JP2008012635A - Personal identification system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a personal identification system capable of improving an identification accuracy of a specific person. <P>SOLUTION: In the personal identification system for performing the identification of the specific person M, characteristic information used for the identification of the specific person M is obtained by a mobile robot R moving to track the specific person M, the characteristic information for identifying the specific person M is selected based on the time information in obtaining the characteristic information, and the characteristic information to be selected is set as the identification information used for the identification of the specific person M to perform the identification of the specific person M. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a person identification system for identifying a specific person.

Conventionally, as a device for identifying a specific person, for example, a self-propelled automatic transfer robot that includes a registrant recognition unit that recognizes a registrant by reading the characteristics of a human body of a registered registrant is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). By recognizing a handling registrant, this device is intended to improve security functions by preventing theft of conveyed items.
JP 2001-287183 A

  However, in such a device, it is difficult to identify the registrant unless the registrant's feature information similar to that is acquired, such as when the registrant's clothes change or the recognition environment changes. Become. In order to avoid such a situation, it is conceivable to store a large number of registrants' characteristic information in advance and identify whether or not the person to be identified is a registrant based on the stored data. However, when the number of data such as the registrant's feature information becomes large, the registrant's unique features may fade and the identification accuracy may be reduced.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve such a technical problem, and an object thereof is to provide a person identification system capable of improving the identification accuracy of a specific person.

  That is, the person identification system according to the present invention is a person identification system for identifying a specific person, tracking and moving the specific person, acquiring characteristic information used for identifying the specific person, and obtaining the characteristic information. Autonomous mobile object to be recorded together with time information at the time of acquisition, feature information acquired by the autonomous mobile object, and feature information for identifying the specific person based on the time information at which the feature information is acquired Selection means for selecting, and identification learning means for setting the feature information selected by the selection means as identification information used for identification of the specific person are configured.

  According to the present invention, the feature information of the specific person can be frequently obtained by acquiring the feature information of the specific person by the autonomous mobile body that tracks the specific person. Therefore, the latest feature information of the specific person can be acquired, and the identification accuracy of the specific person can be improved by using the latest feature information as identification information for identifying the specific person.

  Also, in the person identification system according to the present invention, the autonomous mobile body records position information at the time of acquisition of the feature information together with the feature information and the time information, and the selection unit acquires time information at which the feature information is acquired. It is preferable to select feature information for identifying the specific person based on the position information.

  In this case, by selecting feature information for identifying the specific person based on the time information and position information at which the feature information of the specific person is acquired, the feature information whose elapsed time is longer than a predetermined time after acquiring the feature information In addition, it is possible to prevent selection of feature information in which a point for identifying a specific person from a point from which feature information is acquired is longer than a predetermined distance. Thereby, the feature information which becomes a selection candidate when selecting the feature information can be reduced, and the selection process can be performed quickly. In addition, since only effective feature information can be selected, it is possible to improve the identification accuracy of a specific person.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the identification accuracy of a specific person by acquiring the latest feature information of the specific person with an autonomous mobile body that follows the specific person.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.
(First embodiment)

  FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a mobile robot and a specific person of the person identification system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the structure of the mobile robot, and FIG. 3 is a mobile robot and a base station FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration outline of a control device in a mobile robot, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a base station, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration outline of the vehicle. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the specific person M is a person to be identified, for example, a user, owner, or master of the mobile robot R. The mobile robot R is an autonomous mobile body that moves by tracking the specific person M. The mobile robot R moves while maintaining a predetermined positional relationship with the specific person M. For example, the mobile robot R observes the specific person M and its surroundings in the vicinity of the specific person M based on the observation information. Or follow a specific person M.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile robot R includes a body R1 that can be moved by the traveling device 1, and a head R2 that is rotatably connected to the body R1. The body R1 is provided with a display 2 that can display various messages such as notifications, warnings, and guidance by images and characters. The body R1 includes a battery 3 as a power source, a head drive motor 4 for rotationally driving the head R2, and a control device 5 for controlling the travel device 1, the display 2, the head drive motor 4, and the like. Built in.

  On the other hand, in the head R2 of the mobile robot R, in order to observe a surrounding situation including a specific person M and obstacles (another person, animal, structure, installation, vehicle, etc.) existing around it as a stereo image. A pair of left and right CCD cameras (or infrared cameras) 6A and 6B and a speaker 7 capable of producing voices of various messages such as notifications, alarms, and guidance are installed. The head R2 is provided with an antenna 8 for performing transmission / reception with other mobile robots and base stations. Further, the body R1 is provided with a position sensor 9 serving as self-position detecting means for detecting the self-position of the mobile robot R. The position sensor 9 is composed of a GPS device, for example, and detects its own position by communicating with a satellite. The position information detected by the position sensor 9 is recorded in the database 20. At this time, the position information is preferably recorded together with the time information.

  As shown in FIG. 3, signals can be transmitted and received between the mobile robot R and the base station B. The base station B functions as an information management center that collects information acquired by the mobile robot R. For example, the base station B can communicate with the mobile robot R wirelessly with the base station B. The base station B includes a center control device B1, a transmission / reception antenna B4, and the like.

  In addition, signals can be transmitted and received between the base station B and the vehicle C. The vehicle C is a moving body that the specific person M rides on, and can communicate with the mobile robot R wirelessly with the base station B, for example. The vehicle C receives the characteristic information of the specific person M transmitted from the base station B, and performs identification processing of the specific person M using the characteristic information.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the traveling device 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right drive wheels 1 </ b> C and 1 </ b> D whose rotation direction and rotation speed are independently controlled by wheel-in motors 1 </ b> A and 1 </ b> B, and a 360-degree turn Caster wheels 1E capable of

  The traveling device 1 moves the mobile robot R forward or backward by driving the pair of left and right drive wheels 1 </ b> C and 1 </ b> D forward or backward in the same direction. At that time, if the rotation speeds of the pair of left and right drive wheels 1C and 1D are the same, the mobile robot R is moved straight, and if there is a difference between the rotation speeds of the pair of left and right drive wheels 1C and 1D, of the drive wheels 1C and 1D. The mobile robot R is turned to the slow rotation side. When the pair of left and right drive wheels 1C and 1D are driven to rotate in the opposite directions at the same speed, the traveling device 1 rotates the mobile robot R to the left or right on the spot.

  Here, the control device 5 is configured using hardware and software of a microcomputer such as an ECU (Electric Control Unit). The control device 5 includes a drive circuit for the wheel-in motors 1A and 1B and the head drive motor 4, an input / output interface I / O between the display 2, the CCD cameras 6A and 6B, the speaker 7, and the A / D converter. As a hardware, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and data, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores input data and the like, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes programs, and the like are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 5 includes an image generation unit 11, a specific person detection unit 12, a head drive motor control unit 13, a traveling obstacle detection unit 14, a wheel-in motor control unit 1, and notification information. A creation unit 16, a display control unit 17, a communication unit 18, a timer unit 19, and a database 20 are provided.

  The CCD cameras 6A and 6B capture the surrounding situation including the specific person M, and output the captured data to the image generation unit 11 together with the measurement time information at predetermined time intervals. The image generation unit 11 sequentially generates a stereo image at each measurement time based on the left and right photographing data output from the left and right CCD cameras 6A and 6B and the measurement time information, and detects the specific person along with the measurement time information. The data is repeatedly output to the unit 12, the traveling obstacle detection unit 14, and the database 20 at predetermined time intervals. The timer unit 19 generates time information and outputs a time information signal to the image generator 11.

  The specific person detection unit 12 detects the specific person M based on the image data sequentially output from the image generation unit 11. For example, the specific person detection unit 12 is a captured image based on the image data sequentially output from the image generation unit 11. The specific person M is detected by matching processing with the contour model of the specific person M stored in advance. The specific person detection unit 12 performs a stereo matching process on the detected stereo image of the specific person M, thereby estimating the three-dimensional position of the specific person M every predetermined time based on the principle of triangulation, and Detect data. The specific person detection unit 12 outputs the detected three-dimensional position data of the specific person M to the head drive motor control unit 13 and the wheel-in motor control unit 15.

  The head drive motor control unit 13 controls the rotation of the head drive motor 4 so that the specific person M is positioned at the center of the image, for example, based on the output three-dimensional position data of the specific person M, and the head R2 of the mobile robot R. Rotate.

  The traveling obstacle detection unit 14 performs an edge process on the captured image based on the image data sequentially output from the image generation unit 11 every predetermined time, whereby an obstacle (another person or animal existing in the captured image) is detected. , Structures, installations, vehicles, etc.). The traveling obstacle detection unit 14 performs stereo matching processing on the stereo image of the detected obstacle, thereby estimating the three-dimensional position of the obstacle every predetermined time based on the principle of triangulation, and obtaining the three-dimensional data of the obstacle. To detect. The traveling obstacle detection unit 14 outputs the detected three-dimensional position data of the obstacle to the wheel-in motor control unit 15 and the notification information creation unit 16.

  The wheel-in motor control unit 15 guides or identifies the specific person M while avoiding the obstacle in the vicinity of the specific person M by the mobile robot R based on the output three-dimensional position data of the specific person M and the obstacle. In order to follow the person M, the rotation of the wheel-in motors 1A and 1B is individually controlled to individually control the rotation direction and the rotation speed of the drive wheels 1C and 1D of the traveling device 1.

  The notification information creation unit 16 detects that the mobile robot R is in the vicinity of the specific person M based on the three-dimensional position data of the specific person M output from the specific person detection unit 12 and the obstacle output from the traveling obstacle detection unit 14. Detect whether there is an obstacle. If an obstacle is detected, the speaker 7 is informed that there is an obstacle and is displayed on the display 2 to notify the specific person M of the presence of the obstacle.

  The display control unit 17 receives the display information from the notification information creation unit 16 and outputs an image display signal or a display control signal to the display 2 to perform display control of the display 2.

  The communication unit 18 transmits the image data captured by the CCD cameras 6A and 6B to the base station B shown in FIG. 3 via the antenna 8 together with time information at the time of imaging and position information at the time of imaging. At that time, the communication unit 18 may transmit the image data together with the time information at the time of imaging without transmitting the position information at the time of imaging. Further, the communication unit 18 receives information transmitted from the center control device B1 of the base station B, and records the received information in the database 20.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the center control device B1 includes a communication unit 31, a database 32, a feature information selection unit 33, and an identification learning unit 34. The center control device B1 is connected to a monitor B2, a display content input unit B3, and an antenna B4.

  The communication unit 31 receives image data transmitted from the mobile robot R, time information at the time of imaging, and position information at the time of imaging, and outputs the received data and reception information to the database 32. The database 32 records image data, time information at the time of imaging, and position information at the time of imaging. The database 32 receives a command signal from the display content input unit B23 and outputs predetermined data and information to the monitor B2.

  The feature information selection unit 33 inputs image data obtained by capturing the specific person M as feature information regarding the specific person M, and selects image data for identifying the specific person M based on time information when the image data is captured. . For example, a predetermined number of the latest image data is selected based on the time information, and the selected image data is output to the identification learning unit 34 as image data for identifying the specific person M. At that time, it is preferable to further select image data to be selected based on the position information.

  The identification learning unit 34 inputs the selected image data to the feature information selection unit 33 and sets the image data as identification information used for identifying the specific person M. The set identification information is output to the database 32 and transmitted to the vehicle C by the communication unit 31.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle C includes an antenna 41, a communication unit 42, a learning result storage unit 43, and a target detection unit 44. The communication unit 42 receives the identification information of the specific person M transmitted from the base station B through the antenna 41. The received identification information is recorded in the learning result storage unit 43 and used for identification of the specific person M performed by the target detection unit 44.

  Next, the operation of the person identification system according to this embodiment will be described.

  First, the operation of the mobile robot R in the person identification system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile robot R.

  As shown in S10 of FIG. 7, first, a captured image reading process is performed. This process is a process of reading a captured image captured by the CCDs 6A and 6B. The image data is input to the image generation unit 11 and recorded in the database 20 together with time information at the time of imaging.

  And it transfers to S12 and a position detection process is performed. The position detection process is a process for detecting the position of the mobile robot R based on the signal detected by the position sensor 9. The detected position information is recorded in the database 20 together with image data and time information at the time of imaging.

  And it transfers to S14 and a transmission process is performed. The transmission process is a process of transmitting image data, time information, and position information recorded in the database 20 to the base station B. And it transfers to S16 and a follow-up control process is performed. The follow-up control process is a process of moving the mobile robot R following the specific person M.

  For example, the relative position of the specific person M from the mobile robot R is detected by stereo vision based on the left and right captured images of the CCD cameras 6A and 6B, and the wheel is set so that the distance from the mobile robot R to the specific person M is within a predetermined range. A control signal is output from the in-motor control unit 15 to the wheel-in motor 4 to move the mobile robot R so as to follow the specific person M.

  Then, the process proceeds to S18 where it is determined whether or not the self has moved. This determination process may be performed by detecting its own position based on the detection signal of the position sensor 9 and determining whether or not the position has moved.

  If it is determined in S18 that the self has not moved, the process of determining whether or not the self has moved is continued. On the other hand, if it is determined in S18 that the user is moving, the control process is terminated. In this case, the captured image reading process of S10 is executed again, and the control process is repeated.

  Next, the operation of the base station B in the person identification system according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the base station B.

  As shown in S20 of FIG. 8, a reception process is first performed. The reception process is a process of receiving a signal when there is a signal transmission from the mobile robot R. This reception process is performed by the communication unit 31, and image data captured by the cameras 6A and 6B, time information and position information at the time of capturing are acquired from the received signal.

  Then, the process proceeds to S <b> 22, and image data captured by the cameras 6 </ b> A and 6 </ b> B, time information and position information at the time of capturing are recorded and stored in the database 32. Then, the process proceeds to S24, and feature information selection processing is performed. The feature information selection process is a process of selecting image data for identifying the specific person M from the image data recorded in the database 32. For example, a predetermined number of the latest image data is selected from the image data recorded in the database 32 based on the time information.

  And it transfers to S26 and an identification learning process is performed. The identification learning process is a process of setting the image data selected by the feature information selection process as identification information used for identifying the specific person M. Then, the process proceeds to S28, and a data transmission process is performed. The data transmission process is a process for transmitting image data set as identification information. For example, identification information is transmitted from the communication unit 31 through the antenna B4. When this data transmission process is completed, the control process is terminated.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle C in the person identification system according to this embodiment will be described.

  In FIG. 6, the vehicle C receives a transmission signal including identification information transmitted from the base station B through the antenna 41 and the communication unit 42. The received identification information is output from the communication unit 42 to the learning result storage unit 43 and recorded and held in the learning result storage unit 43. The target detection unit 44 uses the identification information recorded in the learning result storage unit 43 to identify whether the identification target is the specific person M and detects the specific person M.

  For example, a camera (not shown) is installed in the vehicle C, pattern matching is performed on an image captured by the camera using image data that is identification information of the specific person M as an image template, and the specific person M is captured in the captured image. It is determined whether or not.

  As described above, according to the person identification system according to the present embodiment, the feature information of the specific person M is frequently acquired by acquiring the characteristic information of the specific person M by the mobile robot R that tracks the specific person M. be able to. Therefore, the latest feature information of the specific person M can be acquired, and the identification accuracy of the specific person M can be improved by using the latest feature information as identification information for identifying the specific person M.

In addition, although this embodiment demonstrated the case where the result of identification learning by the base station B was transmitted to the vehicle C, you may transmit the identification learning result to the mobile robot R. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a learning result storage unit 43 and a target detection unit 44 are provided in the control device 5 of the mobile robot R. Then, a transmission signal including identification information transmitted from the base station B is received through the antenna 8 and the communication unit 18, and the received identification information is recorded and held in the learning result storage unit 43 and recorded in the learning result storage unit 43. The identification information is used to identify whether the identification target is the specific person M, and the specific person M is detected. Even in such a person identification system, the same operational effects as those of the person identification system described above can be obtained.
(Second embodiment)

  Next, a person identification system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The person identification system according to the present embodiment is configured in substantially the same manner as the person identification system according to the first embodiment described above, and is different in that the feature information of the specific person M is selected in consideration of the position of the vehicle C. Yes.

  In the person identification system according to the present embodiment, a mobile robot R similar to that shown in FIGS. The base station B has the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 5, but the feature information selection process executed by the feature information selection unit 33 takes into account the position information of the vehicle C and the feature information of the specific person M Select.

  For example, when selecting the feature information of the specific person M recorded in the database 32, for example, the feature information for identifying the specific person M from the image data, the position information of the mobile robot R and the position information of the vehicle C are used. Based on this, it is determined whether the distance between the mobile robot R and the vehicle C is within the set distance. If the distance is not within the set distance, the feature information of the specific person M transmitted from the mobile robot R is selected from the selection target. exclude. Then, for feature information other than excluded, a predetermined number of the latest feature information is selected based on the time information when the feature information is acquired.

  As the vehicle C of the person identification system according to this embodiment, the vehicle shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is used. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the vehicle C, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing position information transmission processing in the vehicle C.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the vehicle C includes a position sensor 45 in addition to the antenna 41, the communication unit 42, the learning result storage unit 43, and the target detection unit 44. The position sensor 45 is a sensor that detects the position of the vehicle C, and for example, a GPS device is used. The position information of the vehicle C detected by the position sensor 45 is output to the communication unit 42. Then, the position information is transmitted to the base station B through the communication unit 42 and the antenna 41.

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the position information transmission process of the vehicle C, the position detection process of the vehicle C is first performed (S40). This position detection process is a process in which the position sensor 45 detects the position of the vehicle C. The position information detected by the position sensor 45 is stored and recorded as a part of transmission information in the communication unit 42 or the like.

  And it transfers to S42 and a transmission process is performed. The transmission process is a process of transmitting the position information of the vehicle C to the base station B. Then, a movement distance calculation process and an elapsed time measurement process are performed (S44, S46). The movement process calculation process is a process of calculating the distance D that the vehicle C has moved after detecting the position. The elapsed time measurement process is a process of measuring an elapsed time T from the time of position detection.

  Then, the process proceeds to S48, where it is determined whether the moving distance D of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a specified value D1, or whether the elapsed time T is equal to or greater than the specified value T1. If it is determined that the moving distance D of the vehicle is greater than or equal to the specified value D1 or the elapsed time T is greater than or equal to the specified value T1, the process returns to S40 and the position detection process is performed again. On the other hand, when it is determined that the moving distance D of the vehicle is not equal to or greater than the specified value D1 and the elapsed time T is not equal to or greater than the specified value T1, the control process is terminated.

  As described above, according to the person identification system according to the present embodiment, the latest feature information is used as identification information for identification of the specific person M, as in the person identification system according to the first embodiment. In addition to the effect that the identification accuracy can be improved, the feature information selection process can be performed quickly.

  That is, according to the person identification system according to the present embodiment, the feature information is selected by selecting the feature information for identifying the specific person M based on the time information and the position information when the characteristic information of the specific person M is acquired. It is possible not to select feature information whose elapsed time is longer than a predetermined time after acquisition or feature information where the specific person M is identified farther than a predetermined distance from the point where the feature information is acquired. Thereby, the feature information which becomes a selection candidate when selecting the feature information can be reduced, and the selection process can be performed quickly. Further, since only effective feature information can be selected, the identification accuracy of the specific person M can be improved.

  Each embodiment mentioned above shows an example of a person identification system concerning the present invention. The person identification system according to the present invention is not limited to the person identification system according to these embodiments, and the person identification system according to the embodiments may be modified or changed without changing the gist described in each claim, or It may be applied to other things.

It is a top view which shows typically the mobile robot R and the specific person M in the person identification system which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the mobile robot R in the person identification system which concerns on 1st embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the communication state of the mobile robot R, the base station B, and the vehicle C in the person identification system which concerns on 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure outline | summary of the control apparatus in the mobile robot R of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure outline | summary of the base station B of the person identification system which concerns on 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure outline | summary of the vehicle C of the person identification system which concerns on 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the mobile robot R of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the base station B of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of a person identification system in 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure outline | summary of the vehicle C of the person identification system which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the positional information transmission process of the vehicle C of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Traveling apparatus, 2 ... Display, 5 ... Control apparatus, 6A, 6B ... Camera, 7 ... Speaker, 8 ... Antenna, 9 ... Position sensor, B ... Base station, C ... Vehicle, M ... Specific person, R ... Mobile Robot (autonomous moving body).

Claims (2)

A person identification system for identifying a specific person,
An autonomous mobile that tracks and moves the specific person, acquires characteristic information used to identify the specific person, and records the characteristic information together with time information at the time of acquisition;
Selection means for inputting feature information acquired by the autonomous mobile body and selecting feature information for identifying the specific person based on time information when the feature information is acquired;
Identification learning means for setting the feature information selected by the selection means as identification information used for identifying the specific person;
A person identification system. The autonomous mobile body records the position information at the time of acquisition of the feature information together with the feature information and the time information,
The selection means selects feature information for identifying the specific person based on time information and position information obtained from the feature information;
The person identification system according to claim 1.

Images