Self-calibrating sensor for elevator and automatic door systems

• US 10,386,460 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Finn, Alan Matthew, Hsu, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fadul, Philipmarcus T
• Application Number:
  US15/595,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20180329032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 73 179
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0012 Devices monitoring the users of the elevator system
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/765 using optical sensors using photoelectric cells E05F15/74
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/042 Calibration or calibration artifacts G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A self-calibrating sensor system is provided and includes one or more sensors supportively disposed on or proximate to a wall defining one or more apertures and a processor. Each of the one or more sensors is configured to track individuals proximate to at least one of the one or more apertures. The processor is configured to determine one or more of a location and an orientation of each of the one or more sensors relative to the at least one of the one or more apertures from analyses of the tracking of the individuals.

Claims

1. A self-calibrating sensor system for use in an environment in which a wall defines one or more apertures, the self-calibrating sensor system comprising:

one or more sensors supportively disposed on or proximate to the wall defining the one or more apertures,

each of the one or more sensors being configured to track individuals proximate to at least one of the one or more apertures as the individuals move across the environment; and

a processor configured to determine one or more of a location and an orientation of each of the one or more sensors relative to the at least one of the one or more apertures from analyses of the tracking of the individuals as the individuals move across the environment.

2. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors comprises a depth sensor.

3. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to activate the one or more sensors to sense the individuals for tracking and to receive data associated with the sensing from the one or more sensors.

4. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 3, wherein the processor activates the one or more sensors to sense the individuals for tracking in response to an external command.

5. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to recognize choke points proximate to any of the one or more apertures.

6. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to estimate a location and geometry of any of the one or more apertures.

7. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine one or more of the location and the orientation of each of the one or more sensors relative to the at least one of the one or more apertures as one or more of an offset, a yaw, a pitch and a roll of the corresponding one or more of the one or more sensors relative to a defined point of the at least one of the one or more apertures from the analyses of the tracking of the individuals.

8. The self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the analyses of the tracking of the individuals as the individuals move across spatial maps of the environment generate a position of the at least one of the one or more apertures, and

one or more of the location and the orientation of the corresponding one or more of the one or more sensors are derivable from the position of the at least one of the one or more apertures.

9. An elevator system comprising a controller which is operable based on readings of the one or more sensors of the self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1 once one or more of the location and the orientation of the each of the one or more sensors relative to the at least one of the one or more apertures are determined.

10. One or more automatic door systems comprise a controller which is operable based on readings of the one or more sensors of the self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 1 once one or more of the location and the orientation of each of the one or more sensors relative to the at least one of the one or more apertures are determined.

11. The one or more automatic door systems according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further operable based on feedback readings of additional sensors.

12. A method of installing a self-calibrating sensor system in an environment in which a wall defines an aperture, the method comprising:

supportively disposing a sensor on or proximate to the wall defining the aperture;

configuring the sensor to track individuals proximate to the aperture as the individuals move across the environment;

determining a position of the aperture from analyses of the tracking of the individuals as the individuals move across the environment and

deriving one or more of a location and an orientation of the sensor relative to the aperture from the position of the aperture.

13. A method of operating a self-calibrating sensor system in an environment in which a wall defines an aperture, the method comprising:

supportively disposing a sensor on or proximate to the wall defining the aperture;

activating the sensor to track individuals proximate to the aperture as the individuals move across the environment;

determining a position of the aperture from analyses of the tracking of the individuals as the individuals move across the environment and

deriving one or more of a location and an orientation of the sensor relative to the aperture from the position of the aperture.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a depth sensor.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the activating of the sensor to track the individuals is responsive to an external command.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the activating of the sensor to track the individuals is automatic.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the determining comprises determining one or more of the location and the orientation of the sensor relative to the aperture as one or more of an offset, a yaw, a pitch and a roll of the sensor relative to a determined point of the aperture from the analyses of the tracking of the individuals.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the analyses of the tracking of the individuals comprise generating a position of the aperture with a weighted uncertainty from which one or more of the location and the orientation of the sensor are derivable.

19. A method of operating an elevator system comprising issuing an elevator call to bring an elevator to the aperture based on readings of the sensor of the self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 13 following the determining of one or more of the location and the orientation of the sensor relative to the aperture.

20. A method of operating an automatic door system comprising automatically operating automatic doors based on readings of the sensor of the self-calibrating sensor system according to claim 13 following the determining of one or more of the location and the orientation of the sensor relative to the aperture.