EP4055240A1

EP4055240A1 - Providing technical vehicle guidance or personal safety guidance at an entrance system having one or more movable door members

Info

Publication number: EP4055240A1
Application number: EP20803777.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Magnus Abrahamsson
Original assignee: Assa Abloy Entrance Systems AB
Current assignee: Assa Abloy Entrance Systems AB
Priority date: 2019-11-08
Filing date: 2020-11-05
Publication date: 2022-09-14
Also published as: WO2021089699A1

Abstract

An entrance system (SYS) as disclosed herein comprises one or more movable door members (D1... Dn) and an automatic door operator (ADO) coupled to cause movement of the one or more movable door members (D1... Dn) from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system is prevented to an open position in which passage is admitted. The entrance system (SYS) further comprises a monitoring arrangement (MA) configured to discover an external object (EO) being present in or approaching a first external area (EA1) neighboring a first side of the entrance system. Additionally, the entrance system (SYS) comprises one or more visual indication devices (P1... Pn) configured to project one or more projections of visual information (I1... In) at floor level (FL) in at least one of said first external area and a second external area (EA2) neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area.

Description

PROVIDING TECHNICAL VEHICLE GUIDANCE OR PERSONAL SAFETY GUIDANCE AT AN ENTRANCE SYSTEM HAVING ONE OR MORE MOVABLE DOOR MEMBERS TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of entrance systems having one or more movable door members. More specifically, the present invention relates to an entrance system having one or more movable door members and an automatic door operator for causing movements of the one or more movable door members between closed and open positions. More specifically, the present invention relates to an entrance system having a monitoring arrangement configured to discover an external object being present in or approaching a first external area neighboring a first side of the entrance system.

BACKGROUND

Entrance systems having automatic door operators are frequently used for providing automatic opening and closing of one or more movable door members to facilitate entrance and exit to buildings, rooms and other areas. The door members may be, for instance, industrial vertical-lifting doors, overhead sectional doors, folding doors, swing doors, sliding doors or revolving doors.

Entrance systems having automatic door operators are typically used in both private and public areas during long time periods and under various conditions in terms of time of day, time of week, time of year, passage frequencies, etc. The entrance systems need to remain long-term operational without malfunctions even during heavy traffic by persons or objects passing through the entrance systems. At the same time, safety is crucial in order to avoid hazardous situations where a present, approaching or departing person or object may be hit or jammed by any of the movable door members, or by another person or object passing through the entrance system. Entrance systems in industrial door automation can typically determine the latest time to quickly open the door to let a vehicle, e.g. a forklift or a truck, pass through without slowing down. If there are people close to the door on the other side, this might come as a surprise, with the risk of an accident. Additionally, a driver of a vehicle approaching an entrance system from an outside area may be hesitant when requiring to choose between several movable door members. The truck driver may also struggle with aligning the vehicle correctly for a safe entry through said entrance system.

Conventionally, the persons inside or in proximity to the entrance system typically follow fixed and/or flashing directional signs, lights or displays for guidance to e.g. nearest door, exit or safety area. In some cases, the outside areas of the entrance systems have painted symbols on the floor that provide directional guidance for the approaching drivers, illustrating which movable door member to approach. There may also exist fixed and/or flashing signs with miscellaneous information such as the distance to the door, the door’s opening speed, angle or any potential error, which may or may not be of interest for said driver.

However, the present inventors have identified problems and shortcomings in this respect. Static information like the aforementioned may easily be neglected since in most cases there is no instant danger. Since the information is static there is no change when a dangerous situation may occur. Having fixed and/or flashing signs at all times does not give the imminent notice that sometimes may be required for both objects or persons inside and outside the door. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome, or at least mitigate one or more of these problems.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide one or more improvements when it comes to entrance systems of the aforementioned types. According to a first aspect of the invention, the above and other objects of the invention are achieved, in full or at least in part, by an entrance system comprising one or more movable door members and having an automatic door operator, as is defined in the enclosed claim 1. The automatic door operator is coupled to cause movement of the one or more movable door members from at least a closed position, in which passage through said entrance system is prevented, to an open position in which passage is admitted. A monitoring arrangement is configured to discover an external object being present in or approaching a first external area neighboring a first side of the entrance system. The entrance system comprises one or more visual indication devices being configured to project one or more projections of visual information at floor level in at least one of the first external area and a second external area neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area. An advantage of having an entrance system with one or more visual indication devices is that dynamic guidance and messaging can be provided to enhance information clarity inside or in proximity to entrance systems. A potential effect of this may be to reduce the risk of hazardous situations occurring, such as vehicle jams, personal injuries, and/or fatalities.

According to one or more embodiments, the one or more movable door members of the entrance system is/are industrial door(s), such as, for instance, overhead sectional doors, folding doors or vertical-lifting fabric doors. Industrial doors have the benefit of being durable, tight sealing, low-maintenance, and easy to operate, therefore meeting the requirements of heavy industry.

According to one or more embodiments, one or more visual indication device(s) may be mounted to the one ore movable door member(s).

According to one or more embodiments, one or more visual indication device(s) may be mounted to a bottom portion of the one or more movable door member(s). According to one or more embodiments, one or more visual indicating device(s) may be mounted to a bottom part of the one or more movable door member(s).

According to one or more embodiments, one or more visual indicating device(s) may be mounted to a bottom surface of the one or more movable door member(s). The visual indicating device(s) may be mounted to said bottom surface to face the floor.

According to one or more embodiments, wherein the one or more movable door members of the entrance system is/are industrial door(s) such as overhead sectional doors, one or more visual indicating device(s) may be mounted to the bottommost section of the sectional door.

According to one or more embodiments, the one or more visual indication devices is/are configured to project situational non-static information at floor level in the first external area for providing a driver of a vehicle with technical guidance facilitating for the driver to navigate through the entrance system past the one or more industrial doors. The non-static information may be very helpful for the vehicle driver, for instance when he or she needs to drive quickly to the correct door in a case where the entrance system contains more than one door.

In one or more embodiments, the entrance system further comprises a controller, which may be a device included in either the automatic door opener or in the visual indication device, or a device serving as a separate entity. The controller is configured to retrieve data about said vehicle from the monitoring arrangement and subsequently determine at least one parameter of the vehicle, wherein said parameter may, for instance, be speed, distance to the industrial door(s), type or dimensions. The controller is further configured to adapt the situational non-static information depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the technical guidance. The advantage of this may be that the projected information is based on the obtained information from the monitoring arrangement, which is customized to fit the approaching vehicle perfectly for providing correct technical guidance. According to one or more embodiments, the technical guidance of the projected situational non-static information by the entrance system is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication of a chosen door among the industrial doors;

• an open or closed state of said chosen door;

• an opening speed of said chosen door;

• an indication whether the second external area neighboring the chosen door contains one or more persons or obstacles, said obstacles not being persons;

• information pertaining to a recommended, a maximum or a minimum speed for the approaching vehicle;

• information pertaining to a recommended vehicle alignment for the approaching vehicle; and

• a malfunction or maintenance need for at least one of the industrial door(s).

In order to adjust its speed, the approaching vehicle may benefit from knowing what door to drive towards, if that door is opened or closed, and how fast it will open. Additionally, vehicle alignment and recommended, maximum, and minimum speed can help the driver of the vehicle to confirm the state of the door and subsequently adjust the speed of the vehicle. Finally, the driver of the vehicle may benefit from knowing whether there may be any reason not to drive through the door, such as a malfunctioning door, or if there is a person or obstacle on the inside of the door blocking the way. This may be essential for reducing the risk of a vehicle crash and/or damage to a person or goods.

According to one or more embodiments, the one or more visual indication devices of the entrance system is/are configured to project situational non-static information at floor level in said second external area for providing one or more persons with safety-related guidance facilitating for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said external object or said one or more movable door member(s). The non-static information may be very helpful for the persons being present in or in proximity to the entrance system from a safety perspective. In an industrial environment, there are numerous potential hazardous situations that may occur. A fixed and/or flashing sign, e.g. a warning sign, can be easily neglected since in most cases it is not an instant danger. There is no change when a dangerous situation can occur. The non-static information that is projected according to the invention will be displayed where people look. A user standing in front of the door would quickly react if the ground being stood upon would e.g. become or start flashing in red, even while having his or her back towards the door.

According to one or more embodiments, the safety-related guidance of the projected situational non-static information is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication that opening of the one or more movable door member(s) is/are coming up;

• an indication that opening of the one more movable door member(s) is/are in progress;

• an indication that closing of the one or more movable door member(s) is/are in coming up;

• an indication that closing of said one or more movable door member(s) (D1.. Dn) is/are in progress;

• a safety area on the ground at the second side of the entrance system;

• an instruction to the one or more persons to occupy the safety area;

• directional information guiding the one or more persons to move in at least one certain direction from the one or more movable door member(s);

• a type of the external object discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area;

• a speed of the external object discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area;

• dimensions of the external object discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area; • a distance to the external object discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area;

• an indication of a chosen door among the one or more movable door member(s) ;

• an indication to the one or more persons that the second external area neighboring the chosen door contains one or more obstacle(s); and

• a malfunction or maintenance need for at least one of the one or more movable door member(s).

An advantage of this embodiment is that the person(s) may adapt more quickly to the warning(s) and as a result move to the safety area more safely or promptly, by following the projected indications. Moreover, in the case of door malfunctions or obstacles blocking the way for the approaching external object, the person(s) may perform the required repair and/or removal of obstacles if this is shown more clearly.

According to one or more embodiments, the external object is a vehicle and the entrance system further comprises a controller, which may be a device included in either the automatic door opener or in the visual indication device, or a device serving as a separate entity. The controller is configured to retrieve data about the approaching vehicle from the monitoring arrangement, and subsequently determine at least one parameter of said vehicle, said parameter being speed, distance to the chosen industrial door, type or dimensions. The controller further adapts the situational non-static information depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the safety-related guidance.

An advantage of this may be that the projected information is based on the obtained information from the monitoring arrangement, which is customized to fit the prevailing safety situation inside the second external area for providing correct technical safety-related guidance.

In one or more embodiments, the controller is configured to adapt the situational non-static information in any of the following ways: • adapting the size or boundaries of said safety area on the ground at said second side of the entrance system to make it suitable for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said vehicle; and

• adapting the directional information for guiding said one or more persons to said safety area in a suitable way in view of said vehicle; and

• adapting the indication that said second external area neighboring said chosen door contains one or more obstacle(s) to facilitate removal by said one or more persons of said obstacle(s) in view of said vehicle.

The safety-related adaptation of the projected information is advantageous for providing safety information that is clear, always relevant and placed in the natural field of view of the observer, so that important information is not neglected.

According to one or more embodiments, the entrance system further comprises a reflective ground material, such as mylar or polished anodized aluminum, at the floor level in the first external area or the second external area of the entrance system, wherein the reflective ground material upon exposure to the projected visual information enhances the visibility of the projected information, which for instance is very beneficial in bright daylight conditions. The entrance system may be reliant on having consistent information projected onto the floor level. Generally, the projections will work fine in all indoor conditions, and most outdoor conditions, but if the entrance system is exposed to for example bright daylight, important information may be invisible at floor level. The reflective ground material will allow visible projections also in such situations.

In one or more embodiments, the monitoring arrangement and/or the one or more visual indication devices of the entrance system is/are integrated into said automatic door operator. Having customized locations of these devices depending on the prevailing conditions of the entrance system may be beneficial to ensure that the information will be displayed in a natural field of view of the observer. According to one or more embodiments, the monitoring arrangement comprises one or more sensors. Numerous different types of sensors may be used to ensure that the controller is notified of a change in the area being monitored. Sensors are cheap, light, portable and may be both analog and digital. They may also be customized to have the necessary sensitivity depending on what is being discovered.

According to one or more embodiments, the monitoring arrangement comprises a transponder receiver configured for receiving communication from a transponder mounted to or carried by the external object. Installing a transponder is easy and can be done in a very short time and offers a reliable means of discovering object(s) being present in or in the vicinity of an area.

According to one or more embodiments, the monitoring arrangement comprises a communication interface. A communication interface may be related to having the vehicle approaching the entrance system being able to communicate its presence to the controller of the automatic door operator upon arrival. Moreover, the communication interface may receive instructions from the controller of the automatic door operator relating to the aforementioned technical vehicle guidance. This may be crucial in the case where autonomous vehicles is/are a reality. The autonomous vehicle may be able to respond to the incoming instructions by e.g. autonomously reducing its speed, changing its angle of driving or even stopping the vehicle if there is a hazardous situation.

Additionally, the communication interface may ideally be able to communicate not only to the automatic door operator of the entrance system but also to other vehicles in the area. This may ensure full individual vehicle awareness of each one of the vehicles being present in the vicinity of the entrance system.

According to a second aspect, a method of operating an entrance system is provided as defined in the enclosed claim 14. The entrance system is of the type having one or more movable door members and an automatic door operator for causing movement of the one or more movable door members, wherein movement occurs from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system is prevented, to an open position in which passage is admitted. The method comprises discovering an external object being present in or approaching a first external area neighboring a first side of the entrance system by means of a monitoring arrangement. The method also comprises projecting one or more projections of visual information in at least one of said first external area and a second external area neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area. The method for operating an entrance system will provide dynamic guidance and messaging in order to enhance information clarity inside or in proximity to the entrance system. This may reduce the risk of hazardous situations occurring, such as vehicle jams, personal injuries, and/or fatalities.

The entrance system may be designed for installation at a building to control access into the building from the outside of the building. In such cases, the first external area neighboring the first side of the entrance system will be located outside the building, whereas the second external area neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, will be located inside the building.

Alternatively, the entrance system may be designed for installation in a building to control access between first and second places, such as rooms, sections, departments, compartments, ward or halls, in the building. In such cases, the first external area neighboring the first side of the entrance system will be located at the first place in the building, whereas the second external area neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, will be located at said second place in the building. Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed disclosure as well as from the drawings. It is to be noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed unless explicitly stated. As used herein, the term “comprising” and variations of this term are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described in the following; references being made to the appended diagrammatical drawings which illustrate non-limiting examples of how the inventive concept can be reduced into practice.

Figure l is a schematic block diagram of an entrance system generally according to the present invention.

Figure 2A is a schematic block diagram of an automatic door operator which may be included in the entrance system shown in Figure 1. Figure 2B is a flowchart diagram of the main components and functionality of the automatic door operator responsible for the smart adaptive visualization projection which may be provided in the entrance system shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic front view of an entrance system according to an embodiment of the invention comprising an industrial door.

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the entrance system in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a flowchart diagram illustrating a method of operating an entrance system generally according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic top view of an entrance system according to one embodiment of the invention, in the form of a sliding door system.

Figure 7 is a schematic top view of an entrance system according to one embodiment of the invention, in the form of a swing door system.

Figure 8 is a schematic top view of an entrance system according to one embodiment of the invention, in the form of a revolving door system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. Figure l is a schematic block diagram illustrating an entrance system

SYS in which the inventive aspects of the present invention may be applied. The entrance system SYS comprises one or more movable door member(s) Dl ...Dn, and an automatic door operator ADO coupled to cause movement of the door member(s) Dl ...Dn from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system SYS is prevented, to an open position in which passage is admitted. In Figure 1, a linkage L is coupled with the door member(s) Dl ...Dn to take part in their opening and closing movement. Figure 2A illustrates one embodiment of the automatic door operator ADO and its connecting components in more detail. The entrance system SYS may be designed for installation in a building to control access into said building from the outside of said building. As is exemplified in Figures 3 and 4, two external areas are of importance to exemplify the detailed embodiments of the invention. A first external area EA1 is located outside the building and neighboring a first side of the entrance system SYS, and a second external area EA2 is located inside said building and neighboring a second side of the entrance system.

An automatic door operator ADO is provided for the entrance system SYS. The components disclosed within said automatic door operator ADO is in Figure 2A embodied as a part of the automatic door operator ADO. However, one or more components may be separate device(s) in other embodiments, not being arranged in the same arrangement as the automatic door operator ADO is. The automatic door operator ADO comprises a controller C and a monitoring arrangement MA. The monitoring arrangement MA is connected to the controller C by wired connections, wireless connections or any combination thereof. Figure 2A illustrates an embodiment where the monitoring arrangement MA is connected to a communication bus B via a monitoring arrangement interface MAI. The monitoring arrangement interface MAI transmits signals from the monitoring arrangement MA to the communication bus B, whereas the communication bus B serves as a central unit for handling inputs and outputs of the automatic door operator ADO. The connection between the communication bus B and the controller C further comprises an intermediate controller interface Cl configured as a transceiver for the controller C and the communication bus B.

The monitoring arrangement MA is configured to discover an external object EO being present in or approaching the first external area EA1 of the entrance system SYS. The external object EO may be, for instance, a vehicle driving towards one of the door member(s) Dl ...Dn for e.g. goods delivery or pick-up. The first external area EA1 may be an area located on the outside of, for instance, a heavy industry location such as an aviation or mining facility, a steel mill, a waste and recycling plant or a coastal facility. The automatic door operator ADO further comprises one or more visual indication device(s) RI. .Rh configured to project one or more projection(s) of visual information II ...In at floor level FL. This can be seen in Figure 4. The information II ... In is projected in at least one of said first external area EA1 and said second external area EA2. The visual indication device(s) RI. .Rh is/are further configured to receive signals from the communication bus B. The one or more visual indicating device(s) RI . .Rh may thus be configured to project one or more projection(s) of visual information II ...In at a floor proximal to the entrance system. Thus, the visual indicating device(s)

PI ...Pn may be further configured to project said projection(s) on the floor of at least one of said first external area EA1 and second external area EA2. The embodiment of the automatic door operator ADO shown in Figure

2A will now be described in more detail. The automatic door operator ADO may typically be arranged in conjunction with a frame or other structure which supports the door member(s) Dl ...Dn for movement between closed and open positions, often as a concealed overhead installation in or at the frame or support structure. In addition to the aforementioned controller C, the automatic door operator ADO comprises a motor M, typically an electrical motor, being connected to an internal transmission T. An output shaft of the transmission T rotates upon activation of the motor M and is connected to the linkage L. The linkage L translates the motion of the output shaft of the transmission T into an opening or a closing motion of one or more of the door member(s) Dl...Dn with respect to the frame or support structure.

The controller C may be implemented in any known controller technology, including but not limited to microcontroller, processor (e.g. PLC, CPU, DSP), FPGA, ASIC or any other suitable digital and/or analog circuitry capable of performing the intended functionality.

The controller C may further be implemented using instructions that enable hardware functionality, for example, by using computer program instructions executable in a general-purpose or special-purpose processor that may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium (disk, memory, etc.) to be executed by such a processor. The controller C is configured to read instructions from a memory and execute these instructions to control the operation of the automatic door operator ADO.

The memory of the controller may be implemented in any known memory technology, including but not limited to ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CMOS, FLASH, DDR, SDRAM or some other memory technology. In some embodiments, the memory may be integrated with or internal to the controller C. The memory may store program instruction for execution by the controller C, as well as temporary and permanent data used by the controller C.

Instructions stored in the memory of the controller C are related to the visual projection data of the visual indication device(s) RI . .Rh. For each visual indication device that may be connected to the automatic door operator ADO, one or more instructions may be stored. For instance, when the external object EO is a vehicle, and upon receiving analyzed vehicle data from the controller interface Cl, the controller C will accordingly map said vehicle data with a corresponding instruction, to be able to provide a smart adaptation of the information II ... In which is to be projected, based on the analyzed vehicle data. The memory will also contain different instruction(s) identified with different visual indication device(s) based on whether the visual indication device(s) is/are arranged near the first external area EA1 or near the second external area EA2. Projection mappings instructions may be stored in the memory before operation of the entrance system SYS, or updated continuously during operation.

If one or more visual indication device(s) is/are arranged near the first external area EA1, the projected information is given as technical vehicle guidance for the approaching external object EO. A list of some examples on smart adaptive mappings between vehicle data and projections in the first case (technical vehicle guidance) includes, but are not limited to, the below given list:

• Vehicle speed: Information pertaining to a recommended, a maximum or a minimum speed for an external object EO; or information pertaining to a recommended vehicle alignment for said external object EO. It may be of importance to know how the vehicle is to be properly aligned and/or speed adjusted upon approaching a facility in order to reduce the risk of hazardous situations from occurring.

• Vehicle distance to a door: An indication that a door has been chosen; an open or closed state of the door; or an indication whether a second external area EA2 neighboring said door contains one or more persons or obstacles, said obstacles not being persons. The vehicle (vehicle driver) may need to know that a door has been chosen and/or whether it is opened or not to be able to enter the facility safely. Additionally, it may be of interest to know if there are any obstacles on the neighboring side of the door upon driving towards said door in order to further apply safety precautions. • Vehicle type: An indication of whether a second external area EA2 neighboring a door contains one or more persons or obstacles, said obstacles not being persons. If the incoming vehicle is of the type carrying dangerous goods, it may be important to know if there are obstacles on the neighboring side of the door having a risk of triggering an accident upon reacting with the goods carried by the specific vehicle.

• Vehicle dimensions: An opening speed of a door. Knowing exactly how the vehicle’s e.g. height or width will fit through the door may be valuable knowledge to the incoming vehicle (vehicle driver) to be able to confirm that there will not be any collisions with e.g. said door.

A list of some examples on smart adaptive mappings between vehicle data and projections in the second case (safety-related information) includes, but are not limited to, the below given list:

• Vehicle speed: a safety area on the ground at a second external area EA2 of the entrance system SYS; an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area; or a speed of an external object EO discovered as approaching or being present in a first external area EA1. It may be of importance in a safety aspect to know the speed of said external object EO, and how to move safely to the safety area.

• Vehicle distance to a door: An indication that opening of a door is coming up; an indication that opening of said door is coming up or in progress; an indication that closing of said door is coming up or in progress; a safety area on the ground at a second external area EA2 of the entrance system SYS; an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area; a distance to an external object EO discovered as approaching a first external area EA1; directional information guiding said one or more persons to move in at least one certain direction from a door; a malfunction or maintenance need for said door; or an indication to said one or more persons that said second external area EA2 neighboring said door contains one or more obstacle(s). Knowing the approaching external object’s distance to the door may be of importance in many different safety-related aspects. This projected information may preferably be combined with an estimated time upon arrival through said door.

• Vehicle type: a safety area on the ground at a second external area EA2 of the entrance system SYS; an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area; or a type of a vehicle EO discovered as being present in or approaching a first external area EA1. The type of the discovered vehicle may be of importance to know for the same reasons as taught in the case where the projector is arranged near the first external area EA1 of the facility.

• Vehicle dimensions: a safety area on the ground at a second external area EA2 of the entrance system SYS; an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area; or dimensions of a vehicle EO discovered as approaching a first external area EA1. The dimensions of the approaching vehicle may preferably decide the size and distance to the safety area for the persons near the second external area EA2 inside the facility.

The controller C is further connected to a controller interface Cl being connected to the communication bus B. The controller interface Cl is configured as a transceiver between the controller C and the communication bus B, based on known transceiver standards such as for example GBIC, SFP, SFP+, QSFP, XFP, XACT, CXP or CFP. On the one hand, signals received by the controller interface Cl and routed to the controller C from the communication bus B may be, for instance, at least one parameter of an external object EO being present in or approaching the entrance system SYS. Said parameter may, for example, be related to the speed of said external object EO, said external object’s EO distance to a door, the dimensions of said external object EO or the type of said external object EO. On the other hand, signals received by the controller interface Cl and routed to the communication bus B from the controller C may contain projection data (e.g. situational non-static information) adapted to correspond to the data being previously transmitted to the controller C and destined to the visual indication device(s) RI. .Rh for presentation at floor level FL, as previously explained.

The automatic door operator ADO further comprises the communication bus B. The communication bus B is a central unit for routing data between the existing components within the automatic door operator ADO. The communication bus B is configured to receive vehicle data (external object data) from the monitoring arrangement MA via the monitoring arrangement interface MAI, and projection data from the controller C via the controller interface Cl. The communication bus is further configured to route the data received from the controller C via the controller interface Cl to the one or more visual indication device(s) PI ...Pn, and to route the data received from the monitoring arrangement MA via the monitoring arrangement interface MAI to the controller C via the controller interface Cl.

The communication bus B may be arranged as for example a parallel bus or a serial bus. Implementation techniques for a parallel bus include, but are not limited to ISA, ATA, SCSI, PSCI or Front side bus. A serial bus may be implemented as including but not limited to PCI, PCI-e, PCI-X, AGP, USB, FireWire or Serial ATA. All messages routed through the communication bus B may further be hashed using any known hash function such as SHA-2, SHAG, MD5, RIPEMD or BLAKE2.

The automatic door operator ADO further comprises the monitoring arrangement MA. As previously mentioned, the monitoring arrangement MA is responsible for discovering an external object EO in or in the vicinity of the entrance system SYS. The monitoring arrangement MA may be embodied as for example one or more sensors in a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement may be based on including but not limited to technologies such as LIDAR, RADAR, IR, photocell sensors or magnetic guide sensors. Additionally, the sensor arrangement may comprise a camera, such as a 2D-camera or 3D-camera, configured to capture images of the external object EO. The monitoring arrangement MA may further be embodied as a transponder receiver. A transponder receiver may be mounted on the external object EO for automatic discovery of an external object EO inside or in the vicinity of a facility, using techniques such as, for instance, RFID tags or QR- codes.

The monitoring arrangement may also be embodied as an autonomous communication system, which may be based on either short-range communication standards or long-range communication standards. Examples of such technologies are the short-range standards IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, ZigBee, WirelessHART, WIFI and Bluetooth® and the long-range standards W- CDMA/HSPA, GSM, UTRAN and LTE to name a few. The autonomous communication system may also be configured to operate as a beacon, for example utilizing the iBeacon™ technology. By having an autonomous communication system as such, autonomous vehicles may be able to communicate with the entrance system SYS and each other and receive instructions for technical guidance thereof. The data retrieved by the monitoring arrangement MA is subsequently transmitted to the communication bus B via the monitoring arrangement interface MAI, whereas the monitoring arrangement interface MAI is configured to analyze the data received from the monitoring arrangement MA.

The monitoring arrangement interface MAI comprises a programmable unit, preferably implemented by any commercially available CPU ("Central Processing Unit"), DSP ("Digital Signal Processor") or any other electronic programmable logic device. To be able to store application data and program instructions from software modules in the programmable unit, the monitoring arrangement interface MAI may further comprise a memory, implemented using any commonly known technology for computer-readable memories such as ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CMOS, FLASH, DDR, SDRAM or some other memory technology.

As previously mentioned, the automatic door operator ADO also comprises one or more visual indication device(s) RI . .Rh. The visual indication devices may be based on current projector technology, consisting of two primary projection approaches, Digital Light Processing, DLP, and Liquid Crystal Display, LCD. Additionally, DLP and LCD can be operated using either the traditional approach of heating up a light bulb to the point where it glows or using Light Emitting Diodes, LEDs, for an electroluminescence process. The technologies may be used for different scenarios with varied results, and the visual indication device(s) PI .. Pn (e.g. projector) of the present invention may be based on any of the following technologies and its different alternatives, depending on the prevalent background light and room characteristics. Projectors in general work by delivering an image onto a screen or any other flat, neutral surface such as a wall or a floor. Central to all projectors is an imaging system that regulates the amount of light reaching the screen. It is well established that in physics and color science, most colors can be created by the addition of differing amounts of red, green and blue, known as the additive primary colors. The white is in this text referred to as the brightness level, using a measurement scale in units of lumens.

DLP uses a chip made of tiny microscopic mirrors and a spinning color wheel to create an image. A 3-chip DLP projector may be used as the visual indication device. DLPs are used for high-performance, high brightness applications in large rooms such as lecture halls, digital cinemas, and other large audience venues. The projected light is passing through a prism that divides the light into red, green and blue light, whereas each chip is identified with one of these three colors. Like the 1-chip DLP, the 3-chip DLP uses microscopic mirrors to reflect the colored light with their digital mirrors.

Before leaving the projector, the light is gathered and transmitted through the lens. The primary advantages of the 3 -chip systems are that it produces stunning images in almost any environment, and is currently considered the top of the line technology for digital projection. LCD projector technology may be implemented using e.g. a 3-chip 3LCD projector, which uses a system of dichroic mirrors and 3 individual LCD chips to control the red, green and blue light, where all three colors are illuminating the area simultaneously. The advantages of the 3-chip 3LCD technology are that it offers a power-efficient projection that delivers bright, true-to-life images. 3-chip 3LCD based projectors have a high color brightness as well as a high white brightness without a color wheel, which means that there are no tradeoffs between the two. However, the 3- chip 3LCDs require constant filter maintenance and output less contrast than e.g. a DLP based projector.

As mentioned above, LEDs may produce the light via electroluminescence inside a projector. Instead of a light bulb, the projectors now carry arrays of red, green and blue LEDs. When combined, they generate very accurate color of white light. The white light will subsequently either get reflected off of an array of tiny mirrors as in the DLP based projector, or get passed through several liquid crystal display layers, as in the LCD based projector. Therefore, LED based projectors functions similarly as the DLP or LCD projectors, except for the process to create light. The advantages of a LED based projector are that the LEDs have a lifetime of over 20,000 hours. They deliver better colors than compared to e.g. a LCD based projector, have lower power consumption and virtually zero maintenance costs. Moreover, LED projectors are smaller and generate less heat. However, as the LED projectors have limited brightness compared to LCD or DLP, they may not be applicable in a room containing a substantial amount of ambient light.

Specific projectors that may be used as the visual indication device(s) include, but is not limited to, HC LCD (LED, LCD), Micro-pixel LED (LED, LCD), Pico projectors (LED, DLP) and IQ. LIGHT LED (LED, LCD). In one embodiment, the projector may be a light bar or light strip configured to project the one or more projection(s) of visual information at floor level. The projector may be an LED, LCD or DLP light bar or light strip. Said light bar projector may be mounted to the one or more movable door member.

Turning now to Figure 2B, the flowchart is presenting all the communication that occurs from the point where an external object EO in the form of a vehicle is discovered as approaching or being present in the first external area EA1 at the entrance system SYS, to the point where one or more projection(s) of visual information II ... In is/are projected onto floor level FL of said entrance system SYS. In short, a vehicle is detected at 201 by the monitoring arrangement MA, which responds by transmitting vehicle data at 202 to the monitoring arrangement interface MAI. The monitoring arrangement interface MAI analyses the data and transmits the analysed vehicle data at 203 A to the communication bus B. The communication bus B routes the data at 204Ato the controller interface Cl, which then continues to transmit the analysed vehicle data at 203B to the controller C. Once the controller C has interpreted the data and made a decision on what visual information to project, the controller C transmits the projection visual data at 205 A to the controller interface CL Subsequently, the controller interface Cl transmits the projection visual data at 205B to the communication bus B, which further routes said data at 204B to one or more visual indication device(s) RI. .Rh configured to project the visual information at 206 onto the floor level FL of the entrance system SYS.

Before turning to a detailed description of the two embodiments illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, reference is made to Figure 5. Figure 5 illustrates a method of operating an entrance system involving the inventive functionality described above. Hence, in a first step 501, the monitoring arrangement MA is provided.

As previously mentioned, the monitoring arrangement MA is configured to discover an external object EO approaching or being present in a first external area EA1 neighboring a first side of the entrance system SYS.

Then, in a second step 502, in response to the received information from the monitoring arrangement MA, the controller C interprets and makes a decision on what and where the information II ... In is to be projected.

In a third step, in response to the controller C having made a decision, the projection of visual information II... In will be performed by the visual indication device(s) RI . .Rh at floor level FL in at least one of said first external area EA1 and a second external area EA2 neighboring a second side of the entrance system SYS, opposite said first side.

All the aforementioned steps disclosed herein will be repeated as appropriate for the ongoing operation of the entrance system.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to Figure 3, where the monitoring arrangement MA comprises a sensor SI. The entrance system SYS further comprises a visual indication device PI being a projector capable of projecting visual information II at floor level FL, a movable door member D1 being a vertical-lifting fabric door, a first external area EA1 and an external object EO being a vehicle. Figure 3 illustrates an example where the projector PI is configured to provide a driver of the vehicle EO with technical guidance facilitating for the driver to navigate the vehicle EO through the entrance system SYS past said vertical-lifting fabric door. The technical guidance may, for instance, be projected by an IQ. LIGHT LED-based projector. The controller C has been informed that a vehicle is approaching from a longer range with a higher speed, and is, therefore, passing an instruction to the projector PI that a narrower beam focused on long-range at a higher speed is required.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to Figure 4. The illustration features the same references as in Figure 3. However, additional references have been introduced to the embodiment. Neighboring a second side of the entrance system SYS is now a second external area EA2 and a second visual indication device P2 being a projector projecting visual information 12 at floor level FL, opposite the first side. Figure 4 further illustrates an example where the second projector P2 is configured to provide one or more persons with safety-related guidance, 12, facilitating for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said external object EO or said door Dl. In another embodiment of the invention, the entrance system SYS as shown in Figures 3 and 4 may be supported by a reflective ground material, such as for instance mylar or polished anodized aluminum, at the floor level FL in either of the two areas surrounding the entrance system SYS. Upon exposure, said reflective ground material may enhance the visibility of the projected information.

In another embodiment of the invention, an entrance system in the form of a sliding door system SLDS is shown in a schematic top view in Figure 6. The sliding door system SLDS comprises first and second sliding doors or wings Dl and D2, being supported for sliding movements 600i and 6OO2 in parallel with first and second wall portions 6IO1 and 6IO2. The first and second wall portions 6IO1 and 6IO2 are spaced apart; in between them there is formed an opening which the sliding doors D1 and D2 either blocks (when the sliding doors are in closed positions), or makes accessible for passage (when the sliding doors are in open positions). An automatic door operator (not seen in Figure 6 but referred to as ADO in Figures 1-4) causes the movements 600i and 6OO2 of the sliding doors D1 and D2.

In another embodiment of the invention, an entrance system in the form of a swing door system SWDS is shown in a schematic top view in Figure 7. The swing door system SWDS comprises a single swing door D1 being located between a lateral edge of a first wall 710 and an inner surface of a second wall 720 which is perpendicular to the first wall 710. The swing door D1 is supported for pivotal movement 700 around pivot points on or near the inner surface of the second wall 720. The first and second walls 710 and 720 are spaced apart; in between them an opening is formed which the swing door D1 either blocks (when the swing door is in closed position), or makes accessible for passage (when the swing door is in open position). An automatic door operator (not seen in Figure 7 but referred to as ADO in Figures 1-4) causes the movement 700 of the swing door Dl.

In another embodiment of the invention, an entrance system in the form of a revolving door system RDS is shown in a schematic top view in Figure 8. The revolving door system RDS comprises a plurality of revolving doors or wings D1-D4 being located in a cross configuration in an essentially cylindrical space between first and second curved wall portions 810 and 820 which, in turn, are spaced apart and located between third and fourth wall portions 815 and 825. The revolving doors D1-D4 are supported for rotational movement 800 in the cylindrical space between the first and second curved wall portions 810 and 820. During the rotation of the revolving doors D1-D4, they will alternatingly prevent and allow passage through the cylindrical space. An automatic door operator (not seen in Figure 8 but referred to as ADO in Figures 1-4) causes the rotational movement 800 of the revolving doors D1-D4. According to an aspect an entrance system and method according to the following clauses is provided. Main system clause

1. An entrance system (SYS) comprising: one or more movable door member(s) (D 1... Dn); an automatic door operator (ADO) coupled to cause movement of the one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn) from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system is prevented to an open position in which passage is admitted; a monitoring arrangement (MA) configured to discover an external object (EO) being present in or approaching a first external area (EA1) neighboring a first side of the entrance system; and one or more visual indication device(s) (RI . .Rh) configured to project one or more projection(s) of visual information (II ...In) at floor level (FL) in at least one of said first external area and a second external area (EA2) neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area.

Primary usage: industrial doors

2. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 1, wherein said one or more movable door members (Dl ...Dn) is/are industrial door(s), such as overhead sectional door(s), folding door(s) or vertical-lifting fabric door(s).

Projected info is for guiding an approaching vehicle

3. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 2, the external object (EO) being a vehicle, wherein said one or more visual indication device(s)

(RI. .Rh) is/are configured to project situational non-static information (II ... In) at floor level in said first external area (EA1) for providing a driver of said vehicle (EO) with technical guidance facilitating for the driver to navigate the vehicle (EO) through the entrance system past said one or more industrial doors (Dl . Dn). Smart adaptation of projected info depending on vehicle data

4. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 3, further comprising a controller (C), wherein the controller (C) is configured to: retrieve data about said vehicle (EO) by means of said monitoring arrangement (MA); determine at least one parameter of said vehicle (EO), said parameter being speed, distance to said door(s), type or dimensions; and adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the technical guidance.

Examples of projected info for vehicle guidance

5. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 3 or 4, wherein the technical guidance of the projected situational non-static information (II ... In) is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication of a chosen door (Dl) among said industrial doors (Dl . Dn);

• an open or closed state of said chosen door (Dl);

• an opening speed of said chosen door (Dl);

• an indication whether said second external area (EA2) neighboring said chosen door (Dl) contains one or more persons or obstacles, said obstacles not being persons;

• information pertaining to a recommended, a maximum or a minimum speed for said vehicle (EO);

• information pertaining to a recommended vehicle alignment for said vehicle (EO); and a malfunction or maintenance need for at least one of said industrial door(s) (Dl...Dn).

Projected info is for the safety of people at the other side of the entrance system 6. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 1 or 2, wherein said one or more visual indication device(s) (RI . .Rh) is/are configured to project situational non-static information (II ... In) at floor level (FL) in said second external area (EA2) for providing one or more persons with safety-related guidance facilitating for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said external object (EO) or said one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn).

Examples of projected info for user safety

7. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 6, wherein the safety- related guidance of the projected situational non-static information (II ... In) is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication that opening of said one or more movable door member(s) (D1.. Dn) is/are coming up;

• an indication that opening of said one more movable door member(s)

(D1.. Dn) is/are in progress;

• an indication that closing of said one or more movable door member(s) (D1.. Dn) is/are coming up;

• a safety area on the ground at said second side of the entrance system (SYS);

• an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area;

• directional information guiding said one or more persons to move in at least one certain direction from said one or more movable door member(s) (Dl . Dn);

• a type of said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching said first external area (EA1);

• a speed of said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching said first external area (EA1);

• dimensions of said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching said first external area (EA1); • a distance to said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area (EA1);

• an indication of a chosen door (Dl) among said one or more movable door member(s) (Dl .. Dn) ;

• an indication to said one or more persons that said second external area (EA2) neighboring said chosen door (Dl) contains one or more obstacle(s); and

• a malfunction or maintenance need for at least one of said one or more movable door member(s) (Dl .. Dn).

Smart adaptation of projected safety info depending on vehicle data

8. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 7, wherein the external object (EO) is a vehicle, the entrance system further comprising a controller (C), the controller (C) being configured to: retrieve data about said vehicle (EO) by means of said monitoring arrangement (MA); determine at least one parameter of said vehicle (EO), said parameter being speed, distance to said movable door member(s), type or dimensions; and adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the safety-related guidance.

9. The entrance system (SYS) according to clause 8, wherein the controller (C) is configured to adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) in any of the following ways: · adapting the size or boundaries of said safety area on the ground at said second side of the entrance system (SYS) to make it suitable for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said vehicle; and • adapting the directional information for guiding said one or more persons to said safety area in a suitable way in view of said vehicle; and · adapting the indication that said second external area (EA2) neighboring said chosen door (Dl) contains one or more obstacle(s) to facilitate removal by said one or more persons of said obstacle(s) in view of said vehicle.

Enhanced reflective properties of the floor where the projection is made

10. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding clause, further comprising a reflective ground material, such as mylar or polished anodized aluminium, at said floor level (FL) in said first external area (EA1) or said second external area (EA2) of said entrance system (SYS), wherein said reflective ground material upon exposure to said projected visual information (II ... In) enhances the visibility of the projected information.

Monitoring arrangement or projector may be integrated in automatic door operator 11. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding clause, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) and/or said one or more visual indication device(s) (RI. .Rh) is/are integrated into said automatic door operator (ADO).

Explicit definitions of first and second external areas, for clarity fallback

12. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding clause, wherein the entrance system (SYS) is designed for installation at a building to control access into said building from the outside of said building, wherein the first external area (EA1) neighboring the first side of the entrance system is located outside said building, and wherein the second external area (EA2) neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, is located inside said building.

13. The entrance system (SYS) according to any of clauses 1-11, wherein the entrance system (SYS) is designed for installation in a building to control access between first and second places in said building, wherein the first external area (EA1) neighboring the first side of the entrance system is located at said first place in said building, and wherein the second external area (EA2) neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, is located at said second place in said building.

Independent method clause

14. A method of operating an entrance system of the type having one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn) and an automatic door operator (ADO) for causing movement of the one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn) from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system is prevented to an open position in which passage is admitted, wherein the method comprises: discovering an external object (EO) being present in or approaching a first external area (EA1) neighboring a first side of the entrance system by means of a monitoring arrangement (MA); and projecting visual information (II ... In) at floor level (FL) in at least one of said first external area and a second external area (EA2) neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area.

15. The method of operating an entrance system as defined in clause 14, further comprising the functionality recited in any of clauses 2-13. Monitoring arrangement being one or more sensors

16. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim any preceding clause, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises one or more sensor(s)

(SI ... Sn). Monitoring arrangement being a transponder or the like 17. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding clause, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises a transponder receiver configured for receiving communication from a transponder mounted to or carried by the external object (EO).

Monitoring arrangement being a communication interface

18. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding clause, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises a communication interface (Cl). The invention has been described above in detail with reference to embodiments thereof. However, as is readily understood by those skilled in the art, other embodiments are equally possible within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

2. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 1, wherein said one or more movable door members (Dl ...Dn) is/are industrial door(s), such as overhead sectional door(s), folding door(s) or vertical-lifting fabric door(s).

3. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 2, the external object (EO) being a vehicle, wherein said one or more visual indication device(s) (RI. .Rh) is/are configured to project situational non-static information (II ... In) at floor level in said first external area (EA1) for providing a driver of said vehicle (EO) with technical guidance facilitating for the driver to navigate the vehicle (EO) through the entrance system past said one or more industrial doors (Dl . Dn).

4. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 3, further comprising a controller (C), wherein the controller (C) is configured to: retrieve data about said vehicle (EO) by means of said monitoring arrangement (MA); determine at least one parameter of said vehicle (EO), said parameter being speed, distance to said door(s), type or dimensions; and adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the technical guidance.

5. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the technical guidance of the projected situational non-static information (II ... In) is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication of a chosen door (Dl) among said industrial doors (Dl . Dn);

• an open or closed state of said chosen door (Dl);

• an opening speed of said chosen door (Dl);

• information pertaining to a recommended vehicle alignment for said vehicle (EO); and

• a malfunction or maintenance need for at least one of said industrial door(s) (Dl...Dn).

6. The entrance system (SYS) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more visual indication device(s) (RI . .Rh) is/are configured to project situational non-static information (II ...In) at floor level (FL) in said second external area (EA2) for providing one or more persons with safety-related guidance facilitating for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said external object (EO) or said one or more movable door member(s) (D 1 ... Dn).

7. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 6, wherein the safety - related guidance of the projected situational non-static information (II ...In) is indicative of one or more of the following:

• an indication that opening of said one more movable door member(s) (Dl...Dn) is/are in progress;

• an indication that closing of said one or more movable door member(s) (D1.. Dn) is/are in progress; · a safety area on the ground at said second side of the entrance system

(SYS);

• an instruction to said one or more persons to occupy said safety area;

• directional information guiding said one or more persons to move in at least one certain direction from said one or more movable door member(s) (D1.. Dn);

• a speed of said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching said first external area (EA1); · dimensions of said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching said first external area (EA1);

• a distance to said external object (EO) discovered as being present in or approaching the first external area (EA1);

• an indication of a chosen door (Dl) among said one or more movable door member(s) (Dl .. Dn) ; • an indication to said one or more persons that said second external area (EA2) neighboring said chosen door (Dl) contains one or more obstacle(s); and

8. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 7, wherein the external object (EO) is a vehicle, the entrance system further comprising a controller (C), the controller (C) being configured to: retrieve data about said vehicle (EO) by means of said monitoring arrangement (MA); determine at least one parameter of said vehicle (EO), said parameter being speed, distance to said movable door member(s), type or dimensions; and adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) depending on the determined at least one parameter to contextualize the safety-related guidance.

9. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim 8, wherein the controller (C) is configured to adapt said situational non-static information (II ... In) in any of the following ways: · adapting the size or boundaries of said safety area on the ground at said second side of the entrance system (SYS) to make it suitable for said one or more persons to avoid interference with said vehicle; and

• adapting the directional information for guiding said one or more persons to said safety area in a suitable way in view of said vehicle; and · adapting the indication that said second external area (EA2) neighboring said chosen door (Dl) contains one or more obstacle(s) to facilitate removal by said one or more persons of said obstacle(s) in view of said vehicle.

10. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding claim, further comprising a reflective ground material, such as mylar or polished anodized aluminium, at said floor level (FL) in said first external area (EA1) or said second external area (EA2) of said entrance system (SYS), wherein said reflective ground material upon exposure to said projected visual information (II ... In) enhances the visibility of the projected information.

11. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding claim, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) and/or said one or more visual indication device(s) (RI. .Rh) is/are integrated into said automatic door operator (ADO).

12. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding claim, wherein the entrance system (SYS) is designed for installation at a building to control access into said building from the outside of said building, wherein the first external area (EA1) neighboring the first side of the entrance system is located outside said building, and wherein the second external area (EA2) neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, is located inside said building.

13. The entrance system (SYS) according to any of claims 1-11, wherein the entrance system (SYS) is designed for installation in a building to control access between first and second places in said building, wherein the first external area (EA1) neighboring the first side of the entrance system is located at said first place in said building, and wherein the second external area (EA2) neighboring the second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, is located at said second place in said building.

14. The entrance system (SYS) according to claim any preceding claim, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises one or more sensor(s)

(SI ... Sn).

15. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding claim, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises a transponder receiver configured for receiving communication from a transponder mounted to or carried by the external object (EO).

16. The entrance system (SYS) according to any preceding claim, wherein said monitoring arrangement (MA) comprises a communication interface (Cl).

17. A method of operating an entrance system of the type having one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn) and an automatic door operator (ADO) for causing movement of the one or more movable door member(s) (Dl ...Dn) from at least a closed position in which passage through said entrance system is prevented to an open position in which passage is admitted, wherein the method comprises: discovering an external object (EO) being present in or approaching a first external area (EA1) neighboring a first side of the entrance system by means of a monitoring arrangement (MA); and projecting visual information (II ... In) at floor level (FL) in at least one of said first external area and a second external area (EA2) neighboring a second side of the entrance system, opposite said first side, in response to said monitoring arrangement having discovered said external object being present in or approaching said first external area.

18. The method of operating an entrance system as defined in claim 17, further comprising the functionality recited in any of claims 2-16.