EP2384496A1

EP2384496A1 - Control device, method for controlling an object in a monitoring region and computer program

Info

Publication number: EP2384496A1
Application number: EP09755860A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas Hoernlein; Jan Karl Warzelhan
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2009-01-02
Filing date: 2009-11-04
Publication date: 2011-11-09
Also published as: DE102009000006A1; WO2010076067A1

Abstract

Access controls to security zones or other separated regions originally were carried out by monitoring personnel. In the course of automation, identification cards or other identification carriers were introduced, which were able to be automatically queried or controlled and which clearly identified the persons entering. Said access controls can, however, easily be deceived in that an unauthorized person gains hold of the identification carrier, for example illegally, and uses it for the access control. Therefore the invention proposes a control device (1) for controlling an object (2) in a monitoring region (3), comprising an identification unit (7) which can be identified based on an identification date and which is suited and/or designed to be carried on the object (2), at least one query unit (6) designed to query the identification date of the identification unit (7), at least one camera (4) to generate image data of the object (2), wherein the camera is and/or can be arranged for monitoring of the monitoring region (3), and an evaluation unit (11) designed to associate a queried identification date and the generated image data with a common object (2), wherein the association is carried out by way of a correlation of the spatial position of the identification unit and the arrangement of the camera, wherein the query unit (6) is designed to determine the spatial position of the identification unit (7) in the surveillance region (3).

Description

description

title

Control device, method for controlling an object in a surveillance area, and computer program

State of the art

The invention relates to a control device for controlling an object in a surveillance area with an identification device, which is identifiable by an identification date and which for taking along with the

Object is suitable and / or trained, with an interrogator, which is designed to query the identification of the identification device, with at least one camera for generating image data of the object, wherein the camera is arranged for monitoring the monitoring area and / or can be arranged, and with a Evaluation device, which is designed to associate a retrieved identification date and the generated image data to a common object, wherein the assignment via a correlation of the spatial position of the identification device and the arrangement of the camera takes place. The invention also relates to a method for controlling an object in a surveillance area and to a corresponding one

Computer program.

Access control to security zones or other separated areas was initially carried out by surveillance personnel who had checked in as gatekeepers. As part of a

Automation was introduced identification cards or other identification carriers, which could be automatically queried or controlled and which have identified the people entering clearly. For example, it is customary to use a card reader as access control or - without contact - a transponder query. However, such access controls can simply be deceived by having a third party acquire, for example, unlawfully, the identification medium and use it in access control.

Against this background, the development has taken over, in addition to the

Control of the identification carrier to operate further control procedures. For example, it is common in today's ATMs to integrate a camera which is started after entering the cash card and receives the image data from the operator of the ATM and stored together with the data of the cash card for later use. In such

ATMs are taken advantage of that the debit card reader and the security camera are positioned so that the operator is detected by the camera when entering the cash card or pressing the keys. Due to the spatial correlation of cash card reader and surveillance camera a clear assignment of the image data to the cash card is possible.

From the printed prior art, for example, the document DE 10 146 821 A1 is known, which relates to an access control system. The access control system comprises a document reader which enables document identification recognition and a control device

Face recognition software, wherein the face recognition software is adapted to compare image data supplied by a camera with stored image data. It is envisaged that a linkage between face recognition and document identification recognition will be performed.

Disclosure of the invention

In the context of the invention is a control device for controlling an object with the features of claim 1, a method for controlling an object in a surveillance area with the features of

Claim 9 and a computer program with the features of claim 1 1 proposed. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the subclaims, the following description and the accompanying figures. The invention relates to a control device for controlling an object in a surveillance area. For example, the control device is designed as an access control system, in particular for building and / or terrain access control. In alternative embodiments, the control device may be configured as an authorization device that releases, activates, or otherwise controls other device according to authorization rules. Preferably, the control implements a verification of the identity of the object.

In principle, the object may be of any desired design, for example as a moving and / or movable object, in particular as a vehicle or generally as a mobile. Preferably, the object is realized as a person.

The object or the person may be in any and / or freely selectable position in the surveillance area, wherein the

Monitoring range is extended so that the object can change its position in the surveillance area and can take several different, in particular spaced and / or non-overlapping positions.

The control device has at least one, in particular mobile, identification device which is suitable and / or designed to be carried on the object. For example, the identification device is designed as a card, a transponder, an RFI D chip, a transmitter and / or a reflector, which responds to an interrogation signal with a response signal. The

Identification device can be identified by an identification date, wherein preferably a plurality of such identification devices are provided, which differ by the assigned identification data. The identification data may include a plurality of data.

The control device comprises at least one, in particular stationary, interrogation device, which is designed to query the identification data of the identification device. The identification device of the identification device carried by the object can thus be determined by the interrogator. Furthermore, the control device comprises at least one camera for generating image data of the object, wherein the camera is arranged for monitoring the monitoring area and / or can be arranged. The generated image data may be raw data or postprocessed data, such as a collection of object features describing the image data

Object, act. The camera is preferably designed for recording image data in the visible wavelength range, in other embodiments it can also be a UV, NIR or FIR camera. Preferably, a plurality of such cameras are arranged and / or arrangeable in the surveillance area, wherein the plurality of cameras have different fields of view, so that the object is detected from several sides.

The control device further includes an evaluation device, which is designed to associate a retrieved identification date and the generated image data to a common object. The assignment is based on a correlation of the spatial position of the identification device and the arrangement of the camera or cameras.

In the context of the invention it is proposed that the interrogator for

Determining the spatial position of the identification device is formed in the monitoring area.

Known systems can usually control only isolated individuals with a cooperative behavior. A cooperative behavior lies to

Example in that the person looks into a camera. In contrast, the control device according to the invention is advantageously also in a non-cooperative behavior or without a lock system or unnoticed used.

This advantage is achieved in that the position for querying the identification date of the identification device is not fixed spatially, but preferably can be almost or completely arbitrarily in the monitoring area. In order nevertheless to achieve a secure and reliable assignment of the image data to the object of a detected identification device, in addition to the identification date, the spatial position of Identification device recorded metrologically. After adjusting the spatial position with the camera field of view or fields, the image data can subsequently be merged or merged with the identification date of an object.

When used as an access control system, for example, congestion or problems with non-cooperative behavior of entrants can be avoided or reduced, so that the entry of monitored areas, such as company premises, can be accelerated and at the same time made safer. This is because authorized persons are protected

Area, in particular following a surveillance area, can enter without hindrance, while ensuring that only actually authorized persons enter the protected area. The entering persons are localized via the position determination of the identification device in the monitoring area

Transfer position to the evaluation, which locates the associated person in the image data of the camera. Subsequently, the identification date and the associated image data of the person entering can be checked.

In a very simple embodiment, this check may be made by the guards, e.g. a picture of the person cut out of the current image data and automatically with a stored in a database reference image of the person who is the owner of the identification device with the detected identification date, automatically on a monitor of

Guard personnel are presented. In this procedure, the security guards get a current image of the person and a reference image, which is assigned to the identification date, presented to each entering person and can verify the person entering. As a result, it is checked whether the person entering the identification device belongs or is assigned.

In addition, it can be checked whether the identification device is valid.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the camera or the cameras and the interrogation device have an overlapping detection range in which the identification device can be interrogated, the spatial position can be determined and the image data can be generated, wherein the detection area preferably extends uninterruptedly over a plurality of object sizes. In the case of objects in the form of persons, the detection range extends, for example, over an area of more than 2 m, preferably with a diameter of more than 3 m, wherein the object may preferably be located at any position in this detection area. Due to the large-scale detection range, the spatial position of the identification device is largely decoupled from the position of the interrogator. This can be arranged, for example, mechanically inaccessible or hidden.

In one possible embodiment of the invention, the interrogator is designed for 2-D and / or 3-D detection of the spatial position of the identification device. In the 2-D acquisition, the spatial position is recorded with respect to an area, preferably with respect to the base area of the surveillance area. On the other hand, in the case of 3D detection, a further coordinate, e.g. a height in relation to the footprint of the surveillance area. Possible technical implementation of the detection of the spatial position, for example, a cross-location by multiple interrogators or a runtime and / or angle measurement.

It is preferably provided that the spatial position or an equivalent variable is transmitted to the evaluation device. This refinement underscores the inventive idea of using the spatial position as a further input variable for controlling the object. To further emphasize the inventive idea, it is preferably claimed that the

Evaluation device for assigning image data of the object is formed at the transmitted position to the identification date.

It is particularly preferred if the interrogation device is designed for non-contact interrogation of the identification date. In this way, it is ensured that the object or the person entering does not have to cooperate actively, but can also be controlled in the case of passive behavior.

In a further development of the invention can be provided that the

Evaluation device for the automatic verification and / or verification of the Identification date and / or the associated image data and / or the object is formed. For example, a section of the current image data at the spatial position or in the vicinity of the spatial position of the identification device is compared with a previously stored reference image. Image processing algorithms can be used for the comparison. If the objects are formed as persons, facial recognition software or similar methods may also be used. Preferably, the control device is configured to alert the monitoring personnel when the current image data and reference image do not match.

Furthermore, it is preferred that objects without an identification device are automatically detected by the evaluation device via the image data of the camera, wherein if the identification device is missing a signal, such as an alarm, is triggered in order to inform the monitoring personnel.

In a further development of the invention, the control device is designed for the particular synchronous and / or simultaneous and / or joint control of a plurality of objects in the monitoring area. By determining the spatial position of the identification device, it is also possible to distinguish between objects which are arranged adjacently in the surveillance area. This results in the advantage that a serial pass-through or separation of the objects in the surveillance area is not absolutely necessary and instead a parallel control of the objects can be realized.

Another object of the invention relates to a method for controlling an object in a surveillance area with the features of claim 9, which is preferably carried out with a control device as described above or according to one of the preceding claims. The method comprises the steps of retrieving an identification date of an identification device carried by an object, determining the spatial position of the identification device in the surveillance area, and that image data of one or more of the spatial position of the object the surveillance area monitoring cameras located and assigned this image data the identification date.

In particular, the interrogation of the identification date and / or the determination of the spatial position and / or the acquisition of the image data takes place without cooperation of the object and / or free of locks.

A last subject of the invention relates to a computer program with program code means having the features of claim 11.

The possible features or advantages of the invention in selected embodiments are the electronic verification of the badge by, for example, RFID technology; the visual inspection of the current and the stored photo of the object for affiliation in the relationship identification device and person; the avoidance of bottlenecks in the

Access area while maintaining secure control; the minimization of surveillance personnel, with special emphasis on staff only having to control rejected persons; the simplification of the verification, since the identity of the persons is known by the identification device. Due to the localization of the persons, several persons in the image data can be assigned an identity and be verified in parallel, thereby an establishment of locks for the separation of persons is not absolutely necessary. Since the method achieves a high confidence of identification of persons, learning methods can be used to provide reference data, in particular features or

Reference pictures of the persons to keep up to date.

Further features, advantages and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying figure. Showing:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an access control system as an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an access control system

1, which for the control of trained as a person 2 objects in one Monitoring area 3 is formed. The monitoring area 3 can be designed, for example, as the access to a building, a production plant or a site.

The access control system 1 is signal-connected with a plurality of cameras 4 whose field of view overlaps with the monitoring area 3. By way of example, a field of view 5 is schematically indicated for one of the cameras 4. The cameras 4 are arranged so that the faces and possibly other specific characteristics of the persons are detected.

Furthermore, the access control system 1 is connected to a plurality of interrogators 6, which are designed to interrogate identification devices 7, which are carried by the persons 2. In the case of a query, an identification data, in particular an ID, is transmitted from the identification devices 7 to the interrogation devices 6. The identification devices 7 are designed, for example, as transponders or RFID chips. It is possible that the identification means 7 are realized actively or passively.

In addition to the query of the identification means 7 according to their identity, the interrogators 6 are adapted to locate, for example by means of a cross-location or triangulation, the spatial position of the identification means 7 and thus the persons 2 in the monitoring area 3. The interrogation devices 6 are designed, for example, as receiver modules with receiving antennas, which receive the signals transmitted by the identification device 7. The localization should take place in an area 8 which is arranged overlapping the detection area 5 of the cameras 4. In FIG. 1, this area is identified by an 8 and overlaps a large area with the detection area 5 of the cameras 4. The overlapping area is designed such that several of the persons 2 can stay next to one another in this area. The area 8 may also include the entire surveillance area 3. The accuracy of the location should be sufficient to distinguish different persons in the surveillance area 3. For example, the identification means with a Accuracy of better than 30 cm, especially better than 10 cm be localized.

Optionally, it is possible to locate several signals from different identification devices 7 at the same time, so that several persons 2 can be located simultaneously.

The raw image data of the cameras 6 are collected in a camera module 9. The data about the identification devices 7, that is to say the identification data and the spatial position of the identification devices 7, are stored in an identi-

Module 10 out. In an evaluation device 1 1, the results of the localization of the identification means 7 in camera coordinates of the cameras 4 are converted and selected at the position in the detection area 5 person-specific image data, for example, faces or other important features of the persons 2. The evaluation device 1 1 then merges the selected image data of the persons 2 with the associated identification date, so that a data record comprising the identification date, optionally the spatial position and image data of the person 2 from the cameras 4, is formed for each person 2.

Subsequently, the person-specific data record is optionally supplemented by a data memory 12 with reference image data, for example a stored reference image of the face of the respective person 2.

In a further step, the person-specific image data 13 and the stored reference image data 14 can be displayed on a monitor 15 for monitoring personnel, so that they can easily verify the identity of the person and the affiliation to the identification date.

In an alternative or supplement to the exemplary embodiment, an automatic verification of the persons 2 in a verification module 16 takes place, wherein the current image data of the person 2 of an identification date with stored reference image data of the person 2 is compared with this identification date via image processing algorithms. For automatic verification, it is advantageous that the identity is already known. The verification problem Simplified in such a way that no longer a person from a potential large number of people in the database must be recognized, but it is sufficient to recognize that it is not the same person.

Claims

claims

1 . Control device (1) for controlling an object (2) in a surveillance area (3)

with an identification device (7) which can be identified by an identification date and which is suitable and / or designed to be carried along the object (2),

with at least one interrogator (6), which for querying the

Identification date of the identification device (7) is formed,

with at least one camera (4) for generating image data of the object (2), wherein the camera is arranged and / or can be arranged for monitoring the monitoring area (3),

and with an evaluation device (1 1), which is designed to associate a requested identification date and the generated image data to a common object (2), wherein the association via a correlation of the spatial position of the identification device and the arrangement of

Camera is done,

characterized,

in that the interrogator (6) determines the spatial position of the

Identification device (7) in the monitoring area (3) is formed.

2. Control device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera (4) and the interrogator (6) have an overlapping detection area (8) in which the identification date can be interrogated and the image data can be generated, wherein the detection area (12) extends over several object sizes.

3. Control device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the interrogator (6) for 2D and / or 3D detection of the spatial position of the identification device (7) is formed.

4. Control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spatial position is transmitted to the evaluation device (1 1).

5. Control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device (1 1) for the assignment of

Image data of the object (2) is formed at the transmitted position to the identification date.

6. Control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interrogator (6) for non-contact

Query of the identification date is formed.

7. Control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device (1 1) is designed for automatic verification and / or verification of the identification date and the associated image data.

8. Control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of objects in the monitoring area are simultaneously controllable.

9. A method for controlling an object (2) in a surveillance area (3), preferably with a control device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that from the object (2) an identification thumb of a carried identification device (7) is queried in that the spatial position of the identification device (7) is determined and in that the object (2) locates image data of one or more cameras (4) monitoring the surveillance area and assigns them to the identification date.

10. A method for controlling an object (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that the query of the identification date and / or the determination of the local position without cooperation of the object and / or is carried out without a lock.

1 1. Computer program with program code means for performing the method according to any one of claims 9 or 10, when the method is carried out on a computer and / or on a device according to one of claims 1 to 9.