Automatic door assembly with video imaging device

• US 7,042,492 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2000
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spinelli, Vito A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CZEKAJ, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US09/729,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20010030689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 348/155, 348/135, 348/140, 348/142, 348/143, 348/152, 348/154, 348/156, 382/106, 382/115, 382116-127
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/767 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

An automatic door assembly for installation at a doorway formed through a wall of a building and for use in conjunction with a video device that is (a) capable of receiving a video data signal from a video imaging device monitoring a field of view and (b) processing the video data signal received from the imaging device into a form suitable for displaying images that are visually representative of the imaging device'"'"'s field of view. The door assembly comprises a frame assembly that mounts to the building wall at the doorway thereof, a door panel that mounts to the frame assembly for movement between closed position and open positions, and a door controlling system. The door controlling system comprises a video imaging device mounted in a viewing position. The imaging device is provided by a digital or analog video camera. In the viewing position, the imaging device monitors a field of view that encompasses an approach area located adjacent to the doorway. The video imaging device transmits an internal video data signal comprising information representative of the field of view. The controlling system also comprises a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates with the video imaging device. The processor receives the internal video data signal from the imaging device and processes the information comprising the internal video data signal to determine whether a person or object has entered the approach area. The detection system transmits a door opening signal in response to the processor thereof determining that a person or object has entered the approach area. The door assembly also comprises a door operator connected to the door panel and communicated with the detection system. The door operator moves the door panel from the closed position thereof to the open position thereof responsive to receiving the door opening signal.

Claims

1. An automatic door assembly for installation at a doorway formed through a wall of a building, said door assembly comprising:

a frame assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted to the building wall at the doorway thereof;

a door panel constructed and arranged to be mounted to said frame assembly for movement between (1) a closed position wherein said door panel is positioned in covering relation over the doorway to prevent persons and objects from travelling therethrough and (2) an open position wherein said door panel is moved out of said covering relation to permit persons and objects to travel through the doorway;

a door controlling system comprising;

(i) a video imaging device constructed and arranged to be mounted in a viewing position wherein said imaging device monitors a field of view that encompasses at least the door panel and a door panel travel area through which said door panel moves between said open and closed positions, said video imaging device being operable to monitor the field of view by receiving image of the field of view, including images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, in the visible light spectrum, said video imaging device transmitting a video data signal comprising information representative of said images;

(ii) a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates with said video imaging device and a memory, said memory containing a plurality of stored initial images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, each of said stored initial images corresponding to one of a plurality of positions of the door panel within the door travel area, said video signal processor being adapted to receive said video data signal from said imaging device; and

a door operator constructed and arranged to be connected to said door panel and adapted to communicate with said detection system, said door operator being constructed and arranged to move said door panel between the open and closed positions through said door panel travel area and to move the door panel towards said open position thereof responsive to receiving a door opening signal;

a position sensor communicated to said processor for monitoring the plurality of positions of the door panel within the door panel travel area, each of the monitored positions of the door panel having a corresponding stored image in said memory of the door panel within the door travel area;

the video signal processor being adapted to determine whether a person or object other than the door panel is within the door panel travel area by comparing at least the images of the field of view, including the door panel therein, received via the video data signal against the stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area for the corresponding positions of the door panel as monitored by the position sensor, the processor using the compared images to determine that a person or object is within the door travel area.

2. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said door panel travel area is a threshold area within said doorway and wherein said door panel is sliding door panel tat moves generally rectilinearly within said threshold area in the doorway between said open and closed positions thereof.

3. An automatic door assembly according to claim 2, wherein said position sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

4. An automatic door assembly according to claim 2, wherein said sliding door panel is a single sliding door panel movable within said threshold area.

5. An automatic door assembly according to claim 2, wherein said sliding door panel is one of a pair of sliding door panels movable toward and away from one another within said threshold area.

6. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said field of view encompasses an approach area located adjacent to and extending away from said doorway,

said video signal processor being adapted to process said video data signal to determine whether a person or object is in said approach area, said detection system being adapted to responsively transmit said door opening signal in response to said processor thereof determining that a person or object is within said approach area.

7. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said position sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

8. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said video imaging device is a digital video imaging device.

9. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said door controlling system is adapted to transmit an external video data signal comprising information representative of the images received by said imaging device, thereby enabling the external video data signal to be transmitted to video device so that the video device can process the external video data signal into a form suitable for displaying images that are visually representative of the images received by the imaging device.

10. An automatic door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said automatic door assembly comprises a swing door assembly, and wherein said door operator being connected to said door panel to pivot said door panel about an axis to enable said door panel to move through an arcuate path comprising said door travel area,

said memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within said arcuate path comprising said door travel area.

11. A method for monitoring a door travel area associated with an automatic door assembly;

the automatic door assembly comprising;

(a) a frame assembly;

(b) a door panel mounted to the frame assembly for movement in the door travel area between (1) a closed position, and (2) an open position;

(c) a door controlling system comprising;

(i) a video imaging device mounted in a viewing position wherein the imaging device monitors a field of view that includes at least the door panel and the door travel area, and (ii) a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates with the video imaging device, and a memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area corresponding to a plurality of positions of the door panel within the door panel travel area;

(d) a door operator connected to the door panel and communicated with the detection system, and (e) a position sensor communicated to the processor;

the method comprising;

monitoring the field of view encompassing at least the door panel and the door travel area, the video imaging device receiving images of the field of view in the visible light spectrum;

transmitting, from the video imaging device to the video signal processor, a video data signal comprising information representative of the images received by the video imaging device, including said images of the door panel within the door travel area;

monitoring a position of the door panel within the door travel area with the position sensor;

determining whether a person or object other than the door panel is within the door panel travel area with the processor by comparing an image received via the video data signal against a corresponding one of the stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area, said corresponding stored image corresponding to the position of the door panel as monitored by the position sensor;

responsive to the processor determining that a person or object other than the door panel is within the door travel area, transmitting a door opening signal to the door operator;

responsive to receiving the door opening signal, moving the door panel towards the open position thereof.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the door panel travel area is a threshold area and wherein the door panel is a sliding door panel that moves generally rectilinearly within the threshold area between the open and closed positions thereof.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the field of view encompasses an approach area located adjacent to and extending away from the door assembly,

wherein the video signal processor processes the video data signal to determine whether a person or object is in the approach area,

wherein the detection system transmits the door opening signal in response to the processor determining that a person or object is within the approach area.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising moving said door panel about a pivot axis so that said door panel moves through an arcuate path comprising said door travel area, said memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within the arcuate path.

15. An automatic door assembly comprising:

a frame assembly;

a door panel constructed and arranged to be mounted to said frame assembly for movement between (1) a closed position and (2) an open position;

a door controlling system comprising;

(i) a video imaging device constructed and arranged to be mounted in a viewing position wherein said imaging device monitors a field of view that encompasses at least the door panel and a door panel travel area through which said door panel moves between said open and closed positions, said video imaging device being operable to monitor the field of view by receiving images of the field of view, including images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, said video imaging device transmitting a video data signal comprising information representative of said images;

(ii) a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates with said video imaging device and a memory, said memory containing a plurality of stored initial images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, each of said stored initial images corresponding to one of a plurality of positions of the door panel within the door travel area, said video signal processor being adapted to receive said video data signal from said imaging device; and

a door operator constructed and arranged to be connected to said door panel and adapted to communicate with said detection system, said door operator being constructed and arranged to move said door panel between the open and closed positions through said door panel travel area and to move the door panel towards said open position thereof responsive to receiving a door opening signal;

a position sensor communicated to said processor for monitoring the plurality of positions of the door panel within the door panel travel area, each of the monitored positions of the door panel having a corresponding stored image in said memory of the door panel within the door travel area;

the video signal processor being adapted to determine whether a person or object other than the door panel is within the door panel travel area by comparing at least the images of the field of view, including the door panel therein, received via the video data signal against the stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area for the corresponding positions of the door panel as monitored by the position sensor, the processor using the compared images to determine that a person or object is within the door travel area.

16. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said door panel travel area is a threshold area and wherein said door panel is sliding door panel that moves generally rectilinearly within said threshold area between said open and closed positions thereof.

17. An automatic door assembly according to claim 16, wherein said position sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

18. An automatic door assembly according to claim 16, wherein said sliding door panel is a single sliding door panel movable within said threshold area.

19. An automatic door assembly according to claim 16, wherein said sliding door panel is one of a pair of sliding door panels movable toward and away from one another within said threshold area.

20. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said field of view encompasses an approach area located adjacent to and extending away from said door assembly,

said video signal processor being adapted to process said video data signal to determine whether a person or object is in said approach area, said detection system being adapted to responsively transmit said door opening signal in response to said processor thereof determining that a person or object is within said approach area.

21. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said position sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

22. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said video imaging device is a digital video imaging device.

23. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said door controlling system is adapted to transmit an external video data signal comprising information representative of the images received by said imaging device, thereby enabling the external video data signal to be transmitted to a video device so that the video device can process the external video data signal into a form suitable for displaying images that are visually representative of the images received by the video imaging device.

24. An automatic door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said automatic door assembly comprises a swing door assembly, and wherein said door operator being connected to said door panel to pivot said door panel about an axis to enable said door panel to move through an arcuate path comprising said door travel area,

said memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within said arcuate path comprising said door travel area.

25. A method for monitoring a door travel area associated with an automatic door assembly;

the automatic door assembly comprising;

(a) a frame assembly;

(b) a door panel mounted to the frame assembly for movement in the door travel area between (1) a closed position, and (2) an open position;

(c) a door controlling system comprising;

(i) a video imaging device mounted in a viewing position wherein the imaging device monitors a field of view that includes at least the door panel and the door travel area, and (ii) a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates with the video imaging device, and a memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area corresponding to a plurality of positions of the door panel within the door panel travel area;

(d) a door operator connected to the door panel and communicated with the detection system, and (e) a position sensor communicated to the processor;

the method comprising;

monitoring the field of view encompassing at least the door panel and the door travel area, the video imaging device receiving images of the field of view;

transmitting, from the video imaging device to the video signal processor, a video data signal comprising information representative of the images received by the video imaging device, including said images of the door panel within the door travel area;

monitoring a position of the door panel within the door travel area with the position sensor;

determining whether a person or object other than the door panel is within the door panel travel area with the processor by comparing an image received via the video data signal against the stored image of the door panel within the door travel area, said stored image corresponding to the position of the door panel as monitored by the position sensor;

responsive to the processor determining that a person or object other than the door panel is within the door travel area, transmitting a door opening signal to the door operator;

responsive to receiving the door opening signal, moving the door panel towards the open position thereof.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising moving said door panel about a pivot axis so that said door panel moves through an arcuate path comprising said door travel area, said memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within the arcuate path.

27. An automatic door assembly comprising:

a frame assembly;

a door panel constructed and arranged to be mounted to said frame assembly for movement between (1) a closed position and (2) an open position;

a door controlling system comprising;

(i) a video imaging device constructed and arranged to be mounted in a viewing position wherein said imaging device monitors a field of view that encompasses at least the door panel and a door panel travel area through which said door panel moves between said open and closed positions, said video imaging device being operable to monitor the field of view by receiving images of the field of view, including images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, and said video imaging device transmitting a video data signal comprising information representative of said images, including said images of the door panel within the door travel area;

(ii) a detection system comprising a video signal processor that communicates said video imaging device and a memory, said memory containing a plurality of stored initial images of at least the door panel within the door travel area, each of said stored initial images corresponding to one of a plurality of positions of the door panel within the door travel area, said video signal processor being adapted to receive said video data signal from said imaging device; and

a door operator constructed and arranged to be connected to said door panel and adapted to communicate with said detection system, said door operator being constructed and arranged to move said door panel between the open and closed positions through said door panel travel area and to move the door panel towards said open position thereof responsive to receiving a door opening signal;

a position sensor communicated to said processor for monitoring the plurality of positions of the door panel within the door panel travel area, each of the monitored positions of the door panel having a corresponding stored image in said memory of the door panel within the door travel area;

the video signal processor being adapted to determine whether a person or object other than the door panel is within the door panel travel area by comparing at least the images of the field of view received via the video data signal against the stored initial images of the door panel within the door travel area, the processor using the compared images to determine a person or object is within the door travel area.

28. An automatic door assembly according to claim 27, wherein said automatic door assembly comprises a swing door assembly, and wherein said door operator being connected to said door panel to pivot said door panel about an axis to enable said door panel to move through an arcuate path comprising said door travel area,

said memory including a plurality of stored initial images of the door panel within said arcuate path comprising said door travel area.