JP2023097059A - Component shielding device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a component shielding device which can conceal a component of a camera or the like without giving the sense of discomfort such that the existence of the component is not noticed from a person in the periphery.SOLUTION: A face image acquisition system 10 comprises a camera 11, a light guide plate 12, an LED 13 and a control device 20. The camera 11 is provided so as to acquire a face image of a person and performs imaging within a prescribed imaging range. The light guide plate 12 performs the desired display by reflecting light incident from a prescribed direction on the inside thereof and emitting the reflected light from a second surface opposite to a first surface facing the camera 11 and has the light permeability. The LED 13 makes light incident from the prescribed direction on the light guide plate 12. The control device 20 causes the light guide plate 12 to perform the desired display by causing the LED 13 to emit light to the light guide plate 12 such that the camera 11 and a flashlight 14 arranged adjacently to the first surface side opposite to an emission surface of the light guide plate 12 cannot be visually recognized from the second surface side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to component shielding devices for shielding to conceal components.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, camera systems that perform face authentication and attribute discrimination using surveillance cameras have been developed for crime prevention and digital marketing.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a switch signal is output from any of the push-button switches when an incident or the like occurs, in order to make it possible to photograph a person's face from the front in order to improve the accuracy of face authentication and attribute discrimination. Disclosed is a monitoring system in which sound, light, etc. are generated from a triggering signal generator installed near a monitoring camera, which is input to a control device.

JP-A-7-38786 JP 2011-195227 A

However, the above conventional monitoring system has the following problems.
That is, in the monitoring system disclosed in the above publication, in order to photograph a person's face from the front, it is configured to emit sound and light from the direction of the monitoring camera so that the person's face is directed, which makes the person concerned feel uncomfortable. might give.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a component shielding device capable of hiding a component such as a camera from people in the surroundings without giving a sense of discomfort.

A component shielding device according to a first invention includes a light guide plate, a first light source section, and a control section. The light guide plate internally reflects light incident from the incident surface and emits the light from the exit surface, thereby performing desired display when viewed from the exit surface side, and has light transmittance. The first light source unit causes light to enter the light guide plate from the incident surface. The control unit irradiates the light guide plate with light from the first light source unit so that the components arranged adjacent to the first surface side opposite to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate are invisible from the light emitting surface side. to cause the light guide plate to perform desired display.

Here, in order to comfortably hide the components arranged adjacently on the opposite side of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, the incident surface of the light guide plate is irradiated with light to display a desired image when viewed from the emitting surface side. By doing so, the constituent parts are made invisible to the person on the exit surface side.
Here, the components include, for example, cameras installed for various purposes such as monitoring, watching, and marketing, a light source for emitting flash light to attract people's attention, and sound information such as music. including a sound information output unit such as a speaker that outputs

For example, the light guide plate internally reflects light incident from an incident surface such as an end face and emits the light from the exit surface, thereby providing a specific display (interesting information, advertisement, etc.) when viewed from the exit surface side. display. In addition, since the light guide plate is light transmissive, in a state where light is not incident, the components arranged adjacent to the first surface side can be visually recognized when viewed from the second surface side. , in a state where light is incident, when viewed from the second surface side, the components arranged adjacent to the first surface side become invisible.

It should be noted that "invisible" may mean that the component can be visually recognized through the light guide plate to such an extent that the component cannot be specified, and does not have to be completely invisible.
The first light source unit is, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and irradiates the incident surface of the light guide plate with light.
As a result, the control unit controls the first light source unit to display a desired display on the light guide plate, so that the components arranged adjacent to the back side of the light guide plate as seen from a person who turned to the direction of the light guide plate. can be switched to be invisible, or the component can be visible when not displayed.
As a result, it is possible to hide the existence of components such as a camera from people in the surroundings, as necessary, without giving a sense of discomfort.

A component shielding device according to a second aspect of the invention is the component shielding device according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the component is a camera that captures an image of the exit surface side of the light guide plate.
As a result, for example, images captured by cameras can be acquired and used for various purposes without the presence of a security camera, a monitoring camera, a camera installed for marketing, or the like being noticed.

A component shielding device according to a third invention is the component shielding device according to the first or second invention, wherein the component is a second light source section that irradiates flash light from the exit surface of the light guide plate. .
As a result, for example, when the second light source unit is provided in combination with a security camera, a monitoring camera, etc., the presence of the second light source unit is not noticed, and by emitting the flash light, the light is emitted. A face image of a person who is facing a direction can be photographed by a camera from almost the front.

A component shielding device according to a fourth invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the component transmits sound information toward the exit surface side of the light guide plate. This is a sound information output unit for output.
As a result, for example, when a sound information output unit such as a speaker is provided in combination with a security camera, a monitoring camera, or the like, sound information such as music can be transmitted without the existence of the sound information output unit being noticed. is output, the face image of the person facing the direction of the sound can be captured by the camera from almost the front.

A component shielding device according to a fifth invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the control unit controls the first light source unit so that the light is always turned on. to control.
As a result, the lighting control is performed so that the light is always turned on from the first light source unit, so that the components such as the camera, which are arranged adjacent to the first surface side opposite to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, It can always be made invisible from the exit surface side.

A component shielding device according to a sixth aspect of the invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the light guide plate receives light emitted from the first light source unit. , to display a pattern that attracts people's attention when viewed from the exit surface side.
As a result, the display of the light guide plate attracts people's attention, so that the faces of surrounding people can be turned toward the light guide plate without being noticed by the presence of the components on the back side of the light guide plate.

A component shielding device according to a seventh invention is the component shielding device according to the sixth invention, wherein the light guide plate displays at least one of a clock, a calendar, and a weather forecast when light is incident from the first light source unit. display.
As a result, information such as clocks, calendars, weather forecasts, etc., which people tend to be interested in, is displayed on the light guide plate, so that the faces of people around them can be turned toward the light guide plate, and the back side of the information can be displayed. Parts can be hidden.

A component shielding device according to an eighth invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the first to seventh inventions, wherein the control unit time-divisionally irradiates the light from the first light source unit to control.
As a result, the first light source unit is controlled to irradiate light onto the light guide plate in a time division manner, and, for example, at a timing when light is not being irradiated from the first light source unit, the By acquiring the image with the camera, it is possible to acquire a clearer image without being affected by the light from the first light source.

A component shielding device according to a ninth invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the first to eighth inventions, wherein the controller switches the direction of light incident on the light guide plate. to switch between a plurality of patterns displayed on the light guide plate.
As a result, when a specific display is displayed on the light guide plate and the target person is turned around, the pattern that attracts more interest is switched and displayed, or information that people are likely to be interested in, such as weather forecasts, clocks, calendars, etc. By displaying , it is possible to make the user gaze at the direction of the light guide plate.

A component shielding device according to a tenth invention is the component shielding device according to the ninth invention, wherein fine prisms corresponding to a plurality of patterns are arranged in a plurality of patterns inside the light guide plate. .
Accordingly, since the fine prisms are provided in a plurality of patterns, a plurality of displays can be switched on the light guide plate.

A component shielding device according to an eleventh invention is the component shielding device according to the second invention, further comprising a human behavior monitoring unit that monitors behavior of a person within an imaging range of the camera.
As a result, in the case where the component equipment is a camera, for example, by monitoring the behavior of a suspicious person such as a person who has repeatedly traveled to the same place, if the person is determined to be a person to be monitored, that person A face image can be acquired in a state in which a specific display is made on the light guide plate and the target person is turned around.

A component shielding device according to a twelfth invention is the component shielding device according to the eleventh invention, wherein the control unit performs specific display according to the attributes of the person looking at the direction of the camera, Control the first light source.
As a result, for example, when a light guide plate is installed as a display for a specific product in a department store, etc., an effective display of advertisements, etc., can be displayed in accordance with the attributes of a person who is interested in the specific product and stops. It can be performed.

A component shielding device according to a thirteenth invention is the component shielding device according to the twelfth invention, wherein the specific display includes advertisements and information of interest to persons.
As a result, for example, when a light guide plate is installed as a display for a specific product in a department store, the light guide plate displays advertisements and information that attract the interest of a person who is interested in the specific product and stops. By doing so, a more effective advertising effect can be obtained.

A component shielding device according to a fourteenth invention is the component shielding device according to any one of the eleventh to thirteenth inventions, wherein the facial recognition of the person captured by the camera exceeds a predetermined judgment value. It further includes a face authentication propriety determination unit that determines whether or not the face authentication has occurred.
By determining whether or not the face image captured by the camera is suitable for face recognition, for example, the display of the light guide plate is switched until a face image that can be used for face recognition is obtained. By performing such controls, it is possible to more reliably obtain a face image suitable for face authentication.

A component shielding device according to a fifteenth aspect of the invention is the component shielding device according to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, wherein the storage unit stores a face image of a specific person in advance, and the judgment result in the face authentication propriety judgment unit is determined. A person collation unit is further provided for collating the face image of the person captured by the camera with the face image of the specific person stored in the storage unit when the value is greater than or equal to the value.
As a result, by comparing the face image stored in the storage unit with the face image captured by the camera, for example, the face of a target person registered as a suspicious person or an elderly person who may be wandering around is matched. It can be determined whether

A component shielding device according to a sixteenth invention is the component shielding device according to the fifteenth invention, wherein as a result of matching in the person matching unit, a face image of a person captured by a camera and a specific prestored An alarm unit is further provided for judging the person as a suspicious person and issuing an alarm when it is determined that the face image of the person does not match.
As a result, for example, when the face images stored in advance in the storage unit in a facility for the elderly are of a specific person such as a facility resident and staff of the facility, a person who does not match the facility resident is found. In such a case, it can be determined that an intrusion by a suspicious person has occurred, and an alarm can be issued.

A component shielding device according to a seventeenth invention is the component shielding device according to the fifteenth invention, in which as a result of matching in the person matching unit, the facial image of the person captured by the camera and the previously stored specific The apparatus further includes an alarm unit that issues an alarm when it is determined that the facial image matches the person's face image.
As a result, for example, when the face image stored in advance in the storage unit is a specific person such as a dangerous person at a station, a shopping street, various facilities, etc. where an unspecified number of people come and go, If so, it can be determined that there is a dangerous person, etc., and an alarm can be issued.

According to the component shielding device according to the present invention, it is possible to hide the presence of a component such as a camera from people in the surroundings without giving a sense of discomfort.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a face image acquisition system according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged conceptual diagram showing a configuration around an LED and a light guide plate included in the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; 4 is a graph showing pulse signals transmitted by time-division control for LEDs in the facial image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first mode state under the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a second mode state under the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing of a face image acquisition method in the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing of a face image acquisition method in the face image acquisition system of FIG. 1; FIG.

A facial image acquisition system (component shielding device) 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG.
In addition, in this embodiment, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and redundant descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary verbosity in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.
Applicants also provide the accompanying drawings and the following description for a full understanding of the invention by those skilled in the art, and are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter thereby. do not have.

(1) Configuration of Face Image Acquisition System 10 The face image acquisition system 10 according to the present embodiment, for example, is an environment where a specific person resides and a specific staff member works, such as a facility for the elderly. In order to monitor whether there is an intrusion, the camera 11 is hidden by the light guide plate 12, and an image including the face of a person in the photographing range is acquired by the camera 11.例文帳に追加As shown in FIG. 1, the face image acquisition system 10 includes a camera (component) 11, a light guide plate 12, an LED (first light source) (component) 13, and a flashlight (second light source) ( A component) 14 , a speaker (sound information output unit) (component) 15 , and a control device 20 .

The camera 11 has a substantially dome-like shape, and is installed, for example, on the wall surface of an area where elderly people, etc., who may wander about, are watched over in a facility for the elderly. is filming. Images (videos) continuously shot by the camera 11 are acquired by the image acquisition unit 21 (see FIG. 3) in the control device 20 . As shown in FIG. 1, the camera 11 is arranged on the back side (the first surface 12b (see FIG. 2)) of the light guide plate 12, and photographs a person in the photographing range.

As shown in FIG. 1, the light guide plate 12 is arranged adjacent to the light irradiation surface side of the flashlight 14, and when the light emitted from the LED 13 is incident, the light guide plate 12 passes through a predetermined fine prism 12d (see FIG. 2). The reflected light is emitted from the second surface 12c to display a pattern or the like according to the pattern of the fine prisms 12d.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the light guide plate 12 has an end surface (incident surface) 12a on which the light emitted from the LED 13 is incident, a first surface (reflective surface) 12b, and a second surface (output surface). ) 12c and a fine prism 12d.

As shown in FIG. 2, the end face 12a is arranged at a position facing the LED 13, and the light emitted from the LED 13 is incident thereon.
The first surface 12b, as shown in FIG. 1, is the surface of the light guide plate 12 adjacent to the flashlight 14, and as shown in FIG. there is

As shown in FIG. 2, the second surface 12c is an emission surface opposite to the first surface 12b, and is arranged on the imaging target side of the camera 11. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the fine prism 12d is formed on the inner surface side of the first surface 12b and has a substantially triangular shape when viewed in cross section. Further, the fine prisms 12d are formed in a predetermined pattern according to the design displayed on the light guide plate 12. FIG.

As a result, the light emitted from the LED 13 and incident from the end surface 12a is reflected by the fine prisms 12d formed in a predetermined pattern and emitted from the second surface (exit surface) 12c, thereby reaching the second surface 12c side (photographing). A pattern or the like can be displayed from the perspective of a person on the range side.
Here, when the light emitted from the LED 13 enters the light guide plate 12 and a pattern or the like is displayed on the light guide plate 12, the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 arranged on the back side through the light guide plate 12 It becomes invisible, and the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 can be hidden by the light guide plate 12.例文帳に追加

As a result, a person who sees the light guide plate 12 on which the pattern or the like is displayed does not notice the presence of the camera 11 or the flashlight 14 on the back side thereof, so that it is possible to avoid giving an uncomfortable feeling. can.
In addition, since the light guide plate 12 is light transmissive, as shown in FIG. 2, the flash light emitted from the flash light 14 arranged adjacent to the first surface 12b is not attenuated and is substantially The light is emitted to the shooting space side as it is. At this time, if the light guide plate 12 is displaying a pattern or the like, the flash light is superimposed on the light emitted from the LED 13 and emitted from the second surface 12c, which is the emission surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the LED (first light source) 13 is arranged at a position facing the lower end surface 12a of the light guide plate 12, and irradiates the end surface 12a with light. . Light emitted from the LED 13 is reflected by a fine prism 12d formed on the inner surface side of the first surface 12b, and emitted from the second surface 12c side toward the shooting space, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. .

Here, most of the light emitted from the LED 13 is emitted from the second surface 12c side as shown in FIG. 2, but part of it is also emitted from the first surface 12b side. Even a small amount of light emitted from the side of the first surface 12b may degrade the quality of the image captured by the camera 11 arranged on the side of the first surface 12b.
For this reason, in the facial image acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment, a predetermined pulse signal (see FIG. 4) is transmitted to the LED 13 so that the lighting is controlled in a time-division manner in which the LED 13 is repeatedly turned on and off for a predetermined period of time. It controls the LED 13 . Then, the image acquisition unit 21 acquires an image captured at the timing when the LED 13 is turned off from the camera 11, thereby acquiring a high-definition image without being adversely affected by a small amount of light from the first surface 12b. be able to.

The flashlight (second light source section) 14 is arranged adjacent to the first surface 12b side of the light guide plate 12 as shown in FIG. The flashlight 14 emits flashlight at desired timing according to information included in the image captured by the camera 11 .
The flash light is recognized as stimulus information for a person within the photographing range of the camera 11, and is expected to involuntarily turn to the direction of the light guide plate 12 from which the flash light was emitted. Therefore, the face of a person who turns toward the light guide plate 12 can be photographed almost from the front by the camera 11 arranged near the light guide plate 12 .
The flash light may be white light or colored light such as red.

The speaker (sound information output unit) 15 is attached to a wall surface or the like near the light guide plate 12 and below the flashlight 14, as shown in FIG. The speaker 15 outputs sound information such as sound effects or music that attracts people's attention according to image information (for example, a suspicious person has entered the facility) captured by the camera 11 .

Next, a detailed configuration of the control device 20 will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 20 includes an image acquisition unit 21, a human behavior monitoring unit 22, a face authentication availability determination unit 23, a face authentication failure count unit 24, a count determination unit 25, a flash/sound A control unit 26 , a face authentication unit 27 , a person matching unit 28 , a determination unit 29 , a warning generation unit 30 , a face image DB 31 and a light source control unit 32 are provided.

The image acquiring unit 21 synchronizes with the LED 13 which is repeatedly turned on and off by the pulse signal shown in FIG. 4, and acquires an image captured by the camera 11 when the LED 13 is turned off as a face image for face authentication.
Accordingly, when the LED 13 is turned on, the camera 11 can take a high-definition image without being affected by the light leaking out to the first surface 12b side of the light guide plate 12 .

The human behavior monitoring unit 22 is connected to the image acquisition unit 21 as shown in FIG. Specifically, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 acquires an image or the like captured by the camera 11 and monitors whether or not a person included in the image moves suspiciously.
Specifically, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 detects and monitors a person moving back and forth within the imaging range of the camera 11, a person wandering around, etc. as a person moving suspiciously. For example, within a predetermined imaging range, the number of times a specific person makes a round trip within a predetermined time is counted, and when the count value reaches a preset number, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 detects the person. Judged as suspicious behavior.

The face authentication propriety determination unit 23 acquires an image including the face of a person who has been determined to be a suspicious behavior by the human behavior monitoring unit 22, and determines whether or not the image is an image for which face authentication can be performed. judge. Specifically, the face authentication approval/disapproval determination unit 23 performs face authentication approval/disapproval determination according to whether or not the direction of the face of the person included in the image, the illuminance of the image, and the like satisfy predetermined criteria.
The face authentication disapproval counting unit 24 counts the number of times the face authentication approval/disapproval determination unit 23 determines that face authentication is not possible because conditions such as face orientation are not satisfied in face authentication approval/disapproval determination of the same person.

The count determining unit 25 determines whether the number of times counted by the face authentication failure counting unit 24 is less than a predetermined set number of times or more than a predetermined number of times.
For example, when the counted number of times is less than the set number of times, the count value is transmitted to the flash/sound control section 26 . On the other hand, when the counted number of times is greater than or equal to the set number of times, an alert signal is transmitted to the warning generating section 30 .

The flash/sound control unit 26 receives the count value transmitted from the count determination unit 25 when the number of times counted is less than the set number of times, and emits flash light and outputs sound information according to the count value. As such, it controls the flashlight 14 and speaker 15 .
For example, when the set number of times is set to 4 and the count value is 1, the flash/sound control unit 26 performs control to output a weak flash light and a low volume sound. Further, when the count value is two, the flash/sound control unit 26 performs control to output brighter flash light and louder sound than when the count value is one. Furthermore, when the count value is 3 times, the flash/sound control unit 26 performs control to output brighter flash light and louder sound than when the count value is 2 times.

As a result, the target person (in particular, the person who is determined to be acting suspiciously) within the photographing range of the camera 11 is concerned about the direction of the light guide plate 12 by the control for outputting the flash light and the sound. Therefore, by turning toward the light guide plate 12, the subject faces the camera 11 in the vicinity of the light guide plate 12, and the camera 11 can acquire an appropriate facial image.
At this time, the camera 11 and the flash light 14 that emits flash light for attracting the attention of the subject are hidden behind the display of the light guide plate 12, and are visually recognized by the subject who turns to the direction of the light guide plate 12. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an appropriate face image while avoiding discomfort.

When the face authentication determination unit 23 determines that face authentication is possible, the face authentication unit 27 uses the face image to perform face authentication so as to calculate the feature amount of the face.
The person matching unit 28 uses the facial feature amount calculated by the face authentication unit 27 to determine whether or not the face of the target person included in the image matches the face of the person registered in advance in the face image DB 31. to match

Here, in the face image DB 31, in order to compare with the face of the person included in the image photographed by the camera 11 in real time, residents of facilities for the elderly or the like in which the face image acquisition system 10 is installed. Data of face images of staff working in the facility is accumulated. Therefore, the person matching unit 28 can match each face image for which face authentication has been performed with the face image stored in the face image DB 31 .

As a result of matching by the person matching unit 28, the determination unit 29 determines that the features of the target person's face captured by the camera 11 match the features of the face image stored in the face image DB 31 in advance as a resident of a facility for the elderly. determine whether or not to Here, when the degree of matching between the two is low, it is determined that an intrusion is made by a suspicious person other than a resident or staff member of a facility for the elderly, and a warning signal is transmitted to the warning generation unit 30 .

As a result of determination by the determination unit 29, the warning generation unit 30 determines that the features of the subject's face photographed by the camera 11 have a low degree of matching with the features of the face image stored in the face image DB 31. An alert signal is transmitted to a terminal for an administrator of a facility for the elderly or a mobile terminal owned by a staff member.
As a result, the administrator and staff of the facility for the elderly, etc., where the camera 11 is installed, recognize the presence of a suspicious person or the like in the facility by the alert signal received from the warning generation unit 30, and take appropriate measures. be able to.

As described above, the face image DB 31 stores face image data of residents of facilities for the elderly where the face image acquisition system 10 is installed, staff working in the facilities, and the like.
The light source control unit 32 controls the LEDs 13 so as to cause light to enter the light guide plate 12 and display a pattern or the like on the light guide plate 12 .

<Display Control of Patterns on Light Guide Plate 12>
Display control of a pattern or the like on the light guide plate 12 by the facial image acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG.
FIG. 5 shows the state of the first mode in the control device 20. As shown in FIG.
In the first mode, the human behavior monitoring section 22 of the control device 20 shown in FIG. there is
At this time, the control device 20 is in a light-off state in which light is not emitted from the LED 13, and no pattern or the like is displayed on the light guide plate 12. FIG. Therefore, since the light guide plate 12 is almost transparent when viewed from the person P1 in the photographing range, the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 arranged adjacent to the back side of the light guide plate 12 can be visually recognized.

As a result, since the presence of the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 is recognized, a crime deterrent effect can be obtained in the facility or the like.
FIG. 6 shows the state of the second mode in the control device 20. As shown in FIG.
In the second mode, as a result of monitoring the behavior of a person within the photographing range photographed by the camera 11 in the human behavior monitoring unit 22 of the control device 20 shown in FIG. control.

At this time, if the suspected person is not facing the direction of the camera 11, the control device 20 controls the flashlight 14 and the speaker 15 so as to turn the person's face toward the camera 11, thereby flashing the person. Output light and sound information.
As a result, even if the suspicious person is not facing the direction of the camera 11, the stimulus of the flash light and/or the sound is applied to reflexively make the person turn around in the direction in which the flash light or sound is output. can be done. Therefore, the camera 11 can capture a face image of a person who is determined to be a suspicious person, which is captured from the front.

At this time, the control device 20 is in a lighting state in which light is emitted from the LED 13, and the light guide plate 12 displays, for example, a weather forecast pattern indicating sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. shown in FIG. be.
As a result, when a pattern such as a weather forecast is displayed on the light guide plate 12, by switching the display, it is possible to continue to attract the attention of the person determined to be a suspicious person. A face image that can be used for face authentication or the like can be captured by the camera 11 .

When switching the pattern to be displayed on the light guide plate 12 , for example, the LED 13 that allows light to enter the light guide plate 12 is switched to change the incident direction of the light to the light guide plate 12 . As a result, light can be reflected in different patterns of the fine prisms 12d to switch to a different design.
Further, for example, when the camera 11 is installed to watch over an elderly person who is likely to wander in a facility for the elderly, text information such as "It's dinner time" is sent to the elderly person who is likely to be wandering. may be displayed on the light guide plate 12 by the light source control unit 32 .

As a result, an elderly person who is likely to wander can see the character information displayed on the light guide plate 12 and stay there without leaving the facility for the elderly.
Furthermore, when a pattern such as a weather forecast is displayed on the light guide plate 12, the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 arranged adjacent to the back side of the light guide plate 12 cannot be visually recognized. Therefore, by irradiating light from the LED 13 at an intended timing, the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 are hidden by the light guide plate 12, so that the person to be photographed can be prevented from feeling uncomfortable.

Further, in the face image acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment, as described above, it is determined whether or not the image can be used for face authentication, and the number of determinations is counted. Carry out lighting control.
As a result, a person within the imaging range of the camera 11 does not look in the direction of the light guide plate 12 when the flash light is emitted for the first time because the flash light is emitted in a different lighting pattern until it is determined that the person can be used for face authentication. It is possible to increase the possibility that even a person who does not have the ability to look in the direction of the light guide plate 12 can see the direction of the light guide plate 12 when the flash light is emitted for the second time and when the flash light is emitted for the third time. Therefore, by controlling the lighting of the flashlight 14 with different lighting patterns, repeated attempts can be made until a face image determined to be usable for face authentication is obtained.

In addition, by combining the output control of the sound information from the speaker 15 with such flash light emission control, the target person can be more effectively induced to turn toward the light guide plate 12 .
Also, even when the photographing range of the camera 11 is dark, the light guide plate 12 shines brightly by emitting flash light or lighting the LED 13, so that the camera 11 can photograph an image with appropriate illuminance.

<Face image acquisition method>
The facial image acquisition system 10 of this embodiment implements the facial image acquisition method according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, in step S11, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 of the control device 20 monitors whether or not there is a person in the shooting range of the camera 11 who is acting suspiciously (see FIG. 7). image acquisition step). Here, if it is determined that there is a person acting suspiciously, the process proceeds to the flow of FIG. 8, and if it is determined that there is no person acting suspiciously, the process proceeds to step S12.

Next, in step S12, the face authentication propriety determination unit 23 determines whether or not the image acquired from the camera 11 by the image acquisition unit 21 can be used for face authentication. Here, if it is determined that it can be used for face authentication, the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if it is determined that the face authentication cannot be used, the process proceeds to step S16.
Next, in step S13, since it is determined in step S12 that the acquired image can be used for face authentication, the face authentication section 27 and the person matching section 28 carry out face authentication and person matching processing.

Next, in step S<b>14 , the determination unit 29 determines whether or not the person whose face has been authenticated in step S<b>13 matches the registered person stored in the face image DB 31 . Here, if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the person matches the registered person, the person is a resident or staff member of a facility for the elderly, so it is determined that the person is neither an object to be monitored nor a suspicious person, and the process returns to step S11.

Next, in step S15, since it is determined in step S14 that the registered person does not match, it is determined that there is a possibility that a suspicious person has entered. to send.
Next, in step S16, since it is determined that the acquired image cannot be used for face authentication in step S12, the light source control unit 32 performs lighting control of the LED 13 in order to acquire an image suitable for face authentication. The flash/sound control unit 26 performs lighting control of the flashlight 14 and/or sound information output control of the speaker 15 (light emission step).

Next, in step S17, the face authentication availability determination unit 23 determines whether or not the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 21 after performing the light emission control of the flashlight 14 in step S16 can be used for face authentication. . Here, if it is determined that it can be used for face authentication, the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if it is determined that the face authentication cannot be used, the process proceeds to step S20.
Next, in step S18, since it is determined in step S17 that the acquired image can be used for face authentication, the face authentication section 27 and the person matching section 28 carry out face authentication and person matching processing.

Next, in step S<b>19 , the determination unit 29 determines whether or not the person whose face has been authenticated in step S<b>18 matches the registered person stored in the face image DB 31 . Here, if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S22. On the other hand, if the person matches the registered person, the person is a resident or staff member of a facility for the elderly, so it is determined that the person is neither an object to be monitored nor a suspicious person, and the process returns to step S11.

In step S19, the person determined by the determining unit 29 not to be a registered person is displayed on the light guide plate 12, and face authentication/person verification is performed using an image suitable for face authentication that has been acquired. It is Therefore, the face image acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment can highly accurately derive the result that there is a possibility that a suspicious person is intruding because the person is not a registered person.

Next, in step S20, the face authentication disapproval counting unit 24 counts the number of times the face authentication is judged to be disallowed in step S17.
Next, in step S21, the count determination unit 25 determines whether or not the count value obtained by counting the number of times the facial authentication is determined to be unsuccessful in step S20 is less than a predetermined set value. Here, if it is determined that the count value is less than the predetermined set value, the process returns to step S16, and the lighting of the flashlight 14 is controlled so as to emit flashlight in a different lighting pattern. At the same time, the output of the speaker 15 is controlled so as to output sound information with different volumes.

As a result, the lighting of the flashlight 14 is controlled in different lighting patterns and the output of the speaker 15 is controlled so as to output sound information at different volumes until a face image determined to be usable for face authentication can be acquired. , it is possible to increase the possibility of acquiring a face image that can be used for face authentication.
On the other hand, if it is determined that the count value is equal to or greater than the predetermined set value, the process proceeds to step S22.

Next, in step S22, it is determined in step S19 that the registered person does not match, or in step S21, it is determined that the count value exceeds the set range, so there is a possibility that a suspicious person has entered. , and the warning generation unit 30 transmits an alert signal to the administrator's terminal or the like.
Next, with reference to FIG. 8, processing after the human behavior monitoring unit 22 detects a person (a suspicious person or an elderly person who may be wandering around) acting suspiciously in step S11 of FIG. 7 will be described. .

That is, in step S31, since it was determined in step S11 of FIG. 8 that there was a person acting suspiciously, the face authentication determination unit 23 determined whether face authentication was possible for the face image of the person determined to be suspicious. determine whether Here, if it is determined that it can be used for face authentication, the process proceeds to step S32. On the other hand, if it is determined that the face authentication cannot be used, the process proceeds to step S36.

Next, in step S32, since it is determined in step S31 that the acquired image can be used for face authentication, the face authentication section 27 and person matching section 28 carry out face authentication and person matching processing.
Next, in step S<b>33 , the determination unit 29 determines whether or not the person whose face has been authenticated in step S<b>33 matches the registered person stored in the face image DB 31 . Here, if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S35. On the other hand, if the person matches the registered person, the process proceeds to step S34.

Next, in step S34, although it is determined that the person matches the person registered in step S33, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 detects suspicious behavior of the person in step S11. Therefore, the warning generation unit 30 determines that there is a possibility that the elderly person is likely to wander around, and transmits an alert signal with a face image to the administrator's terminal or the like. At the same time, the light source control unit 34 turns on the LED 13 and causes the light guide plate 12 to display "It's dinner."

Next, in step S35, since it was determined in step S33 that the person did not match the registered person, the warning generation unit 30 determines that there is a possibility of an intrusion by a suspicious person other than the pre-registered residents and staff. and send an alert signal to the administrator's terminal, etc.
Next, in step S36, since it is determined in step S31 that the acquired image cannot be used for face authentication, the light source control unit 32 performs lighting control of the LED 13 in order to acquire an image suitable for face authentication. The flash/sound control unit 26 performs lighting control of the flashlight 14 and/or sound information output control of the speaker 15 (light emission step).

Next, in step S37, the face authentication availability determination unit 23 determines whether or not the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 21 after performing the light emission control of the flashlight 14 in step S36 can be used for face authentication. . Here, if it is determined that it can be used for face authentication, the process proceeds to step S38. On the other hand, if it is determined that the face authentication cannot be used, the process proceeds to step S41.
Next, in step S38, since it was determined in step S37 that the acquired image can be used for face authentication, the face authentication section 27 and the person matching section 28 carry out face authentication and person matching processing.

Next, in step S<b>39 , the determination unit 29 determines whether or not the person whose face has been authenticated in step S<b>38 matches the registered person stored in the face image DB 31 . Here, if they do not match, the process proceeds to step S43. On the other hand, if the person matches the registered person, the process proceeds to step S40.
Next, in step S40, although it is determined that the person matches the person registered in step S39, the human behavior monitoring unit 22 detects suspicious behavior of the person in step S11. Therefore, the warning generation unit 30 determines that the resident of the facility for the elderly is acting suspiciously and is likely to wander, and transmits an alert signal with a face image to the administrator's terminal or the like. At the same time, the light source control unit 34 turns on the LED 13 and causes the light guide plate 12 to display "It's dinner."

In step S39, the person determined to be the registered person by the determination unit 29 is subjected to face recognition/person verification using an image suitable for face recognition obtained as a result of lighting control of the flashlight 14. It is done. Therefore, the facial image acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment can derive the result that the registered person is acting suspiciously with high accuracy.

Next, in step S41, the face authentication disapproval counting unit 24 counts the number of times the face authentication is judged to be disallowed in step S37.
Next, in step S42, the count determination unit 25 determines whether or not the count value obtained by counting the number of times the facial authentication is determined to be unsuccessful in step S41 is less than a predetermined set value. Here, if it is determined that the count value is less than the predetermined set value, the process returns to step S36, controls the flashlight 14 so as to light the flashlight in different lighting patterns, and outputs sound information at different volumes. The speaker 15 is controlled as follows.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the count value is equal to or greater than the predetermined set value, the process proceeds to step S43.
Next, in step S43, it is determined in step S39 that the person does not match the registered person, or in step S42 it is determined that the count value has exceeded the set value. However, it determines that a suspicious person who has not been registered is acting suspiciously, and sends an alert signal to the administrator's terminal or the like.

<Main features>
A face image acquisition system 10 of this embodiment includes a camera 11 , a light guide plate 12 , an LED 13 , and a control device 20 . The camera 11 is installed to acquire a face image of a person, and captures an image of a predetermined imaging range. The light guide plate 12 internally reflects light incident from a predetermined direction and emits it from a second surface 12c on the opposite side of the first surface 12b facing the camera 11 to perform desired display and transmit light. have sex. The LEDs 13 allow light to enter the light guide plate 12 from a predetermined direction. The control device 20 controls the light guide plate 12 so that the camera 11 and the flashlight 14, which are adjacent to the first surface 12b opposite to the exit surface (second surface) 12c of the light guide plate 12, cannot be visually recognized from the second surface 12c side. Then, light is emitted from the LED 13 to the light guide plate 12 to cause the light guide plate 12 to perform desired display.

As a result, the control device 20 controls the LEDs 13 to display a desired image on the light guide plate 12, so that the camera arranged adjacent to the rear side of the light guide plate 12 as seen from a person who turned to the direction of the light guide plate 12 can be displayed. 11 and the flashlight 14 can be made invisible, and the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 can be made visible when no display is performed.
As a result, it is possible to hide the existence of components such as the camera 11 from people in the surroundings as necessary without giving a sense of discomfort.

[Other embodiments]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention.
(A)
In the embodiment described above, the camera 11 and the flashlight 14 are used as components arranged adjacent to the rear surface (first surface) of the light guide plate 12 . However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, any one of a camera and a flashlight may be the component arranged adjacent to the back side of the light guide plate. Alternatively, the speaker may also be arranged at a position hidden behind the light guide plate.
Also, the components may be other components than the camera, flashlight, and speaker described above.

(B)
In the above embodiment, an example of displaying the weather forecast (sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.) on the light guide plate 12 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the display contents displayed on the light guide plate may be displays that generally attract people's attention, such as clocks, calendars, and fortune-telling.
Alternatively, marketing advertisements, images, or the like may be displayed on the light guide plate.

(C)
In the above-described embodiment, face images of residents, staff, etc. of facilities for the elderly are stored in advance, and if it is determined that the face image photographed by the camera 11 is not a resident, staff, etc., an intrusion of a suspicious person is detected. An example of judging and issuing an alarm has been given and explained. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, when this system is installed in a station, a shopping street, various facilities, etc. where an unspecified number of people come and go, and the face image saved in advance in the storage unit is a specific person such as a dangerous person, If it matches a registered person, it can be determined that there is a dangerous person or the like, and an alarm can be issued.

(D)
In the above embodiment, the light source control unit 32 controls the LEDs 13 to light up when the desired conditions are met, thereby exemplifying patterns and the like displayed on the light guide plate 12 . However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, the light source control unit may perform control to always turn on the LEDs to display a pattern or the like on the light guide plate.
In this case, since the components such as the camera and the flashlight that are arranged on the back side of the light guide plate can be made invisible to people in the shooting range of the camera, the person being photographed by the camera feels uncomfortable. can avoid giving

(E)
In the above embodiment, according to the image captured by the camera 11 installed on the wall surface, ceiling, etc. of the facility, the light from the LED 13 is incident on the light guide plate 12 arranged adjacent to the image capturing side of the camera 11. An example of displaying a pattern or the like on the light guide plate 12 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, a configuration in which a light guide plate is installed as a display installed near a specific product in a department store, etc., and a camera is installed on the back side of the light guide plate may be employed.
In this case, by switching the content to be displayed on the light guide plate according to the attributes of the person who is interested in the specific product and stops, it is possible to display an effective advertisement or the like.

(F)
In the above embodiment, when light is incident on the light guide plate 12 from the LEDs 13, a pattern or the like is displayed on the light guide plate 12, thereby making the camera 11 arranged adjacent to the back side of the light guide plate 12 invisible. explained. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, in a state in which a pattern or the like is displayed on the light guide plate, the camera may not be completely invisible, but may be visible to the extent that it cannot be determined whether it is a camera.

(G)
In the above-described embodiment, the control device 20 turns off the LED 13 according to the determination result of the human behavior monitoring unit 22 to turn off the LED 13 so that the light guide plate 12 does not display a pattern or the like. An example has been described in which control is performed to switch between the second mode in which a design or the like is displayed on 12 and the camera 11 or the like is made invisible. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, regardless of the action of a person in the photographing range of the camera, a first mode in which the LED 13 is extinguished and no pattern is displayed on the light guide plate 12 every time a predetermined time elapses, and a light is emitted from the LED 13 to light the light guide plate. Control may be performed to switch between a second mode in which a pattern or the like is displayed on 12 and the camera 11 or the like is rendered invisible.
Alternatively, when the number of people in the photographing range of the camera is detected and the number of people exceeds a predetermined number, a first mode in which the LED 13 is turned off and no pattern or the like is displayed on the light guide plate 12, and light is emitted from the LED 13. The second mode may be controlled to display a pattern or the like on the light guide plate 12 and make the camera 11 or the like invisible.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The component shielding device of the present invention has the effect of being able to hide components such as a camera so that people in the surroundings will not notice the presence of the component without giving a sense of incompatibility. It can be widely applied as a device that hides various components without discomfort.

10 Face image acquisition system (component shielding device)
11 Camera (Component)
12 light guide plate 12a end surface (incidence surface)
12b First surface 12c Second surface (outgoing surface)
12d fine prism 13 LED (first light source unit)
14 flashlight (second light source) (component)
15 speaker (sound information output unit) (component)
20 control device (control unit)
21 image acquisition unit 22 human behavior monitoring unit 23 face authentication propriety determination unit 24 face authentication failure count unit 25 count determination unit 26 flash/sound control unit 27 face authentication unit 28 person matching unit 29 determination unit 30 warning generation unit (alarm unit)
31 face image DB (storage unit)
32 Light source controller P1 Person

Claims (17)

a light guide plate that internally reflects light that has entered from an incident surface and is emitted from an exit surface, performs desired display when viewed from the exit surface side, and has optical transparency;
a first light source unit that causes light to enter the light guide plate from the incident surface;
Light is emitted from the first light source unit to the light guide plate so that components arranged adjacent to a first surface side opposite to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate are invisible from the light emitting surface side. a control unit that causes the light guide plate to perform desired display by irradiating;
A component shielding device comprising: The component is a camera that captures an image of the exit surface side of the light guide plate,
2. A component shielding device according to claim 1. The component is a second light source unit that emits flash light from the emission surface of the light guide plate,
3. A component shielding device according to claim 1 or 2. The component is a sound information output unit that outputs sound information toward the exit surface side of the light guide plate,
4. A component shielding device according to any one of claims 1-3. The control unit controls the first light source unit so that the light is always turned on.
5. A component shielding device according to any one of claims 1-4. When the light emitted from the first light source unit is incident on the light guide plate, the light guide plate displays a pattern that attracts people's attention when viewed from the emission surface side.
6. A component shielding device according to any one of claims 1-5. The light guide plate displays at least one of a clock, a calendar, and a weather forecast when light is incident from the first light source unit.
7. A component shielding device according to claim 6. The control unit controls irradiation of light from the first light source unit in a time division manner.
Component shielding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The control unit switches the direction of light incident on the light guide plate, and controls to switch the plurality of patterns displayed on the light guide plate.
9. Component shielding device according to any one of the preceding claims. Inside the light guide plate, fine prisms corresponding to the plurality of patterns are arranged in a plurality of patterns.
10. A component shielding device according to claim 9. further comprising a human behavior monitoring unit that monitors human behavior within the imaging range of the camera;
3. A component shielding device according to claim 2. The control unit controls the first light source unit so as to perform a specific display according to the attributes of the person looking in the direction of the camera.
12. A component shielding device according to claim 11. said specific displays include advertisements, information of interest to said person;
13. A component shielding device according to claim 12. Further comprising a face authentication availability determination unit that determines whether the face authentication of the person imaged by the camera is equal to or greater than a predetermined determination value,
14. A component shielding device according to any one of claims 11-13. a storage unit that stores a face image of a specific person in advance;
a person matching unit for matching a face image of a person captured by the camera with a face image of the specific person stored in the storage unit when the determination result in the face authentication propriety determination unit is equal to or greater than the determination value; , further comprising
15. A component shielding device according to claim 14. If it is determined that the face image of the person captured by the camera and the face image of the specific person stored in advance do not match as a result of matching in the person matching unit, the person is determined to be a suspicious person and an alarm is issued. It further comprises an alarm unit that emits
16. A component shielding device according to claim 15. an alarm unit that issues an alarm when it is determined that the face image of the person captured by the camera matches a face image of a specific person that has been stored in advance as a result of collation by the person collation unit; ing,
16. A component shielding device according to claim 15.

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