Method and apparatus for routing persons through one or more destinations based on a least-cost criterion

• US 20020167408A1
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• 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, Philomin, Vasanth
• Granted Patent: US 6,633,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A vision system that is capable of computing the crowd densities, shopper movement speed and direction, and queue lengths at different locations in a shopping center makes recommendations for least-cost path through a set of destinations. Well-known person-counting techniques may be employed. One type of output display is a map display with an overlay an optimal route through a shopping venue.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user in navigating a space with multiple destinations, comprising:

imaging at least two scenes of said destinations to produce first and second images;

calculating from a result of said imaging numbers of persons in said scenes and costs depending thereon;

generating an output responsive to said cost.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of generating includes calculating a least-cost path through said destinations.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of generating includes outputting a display showing a map of a recommended route through said space.

4. A method as in claim 2, further comprising recognizing a queue in at least one of said scenes and calculating a predicted time waiting in said queue, said step of calculating including calculating costs responsively to said time waiting.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of generating includes generating an output at a fixed terminal available to visitors of said space.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said space includes a shopping mall.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said scenes includes scenes of checkout registers.

8. A shopper information system, comprising:

a controller with an input adapted to receive video data responsive to multiple scenes of shoppers at a shopping venue, each scene being of a different respective physical location of said shopping venue;

said controller being programmed to a calculate a current density of occupancy of said physical locations responsively to said video data;

said controller being further programmed to calculate and output an indication of an optimum route or next destination based on said current density of occupancy;

said controller being located for access by shoppers at said shopping venue.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein said output includes a map display with an overlay indicating least-cost route through said shopping venue.

10. A system as in claim 8, wherein said output includes a text or audio message indicating a recommended route.

11. A system as in claim 10, wherein said controller is further programmed to accept an input indicating a preference relating to density of shoppers at a location and calculate said optimum route responsively to said input indicating a preference.

12. A system as in claim 8, further comprising at least one pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) video camera, said video data being derived from said PTZ video camera, said controller being programmed to operate said PTZ video camera.

13. A system as in claim 8, wherein said output is a wireless signal readable by a portable terminal.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein step of outputting includes generating a map of said space overlaid with a graphic representation of said density or movement.

16. A method as in claim 14, wherein said step of outputting includes generating a wireless signal containing a result of said step of predicting.

17. A method as in claim 14, further comprising a step of controlling a pan-tilt-zoom camera to view said various locations.

18. A method as in claim 14, wherein said step of calculating includes updating a background image and subtracting said background image from a current video image.

14. A method of providing navigation guidance to visitors of a shopping venue, comprising the steps of:

receiving input at a controller providing real-time data responsive to at least one of a density and movement of shoppers at various locations of a shopping venue;

calculating at said controller a local variation in density or movement of shoppers at said various locations;

recognizing in at least one of said various locations a queue and predicting a delay from a series of images of said queue;

outputting at a terminal, accessible to shoppers at said shopping venue, data indicating an optimal route responsively to said delay.

19. A shopper information system, comprising:

a controller with an input adapted to receive video data responsive to multiple scenes of shoppers at a shopping venue, each scene being of a different respective physical location of said shopping venue;

said controller being programmed to a calculate a current density of occupancy of said physical locations responsively to said video data;

said controller being further programmed to calculate an indication an optimum route or next destination based on said current density of occupancy;

said controller having a wireless output for outputting messages to wireless devices, said messages indicating said optimum route or next destination.