RU2789708C1 - Passenger counter - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a complex for monitoring the passenger flow of fixed-route vehicles. The complex contains a control printed circuit board connected to the power controller with a means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger flow located on it and an access controller made in the form of an input/output module that encapsulates the mechanisms for data exchange between interface modules and data processing and storage modules, providing interface modules with a single interface interaction, the specified means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic is located in a separate working area and consists of a grouped interconnected set of components, including an imaging module with a built-in video camera that forms a long-range image, as well as a passenger counting module that is activated in the event of opening the doorway of the vehicle, and a block video recorder, which send the received and processed information to a non-volatile data storage, while the imaging module is made with the possibility of obtaining long-range images generated by the matrix of the said built-in video camera, and performing monitoring of the configured viewing area, correcting the operation of the signal source and controlling the existing source of laser pulsed illumination, sends data to the indicated passenger counting module and the video recorder unit, the first of which implements the passenger flow counting algorithm , based on the detection of moving objects, tracking the boundaries of their movement, and also on fixing the entry and exit of each passenger, and the second one provides recording of video data in order to control the correctness of the calculation of passenger traffic and events occurring in the observation area, and the processed results of the analysis in the form of certain quantitative indicators and video data are sent to a non-volatile data storage that provides their temporary storage.

EFFECT: technical result consists in more accurate tracking of passenger traffic.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to transport equipment that monitors the flow of passengers entering and leaving the vehicle, accounting for each person, as well as video monitoring of events occurring during periods of vehicle stops for the purpose of boarding / disembarking passengers.

State of the art

The technology for counting the flow of people is known from the prior art (see RU 2700250, class G07C 9/00, published on September 13, 2019 [1]).

The known solution [1] refers to information processing technology and is designed to provide accounting and analysis of the number of moving objects, while it can be used as part of transport monitoring systems to determine the number of passengers.

The essence of the solution lies in the fact that at the place of entry / exit of the vehicle, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe passage of the human flow, a stereo camera is installed, including several cameras that are connected to the information processing component, which is controlled by software, respectively, capturing a moving object in the field of view each camera and the transmission of images from the cameras is performed to the mentioned information processing component.

A feature of the well-known solution [1] is that the information processing tool scans all points in a certain range of heights, as well as all images in a given range of heights, in addition, the contours of moving objects that have a rounded shape are determined, and after that, a decision is made by means of software on the conformity or non-compliance of the objects under study with the characteristics of real passengers.

When implementing this technology, registration errors may occur, since similar parameters (external shape, height, speed of movement, etc.) may be in inanimate objects, including large luggage (suitcases, tourist backpacks) or other bulky cargo (skis, snowboards, etc.). etc.), in addition, passengers of child age, passengers of preferential categories, as well as persons with disabilities can be equated by the system with passengers whose travel, in accordance with the rules of the carrier, will require payment.

An additional disadvantage of the known solution [1] should be considered a low data processing speed and, as a result, low productivity, since the operations of identifying and counting passenger traffic objects are performed sequentially and go through several stages of reconciliation, which requires additional time to analyze the data of the estimated passenger traffic, and, in fact, is not capable of to give the result of counting in real time.

The closest in terms of technical essence to the proposed invention should be considered a device for counting passenger traffic, known from RU 196791, class. G06M 3/08, publ. March 16, 2020 [2].

The known device relates to control computing tools designed to count the passenger traffic using ground route vehicles.

The known device [2] is installed on a vehicle and contains a housing in which a passenger flow counter, a processor module, a power supply unit, a memory module, input/output interfaces and a camera are located.

In accordance with the intention of the author of the development [2], the processor module has the ability to determine the trajectory of the movement of passengers in images, determine whether the trajectories of the movement of passengers fall into the visibility zone, as a result of which the calculation of the passenger flow is provided, additional features of the device are the presence of a camera electric drive and the presence of a protective glass cleaning device, installed on the body.

One of the disadvantages of the known solution [2] is its placement on the outside of the vehicle, which makes it weakly protected from the influence of environmental factors that are unfavorable for the electronic device, such as precipitation, solar radiation, air temperature and other influences that degrade its functionality and significantly reducing its effective service life.

Due to the fact that the device is located not in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, but on its outer side and is configured to view the external area adjacent to the doorway, it is possible that passengers who probably had the intention to go inside, i.e. had a movement trajectory close to the trajectory of entry into the vehicle, however, for certain reasons, they did not do this (they mixed up the route, refused the trip, could not enter, etc.), as a result of which the counting operations will be distorted, which will adversely affect the formation by the operator transportation of subsequent logistics routes.

Disclosure of invention

The technical problem of the proposed invention is the creation of a hybrid transport tracking system with high technical and operational performance, which makes it possible to count the passenger flow and at the same time make video monitoring of the vehicle throughput area in order to maintain law and order and security.

The technical result of the proposed invention, which objectively manifests itself in the course of using the control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of route vehicles, is the expansion of the functionality of the proposed technical solution, which consists in the prompt and one-time processing and transmission of information regarding the number of passengers entering and exiting, as well as video information, covering the checkpoint area of the vehicle, which comprehensively contributes to the optimization and improvement of coordination of road management services that form logistics routes with a stable level of safety for passengers and compliance with the established law and order when using the services of block road carriers.

The specified technical result and the current technical problem are achieved due to the fact that the control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of fixed-route vehicles contains a control printed circuit board connected to the power controller, with a means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic located on it and an access controller made in in the form of an input / output module that encapsulates the mechanisms for data exchange between interface modules and data processing and storage modules, providing interface modules with a single interface for interaction, the specified means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic is located in a separate working area and consists of a grouped interconnected set of components, including a module for generating images with a built-in video camera that generates a long-range image, as well as a passenger counting module that is activated in the event of opening the doorway of the vehicle and a video recorder histrator, which send the received and processed information to a non-volatile data storage, while the imaging module is configured to receive long-range images formed by the matrix of the said built-in video camera and monitor the configured viewing area, correct the operation of the signal source and control the existing source of laser pulsed illumination sends data to the specified passenger counting module and the video recorder unit, the first of which implements the passenger flow counting algorithm based on the detection of moving objects, tracking the boundaries of their movement, as well as fixing the entry and exit of each passenger, and the second provides recording of video data in order to control the correctness of the count passenger traffic and ongoing events in the field of observation, and the processed results of the analysis in the form of certain quantitative indicators and video data are sent to a non-volatile data storage that provides their temporary storage.

In accordance with the above author's intention, an invention is proposed for consideration, which is a kind of hybrid high-tech system designed to count passengers entering and leaving the vehicle during periods of stops, as well as for video recording of events occurring mainly in the area of the door opening of the specified vehicle.

The functionality of the proposed control and registration tracking complex implies the possibility of accurately identifying and counting the number of passengers entering and exiting the vehicle, video recording of all events, as a rule, in the area of the entrance / exit opening during the stop of the vehicle for boarding and disembarking passengers, transferring all received and processed data to external control systems upon request or in automatic mode at a specified time interval on the number of passengers entering and exiting, as well as broadcasting video of what is happening in the boarding / disembarking area of the vehicle for visual control in order to ensure the safety of what is happening and the observance of law and order by citizens.

The fundamental technological features that define and form the proposed object are the presence of a control printed circuit board, with a means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic and an access controller located on it, while the specified means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic is located in a separate area and consists of a combined and an interconnected set of components, including an imaging module, a passenger counting module, a DVR unit, and a non-volatile data storage. The used access controller is made of a modular type, encapsulating the mechanisms of data exchange between the interface modules and the data processing and storage modules, providing the interface modules with a single interaction interface.

According to the proposed design, the imaging module has the ability to receive and process signals coming from the built-in video camera that forms a long-range image, in addition, the imaging module has the ability to monitor events that unfold mainly in the entry / exit area of the vehicle, while correcting the operation of the signal source (camera) and the operation of the light source, made in the form of a laser pulsed light source, is controlled, then the imaging module sends the data to the passenger flow counting module, as well as to the video recorder unit.

The operation of the passenger flow counting module, in accordance with the invention, is based on the detection of moving objects and tracking their movements, as well as on tracking the boundaries of movement of the detected objects and, accordingly, fixing the entrance or exit of individual passengers, while the operation of the video recorder is based on providing a record of events in the observation area, those. in the area of the vehicle entrance.

The camera used is a long range imaging camera, i. e. the images are generated by a built-in matrix, while the camera is a source of video data about the events taking place in the area of embarkation/disembarkation of passengers of the route vehicle. In accordance with the plan, the video data is then sent to the imaging module, which in turn corrects the operation of the video system and monitors the environment, changing the parameters of the camera and controlling the laser pulse illumination. After that, the data processed by the imaging module is sent to the passenger counting module and the video recorder.

The passenger counting module, essentially the proposed solution, is a block that implements passenger counting algorithms. The calculation results are stored in a non-volatile data storage, while the passenger flow calculation algorithm consists of the following main operations:

- detection of moving objects and tracking their movements;

- tracking the boundaries of movement of detected objects and fixing the entry / exit of the passenger flow.

Accordingly, the specified video recorder is a unit that provides recording of video data in a non-volatile data storage in order to control the correctness of counting passengers and ongoing events in the observation area. Those. the processed results of the analysis in the form of numerical data, as well as video data, are sent to a non-volatile data storage that provides their temporary storage.

To exchange data with external systems, the road registration complex, as already mentioned, has an access controller made in the form of an input / output module and, accordingly, modules that provide data exchange via specific interfaces, such as: Ethernet interface module, RS-485 interface module and CAN interface module. It should be noted that the access controller also provides data protection from unauthorized changes.

The proposed architecture allows you to connect other unmentioned interfaces without violating the general principle of operation, for example, via WiFi or Bluetooth protocols. The listed interface modules provide connection to external systems and implement exchange protocols with them, in particular, the Ethernet interface and the HTTP exchange protocol.

The power controller, connected to the control printed circuit board, provides turning on/off the road registration complex, switching it to the energy-saving mode, as well as exiting it.

The comprehensively offered control and registration complex has the following functionality:

- counting the number of passengers entering and exiting the vehicle;

- video recording of events in the passage area during the stop of the vehicle for the purpose of boarding and disembarking passengers;

- data transfer to external systems upon request or automatically after a specified time interval and the number of passengers entering and exiting;

- broadcasting to external devices video of what is happening in the passenger embarkation / disembarkation area for visual control in order to ensure safety.

Thus, the proposed above constructive implementation of the claimed control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of route vehicles, taking into account its characteristics and technical features, forms a set of features sufficient to achieve the desired technical result, which consists in expanding the functionality, consisting in operational and one-time processing and transmission of information regarding the number of passengers entering and exiting, as well as video information covering the checkpoint area of the vehicle, which comprehensively contributes to the optimization and improvement of the coordination of road service managers that form logistics routes while ensuring a stable level of safety for passengers and observing the established law and order when using route services. road carriers, as well as to solve the existing technical problem of creating a high-performance the transport tracking complex, which allows to calculate the passenger flow and at the same time to make video monitoring of the throughput area of the vehicle in order to maintain law and order and security.

Brief description of the drawings

In FIG. 1 shows a functional diagram of the proposed control and registration complex.

Implementation of the invention

The present invention is illustrated by a specific example of execution and implementation, which, however, are not the only possible ones, but clearly demonstrate the achievement of the specified set of essential features of the desired technical result, as well as the solution of the existing technical problem.

In FIG. 1 shows the following components of the proposed control and registration complex:

1 - video camera that generates long-range images (TOF matrix);

2 - source of laser pulsed illumination (laser illumination);

3 - imaging module;

4 - passenger counting module;

5 - block of the video recorder (video recorder);

6 - non-volatile storage;

7 - power controller;

8 - access controller (input/output module);

9 - Ethernet interface module;

10 - RS-485 interface module;

11 - CAN interface module;

12 - control printed circuit board;

13 - means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic;

14 - dedicated working area;

15 - sensor.

And so, the proposed control and registration complex for tracking the passenger traffic of route vehicles makes a quantitative calculation of the transported passenger traffic and video monitoring of events occurring in the area of the doorway at the stage of boarding and / or disembarking passengers.

The control and registration complex contains a control printed circuit board 12 connected to the power controller 7, with a means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic 13 located on it, as well as an access controller 8 (input / output module).

The means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic 13 is located on a separate working section 14 and consists of a grouped interconnected set of components, including an imaging module 3 with a built-in video camera forming long-range images 1 (TOF matrix), as well as a passenger counting module 4, which is activated in case of opening doorway (in Fig. 1, see “door position”) of the vehicle and the DVR unit 5 (DVR), which send the received and processed information to the non-volatile data storage 6.

The imaging module 3, based on the data received from the camera 1 (TOF matrix), forms a video image and an image, each point of which contains information and the distance to the object.

Time-of-flight camera (ToF camera) is used as camera 1 (TOF matrix) that forms long-range images.

It should be noted that the imaging module 3 is configured to receive signals from said camera 1 (TOF matrix), which forms long-range images and monitors the controlled area, corrects the operation of the signal source (said camera 1 (TOF Matrix)) and controls the existing light source 2 (laser illumination) sends data to the specified passenger counting module 4 and the DVR unit 5 (DVR). It is necessary to indicate that camera 1 (TOF matrix) having a TOF matrix is the source of images containing estimates of distances from the matrix itself to specific observation points. The source of laser pulsed illumination 2 (laser illumination) is used to generate short laser pulses to illuminate the controlled area for the period of image formation, after which the images generated by the “matrix” of the specified camera 1 (TOF matrix) are sent to the passenger counting module 4.

Passenger counting module 4 implements an algorithm for counting passenger traffic based on detecting moving objects and tracking their movements, as well as tracking the boundaries of movement of already detected objects and fixing the entrance or exit of each passenger separately.

The DVR unit 5 (DVR) provides recording of video data in order to control the correctness of the calculation of the passenger flow and the events occurring in the observation area.

The processed results of the analysis in the form of numerical data, as well as other data, including video data, are received in a non-volatile data storage 6, which provides their temporary storage.

It should be noted that the above access controller 8 (input/output module), which interacts with the means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger flow 13, is made in the form of an input/output module that encapsulates the mechanisms of data exchange between interface modules (Ethernet module 9, RS- 485 10, CAN module 11) and data processing and storage modules (pos. 13) providing the listed interface modules with a single interaction interface.

The proposed control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of fixed-route vehicles is located inside, so that almost the entire entrance / exit area of the vehicle is covered.

Direct counting and registration of passenger traffic and, accordingly, events occurring in the area of the checkpoint of the vehicle, is provided by the operation of the means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic 13, which is located on the control board 12 in a dedicated working area 14.

According to the invention, the passenger counting technology is based on the measurement of a video camera 1 (TOF matrix), long-range images of moving objects, passenger movements are tracked, movement boundaries are tracked, and each passenger is directly counted, while the camera 1 matrix (TOF matrix) is a source of images containing estimates of distances from the matrix as such to specific observation points. The source of laser pulsed illumination 2 (laser illumination) is used to form short laser pulses in order to illuminate the monitored area of observation for the duration of the image formation.

Long-range imaging camera 1 (TOF matrix) consists of a laser pulsed illumination source 2 (laser illumination) and a sensor 15. Source 2 sends high-frequency modulated light, that is, this light is constantly turned on and off at a frequency of tens of millions of times per second. Due to the fact that the light needs time to travel to the object and back, the phase of the received light differs from the phase of the light at the time of sending. On the sensor 15, the initial and reflected back from the object signals are superimposed on each other, and due to this, the phase shift is determined, which makes it possible to understand the distance to each point of the object, i.e. sensor 15 provides phase shift data from which video and long-range images can be built.

The received objects on the current frame are compared with the previous ones (object tracking), as follows:

1. A matrix is compiled, the elements of which are the area of intersection of each pair (matching) of the found and previous object.

2. We are looking for the optimal value of matchings, so that:

2.1 Each new object was matched with only one previous object;

2.2 The sum of all matchings would be maximum.

In order to control the correctness of the counting of passengers, as well as the safety of what is happening, the control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of route vehicles also makes a video recording of the events taking place in the observation area and stores the information in non-volatile memory, i.e. in non-volatile storage 6. This is also provided by camera 1 (TOF matrix), which provides continuous video recording at the moments of door opening and transmits information to the imaging module 3 and to the DVR unit 5 (video recorder), and then to the non-volatile storage 6, after which information can be sent to external systems through the access controller 8 (input/output module). At the same time, for data exchange, the control and registration complex has various interfaces, in particular, an Ethernet interface module 9, an RS-485 interface module 10 and a CAN interface module 11 are connected to the access controller 8.

The architecture of the proposed solution has a promising design and allows you to connect other interfaces without violating the general principle of operation; WiFi and Bluetooth can also be used as such interfaces.

As follows from the description and according to the functional diagram, the imaging module 3 is a unit that provides data acquisition from the camera 1 (TOF matrix) with subsequent preparation for further data processing, the passenger counting module 4 itself is a unit that implements algorithms for counting passengers based on data coming from said camera 1 (TOF matrix).

Non-volatile data storage 6, according to the description and functional diagram, provides storage of counting results, as well as video surveillance data, while the video recorder 5 provides recording of video data coming from camera 1 (TOF matrix).

The used power controller 7 provides turning on/off the control and registration complex, as well as putting it into sleep mode and waking it up.

The mentioned access controller 8, made in the form of an input/output module, provides data protection from unauthorized changes, and the communication interfaces connected to it (Ethernet interface module 9, RS-485 interface module 10 and CAN interface module 11) provide connection to external systems and implement and support exchange protocols with them.

The proposed invention can be successfully implemented in the transport industry for monitoring and counting passenger traffic in order to improve safety and improve the quality of the provided services of route transportation.

Claims (1)

The control and registration complex for tracking the passenger flow of fixed-route vehicles, containing a control printed circuit board connected to the power controller with a means of video counting and video monitoring of the passenger flow located on it and an access controller made in the form of an input / output module that encapsulates the mechanisms for data exchange between interface modules and processing modules and data storage, providing interface modules with a single interaction interface, the specified means of video counting and video monitoring of passenger traffic is located in a separate working area and consists of a grouped interconnected set of components, including an imaging module with a built-in video camera that forms a long-range image, as well as a passenger counting module that is activated in in the event of opening the doorway of the vehicle, and the video recorder unit, which send the received and processed information to the non-volatile storage data, while the imaging module is configured to receive long-range images generated by the matrix of the said built-in video camera, and while monitoring the configured viewing area, correcting the operation of the signal source and controlling the existing source of laser pulsed illumination, sends data to the indicated passenger counting module and the video recorder unit , the first of which implements an algorithm for calculating the passenger flow based on the detection of moving objects, tracking the boundaries of their movement, as well as fixing the entry and exit of each passenger, and the second provides recording of video data in order to control the correctness of the calculation of the passenger flow and the events occurring in the observation area, and the processed the results of the analysis in the form of certain quantitative indicators and video data are sent to a non-volatile data storage that provides their temporary storage.

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