JP6068694B1 - Elevator boarding detection system - Google Patents

Abstract

A user who intends to get on a vehicle is accurately detected in a wide range and reflected in door opening / closing control. An elevator boarding detection system according to an embodiment includes an imaging unit, a motion detection unit, a position estimation unit, a speed calculation unit, a boarding intention estimation unit, and a control unit. The position estimation means extracts the block closest to the door from the blocks with movement detected by the movement detection means for each image, and estimates the coordinate position in the landing direction from the center of the door in the block as the position of the user. To do. The speed calculation means calculates the speed of movement of the user in the door direction based on the estimated time-series change of the user position. The boarding intention estimating means estimates the presence or absence of the user's boarding intention based on the estimated time-series change of the user position and the calculated speed of movement of the user in the door direction. The control means controls the opening / closing operation of the door based on the estimation result. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an elevator boarding detection system that detects a user who gets in a car.

  Normally, when the elevator car arrives at the landing and opens, the door is closed after a predetermined time. In that case, since the elevator user does not know when the car is closed, the user may hit the door that is in the middle of closing when getting on the car from the landing.

  In order to avoid such a collision with the door during boarding, it is considered to control a door opening / closing operation by detecting a user who gets on the car with a sensor. A photoelectric sensor is generally used as the sensor. That is, a photoelectric sensor is installed on the upper part of the car, and a user who gets on the car is optically detected. While the user is being detected, the door open state is maintained, so that the user can be prevented from hitting the door that is being closed, and can be prevented from being drawn into the door pocket of the door.

Japanese Patent No. 5201826

  However, the detection range of the photoelectric sensor is narrow, and the user can be detected only pinpoint. For this reason, if there is a user a little away from the car, it will not be detected and the door will close, or conversely, a person who has just passed near the car will be detected incorrectly. May open the door.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an elevator boarding detection system capable of accurately detecting a user who has a boarding intention in a wide range and reflecting it in door opening / closing control.

An elevator boarding detection system according to an embodiment includes an imaging unit, a motion detection unit, a position estimation unit, a speed calculation unit, a boarding intention estimation unit, and a control unit. When the car arrives at the landing, the imaging means can photograph a predetermined range from the vicinity of the door of the car toward the landing. The motion detection means detects the movement of a person or an object by comparing the brightness of a plurality of time-sequential images taken by the imaging means in block units. It said position estimating means, the blocks of the have motion detected by the motion detection means to extract for each of the image is estimated from the center of the door in the block as the position of the user coordinate position of the landing direction. The speed calculation means calculates the speed of movement of the user in the door direction based on the time-series change of the user position estimated by the position estimation means. The boarding intention estimation unit is configured to provide a user based on a time-series change of the user position estimated by the position estimation unit and a speed of movement of the user in the door direction calculated by the speed calculation unit. Presence or absence of willingness to get on. The said control means controls the opening / closing operation | movement of the said door based on the estimation result of this boarding intention estimation means.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator boarding detection system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of an image taken by the camera in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the captured image is divided into blocks in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a detection area in real space in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a coordinate system in the real space in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view for explaining motion detection by image comparison in the embodiment, and schematically shows a part of an image taken at time t. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining motion detection by image comparison in the embodiment, and schematically shows a part of an image taken at time t + 1. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the overall processing flow of the boarding detection system in the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing motion detection processing of the boarding detection system in the same embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a position estimation process of the boarding detection system in the same embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a boarding intention estimation process of the boarding detection system in the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a change state of the foot position with the intention to get on in the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a change state of the foot position without intention to get on in the embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing operation during the door closing of the car by the boarding detection system in the embodiment. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing another boarding intention estimation process of the boarding detection system in the embodiment. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator boarding detection system according to another embodiment. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a boarding intention estimation process of the boarding detection system according to another embodiment. FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining thresholds that change stepwise in another embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator boarding detection system according to an embodiment. Note that, here, a single car will be described as an example, but a plurality of cars have the same configuration.

  A camera 12 is installed above the entrance of the car 11. Specifically, the lens portion of the camera 12 is installed in the curtain plate 11a covering the upper part of the entrance / exit of the car 11, with the lens 15 facing the landing 15 side. The camera 12 is a small surveillance camera such as an in-vehicle camera, and has a wide-angle lens and can continuously shoot images of several frames (for example, 30 frames / second) per second. When the car 11 arrives at each floor and opens, the state of the landing 15 is photographed including the state near the car door 13 in the car 11.

  The photographing range at this time is adjusted to L1 + L2 (L1 >> L2). L <b> 1 is a shooting range on the landing side and is, for example, 3 m from the car door 13 toward the landing 15. L2 is an imaging range on the car side, and is, for example, 50 cm from the car door 13 toward the back of the car. L1 and L2 are ranges in the depth direction, and the range in the width direction (direction orthogonal to the depth direction) is at least larger than the lateral width of the car 11.

  In the landing 15 on each floor, a landing door 14 is installed at the arrival entrance of the car 11 so as to be freely opened and closed. The landing door 14 opens and closes by engaging with the car door 13 when the car 11 arrives. The power source (door motor) is on the car 11 side, and the landing door 14 simply opens and closes following the car door 13. In the following description, it is assumed that when the car door 13 is opened, the landing door 14 is also opened, and when the car door 13 is closed, the landing door 14 is also closed.

  Each image (video) taken by the camera 12 is analyzed and processed in real time by the image processing device 20. In FIG. 1, the image processing device 20 is taken out from the car 11 for convenience, but the image processing device 20 is actually housed in the curtain plate 11 a together with the camera 12.

  Here, the image processing apparatus 20 includes a storage unit 21 and a user detection unit 22. The storage unit 21 has a buffer area for sequentially storing images taken by the camera 12 and temporarily holding data necessary for processing by the user detection unit 22. The user detection unit 22 pays attention to the movement of a person / thing closest to the car door 13 among a plurality of time-sequential images taken by the camera 12 and determines whether there is a user who intends to get on the vehicle. Detect. If this user detection part 22 is divided functionally, it will be comprised by the motion detection part 22a, the position estimation part 22b, and the boarding intention estimation part 22c.

  The motion detector 22a detects the motion of a person / thing by comparing the brightness of each image in units of blocks. The “movement of a person / thing” here refers to the movement of a person on the hall 15 or a moving body such as a wheelchair.

  The position estimation unit 22b extracts the block closest to the car door 13 from the blocks with movement detected for each image by the motion detection unit 22a, and the center of the car door 13 in the block (center of the door front). To the coordinate position in the hall direction (Y coordinate shown in FIG. 5) is estimated as the user's position (foot position). The boarding intention estimation part 22c determines the presence or absence of the user's boarding intention based on the time-series change of the position estimated by the position estimation part 22b.

  Note that these functions (motion detection unit 22a, position estimation unit 22b, and ride intention estimation unit 22c) may be provided in the camera 12 or may be provided in the car control device 30.

  The car control device 30 is connected to an elevator control device (not shown), and transmits and receives various signals such as a hall call and a car call to and from this elevator control device. The “call hall” is a call signal registered by operating a hall call button (not shown) installed at the hall 15 on each floor, and includes information on the registered floor and the destination direction. The “car call” is a call signal registered by operating a destination call button (not shown) provided in the car room of the car 11, and includes information on the destination floor.

  In addition, the car control device 30 includes a door opening / closing control unit 31. The door opening / closing control unit 31 controls the door opening / closing of the car door 13 when the car 11 arrives at the landing 15. Specifically, the door opening / closing control unit 31 opens the car door 13 when the car 11 arrives at the landing 15 and closes the door after a predetermined time has elapsed. However, when the person detection unit 22 of the image processing device 20 detects a person who intends to get in the vehicle while the car door 13 is open, the door opening / closing control unit 31 prohibits the door closing operation of the car door 13. And keep the door open.

  Next, a boarding intention detection method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by the camera 12. In the figure, E1 represents a position estimation area, and yn represents a Y coordinate where a user's foot position is detected. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the captured image is divided in units of blocks. An original image divided into a grid of one side W _block is called a “block”.

  The camera 12 is installed above the entrance of the car 11. Therefore, when the car 11 is opened at the landing 15, the predetermined range (L1) on the landing side and the predetermined range (L2) in the car are photographed. Here, when the camera 12 is used, the detection range is expanded, and even a user at a location slightly away from the car 11 can be detected. However, on the other hand, there is a possibility that a person who does not get on the car 11 is erroneously detected and the car door 13 is opened.

  Therefore, in this system, as shown in FIG. 3, the image captured by the camera 12 is divided into blocks of a certain size, a block with movement of a person / thing is detected, and the intention of boarding is detected by following the block with movement. It is set as the structure which judges whether it is a certain user.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the vertical and horizontal lengths of the blocks are the same, but the vertical and horizontal lengths may be different. Further, the blocks may be uniform in size over the entire image, or may be non-uniform in size, for example, the length in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) is shortened toward the top of the image. Thus, the foot position estimated later can be obtained with a higher resolution or a uniform resolution in the real space (if it is divided uniformly on the image, the farther away from the car door 13 the sparser the resolution is in the real space). .

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a detection area in real space. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a coordinate system in real space.

  In order to detect the movement of a user who intends to get on the vehicle from the captured image, first, a movement detection area is set for each block. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, at least a position estimation area E1 and a boarding intention estimation area E2 are set. The position estimation area E1 is an area for estimating a part of the user's body coming from the landing 15 toward the car door 13, specifically the position of the user's feet. The boarding intention estimation area E2 is an area for estimating whether or not the user detected in the position estimation area E1 has a boarding intention. The boarding intention estimation area E2 is included in the position estimation area E1 and is an area for estimating the user's foot position. That is, in the boarding intention estimation area E2, the user's stepping position is estimated and the user's boarding intention is estimated.

  In the real space, the position estimation area E1 has a distance L3 from the center of the car door 13 toward the landing, and is set to 2 m, for example (L3 ≦ shooting range L1 on the landing side). The lateral width W1 of the position estimation area E1 is set to a distance equal to or greater than the lateral width W0 of the car door 13. The boarding intention estimation area E2 has a distance L4 from the center of the car door 13 toward the boarding direction, and is set to 1 m, for example (L4 ≦ L3). The lateral width W2 of the boarding intention estimation area E2 is set to be approximately the same distance as the lateral width W0 of the car door 13.

  The lateral width W2 of the boarding intention estimation area E2 may be larger than W0. Further, the boarding intention estimation area E2 may be a trapezoid excluding a blind spot in a three-sided frame instead of a rectangle in real space.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the camera 12 has a horizontal direction with respect to the car door 13 provided at the entrance of the car 11 in the X axis, and from the center of the car door 13 to the landing 15 (with respect to the car door 13). The vertical direction) is taken as the Y axis, and the height direction of the car 11 is taken as the Z axis. In each image taken by the camera 12, the position estimation area E1 and the boarding intention estimation area E2 shown in FIG. 4 are compared in block units, so that the direction from the center of the car door 13 to the landing 15, that is, Y The movement of the user's foot position that is moving in the axial direction is detected.

This state is shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
6 and 7 are diagrams for explaining motion detection by image comparison. FIG. 6 schematically shows a part of an image taken at time t, and FIG. 7 schematically shows a part of an image taken at time t + 1.

  P1 and P2 in the figure are user image portions detected as having motion on the photographed image, and are actually a collection of blocks detected as having motion by image comparison. A block Bx having a motion closest to the car door 13 is extracted from the image portions P1 and P2, and the presence or absence of a ride is determined by following the Y coordinate of the block Bx. In this case, the distance in the Y-axis direction between the block Bx and the car door 13 can be determined by drawing equidistant lines (horizontal lines at equal intervals parallel to the car door 13) as indicated by dotted lines in the Y-axis direction.

In the example of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the detection position of the block Bx of the most close motion to the car door 13 is changed to y _n → y _n-1, it can be seen that the user approaches the car door 13 .

Next, the operation of this system will be described in detail.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the overall processing flow in this system.
When the car 11 arrives at the landing 15 on an arbitrary floor (Yes in Step S11), the car control device 30 opens the car door 13 and waits for a user to get on the car 11 (Step S12).

  At this time, a predetermined range (L1) on the landing side and a predetermined range (L2) in the car are photographed at a predetermined frame rate (for example, 30 frames / second) by the camera 12 installed in the upper part of the entrance / exit of the car 11. The image processing apparatus 20 acquires images captured by the camera 12 in time series, and sequentially stores the images in the storage unit 21 (step S13), and executes the following user detection processing in real time. (Step S14).

  The user detection process is executed by a user detection unit 22 provided in the image processing apparatus 20. This user detection process is divided into a motion detection process (step S14a), a position estimation process (step S14b), and a boarding intention estimation process (step S14c).

(A) Motion Detection Processing FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the motion detection processing in step S14a. This motion detection process is executed by the motion detection unit 22a which is one of the components of the user detection unit 22.

  The motion detection unit 22a reads out each image held in the storage unit 21 one by one, and calculates an average luminance value for each block (step A11). At this time, the motion detection unit 22a holds an average luminance value for each block calculated when the first image is input as an initial value in a first buffer area (not shown) in the storage unit 21. (Step A12).

  When the second and subsequent images are obtained, the motion detection unit 22a determines the average luminance value for each block of the current image and the average luminance value for each block of the previous image held in the first buffer area. Are compared (step A13). As a result, when there is a block having a luminance difference equal to or larger than a preset value in the current image, the motion detection unit 22a determines the block as a block with motion (step A14).

  When the presence / absence of movement of the current image is determined, the motion detection unit 22a holds the average luminance value for each block of the image in the first buffer area for comparison with the next image (step A15).

  Thereafter, in the same manner, the motion detection unit 22a repeatedly determines the presence / absence of motion while comparing the luminance value of each image taken by the camera 12 in block order in time series.

(B) Position Estimation Process FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the position estimation process in step S14b. This position estimation process is executed by the position estimation unit 22b which is one of the components of the user detection unit 22.

  The position estimation unit 22b checks a block with motion in the current image based on the detection result of the motion detection unit 22a (step B11). As a result, when there is a block with movement in the position estimation area E1 shown in FIG. 4, the user detection unit 22 extracts a block closest to the car door 13 from among the blocks with movement (step). B12).

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the camera 12 is installed at the upper part of the entrance / exit of the car 11 toward the landing 15. Therefore, when the user is heading toward the car door 13 from the landing 15, there is a possibility that the right or left foot portion of the user is reflected in the foreground of the photographed image, that is, in the block on the car door 13 side. Is expensive. Therefore, the position estimating unit 22b obtains the Y coordinate (the coordinate in the direction of the landing 15 from the center of the car door 13) of the block with the movement closest to the car door 13 as data of the user's foot position, and stores it in the storage unit 21. The data is held in a second buffer area (not shown) (step B13).

  Thereafter, in the same manner, the position estimation unit 22b obtains the Y coordinate of the block with the movement closest to the car door 13 for each image as the data of the user's foot position, and holds it in the second buffer area. . Note that such a foot position estimation process is performed not only in the position estimation area E1 but also in the boarding intention estimation area E2.

(C) Ride intention estimation process FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the ride intention estimation process in step S14c. This boarding intention estimation process is executed by the boarding intention estimation unit 22c, which is one of the components of the user detection unit 22.

  The boarding intention estimation unit 22c smoothes the data of the user's foot position of each image held in the second buffer area (step C11). As a smoothing method, for example, a generally known method such as an average value filter or a Kalman filter is used, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  When the data of the foot position is smoothed and there is data whose change amount is equal to or larger than the predetermined value (Yes in Step C12), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c excludes the data as an outlier (Step C13). The predetermined value is determined by the standard walking speed of the user and the frame rate of the captured image. Further, outliers may be found and excluded before the foot position data is smoothed.

  FIG. 12 shows a change state of the foot position. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the position (Y coordinate value). When the user walks from the landing 15 toward the car door 13, the Y coordinate value of the user's foot position gradually decreases with time.

  For example, in the case of a moving body such as a wheelchair, the data changes linearly as shown by the dotted line, but in the case of a user, the left and right feet are detected alternately, so the data change curved as shown by the solid line become. Further, when some noise enters the detection result, the amount of instantaneous change in the foot position increases. Such foot position data having a large change amount is excluded as an outlier.

  Here, the boarding intention estimation part 22c confirms the motion (data change) of the foot position in the boarding intention estimation area E2 shown in FIG. 2 (step C14). As a result, when the movement (data change) of the user's foot position toward the car door 13 in the Y-axis direction within the boarding intention estimation area E2 can be confirmed (Yes in step C15), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines that the user has an intention to board (step C16).

  On the other hand, when the movement of the user's foot position toward the car door 13 in the Y-axis direction within the boarding intention estimation area E2 cannot be confirmed (No in Step C15), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c It is determined that the user does not intend to board (step C17). For example, when a person crosses the front of the car 11 in the X-axis direction, a foot position that does not change in time in the Y-axis direction in the boarding intention estimation area E2 is detected as shown in FIG. In such a case, it is determined that there is no intention to board.

  In this way, the block with the movement closest to the car door 13 is regarded as the user's foot position, and the presence / absence of the user's intention to board is estimated by tracking the temporal change of the foot position in the Y-axis direction. be able to.

  Returning to FIG. 8, when a user with a boarding intention is detected (Yes in step S <b> 15), a user detection signal is output from the image processing device 20 to the car control device 30. Upon receiving this user detection signal, the car control device 30 prohibits the door closing operation of the car door 13 and maintains the door open state (step S16).

  Specifically, when the car door 13 is fully opened, the car control device 30 starts the door opening time counting operation and closes the door when the predetermined time T (for example, 1 minute) is counted. During this time, when a user who has a boarding intention is detected and a user detection signal is sent, the car control device 30 stops the count operation and clears the count value. Thereby, the door open state of the car door 13 is maintained during the time T.

  If a user with a new intention to board is detected during this period, the count value is cleared again, and the car door 13 is kept open for the time T. However, if the user comes many times during the time T, a situation in which the car door 13 cannot be closed indefinitely continues. Therefore, an allowable time Tx (for example, 3 minutes) is provided, and this allowable time is set. It is preferable to forcibly close the car door 13 when Tx has elapsed.

  When the counting operation for the time T is completed (step S17), the car control device 30 closes the car door 13 and leaves the car 11 toward the destination floor (step S18).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by analyzing the image obtained by photographing the landing 15 with the camera 12 installed at the upper part of the entrance / exit of the car 11, for example, from the place slightly away from the car 11 toward the car door 13. It is possible to detect an incoming user and reflect it in the door opening / closing operation.

  In particular, by watching the user's foot position in the captured image and following the temporal change in the foot position in the direction from the car door 13 toward the landing 15 (Y-axis direction), the vehicle passes, for example, near the car. It is possible to prevent erroneous detection of only a person, and to correctly detect only a user who intends to get on and reflect it in the door opening / closing operation. In this case, since the door-closed state is maintained while the user who intends to get on the vehicle is detected, when the user tries to get on the car 11, the door-closing operation is started and the door is hit. Can avoid the situation.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the state where the car door 13 of the passenger car 11 was opened at the landing 15, the image photographed by the camera 12 even when the car door 13 is closed. Is used to detect the presence or absence of a user who intends to get on. When a user who intends to get on is detected, the door opening / closing control unit 31 of the car control device 30 interrupts the door closing operation of the car door 13 and performs the door opening operation again.

Hereinafter, the processing operation during the door closing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When a predetermined time has elapsed since the car door 13 of the car 11 is fully open, the door opening / closing control unit 31 starts a door closing operation (step S21). At this time, the photographing operation of the camera 12 is continuously performed. The image processing device 20 acquires images taken by the camera 12 in time series, and sequentially stores these images in the storage unit 21 (step S22), and executes user detection processing in real time (step S22). S23).

  The user detection process is executed by a user detection unit 22 provided in the image processing apparatus 20. This user detection processing is divided into motion detection processing (step S23a), position estimation processing (step S23b), and boarding intention estimation processing (step S23c). Since these processes are the same as steps S14a, S14b, and S14c in FIG. 8, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Here, when a user who has a boarding intention is detected (Yes in step S <b> 24), a user detection signal is output from the image processing device 20 to the car control device 30. When receiving the user detection signal while the door is closed, the car control device 30 interrupts the door closing operation of the car door 13 and performs the door opening operation (reopening) again (step S25).

  Thereafter, the process returns to step S12 in FIG. 8 and the same processing is repeated. However, if a user who intends to get on the vehicle is continuously detected while the door is closed, the reopening is repeated and the departure of the car 11 is delayed. Accordingly, even when a user who intends to get on is detected, it is preferable to close the door without reopening if the above-described allowable time Tx (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed.

  In this way, even when the door is closed, the presence or absence of a user who intends to get on is detected, and the detection result can be reflected in the door opening / closing operation. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation where the user hits the door when trying to get on the car 11 in the middle of the door closing.

  The boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines the speed of walking in the user's door direction (speed of movement of the moving body in the door direction) in order to more accurately determine whether the user intends to board. A boarding intention estimation process may be executed. Hereinafter, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 15, a description will be given of a boarding intention estimation process that takes into account the speed of walking of the user. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the process similar to the boarding intention estimation process of FIG. 11 mentioned above, and the detailed description shall be abbreviate | omitted here.

  When the processes of steps C11 to C15 are executed and the movement (data change) of the user's foot position toward the car door 13 in the Y-axis direction within the boarding intention estimation area E2 can be confirmed (in step C15) Yes), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines whether the walking speed of the user is equal to or higher than a preset threshold (step C21).

  In addition, the speed of a user's walk is calculated | required based on the motion of the said user's step position. Specifically, the speed of the user's walking is obtained by the boarding intention estimation unit 22c based on the change in the Y coordinate of the block with the movement closest to the car door 13.

For example, the camera 12 can continuously capture 30 frames of images per second, the distance in the Y-axis direction between the car door 13 and the block is specified in millimeters, and the speed of the user's walking is calculated. Assume that the sampling period is set to 30 frames. In this case, furthermore, Y coordinates of the nearest motion located block in 1 squirrel door 13 is extracted from the frame of the image (the user's feet position) is y _m, extracted from 30 frame of image Assume that the Y coordinate of the block with movement closest to the car door 13 is ym _-1 . In this case, the walking speed of the user is calculated as a second speed (y _m −y _m−1 ) [mm].

  As described above, the walking speed of the user is obtained by the boarding intention estimation unit 22c according to a preset sampling period. The sampling period is preferably set to 10 frames. However, the sampling period may be set to an arbitrary value as long as it is at least two frames or more. Further, the sampling period may be changed according to the current foot position of the user.

  In addition, the threshold relating to the walking speed of the user is set to a speed comparable to the standard walking speed (for example, 800 [mm] per second) or slightly slower than the standard walking speed. It is preferable.

  Returning to FIG. 15, when it is determined that the walking speed of the user is equal to or higher than the threshold (Yes in step C21), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines that the user has a boarding intention. (Step C16). On the other hand, when it is determined that the walking speed of the user is less than the threshold value (No in Step C21), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines that the user does not intend to board (Step C17). ).

  As described above, in addition to the temporal change in the user's foot position, the boarding intention estimation process is performed in consideration of the speed of the user's walking, so that the presence / absence of the boarding intention of the user can be Can be judged. That is, the presence or absence of the user's intention to board can be determined more accurately. By executing the boarding intention estimation process in consideration of the walking speed of the user, specifically, the following advantages can be obtained.

  For example, when there is a user who is moving so as to approach the car door 13 but the speed of walking is extremely slow, in the boarding intention estimation process shown in FIG. 11, the boarding intention estimation unit 22c gets on the user. Since it is determined that there is an intention, the car control device 30 cannot start the door closing operation until the user gets on the car 11. According to this, the inconvenience that other users who are already in the car 11 are made to wait is caused.

  On the other hand, even in such a case, according to the boarding intention estimation process in consideration of the walking speed, the boarding intention estimation unit 22c gives the user the reason that the walking speed is extremely slow. In order to determine that there is no intention to board, the car control device 30 can start the door closing operation without waiting for the user to get on the car 11. According to this, the car 11 can depart to the destination floor without waiting for other users who are already in the car 11.

(Other embodiments)
Next, another boarding intention estimation process in consideration of the walking speed of the user will be described.
In general, as the user approaches the car door 13, the user gradually reduces (slows down) the walking speed so as not to hit an inner wall of the car 11 or a person already on the car 11. )Tend. That is, as the car door 13 is approached, there is a high possibility that the user's walking speed will not exceed the threshold value.

  In addition, the user does not necessarily get on the car 11 from the front of the car door 13 but may get on the car 11 from the blind spot of the camera 12 near the car door 13. In such a case, since the user starts walking from a position close to the car door 13, there is a high possibility that the speed of the user's walking is not equal to or higher than the threshold value.

  In the situation as described above, when the boarding intention estimation process shown in FIG. 15 is executed, the boarding intention estimation unit 22c gets on the user when the walking speed of the user falls below the threshold value. Judge that there is no intention. Along with this, the car control device 30 starts the door closing operation, which may cause inconvenience that the user is caught in the car door 13.

  In order to eliminate such an inconvenience, the image processing apparatus 20 further includes a threshold holding unit 21a in the storage unit 21 as shown in FIG. 16, and the boarding intention estimation unit 22c is held by the threshold holding unit 21a. The ride intention estimation process described later may be executed using the threshold data.

  The threshold holding unit 21a holds threshold data in which a distance (Y coordinate) in the Y-axis direction from the car door 13 and a threshold relating to the walking speed of the user are associated with each other. The threshold regarding the walking speed of the user increases as the distance in the Y-axis direction from the car door 13 increases, and gradually decreases as the distance in the Y-axis direction from the car door 13 decreases.

  The boarding intention estimation unit 22c refers to the threshold data held in the threshold holding unit 21a, changes the threshold stepwise in accordance with the user's current foot position, and then gets on the user. Judgment of intention or not.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a boarding intention estimation process executed by the boarding intention estimation unit 22c in another embodiment. In the following, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same processes as the above-described boarding intention estimation process of FIG. 15, and detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

  When the processes of steps C11 to C15 are executed and the movement (data change) of the user's foot position toward the car door 13 in the Y-axis direction within the boarding intention estimation area E2 can be confirmed (in step C15) Yes), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c acquires threshold value data corresponding to the current foot position (Y coordinate) of the user from the threshold holding unit 21a (step C31). Then, the boarding intention estimation unit 22c sets the threshold indicated by the acquired threshold data as a threshold relating to the walking speed of the user (step C32).

For example, as shown in FIG. 18, if the current foot position of the user is a y _a, the threshold is set to TH1, if the current foot position of the user is a y _b, the threshold value It is set to TH2 (TH2 ≦ TH1). In FIG. 18, Y-axis direction distance y _a from the car door _13, although the threshold only in the case of y _b is illustrated If set, the threshold is for example set for each equidistant lines May be.

  Then, the boarding intention estimation part 22c judges whether the speed of a user's walk is more than the threshold value set in step C32 (step C33).

  When it is determined that the walking speed of the user is equal to or higher than the threshold (Yes in Step C33), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines that the user has a boarding intention (Step C16). On the other hand, when it is determined that the walking speed of the user is less than the threshold (No in Step C33), the boarding intention estimation unit 22c determines that the user does not intend to board (Step C17). ).

  Thus, the boarding intention estimation part 22c further has the function to change the threshold value regarding the speed of walking stepwise according to the user's current step position, so that the speed of walking of the user is increased. Even if it gradually becomes slower (slower) as it approaches the car door 13, the user's intention to board can be appropriately determined. That is, the user's intention to board can be appropriately reflected in the door opening / closing operation of the car door 13, and a situation where the user is caught by the car door 13 can be avoided.

  According to at least one embodiment described above, it is possible to provide an elevator boarding detection system that can accurately detect a user who has a boarding intention in a wide range and reflect it in door opening / closing control.

  In addition, although some embodiment of this invention was described, these embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Car, 12 ... Camera, 13 ... Car door, 14 ... Platform door, 15 ... Platform, 20 ... Image processing device, 21 ... Memory | storage part, 21a ... Threshold value history holding part, 22 ... User detection part, 22a ... Motion detection unit, 22b ... position estimation unit, 22c ... boarding intention estimation unit, 30 ... car control device, 31 ... door opening / closing control unit, E1 ... user position estimation area, E2 ... boarding intention estimation area.

Claims (7)

An imaging means capable of photographing a predetermined range from the vicinity of the door of the car toward the landing when the car arrives at the landing;
A motion detection means for detecting the movement of a person or an object by comparing the brightness of a plurality of images taken in series in time series by the imaging means in block units;
The blocks of there motion is detected by the motion detection means to extract for each of the images, a position estimation means for estimating from the center of the door in the block as the position of the user coordinate position of the landing direction,
Speed calculating means for calculating the speed of movement of the user in the door direction based on the time-series change of the position of the user estimated by the position estimating means;
Presence of the user's intention to board based on the time-series change of the user's position estimated by the position estimating means and the speed of movement of the user in the door direction calculated by the speed calculating means A means of estimating the intention to ride,
An elevator boarding detection system comprising: control means for controlling the opening and closing operation of the door based on the estimation result of the boarding intention estimation means. The speed calculation means is
2. The elevator ride according to claim 1, wherein a speed of movement of the user in the door direction is calculated based on a time-series change of the estimated position of the user within a predetermined sampling period. Detection system. The position estimating means includes
From the center of the door in a block of there in-out upper kidou estimates the coordinate position of the landing direction foot position of the person,
The above-mentioned boarding intention estimating means is
This is a case where a state where the user's foot position is approaching the door in a preset area is detected, and the speed of movement of the user in the door direction is equal to or higher than a preset threshold. The elevator boarding detection system according to claim 1, wherein if there is, it is determined that there is a boarding intention. The threshold is
4. The elevator boarding detection system according to claim 3, wherein the elevator boarding detection system has a speed comparable to a standard walking speed or a little slower than a standard walking speed. The threshold is
The elevator boarding detection system according to claim 3, wherein the elevator boarding detection system is changed in a stepwise manner based on the current foot position of the user estimated by the position estimating means. The threshold is
The elevator boarding detection according to claim 5, wherein the current foot position of the user estimated by the position estimating means is changed so as to be smaller as it is closer to the door and larger as it is farther from the door. system. The imaging means is
It is installed above the entrance of the above car,
2. The elevator according to claim 1, wherein an image is taken in which the horizontal direction of the door is the X axis, the landing direction from the center of the door is the Y axis, and the height direction of the car is the Z axis. Boarding detection system.

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