Case Study | Ski resorts rely on new BLE access gates

Optimization of the custoexperience thanks to newly developed BLE-Lsolution

Digitalization is also finding its way into ski resorts: an Austrian ski resort operator has modernized its access gates. Previously, access to the lift was gained using traditional RFID chip cards, which were purchased on site. This often resulted in long queues at the ticket office. The company therefore wanted to evolve in line with the digital transformation and offer its customers an equivalent solution to the previous RFID ticket. The operating company commissioned its ski gate manufacturer Axess to further develop the ski gates in order to provide its customers with fully digital access from ticket purchase to the ski slope. Axess then turned to its technology partner KATHREIN Solutions to develop a solution for access with a cell phone ticket.

Expansion to include BLE systems

A Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) system was an obvious digital addition to the access gates. With BLE technology, digital tickets can also be read from a cell phone without having to take the cell phone out of your pocket. However, it was important to the operating company to continue and expand the existing access gates in order to be able to read both RFID tickets and BLE tickets. For this reason, a new antenna system from KATHREIN Solutions was attached to the existing access gates in order to be able to read the new BLE tickets.

Illustration: Convenient access for skiers: online ticket purchase in the
Webshop, load ticket into the user app, cell phone in your jacket pocket
and off you go.

The challenge: setting the antennas correctly

As there are usually several gates next to each other at the access gates, it had to be ensured that only the ticket of the person standing directly in front of the gate was read. It was important that the ticket of another person in the queue behind or at another gate next to it was not read. The innovative antenna system therefore locates the exact position of the skier's cell phone in the gate, while at the same time avoiding false reads and cross-reads to ensure a smooth process.

Hardware and software set-up

The existing access gates have been upgraded with an antenna system from KATHREIN Solutions, which enables precise localization of the cell phone for ticket recognition. To pass through the gates, a mobile ticket is required, which can be purchased in the online store or at a local ticket store. This is loaded into the Axess SkiWallet app, activated and can then be read directly by the antenna system at the access gate. The use of Bluetooth Low Energy technology also keeps the smartphone's battery consumption low. When the skier is then in the reading area of the gate, the cell phone connects automatically, the ticket is checked and the gate opens contactlessly - no waiting time at the ticket office, no carrying a ticket or holding it up to the reader.

Project success

The component-by-component expansion of the existing access gates met the requirements of the KATHREIN partner and now offers skiers a digital alternative. Waiting times at the ticket offices have been reduced and the completely digital process represents a major step forward in the further development of ski resorts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illustration: The new AX500 Smart Gate NG BLE reads the digital
tickets on your cell phone.