Automatic system for monitoring persons entering and leaving changing room

• US 20020167403A1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Trajkovic, Miroslav, Gutta, Srinivas, Colmenarez, Antonio
• Granted Patent: US 6,525,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

Briefly, an alarm system monitors the entry and exit of a fitting room. Various devices, including cameras for imaging, are used to scan customers as they enter and leave. Using image analysis, analysis of the audio signature of footfalls, and other criteria, the system attempts to match the images of customers leaving with stored images of customers entering. If no match can be found, an alarm signal is generated.

Claims

1. A device for automatically supervising a fitting room, comprising:

a controller programmed to receive monitor signals from an environment monitor located in a monitored zone;

each of said monitor signals including at least one of image data, a video signal, and an audio signal;

a first of said monitor signals being responsive to a person entering an area and a second of said monitor signals being responsive to said person leaving said area;

said controller being programmed to compare said first and second monitor signals and to generate an alarm when said first and second monitor signals differ beyond a specified threshold.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein:

said first and second monitor signals include first and second images of said person entering and said person leaving, respectively;

said controller is programmed to distinguish and compare faces in said first and second images, said alarm being responsive to a result thereof.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein:

said first and second monitor signals include first and second audio signals responsive to said person entering and said person leaving, respectively;

said controller is programmed to compare said first and second audio signals, said alarm being responsive to a result thereof.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein:

said first and second monitor signals include first and second images of said person entering and said person leaving, respectively;

said controller is programmed to compare portions of said first and second images to generate an image comparison result;

said controller is further programmed such that said alarm signal is more likely to be generated when said comparison result indicates said first and second image portions are very different than when said first and second images are substantially the same.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein:

said first and second monitor signals include first and second audio signals responsive to said person entering and said person leaving, respectively;

said controller is programmed to compare said first and second audio signals;

said controller is programmed such that when said first and second audio signals match but others of said monitor signals do not match, said controller is programmed to generate an alarm and when said first and second audio signals do not match and said others do not match, said controller is programmed not to generate an alarm.

6. A method of monitoring customers entering and leaving a fitting room, comprising:

imaging a face of a customer entering said fitting room to produce an entering face image;

imaging a body of said customer entering said fitting room to produce an entering body image;

imaging a face of a customer leaving said fitting room to produce a leaving face image;

imaging a body of said customer leaving said fitting room to produce a leaving body image; and

generating an alarm responsively to a comparison of said entering and leaving face images and said entering and leaving body images.

7. A method of monitoring customers entering and leaving a fitting room, comprising:

imaging a customer entering said fitting room to produce an entering image;

imaging a customer leaving said fitting room to produce a leaving image;

storing said entering image;

comparing said leaving image with said entering image and other images;

generating an alarm signal responsively to a result of said step of comparing.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising:

recording a sound generated by said customer entering to produce an entering audio signal;

recording a sound generated by said customer leaving to produce a leaving audio signal;

comparing said entering and leaving audio signals;

said step of generating including generating said alarm signal responsively to a result of comparing said entering and leaving audio signals.

9. A system for monitoring a fitting room, comprising:

a first camera positionable to image a person entering said fitting room;

a second camera positionable to image a person leaving said fitting room;

a controller programmed automatically to generate an alarm responsively to images from said first and second cameras.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein said controller is programmed to generate said alarm when first portions of said images indicative of an identity of said customer match and second portions indicative of clothing worn by said customer do not match.

11. A system as in claim 10, further comprising an audio transducer positionable to record a sound of a customer walking, said controller being programmed to generate said alarm responsively to a signal of said audio transducer.

12. A system as in claim 9, further comprising an audio transducer positionable to record a sound of a customer walking, said controller being programmed to generate said alarm responsively to a signal of said audio transducer.

13. A system as in claim 9, wherein said controller is programmed to record and store several images of customers entering said fitting room and to compare images of said customers leaving with images of customers entering which have been so stored.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said step of comparing includes:

comparing at least one first portion of said profile records with a corresponding portion of said images of said persons leaving said fitting room to produce a first comparison;

comparing at least one second portion of said profile records with a corresponding portion of said images of said persons leaving said fitting room to produce a second comparison;

said step of generating a signal responsively to a result of said step of comparing including generating a first signal when a result of said first comparison indicates a match but the results of said second comparison do not indicate a match and generating a second signal otherwise.

14. A method of monitoring a fitting room, comprising:

recording images of persons entering said fitting room to create profile records;

imaging persons leaving said fitting room;

comparing images of said persons leaving said fitting room with said profile records;

generating a signal responsively to a result of said step of comparing.