JP2007318674A - Monitoring camera apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring camera apparatus for preventing an object that corresponds to a mask region and is not detected from being detected erroneously even if the object moves out of the mask region. <P>SOLUTION: Even if the object moves in the mask region MA, an image processing section 40 of an image sensor 4 does not output any detection information when the object does not move from the position of the mask region MA by prescribed distance. More specifically, even if a tree Tr in the mask region MA is swung by wind, or the like and then is forced out of the mask region MA, a risk is reduced, where the image sensor 4 erroneously detects the movement of the projection part of the tree Tr as a moving object. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring camera device with a sensor added to an interphone device or the like.

  Due to recent improvements in crime prevention awareness, convenience such as being able to confirm the face of a visitor or recording the face of a visitor when absent is evaluated, and a door phone camera system for residential use has become widespread. In addition, with the widespread use, door phone camera systems have been provided in which surveillance cameras are added as terminals for the purpose of preventing intrusion into houses, and the system is improved so that the surrounding area can be warned.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the schematic diagram. In this illustrated example, an interphone between a doorphone with a camera 100 installed at a gate G of a house H and a doorphone master 101 installed in the house H is used as an interphone. In a doorphone system in which an image of a visitor captured by a camera of the doorphone slave unit 100 as well as a call is monitored by the monitor device M of the doorphone master unit 101 and the image can be recorded, for example, a person is detected on the outer wall of the house H When the surveillance camera device 102 with the sensor for sensor is attached and the human detection sensor detects the intruder in the site 103, the detection information and the image captured by the imaging camera of the surveillance camera device 102 are sent to the door phone master unit 101. The monitoring device M displays the image on the monitor device M and issues a notification on the notification device provided in the door phone master unit 101. 02 by turning the illumination device 104 is provided adapted to provide a threat to the intruder.

  As a human detection sensor provided in the monitoring camera apparatus 102, a human is detected from a heat ray sensor that detects a person by detecting a heat ray (infrared ray) emitted from a human body or an image captured by an imaging camera of the monitoring camera apparatus 102. There is an image sensor.

  By the way, since the image sensor can know the position of the intruder that is the detection target, for example, the area where the tree that is easily misdetected as a moving object (intruder) is shaken by the wind or the like is set as a mask area. Although it is possible to prevent the alarm from being generated even if there is a tree swaying in the mask area due to wind, etc., there is a weak point that detects a change in shadow or light as a moving object (intruder) and issues an alarm. is there.

  On the other hand, although the heat ray sensor can monitor a plurality of detection areas with one pyroelectric element (heat ray detection element), it has a weak point that it is difficult to set a detection area for viewing a wide area. There is a feature that it does not react to the movement of the shadow.

As the above-described monitoring camera device 102, there is provided a device in which both sensors are provided side by side to compensate for the weak points of both sensors to reduce false detection (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-209573 (paragraph 0011, FIG. 1)

  However, even if the area where trees planted in the site 103 exist is set as a mask area, if the tree fluctuates due to wind or the like, and branches and the like protrude from the mask area, the image sensor detects this as a moving object. There is a problem that it will be detected as.

  Moreover, in the case of a heat ray sensor, when the level of a heat ray beam changes due to fluctuations in a tree or the like, there is a problem that this is detected as a person.

  Therefore, even when human detection is performed using the detection information of both sensors, both sensors output detection information, and as a result, false alarms are made, and if these false detections continue continuously, the false alarms may continue. was there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described points, and the object of the present invention is to avoid mistakes with humans even if the non-detection target object corresponding to the mask area moves outside the mask area. An object of the present invention is to provide a surveillance camera device that reduces the risk of detection.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the invention of claim 1 has an imaging means for imaging a predetermined area, and a function for setting a mask area in an area of an image obtained by imaging by the imaging means, An image sensor having an image processing means for detecting a moving object from an image, determining whether the position of the object is within the mask region and outputting detection information;
When the image processing means detects an object that moves out of the mask area, the image processing means tracks the position of the movement of the object for a predetermined time to determine whether the detection information needs to be output.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image sensor and the image processing means are configured such that the object moving on the mask area is a warning target such as an intruder, or the non-detection target object such as a tree in the mask area is caused by wind. It is possible to determine whether or not detection information needs to be output by identifying whether the mask area has moved out, so that non-detection target objects such as trees in the mask area are temporarily Even if it protrudes outside the mask area, there is little risk of erroneous detection of the object as a moving object (intruder).

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the image processing means does not output the detection information when the object does not move by a predetermined distance from the position of the mask area during a predetermined time. It is characterized by.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the image processing means intrudes as an original detection target an object that does not protrude beyond the mask area even if it is swayed by wind or the like, such as a tree originally existing in the mask area. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a tree or the like in the mask area from being erroneously detected as an intruder.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the image processing means outputs the detection information when the number of times that the object is detected outside the mask area is less than the predetermined number of times during the predetermined time. It is characterized by not outputting.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the image processing means reliably detects an object that appears and disappears in and out of the mask area as a tree originally existing in the mask area as an intruder that is the original detection target. As a result, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of a tree or the like in the mask area as an intruder.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, the detection information is obtained by a change in the received light level of the heat ray beam from the detection area set in the area of the image obtained by the imaging of the imaging means. It comprises a heat ray sensor to output, and a judging means for judging an alarm notification based on detection information from the image sensor and detection information from the heat ray sensor.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the detection performance can be further improved and the false alarm can be reduced by using the heat ray sensor together.

  In the present invention, the image processing means of the image sensor determines whether an object moving over the mask area is a warning object such as an intruder, or a non-detection object such as a tree in the mask area is moved by the wind. Since it is possible to determine whether or not detection information needs to be output by identifying whether the object is protruding, an object that is not to be detected, such as a tree in the mask area, is temporarily outside the mask area. Even if it protrudes, there is an effect that the object is less likely to be erroneously detected as an intruder.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a monitoring camera device according to the present embodiment. The monitoring camera device according to the present embodiment is attached to an outer wall of a house and serves as an imaging unit for capturing an image of a predetermined area (for example, a site of a house). The imaging camera 1, the YUV / NTSC converter 2 that converts the YUV format image data output from the imaging camera 1 into an NTSC image signal, and the NTSC image signal output from the YUV / NTSC converter 2 From the imaging camera 1, a monitor system circuit including a transmission unit 3 that modulates with a predetermined modulation method and transmits the signal to a door phone parent unit (not shown) provided in the house via a signal line (not shown), for example. An image sensor 4 that detects a moving object (intruder) from the output image data, and an image area obtained by imaging by the imaging camera 1 is divided into a plurality of detection areas, and the respective detection areas are used. A heat detection sensor 5 detects the presence or absence of a person with a heat beam (infrared ray), and the detection information of each of the image sensor 4 and the heat ray sensor 5 is detected, and a notification / alarm unit 6 is notified based on this determination. And a signal processing unit 7 that outputs a signal for generating sound or lighting a threatening illumination lamp (not shown) that irradiates the site.

  The imaging camera 1 uses a fixed imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS image sensor that images a monitoring area in time series as an imaging element, and A / D converts a YUV signal output from the imaging element into YUV data. It has a function to convert.

  The image sensor 4 includes an image processing unit 40 as an image processing unit and a storage unit 41. The image processing unit 40 includes a contour extracting unit 40a, a moving contour extracting unit 40b, a moving region extracting unit 40c, and a region feature amount detecting unit 40d. , Mask processing means 40e.

  Here, the contour extracting means 40a performs a differentiation process on the time-series grayscale image data output from the imaging camera 1 using a general SOBEL filter or the like to extract a contour image, and this extracted contour A process of storing the image data in the storage unit 41 for a certain period is performed.

  The moving contour extraction unit 40b performs logical synthesis using time-series contour image data, and performs a process of creating and extracting a composite image from only the contour in the moving state.

  The moving region extraction unit 40c extracts the region of the moving object by labeling the composite image obtained by the moving contour extraction unit 40. If the area to be extracted is represented by a circumscribed square area X as shown in FIG. 3, the amount of data is reduced and the calculation process is facilitated.

  The area feature quantity detection means 40d uses the contour image data stored in the storage unit 41 to extract the direction value of the moving contour portion to create a moving direction frequency distribution, and the created moving direction frequency distribution is characterized. As a quantity, it has a function of determining whether the area movement of the moving object is due to a disturbance or a person.

  By the way, the contours of humans have more curved parts than the linear components and have a complicated shape, so the edge directions are distributed in all directions, and the contours such as shadows of structures have many linear components and the frequency distribution in the moving direction. Tends to have a biased distribution.

  Therefore, a moving direction frequency distribution table for comparing and determining whether the moving area represents a person for the moving area is stored in the storage unit 41, for example, and the moving direction frequency distribution indicated by the table and the generated moving direction frequency are stored. By comparing the distribution, it is determined whether the region movement is caused by a person.

  The mask processing means 40e includes a movable object such as a gate in a predetermined area to be monitored (such as a residential premises) to be imaged by the imaging camera 1, and a tree that is moved by shaking of the wind. 3 is a means for setting the mask area MA as shown in FIG. 3 so that it is not detected as a moving object (intruder).

  In the image sensor 4 configured as described above, the region feature amount detection unit 40d of the image processing unit 4 outputs a result determined as a person to the signal processing unit 7 as detection information.

  On the other hand, the heat ray sensor 5 sets a plurality of detection areas as indicated by hatched portions in FIG. 2 as monitoring areas (image areas) captured by the imaging camera 1 and collects heat ray beams (infrared beams) from the areas. A heat ray optical unit 50 such as a lens; a pyroelectric element 51 that receives a heat ray beam condensed by the heat ray optical unit 50; an amplification circuit 52 that amplifies a detection signal of the pyroelectric element 51; and an amplification of the amplification circuit 52 Comparing the output with a predetermined reference value, the comparator 53 is configured to output detection information to the signal processing unit 7 when a change in the received light level is greater than a predetermined value. Note that the detection area shown in FIG. 2 is actually set to have a two-dimensional spread.

  The signal processing unit 7 determines that there is an intruder in the site (monitoring area) when the detection information of the image sensor 4 and the detection information of the heat ray sensor 5 are output, and controls the notification / alarm unit 6 to notify the notification sound. A signal and a control signal for turning on the illuminating lamp that illuminates the site are output, and the alarm / alarm unit 6 informs the inhabitant of the intruder by a notification sound and threatens the intruder by the illumination light. It is done.

  By the way, when a tree is planted in the site to be a monitoring area, if the tree is shaken by the wind, the image sensor 4 erroneously detects it as a moving object. Further, the heat ray sensor 5 also detects erroneously because the heat dose received due to the shaking of the tree changes, and the result signal processing unit 7 determines that there is an intruder based on the detection information of both sensors 4, 5, There is a risk of false alarms from the alarm unit 6.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the mask processing unit 40e removes an area where a moving object such as a tree or a gate is present from the detection target area of the image sensor 4, that is, the mask area MA is previously stored in the image processing unit 40. It is supposed to be set. This setting may be performed by appropriate means. For example, as an initial setting, the operator or the user sets the mask area MA on the screen while checking the image of the predetermined area captured by the imaging camera 1 on the monitor device, This setting data is sent to the image processing unit 40 through the signal processing unit 7 and passed to the mask processing means 40e. Of course, the mask area MA may be set using other methods.

  In the setting example in the case of FIG. 3A, the mask area MA is set within a range in which the entire tree Tr can be accommodated even when the wind is not blowing or the wind strength is below a predetermined value. The mask area MA 'at the right corner corresponds to an area where there is an object that moves with opening and closing, such as a gate.

  By the way, when the wind blows strongly, the tree Tr is greatly shaken and protrudes from the mask area MA, and the movement of the protruding part may cause the image sensor 4 to detect the protruding part as a moving object. Therefore, it is conceivable to set the mask area MA large from the beginning, but in this case, the detection target area of the image sensor 4 is narrowed. Therefore, in the image processing unit 4 of the present embodiment, when the tree Tr moves due to wind or the like as shown in FIG. 3B and the mask area MA protrudes as shown in FIG. The moving area contour extracting means 40a, the moving contour extracting section 40b, the moving area extracting means 40c, and the moving feature amount detecting means 40d are detected in the same manner as normal moving object detection, but do not immediately output detection information of the moving object. By these means 40a to 40d, the position of the protruding portion is masked by moving the tree Tr by a predetermined distance L (wind of the assumed strength) from the mask area MA as shown in FIG. Tracking is performed to see whether or not the object moves by a distance corresponding to the maximum position that protrudes outside the area MA. If the object moves more than the distance L within a certain period of time, it is determined that the object is a moving object. Believe And outputs to the processing unit 7, but if the movement was not no output is judged not to be the moving object detection information to the signal processing unit 7. That is, if the tree in the mask area MA moves in the wind but does not move beyond the distance L, the detection information is not output as the image sensor 4, so the heat ray sensor 5 erroneously detects the detection information as a result of the movement of the tree. Even if the signal is output to the processing unit 7, the signal processing unit 7 does not make a false alarm.

  Note that the detection information may not be output when the moving object is not detected more than a certain number of times within a certain time, not the distance, instead of the distance. In other words, a thing that swings in the wind like a tree Tr pays attention to the fact that the mask area MA protrudes intermittently, and the number of times it is detected as a moving object within a certain time is limited, so this number is counted. Thus, similarly to the determination based on the distance L, the risk of erroneous detection can be reduced.

  By the way, the mask area MA set by the mask processing means 40e when the above-mentioned count number is equal to or greater than a predetermined number less than the number of times that it is determined as a moving object is shown in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. In the case where the tree is moved violently due to wind or the like, it is prevented from protruding outside the widened mask area MA, and the number of times it is detected as a moving object does not become the number of times it is determined as a moving object. It may be prevented.

It is a block diagram of one embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the detection area | region of the heat ray sensor of one Embodiment. It is setting explanatory drawing of the mask area | region of one Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the intercom system provided with the monitoring camera apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Imaging camera 2 YUV / NTSC conversion part 3 Transmission part 4 Image sensor 40 Image processing part 40a Outline extraction part 40b Moving outline extraction means 40c Moving area extraction means 40d Area feature-value detection means 40e Mask processing means 41 Storage part 5 Heat ray sensor 50 Heat ray optical unit 51 Pyroelectric element 52 Amplifying circuit 53 Comparator 6 Notification / alarm unit 7 Signal processing unit

Claims (4)

An imaging unit for imaging a predetermined area, and a function of setting a mask area in an area of an image obtained by imaging of the imaging unit, detecting a moving object from the image, and the position of the object is the mask And at least an image sensor having an image processing means for determining whether or not the region is within and outputting detection information;
When the image processing means detects an object that moves out of the mask region, the image processing means tracks the position of the movement of the object for a predetermined time and determines whether the detection information needs to be output. Camera device. The image processing means does not output the detection information when the object does not move by a predetermined distance from the position of the mask area during a predetermined time. Surveillance camera device. The monitoring camera according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit does not output the detection information when the number of times the object is detected outside the mask area is less than a predetermined number of times during the predetermined time. apparatus. A heat ray sensor that outputs detection information according to a change in a light receiving level of a heat ray beam from the detection region set in an image region obtained by imaging of the imaging means, detection information from the image sensor, and detection information from the heat ray sensor The monitoring camera device according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination unit that determines an alarm notification based on the detection information.

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