JPH03141784A - Image filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record only a required picture, to improve recording efficiency and retrieval collation ability and to record the picture of high picture quality by deciding possibility to record the photographed picture corresponding to the result of comparison between the photographed picture and a standard picture. CONSTITUTION:The input picture photographed by a photographing device 1 is compared 5 with the standard picture, which is recorded to a file 3 in advance, and corresponding to whether the both pictures are coincident or not, the possibility to record the input picture is determined. Thus, without missing only a required still picture, a recording medium is economized and picture data can be efficiently and automatically stored into the file without human labor. Further, retrieval collation speed can be accelerated as well. Objects 10 such as entering persons, etc., near a gate are photographed and the obtained input picture is compared with the standard picture. When the both pictures are coincident, the gate is opened/closed. Then, the identity of the object can be correctly confirmed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image file device, and more particularly to an image file device suitable for monitoring people, objects, etc. going in and out of a specific place.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in an image recording/reproducing apparatus such as an image file apparatus for monitoring, a user judges the conditions for whether or not to perform recording before recording is performed. Alternatively, unmanned monitoring devices are known that operate unconditionally all the time and record without human judgment, or that operate the device periodically using a timer to record. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional method in which the user determines the conditions to be recorded requires a lot of attention and burden on the user, and cannot be applied to an unmanned device. In addition, in devices that constantly operate the device to record without human judgment, the recording capacity of the recording medium is limited, making it impossible to record efficiently over a long period of time, and resulting in inconvenience. Since a large number of necessary records are included, it takes time to search and collate record data, resulting in performance problems such as slow search and collation time. Furthermore, when recording is performed periodically using a timer or the like, there is a problem in that it is not necessarily possible to capture all necessary screens, and unnecessary screens may be captured.

Furthermore, in this type of monitoring system, crime prevention system, and management system, there is a demand for a system that can improve the image quality such as the definition of the recording screen and always reliably record without missing any changes in the situation.

However, with normal analog recording, it is difficult in terms of performance to improve the quality of search images and increase the search speed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, to improve recording efficiency and retrieval performance by making it possible to record only necessary screens without omitting them, and to do so without the need for human intervention. To provide an image file device that can set recording conditions and record high-quality images.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the image file device of the present invention includes an input image file section for recording an input image captured by an imaging device, and an input image file section for the purpose of collation in advance. a standard image file section in which a standard image of the input image is recorded; a comparison means for comparing the input image and the standard image to determine their consistency (presence or absence of correlation); A determining means is provided for determining whether or not recording in the file section is possible. As this determination means, the above-mentioned -
Only when it is determined that there is dispersion (high level of correlation),
In some cases, recording is allowed, and in other cases, recording is allowed only when it is determined that there is no dispersion (correlation is at a low level).

It also includes an imaging device capable of capturing an image of a subject (for example, a beginner) near the door, an input image file section for recording the input image captured by this imaging device, and an input image file section that is linked to the opening and closing of the door and is fused when the door is opened and closed. and recording control means for controlling the input image file section to record the human-powered image.

Furthermore, the input image captured by the imaging device and the standard image are compared with an imaging device that can take an S image of a subject near the door, and a standard image file section in which a standard image for search is recorded in advance for the purpose of comparison. and its consistency (presence or absence of correlation)
and a door opening/closing control means that opens and closes the door when it is determined that there is consistency (correlation is at a high level) based on the comparison result.

The input image file section and the standard image file section are preferably constituted by optical discs on which images are digitally recorded as still images.

The manual image file section and the standard image file section may be provided in separate file devices or in the same file device.

[Action Co. The operation based on the above configuration will be explained.

According to the present invention, an input image captured by an imaging device is compared with a standard image recorded in advance, and it is determined whether or not to record the input image depending on whether or not there is consistency between the two images. Therefore, without missing only the necessary still images, it is possible to save the storage medium and save recording efficiency, and to automatically store them in the file device without human intervention, and the search and matching progress is also high. You can get something.

Furthermore, since still images are automatically recorded only when the door is opened or closed, it is possible to save on recording media.

Furthermore, the input image obtained by photographing subjects such as beginners near the door 18 times is compared with the standard image, and when the two images match, the door is opened and closed, making it possible to accurately confirm the identity of the subject. can be done. In this case, the reliability of confirmation can be further increased by using an ID card (recognition card).

By using an optical disk as a recording medium for input images and standard images, and digitally recording image data as a still image on this disk, it is possible to record high-quality images, and it is also faster than magnetic tape, etc. Search matching performance can be improved.

[Example code] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment shows an image file device that performs recording according to the result of matching an input image with search file data (registered image). In the figure, 1 is a TV camera (V & image device), 2 is an A/D:I inverter.

3 is an image memory (file device), 4 is an image search device,
5 is a data comparator.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a subject, for example, when the present invention is applied to checking cars entering a garage, it is a car including its license plate. Alternatively, in order to check a person entering a certain place, the person may be used as the subject.

11 is an analog image signal that is the output of the camera 1; 12 is a digital image signal that is the output of the A/D converter;
3 is an image data signal output from the image memory 2, 14
15 is an image file, 16 is object image data, and 17 is recorded image data.

In FIG. 1, a subject 10 is photographed with a TV camera, and an analog image signal 11 is input to an A/D converter 2. The A/D converter 2 is for converting the analog signal 11 into a digital image signal 12. On the other hand, when inputting an image of the subject 10, the image search device 4 searches for related data in the image file device (image memory) 3, and obtains an image data signal 13 from the image memory 3. This image data signal 13 is a signal in which, for example, a car license plate image or a person image corresponding to the subject 10 is registered in advance. This searched image data signal 13 becomes a search image data signal 14 for comparison,
It is sent from the image search device 4 to the data comparator 5.

A digital image of the subject 10 (No. 5 12 is also input to the data comparator 5, and both data 12.1
Compare 4 and find the correlation. If a correlation above a certain level is obtained, an image file control signal 15 is generated and sent to the image search device 4 in order to record the input image at that time as a still image. The image retrieval device 4 sends the subject image data 16 (same as the digital image signal 12) to the image memory 3 as recorded image data ↓7, and outputs one image as the image data ↓7.
The memory 3 digitally records (files) the subject image as a still image.

In this embodiment, the image file can be used not only for the function of manually creating images, but also for the sole purpose of searching and reproducing images. Since only correlated input images are recorded in the image memory, search (verification) efficiency is high. The image memory 3 can also be constructed by separating a search data storage section for comparison and verification and an input image data storage section. The search data for comparison and verification is, so to speak, standard data.

Since the size of the input image data is usually smaller than that of the input image data, the image search device 4 may be equipped with a storage section thereof.

In the above embodiment, the input image data is correlated with the image data for search and verification, and when the correlation between the two is obtained at a certain level or higher, the input image data is recorded in a file. Input image data can also be recorded when the image data is different. For example, when the two image data are different, the subject may be recorded as a suspicious person or a suspicious vehicle.

Further, in this embodiment, the image file control signal 15,
That is, other devices can also be controlled by the signal 15 indicating whether or not there is a correlation between the image data for search and verification and the input image data. For example, when there is no correlation, the subject 10
It is also possible to apply this method to eliminate the problem or to instruct the subject 10 where to go in another direction.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is an entrance management system, and shows a device that records a still image of an entrance student to an image file device in synchronization with the opening and closing of a door. In the same figure, 1 to 4, 11°, 16.17 are the same as in FIG. 1, and the explanation will be omitted. Further, 6 is a door open detector, 7 is an opening/closing door, 10' is a beginner who is a subject, and 2o is an image file control signal.

An introductory person 10' who is the subject is standing on the opposite side of the opening/closing door 7. The structure is such that when the door 7 is opened, the door open detector 6 generates an image file control signal 20. Suppose that the door is now opened by the initiate 10'. A beginner 10' is photographed by a TV camera 1, and the analog image signal 11 thereof is converted into digital by an A/D converter 2, becoming a digital image signal (subject image data) 16 and input to an image device (image retrieval device) 4. be done. The image device 4 sends a digital image signal (recorded image data) 17 to the image memory (file) 3 in response to an image file control signal 20, and digitally records a still image.

In this embodiment, when the door is opened, the image memory 3 or the image device is activated to automatically record a still image, compared to the conventional system in which the image memory 3 is constantly activated. This allows you to save image memory without requiring any human effort.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, an entrance management system has a function of searching for a registered image using a card reader and unlocking/closing a door based on the result of matching the registered image with the image of the beginner. In the figure, 1 to 5, 7, and 11 to 14 are the same as those in FIG. 1 or 2, and the explanation will be omitted. Also,
8 is a door opening/closing device, 9 is a card reader, 10" is a prospective beginner, 21 is a card read signal, and 22 is a door opening/closing control (
, number i.

In FIG. 3, the TV camera 1 is aimed at a beginner 10'' who is the subject on the opposite side of the door 7. Those who wish to enter the school bring their recognition cards and enter the recognition code using the card reader 9. The image search device 4 is operated by the card read signal 21, and the target image data signal 13 is read out from the one-image memory device 3 and sent to the data comparator 5 as the search image data signal 14 for verification. On the other hand, the image signal 11 of the beginner↓O" photographed with the camera 1 is input to the A/D comparator 2.
After being converted into a digital signal converter 2, the signal is input to a data comparator 5, where it is compared with the search image data signal 14. Through this comparison and verification, if a correlation of a certain level or higher is detected, the door opening/closing control signal 22
is issued, thereby controlling the door opening/closing device 8 to open. As a result, the door 7 opens and the person 10'' can enter the room.In other words, in the fifth embodiment, it is determined whether or not the person is eligible to enter based on both the card and the photographed image. By opening the door, the reliability of confirmation can be improved.This is effective in fields where security using cards alone is insufficient.

In this embodiment as well, single image recording can be performed as in the first embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the subject is a beginner, but the subject is not limited to this and may be an object.Also, although the example of opening and closing a door has been mainly explained, things other than a door, such as displaying data on a CRT, etc. The present invention can also be applied to systems that require security.

Also, the image memory (file) used in each of the above embodiments
As the device 3, an optical disk device is suitable, which has superior high-speed search and collation performance compared to magnetic tape and is capable of large-capacity filing.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, a photographed input image is compared with standard image data recorded and stored in an image file in advance, and based on the result, it is determined whether or not the input image can be recorded. Since the image file device is configured to determine this, unnecessary input images are not recorded in the image file device, and an image file with high recording efficiency can be realized. Furthermore, in a system having an entry door, providing a means for synchronizing the timing of recording input images from the imaging device with the opening and closing of the door enables efficient image file recording.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. ■...TV camera (imaging device), 2...A/
D converter, 3... image memory (image file), 4... image search device, 5... data comparator (comparison means), 6... door open detector, 7... Opening/closing door, 8...Door opening/closing device, 9...Card reader, 10...Subject, 10'...
Copy object (for beginners) 10"...Subject (for beginners), ↓...analog image signal, 12...digital image signal, 13...image data signal, 14
. . . Search image data signal for verification, 15 . . . Image file control signal. 16...Subject image data, 17...
-Recorded image data, 20...Image file control signal, 2nd...Card read signal, 22...Door opening/closing control signal. i. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An imaging device, an input image file section for recording an input image captured by the imaging device, a standard image file section in which a standard image for comparison is recorded in advance, and the input Comparing means for comparing an image and a standard image to determine their consistency; and determining means for determining whether or not the input image can be recorded in the input image file section based on the comparison result of the comparison means. An image file device characterized by: 2. A door, an imaging device capable of capturing an image of a subject in the vicinity of the door, an input image file section for recording an input image captured by the imaging device, and an input image file unit for recording an input image captured by the imaging device, and an image capturing device that is linked to the opening/closing of the door and captures an image when the door is opened/closed. An image file device comprising: recording control means for controlling the input image to be recorded in the input image file section. 3. Compare the input image captured by the imaging device and the standard image with an imaging device capable of imaging the door, a subject near the door, and a standard image file section in which a standard image for comparison is recorded in advance. a comparison means for determining the consistency thereof;
When it is determined that there is consistency based on the comparison results,
An image file device comprising: door opening/closing control means for opening and closing the door. 4. The image file device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the input image file section and the standard image file section are constituted by optical discs on which images are digitally recorded as still images.