Method and system for detecting a body in a zone located proximate an interface

• US 7,583,196 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MG International (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Vision Industries Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Migliorini, Christophe, Cohignac, Thierry, Rousson, Fanny, Guichard, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/566,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.6, 430/348, 430/944, 430/952, 430/346, 250/330, 250/316.1, 250/338.1, 250/472.1, 348/164, 348/174, 348/176, 345/418
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/082 by monitoring electrical characteristics of the water

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a system for detecting a body (801) in a zone (802) located proximate an interface (803). The body is illuminated by an electromagnetic radiation (804) comprising at least two different wavelengths, located in ranges corresponding to near infrared and to green-blue. The method comprises the following steps: selecting two wavelengths; providing, for each of said wavelengths, an image (805) of the interface and of the zone; extracting from said data of each image two sets of data (807) respectively representing at least one part of the body in the near infrared range and in the green-blue range; comparing said data sets (807). It is thus possible to detect the presence of a body by discriminating between a body entirely located beneath the interface and a body located at least partly above the interface.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an object in a zone situated in the proximity of an interface between two liquid and/or gaseous media;

the said object being illuminated by electromagnetic radiation comprising at least two different wavelengths;

the said media having different absorption coefficients as a function of the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation;

the said method comprising;

choosing, from among the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation, at least two wavelengths or two wavelength regions,

creating, for each of the said wavelengths or wavelength regions, an image of the said interface and of the said zone,

producing electrical signals representative of each image,

digitizing the electrical signals to produce data corresponding to each image,

extracting, from the said data corresponding to each image, two groups of data, wherein the groups are representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region and in the blue-green region respectively, and

comparing the said groups of data,

the producing, the digitizing, the extracting, and the comparing being referred to hereinafter as the process of deducing the presence of an object,

whereby detecting the presence of an object and/or determining the position of the detected object relative to the said interface, while discriminating between an object situated entirely under the interface and an object situated at least partly above the interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

integrating over time the results of the stage of comparison of the said groups of data.

3. The method according to claim 2 additionally comprising:

tripping an alarm if an object of human size is detected under the said interface for a time longer than a specified threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein calottes are generated in order to extract, from the said data corresponding to each image, two groups of data, and wherein the groups are representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region and in the blue-green region respectively.

5. The method according to claim 4, additionally comprising:

associating characteristics with each calotte, and

deducing the presence of a group of data, wherein the group is representative of at least part of the said object if the characteristics exceed a predetermined threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order to compare the said groups of data, a search is performed for data representative of at least part of the said object in the blue-green region, for which data, within a specified geometric vicinity, there are no corresponding data representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region,

whereby concluding from a positive search that the said object is situated under the interface.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order to compare the said groups of data, a search is performed for data representative of at least part of the said object in the blue-green region, for which data, within a specified geometric vicinity, there are corresponding data representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region,

whereby concluding from a positive search that the said object is situated at least partly above the interface.

8. The method according to claim 2, more particularly intended to discriminate between a stationary object and a moving object;

to integrate over time the results of the stage of comparison of the said groups of data, the said method additionally comprising;

iterating, at specified time intervals, the said process of deducing the presence of the said object;

calculating the number of times that the said object is detected during a specified time period; and

discriminating, at one point of the said zone, between the said objects that are present a number of times greater than a specified threshold (the said objects being referred to hereinafter as stationary objects) and the said objects that are present a number of times smaller than the said specified threshold (the said objects being referred to hereinafter as moving objects),

whereby detecting the presence of a stationary object situated entirely under the interface and thus tripping an alarm.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interface is an interface of the water/air type.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the two different wavelengths are situated in regions corresponding to near infrared or blue-green.

9. A system for detecting an object in a zone situated in the proximity of an interface between two liquid media and/or gaseous media;

the said object being illuminated by electromagnetic radiation comprising at least two different wavelengths;

the said media having different absorption coefficients as a function of the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation;

the said system comprising;

selecting means for choosing, from among the wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation, at least two wavelengths or two wavelength regions,

filming means for creating, for each of the said wavelengths or wavelength regions, an image of the said interface and of the said zone,

converting means for producing electrical signals representative of each image,

digitizing means for digitizing the electrical signals in such a way as to produce data corresponding to each image,

information-processing means for extracting, from the said data corresponding to each image, two groups of data, wherein the groups are representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region and in the blue-green region respectively, and

calculating means for comparing the said groups of data;

the converting means, the digitizing means, the information-processing means and the calculating means being referred to hereinafter as the means for deducing the presence of an object,

whereby detecting the presence of an object and/or determining the position of the detected object relative to the said interface, while discriminating between an object situated under the interface and an object situated at least partly above the interface.

10. The system according to claim 9, additionally comprising:

integrating means for integrating over time the results of the means for calculating the said groups of data.

11. The system according to claim 10, additionally comprising:

activating means for activating an alarm if an object of human size is detected under the said interface for a time longer than a specified threshold.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the said information-processing means make it possible to generate calottes.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the said information-processing means make it possible:

to associate characteristics with each calotte, and

to deduce the presence of a group of data, wherein the group is representative of at least part of the said object, if the characteristics exceed a predetermined threshold.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the said calculating means make it possible to search for data representative of at least part of the said object in the blue-green region, for which data, within a specified geometric vicinity, there are no corresponding data representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region;

whereby concluding from a positive search that the said object is situated under the interface.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the said calculating means make it possible to search for data representative of at least part of the said object in the blue-green region, for which data, within a specified geometric vicinity, there are corresponding data representative of at least part of the said object in the near infrared region;

whereby concluding from a positive search that the said object is situated at least partly above the interface.

16. The system according to claim 10, more particularly intended to discriminate between a stationary object and a moving object the said integrating means for integrating over time the results of the calculating means making it possible:

to iterate, at specified time intervals, the use of the said means for deducing the presence of the said object;

to calculate the number of times that the said object is detected during a specified time period; and

to discriminate, at one point of the said zone, between the said objects that are present a number of times greater than a specified threshold (the said objects being referred to hereinafter as stationary objects) and the said objects that are present a number of times smaller than the said specified threshold (the said objects being referred to hereinafter as moving objects);

whereby concluding the presence of a stationary object situated entirely under the interface;

whereby tripping an alarm.

19. The system according to claim 9, wherein the interface is an interface of the water/air type.

20. The system according to claim 9, wherein the two different wavelengths are situated in regions corresponding to near infrared or blue-green.