METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR DRIVING DOOR INSTALLATIONS AS A FUNCTION OF THE PRESENCE OF PERSONS

• US 20010048470A1
• Filed: 01/12/1998
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heinrich Landert
• Original Assignee: Heinrich Landert
• Inventors: BICHSEL, MARTIN, LAMPERT, HEINRICH
• Granted Patent: US 6,496,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• 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: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19604 involving reference image or background adaptation with time to compensate for changing conditions, e.g. reference image update on detection of light level change
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19615 wherein said pattern is defined by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for driving door installations as a function of the presence of person wherein the region of the door installation is continuously observed by at least one videocamera. According to the invention through the videocamera and/or suitable sensors, object motions within the space to be monitored are acquired with an analysis being carried out in conjunction with the video image of whether or not the moving object is a person. If this is the case, its location and/or direction of movement is determined and the door installation is driven as a function thereof. The videocamera is preferably disposed approximately diametrically opposite the door installation with its angle of view being directed as steeply as possible onto the region to be monitored. The videocamera is connected to an electronic image processing device.

Claims

1. Method for driving door installations as a function of the presence of objects/persons wherein the region of the door installation is continuously observed by at least one videocamera, characterized in

that through the videocamera and/or suitable sensors object motions within the space to be monitored are acquired,

that in conjunction with the video image an analysis takes place of whether or not the moving object is an object, for example a person, authorized to use the door installation and intending to do so, wherein, if this is the case, the location and/or direction and speed of movement of the object is determined,

that the door installation is driven as a function of the determined location and the determined direction of movement of the object.

2. Method as claimed in

claim 1

, characterized in that through the videocamera at specified time intervals the empty space in front of the door installation is acquired and stored as a reference image.

3. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a reference image of the empty space is continuously created or updated.

4. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

3

, characterized in that for acquiring object motions a comparison of the current image of the space to be observed with the reference image takes place.

5. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

4

, characterized in that the additional sensors are infrared detectors, weight sensors, ultrasound sensors and the like.

6. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

5

, characterized in that the contour of the moving object is acquired and analyzed, and the object is only recognized for example as a person if its contour and course of motion agrees to a predefined extent with those of a human.

7. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

6

, characterized in that the distance of the moving object from the videocamera is determined and based thereon the position of the object in the space is calculated.

8. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

7

, characterized in that in a memory a three-dimensional model of the space to be monitored or a portion thereof is stored.

9. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

8

, characterized in that the space to be monitored is divided into several regions and the driving of the door installation is only triggered by objects which are located and move in specific predetermined regions.

10. Method as stated in one of

claims 1

to

9

, characterized in that the space required by an object for the unhindered passage of the door installation, for example the width of a person, is determined and thereby the matching of the opening width of the door to the object width takes place.

11. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

10

, characterized in that the start and/or the speed of the door opening takes place as a function of the location, direction of movement and speed of movement of the object.

12. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

11

, characterized in that light reflections in the monitoring area are eliminated through suitable filters.

13. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

12

, characterized in that the video signals of at least two cameras (stereo camera) directed onto the same setting are evaluated.

14. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

13

, characterized in that the image of the one camera, by assuming a predefined image area, is transferred to the image to be expected from the second camera and by comparison of calculated and effectively received image conclusion are drawn as to the presence and/or changes of objects in the image area.

15. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

14

, characterized in that the predefined image area is adapted or newly selected in the course of successive image analyses based on the particular available results.

16. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

12

, characterized in that further parameters such as for example image segment, frequency of image analyses, image resolution, are adapted or newly selected in the course of successive analyses based on the particular available results.

17. Method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

12

, characterized in that in order to attain absolute operational reliability the data of multiply provided elements are utilized.

18. Arrangement for carrying out the method as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

17

, characterized in that the videocamera opposes the door installation approximately diametrically, with the angle of view being steeply directed toward the region to be monitored, and that the videocamera is connected to an electronic image processing device.

19. Arrangement as claimed in

claim 18

, characterized in that the camera is equipped with a polarization filter.

20. Arrangement as claimed in one of claims 18 or 19, characterized in that several cameras are disposed at different positions.

21. Arrangement as claimed in one of

claims 18

to

20

, characterized in that the camera is a stereo camera.

22. Arrangement as claimed in one of

claims 18

to

21

, characterized in that the angle of view of the camera is deflected by a mirror.