The disclosure of Italian Utility Model Application No. 20 2020 00000 2611, filed May 18, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference.
Object of the present invention is a system for sanitizing and controlling people who want to access a room, adapted to at least reduce the risk that people can bring pathogenic contaminants into said room, according to the characterizing part of the main claim.
Sterilization devices for sterilizing people who have to access cleanrooms of industrial plants (such as, for example, plants for manufacturing microprocessors, or plants of chemical industries) or sterile environments for example particular hospital environments have long been known. People who use these devices must wear special protective clothing before undergoing sterilization treatments; these know devices have therefore had so far, a very limited and specific use. Moreover, because of the use they are intended for, these known devices must be made with extreme care and precision and using special materials, which complicates and lengthens the manufacturing and maintenance times and significantly affects their final cost.
The known devices are also generally fixed systems incorporated into the building that has a clean or sterile room, and are also generally bulky and difficult to transport.
In addition, they generally require specialized personnel for being operated.
The object of the present invention is to provide a system for sanitizing and controlling people who want to access to a room, adapted to at least reduce the risk that people can bring pathogenic contaminants into said room, which is easy and simple to implement and allows fast automatic sanitization of people who want to access to any room where people are expected to be present, such as a shop, a supermarket, a public office or a bank.
In this context, sanitizing is to be understood as a process capable of at least partially reducing pathogenic microorganisms of the viral type, on inanimate objects such as, for example, clothes worn by a person and/or on the person him/herself.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that is simple to assemble and which is also easily transportable, and which can be easily placed in correspondence with the entrances of pre-existing rooms.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that automatically prevents people with symptoms typical of a given pathology, in particular a covid-19 type viral pathology, from accessing to the room.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that automatically prevents people who are not adequately protected with respect to the potential for contagion of a given pathology, in particular a covid-19 type viral pathology, from accessing to the room.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that allows to automatically provide the person who has to undergo disinfection treatment with information about the treatment itself and/or any additional operations that this person must perform, and/or any further information of interest to said person.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that prevents, or in any case limits, undesirable behaviours by the person who has to undergo the disinfection process.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that allows to gather and process data on the people undergoing the disinfection treatment.
A further object is to provide a sanitization and control system that allows to automatically regulate the access of people to the disinfection treatment even on the basis of the data collected in the room a person wants to access to. These and other objects that will be apparent to one skilled in the art are achieved by a sanitization and control system according to the characterizing part of the attached claims.
For a better understanding of the invention there are attached, by way of non-limiting example, the following drawings, wherein:
With reference to the aforementioned figures, they show a sanitization and control system for sanitizing and controlling people who want to access to a room, adapted to at least reduce the risk that people can bring pathogenic contaminants into said room, in particular viral pathogenic contaminants, such as for example coronavirus, comprising:
With reference to the controller 12, it is of a conventional type and will not therefore be described in detail below; it is represented in schematic view in
The processing controller component 113 also advantageously provide a further controller component 114, for sending an alarm signal Sa, for example via an internet or a cellular telephone network Ri (schematically shown in
The controller 12, can be implemented in different ways, however all known to one skilled in the art. Preferably it is implemented through a controller using artificial intelligence techniques and one or more neural networks, for example of the type described in the Italian patent application IT201800009442A in the name of the Italian company Laser Navigation, incorporated by reference in the present text, (or also of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,036,425 or WO2018/114443, they, too, incorporated by reference in the present text). Alternatively, the controller 12 can be implemented through a microprocessor device (for example a usual PC) which provides one or more computer programs adapted to implement the technical functions described below.
Even the remote supervision device 200 is of the type known to one skilled in the art; it is preferably connected to a plurality of systems according to the invention, and is adapted to manage the alarm signals coming from these systems, so that qualified personnel can intervene to solve the problem that has generated the alarm. This remote device, in a simplified version thereof, can for example be a smartphone and the alarm signal can be a message received on said phone.
As discussed below, the system could also provide two separate controllers, for example one for controlling and operating the sanitization and one for controlling and operating the temperature measurement and the presence of the mask.
With reference to the structural characteristics of the cabin, it has preferably size such that it can house at least one person, or a person in a wheelchair or a person with a shopping trolley (as shown in
Preferably, the cabin has a very simplified support structure comprising a known rectangular base 3A (
The doors 5 are 6 are also of a conventional type for one skilled in the art; advantageously, to facilitate access to people in wheelchair and/or with a shopping trolley, the doors are arranged in opposite positions, that is with a longitudinal symmetry axis F (
Advantageously, to facilitate access and exit from the cabin, the entrance door 5 opens towards the inside of the cabin, while the exit door opens towards the outside of the cabin.
Advantageously, each door has a known automatic movement element 101A 101B (partially represented in
These elements 101A-D are of the known type and will not therefore be described in detail below; the automatic moving element of the door comprises for example an electric motor and transmission parts for transmitting motion from the motor to the door, while the locking/unlocking member comprises for example a known solenoid-type electric lock for interacting with a suitably shaped seat of the supports elements for the doors. Advantageously, also the doors comprise at least one part thereof which is made of a transparent material.
Advantageously, in correspondence with the two entrance and exit doors, the cabin has an inclined threshold 18 adapted to facilitate the access of the wheelchairs and trolleys, in any case advantageously the height H4 (
Advantageously, the cabin can have a floor, for example a self-disinfecting, or self-sanitizing and antibacterial PVC floor, of the conventional type for the one skilled in the art.
The cabin has an additional element 20, in correspondence with its upper wall 2, which forms the roof of the cabin, preferably having the same side sizes than the cabin itself and which is adapted to house, for example, the movement elements 101A 101B of the doors 5 and 6 and/or further components of the device which will be discussed below, and preferably also the controller 12.
Again, it is stated that the embodiment of the cabin has been provided only by way of example and that it could also include a different shape, for example a cylindrical shape, and for example even with a single tubular side wall.
For example, the cabin could also be of the “cylindrical” type usually used for access to banks.
According to a further variant, the walls of the cabin, regardless of the shape it has, could be made of a shatterproof or “armored” or bulletproof material of the same type used for the external walls or windows of banks and jewelers.
In a further, not shown variant, the cabin could also only have a single entrance and exit door.
According to further variants, the cabin could also have sizes different from the ones indicated, if it is used for specific uses; the cabin, for example, can be longer and larger (for example with sizes increased from 50% to 200% with respect to those previously indicated) to house several people at the same time: such as, for example, accompanied minors or accompanied disabled people, or a plurality of children for example of a school.
The cabin could also have even greater sizes if it is used with the permanent presence of specialized personnel inside it, for example if the cabin is used as a fixed position for a staff of doctors/nurses who operate on a high flow of patients, for example to carry out vaccinations, samplings, swabs.
The system according to the invention could also provide a plurality of identical cabins, instead of a single cabin, so as to provide some common walls and/or some components of the common sanitizing means (for example the sanitizing substance tank or the substance feeding member).
With regard to the sanitizing unit 101E (schematically shown in
The sanitizing substance is preferably a known liquid substance based on hypochlorous acid, preferably of natural origin, more preferably 100% mineral, with neutral PH. To activate sanitation, the controller 12 receives an activation signal from at least a sanitation activation element 100E, the latter is of the type comprising:
The controller 12 receives and processes the signal corresponding to the closing of the doors, and/or the start signal or the signal indicating presence of a person in the cabin, through the controller components 112 and 113, and once it has been verified that the doors are closed and that in the cabin there is a person who has activated the activation member a control signal is generated at the output for the conveying member 9A, 9B, so as to supply the emission members 10 with the sanitizing substance for a predetermined time.
This sanitation activation process is illustrated in the algorithm of
The sanitizing unit 101E (schematically shown in
This sanitation activation process is shown in the algorithm of
Advantageously, the control unit 12 sends an alarm message (“tank exhausted” or “tanks nearing exhaustion”), via the controller component 114, for example by means of a network Ri (schematically shown in
The sanitizing unit 101E (schematically shown in
As illustrated with reference to the detecting element 100D for detecting the tank 8 level, the command and control unit 12 also receives the signals of these further detecting elements 100N-P and is adapted to generate corresponding control signals related to the evaluation of the monitoring signals received at the entrance, for example for the interface 23 and/or for the locking device 101A, 101C of the entrance door 5, and/or for sending an alarm signal to a remote supervision device 24. According to a variant shown in
Inside the cabin, according to a preferred embodiment, preferably in correspondence with the wall 4D opposite to the one 4C the doors 5 and 6 are hinged to, there is an equipped structure 21 (schematically shown in
The mask detecting element 100A is connected to the controller 12 and generate a first “mask presence” monitoring signal for the reception and processing controller components 112, 113 (
The equipped structure 21 can also optionally have other elements 26A-D (
The equipped structure 21 can also optionally have a device 28 (
The equipped structure 21 can also optionally have, for example under the shelf 21A a basket 29, for example to throw away the packages of the masks or of other protection devices or of the sanitizing substance (if contained in single-dose packages); this basket has preferably a detection sensor 100C, for example a load cell, adapted to detect the basket filling state. This sensor 100C is connected to the controller 12 and generate a monitoring signal relating to the filling of the basket for the controller components 112, 113 (
In order to allow the aforementioned various devices to be operated even by people in wheelchairs, it is desired to emphasise that all the pedal commands 27A-D and 28D described so far are advantageously also complemented by known buttons provided in the cabin in positions that are easily accessible to people in a wheelchair; for example the can be arranged for example along the edge of the shelf 21A, as shown in
The system according to the invention advantageously also provides a unit 100I for automatically measuring the temperature of the person who wants to enter the cabin, which is connected to the controller 12 and adapted to generate a first monitoring signal relating to the measured temperature. According to the invention, the receiving 112 and the processing 113 controller components of the controller 12 are adapted to process the temperature monitoring signal and check whether the measured body temperature is higher than a predetermined limit value, and to generate a first control signal related to said check, for the device 101C (partially shown in
The unit 101I for automatically measuring the body temperature of the person who wants to enter the cabin is of a conventional type for the one skilled in the art, and comprises for example a known thermal scanner adapted to immediately measure the body temperature of the person present in front of the thermal scanner itself and to send a monitoring signal relating to the measured temperature to the controller 12.
If temperature is desired to be measured more accurately, the temperature measuring unit 101I comprises one or more known thermal sensors 30 (
Advantageously, the receiving 112 and the controller component 11 of the controller 12 also generate a second control signal related to the temperature verification for the interface 101F (
The device according to the invention advantageously also provides a unit 100J for automatically detecting the mask on the face of the person who wants to enter the cabin, which is connected to the controller 12 and adapted to generate a first monitoring signal relating to the mask. According to the invention, the receiving 112 and the processing 113 controller components of the controller 12 are adapted to process the mask monitoring signal and to verify whether or not the person who wants to enter wears a mask on his/her face, and to generate a first signal related to this verification. According to a first variant of the invention, the control signal relating to the mask verification controls a device 101A 101C for locking the opening of the cabin entrance door 5 (for example an electric lock or a device for the door automatic movement), so as to lock the opening of the entrance door if a mask has not been detected on the face of the person who wants to enter the cabin, and preferably to report the denial of access even through an interface placed outside the cabin. These processes related to the mask control are shown in the algorithm of
According to a second variant of the invention, the cabin has an internal mask housing device 22 for housing and supplying masks and the control signal relating to the mask control operates a device 101B, 101D for locking the opening of the cabin exit door 6, so as to lock the opening of the exit door if a mask has not been detected on the face of the person who wants to enter the cabin, so that said person without the mask can withdraw a mask from said mask housing device 22 and can then get out of the cabin from the entrance door to perform the check again on the presence of the mask of the face.
Advantageously, this second variant of the invention is operated only if the control unit 12 preliminarily verifies, thanks to the detecting element 100A (adapted to detect if there still are masks in the container 22A of the mask housing device) that the mask housing device 22 still has masks to supply. If this preliminary check is negative, the person is not allowed inside the cabin.
This process is shown in the algorithm of
The facial recognition techniques and systems that can be used are very numerous, for example it is possible to use the already severally mentioned system that analyzes the image through artificial intelligence techniques and that uses neural networks of the type described in the Italian patent application No. IT201800009442A in the name of the Italian company Laser Navigation, incorporated in the present text by reference.
The system according to the invention advantageously also provides a unit 100K for identifying the person who wants to enter the cabin, which is connected to the controller 12, and is adapted to generate a monitoring signal relating to the identification. According to the invention, the receiving 112 and processing 113 controller components of the controller 12 are adapted to process the identification monitoring signal and activate a plurality of control members, which are described below in detail. According to the invention, the identification unit comprise any known device adapted to receive a code or an information which allows to identify a person; the devices of this type are innumerable and depend upon the way in which the person's identity is coded and/or upon the technology through which said identity is communicated to the identification device.
By way of example, the identification device comprises:
It should be noted that the detected identification code can be of the absolutely anonymous type, for example a numeric code, or it may contain sensitive information for the person's privacy, the person's face or the data reported on his/her electronic identity card.
Preferably, the detected identification code as well as the camera's video stream and the temperature measurement are immediately transformed into metadata at the time of detection, so that the sensitive stream data are not stored in the controller 12 which, therefore, preferably neither processes nor store these sensitive data.
In case identification occurs through an image obtained by means of a video or a photo camera, for example the same video camera 32 used for the temperature measurement devices 100I, the image or images provided by the video/photo camera are analyzed by the controller 12 and in particular by the processing controller component 113 which, for this purpose, comprise for example a further facial recognition controller component which advantageously is the same facial recognition controller component 115 mentioned for the facial recognition related to the body temperature measurement. Thus, in this case as well, preferably the unit 100K for identifying the person who wants to access the cabin are artificial intelligence algorithms.
The controller 12 carries out a plurality of processes on the identification code received.
First of all, it verifies whether this code is already present in a controller component or data base 116 of the controller 12 (for example in the form of metadata, or an anonymous numeric code, or an already previously stored face's image; if not present, it stores the code (or the correspondent metadata) and the temporal access data, while if already present, it adds the temporal data of the required access to the already present data.
The controller 12 through the processing controller component 113 verifies, by means of the data base 116 if the identification code corresponds to a person who has been allowed or denied permission to access (for example because considered undesired) and, in case access has been denied, automatically blocks the entrance door 5 by generating a control signal for the door opening locking devices 101A or 101C previously described and a control signal for the interface 101F (
The controller 12 through the processing controller component 113 is also able to process a historical analysis of the data of the person accessing the cabin, for example the data on the greatest flow time period and duration of the use of the cabin. These processes are advantageously stored by the controller 12 for example in a storage controller component 117 and/or sent to the remote supervision device 200 previously described.
Through the processing controller component 113 the command and control unit 12 is also able to identify whether particular operations of the cabin are foreseen for a specific identification code, for example to pass through the cabin without activating the sanitization (for example in situations of emergency) or to generate a customized control signal for the interface 101F provided outside the cabin or for an additional interface 101G (
In situations of emergency the cabin advantageously provides known devices, not shown, to unlock the entrance which are operated by the service staff (security/internal operators or other) who can facilitate the doors unlocking by means of different types of identification. This identification processes are shown in the algorithm of
The cabin also has a known autonomous electrical continuity group so as not to undergo alterations caused by any temporary electrical blackouts.
The controller 12 can interface with external systems such as a known access control system, and/or an automatic operator, and/or external video surveillance systems to which it communicates the results of the identification code detection and/or the temperature measurement and/or the safety systems of the place a person wants to access.
If, for example, the system is provided for access to commercial premises, such as for example a supermarket, the controller 12, on the basis of the identification code can also activate for example on an interface 101G provided inside the cabin, described in detail below: promotional messages on the bases of the previously stored tastes of the identified person, and/or it can recall any on-line, active orders previously stored, and direct the customer to the casher for collection.
The controller 12, if for example the system is provided for access to a place open to the public, such as for example service centers, offices, clinics, on the basis of the detected identification code it can activate, for example on an interface 101G provided inside the cabin, described below in detail: messages for directing the identified person to the booked office, on the basis of the previously stored data of the identified person, or it can inform the recipient of the meeting with the identified person for a more effective and customized welcome, so as not to have to go through the reception/secretary, and thus to limit the possibility of any contagion. In the latter case, the controller 12, as already indicated above, provides a known interface controller component for interfacing with external systems such as a known access control system, and/or an automatic operator, and/or external video surveillance systems to which it communicates the results of the identification code detection and/or the temperature measurement.
As already indicated above, advantageously the system has an interface device 101G (
These messages can for example provide an explanation on how to correctly wear the mask and/or other protection devices, on how to start sanitation, on the duration thereof and on how sanitation will occur, on whether or not it is necessary to withdraw a mask and to have to carry out the test again for verifying that the mask has been worn However, the interface 101G can advantageously also display, for example during the sanitation procedure, casual or predetermined messages of the promotional type and selected according to the person's identification code, as discussed above.
Advantageously, the system also has a detecting unit 100L (
The “non-standard” behavior can be manifold; they comprise, for example, that of a person leaving the cabin without undergoing the sanitation process, or a person withdrawing more than one mask.
The detecting unit 100L comprises for example a known video camera for example constrained to the cabin upper wall 2 as shown in
Further to the detection of a “non-standard” behavior, the controller 12 generates a first control signal for the device 101B, 101D for locking the opening of the cabin entrance door 6, so as to lock the opening of the exit door.
Alternatively or in addition to the above, the control unit 12, further to the identification of a “non-standard” behavior, can send an alarm message via the controller component 114 (“abnormal behavior of the person in the cabin”), to the remote supervision device 200 and to proceed with the storage, for example in a controller component 117, of the images taken by the video camera 35. These processes related to the “non-standard” behaviors are shown in the algorithm of di
Advantageously the sanitation process can be implemented even if there are no people in the cabin. In fact, the cabin could be desired to be sanitized before being used by people, or for example to sanitize objects that have been placed in the cabin, for example clothes that have been tried by a customer in a shop.
The device comprises members 36 (
Advantageously the controller 12 also verifies that actually no people are present in the cabin before activating the sanitation unit; the presence of people is checked by verifying the monitoring signal received from a conventional presence 38 detecting element 100M (
These processes related to the externally activated sanitation are shown in the algorithm of
The system also provides detecting device 200A-D, adapted to automatically and continuously detect people present in a room 40, in this context the term “room” means a place comprising one or more separate rooms, for example a supermarket, or an office.
According to the invention the system the detecting device 200A-D is adapted to generate a monitoring signal relating to people detected in the room, for the controller 12, of the cabin,
The cabin 11 as shown in
The detecting device 200 is of a conventional type for the one skilled in the art and can be of different types. They are adapted to automatically and continuously detect in the time the number of people present in the room, so as to provide the controller 12 with always updated data relating to the number of people actually present in the room 40.
They comprise, for example, a plurality of conventional electronic people-counting devices 201, for example of the infrared rays type or photocell type or thermal or optical camera, arranged in correspondence with the access opening 41 and the exit opening 42 of the room, in case this has separated entrance and exit doors. An alternative solution is for example to provide the entrance and exit doors each with a known device 202, 203 of the type adapted to move people one person at a time and in one predetermined direction only, for example devices 202 of the turnstile type (schematically shown in
Alternatively, by providing the room 40 with a plurality of video cameras 204, which could be for example the known surveillance video cameras which are often present in the rooms, adapted to generate a plurality of signals for a processing unit 205 (
Advantageously, the receiving 112 and processing 113 controller components of the controller 12 also generate a second control signal for the interface 101F (
These processes related to verifying people present in a place where it is desired to access are shown in the algorithm of
Finally, it must be underlined that, according to the invention: the unit 100I for the temperature measurement, and/or the unit 100J for automatically detecting a mask presence/absence, and/or the unit 100K for identifying the person who wants to enter the cabin, and/or the detecting device 200A-D adapted to detect and/or count the people present in a room 40 where access is desired and to generate a monitoring signal relating to the number of people detected in the room, and/or the devices 101Y for controlling the sanitizing substance, which are described below in detail, and/or the devices 100Z for detecting the virus in a person, which are described below in detail can be provided even not in combination with a cabin 1 of the type described so far and/or any known cabin having known person sanitizing unit of other types.
Therefore, according to the invention, the unit 100I for the temperature measurement, and/or the unit 100J for automatically detecting a mask presence/absence, and/or the unit 100K for identifying the person who wants to enter the cabin, and/or the detecting devices 200A-D adapted to count the people present in a room 40 where access is desired, and/or the devices 101Y for controlling the sanitizing substance, which are described below in detail, and/or the devices 100Z for detecting the virus in a person, which are described below in detail, can be associated to a structure and/or an access element adapted to allow people to access a room, of the known type, in any case conformed, for example, to a known door, and/or to a known turnstile, and/or to sanitizing devices of the known type, and/or to a conventional a cabin or security portal for accessing a place requiring a security access, such as for example a bank or jewelry store.
The invention, therefore, also relates to a device for controlling people who want to access a room 40, adapted to at least reduce the risk that people can bring pathogenic contaminants into said room 40, in particular viral pathogenic contaminants, such as for example the coronavirus.
comprising:
Finally, it must be underlined that the embodiments shown so far have been provided only by way of example and that numerous variants are possible, all falling within the same innovative concept, thus for example the sanitizing cabin could also be a conventional security cabin for access to a room requiring a security access, such as for example a bank or a jewelry store or a post office, which is modified in an obvious way for the one skilled in the art by adding: a unit 7 for sanitizing the person present inside the closed space delimited by said security cabin, and/or a unit 100I for measuring the temperature of the people who want to access said room, and/or a unit 100J for automatically detect the presence/absence of a mask on the face of the people who want to access said room, and/or a unit 100K for identifying the people who want to access said room, and/or a detecting device 200A-D adapted to count the people present in said room requiring a security access, where access is desired and to generate a monitoring signal relating to the number of people detected in the room, and at least one controller 12 of said unit 100I for the temperature measurement, and/or of the unit 100J for a mask presence/absence automatic detection, and/or of the unit 100K for identifying the person who wants to enter the cabin, and/or of the detecting device 200A-D, adapted to count the people present in a room 40 where access is desired;
According to a further variant shown in
The cabin according to this variant is preferably an air tight cabin, that is a cabin where a different pressure can be created, and preferably lower than the pressure outside the cabin itself; to this purpose, the various components of the cabin are specifically made for obtaining this effect, in any case in a conventional way for the one skilled ion the art, for example the doors 5 and 6 and the joining edges of the cabin wall have suitable seals of the conventional type for the one skilled in the art. The device 101Z (
These processes related to the virus verification are shown in the algorithm in
Advantageously, according to a further variant, in order to prevent a substance other than the desired and intended sanitizing substance from being introduced into the cabin by mistake, the circuit 11 for conveying the substance from the tank 8 to a plurality of emission members 10, provides after the tank 8, a device 101Y adapted to analyze the substance exiting from said tank and to verify that said substance has certain predetermined typical chemical and/or physical characteristics of the substance itself, that is that the substance is actually the one to be dispensed in the cabin. Said device 101Y is adapted to generate a substance monitoring signal relating to the detected chemical and/or physical characteristics, for the controller 12, the controller components 112, 113 of which for receiving and processing said monitoring signal are adapted to verify, on the basis of said monitoring signal, if the substances has the desired chemical and/or physical characteristics, and to generate a first control signal, related to said verification, for said device 101C, 101A for automatically locking/unlocking the opening of the cabin (1) entrance door 5, adapted to lock said entrance door 5 if the substance does not has the desired and predetermined chemical and/or physical characteristics and/or to generate an information relating to the verification result on an interface of the cabin, and/or to generate a signal for a remote supervision device 200.
Advantageously, according to a further variant, the cabin also has metal detector-type devices, adapted to detect the presence of metal objects on the person in the cabin, in particular weapons, and adapted to generate a signal for monitoring the presence of said metal objects for the process control and metal controller 12, the controller components 112, 113 of which for receiving and processing said monitoring signal are adapted to verify, on the basis of said monitoring signal, if the person has metal objects, and to generate a first control signal, related to said verification, for said device 101C, 101A for automatically locking/unlocking the opening of the cabin 1 exit door 6, adapted to lock said exit door 6 if the person has metal objects and/or to generate an information relating to the result of the verification on an interface of the cabin, and/or to generate a signal for a remote supervision device 200.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20 2020 000002611 | May 2020 | IT | national |