Security module

Claim 2

A security module as recited in claim 1, including means for mounting a video camera (98) in each end of said one wall disposed for viewing a person proximate said card reader, control means (140) responsive to said signals from said personnel sensing means indicative of the presence of a person within said module for activating the camera remote from the end from which the person entered said module for viewing and obtaining images of said person within said module, and means (148,142) for receiving and storing said images.

Claim 3

A security module as recited in claim 1, characterized by said personnel sensing means being disposed in a first vertical array (132,133) adjacent one end of said module and a second vertical array (134,135) spaced from said first vertical array at the other end of said module for generating signals indicative of the height of personnel entering and leaving said module, and said personnel sensing means are disposed in a horizontal array (130,131,136,137,138,139) extending from adjacent one end of said module to adjacent the other end of said module for generating signals indicative of the girth and position of personnel within said module.

Claim 4

A security module as recited in claim 3, wherein said personnel sensing means comprises infrared transmitting means mounted in a first (12) of said walls and infrared receiving means mounted in the other (14) of said walls.

Claim 6

In the method as recited in claim 5, including positioning a video camera within said module for viewing each person entering from said first zone and a video camera for viewing each person entering from said second zone; determining the zone from which each person enters said module; and activating the video camera positioned for viewing entry of a person into said module from the zone from which said person entered into said module.

Claim 7

A security module disposed on a floor surface and through which personnel must pass when traveling between zones at opposite ends of said module such that said personnel may be weighed within the module, said module being characterized by a frame (34,32) positioned on said floor surface, a pair of spaced apart interior facing side walls (12,14) within said module supported by said frame extending between entrance and exit ends of said module, a floor plate (22) within said module disposed for stepping upon by personnel when passing through said module, a plurality of elongated hangers (60) pivotably connected to said floor plate at spaced apart locations adjacent each wall, an arm (48,54,56,58) pivotably connected to each hanger at a location spaced above said floor plate adjacent a respective wall, means (42,46,52) for rotatably mounting said arms on said frame for rotation of said arms in directions responsive to the weight on said floor plate, and a load cell (50) fastened to said frame and disposed for abutment by one of the arms for generating a signal responsive to the abutment force applied by said one arm.

Claim 8

A security module as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for rotatably mounting said arms is characterized by means (42,46) for connecting each arm adjacent one wall to an arm adjacent the other wall for rotation in the same direction, and transfer means (52) for connecting the arms adjacent each wall for rotation in opposite directions.

Claim 9

A security module as recited in claim 8, characterized by a hanger (60) being disposed adjacent each end at each side, each hanger being disposed within a respective side wall remote from the opposite side wall.

Claim 10

A security module as recited in claim 8, characterized by means (62,64) for precluding movement of said floor plate in the direction of said ends.

Claim 11

A security module as recited in claim 10, characterized by a hanger (60) being disposed adjacent each end at each side, each hanger being disposed within a respective side wall remote from the opposite side wall.

Claim 12

A security module as recited in claim 8 or 11, characterized by said means for connecting each arm adjacent one wall to an arm adjacent the other wall comprising a shaft (42,46) journalled for rotation relative to said frame.

Claim 13

A security module through which personnel must pass when traveling between zones at opposite ends of said module, characterized by a housing having a plurality of spaced apart interior facing side walls (12,14) extending intermediate an entry end adjacent one of said zones and a exit end adjacent the other of said zones, personnel sensing means (130-139) mounted within said walls for generating signals in response to the presence and absence of personnel within said module, said sensing means comprising infrared signal transmitters in one of said walls for directing infrared energy toward the other of said walls, and cooperating infrared signal receivers in the other of said walls for receiving said energy unless precluded by the presence of a person in the module, means (128) defining grooves within said walls for receiving said sensing means, and said walls comprising a composite structure having interior facing surfaces including opaque sheet material (126) for concealing said transmitters and receivers respectively but permitting said energy to pass therethrough.

Claim 14

A security module as recited in claim 13, wherein said transmitters and receivers are disposed in a substantially horizontal and a substantially vertical array within said walls.

Claim 15

A security module as recited in claim 14, wherein a plurality of said transmitters and receivers (130,131,136,137,138,139) are disposed substantially horizontally extending from adjacent said entry end to adjacent said exit end, and a plurality of transmitters and receivers (132,133 and 134,135) are disposed substantially vertically at a first location adjacent said entry end and a second location spaced from said first location adjacent said exit end.

Claim 16

A security module as recited in claim 13 or 15, characterized by said opaque sheet material being high molecular weight polyethylene material.

Claim 17

A security module through which personnel must pass when traveling between zones at opposite ends of said module, characterized by a pair of spaced apart side walls (12,14,16,18) extending intermediate an entry end adjacent one of said zones and an exit end adjacent the other of said zones, each side wall having a front surface (12,14) facing the other side wall and a rear surface (16,18), a frame including first and second vertically extending beam (32) means corresponding to each of said side walls, said first beam means being disposed adjacent said entry end and said second beam means being disposed adjacent said exit end, and connecting means (38,90,92,96) for removably attaching each of said side walls to respective first and second beam means, said connecting means comprising a pair of elongated vertically disposed rods (92), means (38,90) for rotatably mounting each rod spaced from a respective first and second beam means at a fixed horizontal disposition, at least two vertically spaced apart brackets (76) secured to the rear surface (75) of each side wall at horizontally spaced apart dispositions substantially equal to the horizontal spacing between said rods, each of said brackets including a slot (82) lying in a plane substantially normal to said rear surface, said slot extending from an open mouth (86) through which a rod (92) may be received to a closed end adjacent said rear surface and a channel (84) disposed intermediate said open mouth and said closed end, said channel being narrow relative to said mouth and said closed end, said rods having vertically spaced apart portions (96) for entering through respective channels in a first rotational position and precluded from exiting through said channels when rotated from said first position, and means (94) for selectively rotating said rods to permit said rods to be received through said channels into said closed ends and for selectively rotating said rods to preclude said rods from exiting from said closed ends into said channels.

Claim 18

A security module as recited in claim 17, characterized by said means for rotatably attaching each rod comprises a plurality of spaced apart collars (90) for journally receiving a respective rod, and means for attaching each collar to a respective first and second beam means.

Claim 19

A security module as recited in claim 17 or 18, characterized by said rods being substantially cylindrical members with a peripheral section removed at each of said portions to define a cross sectional dimension reduced relative to the diameter of the respective rod, said closed end of said slot having a size and shape sufficient to receive a cylinder having a diameter equal to that of said rod, and said channel having a pair of edges (84) spaced apart for receiving said portion of reduced cross sectional dimension but narrower than the diameter of said rod.

Claim 20

A security module as recited in claim 17, characterized by each rod including a substantially flat peripheral surface (96) at each said portion for reducing the cross sectional configuration of said rod at said portion, the remainder of said portion having an arcuate configuration, said channel having a pair of edges (84) spaced apart for receiving said reduced cross sectional configuration at said portion but narrower than the arcuate surface of said portion.

Claim 21

A security module as recited in claim 20, characterized by said means for rotatably attaching each rod comprising a plurality of spaced apart collars (90) for journally receiving a respective rod, and means for attaching each collar to a respective first and second beam means.

Claim 22

A security module through which personnel must pass when traveling between zones at opposite ends of said module, characterized by a housing having an internal wall (14) in the interior of said module and an external wall (18) spaced from said internal wall, an end cap (20)fastened to said internal and external walls at least at one end of said module and defining a vertically elongated hollow therein at said one end of said module, said end cap having at least one aperture (114) opening therethrough for communicating said hollow with the interior of said module, a one-way mirror (116) disposed in said aperture for permitting viewing of the interior of said module from said hollow while substantially precluding viewing into said hollow from the interior of said module, and means for mounting a video camera (98) within said hollow for viewing through said aperture.

Claim 23

A security module as recited in claim 22, characterized by said end cap (20) comprising polished stainless steel and said oneway mirror has a face remote from said camera coated with a film of chromium so that said aperture is unobtrusive.

Claim 24

A security module as recited in claim 22 or 23, wherein said aperture (114) has a circular configuration and said one-way mirror comprises a first portion (116) having a diameter substantially equal to said aperture for receipt within said aperture, and a second portion (118) larger than said first portion for abutting said end cap within said hollow, and said video camera being disposed adjacent said second portion.

Claim 25

A security module as recited in claim 24, wherein said end cap (20) has a wall (104) facing the interior of said module and directed toward the end of said module opposite the end at which said end cap is disposed, said aperture extending through said wall of said end cap.