APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING MOVING OBJECTS IN SENSING AREA

• US 20160040979A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKIGUCHI, Masahiro, IWASAKI, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/045 with speed indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/36 Devices characterised by the use of optical means, e.g. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/68 takes precedence; gyrometers using the Sagnac effect, i.e. rotation-induced shifts between counter-rotating electromagnetic beams G01C19/64
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/187 by interference of a radiation field

Abstract

In a monitoring apparatus, an optical sensor senses objects present in a sensing area, and moving speeds and moving directions of the objects are calculated based on changes with time in positional information of the sensed objects. An object which meets a predetermined moving condition is determined as a moving object. Hence an entrance of the moving object into the sensing area can be monitored. In this apparatus, by a determining section, it is determined whether or not an object is sensed in an area (after-passage sensing area) which is set to include positions adjacent to positions through which the sensed moving object has passed. When the object has been sensed in the area, by the determining section, it is further determined whether or not the object has remained for a predetermined determination period of time or more. This determined result is outputted by an outputting section.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring objects, wherein the apparatus comprises:

object detecting means for sensing objects in a sensing area by an optical sensor and calculating moving speeds and moving directions of the sensed objects based on changes in positional information with time of the sensed objects;

moving object determining means for determining that, of the objects detected by the object detecting means, a moving object which meets a predetermined moving condition, as a moving object;

determining means for determining whether or not objects are sensed in an after-passage sensing area and whether or not, when the objects are sensed in the after-passage sensing area, the sensed objects have stayed at a sensed position in the after-passage sensing area for a predetermined determination period of time or more, the after-passage sensing area being set to positionally include positions adjacent to a passage position through which the determined moving object has passed; and

outputting means for outputting results determined by the determining means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the after-passage sensing area is set to include an undetectable area which makes the sensing undetectable due to interruption of the optical sensor during the sensing of the objects by the optical sensor.

3. An apparatus for monitoring an object, wherein the apparatus comprises:

object detecting means for sensing objects in a sensing area by an optical sensor and calculating moving speeds and moving directions of the sensed objects based on changes in positional information with time of the sensed objects;

moving object determining means for determining that, of the objects detected by the object detecting means, a moving object which meets a predetermined moving condition, as a moving object;

determining means for a) determining, based on i) whether or not objects have been sensed in a before-passage sensing area, the before-passage sensing area being set to positionally include positions adjacent to positions expected passage of the sensed moving object and ii) whether or not objects have been sensed in the before-passage sensing area provided after the moving object has passed, whether or not sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area change between before and after the passage of the moving object, and b) determining that an taking-away event occurs when the sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area show a change of, at least, part of the objects from existence to non-existence, and determining that a leaving-behind event occurs when the sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area show a change of, at least, part of the objects from non-existence to existence; and

outputting means for outputting results determined by the determining means when it is determined by the determining means that the sensed states have changed.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the before-passage sensing area is set to include an undetectable area which makes the sensing undetectable due to interruption of the optical sensor during the sensing of the objects by the optical sensor.

5. A method of monitoring a moving object, wherein the method comprises steps of:

sensing objects in a sensing area by an optical sensor and calculating moving speeds and moving directions of the sensed objects based on changes with time in positional information of the sensed objects;

determining that, of the objects detected, a moving object which meets a predetermined moving condition, as a moving object;

determining whether or not objects are sensed in an after-passage sensing area and whether or not, when the objects are sensed in the after-passage sensing area, the sensed objects have stayed at a sensed position in the after-passage sensing area for a predetermined determination period of time or more, the after-passage sensing area being set to positionally include positions adjacent to a passage position through which the determined moving object has passed; and

outputting results determined by the determining step.

6. A method of monitoring a moving object, wherein the method comprises steps of:

sensing objects in a sensing area by an optical sensor and calculating moving speeds and moving directions of the sensed objects based on changes with time in positional information of the sensed objects;

determining that, of the objects detected, a moving object which meets a predetermined moving condition, as a moving object;

a) determining, based on i) whether or not objects have been sensed in a before-passage sensing area, the before-passage sensing area being set to positionally include positions adjacent to positions expecting passage of the sensed moving object and ii) whether or not objects have been sensed in the before-passage sensing area provided after the moving object has passed, whether or not sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area change between before and after the passage of the moving object, and b) determining that an taking-away event occurs when the sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area show a change of, at least, part of the objects from existence to non-existence, and determining that a leaving-behind event occurs when the sensed states of the objects in the before-passage sensing area show a change of, at least, part of the objects from non-existence to existence; and

outputting results determined by the determining means when it is determined that the sensed states have changed.