JP2003216940A - Access control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an access control system superior in convenience and capable of picking up a face image of a user suitable for personal identification in a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: In this access control system, the personal identification is performed based on recognition processing of a face image obtained by picking up the image of the user wanting to access, and the permission of the access by the user is controlled in accordance with the authentication result. A camera 10 for picking up the image of the user is fixed so that the image picking up direction A is tilted with respect to a standing surface of the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an access control system for controlling whether or not to permit user access by performing personal authentication based on recognition of a face image,
In particular, it relates to a technique for acquiring a face image of a user suitable for personal authentication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in access control, users try to use the resources in the system.
It is a control that checks whether or not the user has the right to use, so that the user can use the user within the right that the user has. The conventional access control system is realized by, for example, a user's property, confidential information, biometrics, or the like alone or in combination. Specifically, there is a method using a physical key, a card, or the like as access control by the property. In addition, there is a method such as a personal identification number as an access control using secret information. Further, as access control by biometrics, there is a method using a fingerprint, an iris, a face, and the like.

In the conventional access control system, in order to improve the security, it is necessary to combine a plurality of various methods as described above, but the convenience may be impaired accordingly. Therefore, in order to improve security without impairing convenience as much as possible, for example, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-67188, information stored in an IC card or the like and a face image captured by a camera or the like are used. There has been proposed a method of authenticating a user by combining them. Further, for example, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-134166, a camera or the like is provided behind the half mirror to make it easy for the user to face the front of the image pickup means, and the range of height that can be accommodated is wide. In order to improve user authentication accuracy, it has been proposed to take face image data stably by taking measures such as using a plurality of cameras.

Further, the applicant of the present application is unable to directly confirm what kind of face image is actually taken by the conventional method as described above, and the user himself / herself should be in a posture of being easily authenticated. In order to solve the drawback that the user does not know what posture is suitable even if the user intentionally tries to take it, an image display means for displaying the face image actually captured to the user is provided. A technique has been proposed that allows the user to urge his or her own posture adjustment to acquire a face image most suitable for personal authentication (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-162526).

[0005]

However, in the prior art related to the access control system as described above, when a plurality of cameras are provided in order to widen the range of heights that can be accommodated, the authentication device. However, there is a drawback that the configuration of becomes complicated. Although it is possible to capture an image in a wide range by moving the angle or position of one camera, a separate mechanism for driving the camera is required, which complicates the device configuration.

When the image display means is provided to prompt the user to adjust the posture, one camera can be basically installed in a fixed state. Therefore, the structure of the authentication device is relatively simple. However, there is a problem in that it is not convenient for users. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the authentication device is fixed to a wall or the like and the user's face is horizontally imaged by the camera, the user confirms the face image output on the display unit. Meanwhile, the position of the face is moved in the vertical direction according to the height of the camera. For this reason, a tall user must take a bent posture, and a short user must take a stretched posture.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides an access control system with excellent convenience capable of capturing a face image of a user suitable for personal authentication with a simple structure. With the goal.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an access control system according to the present invention comprises:
An access control system for performing personal authentication based on a recognition process of a face image obtained by capturing an image of a user who desires access and controlling whether or not to permit access of the user according to the result of the personal authentication. In the above, the means for imaging the user is fixed such that the imaging direction is tilted with respect to the surface on which the user stands up.

In the access control system having such a configuration, the face image of the user who desires access is captured from the direction inclined with respect to the standing surface of the user. As a result, the user can adjust the face position so that a face image suitable for authentication is captured by moving the standing place while keeping the standing posture. Then, personal authentication is performed based on the recognition of the face image captured as described above, and the access control of the user is performed according to the authentication result.

In the above access control system, it is possible to capture an image of a user who desires to access and a storage means in which personal data including information about the facial features of the user and information about the access right are stored in advance. In the image capturing means, the image capturing means is fixed by tilting the image capturing direction with respect to a surface on which the user stands up, display means for displaying an image captured by the image capturing means to the user, and the image capturing means. The captured face image of the user is collated with the information about the facial features of the user stored in the storage unit to perform personal authentication, and the authentication result and the information about the access right stored in the storage medium. According to the determination means for determining whether or not the access of the user is permitted, and a control means for controlling the access of the user according to the determination result by the determination means. When, it may be be configured with.

In such a structure, the image taken by the image pickup means is displayed to the user by the display means, and the user moves the standing position while checking the displayed image to change the face position. You will be able to make adjustments. The face image of the user obtained by the imaging unit is collated with the information regarding the facial features of the user stored in the storage unit in the determination unit to perform the user's personal authentication,
Further, it is determined whether or not the user's access is permitted, according to the authentication result and the information on the access right stored in the storage medium. Then, according to the determination result of the determination means, the access control of the user is performed by the control means.

Further, as a specific configuration of the access control system, it is preferable that the display means displays the image picked up by the image pickup means coaxially with the image pickup by the image pickup means. This makes it easier for the user to adjust the face position. Further, in the above-mentioned access control system, the determination means may have a function of transmitting the determination result to the control means by a wireless signal, and the control means may have a function of receiving the wireless signal from the determination means. This allows the control means to be provided separately from the determination means and the like.

In addition, as a specific configuration of the above-described access control system, the storage means may be a non-contact IC card, and the determination means may have a function of receiving a signal transmitted from the non-contact IC card. Good. As a result, the personal data is transmitted from the storage means in a contactless manner.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main configuration of an authentication device used in an access control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration of the access control system of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the present access control system receives an image of a user's face and receives personal data transmitted from the contactless IC card 3 as a storage means owned by the user. , An authentication device 1 that authenticates a person based on the recognition of a face image and determines an access right of a user, and a control device 5 as a control unit that performs access control according to a processing result in the authentication device 1.
And are configured. The main characteristic part of the access control system according to the present invention is the structure of the authentication device 1 as shown below.

That is, the structural features of the authentication device 1 are:
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, one camera 10 is installed as an image pickup means for picking up an image of a user's face. Specifically, the image pickup direction A is set with respect to the user's upright plane (for example, a horizontal plane). The camera 10 so that the camera tilts by a required angle θ.
It was fixed in 3 and installed. Also, the authentication device 1
Is a display unit 11 and a half mirror 12 as display means for displaying an image captured by the camera 10 to a user.
And the arrangement thereof corresponds to the imaging direction A of the camera 10. Here, camera 1
The half mirror 12 is provided in front of the imaging direction A of 0, and the image output to the display unit 11 is reflected by the half mirror 12 and displayed to the user. The display is made to be coaxial. Note that the camera 10 may have a function (for example, auto focus) for appropriately capturing an image in a fixed image capturing area.

The authentication device 1 as described above is placed on a table or the like having a required height as shown in FIG. 3, for example, and the user confirms the displayed image with respect to the authentication device 1. Meanwhile, the standing position is moved in the front-rear direction so that the face is located on the extension line of the imaging direction A of the camera 10. As a result, the user can adjust the face position in a naturally standing posture without bending or stretching.

Further, the authentication device 1 has a functional configuration corresponding to a determination means for performing personal authentication using the face image of the user captured by the camera 10 and determining whether or not access is possible according to the authentication result. , For example, as shown in FIG.
A face detection unit 14, a face feature amount calculation unit 15, a wireless reception unit 16,
The face feature amount matching unit 17, the personal authentication unit 18, the access right determination unit 19, and the wireless transmission unit 20 are provided.

The face detecting section 14 uses the image data output from the camera 10 to detect whether or not an image portion corresponding to the user's face exists in the image pickup area by using a well-known image processing technique. Then, when the image portion corresponding to the face of the user is detected, the face image is cut out and sent to the face feature amount calculation unit 15. The face feature amount calculation unit 15 calculates the face feature amount of the user using the face image sent via the face detection unit 14, and sends the calculation result to the face feature amount matching unit 17. The above-mentioned facial feature amount is a numerical representation of the features of the user's face.For example, the shape and positional relationship of facial components such as eyes, nose, ears, mouth, eyebrows, and contours are numerically expressed. It is represented by.

The face feature amount collating unit 17 is a face feature amount calculating unit 1.
The facial feature amount calculated in 5 is collated with the personal authentication information Ic included in the personal data from the non-contact IC card 3 received by the wireless reception unit 16, and the collation result is verified by the personal authentication unit 1
Tell 8. The above-mentioned personal authentication information Ic is information relating to the facial features of the legitimate owner of the non-contact IC card 3, and is specifically a required facial feature amount capable of identifying the owner. . The information transmitted from the face feature amount collating unit 17 to the person authenticating unit 18 may be, for example, the degree of similarity obtained based on the scale of the collation result.

The person authenticating section 18 can contact the non-contact IC card only when the collation result indicated by the degree of similarity transmitted from the face feature quantity collating section 17 satisfies a predetermined authentication criterion (collation matching). The user presenting No. 3 is authenticated as the person who has the right to use the authentication, and the authentication result is the access right determination unit 1
Tell 9. The access right determination unit 19 is the personal authentication unit 18
In the case where the authentication result in indicates that the user is the person, the access right information Ia included in the personal data from the contactless IC card 3 received by the wireless reception unit 16 corresponds to the access control performed by the control device 5. It is determined whether or not it is present, and the determination result is sent to the control device 5 via the wireless transmission unit 20.

The above-mentioned access right information Ia is information on the use right given to the legitimate owner, and is information indicating the range in which the use of resources in the system is permitted. Specifically, for example, when it is used for access control at a door or the like, the access right information Ia is identification information about a room permitted to enter. Further, when used for access control at a ticket gate of a station, for example, well-known commuter pass data corresponds to the access right information Ia. The access right information Ia in the present invention is not limited to the above specific example, and can be set appropriately according to the required access control.

The contactless I for giving the personal authentication information Ic and the access right information Ia to the authentication apparatus 1 having such a configuration.
The C card 3 has, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a data storage unit 30 and a wireless transmission unit 31. Data storage unit 30
The personal data of the owner including the personal authentication information Ic and the access right information Ia is registered in advance, and the wireless transmission unit 31 transmits the personal data of the data storage unit 30 to the authentication device 1 by a wireless signal. To do. Although a non-contact type IC card is used here, the information storage medium of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a known information storage medium such as a contact type IC card or a magnetic card may be used. It is possible to use an information storage medium that can be used and has a form other than the card type.

Further, the control device 5 for carrying out access control in response to the processing result in the authentication device 1 is constituted by including a radio receiving part 50 and an access control part 51 as shown in FIG. 2, for example. The wireless receiver 50 is
The wireless signal transmitted from the authentication device 1 is received and transmitted to the access control unit 51, and the access control unit 5
1 permits the required access to a user who is authenticated as the person himself / herself and is determined to have a legitimate access right in accordance with the processing result in the authentication device 1, and the other users. On the other hand, access control is performed to deny access.

Next, the operation of the above access control system will be described. In the present access control system, a user who wants to obtain a required access permission stands up in front of the authentication device 1 as shown in FIG. As shown in (1), the non-contact IC card 3 possessed is brought close to the wireless reception unit 16 incorporated in the authentication device 1, and the authentication device 1 is made to read personal data such as the personal authentication information Ic and the access right information Ia. At this time, the user uses the camera 10
Since the image and the like imaged in are displayed in real time on the display unit 20, while checking the displayed image, the user's own standing position is moved in the front-back direction so that a face image suitable for the authentication process is captured. adjust.

When the face image picked up by the camera 10 is sent to the face detecting section 14, the image portion corresponding to the face of the user is detected. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the detection processing executed by the face detection unit 14 processes a video output from the camera 10 as a continuous image, and corresponds to the user's face from each image. It is possible to detect a portion to be cut and cut out the detected image portion as a face image of the user. The face image of the user thus detected by the face detection unit 14 is sent to the face feature amount calculation unit 15.

The face feature amount calculation unit 15 calculates the face feature amount of the user using the face image from the face detection unit 14, and the calculation result is transmitted to the face feature amount collation unit 17. In the face feature value collating unit 17, the non-contact I received by the wireless receiving unit 16 is received.
Personal authentication information Ic from the C card 3 and face feature amount calculation unit 1
The facial feature amount calculated in 5 is collated, and the similarity based on the scale of the collation result is obtained and transmitted to the person authenticating unit 18. The personal authentication unit 18 authenticates whether the user is the user based on the degree of similarity from the facial feature amount matching unit 17, and the personal authentication result is transmitted to the access right determination unit 19.

In the access right judging section 19, the personal authentication section 1
If the authentication result in 8 indicates that the person is the person, whether or not the access right information Ia from the non-contact IC card 3 received by the wireless reception unit 16 corresponds to the access control performed by the control device 5. Is determined, and the determination result of the access right is transmitted to the control device 5 via the wireless transmission unit 20.
Sent to. Then, in the control device 5 which has received the transmission signal from the authentication device 1 by the wireless reception part 50, the access control part 51 performs access control for the user according to the determination result of the access right in the authentication device 1. .

As described above, according to the access control system of the present embodiment, one camera 10 fixed so that the imaging direction A is inclined by a required angle θ with respect to the user's upright plane, and that camera. By using the authentication device 1 including the display unit 11 that displays the image captured by the user 10 and the half mirror 12, the user can set the standing position with respect to the authentication device 1 in the front-back direction in a naturally standing posture. By moving to, it becomes possible to easily adjust the face position. This makes it possible to simplify the device configuration as compared with the conventional authentication device, and at the same time improve convenience for the user. Further, since the determination result of the access right in the authentication device 1 is transmitted to the control device 5 by a wireless signal, the authentication device 1 and the control device 5 can be installed separately from each other, so that the authentication device 1 can be provided to some extent. Even if the depth is increased, it is possible to reduce restrictions on the installation location and the like.

In the above-described embodiment of the access control system, the structure in which the imaging direction A of the camera 10 is tilted upward with respect to the upright plane (elevation angle θ) and the user is imaged obliquely upward from below has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the imaging direction A of the camera 10 may be tilted downward with respect to the standing surface (depression angle θ), and the user may be imaged obliquely downward from above. Further, although the camera 10 is provided inside the housing 13 of the authentication device 1, for example, the camera tilted in the imaging direction can be fixed to the outside of the housing. Furthermore, by using the half mirror 12, the image pickup by the camera 10 and the image display by the display unit 11 are performed on the same axis, but the image display method is not limited to this, and the image pickup axis is not limited to this. Any display method in which an image is displayed in the vicinity of can be applied. In addition, the method of transmitting the determination result of the access right in the authentication device 1 to the control device 5 is not limited to wireless communication, and a general communication method such as wired communication can be applied. Also, an application in which the control device 5 is integrated is possible.

[0031]

As described above, the access control system of the present invention captures an image of a user who desires access by using the image pickup means which is fixed by tilting the image pickup direction with respect to the surface on which the user stands up. Then, the face image is acquired, the personal authentication is performed based on the recognition of the face image, and the access of the user is controlled.
Since it is possible to easily adjust the face position by moving the standing position in the front-back direction while still standing upright, it is possible to capture a user's face image suitable for personal authentication with a simple configuration. At the same time, convenience for the user can be improved. Further, by displaying the image captured by the image capturing means to the user by the display means, the user can move his / her standing place while checking the displayed image, which is easier. It is possible to adjust the face position. In particular, if the image pickup by the image pickup means and the display of the image by the display means are performed coaxially, the face position adjustment by the user becomes easier. Further, since the determination result of the determination means is transmitted to the control means by a radio signal, the control means can be provided separately from the determination means and the like, so that there are restrictions on the installation location of each component of the system. It is possible to reduce.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main configuration of an authentication device used in an access control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an overall configuration of an access control system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method for a user to adjust a face position in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when a user presents a non-contact IC card to an authentication device in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a detection process executed by a face detection unit in the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a problem in a conventional access control system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Authentication device 3 Non-contact IC card 5 control device 10 cameras 11 Display 12 half mirror 13 housing 14 Face detector 15 Face feature calculation section 16,50 Wireless receiver 17 Face feature matching section 18 Personal Authentication Department 19 Access right judgment part 20,31 Wireless transmitter 30 data storage 51 Access control section

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kiyoshi Yanagisawa             1836 Otani, Omiya, Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture             This signal Kuki office F term (reference) 4C038 VA07 VB03 VC05                 5B047 AA23 BB04 BC15 BC20 BC23                       CA12 CA23 CB22 DC06                 5B058 CA17 KA02 KA04 KA31 KA38                       YA20                 5B085 AE12 AE25

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A personal authentication is performed based on a recognition process of a face image obtained by capturing an image of a user who desires access, and whether or not to permit access of the user according to the result of the personal authentication. In the controlled access control system, the means for capturing an image of the user is fixed by inclining an image capturing direction with respect to a surface on which the user stands up. 2. A storage means in which personal data including information on facial features of a user and information on an access right are stored in advance, and a user who desires access can be imaged. An image pickup means fixed by inclining an image pickup direction with respect to a surface on which a person stands up, a display means for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup means to the user, and a user imaged by the image pickup means. The face image and the information about the facial features of the user stored in the storage unit are collated to perform personal authentication, and the use is determined according to the authentication result and the information about the access right stored in the storage medium. And a control unit for controlling the access of the user according to the determination result of the determination unit. Access control system according to claim 1. 3. The access control system according to claim 2, wherein the display unit displays the image captured by the image capturing unit coaxially with the image capturing by the image capturing unit. 4. The determination means has a function of transmitting a determination result to the control means by a wireless signal, and the control means has a function of receiving a wireless signal from the determination means. The access control system according to claim 2 or 3. 5. The storage means is a non-contact IC card, and the determination means has a function of receiving a signal transmitted from the non-contact IC card. The access control system according to any one.