JP2002150447A - Bathroom-monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring device, capable of informing an abnormalities when the abnormality of remained persons falling down in a bathroom occurs, even when a plurality of persons take bath in the bathroom and one of them leaves the bathroom. SOLUTION: In the bathroom monitoring device, a sensor detection forbidding means for forbidding a detection action of a human body detection sensor for a constant time, by operating a switch of an instrument provided in the bathroom is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bathroom monitoring device equipped with a human body detection sensor for capturing a motion of a human body and performing image processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, it has been known to provide a human body detection sensor for detecting movement in a bathroom. And FIG.
As shown in (1), an infrared sensor, a CCD camera or the like is used as a sensor to monitor the entire bathroom, and when a human body sensor detects a person (step S1), a human body monitoring mode is set (step S2), and a certain period of time (for example, If there is no movement of the human body (about 10 minutes) (step S3), a warning is issued by a buzzer or the like as an occurrence of an abnormality (step S4). On the other hand, when the bather is in a healthy state (step S5) and tries to leave the bathroom, the human body sensor pays attention to the exiting person, the human body image disappears from the detected image, and when the absence of the person is detected (step S6). Then, it is determined that the person has left the bathroom (step S7).

[0003]

However, in the prior art, when a plurality of persons are in the bathroom, the person remaining in the bathroom stays stopped in the bathtub and another person leaves the bathroom. When the human body sensor pays attention to the exiting person, if the detected image of the exiting person disappears, it will be judged that he has left, so if the person remaining in the bathroom does not move, it is abnormal. Was not notified, and had a difficult point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and when a plurality of persons take a bath in the bathroom and one of them leaves the bathroom, the other person falls down in the bathroom. The present invention provides a monitoring device capable of notifying that the monitoring device is in a safe state, and further improves the safety of the monitoring device.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a bathroom monitoring device according to the present invention includes a human body detection sensor provided in a bathroom for detecting a human body, and detecting information detected by the human body detection sensor when an abnormality is detected. A bath remote control and a kitchen remote control having a notifying means for notifying, wherein a sensor detection prohibiting means for prohibiting a detection operation of the human body detecting sensor for a certain period of time by operating a switch of a device provided in the bathroom is provided. This is the first feature. According to the first feature, the detection operation of the human body detection sensor is prohibited for a certain period of time by the switch operation of the person who leaves, and as long as the person leaves the bathroom within this certain time, the person who remains in the bathroom continues. It is possible to detect and report the abnormal state of the person, and to maintain the safety even when a plurality of people take a bath.

A bathroom monitoring device according to the present invention includes a human body detection sensor provided in a bathroom for detecting a human body, and a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control having notification means for notifying detection information detected by the human detection sensor when an abnormality occurs. A second feature of the present invention is that a sensor detection inhibiting means for inhibiting a detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a certain period of time by operating a switch of an intercom provided in a bathroom. According to the second feature, the use of the intercom telephone call switch detects and reports the abnormal state of the person left in the bathroom without affecting the operation of the water heater or the like. It is possible to maintain safety even if multiple people take a bath.

Further, a bathroom monitoring device according to the present invention is a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control provided in a bathroom and having a human body detecting sensor for detecting a human body, and a notifying means for notifying detection information detected by the human body detecting sensor when an abnormality occurs. A sensor detection inhibiting means for inhibiting a detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a certain period of time by operating a switch of a device provided in the bathroom, and prohibiting the human body detection sensor after a certain period of time. A third feature is that a prohibition canceling means for canceling the operation and returning to the original monitoring state is provided. According to the third feature, the ban can be automatically released, the abnormal state of the person left in the bathroom can be continuously detected and notified, and the safety can be maintained even when a plurality of persons take a bath. You can do it.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an image core circuit constituting one pixel of the image detection unit of the human body detection sensor. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the imaging range of the sensor, the detection range, and the detection area. FIG.
4 is a control flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram between the human body detection sensor, the bath remote controller, and the kitchen remote controller. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a conventional example.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a bathroom 1 and a hot water device 40 viewed from the side, schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is provided. 4 is an entrance to the bathroom. A human body sensor 5 is installed on the upper wall surface of the bathroom 1. The human body sensor 5 may be mounted on the ceiling for maintenance and inspection. The human body sensor 5 of the present embodiment has an imaging device using an artificial retina, and includes a human body detection sensor 51 that captures an image of a human body movement in a bathroom and performs image processing, and an infrared sensor 52 that detects a human body by infrared detection. However, they may be provided separately.

The output of the human body sensor 5 is supplied to a hot water device 40 through a connection cord 41 connected to the hot water device 40 such as a water heater.
And transmitted from the controller 42 to the bath remote controller 60 and the kitchen remote controller 70. The bath remote control means a remote control for controlling the hot water equipment 40 from the bathroom side, and the kitchen remote control means a remote control for controlling the hot water equipment 40 from the kitchen side. Here, the hot water device 40 is a device that heats water for supplying hot water to the bathtub, and specifically includes a bath kettle with a water heater, a heater with a water heater, a hot water heater, a water heater, and the like. I have. The hot water equipment may be not only gas-fueled but also oil-fueled. The remote controllers 60 and 70 for controlling the water heater from a remote position have a display unit such as a lamp and a liquid crystal display unit for indicating that there is a bather in the bathroom 1, and the human body sensor 5 detects the bather. When the detection signal is output from the signal line, the display unit emits light to display. If there is no movement of the bather for a certain period of time, it is presumed that the bather is sleeping or falling down in the bathtub. First, the bath remote controller 60 alerts the user with an alarm sound or voice. Are notified to others by an alarm sound or voice by a kitchen remote controller 70 installed in the kitchen.

The human body sensor 5 and the hot water device 4
A connector 43 for detachably attaching the human body sensor 5 is provided in the middle of the connection cord 41 for connecting to the connector 0. The power for operating the human body sensor 5 is supplied from the power plug 47 and is reduced in voltage and reduced in voltage via the transformer of the controller 42 of the hot water device 40 and supplied. Reference numeral 90 denotes a control unit including a microcomputer provided in the controller 42.

FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the human body sensor 5 including a human body detection sensor 51 using an artificial retinal chip and an infrared sensor 52. Human body detection sensor 51
Is composed of an imaging device 6 that detects a human body and processes the detected image, and a control device 7 that supplies a control signal to the imaging device 6 and determines processing information. And
In addition to the human body detection sensor 51, an infrared sensor 52 is provided in the same case body, the control device 7 is shared, and the monitoring when the bathroom 1 is dark is mutually supplemented.

The image pickup section 8 of the image pickup apparatus 6 comprises an image detecting section 9 having 32 × 32 pixels (= 1024 pixels), an imaging lens 10, a scanner 11, a multiplexer 12, and a scanner drive control section 13. ing. The pixels of the image detection unit 9 are each set to 256 levels of monochrome “level 0”.
(256) from (black) to 255 (white) ".

In the image pickup section 8, an image in the bathroom is formed on the image detecting section 9 by the image forming lens 10. The drive of the scanner 11 is controlled by a scanner drive control unit 13, and controls each pixel row of the image detection unit 9 so as to sequentially enter a light receiving state (on state) at regular intervals. Photocurrents simultaneously output from the pixels in one column in the light receiving state are converted from analog data into serial data by the multiplexer 12, amplified by the amplifier 14, and then input to the image processing unit 15. The conversion from analog data to serial data may be performed by a control unit provided externally or by an IC provided separately.

Each pixel of the image detecting section 9 is constituted by a pixel core circuit 17 as shown in FIG. The pixel core circuit 17 includes a light receiving element 18, a charge storage circuit 19, and a sensitivity variable circuit 20.
The reset terminal 22 is connected to the scanner 11, and the photocurrent output terminal 23 is connected to the multiplexer 12.

In FIG. 2, a gain adjusting unit 16 checks the image average value (brightness of the image) in the image processing unit 15 and, if the image average value is out of an appropriate range, the amplifier 14 controls the image pickup device 6. The gain is adjusted, and the accumulation time of the image detection unit 9 is adjusted by the scanner drive control unit 13 so that the light is adjusted so that an image with appropriate brightness is obtained.

In the imaging device 6 using the artificial retina, the average value of the image is expressed by the gradation (0 gradation (black) to 255 gradation (white)) of all the 32 × 32 pixels constituting the image detecting unit 9. 25
(6 gradations) and is represented by a value from 0 to 255. The average value of the image is determined by the gain of the amplifier 14 and the accumulation time of the image detector 9. Here, the gain corresponds to the aperture of the camera, and the accumulation time corresponds to the shutter speed of the camera. Therefore, in order to obtain an appropriate image average value of the imaging device 6, the gain is fixed to an appropriate gain,
The accumulation time may be adjusted. Alternatively, the gain may be adjusted by fixing an appropriate accumulation time.

In FIG. 2, at least an image detecting section 9 for performing image pickup and an image processing section 15 for performing image processing.
Is composed of one chip. This chip is called an artificial retinal chip. Also, on the back side of this chip,
The control device 7 is provided. The control device 7 is composed of a microcomputer, and incorporates therein, as software, an area dividing means 24 for dividing a detection area for performing a detection process by the human body detection sensor 51 into a plurality of areas. is there.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a point table 25 for processing image information input to the image processing section 15 is divided into a plurality of areas. That is, the imaging capability range detectable by the human body detection sensor (corresponding to the entire point table 25) is firstly changed to a detection area 26 requiring image processing and a non-detection area 27 not performing image processing.
And divided into That is, the entire imaging capability range is not set as the detection area. As a result, a part of the detection processing area that can be detected is used as a sensor detection area for actually detecting and processing, thereby limiting the processing range of the image and increasing the speed of the image processing. Further, the detection area 26 is divided into two areas, a washing area 30 and a bathtub area 31. Further, the detection area 26 may be divided into three areas: a washing area 30, a bathtub area 31, and an entrance area.

The imaging lens 10, the imaging device 6, and the control device 7, which constitute the human body detection sensor 51, are housed in a single case together with the infrared sensor 52. Attached to.

Then, the detection output of the imaging device 6 and the detection output of the infrared sensor 52 are input to the judgment means 32, respectively. The determining means comprehensively determines the presence or absence of a bather and the movement of the bather in the bathroom based on the output from the imaging device 6 and the output from the infrared sensor.

The image detected by the artificial retina is image-processed as follows. The image processing unit 15 receives image information from all pixels constituting the image detection unit 9 at regular intervals. The image processing unit 15 receives the image information at regular time intervals,
The image information is processed and output to the judging means 32 to monitor the movement of the bather.

More specifically, first, the image processing unit 15 calculates the difference (difference) in the amount of received light between the image (previous image) a predetermined time earlier detected by the image detection unit 9 and the current image (current image). I do. Pixels having a positive difference are represented by +, negative pixels are represented by-, and pixels having a difference of 0 are represented by 0. Since the movement of the object can be determined based on the boundary of the image, the movement of the boundary of the image appears as a positive or negative difference there. Thereby, the moving direction of the image boundary is estimated. By looking at the sum of the differences, it is possible to roughly grasp the movement of the person. Further, the above-described analysis method is applied to a two-dimensional image. Specifically, the directions on the pixels are divided into four directions of a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, a diagonally upward diagonal direction, and a diagonally downward diagonal direction. Each time, the difference (scalar) between the current image and the previous image is obtained, the motion in each direction is determined from the image of the difference, and the difference in each direction may be represented as a vector. Then, by averaging the difference vector between the pixel and its surrounding 3 × 3 pixels (optical flow), it is possible to detect the presence or movement of a person in the bathroom.

As shown in FIG. 4, the detection area 26 of the human body detection sensor 51 is divided into two areas, a washing area 30 and a bathtub area 31, and the sum of the differences or the amount of movement is detected for each area. . Here, the amount of motion refers to each region 30, 3
It is the average of the scalar amounts of the optical flows of each pixel for each pixel (scalar average) or the sum of the scalar amounts (scalar sum).

The relationship between the human body detection sensor 51, the control unit 90 of the hot water appliance, and the remote controller for bath and kitchen is shown in FIG.
Is shown in An operation switch 61 is provided on the bath remote control 60,
An operation switch 62 such as an automatic hot water supply switch and a reheating switch for a bath, and an interphone call switch 63 for interphone communication between the bath and the kitchen are provided. Reference numeral 64 denotes a liquid crystal display unit which can display a hot water supply temperature and the like. Reference numeral 65 denotes a setting switch for changing the screen by changing the screen of the display unit. Reference numeral 66 denotes a notification means such as a buzzer for notifying detection information based on the detection by the human body detection sensor 51, a sound notification navigator, or the like.

The kitchen remote control 70 installed in the kitchen is provided with an operation switch 71, an operation switch 72 such as an automatic hot water supply switch for a bath, and an interphone call switch 73 for interphone communication between the bath and the kitchen. 74
Is a liquid crystal display unit which can display hot water supply temperature and the like. Reference numeral 75 denotes a notification means such as a buzzer for notifying detection information based on the detection of the human body detection sensor 51, a sound notification navigator, or the like.

The bath remote controller 60 and the kitchen remote controller 70 are connected to the control unit 90 of the controller 42 by wire cords 80 and 81. The control unit 90 includes a water heater control unit 82 for controlling hot water equipment, and the notification unit 6 which is activated by an abnormality detection signal from the human body detection sensor 51.
A notification operation unit 83 for operating the control units 6 and 75 and a notification release unit 84 that is a notification release unit that releases the notification by the notification unit are provided. The notification operation unit 83 and the notification release unit 84 may be provided on the sensor side. This can reduce the control burden on the hot water equipment side.

The control unit 90 includes a sensor detection prohibiting unit 85 for prohibiting the detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a certain period of time by an ON signal by operating the intercom telephone call switch 63, and a detection unit of the human body detection sensor after a certain period of time. Prohibition releasing means 86 for releasing the prohibition operation and returning to the original monitoring state is provided. The command to the sensor detection inhibiting means 85 is not limited to the switch 63 of the intercom, but may be the setting switch 65 or a switch of another device provided in the bathroom, for example, a switch of a lighting device.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the human body monitoring. In the flow of FIG. 5, when entering the bathroom, first, the infrared sensor 52 detects the temperature of the person and turns on (step S10). When the infrared sensor 52 is turned on, the human body detection sensor 51 starts operating, and detects the human body by detecting the amount of movement (step S11), thereby entering the human body monitoring state (step S15). The reason why the infrared sensor 52 is used together is to speed up the operation of the human body detection sensor 51 by turning on the infrared sensor 52 first in order to turn on the weak points of the human body detection sensor 51 whose sensing start speed is slow when the bathroom is dark.

Also, when the user leaves the bathroom, the infrared sensor 52 is turned off (No in step S12), and the human body detection sensor 51 does not detect the amount of movement (No in step S13). Is determined to have left the bathroom (step S14). Since the bath temperature may be erroneously determined as the human body temperature by using only the infrared sensor 52, the weak point of the infrared sensor 52 is complemented by using the human body detection sensor 51.

During the monitoring of the human body, the human body is imaged at regular intervals by the imaging device 8 as described above.
By comparing and processing the previous image and the current image, the stationary state of the human body is detected. When the movement of the human body stops (in the case of YES in step S16), if the stop state continues for a certain period of time (in the case of YES in step S17), it is determined to be abnormal, and a signal is output from the determination unit 32.
Informing means 66 and 75 such as a buzzer via an informing operation unit 83
(Step S18).

After the notification, it is necessary to cancel the notification. As a method of canceling the notification, the notification is canceled by determining that the human body has moved again after the notification (step S19). As a result, in the case where the vehicle has stopped in the bathtub for a certain period of time or more and then started to move, it can be estimated that there is no abnormal state. Therefore, a signal is output from the sensor side to the notification release unit 84, and the notification operation unit 83 is notified of 84
As a result, the notification is automatically released, and the monitoring flow is resumed (step S15).

Also, when a family member who knows an abnormal state in the bathroom by the notification calls the intercom of the bathroom remote controller using the intercom of the kitchen remote controller and receives a response from the bathroom, the abnormal condition is maintained in the same manner as described above. Since it can be inferred that there is no notification, the notification is canceled by the signal, and the monitoring flow is set again (step S15).
The signal for canceling the notification may be given, for example, by an ON signal of the intercom call switch 73 of the kitchen remote controller.

Next, when the operation stop is not detected during the monitoring of the human body (No in step S16), when another person enters the bathtub and stops, another bather leaves the bathroom. In this case, the intercom switch 63 provided on the bath remote controller is turned on (step S20). In response to this operation signal, the sensor detection inhibiting means 8
The detection operation of the sensor that has detected the movement of the departure person via 5 is prohibited (step S21). By prohibiting the detection operation of this sensor for a certain time (step S22),
The amount of movement of the exit person is not detected in the time required for the exit person to leave the bathroom.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, the prohibition state is released by a timer or the like via the prohibition releasing means 86.
It is again monitored. Therefore, it is not determined that the person has left, and when the movement of the person remaining in the bathtub or the like stops continuously for a predetermined period of time (Yes in step S24 and Yes in step S17), an abnormality is detected. The presence is notified (step S18). When the last person leaves the bathroom, the switch 63 is not operated (step S20).
If no), leave the bathroom.

The above-described embodiment shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this, and various design changes can be made within the scope.
For example, in the present embodiment, the system bathroom has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example and can be installed in other existing bathrooms. In addition, although a sensor having a small number of pixels is used as the human body detection sensor, the same effect can be expected by using an image sensor using a CCD.

[0037]

According to the present invention, the detection operation of the human body detection sensor is prohibited for a certain period of time by operating a switch when leaving the bathroom, and as long as the person leaves the bathroom within this certain period of time, the operation continues to the bathroom. It is possible to detect and report the abnormal state of the left person, and to maintain the safety even if a plurality of people take a bath. In addition, by using the intercom switch for calling, it is possible to continuously detect and notify the abnormal state of the person left in the bathroom without affecting the operation of the water heater or the like, and a plurality of persons can be notified. Even if you take a bath, you can maintain safety. In addition, the ban can be canceled automatically,
An abnormal state of a person left in the bathroom can be continuously detected and notified, and safety can be maintained even when a plurality of people take a bath.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an image core circuit forming one pixel of an image detection unit of the human body detection sensor.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between an imaging range of a sensor, a detection range, and a detection area.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a remote controller and a controller according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bathroom 2 Bathtub 3 Washing place 4 Doorway 5 Human body sensor 6 Imaging device 7 Control device 9 Image detection part 15 Image processing part 17 Image core circuit 24 Area division means 26 Detection area 30 Washing area 31 Bath area 32 Judgment means 40 Hot water equipment 42 controller 47 power plug 50 human body sensor 51 human body detection sensor 52 infrared sensor 60 bath remote control 62 operation switch 63 switch 70 kitchen remote control 85 sensor detection prohibiting means 86 prohibition releasing means 90 control unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tadahiko Oshio 93, Edo-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture Inside Noritz Co., Ltd. Noritz F-term (reference) 2D032 GA00 5C086 AA22 BA04 CA12 CA28 CB16 CB36 DA08 DA20 DA33 DA40 EA13 EA43 FA02 FA06

Claims (3)

[Claims] An apparatus comprising: a human body detection sensor provided in a bathroom for detecting a human body; and a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control having notification means for notifying detection information detected by the human body detection sensor when an abnormality occurs. A bathroom monitoring device comprising sensor detection inhibiting means for inhibiting a detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a certain period of time by operating a switch of the provided device. 2. A device comprising a human body detection sensor provided in a bathroom for detecting a human body, and a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control having notification means for notifying detection information detected by the human body detection sensor when an abnormality occurs. A bathroom monitoring device comprising sensor detection inhibiting means for inhibiting a detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a predetermined time by operating a switch of an intercom provided. 3. A bathroom remote control device comprising: a human body detection sensor provided in a bathroom for detecting a human body; and a bath remote control and a kitchen remote control having notification means for notifying detection information detected by the human body detection sensor when an abnormality occurs. A sensor detection prohibiting means for prohibiting the detection operation of the human body detection sensor for a certain period of time by operating a switch of the provided device is provided, and after a certain period of time, the prohibition operation of the human body detection sensor is released to monitor the original. A bathroom monitoring device comprising a prohibition canceling means for returning to a state.