# US 10,370,888 B2 · Door system with sensor unit and communication element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,888 B2 - Document ID: US10370888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/512,665 - Filed: 2015-09-21 - Published: 2017-10-26 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-19 - Assignees: Gebr. Bode GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Gebr. Bode GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Alfons Harding; Benjamin Scheffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370888B2 ## CPC - E05F 15/73: responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects - B61D 19/00: Door arrangements specially adapted for rail vehicles (locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00; door-operating mechanisms E05F) - B61L 15/0081: {On-board diagnosis or maintenance} - E05F 15/00: Power-operated mechanisms for wings (motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00) - E05F 15/43: responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound - G07C 9/20: involving the use of a pass - E05F 2015/765: {using optical sensors} - E05Y 2400/40: Control units therefor - E05Y 2400/44: Sensors not directly associated with the wing movement - E05Y 2400/45: Control modes - E05Y 2400/54: Obstruction or resistance detection - E05Y 2400/852: Sensors - E05Y 2400/86: by hand - E05Y 2900/50: for vehicles - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF ## Abstract A door system for a public transit vehicle with at least one door opening and a door that closes this door opening includes a sensor unit, which does three-dimensional and touch-free scanning of a passenger compartment in the area of the door opening and at least one communication element for the context-based communication with passengers based on readings by the sensor unit. A process for monitoring and controlling door systems of a public transit vehicle are also provided including the steps of touch-free and three-dimensional scanning of a passenger compartment in the area of a door opening with a sensor unit and measuring distances, shapes, and movements of objects by evaluating the readings of the touch-free and three-dimensional scanning. The process also includes issuing context-based information to affected passengers via a communications system, whereby the information is based on readings from the sensor unit. A process for monitoring and controlling such a door system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A door system for a public transit vehicle with at least one door opening and a door that closes the door opening, the door system comprising: a sensor unit for three-dimensional and touch-free scanning of a passenger compartment in the area of the door opening, wherein the sensor unit is configured for scanning distances, shapes, and movements of objects, wherein the sensor unit determines speed and direction in which objects move, and at least one communication element configured for automatically issuing context-based communication with passengers on the basis of readings from the sensor unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit measures distances based on a transmitted point cloud in which the delay of a reflection of a pulse is evaluated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises an optical sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The door system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit comprises an evaluation unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The door system according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit comprises a laser scanner unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the passenger compartment comprises an interior space of the vehicle or an exterior space outside the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein two door wings are present, and the sensor unit monitors a space between the main closing edges of the two door wings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is designed and oriented such that in addition, outside the vehicle a space is scanned which extends up to 5 m from the door opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein a space through which the door or the door wings move, is monitored by the sensor unit to prevent injury, whereby the opening movement of the door or the door wing is interrupted when there is an obstacle in that space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the communication element is designed as speakers in the door area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the communication element is designed as monitor in the door area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The door system according to claim 1, wherein the communication element is designed as lights in the door area. ### Claim 13 A process for monitoring and control of a door systems of a public transit vehicle, the process including the following steps: touch-free and three-dimensional scanning of a passenger compartment in the area of a door opening with a sensor unit, measuring distances, shapes, and movements of objects by evaluating the readings of the touch-free and three-dimensional scanning, determining speed and direction in which objects move, and automatically issuing by the door system at least one context-based information to affected passengers via a communications system, whereby the information is based on readings from the sensor unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein boarding and de-boarding passengers are determined and counted, and information is given to passengers that is based on the rate at which the vehicle is being filled. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit scans a boarding aid whereby, when obstacles such as a layer of snow or ice are determined, an appropriate information is given to the passengers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit determines whether an object or a passenger is leaning against a door or a door wing while the door or the door wing is to remain closed and whether an appropriate message should be sent to the passenger while the door or the door wing remains closed until the potential danger is removed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit determines whether an object, or particularly a passenger, is standing too closely to the door or a door wing while the door or the door wing is to be opened and whether an appropriate message should be sent to the passenger while the door or the door wing remains closed until the potential danger is removed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit determines whether passengers are moving towards a door marked as defective and whether it is necessary to send the passengers an appropriate message. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit determines, whether passengers are preventing the closing of a door by standing to close to the door and whether an appropriate information is already being sent to the passengers prior to the door closing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the sensor unit determines whether passengers have a bicycle with them; and that it is checked whether there is room for the bicycle in this car, and if not, the passengers are told whether there might be room in another car.