JP2006066958A - Intercom with camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the user of a master set to recognize the face of a visitor even if the visitor moves out of the photographing range of a camera after pressing the doorbell of an intercom slave set with an incorporated camera in an intercom system. <P>SOLUTION: A video image of the visitor photographed with the camera 5 of the intercom slave set becomes an image digitally processed by a video image conversion means 10, and is transmitted to a face detecting means 11. The video image is judged as the face of a person by the means 11, and a segmented image is recorded in a video recording means 13 by a control means 12. The user gives an instruction from an input means 16 to the control means 12 to cause a master set display means 14 to display the image of the visitor's face recorded in the video recording means 13. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is an interphone in which at least one camera is provided in a slave unit or other part, and at least one display device is provided in the master unit. In particular, an image including a human face photographed by the camera is used by a user. It is related to the intercom with a camera to be provided.

  In the conventional apparatus, the face of a person who is away from home is photographed as a still image with a camera provided on the handset side, and the user browses the still image stored on the base unit side after returning home ( For example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-33838 A

  The system according to Patent Document 1 has an answering machine function, and when a doorbell is pressed, an answering message is sent simultaneously with photographing by a camera provided in the slave unit. In addition, a system is adopted in which a visitor takes a picture again at the timing of responding to an answering machine message. However, the visitor cannot be photographed when he / she moves outside the photographing range of the camera after pressing the doorbell or when the visitor does not respond to the answering message. In such a situation, there was a situation where the user did not know who was visiting.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem even if the visitor moves outside the image capturing range of the camera after pressing the doorbell of the interphone slave device incorporating the camera. It is to provide an intercom with a camera that allows a person to check the visitor's face.

  An interphone with a camera according to the present invention includes a camera, video conversion means for converting video captured by the camera into a digital image that is electronic information, and face detection for monitoring whether a digital image includes a human face And a recording means for storing a face image that is a part including at least a face in the digital image when a face is detected by the face detection means, a display means for displaying the face image stored in the recording means, and a display An interphone with a camera, comprising: input means for inputting an instruction to display a face image on the means; and control means for displaying the face image on the display means in response to an operation of the input means.

  According to the intercom with a camera of the present invention, an automatically recorded image including the visitor's face can be displayed and confirmed, so that when the visitor moves outside the shootable range of the camera after pressing the doorbell Even if it exists, the user of this intercom can check the recorded face image of the visitor.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a view in front of a building entrance showing a scene in which the camera intercom according to the first embodiment is used. This figure shows a situation where the visitor 6 stands in front of the door 2. The outer wall 1 of the building is on the left side of the left-open door 2 and the door knob 3. For this reason, the intercom handset 4 cannot be installed on the left side of the door 2, which is the same as the door knob 3, and is installed on the right side of the door 2. The intercom handset 4 has a built-in camera 5.

  Further, in the situation of this figure, since the door 2 is left-opening, the visitor 6 tends to stand on the left side of the door 2 away from the front of the intercom handset 4 after pressing the doorbell of the interphone handset 4. . In some cases, the left and right may be exactly the opposite. When a visitor stands in such a position, it may be difficult to photograph the visitor's face with the camera 5 built in the interphone handset 4.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the camera intercom according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. However, the functional part which implement | achieves the conversation by the voice which the conventional intercom has is abbreviate | omitted. In the figure, the slave unit 50 corresponds to a functional block of an interphone slave unit, and the master unit 30 corresponds to a functional block of an interphone master unit.

  In the handset 50 of FIG. 2, the camera 5 is for photographing a visitor and is installed inside or outside the intercom handset 4. The strobe 17 emits light under the control of the slave unit 50. The slave unit display means 15 displays an image on the intercom slave unit side.

  In the slave unit 50 of FIG. 2, the video conversion means 10 converts the video shot by the camera 5 into a digital image so that it can be digitally processed. The face detection means 11 processes the digital image converted by the video conversion means 10 and detects a face image including a human face from these digital images. The camera interphone control means 12 inputs and outputs the face image detected by the face detection means 11 to the recording means 13 for recording and reading. In addition, the control unit 12 performs display control on at least one of the parent device display unit 14 and the child device display unit 15. Furthermore, when it is determined that the face image detected by the face detection unit 11 has insufficient illuminance such that the face of the person cannot be clearly confirmed, the control unit 12 instructs the strobe 17 to emit light. The recording unit 13 exchanges image data between the control unit 12 and a storage medium such as the memory 18. The base unit display means 14 displays an image on the intercom base unit side. The input means 16 is for the interphone user to trigger the control operation to the control means 12 when displaying the recorded visitor image on the master display means 14 or the slave display means 15.

  Note that the face detection processing technology that the face detection means 11 has is a known technology as shown in the following document, for example, by performing digital processing on an image captured by a camera to detect a human face area, The face image is output.

  "Fast and Robust Classification using Asymmetric AdaBoost and a Detector Cascade." Paul A. Viola, Michael J Jones, pp.1311-1318, NIPS 2001, 2001

  "Rapid Object Detection using a Boosted Cascade of Simple Features" Paul Viola and Michael Jones, IEEE CVPR 2001, pp.511-518, 2001

  FIG. 3 is a front view showing base unit 30 of FIG. The master unit 30 has a speaker 32 and a microphone 33 for talking to the slave unit, and a response button 34 for starting a conversation in response to a call from the outside, like a normal intercom. The master unit 30 also includes a display 31 for displaying an image captured by a camera installed outside, and a push button 36 for performing an operation for displaying the image on the display 31. Further, when this interphone with a camera has an answering machine function (a function for recording and playing back a visitor's message while there is no resident), a push button 37 for switching between an absence mode and a home mode, And a mode display lamp 35 for informing the mode by color or lighting. Base unit 30 is connected to a power source through a power line. The master unit 30 is connected to the slave unit via a communication line.

  FIG. 4 is a front view showing the handset 50 of FIG. Similarly to a normal interphone, the slave unit 50 includes a speaker 52 for talking to the master unit, a microphone 53, and a call button 54 for calling a user of the master unit. The handset 50 also has a camera 5 for photographing a visitor's face. Further, the handset 50 has a strobe 17 for notifying a visitor that a face has been photographed and for obtaining illuminance when actually photographing. Furthermore, this subunit | mobile_unit 50 has the indicator 51 for showing the visitor himself / herself the image containing the recorded visitor's face. The subunit | mobile_unit 50 is connected to a power supply through a power wire. Further, the slave unit 50 is connected to the master unit via a communication line.

  Note that the push button 36 provided on the parent device 30 and the call button 54 provided on the child device 50 correspond to the input unit 16 in FIG. When any one of them is pressed, the input unit 16 instructs the control unit 12 to display an image.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart regarding visitor photographing and image recording. Hereinafter, the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 5 will be described.

  When the visitor 6 pushes the doorbell of the intercom handset 4, the camera 5 built in the intercom handset 4 always photographs the visitor. In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the video imaged by the camera 5 is converted into a digital image, which is data that can be digitally processed by the video conversion unit 10, and is captured by the face detection unit 11 (step S101). The digital image taken into the face detection means 11 is verified whether or not a person's face is included using a known face detection processing technique (step S102). If the captured digital image does not include a human face, the operation ends and the next operation is resumed immediately. If the digital image includes a human face, the face detection unit 11 checks whether the digital image has sufficient illuminance (step S103). When it is determined that there is not enough illuminance that the person's face cannot be clearly confirmed in the inspected digital image, the strobe 17 is emitted through the control means 12 (step S106), and the operation ends. . At this time, since the operation of the flowchart of FIG. 5 has been resumed at a cycle that allows the face of the person to be photographed again before the light emitted from the strobe 17 is extinguished, the strobe 17 emits light to become a subject. The human face is photographed more clearly. When it is determined that the digital image has sufficient illuminance, the captured digital image is cut out to a suitable size including the face (step S104) and recorded via the control means 12. The time stamp is recorded in the means 13 (step S105), the operation is finished, and the next operation is immediately resumed.

  In this process, the face of the visitor 6 is recorded in the recording means 13 regardless of whether the visitor 6 pushes the doorbell or not. In other words, when the visitor enters a range where the camera 5 built in the interphone slave unit 4 can shoot, the intercom with camera according to the first embodiment automatically records an image including the face of the visitor 6. Yes.

  After the visitor 6 pushes the doorbell, the visitor 6 moves away from the front of the intercom handset 4 and stands in front of the door knob 3 to move to a place where the camera 5 cannot take a picture. With a conventional intercom, it is difficult to check the visitor's face in such a case. However, in the interphone with a camera according to the first embodiment, a visitor standing even in front of the camera 5 automatically records a face image regardless of whether the doorbell is pressed or not. The user can confirm the recorded face image of the visitor.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart regarding display of a recorded image. In the flowchart of FIG. 6, there is an instruction from the input means 16 by the operation of the push button 36 by the user (step S201). If there is an instruction, the image recorded by the recording means 13 is read out from the latest one via the control means 12 (step S202). The image read out from the recording means 13 by the control means 12 is displayed on the parent display means 14 in a possible display format (step S203), and the operation ends. At this time, the control means 12 receiving the image display instruction displays the latest face image among the face images recorded in the recording means 13 on the parent device display means 14. Further, the next new face image may be sequentially displayed by operating the push button 36.

  If there is no instruction from the user, the operation in FIG. 6 ends and the next operation is immediately resumed.

  According to the intercom with a camera according to the first embodiment, the user presses the push button 36 of the parent device 30 so that the recorded image including the visitor's face is displayed on the display 31 built in the parent device 30. The face of the visitor who has been displayed and moved to a place that cannot be photographed by the camera 5 can be confirmed. This interphone with a camera reflects the face of a person who is currently in front of the door on the display 31 and is different from the intercom shown in Patent Document 1 that displays the faces of past visitors. In addition, this interphone with a camera can emit the strobe 17 by its own means when it is determined that the captured image does not have sufficient illuminance, so that the face of the person who is the subject can be captured more clearly. .

  Further, the face image detected by the face detection means 11 of the camera intercom according to the first embodiment may be only a person face image in addition to an image including a person face together with a background or the like.

  Further, when there are a plurality of images to be displayed when the user displays an image, the display area of the master display unit 14 may be displayed by dividing it into four or nine. Moreover, you may make it display one sheet for every fixed time. In addition, when there is an upper limit on the number of images that can be displayed and a video within the time exceeds the upper limit, a new image may be given priority. Alternatively, the face image detected by the face detection unit 11 may be displayed by a method according to the priority in a preset condition. Further, a method of dividing the display area of the master display unit 14 and displaying a live image on one side and a face image recorded on the recording unit 13 on the other side is also conceivable.

  Furthermore, the user may display the face image recorded in the recording means 13 on the handset display means 15 for the intercom handset.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the camera of the intercom with camera according to the second embodiment is provided with a plurality of photographing devices. In the figure, the outside and the inside of the door are separated by a dwelling unit wall and a door 74. A master unit 30 is installed inside the dwelling unit, and a slave unit 50 is installed outside the dwelling unit, for example, on the outer wall. Users inside the door communicate with each other using the parent device 30 and visitors outside the door use the child device 50 respectively. The visitor moves from the visitor location 71 through the passage 73 to the visitor location 72.

  Depending on the installation status of the intercom with camera according to the second embodiment, it is conceivable that a visitor is present in a range where photographing cannot be performed with the photographing device incorporated in the child device 50 and the doorbell is pushed. In order to cover such a range, at least two photographing devices having different photographing ranges are installed, that is, another photographing device is installed separately from the photographing device incorporated in the slave unit 50. This makes it possible to widen the shooting range. It should be noted that a method of using a wider range of photographing by installing a plurality of other photographing devices is also conceivable.

  In such a system, even if a situation occurs in which a visitor pushes the doorbell without being photographed by the photographing device incorporated in the slave unit 50, the visitor is photographed by a separate photographing device. The face image of the visitor can be recorded on the recording means. In addition, by expanding the shooting range, it is possible to handle shooting of multiple visitors.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
As Embodiment 3 of the camera intercom according to the present invention, at least one photographing machine is installed so as to monitor a main area which is one doorway (for example, the vicinity of the entrance) of a building having a plurality of doorways, If at least one camera is installed to monitor the auxiliary area that is the entrance / exit of the door (eg around the back door), the face of the person who passed in front of the camera will be automatically detected even if the doorbell is not pressed. Since it is recorded by the recording means 13, it is useful as a security measure, for example.

  By installing a camera other than the camera built in the handset of the interphone with the camera according to the third embodiment on a place other than the entrance or door, such as a terrace, a veranda, or a window, from a place where people do not normally enter and exit A face image can be recorded for an intruder. Further, by causing the strobe 17 to emit light, it may be possible to notify the intruder that the image is actually being taken and to prevent a crime in advance.

  When an intruder's face is photographed by a photographing machine installed in a place where a person does not normally enter or exit, it may be possible to notify the intercom user by a method other than when the doorbell is pressed. The face of the intruder can be specified if the recording means 13 can display the face image and time stamp taken for each camera.

  In such a system, by installing a camera near the possible intrusion route into the doorway, it is possible to identify the face of the intruder taken by the camera when there is damage such as an empty nest. . Furthermore, when a resident is at home, an intruder is photographed. For example, it is possible to prevent crimes by sounding a warning sound.

It is a figure in front of a building entrance which shows the scene which uses the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a functional block diagram which shows the function structure of the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an external view which shows the main | base station of the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an external view which shows the subunit | mobile_unit of the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart regarding imaging | photography of the interphone with a camera and recording of an image by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart regarding the display of the image which the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 1 of this invention recorded. It is the figure which showed the example which installs a some camera in the intercom with a camera by Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  5 camera, 10 video conversion means, 11 face detection means, 12 control means, 13 recording means, 14 parent device display means, 15 slave device display means, 16 input means, 17 strobe.

Claims (6)

A camera,
Video conversion means for converting video captured by the camera into a digital image that is electronic information;
Face detection means for monitoring whether or not a human face is included in the digital image;
When a face is detected by the face detection means, a recording means for storing a face image that is a part including at least a face in the digital image;
Display means for displaying a face image stored in the recording means;
An input means for inputting an instruction to display the face image on the display means;
An interphone with a camera, comprising: control means for displaying the face image on the display means in response to an operation of the input means.   The intercom with camera according to claim 1, wherein the face image is an image in which only a face is cut out.   The interphone with a camera according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a plurality of the face images.   2. A strobe for emitting light in association with the camera, wherein the strobe emits light by the control means when the face detecting means detects a human face from the digital image. The intercom with a camera according to any one of claims 3 to 4.   5. The interphone with a camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes at least two photographing machines having different photographing ranges.   The camera includes at least one photographing machine that monitors a main area around a doorway of a building having a plurality of doorways, and at least one photographing machine that monitors an auxiliary area around another doorway. The intercom with a camera according to claim 5.

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