System and method for monitoring crowds

Abstract

The invention provides a monitoring system and a method for detecting a position of at least one person in a monitoring area with a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising at least one sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304) comprising at least one sensor, measurement electronics and a processor configured to process sensor data, wherein the sensor is a radar-based sensor, such as a frequency modulated continuous wave (MIMO) radar-based sensor, the sensor monitors the presence, position, movement and / or attitude of at least one person in the monitoring area, and the system determines, using the at least one sensor arrangement, the presence, position, movement and / or attitude of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area (200, 300). A system for monitoring the presence, location and / or movement of at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in a monitored area (200, 401) communicates information relating to the presence, location and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitored area (200, 401) to a device (400, 500), such as a portable device, such as a mobile phone or tablet, where the device (400, 500) indicates the presence, location and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in a map or plan view of the monitored area. 405) in the monitoring area, and / or the determined presence, position and / or movement in the monitoring area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring system and a monitoring method using a sensor arrangement, which can be used, for example, in the case of dangerous situations and evacuation areas or buildings. Background Art

[0002] Various systems are known for guiding people to emergency exits of various buildings or ships in case of an emergency. These systems include, for example, various emergency exit lighting systems and emergency exits marked with reflective paint or tape.

[0003] For example, separate guiding lights designed for emergency exit use are known, where the light sources are continuously fixed in a strip shape. The light sources on the strip are arranged to light up and guide people and illuminate the escape route in case of an emergency. Many applications, such as shopping malls, stores, hotels or passenger ships, have specified the escape routes in case of an emergency that people should follow during evacuation. In case of an emergency, people often do not act according to the plan and do not follow the pre-determined exit routes. There can be many reasons for this. People may not know the emergency exit routes and the relevant signs. In case of a fire, the signs may be covered by smoke and become invisible. In addition, in case of an emergency, people are more willing to use the routes they are familiar with. On the other hand, in case of a fire, due to the location of the threats (such as fire, flood, waterlogging, violence, etc.) that cause the need to escape, the pre-determined escape routes may not be available, so that the known solutions may lead people in the wrong direction or even towards the threats.

[0004] Despite the emergency guiding systems, emergency personnel must, for example, check the area in case of a fire, and in such a case, the area must be checked by searching for the remaining people in the area by personnel or, for example, the fire brigade. This is dangerous and challenging, for example, in case of a fire, because the smoke obstructs visibility and the area is dangerous due to high temperature and collapsed structures.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a completely new type of solution by which the disadvantages of the known solutions are reduced. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the solution according to the invention is to eliminate the problems of the prior art and to implement a monitoring system which can be used, for example, in the case of dangerous situations and evacuation areas or buildings. The monitoring method according to the invention is characterized by what is mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1. The monitoring method according to the invention is also characterized by what is mentioned in claims 2 to 11. The system according to the invention is characterized by what is mentioned in the characterizing part of method claim 12. The system according to the invention is also characterized by what is mentioned in the characterizing part of method claim 13.

[0007] Thus, the invention relates to a method for detecting the position of at least one person in a monitoring area by means of a monitoring system. The monitoring system comprises at least one sensor arrangement which comprises at least one sensor, measurement electronics and a processor configured to process sensor data, wherein the sensor is a radar-based sensor, such as a frequency-modulated continuous-wave MIMO radar-based sensor, which monitors the presence, position, movement and / or posture of at least one person in the monitoring area, and the system determines the presence, position and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area by means of the at least one sensor arrangement. The system transmits information relating to the presence, position and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area to a device, such as a portable device, for example a mobile phone or a tablet. The device indicates the determined presence, position and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area in a map or floor plan of the monitoring area.

[0008] In one embodiment of the invention, the system and / or the device determines the position of the device, and the position of the device is presented together with the determined presence, position and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area in the map or the floor plan of the monitoring area.

[0009] In one embodiment of the invention, the position of the device is determined by an indoor positioning system and / or obtained by using the GPS positioning function of the device.

[0010] In one embodiment of the invention, the map of the monitoring area comprises an indoor map or floor plan of the monitoring area.

[0011] In one embodiment of the invention, the map of the monitoring area comprises the positioning of the at least one radar-based sensor and / or the sensor arrangement in the map of the monitoring area.

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the at least one sensor of the sensor arrangement is arranged on the floor, wall and / or ceiling of the area to be monitored, and / or the measurement range of the at least one sensor arrangement and / or all sensor arrangements substantially covers the area to be monitored.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor arrangement includes a plurality of radar-type sensors, such as 2 to 4 radar-type sensors, and the plurality of radar-type sensors are arranged in the same structure and / or configured to measure in different directions.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system and the device include communication means for communicating with each other, and wherein the device includes software, and a map or floor plan is stored in the system and / or the software.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes or is connected to an electronic price tag system, and the electronic price tag system stores the location of the product or the price tag linked to the product, and the monitoring system or the electronic price tag system collects customer product selection event information of a specific product based on the determined position of a person in the monitoring area and the determined purchase and / or location information from the electronic tag system.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, a fire detector, a smoke detector, and / or a flame detector are arranged to be connected to the at least one radar-based sensor, such as being in the same housing and / or structure as the radar-based sensor.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes means for guiding a crowd, such as a remotely controlled display, a dynamic sign, or a light source strip, and the system at least partially uses the means for guiding the crowd to guide the crowd based on the indication of the fire detector, the smoke detector, and / or the flame detector in the monitoring area and the determined position of the crowd, for example, such that the crowd is guided away from the location of the fire detector where a fire has been detected.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a monitoring system for detecting the position of at least one person in a monitoring area. The monitoring system includes at least one sensor arrangement, the at least one sensor arrangement includes at least one sensor, measurement electronics, and a processor configured to process sensor data, wherein the sensor is a radar-based sensor, such as a frequency-modulated continuous wave MIMO radar-based sensor, and the sensor is configured to monitor the presence, position, movement, and / or posture of a person in the monitoring area. The system is configured to use the at least one sensor arrangement to determine the presence, position, and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area. The system is configured to transmit information related to the presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area to a device, such as a portable device, for example, a mobile phone or a tablet. The device is configured to indicate the determined presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person in the monitoring area in a map or floor plan of the monitoring area.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is configured to implement any method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] The present invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] The present invention also relates to a computer-readable medium comprising a computer program according to the present invention.

[0022] The monitoring system and method according to the present invention have many remarkable advantages. This solution enables the authorities or other persons to effectively understand the population in the area and their locations without forcing them to enter and search dangerous areas. In this way, the authorities, emergency responders or other stakeholders are able to continuously monitor the situation in the dangerous area and rescue the population still in the area. Compared with the solutions of the prior art, this is a more effective and safer way to rescue the population from a dangerous area, where in the solutions of the prior art, the authorities and / or emergency responders have to thoroughly search the area to find the remaining people, which is extremely challenging, for example, during a fire with minimum visibility. The solution of the present invention can also combine different functions in one system, since population monitoring can be used for different purposes, such as indicating to emergency responders whether there are people in the area and where they are located, and also for monitoring the behavior and routes of the population in the area under normal circumstances, such as in a store environment. By using the solution of the present invention, the safety of the monitored area can be improved, and further functions can be provided while keeping the installation and hardware costs low.

[0023] Based on the following specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will clearly understand various other advantages.

[0024] The terms "first", "second" and "third" are used herein to distinguish one element from another and are not particularly prioritized or ranked without otherwise being explicitly stated.

[0025] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention presented herein should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of features not enumerated. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the features described in the dependent claims can be freely combined with each other.

[0026] The novel features considered to be the characteristics of the present invention are specifically set forth in the appended claims. However, the present invention itself, its construction and method of operation, as well as its additional purposes and advantages, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments Figures 1 to 6 wherein

[0028] Figure 1 An example embodiment related to a sensor arrangement disposed in a store environment is presented in a simplified manner,

[0029] Figure 2 An example embodiment in a store environment as viewed from above is presented in a simplified manner,

[0030] Figure 3 An example embodiment in a store environment as viewed from above is presented in a simplified manner,

[0031] Figure 4 A portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an application running therein in the event of a fire are shown,

[0032] Figure 5 A portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an application running therein in the event of a fire are shown, and

[0033] Figure 6 The operation of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention in the case where the area is to be evacuated is shown in a simplified diagram. Detailed Description

[0034] Figure 1 An example embodiment related to a sensor arrangement 101 disposed in a store environment is presented in a simplified manner. In this example embodiment, the sensor arrangement 101 is disposed above the aisles between the shelves in the store such that the sensor arrangement can measure the areas where people are moving between the shelves and / or detect people from these areas. The sensors of the sensor arrangement can be arranged such that they point directly downwards or are slightly tilted. The sensor arrangement 101 can include one or more sensors, and they can be connected to a control unit 110 that controls the operation of the sensor arrangement 101. The sensor arrangement can include at least one sensor, measurement electronics, and a processor configured to process sensor data. The sensors of the sensor arrangement are radar-based sensors, such as sensors based on frequency-modulated continuous-wave MIMO radar. In an embodiment of the present invention, the measurement electronics and / or the processor can be included in the control unit and / or included together with the sensors.

[0035] Figure 2An example embodiment related to the arrangement of sensor arrangements in a store as viewed from above is presented in a simplified manner. Additionally, in this example, the sensor arrangement 201 is arranged above the aisles between the shelves 210 in the store such that the sensors of the sensor arrangement can measure the area where people are moving between the shelves. In this example, the measurement areas of all the sensor arrangements 201 arranged in the store substantially cover all the areas 200 where people may be moving.

[0036] The monitoring system determines the presence, location, and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area using at least one sensor arrangement. In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one sensor of the sensor arrangement is provided on the floor, wall, and / or ceiling of the area to be monitored, and / or the measurement range of at least one sensor substantially covers the area to be monitored. The system can combine the measurement results of multiple sensors and / or sensor arrangements to achieve reliable positioning of the people in the monitoring area.

[0037] The system transmits information related to the determined presence, location, and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area to a device, such as a portable device, such as a portable device, for example, a mobile phone or a tablet. The device indicates or presents the determined presence, location, and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area in a map or floor plan of the monitoring area, for example, on its display, and / or indicates the location of at least one person and / or the distance between the device and at least one person as a guiding symbol (such as an arrow). In one embodiment of the present invention, the map of the monitoring area includes an indoor map or floor plan of the monitoring area. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a shelf map of the store.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system and the device include communication means for communicating with each other, and wherein the device includes software, and the map or floor plan is stored in the system and / or the software.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system and / or the device determine the location of the device, and the location of the device is presented together with the determined presence, location, and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area in the map or floor plan of the monitoring area. In one embodiment of the present invention, the location of the device is determined by an indoor positioning system and / or obtained using the GPS positioning function of the device.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, the map of the monitoring area includes the positioning of at least one radar-based sensor in the map of the monitoring area.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of radar-type sensors, for example 2 to 4 radar-type sensors, which are arranged to the same structure with each other and / or configured to measure different directions. In an exemplary embodiment, one sensor can measure an object 15 to 20 meters away from the distance sensor. In one embodiment of the present invention, where a plurality of sensors are used, for example, if there are two sensors measuring opposite directions, they can together measure an area of, for example, 30 meters. In this case, the sensors can be utilized to achieve a measurement area covering the measurement space such that they are installed at a spacing of 30 meters.

[0042] There are many different types of fire detectors that can be used with the solution of the present invention. One widely used type is the smoke detector, which transmits a signal to a control system for the generation of typical fire smoke. Temperature-responsive detectors are also known. In many cases, the fire detectors used simultaneously have the characteristics of both smoke detectors and heat detectors. Such fire detectors give signals for both the generation of smoke and the temperature that has reached a certain set value. In the event of a fire, the smoke spreads over a wide area, such that several smoke detectors in a typical fire detector usually give an alarm, i.e., a signal. On the other hand, the heat detector only reacts when the fire is close to the detector, i.e., its reaction to the fire is more local than that of the smoke detector. In one embodiment of the present invention, a fire detector, a smoke detector, and / or a flame detector are arranged together with at least one radar-based sensor, for example, in the same housing and / or structure as the radar-based sensor.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring of human movement includes monitoring the position where people move, the position where they are stationary, and / or how long a crowd is stationary at a certain position.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes or is connected to an electronic price tag system, and the electronic price tag system stores the position of the product or the price tag linked to the product, and collects customer product selection event information for a specific product based on the determined position of the person in the monitoring area and the determined purchase and / or position information from the electronic tag system.

[0045] In one embodiment (and as Figure 3 shown), the base station of the electronic price tag system can be arranged at the same position and / or within the same structure as the sensor arrangement. In this way, the installation in a store environment is easy because the wiring and installation for both the sensor arrangement and the base station of the electronic tag system can be completed in one place. With this solution, the system is capable of collecting the position and / or route of people in the store and the position and / or route of the electronic price tags. Such an arrangement can be installed, for example, on the ceiling of the monitoring area.

[0046] Figure 3 An example embodiment related to arranging at least a part of the solution of the present invention in a store is presented in a simplified manner. Each sensor arrangement 301, 302, 303, 304 includes four radar (e.g., MMW radar)-based sensors configured to detect human movement. The sensor arrangement can have a 360-degree view of the monitoring area because there are multiple radar-based sensors. The unit including the radar-based sensors is arranged above the aisle between the shelves 310 in the store so that the sensors can measure the area where people are moving between the shelves. The sensors can be arranged such that they point directly downwards or are slightly tilted. The sensor arrangement can be connected to a control unit that controls the operation of the sensor arrangement and / or a base station such as an electronic price tag system. Figure 3 Point cloud data from the radar-based sensors of the sensor arrangement 301 is also presented as an example corresponding to a moving person in the corridor.

[0047] In one embodiment, the sensor arrangement can be arranged to be connected to the base station of the electronic tag system. In the arrival direction detection mode, the base station can transmit a command to the electronic price tag to transmit a signal to the base station, for example, a constant tone extension (CTE) signal. The base station can include an antenna array and can determine the arrival direction of the signal from the electronic price tag based on the antenna array of the base station. With three base stations, the position of the tag can be determined.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning of the detected crowd can be displayed in a software application. If an evacuation from the premises is initiated and the application is in an open state or is opened, the application can automatically display the evacuation route.

[0049] Figure 4 An embodiment of the present invention is shown in which the device 400 displays a floor plan 401 of the premises through software or an installed application. The floor plan can display, for example, the furniture in the premises and / or the layout and / or structure of the premises. The software can also be used to display the detected person or group of people 402, 403, 404, 405 and their positions on the map or floor plan. In this way, emergency personnel or authorities can monitor the situation under dangerous conditions, such as during a fire, and the crowd in the monitoring area can still be evacuated by personnel based on their positions indicated on the display of a device (e.g., a portable device such as a tablet, a phone, or a device including a display).

[0050] An embodiment of the present invention also relates to an exit guidance system. The system includes a portable device or the system is connected to a portable device such as a mobile phone, and the system and the device include communication means for communicating with each other. The portable device includes software, and a floor plan of the venue is stored in the system and / or the software. The system is arranged to implement crowd guidance, such as emergency exit guidance, through an application installed on the portable device. The floor plan may include position information of objects and / or structures in the venue, such as the position information of shelves in a store.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, the exit guidance system is adapted to transmit an exit command to the device, and in response to the command, the device is adapted to activate the exit guidance in the software shown on the display of the device. The exit command may include information related to the exit guidance, such as an exit route, an exit door, and / or a fire location.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present invention, the exit guidance system and / or the software is adapted to guide the user of the device to leave the venue, for example, to the exit and / or emergency exit of the venue, such as the nearest exit door. Using the software in the device, the system can guide the crowd based on the indication of a fire detector in the venue, for example, away from the location of the fire detector where a fire is detected. The system and / or the device and / or the software can utilize various known positioning systems and technologies, such as indoor positioning systems or technologies, to determine the position of the device and / or modify and adapt the guidance based on the position of the device.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, the exit guidance system and / or the software is adapted to generate guidance by displaying a route to the exit on the display of the device, where the route is adapted to be drawn as a line and / or continuous and / or adjacent symbols, such as points or circles. The guidance can be executed by making the continuous and / or adjacent symbols "run", for example, by changing their color and / or making the symbols smaller and / or larger. The symbols can have two states, a normal state and a guidance state, and the effect of movement is created by controlling groups of symbols such that when the appearance of the next symbol enters the guidance state, for example, by changing the color and / or making the symbol smaller and / or larger, the appearance of the previous symbol enters the normal state.

[0054] An embodiment of the present invention also relates to an exit guidance method, which can be used in an exit guidance system including a portable device, or the system is connected to a portable device such as a mobile phone, and the system and the device include communication means for communicating with each other, where the portable device includes software, and where a map or floor plan of the venue has been stored in the system and / or the software. The method implements crowd guidance, such as emergency exit guidance, through an application installed on the portable device in the system.

[0055] Figure 5 shows a portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an application running therein in the event of a fire. Figure 5 The solution shown in Figure 4 corresponds to the solution shown in Figure 5 In the solution of Figure 5 shows a device 500 that displays a floor plan 501 of a venue through software or an installed application. The floor plan may display, for example, furniture in the venue and / or the layout and / or structure of the venue. The software can be used to display on a display the routes to an exit 503 and a first exit 505 and a second exit 506 and / or the positions 504 of people and / or devices in the venue. In one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning of the crowd in the area may also be shown in an emergency guidance view.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, the device may display the determined position of the crowd in the monitored area and at least one exit route.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes means for guiding the crowd, such as remotely controlled displays, dynamic signs or light source strips, and the system uses the means for guiding the crowd to guide the crowd at least in part based on the indications of the fire detector, the smoke detector and / or the flame detector in the monitored area and the determined position of the crowd, for example, such that the crowd is guided away from the position of the fire detector where a fire has been detected. The monitoring system and / or the guidance system connected to the monitoring system may utilize the determined position of the crowd in the monitored area and / or the number of people in certain parts of the area in dynamic guidance for guidance purposes, for example, such that the crowd is guided away from the dangerous area so as not to cause or minimize congestion caused by the guidance. This can be achieved by guiding the crowd to different exits with the guiding means based on the detected number of people and their positions.

[0058] Figure 6 is a simplified diagram showing the operation of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention when a fire occurs in the area. Fire detectors are arranged in a venue such as a store, which may have, for example, both smoke detector and heat detector functions. The guiding means may be arranged in the monitored area, for example, on the edge of a shelf. Figure 6 The venue shown in

[0059] has two exits 601 and 602. Figure 6In it, the guiding device on the shelf 611 guides upward in the figure, that is, guides to the part where the exit 601 of the place 600 is located. The guiding devices arranged on the shelves 610, 612 arranged around the place guide horizontally in the figure and directly towards the first exit 601. The guiding devices arranged on other shelves 613, 614, 615, 616, 617 guide to the part where the second entrance 602 of the place is located.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is adapted to cause the light sources of adjacent guiding devices to flash. The effect of movement can be created by controlling the light sources of the guiding devices in groups. The control of the light sources can be achieved, for example, in the following way: when the light source of the next guiding device is turned on, the light source of the previous guiding device is turned off. In one embodiment of the present invention, the control of the light sources can be achieved in the following way: turn on the light sources of a group of several guiding devices (for example, a group of two or three guiding devices) and turn off the light sources of the previous group of guiding devices.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present invention, the guiding effect is produced by the light sources of adjacent guiding devices. For example, if the guiding device has only one light source, this solution can be used. If the guiding device includes multiple light sources, the guiding effect, that is, the effect of movement, can be produced jointly by the light source of one guiding device and / or by the light sources of adjacent guiding devices.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light source of the guiding device can have at least two modes: a static mode and a dynamic mode. In the dynamic mode, the light source is turned on and off to create the effect of movement. In this embodiment, the light source of the guiding device can be controlled to switch between the dynamic mode and the static mode.

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is adapted to guide using substantially all the guiding devices within the place.

[0064] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is adapted to turn on and keep lit at least a part of the light sources in the monitored area when evacuation of the place is required (for example, based on an indication from a fire detector).

[0065] In one embodiment, in addition to or instead of the above-mentioned guiding devices, arrows can also be used additionally on the display to indicate the exit direction. In one embodiment, the display or the arrow pattern can be illuminated.

[0066] The following explains, by way of example, how to create an example of a guiding effect. In this technology, the light sources of successive guiding devices are controlled such that the light sources of adjacent guiding devices create a guiding effect which can indicate the desired exit direction within a venue, so that a crowd can follow this direction when evacuating in an emergency. Thus, a person who sees the moving effect produced by the light sources of the guiding devices will be guided in the direction of the "movement" of the light sources of the guiding devices. Generally, the moving effect is obtained by controlling the light sources in groups, where the movement is indicated by turning on the next light source and turning off the previous one. In this way, a moving effect is created using light sources, i.e., the moving effect is created by "flowing" light. The "moving" light created by the light sources of the guiding devices is typically formed by a group of, for example, three light sources, where the light of one light source of the guiding device is turned on while the other two light sources are turned off. When the light source of the next guiding device is turned on and the light source of the previous guiding device is turned off, movement occurs. A moving effect can also be created by alternately turning on and off the light sources of a group consisting of several guiding devices. The speed of the movement produced by the light can be adjusted as needed, and its direction can also be changed. If a guiding device has several light sources, several light sources of the same guiding device can also be controlled to create movement, i.e., by lighting adjacent light sources of a single guiding device in the above-described manner. In one embodiment of the present invention, a moving effect can be created by making the light sources of a single guiding device flash and / or by making the light of the light sources of the guiding device flash.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is suitable for guiding a crowd, such as for emergency exit guiding, by flashing the guiding light sources of a single remotely controlled display, such that the flashing creates a moving effect. In this case, the remotely controlled display, such as an electronic price tag, has several light sources for guiding. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is suitable for guiding a crowd, such as for emergency exit guiding, by flashing the light sources of adjacent remotely controlled displays (such as electronic price tags), such that the flashing of the light sources creates a moving effect. In this case, a remotely controlled display such as an emergency guiding display or an electronic price tag may have one or more light sources for guiding. In one embodiment of the present invention, the guiding function can be implemented as a combination of the above examples.

[0068] The light sources of the guiding devices can be controlled by a monitoring system or a control system connected thereto, the monitoring system and / or the control system being capable of receiving signals from one or more fire detectors connected thereto, which are typically installed in many buildings or venues.

[0069] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is adapted to guide a crowd out of a venue by causing the light source of a guiding device to flash, for example, guiding the crowd to an exit and / or an emergency exit of the venue, such as the nearest exit door. The system can use the light source of the guiding device to guide the crowd based on an indication from a fire detector in the venue. For example, away from the location of the fire detector where a fire is detected. The light sources of the guiding devices arranged side by side can be controlled based on signals from at least one fire detector. In one embodiment of the present invention, the guiding function of the system can be manually activated by a user of the system, for example. In one embodiment of the present invention, the same exit route can be displayed on the display of a device (e.g., a portable device) present in the area.

[0070] In one embodiment, the system according to the present invention is adapted to operate in the following manner: In the case where two or more fire detections have been received from a detector arranged in the same venue as the guiding device, the guiding function generated by the light source of the guiding device is activated. The activated guiding function can then enter a guiding mode, such as a static guiding mode and / or a dynamic guiding mode. If the dynamic guiding mode is used, the guiding effect can be adapted to guide the crowd in the direction of a suitable exit, for example, by changing the state of the light source to create an effect of "flowing light". In one embodiment of the present invention, a similar type of guiding can be displayed on the display of a device (e.g., a portable device) present in the area.

[0071] In one embodiment, an electronic price tag system can be arranged in a monitoring area, for example, in a store or a similar sales venue. The electronic price tags can be fixed to the shelves of the venue. The electronic price tag display is arranged to display product-related information, such as price, product name, and possibly some other product-related information. The electronic price tags can communicate with the rest of the system via a base station.

[0072] The body of the electronic price tag can be hard or elastic and flexible in terms of material and structure. The electronics of the electronic price tag can be placed inside the tag body or connected to the tag body. The display of the electronic price tag is equipped with display segments or pixels. The electronic price tag can have openings or other attachment means for attaching the electronic price tag to a desired location, such as the edge of a shelf.

[0073] An electronic price tag system according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include at least a communication device, such as a central unit having a communication device, through which updated price information and other control information of the electronic price tag can be transmitted and received via a base station in the system. In addition, a scanner at the cash register (which is connected to the cash register system and scans products) may be connected to the system, where the cash register system and the electronic price tag always have the same and up-to-date product price information. The central unit may also be connected to other control and support systems.

[0074] The electronic price tag used in the system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication device through which it can communicate with the electronic price tag system and / or the monitoring system.

[0075] In one embodiment of the present invention, the customer product selection information determined in the solution of the present invention may include the number of products sold at a certain location in the store, for example, for a certain shelf, within a certain time period, for example, within one hour and / or within one day, and / or information related to the sales situation of a certain product relative to other products.

[0076] Using the sensors used in the solution of the present invention, "heat map" type images at different times can be provided, from which it can be seen how many customers are moving in certain areas and corridors at a certain time. This information can be used for, for example, targeted marketing and pricing. In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensors are arranged to determine that a certain product is taken out of the shelf and / or put back on the shelf, and / or in this way, the heat map data of a certain shelf can be confirmed and / or provided.

[0077] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the various embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the examples set forth above, and thus may vary within the scope of the claims set forth below. If necessary, the features presented in the specification, as well as other features, can also be applied separately from each other.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the position of at least one person in a monitoring area using a monitoring system, characterized in that: the monitoring system includes at least one sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304), the at least one sensor arrangement includes at least one sensor, measurement electronics, and a processor configured to process sensor data, wherein the sensor is a radar-based sensor, such as a frequency-modulated continuous-wave MIMO radar-based sensor, the sensor monitors the presence, position, movement, and / or posture of at least one person in the monitoring area, and the system uses the at least one sensor arrangement to determine the presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area (200, 401), the system transmits information related to the presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area (200, 401) to a device (400, 500), such as a portable device, for example, a mobile phone or a tablet, wherein the device (400, 500) indicates the determined presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area in a map or floor plan of the monitoring area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the system and / or the device (400, 500) determines the position of the device (400, 500), and the position of the device is presented in the map or the floor plan of the monitoring area together with the determined presence, position, and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position of the device (400, 500) is determined by an indoor positioning system and / or obtained using the GPS positioning function of the device (400, 500).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the map of the monitoring area includes an indoor map or floor plan of the monitoring area.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the map of the monitoring area includes the positioning of the at least one radar-based sensor and / or the sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304) in the map of the monitoring area.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor of the sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304) is provided on the floor, wall, and / or ceiling of the area to be monitored, and / or the measurement range of the at least one sensor arrangement and / or all sensor arrangements substantially covers the area to be monitored.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor arrangement (301, 302, 303, 304) comprises a plurality of radar-type sensors, for example 2 to 4 radar-type sensors, and the plurality of radar-type sensors are arranged in the same structure and / or configured to measure in different directions.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system and the device (400, 500) comprise communication means for communicating with each other, and wherein the device comprises software, and a map or floor plan is stored in the system and / or the software.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises or is connected to an electronic price tag system, and the electronic price tag system stores the location of products or price tags linked to products, and the monitoring system or the electronic price tag system collects customer product selection event information of a specific product based on the determined location of a person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area and the determined purchase and / or location information from the electronic tag system.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a fire detector, a smoke detector and / or a flame detector are arranged to be connected to the at least one radar-based sensor, for example located in the same housing and / or structure as the radar-based sensor.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system comprises means for guiding a crowd, such as a remotely controlled display, a dynamic sign or a light source strip, and the system uses the means for guiding the crowd to guide the crowd at least in part based on the indications of the fire detector, the smoke detector and / or the flame detector in the monitoring area and the determined location of the crowd, for example such that the crowd is guided away from the location of the fire detector where a fire has been detected.

12. A monitoring system for detecting the position of at least one person in a monitoring area characterized in that: the monitoring system comprises at least one sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304), the at least one sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor, measurement electronics and a processor configured to process sensor data, wherein the sensor is a radar-based sensor, such as a frequency-modulated continuous-wave MIMO radar-based sensor, the sensor being configured to monitor the presence, position, movement and / or posture of a person in the monitoring area, and the system is configured to use the at least one sensor arrangement (101, 201, 301, 302, 303, 304) to determine the presence, position and / or movement of at least one person in the monitoring area, the system is configured to transmit information related to the presence, position and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitoring area to a device (400, 500), such as a portable device, for example a mobile phone or a tablet wherein the device (400, 500) is configured to indicate the determined presence, location and / or movement of the at least one person (402, 403, 404, 405) in the monitored area in a map or floor plan of the monitored area.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the system is configured to implement any of the methods according to claims 2 to 11.

14. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising the computer program according to claim 14.

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