FR2725058A1 - Counting method for monitoring number of passengers on transport systems - Google Patents

Abstract

The automatic passenger counting system has an emitter (3) of a visible or invisible light beam (5) across a passage through which the vehicle passes. The beam is at the level of the windows of the vehicle. The beam can be detected on the opposite side of the vehicle to the emitter, or may be reflected from the side opposite to the emitter to a receiver (4) placed beside the emitter. The emitter is triggered by a sonic detector responding to the noise of the approaching vehicle. The modulation of the received signal by presence of passengers allows the number of passengers on the vehicle to be estimated, and the occupation rate to be determined. The received signal is processed by sampling at between 1 kHz and 2 kHz, and using Fourier analysis to determine the numbers or occupancy.

Description

 The present invention relates to a method of counting travelers in passenger transport vehicles, whether public transport systems, of the rail type (trains, metros, trams) or road (buses), or even of transport individual (automobiles).

 With regard to public transport, there is a need for the operator to have a good knowledge of the flow of passengers transported, not only for statistical purposes, but also in order to adapt and improve the quality of service. For example, in the field of rail transport, there is the problem of knowing with sufficient precision, the occupancy rate of passenger trains, this day after day, week after week, month after month, in order to better predict the composition of trains, their timetables and their frequencies according to their occupancy rates.

The simple analysis of the number of tickets sold or the number of cancellations at the station (for trains) or in vehicles (for trams and buses) gives only a very approximate, even skewed, indication of occupancy. a train or other public transport vehicle, due to the uncontrollable data that are
- the fact that a ticket sold is not necessarily used immediately by the traveler,
- the importance of subscriptions or other flat-rate tickets, which do not give rise to a sale or cancellation for each journey made,
- uncertainties concerning the journey traveled by travelers (the same type of ticket can correspond to several destinations),
- fraud, which also constitutes uncontrollable data.

 It is therefore advisable to implement, as much as possible, counting procedures which are directly related to the number of travelers actually borrowing, at a given time and place, one or more specific vehicles, this in the field of transport collective.

 With regard to individual transport, we note the development of tolls in urban areas, and the growing concern of traffic officials to modulate the flow of motor cars by varying the amount of these tolls according to the number of occupants of vehicles, a lightly occupied car being more penalized than a loaded vehicle. Faced with the generalization of automatic tolls, it is necessary to know immediately and automatically the occupation of vehicles.

 Passenger counts can be made by staff, for example by train controllers or toll officers, but they require the staff assigned to this task to devote time and attention to them. It can therefore most often only be occasional counts (counting companies), and not occasional counts (counting campaigns), and not systematic counts. However, it is more useful for the operator to know the average occupancy of its vehicles day after day than to determine, for example only once a year, the exact number of passengers transported.

Means of counting travelers, not human, but technical and if possible automatic, have therefore already been envisaged, according to various principles which, for example for public transport, are
- systems based on weighing vehicles, unladen and laden,
- measurements of variations in traction forces at start-up;
- counts of travelers entering and leaving vehicles, such as trains, trams and buses. It is understandable that these systems, on board vehicles, remain expensive, especially if there are many of these vehicles, without the results obtained being particularly conclusive. Thus, in the case of passenger counting devices, entering and leaving vehicles (see par example documents FR-A-2 286 448 and EP-AO 077 100), it is advisable to equip all the access doors of all vehicles with such devices, which already represents a considerable investment in the case of a rail network. In addition, it often happens that people get on and / or get off a train without these movements corresponding to the completion of a journey (passengers going up and down several times before departure, people accompanying travelers, but do not not traveling). Thus the counting devices placed at the doors are subject to great uncertainties due to the behavior of passengers and other people.

 Finally, in the case of public transport, a non-on-board counting system, such as a counting system installed on the platforms of a station, which appears a priori more economical, would be faced with the problems of the large number of people present, their dispersal and the simultaneous presence of travelers and non-travelers.

 Although it is important to know the origin and destination of travelers, which remains possible statistically by the analysis of ticket sales and by surveys, we come to the conclusion that the counting system, whatever it must be able to count the passengers once they have been installed in the cars, and not while they are waiting on the platform, getting on or off the train, this to provide results directly related to train occupation.

 The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks described above, by providing automatic counting systems, not on board, on vehicles, but which can be installed at a fixed post, while being able to count with good precision, the passengers actually installed at inside the vehicles concerned, as they pass.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is essentially a method of counting travelers in transport systems, consisting in emitting at least one light ray, visible or not, transverse to the trajectory of the vehicles for the transport of the persons concerned and at height windows or glazed surfaces of these vehicles, to capture the light ray having passed right through it at least once said vehicles, and to process the signal representative of the light ray thus received so as to deduce therefrom the number of passengers and / or the occupancy rate of said vehicles.

 In this way, the invention proposes an optical system which is not on board, emitting a visible or invisible ray of light, directed towards a train or other moving vehicle, and whether or not passing through this vehicle depending on whether it is stopped by the structure of the vehicle. , (sheets of railway vehicles, in particular uprights separating the windows), or by passengers, or else that it crosses the vehicle without finding obstacles, spreading through the windows and without meeting travelers. By recording the signal received after crossing the vehicle, we obtain an optical profile which can be used, by distinguishing the number of passengers who have cut the optical beam. This counting mode is made possible by the usual size of windows or other surfaces. glazed in railway cars, buses, coaches and other vehicles for transporting people, thereby providing a counting display case which is judiciously used by the present invention. On this subject, we will also note the simplicity of the proposed solution, in terms of information processing, since this solution is content with the processing of a signal varying in time, and does not require the analysis of a two-dimensional image.

 According to one embodiment of the method of counting travelers which is the subject of the invention, the light beam emitted transversely to the trajectory of the vehicles is a laser beam. This light ray or at least one light ray can be emitted substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicles, or at a relatively small angle, in particular less than 100, relative to a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the vehicles.

The use of such slightly oblique light rays is advantageous in distinguishing two or more passengers seated in the same row of seats. The combination of several light rays of distinct directions, allowing a more complete scanning and a cross-checking of information, is advantageous, to improve the accuracy of the system.

The or each light ray can be emitted on one side of the trajectory of the vehicles, and picked up on the opposite side of this trajectory, by crossing the vehicles only once. This light ray can also be emitted and received on the same side of the trajectory of the vehicles, by being reflected on the opposite side, after a first crossing of the vehicles and before a second crossing of the same vehicles.

 In the case of a laser beam, the power involved must be measured so as to avoid any risk of eye damage for people, while being able to provide good quality measurements, in particular being able to pass through glazing vehicles which are designed, in particular in the case of railway vehicles, to reflect light as much as possible. Commercial lasers of wavelength between 600 and 800 mm, and of a through radiation power between 1 and 5 milliwatts, and in particular close to 3 milliwatts, appear suitable in this particular application.

 According to another aspect of the process which is the subject of the invention, the emission of the light beam (s) is not permanent, but is controlled by a passage detection of each vehicle concerned, for example, by a sound detection. In normal times, the system therefore remains in standby mode, and consumes only a minimum of energy.

 With regard to the processing of the signal representative of the light ray picked up after passing through the vehicles, this may in particular include sampling at a frequency of the order of 1 to 2 kilohertz. For example, a sampling frequency of 1 kHz represents, for a train traveling at a speed of 120 km / h, an interval of the order of 3 cm between each measurement point; at such a frequency, it is therefore very difficult to miss a traveler, and thus the counting system proposed by the invention is perfectly suited.

 In a simplified mode of implementation, the processing of the signal representative of the received light ray includes an analysis by Fourrier transforms, which already has a good correlation with the actual occupancy rate (direct determination of the occupancy rate).

 According to a more complex mode of implementation, the method comprises a determination of the speed of each vehicle concerned and a correction of the signal, representative of the light ray picked up, as a function of the instantaneous speed so as to obtain signals reduced to a scale of predetermined references, before comparison with pre-recorded data. In particular, an expert system can finally make the comparison between the detections, carried out on the passage of the vehicles concerned, and the vehicle layout diagrams as well as the types of location of the travelers in order to give, between the prior occupation of these vehicles , The corresponding confidence interval.

 A set of statistical processing can also be added, analyzing the load variations by categories of travelers, day after day, at the operator's request.

 The invention also relates to a device or apparatus for counting travelers in transport systems, implementing the method defined above.

 This device essentially comprises, in combination, means for emitting at least one light beam, arranged on one side of the trajectory of the vehicles for transporting persons concerned, means for receiving the or each light beam having passed through in part at least once said vehicles, the reception means being arranged on one side of the trajectory of the vehicles and these means delivering a signal representative of the light ray picked up, and means for processing this signal with a view to determining the number of passengers and / or the occupancy rate of these vehicles.

 The emission means and the reception means of the or each light ray can be arranged, respectively, on two opposite sides of the trajectory of the vehicles. According to another configuration, the emission means and the reception means of the or each light ray are arranged on the same side of the trajectory of the vehicles, the device also comprising at least one reflector for the light ray or rays, arranged on the side opposite to the transmission and reception means.

 In all cases, the components of the passenger counting device, object of the invention, can be easily installed, for example on two catenary supports located opposite, on either side of a track. railroad.

 According to one embodiment of the device, the means for emitting the or each light ray are constituted by a laser, in particular a laser with a wavelength between 600 and 800 mm, and with a radiation power passing through between 1 and 5 milliwatts.

 Advantageously, the means for receiving the or each light beam comprise, in addition to a sensor proper such as a photodiode, means for focusing this light beam on the sensor. These focusing means, in practice, a simple converging lens make it possible to compensate for the divergence of the light ray emitted, as well as phenomena such as the roll of the vehicle, the vibrations transmitted to the supports, the thermal expansions, etc.

 According to another characteristic, the device also comprises means for determining the instantaneous speeds and detecting the passage of each vehicle concerned, and also the direction of movement of this vehicle, these means being in particular able to control the means for transmitting the or light rays.

 Anyway, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of examples, embodiments of this passenger counting device in transport systems .

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the counting device object of the invention, in a first embodiment;
Figure 2 is a block diagram of the counting device object of the invention, in a second embodiment;
Figure 3 is an elevational view of a device according to the invention, produced according to the principle of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a block diagram of a device according to the invention, using several light rays;
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the evolution of the signal, as a function of the obstacles encountered;
Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the implementation of an oblique light ray;
Figure 7 is a block diagram of the counting device object of the invention.

 The drawing more particularly illustrates the counting of travelers in railway vehicles 1, traveling on a railway track 2 according to an arrow F, this application however having no limiting character.

 In its simplest principle, as shown in Figure 1, the counting device comprises a transmitter 3, located on one side of the railway 2, and a receiver 4 located on the opposite side of the railway 2, opposite the emitter 3. This emitter 3 produces a light ray 5, which is directed transverse to the railroad track 2, in the direction of the receiver 4. The emitter 3 is placed at a height such that the light ray 5 propagates, in the direction substantially horizontal, at the level of the windows 6 of the vehicles 1, such as the cars of a passenger train (see also Figures 3 and 5).

 The device also comprises means 7 for detecting the passage of vehicles 1 such as trains, in relation to the transmitter 3, and processing means 8, in relation to the receiver 4.

 Referring to FIG. 2, in which the corresponding elements are designated by the same references, the counting device comprises a transmitter 3 and a receiver 4 situated on the same side of the railroad track 2, while a reflector 9 is placed on the opposite side. The light ray 5, coming from the transmitter 3, is thus returned by the reflector 9 in the direction of the receiver 4, the outward and return movement of the light ray 5 taking place at the level of the windows 6 of the vehicles 1.

 More particularly, in the case of railway vehicles 1 considered here, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the transmitter 3 and the receiver 4 can be mounted on suitable frames or consoles 10, fixed at suitable height on a catenary support. 11 located at the edge of the railway 2. The reflector 9 is mounted on another suitable frame 12, such as a U-shaped section, fixed on another catenary support 13 located opposite the support 11 above.

 The transmitter 3 is for example a laser diode, in which case the receiver 4 comprises, as a sensor, a photodiode 14. In front of this is a converging lens 15, making it possible to focus the laser beam 5, by compensating its divergence or deviation.

 While a device with single transmitter 3 and single receiver 4 has been described so far, FIG. 4 shows in principle a counting device comprising three transmitters, in particular three lasers 3a, 3b and 3c arranged on one side of the railway track 2. The laser 3b emits a ray 5b (or rays) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the railway track 2. The two other lasers 3a and 3c emit rays 5a and 5c respectively forming angles -A and + A , for example of the order of 50 and +5, with respect to a direction perpendicular to the railway 2.

The device also comprises, on the opposite side of this railway 2, three mirrors 9a, 9b and 9c which respectively reflect the rays 5a, 5b and 5c towards three suitable receivers, here not shown, but achievable as described above.

The overall operation of the counting device will now be described, with reference also to FIGS. 5 and 6
When approaching a train, recognized by the detection means 7, the device previously maintained in the standby state is activated, the laser 3 or the lasers 3a, 3b, 3c being switched on, and emitting their rays 5 (or 5a, 5b, 5c) transversely to the railroad track 2, at the level of the glazed surface of the cars 1.The or each laser beam can pass right through each car 1 through two corresponding windows 6, without encountering any obstacle, in which case this ray reaches the receiver 4 and is picked up, which results, at the output of the receiver, by a signal S at the logic level <<1 ". Conversely, the laser beam can be stopped either by the sheet metal of a car 1 (uprights located between the windows 6), either by a seat or by a passenger 1 6 that we want to precisely detect. In any of these cases, the laser beam 5 n 'not reached the receiver 4, which results, at the output of said receiver, by a signal S at logic level O. It is therefore understood that the analysis of the signal S makes it possible, taking into account the constructive characteristics of the cars 1, to determine the number of passengers 1 6 or the occupancy rate of the train.

 As illustrated in FIG. 6, the use of oblique laser rays, such as the ray 5a, makes it possible to distinguish and enumerate passengers 1 6 seated on seats 1 7 belonging to the same row. In particular, the presence of two travelers 16 seated on seats 17 of the same row can be recognized and distinguished from the presence of a single traveler, by the fact that the signal S then remains at level 1 for a longer period. In the example considered, and assuming the use of three laser beams as described above, the device can effectively count three people seated on the set of eight places associated with two corresponding windows 6.

 FIG. 7 finally represents a functional diagram of the counting device, in particular of its electronic part. The assembly includes a supply 18 with battery, ensuring the device autonomy of the order of the week, and supplying inter alia the three laser diodes 3a, 3b, 3c, following the detection of the passage of a vehicle here performed by means of two microphones 7a and 7b arranged in opposite directions, and able to thus detect the direction of movement of the vehicles.

 The device comprises a microprocessor 19, provided with an analog-digital converter 20 with two inputs, in particular in the form of a sound digitizing circuit; the two inputs are used first of all for the two microphones 7a and 7b, then as soon as the train arrives, an input is used for sampling the signal delivered by the receivers 4a, 4b and 4c, and amplified at 21.

 Finally, the device comprises a storage unit 22, the capacity of which is chosen to allow storage of the acquisition (and possibly processing) software, as well as the data collected, possibly compressed.

 The standby mode includes maintaining the clock frequency of the microprocessor 19 at its minimum, as well as switching off the lasers 3a, 3b and 3c. The return to the normal operating mode is done by switching to a normal frequency of the microprocessor 19, and by putting the lasers 3a, 3b and 3c into operation.

 Data processing, in particular the determination of occupancy rates, other statistical processing and the editing of results, can be carried out in a deferred manner and in a remote location (if the objective is not the provision of an immediate result).

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this passenger counting device which have been described above, by way of examples; on the contrary, it embraces all the variant embodiments respecting the same principle. Thus, in particular, that we would not depart from the scope of the invention:
- by using light rays other than the visible or invisible laser beam, for example infrared rays,
- by providing a different number of light rays,
- by using all technical equivalents, for example for the detection of the passage of vehicles,
- by using the device for collective transport vehicles other than rail vehicles, or even for individual transport vehicles (cars),
- by carrying out signal processing, with a view to determining the number of passengers and / or the occupancy rate, by all appropriate algorithms

Claims (14)

 1. A method of counting travelers in passenger transport vehicles, for rail or road type transport systems, or even individual transport, characterized in that it consists in emitting (at 3) at least one light ray ( 5), visible or not, transverse to the path (2) of the passenger transport vehicles (1) concerned and at the level of the windows or glazed surfaces (6) of these vehicles (1), to be captured (at 4) on or each light ray (5) having passed right through at least once said vehicles (1), and processing (at 8) the signal (S) representative of the light ray (5) thus captured so as to deduce the number passengers (16) and / or the occupancy rate of said vehicles (1).  2. A method of counting travelers according to claim 1, characterized in that the light ray (5), or at least one light ray (5b), is emitted substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement (2) of the vehicles (1) .  3. A method of counting travelers according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one light ray (5a, 5c) is emitted at a relatively small angle (A), in particular less than 100, relative to a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel (2) of the vehicles (1).  4. Method for counting travelers according to all of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that several light rays (5a, 5b, 5c) of distinct directions are combined, for a more complete scan.  5. A method of counting travelers according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the emission of the light beam (s) (5a, 5b, 5c) is controlled by a detection (in 7) of the passage of each vehicle (1) concerned, for example by sound detection.  6. A method of counting travelers according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the processing of the signal (S) representative of the light ray (5) picked up after crossing the vehicles (1), includes sampling at a frequency of the order of 1 to 2 kilohertz.  7. A method of counting travelers according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the processing of the signal (S) representative of the light ray (5), picked up after crossing vehicles (1) comprises a transform analysis Fourrier, providing a direct determination of the occupancy rate of said vehicles (1).  8. A method of counting travelers according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it also comprises a determination of the speed of each vehicle (1) concerned and a correction of the signal (S) representative of the light ray (5) picked up, as a function of the instantaneous speed, so as to obtain signals reduced to a predetermined reference scale, before comparison with predetermined data, in particular with the vehicle layout diagrams (1) and location typologies travellers.  9. Device for counting travelers in passenger transport vehicles, for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises, in combination, transmission means ( 3, 3a, 3b, 3c) of at least one light ray 5, 5a, 5b, 5c), arranged on one side of the path (2) of the passenger transport vehicles (1) concerned, receiving means ( 4, 4a, 4b, 4c) of the or each light ray (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) having passed right through at least once said vehicles (1), the receiving means being arranged on one side of the trajectory (2) of vehicles (1) and these means delivering a signal (S) representative of the received light ray, and means (8; 18 to 22) of processing this signal (S) with a view to determining the number of passengers (16) and / or the occupancy rate of said vehicles (1).  10. A passenger counting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the transmission means (3) and the reception means (4) of the or each light signal (5) are arranged, respectively, on two opposite sides of the trajectory (2) of vehicles 1.  11. A passenger counting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the transmission means (3; 3a, 3b, 3c) and the reception means (4; 4a, 4b, 4c) of the or each light signal (5; 5a, 5b, 5c) are arranged on the same side of the trajectory (2) of the vehicles (1), the device also comprising at least one reflector (9; 9a, 9b, 9c) for the light beam (s) , arranged on the opposite side to the transmission (3; 3a, 3b, 3c) and reception (4; 4a, 4b, 4c) means.  12. Traveler counting device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the emission means of the or each light ray (5; 5a, 5b, 5c) are constituted by a laser (3; 3a, 3b, 3c), in particular a laser with a wavelength between 600 and 800 mm, and a through radiation power between 1 and 5 milliwatts.  13. Traveler counting device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the receiving means (4) of the or each light beam (5) further comprises a sensor proper such as a photodiode (14), focusing means (15) of this light ray (5) on the sensor (14).  14. Passenger counting device according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that it further comprises detection means (7; 7a, 7b) of the passage of each vehicle (1) concerned, and / or for determining the instantaneous speeds as well as the direction of movement of the vehicles, these means being in particular capable of controlling the emission means (3; 3a, 3b, 3c) of the light beam (s) (5; 5a, 5b, 5c) .