VIRTUAL ACCESS CONTROL

• US 20140063191A1
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bataller, Cyrille, Cavallini, Alessio, Partington, Alastair, Astrm, Anders, Irish, David Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,453,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/476 using statistical shape modelling, e.g. point distribution models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/647 by matching two-dimensional images to three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

Virtual access control may include detecting entry of a person into a virtual controlled zone, and counting and/or identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone. Virtual access control may further include determining an authorization of the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone based on a facial identification of the person, and alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on the determined authorization. An alarm may be generated if the person violates directions provided by the alert.

Claims

1. A method for virtual access control, the method comprising:

detecting entry of a person into a virtual controlled zone;

at least one of counting and identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone;

determining, by a processor, an authorization of the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone based on a facial identification of the person;

alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on the determined authorization; and

generating an alarm if the person violates directions provided by the alert.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

displaying at least one of arrows and crosses on a graphical user interface (GUI) in predetermined directions and in predetermined colors to alert the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

using at least one of floor lighting, wall lighting, and an audible signal to alert the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

using wall lighting that includes primary entry and exit lights disposed adjacent a primary entry location of the virtual controlled zone; and

using secondary entry and exit lights disposed adjacent a secondary entry location of the virtual controlled zone that is disposed generally opposite to the primary entry location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

using floor lighting that forms at least one of arrows and crosses in predetermined directions and in predetermined colors to alert the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

displaying a symbol on a graphical user interface (GUI) to indicate an overcrowded state of the virtual controlled zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

determining a state of occupancy of the virtual controlled zone; and

generating different alerts for the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on different states of occupancy including the state of occupancy of the virtual controlled zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the different states of occupancy include:

a state of occupancy including at least one of a primary enter state into the virtual controlled zone, a primary exit state from the virtual controlled zone, a central empty state for the virtual controlled zone, a central occupied state for the virtual controlled zone, a central over-crowded state for the virtual controlled zone, a decision accept state based on the determined authorization to allow the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone, and a decision deny state based on the determined authorization to deny the person from continuing through the virtual controlled zone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an alarm if the person violates directions provided by the alert further comprises:

generating a visual or audible alarm if the person violates directions provided by the alert.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein counting people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

determining an area of the person'"'"'s head in a downward direction;

comparing the area of the person'"'"'s head to an area of the virtual controlled zone; and

determining a number of people in the virtual controlled zone based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein counting people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

determining a difference between entry and exit signals of the people that respectively enter and exit the virtual controlled zone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

comparing a two-dimensional (2D) image of the face of the person against previously captured images of faces of people; and

identifying the person based on a match of the 2D image of the face of the person to one of the previously captured images of faces of people.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

capturing a two-dimensional (2D) image of the face of the person by using a camera;

determining an angle of the face of the person relative to a central axis of the camera;

determining if the angle of the face of the person is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold relative to the central axis of the camera;

based on a determination that the angle of the face of the person is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, converting the 2D image to a 3D image model; and

using the 3D image model to identify the person based on a match of the 3D image model to one of the previously captured 2D images of faces of people.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined threshold is approximately ±

45°

relative to the central axis of the camera.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein using the 3D image model to identify the person based on a match of the 3D image model to one of the previously captured 2D images of faces of people further comprises:

rotating the 3D image model to an angle approximately equal to the angle of the face of the person in the 2D image of the face of the person; and

analyzing the rotated 3D image model to determine if the rotated 3D image model matches one of the previously captured 2D images of faces of people.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

capturing a two-dimensional (2D) image of the face of the person by using a camera;

determining an angle of the face of the person relative to a central axis of the camera;

determining if the angle of the face of the person is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold relative to the central axis of the camera;

based on a determination that the angle of the face of the person is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, converting the 2D image to a 3D image model;

rotating the 3D image model to an angle approximately equal to the central axis of the camera;

generating a 2D image based on the rotated 3D model;

comparing the generated 2D image against previously captured images of faces of people; and

identifying the person based on a match of the generated 2D image of the face of the person to one of the previously captured 2D images of faces of people.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined threshold is approximately ±

30°

relative to the central axis of the camera for a uniform background and approximately ±

45°

relative to the central axis of the camera for a non-uniform background.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone further comprises:

using the 3D image model to further identify the person based on a match of the 3D image model to one of the previously captured 2D images of faces of people.

19. A virtual access control system comprising:

a memory storing machine readable instructions to;

detect entry of a person into a virtual controlled zone;

at least one of count and identify people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone;

determine an authorization of the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone based on at least one of a facial and an information based identification of the person;

alert the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on the determined authorization; and

generate an alarm if the person violates directions provided by the alert; and

a processor to implement the machine readable instructions.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon machine readable instructions for virtual access control, the machine readable instructions when executed cause a computer system to:

detect entry of a person into a virtual controlled zone;

at least one of count and identify people including the person entering into the virtual controlled zone;

determine, by a processor, an authorization of the person to continue through the virtual controlled zone based on at least one of a facial and an information based identification of the person;

alert the person to stop, exit from, or continue through the virtual controlled zone based on the determined authorization; and

generate an alarm if the person violates directions provided by the alert.