information based on the detected motion of the person, in particular the walking direction of the person, the walking speed of the person and/or the information whether the person is approaching the person guiding system.

Changing the information dynamically based on the motion of the person, for example a moving arrow, allows further schemes for effectively guiding person or conveying information to the person.

For example, the method comprises the following further steps:

- capturing the person's details using a reader of an access control system,

- verifying the authorization of the person by the access control system, and

- receiving the information related to the person.

Thus, the information included in the information fields may be personalized with little effort.

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following description as well as the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. In the drawings Fig. 1: shows a person guiding system according to an embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view,

Fig. 2: shows a person guiding system according to a second embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view,

Fig. 3: shows a person guiding system according to a third embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view,

Fig. 4: shows a person guiding system according to a fourth embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view,

Fig. 5: shows a person guiding system according to a fifth embodiment of the invention schematically in a top view,

Fig. 6: shows a person guiding system according to a sixth embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view, and

Fig. 7: shows a person guiding system according to a seventh embodiment of the invention schematically in a perspective view.

Figure 1 shows a person guiding system 10 of an embodiment of the invention in a perspective view.

In the shown embodiment, the person guiding system 10 is a speedgate for example for use at airports, in public transportation or office buildings.

The person guiding system 10 may as well be a turnstile or a one-way passage system, as, for example, used at airports to allow passage from the flight side to the public side.

In the shown embodiment, the person guiding system 10 comprises two barriers 12 and one passage 13 that includes an automatic door 14 and a controlled passageway 18. The person guiding system 10 further comprises an access control system 16, a projection unit 20 and optionally a projection controller 21.

The barriers 12 may comprise a cabinet and/or a railing and extend parallel to each other while being spaced apart by a distance.

In the shown embodiment, the barriers 12 are between waist and chest high but they may as well be much higher, i.e. higher than a person. It is also conceivable that the barriers 12 form a closed housing of the access control system 10 through which persons may pass.

Between the barriers 12, the controlled passageway 18 is located. The controlled passageway 18 is laterally confined by the barriers 12 which extent at opposite lateral sides of the controlled passageway 18.

The controlled passageway 18 has a transverse direction T perpendicular to the barriers 12 and a longitudinal direction L parallel to the barriers 12.

The controlled passageway 18 may be entered and left by a person at the longitudinal ends, as the lateral sides of the passageway 18 are blocked by the barriers 12.

The automatic door 14 is located between the barriers 12 and is configured to block the controlled passageway 18 or allow passage through the controlled passageway 18.

For example, the automatic door 14 is located in the middle of the controlled passageway 18 with respect to the longitudinal direction L.

The controlled passageway 18 thus extents in front of the automatic door 14 and, in the shown embodiment, also further behind at the back of the automatic door 14. The automatic door 14 comprises at least one door leaf 22, a door leaf support column 24 for each of the door leaves 22 and an actuator (not shown) for each of the door leaves 22.

In the shown embodiment the automatic door 14 comprises two door leaves 22 and thus two door leaf support columns 24 as well as two actuators.

The door leaf support columns 24 are arranged at the inside of the barriers 12 and adjacent to the respective barrier 12 or even mounted to the respective barrier 12.

The door leaves 22 are mounted to the door leaf support column 24 such that they are rotatable with respect to the barrier 12.

The door leaves 22 and the respective door leaf support columns 24 are arranged at opposite ones of the barriers 12 at the same level with respect to the longitudinal direction, of the controlled passageway 18.

The door leaves 22 can assume at least two different positions, namely a closed position and an open position.

In the open position, the door leaves 22 are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the controlled passageway 18 and block the passage through the controlled passageway 18. In particular, in the closed position the two door leaves 22 are in the same plane.

In the open position, the door leaves 22 extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L and are adjacent to the respective barrier 12, thus allowing passage through the controlled passageway 18.

The door leaves 22 are actuated by the actuators between the at least two positions. It is also conceivable that the door leaves 22 are mounted movably with respect to the barriers 12 in a way that the axis of rotation of the door leaves 22 is parallel to the longitudinal direction L. In this case the door leaves 22 may move from the closed position to the open position by rotating the door leaves 22 into the respective barrier 12.

The access control system 16 is, for example, arranged in one of the barriers 12 and connected to the automatic door 14 as well as to the projection unit 20 and/or the projection controller 21.

The access control system 16 may also be connected to a local, on-premise or remote database containing authentication information.

The access control system 16 comprises a reader 28. The reader 28 may be arranged on top of the barrier 12 at the beginning of the controlled passageway 18 to be accessible by persons entering the controlled passageway 18.

The reader 28 may be a card reader, an RFID reader, an NFC reader, a fingerprint sensor and/or a face recognition device.

The access control system 16 is configured to verify the authorization of a person to access the area behind the person guiding system 10 as known in the art. To this end, the person has to use the reader 28 and the read data is verified and/or checked with the database containing information about authorized persons.

The projection controller 21 may also be integrated in one of the barriers 12 and it is connected to one or more projection units 20 controlling the one or more projection units 20.

The projection controller 21 may also be integrated in the projection unit 20 forming a single device. In this case, each projection unit 20 would have its own projection controller 21 or the projection unit 20 having the projection controller 21 would control other projection units 20.

It is also conceivable, that the projection controller 21 is connected to a central information server 34 retrieving information from the server.

The central information server 30 may be local, on-premise or remote and may be accessed by a wireless and/or cable bound communication connection, for example at least in parts via the Internet.

In particular, the projection controller 21 and/or the access control system 16 may communicate wirelessly with an access point of the building or the location the person guiding system 10 is installed in. The access point then provides a communication connection to a local area network or the Internet.

The connection controller 21 is configured to control the projection unit 20.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the person guiding system 10 comprises five projection units 20. However, person guiding systems 10 according to the invention may have an arbitrary number of projection units 20, for example one, two, three, four or more than five.

In particular, the projection units 20 are arranged at the person guiding system 10 in the way that the person guiding system 10 may be used for persons coming from both sides to the controlled passageway 18 without loss of functionality.

The projection units 20, in particular each projection unit 20, is configured to project an information field 32 onto a surface.

The projection units 20 may be projectors based on microlens array technology so that they have a very compact form factor. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, four projection units 20 are fixed to one of the barriers 12, in particular are integrated into the respective barrier 12. As such, the projection units 20 are barely seen by the persons walking through the person guiding system 10.

Two of the projection units 20 are located at the end faces of the barriers 12 in the longitudinal direction L, and two of the projection units 20 are located at the side faces of the respective barrier 12 facing to the inside, i.e. to the controlled passageway 18.

One of the projection units 20 is, for example, located at the automatic door 14, in particular the door leaf support column 24.

Each of the projection units 20 projects one or more information fields 32 at one or more different locations.

It is also conceivable that the same information field 32 is projected by two projection units 20.

The information fields 32 are located at, i.e. projected to, surfaces of the person guiding system 10 or the floor within, in front or behind the person guiding system 10.

For example, the information fields 32 are located at a height of at most 120 cm in particular at most 100 cm above the floor. The information fields 32 may also be projected to the floor.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, one of the information fields 32 is projected to the floor in front of the person guiding system 10, in particular in front of the controlled passageway 18. This information field 32 may be protected by one or both of the projection units 20 located at the end faces of the barriers 12. A further information field 32 is located at the floor of the controlled passageway 18. This information field 32 may be projected by the projection unit 20 located at the inner side of the barrier 12 and/or the projection unit 20 located at the automatic door 14.

Two further information fields 32 are located at the automatic door 14, in particular one at each door leaf 22. One or both of these information fields 32 may be projected by the projection unit 20 at the automatic door 14 or at the inner side of the barrier 12, either in front or behind the automatic door 14.

A further information field 32 may be projected to the floor of the controlled passageway 18 behind the door (not shown). This information field 32 may be projected by a projection unit 20 located at the inner side of the barrier 12 behind the door 14 and/or a projection unit 20 located at the automatic door 14, in particular at the door leaf support column 24.

A further information field 32 is located behind the person guiding system 10, in particular behind the controlled passageway 18. This information field 32 is projected to the floor, for example by one or more projection units 20 at the end faces of the barriers 12 or a projection unit 20 at the inner side of the barrier 12.

When walking, the physiological natural field of view of a person is directed downwards to the floor so that persons will slow down or even stop if they put their heads up looking for information. The described locations of the information fields 32, however, drastically facilitate to convey information to the person passing through the person guiding system 10, as the person sees the information fields 32 while walking without looking up or turning the head. The information fields 32 are therefore projected within the natural field of view of the person walking in the controlled passageway 18 and the person easily conceives the information fields 32 and the information within. The information fields 32 include information for the person passing through the person guiding system 10, for example a direction or an information whether it is clear to pass through the person guiding system 10.

Figures 2 to 7 show further embodiments of a person guiding system 10 substantially corresponding to the first embodiment. Thus, in the following, only the differences are explained and the same and functionally the same components are labeled with the same reference signs.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a person guiding system 10. For the sake of clarity, only one projection unit 20 is shown projecting only one information field 32. The person guiding system 10 of the second embodiment may, however, also have further projection units 20 and further information fields 32.

In Figure 2, the information shown in the information field 32 comprises the word "Entrance" and an arrow in the direction of an entrance. Thus, a person passing through the person guiding system 10 is shown the direction to the nearest entrance so that the person does not have to look up or even stop to oriented himself. Thus, the person flow through the person guiding system 10 is becoming more smoothly.

For example, the person guiding system 10 is located at a gate at an airport and the information field 32 informs the person where the entrance to the airplane is located. As such, the information in the information field depends on the function of the area separated by the person guiding system 10.

Further, in this embodiment, the person guiding system 10 comprises at least one sensor 34 for detecting the motion of the person using the person guiding system 10.

The sensor 34 may be a distance senor, a camera or the like and is connected to the projection controller 21. The projection controller 21 or the sensor 34 itself detects the motion of the person, for example the walking direction of the person, the walking speed of the person and/or the information whether the person is approaching the person guiding system 10 in order to pass through it.

Based on this detected information about the motion of the person, the projection controller 21 controls the projection unit 20 such that the information shown in the information field 32 is dynamically changing, for example moving.

In the shown embodiment, the projection controller 21 controls the projection unit 20 such that the projected arrow moves in the direction of the entrance so that the information of the arrow itself is enhanced. For the person, this facilitates finding the correct direction subconsciously.

Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a person guiding system 10.

This third embodiment shows exemplarily the possibility that one projection unit 20 projects more than one information field 32, in the shown embodiment two information fields 32.

One of the projected information fields 32 is located at the floor of the controlled passageway 18 the other one is located at one of the door leaves 22 of the automatic door 14.

The information included in the information field 32 are arrows pointing towards the automatic door 14 or upwards, respectively, indicating to a person intending to use the person guiding system 10 that it is possible to walk through the controlled passageway 18.

Figure 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a person guiding system 10. In this embodiment, the person guiding system 10 has three passages 13, each having an automatic door 14 and one controlled passageway 18 extending in front and behind of the respective automatic door 14.

The person guiding system 10 has four barriers 12 that confine the three controlled passageways 18 between each pair of the barriers 12.

The person guiding system 10 shown in Figure 4 comprises three projection units 20. It is conceivable, that also more projection units 20 are present, even though not shown for the sake of simplicity.

The projection units 20 of the first and third passage are located in front of the door 14 similar to the ones shown in Figure 3.

The projection unit 20 of the second passage 13 is located behind the door 14 projecting the information field 32 on one of the door leaves 22. The projection is, however, such that the information in the information field 32 is readable from in front of the door 14.

This way, a person approaching the door 14 from the front does not interfere or disturb the projection of the projection field 32. Thus, the entire information field 32 remains readable until the door leaves 22 are opened.

It is also conceivable, that the middle passage 13 is intended for persons approaching the person guiding system 10 from the back and that the information field 32 is readable from behind the door 14.

It is also conceivable, that one projection unit 20 projects an information field 32 associated with two or more of the passages 13. For example, such an information field 32 may be projected to the floor in front of the person guiding system 10, in particular including general information about the area behind the person guiding system 10.

It is also conceivable that one projection unit 20 projects two or more information fields and that the information fields 32 are associated with different passages 13. This way, the number of projection units 20 can be reduced.

Figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a person guiding system 10 in a top view. The person guiding system 10 of the fifth embodiment comprises three passages 13 wherein, similar to the fourth embodiment, the projection units 20 of the first and third passage 13 are located in front of the door 14 and the projection unit 20 of the second, middle passage 13 is located behind the respective door 14.

The information fields 32 of the first and third passage 13 show a check mark, in particular in green.

The information field 32 of the middle passage 13 is located behind the door 14 and shows a cross, in particular in red.

The cross of the information field 32 of this second passage 13 conveys to persons that it is not possible to pass through the guiding system 10 from the back as it is not intended that persons use this person guiding system 10 in the reverse direction.

As such, the information and the information field 32 depend on the current function of the passage 13 and/or door 14 associated with the information field 32. Further, also the location of the information field 32 with respect to the door 14 (e.g. in the shown embodiment behind the door 14) is used to select the information included in the information field 32.

In contrast, the green checkmarks indicate that a person may pass the person guiding system 10 in this direction and that the respective automatic door is fully functional. Thus, also the state of the automatic door 14 of the respective passage 13 is regarded when selecting the information included in the information field 32. For example, if the automatic door 14 of the first passage 13 was broken, the information field 32 of the first passage 13 in front of the door would also show a cross.

In addition, the person guiding system 10 of the fifth embodiment may also comprise a sensor 34 for detecting the motion of persons as described with respect to the second embodiment.

In the fifth embodiment, the projection controller 21 or the sensor 34 itself detects if a person is approaching the person guiding system 10, in particular with the intention of passing through the person guiding system 10.

If a person approaching the person guiding system 10 has been detected, the projection controller 21 controls the projection unit 21 of the passage 13 that the person is heading towards to change the projected information dynamically.

For example, the projection unit 20 may be controlled such that a greeting, for example the word "Welcome" is projected in the respective information field 32 instead of the check mark. The word "Welcome" may remain projected until the person has passed the respective information field 32 or in alternating fashion with the check mark.

If, however, the person is approaching a passage 13 not currently usable, i.e. associated with an information field 32 showing a cross, the projection controller 21 may control the projection unit 20 to have the cross flash or to show the word "Stop" in addition to or instead of the cross.

Figure 6 shows a sixth embodiment of a person guiding system. In this sixth embodiment, the information included in the information field 32 is specific to the person that currently passes the person guiding system 10. In the shown embodiment, the person guiding system 10 is used at an airport and the information included in the information field 32 comprises the flight number and the departure time of the person passing through the guiding system 10, namely and icon of a departing plane, the word "departure" as well as the text "C9560 - 11:30".

In order to do so, the following method according to the invention is carried out.

Firstly, the access control system 16 can capture the details of a person passing through the person guiding system 10. This is done by use of the reader 28. The person uses the reader 28, e.g. by presenting a valid flight ticket, which is read by the reader 28.

The access control system 16 then verifies certain details, for example if the flight ticket is valid and whether the flight leaves from the area behind the person guiding system 10.

This verification of the authorization may be done by the access control system 16 using a local, on-premise or remote database to which the access control system 16 is connected, for example wirelessly, cable bound and or via the Internet.

In the next step, the access control system 16 or the projection controller 21 receives information related to the person, which might be flight details, information whether the flight is delayed and or the name of the person. This information may be received from the database, the central information server 30 or, for example the flight details, from the ticket itself, i.e. the reader 28. It is also conceivable, that the destination of the person is shown.

The information is then transmitted to the projection controller 21 and used by the projection controller 21 to control the projection unit 20 to project an information field 32 with person specific information, e.g. an information field 32 at one of the door leaves 22 that includes the information related to the person. By using information related to the specific person, even though it may not be personal information, the flow of people can be improved even in complex situations where persons have to be guided into various directions after having passed the person guiding system 10.

Figure 7 shows a seventh embodiment of a person guiding system 10 according to the invention from the back.

In the shown embodiment, the projection unit 20 is located behind the automatic door 14 and projects two information fields, namely an information field 32 onto the door leaf 22 as well as an information field 32 to the floor behind the person guiding system 10.

The information field 32 projected to the door leaf 22 comprises the word "EXIT" and thus indicates that the person guiding system 10 may also be used in the reverse direction.

At the same time, the information field 32 behind the access control system 16 on the floor shows an arrow with the letters "Elv. 9" inside, indicating the direction to the nearest unoccupied elevator and its number.

This information about the nearest unoccupied elevator may be obtained by the projection controller 21 from the central information server 30.

Information shown in the information field 32 received from the central information server 30 may also include the occupancy of a room, of an area or of the building.

The features of the shown embodiments may be combined with one another, in particular the features regarding the arrangement of the projection units 20 and/or information fields 32 can be combined freely with the features regarding the information in the information fields 32. Particularly it is to be noted that dynamically changing information can be used in any of the shown embodiments.