Image analysis system for detecting personal protective equipment compliance

• US 8,208,681 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Heller, Jeffrey R., Ranganathan, Sridhar, Sullivan, Shawn J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rush, Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/961,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/181, 382/286, 382/291, 382/325, 340/500, 340/540, 340/573.1, 340/686.1, 340/686.2
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to an image analysis system for detecting compliance with requirements for using personal protective equipment (PPE). An image capturing device may be used to acquire an image of an individual requesting entry into a restricted area. In turn, a PPE analysis tool may be configured to analyze the image to detect the presence of the PPE, e.g., by recognizing markings made using UV fluorescent dye, reflective ink, or other marking materials visible in the captured image and/or the physical shape of the PPE. The image analysis tool may be further configured to demine not only whether the required PPE is present, but also determine whether the PPE is being worn correctly by the individual requesting access to the restricted area.

Claims

1. A method for detecting compliance with requirements for using personal protective equipment, the method comprising:

capturing an image of an individual requesting access to a restricted area, wherein access to the restricted area requires that the individual wear one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) items within the restricted area;

analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image;

determining whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual, based on one or more predefined dimensions of the one or more PPE items depicted in the image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, calibrating a conversion factor used to convert a measured number of pixels into a measured distance, wherein the measured distance is compared to the one or more predefined dimensions to determine whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the conversion factor is determined using a known measurement of a size dimension of one of the PPE items and a number of pixels required to depict the PPE item in the captured image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the one or more PPE items are being correctly worn by the individual, granting the individual access to the restricted area; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are not being correctly worn by the individual, denying the individual access to the restricted area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining the one or more PPE items are not depicted in the image, denying the individual access to the restricted area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining the one or more PPE items are not depicted in the image, notifying the individual that the one or more PPE items are required for access to the restricted area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, storing the determination of whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual in an access log.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the PPE items comprises safety eyewear, a hardhat, gloves, a coat, an apron, a gown, shoes, ear-plugs, and a respirator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the PPE items is marked using a UV fluorescent dye, and wherein analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image comprises detecting at least one of the presence and pattern of the UV fluorescent dye marking.

10. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program configured to detect compliance with requirements for using personal protective equipment, the program including instructions for performing an operation, comprising:

capturing an image of an individual requesting access to a restricted area, wherein access to the restricted area requires that the individual wear one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) items within the restricted area;

analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image;

determining whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual, based on one or more predefined dimensions of the one or more PPE items depicted in the image.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises calibrating a conversion factor used to convert a measured number of pixels into a measured distance, wherein the measured distance is compared to the one or more predefined dimensions to determine whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the conversion factor is determined using a known measurement of a size dimension of one of the PPE items and a number of pixels required to depict the PPE item in the captured image.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises:

upon determining the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual, granting the individual access to the restricted area; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are not being worn correctly by the individual, denying the individual access to the restricted area.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises, upon determining the one or more PPE items are not depicted in the image, denying the individual access to the restricted area.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises, upon determining the one or more PPE items are not depicted in the image, notifying the individual that the one or more PPE items are required for access to the restricted area.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising, storing the determination of whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual in an access log.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the PPE items comprises safety eyewear, a hardhat, gloves, a coat, an apron, a gown, shoes, ear-plugs, and a respirator.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the PPE items is marked using a UV fluorescent dye, and wherein analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image comprises detecting at least one of the presence and pattern of the UV fluorescent dye marking.

19. A system, comprising:

an image capturing device configured to capture an image of an individual requesting access to a restricted area, wherein access to the restricted area requires that the individual wear one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) items within the restricted area;

a computing device configured to receive the image from the image capturing device; and

a memory storing an image analysis program configured to detect compliance with requirements for using personal protective equipment by performing an operation comprising;

analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image;

determining whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual, based on one or more predefined dimensions of the one or more PPE items depicted in the image.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the operation further comprises calibrating a conversion factor used to convert a measured number of pixels into a measured distance, wherein the measured distance is compared to the one or more predefined dimensions to determine whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the conversion factor is determined using a known measurement of a size dimension of one of the PPE items and a number of pixels required to depict the PPE item in the captured image.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the operation performed by the image analysis program is further comprises:

upon determining the one or more PPE items are being correctly worn by the individual, granting the individual access to the restricted area; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are not being correctly worn by the individual, denying the individual access to the restricted area.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising, a database system configured to store the determination of whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual in an access log.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the image capturing device is a charge coupled device CCD.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the PPE items comprises safety eyewear, a hardhat, gloves, a coat, an apron, a gown, shoes, ear-plugs, and a respirator.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the PPE items is marked using a UV fluorescent dye, and wherein analyzing the image to determine whether the one or more PPE items are depicted in the image comprises detecting the presence or pattern of the UV fluorescent dye marking.

27. A method for detecting compliance with requirements for using personal protective equipment, the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to a restricted area from an individual, wherein access to the restricted area requires that the individual wear one or more personal protective equipment (PPE) items within the restricted area;

determining whether the individual is in possession of the one or more PPE items; and

upon determining that the individual is in possession of the PPE items;

capturing an image of the individual requesting access to the restricted area,

analyzing the image to identify a depiction of the one or more PPE items, and

determining whether the one or more PPE items are being worn correctly by the individual, based on one or more predefined dimensions of the one or more PPE items depicted in the image.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining whether the individual is in possession of the PPE items comprises detecting the presence of an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag used to mark at least one of the PPE items.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

upon determining the one or more PPE items are being correctly worn by the individual, granting the individual access to the restricted area; and

upon determining the one or more PPE items are not being correctly worn by the individual, denying the individual access to the restricted area.