Passage permission determination system and passage permission determination method

Abstract

To provide a passage permission determination system and passage permission determination method capable of shortening a time required for authenticating an object person of authentication.SOLUTION: An information processing device transmits an authority determination request for requesting authority determination processing for a user identified by face collation processing, and transmits, to a gate device, a first determination result including a result of the face collation processing, an authority determination result representing a result of the authority determination processing, and identification information of the user. When determining on the basis of the first determination result that the user is allowed to pass through the gate device, the gate device tracks the user, and when tracking fails, transmits identification information of the user registered in a cache table and a face collation request including an image. The information processing device identifies the person in the image by the face collation processing based on the face collation request, and when the user's identification information matches the person's identification information, transmits a result of the face collation processing to the gate device, and the gate device continues to track the user on the basis of the result of the face collation processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a passage permission determination system and a passage permission determination method. [Background technology]

[0002] In stations, offices, and the like, there are areas where entry is restricted to people other than certain individuals. Gates are installed at the entrances and exits of such areas, and the entry of people who pass through the gates to enter the area and the exit of people who pass through the gates to leave the area are managed. For example, ticket gates are installed at the entrances and exits of stations, and the ticket gates manage the entry of people into the station premises based on whether or not they have a ticket.

[0003] In recent years, facial recognition ticket gates that use facial recognition technology to determine whether or not a person can pass through the ticket gate have been considered.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a system including an issuing device that issues tickets, a server device, and a ticket gate that performs ticket inspection processing. In the system of Patent Document 1, the issuing device issues ticket information in response to a user's operation input, acquires a first facial image of the user, and controls the server device to transmit the acquired first facial image to the server device. The server device controls the first facial image received from the issuing device to be delivered to the ticket gate. The ticket gate stores the first facial image delivered from the server device, acquires a second facial image of the user passing through the ticket gate, compares the second facial image with the first facial image, and controls to allow the user to pass if it is determined that the first facial image and the second facial image match. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-79157 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, there is room for consideration on how to shorten the time required to authenticate a person to be authenticated (for example, a user using a station).

[0007] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure contribute to providing a passage permission determination system and a passage permission determination method that can reduce the time required to authenticate a person to be authenticated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A passage permission determination system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an information processing device and a first gate device, and determines whether or not a user is permitted to pass through the first gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device. The information processing device transmits an authority determination request to a determination device to request the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process, and transmits to the first gate device a result of the first face matching process, an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process received from the determination device, and a first determination result including identification information of the user. The first gate device then The determination result is registered in a cache table, and if it is determined based on the first determination result that the user should be allowed to pass through the first gate device, the user is tracked based on an image of the user, and if the tracking fails, the identification information of the user registered in the cache table and a face matching request including the image are sent to the information processing device, and the information processing device identifies the person included in the image by a second face matching process based on the face matching request, and if the identification information of the user matches the identification information of the person, the result of the second face matching process is sent to the first gate device, and the first gate device continues tracking the user based on the result of the second face matching process.

[0009] A passage permission determination method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a passage permission determination method in a passage permission determination system having a processor and a memory, which determines whether or not a user can pass through a gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device, wherein the processor registers in a cache table an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process and a first determination result including the user's identification information, and if it determines based on the first determination result that the user should be allowed to pass through the first gate device, tracks the user based on an image captured of the user, and if the tracking fails, identifies a person included in the image by a second face matching process, and if the identification information of the user registered in the cache table matches the person's identification information, continues tracking the user based on the result of the second face matching process.

[0010] These comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a recording medium, or may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure can reduce the time required to authenticate a subject of authentication.

[0012] Further advantages and benefits of an embodiment of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or benefits may be provided by some of the embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, respectively, but not necessarily all of them may be provided to obtain one or more identical features. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of a conventional facial recognition ticket gate system [Figure 2] Sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of a conventional facial recognition ticket gate system [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the relative positions of people passing through a facial recognition ticket gate [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the position of a user relative to a facial recognition ticket gate and the result of facial recognition processing. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 shows a system configuration according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a ticket gate determination cache table according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7A] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7B] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7C] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8A] A sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the face authentication ticket gate system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8B] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of determining whether or not to allow passage based on a face matching result. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 shows a system configuration according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10A] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10B] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10C] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of a face authentication server according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] A sequence diagram showing an operation example 1 of the face authentication ticket gate system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] A sequence diagram showing an operation example 2 of the face authentication ticket gate system 2 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a variation in the use of the ticket gate determination cache table. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 shows a system configuration according to a variation of the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 shows a system configuration according to a third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a ticket gate determination cache table according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] A sequence diagram showing an operation example 1 of the face authentication ticket gate system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] A sequence diagram showing an operation example 2 of the face authentication ticket gate system according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0015] (Embodiment 1) <Knowledge that led to this disclosure> Ticket gates are installed at the entrances and exits of railway stations to manage the entry and exit of people using the station. If the ticket gate determines that a person attempting to enter or exit the station through the ticket gate is authorized to pass through the ticket gate, the ticket gate controls the person to pass through. Also, if the ticket gate determines that a person attempting to enter or exit the station through the ticket gate is unauthorized to pass through, the ticket gate controls the person not to pass through.

[0016] In a ticket gate, control that allows a person to pass includes, for example, at least one of door control that is provided in the passage of the ticket gate and that opens doors that prevent the person from passing through, display control that displays a message indicating that passage is permitted, and audio control that outputs a sound indicating that passage is permitted. Control that does not allow a person to pass includes, for example, at least one of door control that is provided in the passage of the ticket gate and that closes doors that prevent the person from passing through, display control that displays a message indicating that passage is not permitted, and audio control that outputs a sound indicating that passage is not permitted.

[0017] In recent years, facial recognition ticket gates that use facial recognition technology to determine whether or not a person can pass through the ticket gate have been considered. In the following, a person who is about to pass through a facial recognition ticket gate may be referred to as a user of the facial recognition ticket gate or simply as a user.

[0018] In the facial recognition process of a facial recognition ticket gate, the identity of the user is identified by taking a picture of the user's face, detecting a facial image (a region where the face is located cut out from the captured image) that includes the user's face from the captured image (face detection), and then performing facial recognition based on the detected facial image.The facial recognition process then determines whether the identified user is allowed to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate based on the ticket or other documents held by the identified user.

[0019] In the following, the determination of whether a user can pass through a facial recognition ticket gate based on the ticket held by the user may be referred to as ticket gate determination or ticket gate determination process. Note that the ticket gate determination process corresponds to an example of authority determination process that determines whether a user has the authority to pass through a facial recognition ticket gate (an example of a gate device).

[0020] Capturing an image including the user's face, detecting the face from within the captured image, and performing facial authentication based on the detected facial image are performed by a facial authentication ticket gate and / or a facial authentication server in the facial authentication ticket gate system.

[0021] The ticket gate determination process is generally performed centrally by a device that is provided separately from the facial recognition ticket gate and the facial recognition server. Therefore, after the user is identified by facial recognition, information about the user is sent to the device that performs the ticket gate determination process, and a response from the ticket gate determination process is awaited. Note that, hereinafter, the device that performs the ticket gate determination process may be referred to as the ticket gate determination device.

[0022] Below, a configuration example and an operation example of a face recognition ticket gate system including a face recognition ticket gate, a face recognition server, and a ticket gate determination device will be described.

[0023] <Example of conventional configuration> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional facial recognition ticket gate system 9. The facial recognition ticket gate system 9 shown in Fig. 1 includes a facial recognition server 90, a management server 91, a facial recognition ticket gate 92, and a ticket gate determination device 93.

[0024] The facial recognition ticket gate system 9 shown in Figure 1 identifies the person attempting to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 92 and determines whether the identified person is permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 92.

[0025] A person who wishes to use the facial recognition ticket gate system 9 shown in FIG. 1 registers information in advance. For example, a person who wishes to use the facial recognition ticket gate system 9 registers an image including their own face (hereinafter referred to as a facial image) and personal information (e.g., name, etc.) in the management server 91. Hereinafter, a person who registers information in the management server 91 will be referred to as a registrant. Note that personal information does not need to be registered in the management server 91. For example, if a facial image and ticket information linked to the facial image are registered, facial recognition and ticket gate determination are possible. Here, the ticket information includes information regarding whether or not the registrant is permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 92.

[0026] Information about registrants is stored in the management server 91. The information about registrants includes facial images and personal information of the registrants, as well as information about whether the registrants are permitted to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 92.

[0027] In the face authentication ticket gate system 9, by referring to the information registered in the management server 91, if the user is included in the registered persons, it is possible to identify which of the registered persons the user is.

[0028] <Example of conventional operation> Next, the process from when the face authentication process is executed on a user of the face authentication ticket gate 92 until the user passes through the face authentication ticket gate 92 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of a conventional face authentication ticket gate system.

[0030] When a user of the face authentication ticket gate 92 approaches the entrance of the face authentication ticket gate 92, a camera installed in the face authentication ticket gate 92 takes an image of the user.

[0031] The face recognition ticket gate 92 detects the face image of the user from the captured image, and transmits information requesting face matching to the face recognition server 90 based on the detected face image (S101). Hereinafter, information requesting face matching will be referred to as a face matching request. For example, the face matching request includes the detected face image of the user (or features extracted from the face image of the user).

[0032] The face authentication server 90 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S102).

[0033] In face matching, the face authentication server 90 identifies the registrant corresponding to the user by comparing the face image of the user included in the face matching request with the face images of the registrants registered in the management server 91. For example, the face authentication server 90 calculates a matching score indicating the degree of similarity between the face image of the user and the face image of the registrant. The higher the degree of similarity, the higher the matching score. The matching score may be calculated between the face image of the user and the face image of the registrant, or may be calculated between the feature amounts of the face image of the user and the feature amounts of the face image of the registrant. Then, in face matching, a matching score is calculated between the face images of the registrants and the face images of the registrants for each registrant. In other words, each matching score is associated with a registrant.

[0034] In face matching, if the largest of the calculated matching scores is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face authentication server 90 determines that the registrant corresponding to the largest matching score corresponds to the user. The authentication threshold may be a threshold for ensuring that the matching score is sufficiently high and that the registrant corresponds to the user. On the other hand, if the largest of the calculated matching scores is less than the authentication threshold, the face authentication server 90 determines that the registrant corresponding to the user cannot be identified.

[0035] In the example of FIG. 2, the face matching result shows that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold.

[0036] The face recognition server 90 transmits a face matching response indicating that the matching score was below the authentication threshold, that is, a face matching response indicating that the face matching was not successful ("Face Matching Response (NG)" in Figure 2) to the face recognition ticket gate 92 (S103).

[0037] In the example of FIG. 2, the face matching response indicates that face matching has not been successful, so the face recognition ticket gate 92 transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 90 again (S104).

[0038] The face authentication server 90 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S105).

[0039] In the example of FIG. 2, the face matching result shows that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0040] If the matching score is greater than or equal to the authentication threshold, the facial recognition server 90 sends a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 93 to request a determination of whether the registered person corresponding to the user is permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 92 (S106).

[0041] The ticket gate determination device 93 performs ticket gate determination based on the ticket gate determination request (S107). In the example of Fig. 2, the result of the ticket gate determination is that the user who is the subject of the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass.

[0042] The ticket gate determination device 93 transmits a ticket gate determination response ("ticket gate determination response (OK)" in FIG. 2) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through to the face authentication server 90 (S108).

[0043] Based on the ticket gate determination response, the face authentication server 90 transmits a face matching result ("Face matching result (OK)" in Figure 2) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through to the face authentication ticket gate 92 (S109).

[0044] When passing through a facial recognition ticket gate as described above, in order for a user attempting to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate to be able to do so without slowing down, it is necessary to complete facial authentication of the user before the user enters the facial recognition ticket gate and notify the facial recognition ticket gate that the user can pass through the gate.

[0045] In the facial recognition processing in a facial recognition ticket gate, it is desirable that the series of processes described above be processed quickly so that users attempting to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate can do so without slowing down.

[0046] As an example, the relationship between face authentication processing and the passage of a user is shown.

[0047] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the positional relationship of people passing through a facial recognition ticket gate. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the facial recognition ticket gate as seen from above, and shows the position of a certain person entering through the entrance of the facial recognition ticket gate.

[0048] The face matching start point shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the point at which face matching starts.

[0049] The matching result display start point corresponds to the point at which the display of the user's face matching results starts.

[0050] The match NG result display start point corresponds to the point at which a display indicating that face matching was unsuccessful starts as a result of face matching of the user. If the display indicating that face matching was unsuccessful cannot start at this point, there is a risk that the user will enter the entrance of the ticket gate.

[0051] The limit of photography corresponds to the limit of the position at which the camera can photograph the user. The camera cannot photograph the user in areas closer to the exit of the facial recognition ticket gate than this position. Note that a state in which the camera cannot photograph the user may correspond to a state in which the user's face is not fully included in the image captured by the camera, or a state in which the image captured by the camera cannot perform face matching with sufficient accuracy.

[0052] The no-ticket-passing detection point corresponds to the point at which it is detected that a user who is not permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate (hereinafter referred to as a no-ticket user) is attempting to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate.

[0053] If users cannot be notified of whether they can pass through before entering the facial recognition ticket gate, this could increase users' psychological resistance.

[0054] In order to improve the passing performance of a facial recognition ticket gate, it is desirable for the facial recognition server to obtain the ticket gate judgment result as quickly as possible and send the result to the facial recognition ticket gate.

[0055] As a user approaches a facial recognition ticket gate, the size of the face image in the image of the user gradually increases.

[0056] When facial matching is performed due to a small facial image size, the calculated matching score may be lower than the authentication threshold, resulting in insufficient authentication accuracy. However, in such cases, even if the matching score is low, the matching candidate often matches the user.

[0057] Therefore, in the first embodiment, even if the matching score is less than the authentication threshold at the start of face authentication, a ticket gate determination is performed in advance.

[0058] For example, even if the matching score is less than the authentication threshold at the start of facial recognition, if the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, which is set separately from the authentication threshold, a ticket gate determination is first performed on the matching candidate corresponding to the matching score that is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0059] For example, if the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, before a matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold appears, a ticket gate determination is made for the matching candidate corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold. In other words, if the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, a ticket gate determination is made for the matching candidate corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold without waiting for a matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0060] If the matching score is less than the authentication threshold, the matching candidate corresponding to the matching score less than the authentication threshold is not determined to be the user, but the user can request a ticket gate determination at an early stage after entering the facial recognition ticket gate and obtain the result.

[0061] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the position of a user relative to a face recognition ticket gate and the result of face recognition processing.

[0062] Figure 4 shows four user positions (1) to (4) as examples. As the user approaches the facial recognition ticket gate, the user's position moves from position (1) to positions (2), (3), and (4) in that order. Figure 4 also shows examples of images captured at each of positions (1) to (3) and examples of matching scores obtained by facial recognition based on the captured images.

[0063] Of the four positions, position (1) corresponds to the position where the user is farthest from the facial recognition ticket gate. At position (1), the size of the user's facial image (for example, the size of the face frame surrounding the facial image) in the image captured by the camera is not large enough to ensure sufficient authentication accuracy. Therefore, in the facial recognition process based on the image captured at position (1), a matching score of "600" is calculated.

[0064] Position (2) corresponds to a position closer to the facial recognition ticket gate than position (1). At position (2), the size of the user's facial image in the camera's image (for example, the size of the face frame surrounding the facial image) is large enough to ensure sufficient recognition accuracy. Therefore, the facial recognition process based on the image captured at position (2) calculates a matching score of "800."

[0065] Here, an example is given in which the ticket gate determination threshold is "580" and the authentication threshold is "760".

[0066] In this example, the matching score at position (1) is less than the authentication threshold but greater than or equal to the ticket gate determination threshold. In the first embodiment, when the user is present at position (1), a ticket gate determination request is sent to the ticket gate determination device.

[0067] The matching score at position (2) is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold. In this embodiment 1, the ticket gate determination request is sent to the ticket gate determination device when the user is at position (1), so the ticket gate determination request does not need to be sent to the ticket gate determination device when the user is at position (2). The ticket gate determination result has already been obtained when the user is at position (2).

[0068] Position (3) is closer to the facial recognition ticket gate than position (2) and corresponds to the entrance of the facial recognition ticket gate. By the time the user reaches position (3), the facial recognition process has returned a result of authentication OK, and the ticket gate determination process has returned a result of ticket gate determination OK. Therefore, when the user reaches position (3), the facial recognition ticket gate displays a message to the user indicating that they are permitted to pass through, and performs control corresponding to the permission to pass (for example, control to open a door installed to block passage). Because the user is permitted to pass at position (3), they can move to position (4) and pass through the facial recognition ticket gate without slowing down.

[0069] As illustrated in Figure 4, in this embodiment 1, even if the matching score is less than the authentication threshold at the start of face authentication, the ticket gate judgment is performed in advance, and the result of the ticket gate judgment can be obtained in advance, thereby reducing the time required to authenticate the person to be authenticated.

[0070] Next, the system configuration and processing flow according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0071] <System Configuration Example According to First Embodiment> Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a system configuration according to the first embodiment. The facial recognition ticket gate system 1 shown in Fig. 5 includes a facial recognition server 10, a management server 11, a facial recognition ticket gate 12, a ticket gate determination device 13, and a ticket gate determination cache table 14. The facial recognition server 10 corresponds to an example of an information processing device (for example, a computer such as a PC having a processor and memory). Note that at least one of the management server 11, the facial recognition ticket gate 12, and the ticket gate determination device 13 may include a computer such as a PC having a processor and memory or an information processing device.

[0072] The face authentication server 10 and the face authentication ticket gate 12 are connected by wire or wirelessly. The management server 11, the face authentication server 10, and the ticket gate determination device 13 are connected to each other by wire or wirelessly. The ticket gate determination cache table 14 may be included in the face authentication server 10.

[0073] The facial recognition ticket gate system 1 shown in Figure 5 identifies the person who is trying to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, and determines whether the identified person is permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12.

[0074] A person who wishes to use the facial recognition ticket gate system 1 shown in Fig. 5 registers information in advance. For example, a person who wishes to use the facial recognition ticket gate system 1 registers a facial image including their own face and personal information (for example, name, etc.) in the management server 11. Hereinafter, a person who registers information in the management server 11 will be referred to as a registrant.

[0075] Information about registrants is stored in the management server 11. The information about registrants includes facial images and personal information of the registrants, as well as information about whether the registrants are permitted to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12.

[0076] In the facial recognition ticket gate system 1, the facial recognition server 10 refers to the information registered in the management server 11, and when the user is included in the registered persons, it is determined who among the registered persons the user is.

[0077] The face recognition ticket gate 12 has a face matching request processing unit 121, a ticket gate control unit 122, and a communication unit 123. The face matching request processing unit 121 and the ticket gate control unit 122 may be collectively referred to as a processing unit or a processor.

[0078] When a user reaches the face matching start point, the face matching request processing unit 121 controls a camera (omitted in FIG. 5 ) mounted on the face recognition ticket gate 12 to capture an image including the user's face. The face matching request processing unit 121 detects the user's face image from the captured image and transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 based on the detected face image. For example, the face matching request includes the detected face image of the user (or features extracted from the user's face image), identification information for identifying the face recognition ticket gate 12 (for example, a face recognition ticket gate ID), and entry / exit direction information. The entry / exit direction information may be information indicating from which direction the user is attempting to enter the face recognition ticket gate. For example, the face matching request processing unit 121 starts transmitting the face matching request from the face matching start point. However, the face matching request does not have to start from the face matching start point.

[0079] The ticket gate control unit 122 controls the face authentication ticket gate 12 based on the face matching result transmitted from the face authentication server 10, which will be described later. For example, the ticket gate control unit 122 controls the opening and closing of a door (omitted in FIG. 5) that is provided in a passage of the face authentication ticket gate 12 and blocks passage through the passage. For example, if the user is a person permitted to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12, the ticket gate control unit 122 controls the door to be in an open state, and if the user is not a person permitted to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12, the ticket gate control unit 122 controls the door to be in a closed state.

[0080] For example, the ticket gate control unit 122 controls the display unit, the audio output unit, etc., which are omitted in Fig. 5, to provide information to a user of the facial recognition ticket gate 12. For example, information indicating whether the user is a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12 may be provided to the user.

[0081] The face recognition ticket gate 12 repeats image capture, face detection, and sending of face matching requests while the face matching result received from the face recognition server 10 is "face recognition NG" (the score obtained as a result of face matching is equal to or less than the authentication threshold). For example, if the number of times that the face recognition ticket gate 12 receives a face matching result indicating "face recognition NG" exceeds a specified number (for example, an integer equal to or greater than 1) or if the number of times that the face recognition ticket gate 12 repeats image capture, face detection, and sending of face matching requests exceeds a specified number, the face recognition ticket gate 12 may stop sending face matching requests and treat the user as having "face recognition NG."

[0082] The face authentication server 10 includes a face matching processing unit 101, a request processing unit 102, a result generation unit 103, and a communication unit 104. The face matching processing unit 101, the request processing unit 102, and the result generation unit 103 may be collectively referred to as a processing unit or a processor.

[0083] The face matching processing unit 101 performs face matching based on the face matching request and sets the person to be subjected to ticket gate determination. The request processing unit 102 determines whether or not to make a ticket gate determination request for the set person to be subjected to ticket gate determination, and transmits the ticket gate determination request based on the determination. The result generating unit 103 generates the face matching result based on the ticket gate determination response to the ticket gate determination request and / or the ticket gate determination cache table 14.

[0084] In face matching, the face matching processing unit 101 identifies a registrant corresponding to the user by comparing the face image of the user included in the face matching request with face images of registrants registered in the management server 11. For example, the face matching processing unit 101 calculates a matching score indicating the degree of similarity between the face image of the user and the face image of the registrant. The matching score may be calculated between the face image of the user and the face image of the registrant, or may be calculated between feature amounts of the face image of the user and the face image of the registrant. Then, in face matching, a matching score between the face images of the registrant and the face image of the registrant is calculated for each registrant. In other words, each matching score is associated with a registrant.

[0085] In face matching, if the largest matching score among the calculated matching scores is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, face matching processing unit 101 determines that the registrant corresponding to the largest matching score corresponds to the user. If the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, face matching processing unit 101 sets the registrant corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold as a person subject to ticket gate judgment. Hereinafter, the registrant corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold may be referred to as the "first registrant." The first registrant is the registrant determined to be the user in face matching.

[0086] On the other hand, if the matching score is less than the authentication threshold, the face matching processing unit 101 determines whether or not there is a matching score that is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold among the calculated matching scores. The ticket gate determination threshold is a value less than the authentication threshold. If there is a matching score that is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face matching processing unit 101 sets the registrant corresponding to the matching score that is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold as a person subject to ticket gate determination. A registrant corresponding to a matching score that is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold and less than the authentication threshold may be referred to as a "second registrant." A second registrant is a registrant who has not been determined to be the user in face matching, but who has a high possibility of being the user.

[0087] The second registrant may be one person or multiple people. For example, when there are multiple matching scores that are equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold but less than the authentication threshold, the second registrant may be the registrant corresponding to the largest matching score among the multiple matching scores. Alternatively, the second registrant may be the registrant corresponding to the top N (N is an integer equal to or greater than 2) matching scores among the multiple matching scores that are equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold but less than the authentication threshold, or the second registrant may be the registrant corresponding to all of the multiple matching scores that are equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold but less than the authentication threshold.

[0088] The request processing unit 102 requests a ticket gate determination for the set subject of ticket gate determination based on the set subject of ticket gate determination and the state of the ticket gate determination. The request processing unit 102 generates a ticket gate determination request requesting a ticket gate determination for the set subject of ticket gate determination, and transmits the ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 via the communication unit 104. The ticket gate determination request includes any one of identification information (e.g., authentication ID) that identifies the set subject of ticket gate determination, information regarding the installation location of the facial recognition ticket gate (e.g., station ticket gate) obtained from the facial recognition ticket gate ID, and information indicating the direction in which the user will enter the facial recognition ticket gate.

[0089] If the set target of ticket gate determination is a first registrant, the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has not been completed, and the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is not currently in progress, the request processing unit 102 generates a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the first registrant. In this case, the ticket gate determination request includes an authentication ID that identifies the first registrant. If the set target of ticket gate determination is a second registrant, the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has not been completed, and the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is not currently in progress, the request processing unit 102 generates a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the second registrant. In this case, the ticket gate determination request includes an authentication ID that identifies the second registrant.

[0090] If the set target of ticket gate determination is a first registrant and the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed or is currently in progress, the request processing unit 102 does not generate a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the first registrant. Also, if the set target of ticket gate determination is a second registrant and the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed or is currently in progress, the request processing unit 102 does not generate a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the second registrant.

[0091] The request processor 102 may update the ticket examination determination cache table 14 based on the ticket examination determination request.

[0092] The result generation unit 103 receives, via the communication unit 104, a ticket gate determination response indicating whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12. The ticket gate determination response includes an authentication ID that identifies the person subject to the ticket gate determination, and the result of the ticket gate determination (e.g., whether or not they are permitted to pass). Based on the received ticket gate determination response and / or the ticket gate determination cache table 14, the result generation unit 103 determines whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, and generates a face matching result that indicates the determination result for the person subject to the ticket gate determination.

[0093] For example, if the subject of the set ticket gate judgment is a first registered person and the first registered person is a person who is allowed to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, the result generation unit 103 generates a face matching result indicating that the ticket gate judgment was successful (e.g., "OK").

[0094] For example, if the person subject to the set ticket gate judgment is a first registered person and the first registered person is not a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, the result generation unit 103 generates a face matching result indicating that the ticket gate judgment was not successful (e.g., "NG").

[0095] On the other hand, if the set subject of ticket gate judgment is a second registered person, the result generation unit 103 does not need to determine whether the subject of ticket gate judgment (i.e., the second registered person) is a person who is allowed to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12.

[0096] For example, the result generation unit 103 may generate a face matching result indicating that the judgment is pending when it cannot determine whether the person subject to the ticket gate judgment is a person permitted to pass through the face recognition ticket gate 12. Note that the case where it cannot be determined whether the person subject to the ticket gate judgment is a person permitted to pass through the face recognition ticket gate 12 includes a case where the ticket gate judgment response has not been received.

[0097] The result generation unit 103 transmits the face matching result to the face authentication ticket gate 12 via the communication unit 104.

[0098] The result generating unit 103 may update the ticket examination determination cache table 14 based on the ticket examination determination response.

[0099] The communication unit 104 is an interface that transmits signals containing information to other devices included in the facial recognition ticket gate system 1 (for example, the management server 11, the facial recognition ticket gate 12, the ticket gate determination device 13, and the ticket gate determination cache table 14) to the other devices. The communication unit 104 is also an interface that receives signals containing information provided from other devices included in the facial recognition ticket gate system 1. The communication unit 104 may be divided into a transmission unit that performs signal transmission processing and a reception unit that performs signal reception processing.

[0100] In the face recognition server 10 of this embodiment 1, even if the calculated matching score is less than the authentication threshold, if there is a matching score among the calculated matching scores that is greater than or equal to the ticket gate judgment threshold, a ticket gate judgment is requested for the registered user (i.e., the second registered user) corresponding to the matching score that is greater than or equal to the ticket gate judgment threshold.

[0101] When the face authentication server 10 transmits a ticket gate determination request for a registrant determined to correspond to the user (i.e., the first registrant) (in other words, when the largest matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold), the face authentication server 10 receives a ticket gate determination response indicating whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination (in other words, the first registrant) is a person permitted to pass. In this case, the face authentication server 10 transmits to the face authentication ticket gate 12 a face matching result indicating whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass, based on the ticket gate determination response.

[0102] When the face authentication server 10 requests a ticket gate determination for a registrant corresponding to a matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (in other words, when the largest matching score is less than the authentication threshold), the face authentication server 10 receives a ticket gate determination response indicating whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination (in other words, the second registrant) is a person permitted to pass. In this case, the face authentication server 10 updates the ticket gate determination cache table 14 by storing information indicating whether or not the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass in the ticket gate determination cache table 14.

[0103] The ticket gate determination device 13 includes a ticket gate determination processing unit 131 and a communication unit 132. The ticket gate determination processing unit 131 may be referred to as a processing unit or a processor.

[0104] The ticket examination determination processing unit 131 performs ticket examination determination for the person who is the subject of ticket examination determination indicated by the acquired ticket examination determination request via the communication unit 132. The ticket examination determination processing unit 131 performs ticket examination determination based on, for example, information on the ticket of each registered person stored in an external device (for example, the management server 11).

[0105] If it is determined as a result of the ticket gate determination that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, the ticket gate determination processing unit 131 transmits a ticket gate determination response indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass to the facial recognition server 10 via the communication unit 132. If it is determined as a result of the ticket gate determination that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is not a person permitted to pass through the facial recognition ticket gate 12, the ticket gate determination processing unit 131 transmits a ticket gate determination response indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is not a person permitted to pass to the facial recognition server 10 via the communication unit 132.

[0106] The ticket gate determination results are stored in the ticket gate determination cache table 14. An example of the ticket gate determination cache table will be described below.

[0107] <Example of ticket gate determination cache table> An example of the ticket barrier determination cache table in the first embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0108] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a ticket gate determination cache table in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the ticket gate determination cache table stores information based on ticket gate determination cache information acquired by the face authentication server 10. Each entry (each row) of the ticket gate determination cache table may be referred to as a record. The ticket gate determination cache table includes multiple records generated based on the acquired ticket gate determination cache information. One record is associated with one piece of ticket gate determination cache information.

[0109] The ticket gate determination cache information includes a source server ID, access status information, an authentication ID, and a ticket gate determination result.

[0110] The source server ID is identification information that identifies the face recognition server that transmitted the ticket gate determination cache information (hereinafter, may be referred to as the source server). Note that, as shown in Fig. 6, if the system includes only one face recognition server 10, there is only one source server for the ticket gate determination cache information, so the source server ID may be omitted.

[0111] The access status information indicates the access status related to the ticket gate determination. For example, the access status is "accessing" when the face authentication server 10, which is the source server, sends a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 and has not yet received a ticket gate determination response. For example, the access status is "determination result received" when the source server sends a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device and has received a ticket gate determination response. The access status information indicates whether the access status related to the ticket gate determination is "accessing" or "determination result received."

[0112] The authentication ID is identification information that identifies the person who is the subject of ticket inspection judgment.

[0113] The ticket gate determination result indicates the result of the ticket gate determination. For example, if it is determined that the user who is the subject of the ticket gate determination is permitted to pass through the ticket gate, the ticket gate determination result indicates "ticket gate determination OK," and if it is determined that the user who is the subject of the ticket gate determination is not permitted to pass through the ticket gate, the ticket gate determination result indicates "ticket gate determination NG." Note that if the access status regarding the ticket gate determination is "accessing," the ticket gate determination result may be blank.

[0114] One record in the ticket gate determination cache table includes the reception date and time, a validity flag, a source server ID, access status information, an authentication ID, and a ticket gate determination result.

[0115] The reception date and time indicates the date and time (for example, date and time in seconds) when the ticket gate determination cache information was received.

[0116] The valid flag indicates whether the record is valid or not. For example, if a predetermined valid time has passed since the date and time of reception, the record is determined to be invalid. For example, the valid time of the record is about 5 seconds. Information regarding the valid time may be stored in a registry. The face recognition server 10, which manages the ticket gate determination cache table 14, invalidates the record based on the valid time.

[0117] The source server ID, access state information, authentication ID, and ticket gate determination result correspond to the source server ID, access state information, authentication ID, and ticket gate determination result included in the ticket gate determination cache information, respectively.

[0118] For example, when ticket gate determination cache information is received, the source server ID, access status information, authentication ID, and ticket gate determination result contained in the ticket gate determination cache information are associated with the reception date and time of the ticket gate determination cache information and a validity flag and stored as a single record.

[0119] The ticket gate determination cache table 14 is updated when ticket gate determination cache information is received. The case where ticket gate determination cache information is received corresponds to the case where a certain face recognition server transmits a ticket gate determination request or the case where a certain face recognition server 10 receives a ticket gate determination response.

[0120] The data structure of the ticket examination determination cache table 14 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a ring structure table.

[0121] For example, the number of records included in the ticket gate determination cache table 14 may be limited. The number of records may be determined based on the size, number, and validity period of the facial recognition ticket gate. For example, if there is one facial recognition ticket gate connected to the facial recognition server and the validity period of a record is about 5 seconds, the maximum number of people who can pass through the facial recognition ticket gate is about 5. In such a case, the number of records may be limited to about 10. The maximum number of records is registered in a registry. The facial recognition server that manages the ticket gate determination cache table manages the number of records so that it is less than or equal to the registered maximum number.

[0122] It should be noted that the more facial recognition ticket gates connected to the facial recognition server, the more records are included in the ticket gate determination cache table 14. For example, if the number of records included in the ticket gate determination cache table 14 is represented as K1 (K1 is an integer greater than or equal to 1) and the number of facial recognition ticket gates is represented as K2 (K2 is an integer greater than or equal to 1), K1 can be expressed as K1=K2×validity time of record÷passing time. For example, if the validity time of the record is 5 seconds and the passing time is 1 second, then K1=K2×5.

[0123] <Example of processing by the face authentication server according to the first embodiment> Next, an example of the flow of processing by the face authentication server according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0124] 7A, 7B, and 7C are flowcharts showing an example of the flow of processing by the face authentication server according to the first embodiment.

[0125] The face authentication server 10 determines whether or not a face matching request has been received from the face authentication ticket gate 12 (S201). If a face matching request has not been received (NO in S201), the flow returns to S201.

[0126] When a face matching request is received (YES in S201), the face authentication server 10 calculates a matching score as face matching processing based on the face matching request (S202). A matching score is calculated for each registrant.

[0127] The face authentication server 10 determines whether the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold (S203). For example, the face authentication server 10 determines whether the largest matching score among the calculated matching scores is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0128] If the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold (YES in S203), the face recognition server 10 sets the registrant corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the first registrant) as the person to be judged for the ticket gate judgment (S204). The first registrant is the registrant who is judged to correspond to the user as a result of face matching. Then, the flow continues to S208 in FIG. 7B.

[0129] If the matching score is not equal to or greater than the authentication threshold (NO in S203), the face recognition server 10 determines whether the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (S205). For example, the face recognition server 10 determines whether any of the calculated matching scores is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0130] If the matching score is not equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (NO in S205), the face recognition server 10 transmits a face matching result indicating NG to the face recognition ticket gate (S207). Then, the flow returns to S201.

[0131] If the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (YES in S205), the face recognition server 10 sets the registrant corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (hereinafter, may be referred to as the second registrant) as the person to be determined for the ticket gate determination (S206). The second registrant includes registrants who are highly likely to correspond to the user. The flow then continues to S217 in FIG. 7C. The matching score corresponds to an example of the result of the face matching process. Furthermore, the case where the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold corresponds to an example of the case where the result of the face matching process satisfies the second criterion. Furthermore, the case where the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold corresponds to an example of the case where the result of the face matching process satisfies the first criterion, which is higher than the second criterion.

[0132] 7B, after S204, the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed (S208). For example, the face authentication server 10 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the first registrant and there is a ticket gate determination result for that record, it determines that the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed.

[0133] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has not been completed (NO in S208), the face authentication server 10 determines whether the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is currently being performed (S209). For example, the face authentication server 10 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the first registrant, and there is no ticket gate determination result for that record (or if it indicates that access is in progress), it determines that the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is currently being performed.

[0134] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is in progress (YES in S209), the face authentication server 10 transmits a face matching result indicating that the determination is pending to the face authentication ticket gate (S210). Then, the flow proceeds to S212.

[0135] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is not currently being performed (NO in S209), the face authentication server 10 transmits a ticket gate determination request for requesting a ticket gate determination for the first registrant to the ticket gate determination device (S211). Then, the flow proceeds to S212. As described above, the ticket gate determination process corresponds to an example of an authority determination process for determining whether or not a user has authority to pass through a face authentication ticket gate (an example of a gate device), and the ticket gate determination request corresponds to an example of an authority determination request for requesting an authority determination process.

[0136] The face authentication server 10 determines whether or not a ticket gate determination response has been received (S212). The ticket gate determination response corresponds to an example of an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process.

[0137] If the ticket examination determination response has not been received (NO in S212), the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not a face matching request has been received (S213).

[0138] When the face authentication server 10 receives a face matching request (YES in S213), the flow proceeds to S202 in FIG. 7A.

[0139] If the face authentication server 10 has not received a face matching request (NO in S213), the flow returns to S212.

[0140] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed (YES in S208), or if a ticket gate determination response to the ticket gate determination request for the first registrant has been received (YES in S212), the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is OK (S214). In other words, in this case, the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not to permit the first registrant to pass through the face authentication ticket gate. This determination is made, for example, based on the ticket gate determination result of a record that matches the authentication ID of the first registrant in the ticket gate determination cache table, or the ticket gate determination result for the first registrant indicated in the received ticket gate determination response.

[0141] If the first registrant's ticket gate judgment is OK (YES in S214), the face authentication server 10 transmits the face matching result indicating OK to the face authentication ticket gate (S215), and the flow ends.

[0142] If the first registrant's ticket gate judgment is NG (NO in S214), the face authentication server 10 transmits a face matching result indicating NG to the face authentication ticket gate (S216), and the flow then ends.

[0143] 7C, after S206, the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed (S217). For example, the face authentication server 10 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the second registrant and there is a ticket gate determination result for that record, it determines that the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed.

[0144] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has not been completed (NO in S217), the face authentication server 10 determines whether the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is currently being performed (S218). For example, the face authentication server 10 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the second registrant, and there is no ticket gate determination result for that record (or if it indicates that access is in progress), it determines that the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is currently being performed.

[0145] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is in progress (YES in S218), the face authentication server 10 transmits a face matching result indicating that the determination is pending to the face authentication ticket gate (S219). Then, the flow proceeds to S221.

[0146] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is not in progress (NO in S218), the face authentication server 10 transmits a ticket gate determination request for requesting ticket gate determination for the second registrant to the ticket gate determination device (S220). Then, the flow proceeds to S221.

[0147] The face authentication server 10 determines whether or not a ticket gate determination response has been received (S221).

[0148] If the face recognition server 10 receives the ticket gate determination response (YES in S221), the face recognition server 10 updates the ticket gate determination cache table (S222). Then, the flow proceeds to S223.

[0149] If the ticket gate determination response has not been received (NO in S221), after S222, or if the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed (YES in S217), the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not a face matching request has been received (S223).

[0150] When the face authentication server 10 receives a face matching request (YES in S223), the flow proceeds to S202 in FIG. 7A.

[0151] If the face authentication server 10 has not received a face matching request (NO in S223), the flow returns to S221.

[0152] <Example of operation of embodiment 1> Next, the process from when the face authentication process is executed on a user of the face authentication ticket gate 12 until the user passes through the face authentication ticket gate 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 8A.

[0153] FIG. 8A is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the face authentication ticket gate system 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0154] When a user of the face authentication ticket gate 12 approaches the entrance of the face authentication ticket gate 12, a camera installed in the face authentication ticket gate 12 takes an image of the user.

[0155] The face recognition ticket gate 12 transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 (S301).

[0156] The face authentication server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S302). In the example of Fig. 8A, the result of face matching is that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold but is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0157] If the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face recognition server 10 transmits a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 for the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold (S303).

[0158] Meanwhile, the face recognition ticket gate 12 again transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 (S304).

[0159] The face authentication server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S305). In the example of Fig. 8A, the result of face matching is that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold but is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0160] In the example of Figure 8A, a ticket gate determination request has been made to the ticket gate determination device 13 for a subject corresponding to a matching score equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, so the face recognition server 10 determines to suspend the ticket gate determination for the face matching request (S306).

[0161] Based on the determination in S306, the face recognition server 10 transmits a face matching result indicating that the ticket gate determination is pending and that the face recognition is "facial recognition NG" ("Facial Matching Result (Determination Pending, Face Recognition NG)" in FIG. 8A) to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S307). Note that in the example of FIG. 8A, the result of the face matching in S305 is that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S307 includes information indicating "facial recognition NG". In the example of FIG. 8A, the result of the ticket gate determination for the subject of the ticket gate determination has not been received before S307, so the face matching result in S307 includes information indicating "determination pending".

[0162] The ticket gate determination device 13 performs ticket gate determination based on the ticket gate determination request (S308). In the example of Fig. 8A, the result of the ticket gate determination is that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass.

[0163] The ticket gate determination device 13 transmits a ticket gate determination response ("ticket gate determination response (OK)" in FIG. 8A) indicating that the person subject to ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through to the face authentication server 10 (S309).

[0164] The face recognition ticket gate 12 again transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 (S310). For example, the face recognition ticket gate 12 transmits a face matching request again based on the face matching result of S307 indicating "face recognition NG."

[0165] The face authentication server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S311). In the example of Fig. 8A, the result of face matching is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0166] Since the face recognition server 10 has received the ticket gate determination response indicating the result of the ticket gate determination for the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face recognition server 10 performs ticket gate determination based on the received ticket gate determination response (S312). In the example of FIG. 8A, the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold matches the subject of the ticket gate determination, and it is determined that the subject of the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass. Note that a determination based on the received ticket gate determination response may be referred to as a "cache determination." Also, a determination that the subject of the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass corresponds to a "ticket gate determination OK." Note that a determination that the subject of the ticket gate determination is not a person permitted to pass corresponds to a "ticket gate determination NG."

[0167] Then, the face recognition server 10 transmits a face matching result ("Face matching result (with determination, face recognition OK)" in FIG. 8A) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S313). In the example of FIG. 8A, the result of the face matching in S311 is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S313 includes information indicating "face recognition OK." In the example of FIG. 8A, the person corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold in S312 matches the person subject to the ticket gate determination, and it was determined that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass, so the face matching result in S313 includes the result of the ticket gate determination, as indicated by "with determination" in FIG. 8A.

[0168] As described above, if the result of face matching in S302 shows that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold but is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face recognition server 10 sends a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 as shown in S303. This causes the ticket gate determination of a registrant corresponding to a matching score that is less than the authentication threshold but greater than or equal to the ticket gate determination threshold to be performed in advance before a matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold is calculated, thereby shortening the time required to perform ticket gate determination after a matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold is calculated, and shortening the time required for face recognition processing.

[0169] As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the face recognition ticket gate 12 acquires a face matching result from the face recognition server 10. The face matching result includes a determination result for the matching score. The face matching result may also include a ticket gate determination result. The determination result for the matching score indicates, for example, "face recognition OK" when the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, "face recognition NG" when the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold but less than the authentication threshold, and "face recognition NG" when the matching score is less than the authentication threshold. The ticket gate determination result indicates one of "ticket gate determination OK," "ticket gate determination NG," and "ticket gate determination pending." Note that if the matching score is less than the authentication threshold, the face matching result does not include the ticket gate determination result. In other words, even if the determination result for the matching score included in the face matching result is "face recognition NG," if the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold but less than the authentication threshold, the face matching result includes the ticket gate determination result. On the other hand, if the determination result for the matching score included in the face matching result is face authentication NG and the matching score is less than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face matching result does not include the ticket gate determination result.

[0170] The face authentication ticket gate 12 determines whether or not the user is allowed to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12 based on the acquired face matching result, and controls whether or not the user is allowed to pass through based on the determination.

[0171] Fig. 8B is a diagram showing an example of a determination of whether or not to allow passage based on the face matching result. Fig. 8B shows the result of the face matching and the result of the ticket gate determination, which are associated with the result of the pass-through determination.

[0172] As shown in FIG. 8B, when the matching score for a certain user is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold and the result of the ticket gate judgment is OK, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 judges that the user is "OK to pass." Then, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to allow the user to pass. Note that when a certain user is "OK to pass," this corresponds to when it is judged that the user is a person who is permitted to pass. Furthermore, the control to allow the user to pass includes, for example, at least one of the following: control to open the door of the facial recognition ticket gate 12; control to output a sound indicating that passage has been permitted; and control to display a message indicating that passage has been permitted.

[0173] As shown in FIG. 8B, when the matching score for a certain user is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold and the result of the ticket gate judgment is NG, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 judges that the user is "NG to pass." Then, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to not allow the user to pass. Note that a case where a certain user is "NG to pass" corresponds to a case where it is determined that the user is not a person permitted to pass. In addition, the control to not allow the user to pass includes, for example, at least one of control to close the door of the facial recognition ticket gate 12, control to output a sound indicating that the user is not permitted to pass, and control to display a message indicating that the user is not permitted to pass.

[0174] As shown in Fig. 8B, if the matching score for a certain user is equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold and less than the authentication threshold, and the ticket gate judgment result is OK, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 determines to suspend the passage of the user. Then, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to suspend the passage of the user. Note that suspending the passage of a certain user corresponds to suspending the judgment on whether the user can pass through and waiting for the next face matching result to be obtained. In addition, the control to suspend the passage of the user includes control to maintain the open state if the door of the facial recognition ticket gate 12 is in the open state, and to maintain the closed state if the door is in the closed state.

[0175] 8B, if the matching score for a certain user is equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold and less than the authentication threshold, and the result of the ticket gate judgment is NG, the face recognition ticket gate 12 determines to suspend the passage of the user. Then, the face recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to suspend the passage of the user.

[0176] 8B, if the matching score for a certain user is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, or equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold but less than the authentication threshold, and the result of the ticket gate judgment is to hold, the face recognition ticket gate 12 determines to hold the passage of the user. Then, the face recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to hold the passage of the user.

[0177] 8B, when the matching score for a certain user is less than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face recognition ticket gate 12 determines that the user is "not allowed to pass." Then, the face recognition ticket gate 12 performs control to prevent the user from passing through.

[0178] As explained using FIG. 8B, the face recognition ticket gate 12 determines whether or not the user is allowed to pass based on the face matching result, and performs control in accordance with the determination result.

[0179] Note that Figure 8B indicates that "ticket gate determination pending" includes cases where a ticket gate determination is being requested by another facial recognition server, but cases where a ticket gate determination is requested by another facial recognition server will be explained in embodiment 2 described below.

[0180] In the above example, the face recognition ticket gate 12 determines whether or not a user is allowed to pass through and performs control in accordance with the determination result, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0181] For example, the face authentication server 10 may determine whether or not a user is allowed to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12. In this case, the face authentication server 10 may transmit information indicating whether or not the user is allowed to pass through to the face authentication ticket gate 12, and the face authentication ticket gate 12 may control whether or not the user is allowed to pass through based on the information indicating whether or not the user is allowed to pass.

[0182] Alternatively, the face authentication server 10 may determine whether or not a user is allowed to pass through the face authentication ticket gate 12, and control the face authentication ticket gate 12 according to the determination result. In this case, the face authentication ticket gate 12 performs operations such as opening and closing doors, outputting audio, and displaying messages under the control of the face authentication server 10.

[0183] (Embodiment 2) In the first embodiment, a facial recognition ticket gate system including one facial recognition server is exemplified. On the other hand, in a large-scale facial recognition ticket gate system, it is desirable to perform a large number of face matching processes simultaneously, and therefore multiple facial recognition servers are included in the facial recognition ticket gate system.

[0184] In such a face recognition ticket gate system, the face recognition ticket gate selects a face recognition server to which to send a face matching request depending on the load status of the face recognition server.

[0185] There are no particular limitations on the method for selecting the face recognition server to which the face matching request is sent, but for example, a method is being considered in which a load balancing device is used to control access from the face recognition ticket gate to the face recognition server, or a method in which the face recognition ticket gate itself selects the face recognition server.

[0186] In each face authentication server, when the face matching result is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, a ticket gate determination request is sent individually.

[0187] When each face recognition server transmits a ticket gate determination request, the ticket gate determination device may receive ticket gate determination requests for the same user from multiple face recognition servers. In this way, when the ticket gate determination device receives multiple ticket gate determination requests for the same user, it ends up performing ticket gate determination for the same user multiple times, which increases unnecessary processing.

[0188] Depending on the specifications of the ticket gate determination device, when a ticket gate determination request for the same user is received consecutively, the second and subsequent determination results may be considered to be an error. For example, in a system where, in a ticket gate determination based on a ticket gate determination request, if the ticket gate determination is OK, the user is considered to have passed through the ticket gate at the same time and billing processing is performed, the second ticket gate determination request will be treated as multiple entries and / or multiple exits, resulting in an error (e.g., NG) as the ticket gate determination.

[0189] In order to prevent multiple ticket gate determination requests from being sent to the ticket gate determination device and to avoid unnecessary processing, it is desirable that the ticket gate determination information generated by the ticket gate determination cache function be shared by each face recognition server.

[0190] Therefore, in the second embodiment, when one face authentication server (for example, face authentication server #1) sends a ticket gate determination request, face authentication server #1 is provided with a function to notify other face authentication servers that face authentication server #1 is currently sending a ticket gate determination request. Also, in the second embodiment, when one face authentication server (for example, face authentication server #1) receives a ticket gate determination result, face authentication server #1 is provided with a function to notify other face authentication servers of the received ticket gate determination result. Hereinafter, these notification functions are referred to as mutual notification functions.

[0191] <System Configuration Example According to Second Embodiment> Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a system configuration according to the second embodiment. In Fig. 9, the same components as those in Fig. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. The face recognition ticket gate system 2 shown in Fig. 9 has a plurality of face recognition servers 20 (face recognition servers 20-1 to 20-3), a management server 11, a plurality of face recognition ticket gates 12, and a ticket gate determination device 13. Each of the plurality of face recognition servers 20 has a ticket gate determination cache table 14.

[0192] The multiple facial recognition servers 20, management server 11, multiple facial recognition ticket gates 12, and ticket gate determination device 13 shown in FIG. 9 are connected to one another via a network (e.g., the Internet). Note that the connection between devices is not limited to a connection via a network. A device may be directly connected to another device via a wired or wireless connection. Also, in FIG. 9, the number of facial recognition ticket gates 12 and the number of facial recognition servers 20 are each three, but in the present disclosure, the number of facial recognition ticket gates 12 and the number of facial recognition servers 20 are not limited to three.

[0193] The system configuration differs from that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 5 in that the multiple face authentication servers 20 are connected to each other via a network and communicate with each other, and that the multiple face authentication servers 20 have the above-mentioned mutual notification function. For example, when one face authentication server 20 (e.g., face authentication server 20-1) sends a ticket gate determination request, the face authentication server 20-1 is provided with a function to notify the other face authentication servers 20-2 and 20-3 that the face authentication server 20-1 is currently sending the ticket gate determination request. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, when one face authentication server (e.g., face authentication server #1) receives a ticket gate determination result, the face authentication server #1 is provided with a function to notify the other face authentication servers of the received ticket gate determination result.

[0194] The face authentication server 20 includes a face matching processing unit 101, a request processing unit 102, a result generation unit 103, a table update unit 201, and a communication unit 104. The face matching processing unit 101, the request processing unit 102, the result generation unit 103, and the table update unit 201 may be collectively referred to as a processing unit or a processor.

[0195] The table update unit 201 transmits and receives ticket gate determination cache information and updates the ticket gate determination cache table based on the ticket gate determination cache information using a mutual notification function. For example, the table update unit 201 transmits ticket gate determination cache information to other face authentication servers 20 via the communication unit 104. The table update unit 201 also receives ticket gate determination cache information from other face authentication servers 20 via the communication unit 104. The table update unit 201 updates the ticket gate determination cache table 14 based on the ticket gate determination cache information.

[0196] The ticket gate determination cache table 14 in the present embodiment 2 may be the same as that in the embodiment 1. However, in the present embodiment 2, the ticket gate determination cache table 14 is updated by the ticket gate determination cache information received from the face authentication server 20.

[0197] <Example of processing by the face authentication server according to the second embodiment> Next, an example of the flow of processing by the face authentication server according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0198] 10A, 10B, and 10C are flowcharts showing an example of the processing flow of the face authentication server 20 according to the second embodiment. In the processing flow of the face authentication server 20 according to the second embodiment, the same processes as those in the processing flow of the face authentication server 10 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted. For example, the processing flow in FIG. 10A is the same as that in FIG. 7A of the first embodiment. The processing flows from S204 onwards and from S206 onwards in FIG. 10A differ between the first embodiment and the second embodiment. The processing flows from S204 onwards and from S206 onwards in FIG. 10A according to the second embodiment will be described below.

[0199] As shown in FIG. 10B, after S204, the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not ticket gate determination cache information has been received from another face authentication server 20 (S401).

[0200] If the ticket gate determination cache information is received (YES in S401), the face authentication server 20 updates the ticket gate determination cache table (S402).

[0201] If no ticket gate determination cache information has been received (NO in S401), or after S402, the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed (S403). For example, the face authentication server 20 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if a record matching the authentication ID of the first registrant exists and the ticket gate determination result for that record exists, the face authentication server 20 determines that the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has been completed. Note that the ticket gate determination cache table here may include ticket gate determination cache information acquired from another face authentication server 20.

[0202] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant has not been completed (NO in S403), the face authentication server 20 determines whether the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is currently being performed (S404). For example, the face authentication server 20 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the first registrant, and there is no ticket gate determination result for that record (or if it indicates that access is in progress), it determines that the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is currently being performed. Note that the ticket gate determination cache table here may include ticket gate determination cache information acquired from another face authentication server 20.

[0203] If the ticket examination determination for the first registrant has been completed (YES in S403), the flow proceeds to S214. The processing from S214 onwards is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0204] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is in progress (YES in S404), the face authentication server 20 transmits a face matching result indicating that the determination is pending to the face authentication ticket gate (S210). Then, the flow proceeds to S212.

[0205] If the ticket gate determination for the first registrant is not currently being performed (NO in S404), the face authentication server 20 transmits a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the first registrant to the ticket gate determination device (S211).

[0206] The face authentication server 20 transmits ticket gate determination cache information indicating that the ticket gate determination is being executed ("ticket gate determination cache information (accessing)") to the other face authentication servers 20 (S405). Then, the flow proceeds to S212.

[0207] The face authentication server 20 determines whether or not a ticket examination determination response has been received (S212).

[0208] If a ticket gate determination response is received (YES in S212), the face authentication server 20 transmits ticket gate determination cache information indicating the determination result of the ticket gate determination ("ticket gate determination cache information (determination result)") to other face authentication servers (S406). Then, the flow proceeds to S214. The processing from S214 onwards is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0209] If the ticket examination determination response has not been received (NO in S212), the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not a face matching request has been received (S213).

[0210] If the face authentication server 20 receives a face matching request (YES in S213), the flow proceeds to S202 in FIG. 10A.

[0211] If a face matching request has not been received (NO in S213), the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not ticket gate determination cache information has been received from another face authentication server 20 (S407).

[0212] If the ticket gate determination cache information has been received (YES in S407), the flow returns to S402.

[0213] If the ticket gate determination cache information has not been received (NO in S407), the flow returns to S212.

[0214] As shown in FIG. 10C, after S206, the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not ticket examination determination cache information has been received from another face authentication server 20 (S408).

[0215] If the ticket gate determination cache information has been received (YES in S408), the face authentication server 20 updates the ticket gate determination cache table (S409).

[0216] If the ticket gate determination cache information has not been received (NO in S408), or after S409, the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed (S410). For example, the face authentication server 20 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the second registrant and there is a ticket gate determination result for that record, it determines that the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed.

[0217] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has not been completed (NO in S410), the face authentication server 20 determines whether the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is currently being performed (S411). For example, the face authentication server 20 refers to the ticket gate determination cache table, and if there is a record that matches the authentication ID of the second registrant, and there is no ticket gate determination result for that record (or if it indicates that access is in progress), it determines that the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is currently being performed.

[0218] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is in progress (YES in S411), the face authentication server 20 transmits a face matching result indicating that the determination is pending to the face authentication ticket gate (S219). Then, the flow proceeds to S221.

[0219] If the ticket gate determination for the second registrant is not currently being performed (NO in S411), the face authentication server 20 transmits a ticket gate determination request requesting ticket gate determination for the second registrant to the ticket gate determination device (S220).

[0220] The face authentication server 20 transmits ticket gate determination cache information indicating that the ticket gate determination is being executed ("ticket gate determination cache information (accessing)") to the other face authentication servers 20 (S412). Then, the flow proceeds to S221.

[0221] The face authentication server 20 determines whether or not a ticket examination determination response has been received (S221).

[0222] If the ticket gate determination response is received (YES in S221), the face authentication server 20 updates the ticket gate determination cache table (S222).

[0223] The face authentication server 20 transmits ticket gate determination cache information indicating the determination result of the ticket gate determination ("ticket gate determination cache information (determination result)") to the other face authentication servers (S413). Then, the flow proceeds to S223.

[0224] If the ticket gate determination response has not been received (NO at S221), after S413, or if the ticket gate determination for the second registrant has been completed (YES at S410), the face authentication server 20 determines whether or not a face matching request has been received (S223).

[0225] If the face authentication server 20 receives a face matching request (YES in S223), the flow proceeds to S202 in FIG. 10A.

[0226] If a face matching request has not been received (NO in S223), the face authentication server 10 determines whether or not ticket gate determination cache information has been received from another face authentication server 10 (S414).

[0227] If the ticket gate determination cache information has been received (YES in S414), the flow returns to S409.

[0228] If the ticket gate determination cache information has not been received (NO in S414), the flow returns to S221.

[0229] <Operation Example 1 of Embodiment 2> Next, an operation example 1 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0230] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a first operation example of the face authentication ticket gate system 2 according to the second embodiment.

[0231] When a user of the face authentication ticket gate 12 approaches the entrance of the face authentication ticket gate 12, a camera installed in the face authentication ticket gate 12 takes an image of the user.

[0232] The face recognition ticket gate 12 transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 (S501).

[0233] The face authentication server 20-1 (hereinafter referred to as face authentication server #1) performs face authentication based on the face authentication request (S502). In the example of Fig. 11, the face authentication result shows that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold but greater than or equal to the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0234] If the matching score is equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold, the face authentication server 20 transmits a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 (S505).

[0235] The face authentication server #1 transmits the ticket gate determination cache information ("ticket gate determination cache information (accessing)" in FIG. 11) indicating that the face authentication server #1 is making a ticket gate determination request to the face authentication server #2 (S503). The face authentication server #1 also transmits the ticket gate determination cache information (accessing) to the face authentication server #3 (S504).

[0236] The ticket gate determination device 13 performs ticket gate determination based on the ticket gate determination request (S506). In the example of Fig. 11, the result of the ticket gate determination is that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass.

[0237] The ticket gate determination device 13 transmits a ticket gate determination response ("ticket gate determination response (OK)" in FIG. 11) indicating that the person subject to ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through to the face authentication server #1 (S507).

[0238] Then, the face recognition server #1 transmits a face matching result ("Face matching result (with determination, face recognition NG)" in FIG. 11) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S508). Note that in the example of FIG. 11, the result of the face matching in S502 is that the matching score is less than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S508 includes information indicating "face recognition NG." Also in the example of FIG. 11, a ticket gate determination response indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass is received in S507, so the face matching result in S508 includes the result of the ticket gate determination, as indicated by "with determination."

[0239] Furthermore, facial authentication server #1 transmits to face authentication server #2 ticket gate determination cache information ("ticket gate determination cache information (determination result)" in FIG. 11) indicating that face authentication server #1 has acquired a ticket gate determination response (S509). Furthermore, facial authentication server #1 transmits the ticket gate determination cache information (determination result) to face authentication server #3 (S510). The ticket gate determination cache information here includes information indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through.

[0240] Next, the face authentication ticket barrier 12 transmits a face matching request to the face authentication server #3 (S511).

[0241] The face authentication server #3 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S512). In the example of Fig. 11, the result of face matching is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0242] Since the face authentication server #3 has received the ticket gate determination cache information indicating the result of the ticket gate determination for the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face authentication server #3 performs the ticket gate determination based on the received ticket gate determination cache information (S513). In the example of Fig. 11, the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold matches the subject of the ticket gate determination, and it is determined that the subject of the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass through.

[0243] Then, the face recognition server #3 transmits a face matching result ("Face matching result (with judgment, face recognition OK)" in FIG. 11) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate judgment is a person permitted to pass to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S514). In the example of FIG. 11, the result of the face matching in S512 is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S514 includes information indicating "face recognition OK." In the example of FIG. 11, the person corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold in S513 matches the person subject to the ticket gate judgment, and it was determined that the person subject to the ticket gate judgment is a person permitted to pass, so the face matching result in S514 includes the result of the ticket gate judgment, as indicated by "with judgment."

[0244] As described above, by sharing the ticket gate determination cache information between the face authentication servers 20 as shown in FIG. 11, the process of the face authentication server 20 sending a ticket gate determination request can be reduced, and the time required for face authentication processing can be reduced.

[0245] <Operation Example 2 of Embodiment 2> Next, a second operation example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0246] Fig. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an operation example 2 of the face authentication ticket gate system 2 according to the present embodiment 2. In Fig. 12, the same processes as those in Fig. 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0247] Figure 12 shows a case in which, in Figure 11, the facial recognition ticket gate 12 sends a face matching request to the facial recognition server #2 between the time when the facial recognition server #1 sends a ticket gate determination request and the time when the ticket gate determination device 13 sends a ticket gate determination response (between S505 and S507).

[0248] For example, before the ticket gate determination device 13 transmits the ticket gate determination response (before S507), the face recognition ticket gate 12 transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server #2 (S601).

[0249] The face authentication server #2 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S602). In the example of Fig. 12, the result of face matching is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold.

[0250] In the example of FIG. 12, the ticket gate determination cache information received in S503 indicates that a ticket gate determination request has been made to the ticket gate determination device 13 for a subject corresponding to a matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold. Therefore, based on the ticket gate determination cache information, face authentication server #2 determines to suspend ticket gate determination for the face matching request (S603). This determination corresponds to a determination based on the ticket gate determination cache information or a determination by a cache function. Note that, as in S603, face authentication server #2 suspends ticket gate determination for the face matching request based on ticket gate determination cache information indicating that face authentication server #1 has made a ticket gate determination request, which corresponds to "ticket gate determination suspension" when a ticket gate determination is being requested by another face authentication server in FIG. 8B.

[0251] Based on the determination in S603, face recognition server #2 transmits a face matching result indicating that the ticket gate determination is to be suspended ("Face matching result (determination pending, face recognition OK)" in FIG. 12) to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S604). In the example of FIG. 12, the result of the face matching in S602 is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S604 includes information indicating "face recognition OK". In the example of FIG. 12, the result of the ticket gate determination for the person subject to ticket gate determination has not been received, so the face matching result in S604 includes information indicating "determination pending".

[0252] In the example of Figure 12, after S604, the ticket gate determination device 13 sends a ticket gate determination response ("Ticket gate determination response (OK)" in Figure 12) to the face authentication server #1 indicating that the person subject to ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass (S507).

[0253] Since the face recognition server #1 has received the ticket gate determination response indicating the result of the ticket gate determination for the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face recognition server #1 performs ticket gate determination based on the received ticket gate determination response (S605). In the example of Fig. 12, the subject corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold matches the subject of the ticket gate determination, and it is determined that the subject of the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass through.

[0254] Then, the face recognition server #1 transmits a face matching result ("Face matching result (with determination, face recognition OK)" in FIG. 12) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass to the face recognition ticket gate 12 (S606). In the example of FIG. 12, the result of the face matching in S502 is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S606 includes information indicating "face recognition OK." In the example of FIG. 12, the person corresponding to the matching score equal to or greater than the authentication threshold in S605 matches the person subject to the ticket gate determination, and it was determined that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass, so the face matching result in S606 includes the result of the ticket gate determination, as indicated by "with determination" in FIG. 12.

[0255] Steps from S509 onwards are the same as those in FIG.

[0256] As described above, by sharing the ticket gate determination cache information between the face authentication servers 20 as shown in Fig. 12, the process of the face authentication server 20 sending a ticket gate determination request can be reduced, thereby reducing the time required for face authentication processing. For example, in Fig. 12, if face authentication server 20-1 is waiting for a ticket gate determination response to the ticket gate determination request while another face authentication server 20-2 receives a face matching request, face authentication server 20-2 does not send the ticket gate determination request and suspends the ticket gate determination, thereby reducing the process of sending the ticket gate determination request and reducing the time required for face authentication processing.

[0257] <Variation 1 of Embodiment 2> As described above, the time required for face authentication processing can be reduced by the face authentication server 20 using the ticket gate determination cache table. Examples of use of the ticket gate determination cache table are not limited to the examples described above. Below, as an application example of the ticket gate determination cache table, a variation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13.

[0258] FIG. 13 shows an example of variations in the use of the ticket gate determination cache table.

[0259] FIG. 13 shows two facial recognition ticket gates (facial recognition ticket gate #A and facial recognition ticket gate #B) and user X and user Y who are about to pass through one of the two facial recognition ticket gates. User X moves, for example, along arrow a, and user Y moves along arrow b. (1), (3), and (4) attached to arrow a indicate stages along the way of user X's movement, and (2) and (5) attached to arrow b indicate stages along the way of user Y's movement.

[0260] At stage (1), user X approaches facial recognition ticket gate #A in an attempt to pass through it. At stage (1), facial recognition ticket gate #A detects the face of user X and sends a facial recognition request including a facial image of user X to the facial recognition server. If the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition process based on the facial recognition request including the facial image of user X is equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold, the facial recognition server sends a ticket gate judgment request for user X to the ticket gate judgment device. Then, the facial recognition server records in the ticket gate judgment cache table that it has made a ticket gate judgment request for user X and that access is in progress.

[0261] Next, in stage (2), user Y attempts to pass through facial recognition ticket gate #A and approaches it so as to obstruct the progress of user X. In stage (2), facial recognition ticket gate #A detects the face of user Y and sends a facial recognition request including a facial image of user Y to the facial recognition server. If the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition process based on the facial recognition request including the facial image of user Y is equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold, the facial recognition server sends a ticket gate judgment request for user Y to the ticket gate judgment device. Then, the facial recognition server records in the ticket gate judgment cache table that it has made a ticket gate judgment request for user Y and that access is in progress.

[0262] Next, at stage (3), user X is blocked by user Y and prevented from entering facial recognition ticket gate #A, so he or she attempts to enter facial recognition ticket gate #B next to facial recognition ticket gate #A. At stage (3), facial recognition ticket gate #B detects user X's face and sends a facial recognition request including user X's facial image to the facial recognition server. If the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition process based on the facial recognition request including user X's facial image is equal to or greater than the ticket gate judgment threshold (or equal to or greater than the authentication threshold), the facial recognition server searches the ticket gate judgment cache table and recognizes that user X is currently accessing the ticket gate judgment. In this case, the facial recognition server does not send a ticket gate judgment request for user X to the ticket gate judgment device, but instead sends a face matching result indicating that the judgment is pending to facial recognition ticket gate #B.

[0263] If the facial recognition server has received the ticket gate determination result for user X at step (3), the ticket gate determination cache table records that the ticket gate determination result has been received for user X. If the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition process based on the facial recognition request including the facial image of user X is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, and the ticket gate determination cache table records that the ticket gate determination result for user X has been received, the facial recognition server transmits the face matching result including the ticket gate determination result to facial recognition ticket gate #B.

[0264] At stage (4), user X moves closer to facial recognition ticket gate #B than at stage (3). Note that at stage (4), if the facial recognition server has received the ticket gate determination result for user X, the ticket gate determination cache table records that the ticket gate determination result for user X has already been received. At stage (4), facial recognition ticket gate #B detects user X's face and again sends a facial recognition request including user X's facial image to the facial recognition server. If the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition process based on the facial recognition request including user X's facial image is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the facial recognition server searches the ticket gate determination cache table and recognizes that the ticket gate determination result for user X has already been received. In this case, the facial recognition server does not send a ticket gate determination request for user X to the ticket gate determination device, but instead sends the face matching result including the ticket gate determination result to facial recognition ticket gate #B.

[0265] At stage (5), user Y moves closer to facial recognition ticket gate #A than at stage (2). At stage (5), facial recognition ticket gate #A detects user Y's face and again sends a facial recognition request including user Y's facial image to the facial recognition server. The facial recognition server searches the ticket gate determination cache table if the facial recognition score calculated in the facial recognition processing based on the facial recognition request including user Y's facial image is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold. At stage (5), if the facial recognition server receives the ticket gate determination result for user Y and the ticket gate determination cache table records that the ticket gate determination result for user Y has already been received, the facial recognition server does not send a ticket gate determination request for user Y to the ticket gate determination device, but instead sends the face matching result including the ticket gate determination result to facial recognition ticket gate #A.

[0266] In this way, even if user X is about to proceed to facial recognition ticket gate #A but is cut off by user Y, causing user X to change course to another facial recognition ticket gate, facial recognition ticket gate #B, by referring to the ticket gate determination cache table, it is possible to obtain a quick ticket gate determination result, allowing for smooth passage.

[0267] For example, if you approach a facial recognition ticket gate from an angle, there will not be enough time for facial matching processing. However, with this method, the ticket gate determination is made in advance when you approach another facial recognition ticket gate, so the response time is shortened and you can pass through the facial recognition ticket gate more smoothly.

[0268] <Variation 2 of Embodiment 2> 9 shows an example in which multiple face recognition servers 20 each have a ticket gate determination cache table, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The face recognition ticket gate system may have a device that aggregates the functions of the ticket gate determination cache table, and multiple face recognition servers 20 may connect to this device to refer to the ticket gate determination cache information.

[0269] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a system configuration according to a variation of the second embodiment. In Fig. 14, the same components as those in Fig. 9 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation may be omitted. The face authentication server 20 shown in Fig. 9 includes a ticket gate determination cache table 14, but the face authentication ticket gate system 3 shown in Fig. 14 includes a ticket gate determination cache device 35 instead of the ticket gate determination cache table 14.

[0270] The ticket gate determination cache device 35 includes the above-mentioned ticket gate determination cache table 14, a processing unit, and a communication unit (omitted in FIG. 14).

[0271] The processing unit updates the ticket gate determination cache table based on the ticket gate determination cache information acquired from the face authentication server 30 via the communication unit.

[0272] 9 (for example, the face matching processing unit 101, the request processing unit 102, the result generation unit 103, and the table update unit 201) updates the ticket gate determination table inside the face authentication server 20 and transmits ticket gate determination cache information to other face authentication servers 20. On the other hand, the processing units (for example, the face matching processing unit 101, the request processing unit 102, the result generation unit 103, and the table update unit 201) of the face authentication server 30 shown in FIG. 14 transmits ticket gate determination cache information to the ticket gate determination cache device 35.

[0273] The configuration shown in FIG. 14 allows ticket gate determination cache information to be consolidated into one, thereby reducing the amount of data communicated between face recognition servers.

[0274] (Embodiment 3) In the first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which the face recognition server includes a ticket gate determination cache table, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the face recognition ticket gate includes a ticket gate determination cache table.

[0275] In an example where the facial recognition ticket gate includes a ticket gate determination cache table, the time required for facial recognition processing can be reduced by combining it with tracking of user movement.

[0276] For example, in the third embodiment, when the face matching result of the user is OK and the user is permitted to pass through the face recognition ticket gate, the face recognition ticket gate tracks the movement line of the user.

[0277] While a user is being tracked, the user is managed by a same-person determination function. The same-person determination function performs an identity determination to determine whether a person detected at a certain time T and a person detected at a time other than time T (for example, the time next to time T) are the same person. The same-person determination function can be realized using known image-based object tracking or person tracking technology. If the user makes unnatural movements while being tracked and the identity determination determines that the user is not the same person, re-face authentication may be required. In such a case, the face recognition ticket gate resends a face matching request, and the face recognition server resends a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device. If such re-sending of the face matching request and ticket gate determination request is performed, it takes time to transmit the face matching result. On the other hand, in a case where face authentication is required again because the user makes unnatural movements while being tracked, even if the identity determination determines that the user is not the same person, there is a high possibility that the user is the same person.

[0278] Therefore, in the third embodiment, if the same person determination function determines that the users are not the same person, the face recognition ticket gate transmits a face matching request including the authentication ID of the user who has been tracked as the same person up until now. The authentication ID is identification information (e.g., an identification number) associated with each user to identify them. Note that, hereinafter, a face matching request including an authentication ID will be referred to as a face matching request with an expected ID.

[0279] The face recognition server that receives the face matching request with predicted ID executes face matching processing. If the result of face matching indicates that the face recognition score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, and if the authentication ID of the registrant corresponding to the face recognition score matches the authentication ID included in the face matching request with predicted ID, the face recognition server does not send a ticket gate judgment request to the registrant corresponding to the face recognition score, but instead sends the face matching result to the face recognition ticket gate. The face matching result sent here may include only the face matching result and not the ticket gate judgment result. Furthermore, the threshold compared with the face recognition score here may be a ticket gate judgment threshold instead of the authentication threshold.

[0280] If the authentication ID of the registrant corresponding to the face recognition score does not match the authentication ID included in the face matching request with expected ID, the face recognition server sends a ticket gate determination request.

[0281] When the facial recognition ticket gate receives the facial matching result in response to the expected ID facial matching request, it references the ticket gate judgment result for the user ID in its internal ticket gate judgment cache table to obtain that information.The facial recognition ticket gate then displays a guidance screen according to the information.

[0282] The response to face matching with predicted ID (face matching result) does not need to include ticket gate judgment result information, so the amount of data transmitted during communication can be reduced, enabling a faster response and shortening the time required for face recognition processing.

[0283] <System Configuration Example According to Third Embodiment> Fig. 15 is a diagram showing a system configuration according to the third embodiment. In Fig. 15, the same components as those in Fig. 5 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted. The face recognition ticket gate system 4 shown in Fig. 15 includes a face recognition server 10, a management server 11, a plurality of face recognition ticket gates 42, and a ticket gate determination device 13.

[0284] The facial recognition ticket gate 42 includes a tracking processing unit 424 and a ticket gate determination cache table 425 in addition to the components of the facial recognition ticket gate 12 shown in FIG.

[0285] When the tracking processing unit 424 acquires the face matching result, it updates the ticket gate determination cache table 425 based on the face matching result. Furthermore, the tracking processing unit 424 uses the same person determination function to determine whether the user corresponding to the detected face image is the same as the user whose face matching result is OK. For example, the user corresponding to the detected face image is the user detected from an image taken after receiving the face matching result. When the tracking processing unit 424 determines that the user corresponding to the detected face image is not the same as the user whose face matching result is OK, it generates a face matching request with predicted ID. Here, the generated face matching request with predicted ID includes at least the detected face image (and the feature amount of the face image) and the authentication ID of the user whose face matching result is OK.

[0286] When the face matching processing unit 101 of the face recognition server 10 in FIG. 15 receives a face matching request with an expected ID, it calculates a matching score indicating the degree of similarity between the face image of the user included in the face matching request with an expected ID and the face image of the registrant. If the highest matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face matching processing unit 101 compares the authentication ID of the registrant corresponding to the highest matching score with the authentication ID (expected ID) included in the face matching request with an expected ID. If the two authentication IDs match, the face matching processing unit 101 determines to omit the ticket gate determination request. In this case, the result generation unit 103 of the face recognition server 10 in FIG. 15 transmits a face matching result including the authentication ID that matches the expected ID to the face recognition ticket gate 42, without including the ticket gate determination result. The face matching result here indicates that the expected ID and the authentication ID match.

[0287] The tracking processing unit 424 obtains a face matching result that does not include the ticket gate determination result but includes an authentication ID that matches the expected ID, and thereby determines that the user for whom the face matching result is OK is the same user as the user corresponding to the detected face image.

[0288] <Example of ticket gate determination cache table> An example of the ticket barrier determination cache table 425 in the third embodiment will now be described with reference to FIG.

[0289] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the ticket gate determination cache table 425 in the third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 16, the ticket gate determination cache table 425 stores information based on the ticket gate determination cache information acquired by the face authentication ticket gate 42. The ticket gate determination cache table 425 includes multiple records generated based on the acquired ticket gate determination cache information. One record is associated with one piece of ticket gate determination cache information.

[0290] The ticket gate determination cache information is generated based on the face matching result obtained from the face authentication ticket gate 42. The ticket gate determination cache information includes an authentication ID and a ticket gate determination result.

[0291] The authentication ID is identification information that identifies the user who is the subject of ticket gate judgment.

[0292] The ticket gate determination result indicates the result of the ticket gate determination. For example, if it is determined that the user who is the subject of the ticket gate determination is permitted to pass through the ticket gate, the ticket gate determination result indicates "ticket gate determination OK," and if it is determined that the user who is the subject of the ticket gate determination is not permitted to pass through the ticket gate, the ticket gate determination result indicates "ticket gate determination NG." Note that if the access status regarding the ticket gate determination is "accessing," the ticket gate determination result may be blank.

[0293] Each record in the ticket gate determination cache table includes a reception date and time, a validity flag, an authentication ID, and a ticket gate determination result.

[0294] The reception date and time indicates the date and time (for example, date and time in seconds) when the ticket gate determination cache information was received.

[0295] The valid flag indicates whether the record is valid or not. For example, if a predetermined validity period has elapsed since the date and time of reception, the record is determined to be invalid. For example, the validity period of a record is about 5 seconds. Information regarding the validity period may be stored in a registry. A facial recognition ticket gate that manages the ticket gate determination cache table invalidates a record based on the validity period.

[0296] The authentication ID and the ticket examination determination result correspond to the authentication ID and the ticket examination determination result included in the ticket examination determination cache information, respectively.

[0297] For example, when ticket gate determination cache information is received, the authentication ID and ticket gate determination result contained in the ticket gate determination cache information are associated with the reception date and time of the ticket gate determination cache information and the validity flag and stored as one record.

[0298] The data structure of the ticket gate determination cache table is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a ring structure table.

[0299] For example, the number of records included in the ticket gate determination cache table may be limited. The number of records may be determined based on the size, number, and validity period of the facial recognition ticket gate. For example, if the validity period of a record is about 5 seconds, the maximum number of people that can pass through the facial recognition ticket gate is about 5. In such a case, the number of records may be limited to about 10. The maximum number of records is registered in a registry. The facial recognition server that manages the ticket gate determination cache table manages the number of records so that it is equal to or less than the registered maximum number.

[0300] <Operation Example 1 of Embodiment 3> Next, an operation example 1 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0301] FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram showing a first operation example of the face authentication ticket gate system 4 according to the third embodiment.

[0302] When a user of the face authentication ticket gate 42 approaches the entrance of the face authentication ticket gate 42, a camera installed in the face authentication ticket gate 42 takes an image of the user.

[0303] The face recognition ticket gate 42 transmits a face matching request to the face recognition server 10 (S701).

[0304] The face recognition server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request (S702). In the example of Fig. 17, the face matching result is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold. Note that, although Fig. 17 shows that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the matching score may also be equal to or greater than the ticket gate determination threshold.

[0305] If the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, the face authentication server 10 transmits a ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device 13 (S703).

[0306] The ticket gate determination device 13 performs ticket gate determination based on the ticket gate determination request (S704). In the example of Fig. 17, the result of the ticket gate determination is that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person who is permitted to pass.

[0307] The ticket gate determination device 13 transmits a ticket gate determination response ("ticket gate determination response" in FIG. 17) indicating that the person subject to the ticket gate determination is a person permitted to pass through to the face authentication server 10 (S705).

[0308] The face recognition server 10 transmits the face matching result to the face recognition ticket gate 42 (S706). The face matching result includes the authentication ID of the person subject to ticket gate judgment (ID=1234 in FIG. 17). Also, in the example of FIG. 17, the result of face matching in S702 is that the matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold, so the face matching result in S706 includes information indicating "face recognition OK." Also, in the example of FIG. 17, a ticket gate judgment response indicating that the person subject to ticket gate judgment is a person permitted to pass is received in S705, so the face matching result in S706 includes the result of ticket gate judgment, as indicated by "with judgment" in FIG. 17.

[0309] The face authentication ticket gate 42 stores the acquired face matching result in the ticket gate determination cache table (S707).

[0310] The face recognition ticket gate 42 performs tracking using the same person determination function (S708). In the example of Fig. 17, the same person determination function determines that the person is not the same person at a certain point in time (S709).

[0311] If it is determined that the person is not the same person, the face recognition ticket gate 42 sends a face matching request with an expected ID attached ("face matching request with expected ID" in FIG. 17) to the face recognition server 10 (S710). In the example of FIG. 17, the attached expected ID is ID=1234.

[0312] The face authentication server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request with expected ID (S711). In the example of Fig. 17, the face matching result determines that the ID of the specific person whose matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold is 1234. That is, in the example of Fig. 17, the expected ID in the face matching request with expected ID matches the ID of the person identified by face matching. In this case, a ticket gate determination request for the ID was made in S703, and the ticket gate determination response was received in S705, so the face authentication server 10 does not make a ticket gate determination request.

[0313] The face recognition server 10 transmits the face matching result to the face recognition ticket gate 42 without making a ticket gate determination request (S712). Note that the face matching result here does not include the ticket gate determination result. The ID included in the face matching result transmitted here is ID=1234.

[0314] The face recognition ticket gate 42 continues tracking using the same person determination function (S713).

[0315] In the above example, in S711, the face authentication server 10 first performs face matching and determines whether the ID of a specific person obtained as a result of face matching matches the expected ID in the face matching request with the expected ID. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, a person matching the expected ID may be identified first, and face matching may be performed for the identified person. For example, the face authentication server 10 may identify a person matching the expected ID in the face matching request with the expected ID from among registered users, and then perform face matching between the face image of the identified person and the face image included in the face matching request with the expected ID. In this case, face matching is performed one-to-one, thereby speeding up face matching.

[0316] <Operation Example 2 of Embodiment 3> Next, a second operation example of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0317] Fig. 18 is a sequence diagram showing an operation example 2 of the face authentication ticket gate system 4 according to the present embodiment 3. In Fig. 18, the same processes as those in Fig. 17 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0318] Figure 18 shows an example in which the facial recognition ticket gate 42 in Figure 17 stores the face matching result acquired in S706 in the ticket gate determination cache table (after S707) and then transmits ticket gate determination cache information to another facial recognition ticket gate 42. Note that the facial recognition ticket gate #A in Figure 18 corresponds to the facial recognition ticket gate 42 in Figure 17, and the facial recognition ticket gate #B acquires the ticket gate determination cache information from the facial recognition ticket gate #A.

[0319] Specifically, the facial recognition ticket gate #A stores the facial matching result acquired in S706 in the ticket gate determination cache table (after S707), and then transmits the ticket gate determination cache information to the facial recognition ticket gate #B (S801).

[0320] The face recognition ticket gate #B stores the acquired ticket gate determination cache information in a ticket gate determination cache table (S802).

[0321] Next, the face recognition ticket gate #B transmits a face matching request with the predicted ID attached ("face matching request with predicted ID" in FIG. 18) to the face recognition server 10 (S803). In the example of FIG. 18, the attached predicted ID is ID=1234.

[0322] The face authentication server 10 performs face matching based on the face matching request with expected ID (S804). In the example of Fig. 18, the face matching result determines that the ID of the specific person whose matching score is equal to or greater than the authentication threshold is 1234. That is, in the example of Fig. 18, the expected ID of the face matching request with expected ID matches the ID of the person identified by face matching. In this case, a ticket gate determination request for the ID was made in S703, and the ticket gate determination response was received in S705, so the face authentication server 10 does not make a ticket gate determination request.

[0323] The face recognition server 10 transmits the face matching result to the face recognition ticket gate #B without making a ticket gate determination request (S805). Note that the face matching result here does not include the ticket gate determination result. The ID included in the face matching result transmitted here is ID=1234.

[0324] As explained above, in the third embodiment, when the face matching result of the user is OK and the user is permitted to pass through the face recognition ticket gate, the face recognition ticket gate tracks the movement of the user. In the third embodiment, in a case where the user is tracked and it is determined that the user is not the same person in the same person determination, and face recognition is required again, the face recognition ticket gate makes a ticket gate determination by referring to the ticket gate determination cache table, and can complete the face recognition process without making another ticket gate determination request to the ticket gate determination device, thereby shortening the time required for the face recognition process.

[0325] In each of the above-described embodiments, instead of placing the facial recognition server centrally so as to be connected to facial recognition ticket gates at a plurality of stations, the facial recognition server may be placed at each station, or the configuration of the facial recognition server may be mounted inside the facial recognition ticket gate. For example, when the performance of information processing devices (e.g., PCs) and / or processors (e.g., GPUs) included in the information processing devices improves and further becomes inexpensive and versatile, the facial recognition server may be placed at each station, or the configuration of the facial recognition server may be mounted inside the facial recognition ticket gate.

[0326] However, if the facial recognition server is installed inside the facial recognition ticket gate, the facial recognition servers inside the facial recognition ticket gates that are installed at the same ticket gate may share cache information.

[0327] <Summary of the embodiment> A passage permission determination system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first information processing device and a gate device, and determines whether or not a user identified by the face matching process is authorized to pass through the gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process for determining whether or not the user identified by the face matching process is authorized to pass through the gate device. The first information processing device performs a first face matching process, and when there is a user whose result of the first face matching process satisfies a second criterion, transmits an authority determination request requesting the authority determination process to a determination device, and when it receives an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process from the determination device and when the result of the first face matching process for the user satisfies a first criterion that is higher than the second criterion, performs face matching. The gate device transmits information indicating success and the authority determination result to the gate device, and if the authority determination result is received from the determination device and the result of the first face matching process for the user does not satisfy the first criterion, transmits information indicating face matching failure and the authority determination result to the gate device, and if the received authority determination result indicates that the user has the authority and if the gate device receives information indicating face matching success, it determines to allow the user to pass through the gate device, and if the received authority determination result indicates that the user has the authority and if the gate device receives information indicating face matching failure, it determines to reserve the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device.

[0328] In this passage permission determination system, if the authority determination result indicates that the user does not have the authority and if information indicating the face matching was successful is received, the gate device determines not to allow the user to pass through the gate device, and if the authority determination result indicates that the user does not have the authority and if information indicating the face matching was unsuccessful is received, the gate device determines to reserve the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device.

[0329] In this passage permission determination system, when the result of the second face matching process performed before receiving the authority determination result of the user satisfies the second criterion, the first information processing device transmits information indicating that the authority determination process is on hold and the result of the second face matching process to the gate device, and when the gate device receives the information indicating that the authority determination process is on hold, it determines to suspend the determination of whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device.

[0330] In this passage permission determination system, the first information processing device stores the authority determination result of the user for whom the result of the first face matching process for the user satisfies the second criterion and does not satisfy the first criterion, and if the result of the second face matching process performed after the first face matching process satisfies the first criterion, it does not send the authority determination request to the determination device but sends information indicating the success of the face matching and the stored authority determination result to the gate device, and if the received authority determination result indicates that the user has the authority and if it receives information indicating the success of the face matching, the gate device determines to allow the user to pass through the gate device.

[0331] This pass permission determination system further includes a second information processing device different from the first information processing device, and the first information processing device transmits to the second information processing device first cache information indicating that the first information processing device will transmit the rights determination request to the determination device.

[0332] In this passage permission determination system, if the second information processing device performs a third face matching process after receiving the first cache information and before receiving the authority determination result from the first information processing device, it transmits the result of the third face matching process and information indicating that the authority determination process is pending to the gate device, and if the gate device receives the information indicating that the authority determination process is pending, it determines to reserve the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device.

[0333] This pass permission determination system further includes a second information processing device different from the first information processing device, and the first information processing device transmits the authority determination result received by the first information processing device from the determination device to the second information processing device.

[0334] In this passage permission determination system, when the second information processing device performs a third face matching process after receiving the authority determination result from the first information processing device, it transmits the result of the third face matching process and the authority determination result received from the first information processing device to the gate device, and the gate device determines whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device based on the result of the third face matching process and the authority determination result received from the first information processing device.

[0335] A method for determining whether to allow a user to pass through a gate device in an embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for determining whether to allow a user to pass through a gate device in a system for determining whether to allow a user to pass through a gate device, the method being implemented in a system having a processor and a memory, and comprising: a face matching process based on a face image of the user; and an authority determination process for determining whether the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device; wherein the processor determines to allow the user to pass through the gate device if the result of the authority determination process for the user whose result of the first face matching process meets a first criterion indicates that the user has the authority; and determines to reserve the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device if the result of the authority determination process for the user whose result of the first face matching process does not meet the first criterion and meets a second criterion indicates that the user has the authority.

[0336] In this method for determining whether to allow passage, the processor reserves the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device, and if the result of the second face matching process for the determined user satisfies the first criterion, determines to allow the user to pass through the gate device without performing the authority determination process.

[0337] A program according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a program that executes a pass permission determination method in a pass permission determination system having a processor and a memory, which determines whether or not a user can pass through a gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device, and causes the processor to execute the following process: determine to allow the user to pass through the gate device if the result of the authority determination process for the user whose result of the first face matching process meets a first criterion indicates that the user has the authority; and determine to reserve the decision on whether or not to allow the user to pass through the gate device if the result of the authority determination process for the user whose result of the first face matching process does not meet the first criterion but meets a second criterion indicates that the user has the authority.

[0338] In this program, the processor is caused to execute a process in which, if the result of the second face matching process for the user for whom it has been determined that the decision on whether to allow the user to pass through the gate device should be withheld satisfies the first criterion, it determines that the user should be allowed to pass through the gate device without performing the authority determination process.

[0339] A passage permission determination system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has a first information processing device, a second information processing device different from the first information processing device, and a gate device, and determines whether or not to allow a user to pass through the gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device. The first information processing device performs the face matching process, and if the result of the face matching process meets a predetermined criterion, sends an authority determination request requesting the authority determination process to the determination device, and transmits to the second information processing device at least one of first cache information indicating that the first information processing device will send the authority determination request to the determination device or an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process received from the determination device, and transmits the result of the face matching process and the authority determination result received from the determination device to the gate device. The gate device determines whether or not to allow the user to pass through the gate device based on the result of the face matching process and the authority determination result.

[0340] A passage permission determination system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an information processing device and a first gate device, and determines whether or not a user is permitted to pass through the first gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device. The information processing device transmits an authority determination request to a determination device to request the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process, and transmits to the first gate device a result of the first face matching process, an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process received from the determination device, and a first determination result including identification information of the user. The first gate device then The determination result is registered in a cache table, and if it is determined based on the first determination result that the user should be allowed to pass through the first gate device, the user is tracked based on an image of the user, and if the tracking fails, the identification information of the user registered in the cache table and a face matching request including the image are sent to the information processing device, and the information processing device identifies the person included in the image by a second face matching process based on the face matching request, and if the identification information of the user matches the identification information of the person, the result of the second face matching process is sent to the first gate device, and the first gate device continues tracking the user based on the result of the second face matching process.

[0341] This passage permission determination system further includes a second gate device, wherein the first gate device transmits the first determination result to the second gate device, and the second gate device stores the first determination result received from the first gate device in a cache table of the second gate device.

[0342] A passage permission determination method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a passage permission determination method in a passage permission determination system having a processor and a memory, which determines whether or not a user can pass through a gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process that determines whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has the authority to pass through the gate device, wherein the processor registers in a cache table an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process and a first determination result including the user's identification information, and if it determines based on the first determination result that the user should be allowed to pass through the first gate device, tracks the user based on an image captured of the user, and if the tracking fails, identifies a person included in the image by a second face matching process, and if the identification information of the user registered in the cache table matches the person's identification information, continues tracking the user based on the result of the second face matching process.

[0343] The present disclosure can be realized in software, hardware, or software in conjunction with hardware.

[0344] Each functional block used in the description of the above embodiments may be partially or entirely realized as an LSI, which is an integrated circuit, and each process described in the above embodiments may be partially or entirely controlled by a single LSI or a combination of LSIs. The LSI may be composed of individual chips, or may be composed of a single chip that includes some or all of the functional blocks. The LSI may have data input and output. Depending on the degree of integration, the LSI may be called an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI.

[0345] The integrated circuit method is not limited to LSI, but may be realized by a dedicated circuit, a general-purpose processor, or a dedicated processor. Also, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that can be programmed after LSI manufacturing, or a reconfigurable processor that can reconfigure the connections and settings of circuit cells within the LSI, may be used. The present disclosure may be realized as digital processing or analog processing.

[0346] Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI emerges due to advances in semiconductor technology or other derivative technologies, it is natural that such technology may be used to integrate functional blocks. The application of biotechnology, etc. is also a possibility.

[0347] The present disclosure may be implemented in any type of apparatus, device, or system (collectively referred to as a communications apparatus) that has a communications function. The communications apparatus may include a wireless transceiver and processing / control circuitry. The wireless transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter, or both functions. The wireless transceiver (transmitter and receiver) may include a radio frequency (RF) module and one or more antennas. The RF module may include an amplifier, an RF modulator / demodulator, or the like. Non-limiting examples of communication devices include telephones (e.g., cell phones, smartphones), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (e.g., laptops, desktops, notebooks), cameras (e.g., digital still / video cameras), digital players (e.g., digital audio / video players), wearable devices (e.g., wearable cameras, smartwatches, tracking devices), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine devices, communication-enabled vehicles or mobile transportation (e.g., cars, airplanes, ships), and combinations of the above devices.

[0348] Communications equipment is not limited to portable or mobile equipment, but also includes non-portable or fixed equipment, devices, and systems of any kind, such as smart home devices (such as appliances, lighting equipment, smart meters or metering devices, control panels, etc.), vending machines, and any other "things" that may exist on an IoT (Internet of Things) network.

[0349] Furthermore, in recent years, in the field of IoT (Internet of Things) technology, CPS (Cyber ​​Physical Systems) has been attracting attention as a new concept that creates new added value by linking information between physical space and cyberspace. This CPS concept can also be adopted in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0350] That is, as a basic configuration of a CPS, for example, an edge server located in physical space and a cloud server located in cyberspace can be connected via a network, and processing can be distributed and performed by processors installed on both servers. Here, it is preferable that each piece of processing data generated on the edge server or cloud server is generated on a standardized platform, and the use of such a standardized platform can improve the efficiency of building a system that includes a variety of sensor groups and IoT application software.

[0351] Communications include data communications via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, communications satellite systems, etc., as well as data communications via combinations of these.

[0352] A communications apparatus also includes devices such as controllers and sensors connected or coupled to a communications device that performs the communications functions described in this disclosure, such as controllers and sensors that generate control and data signals used by the communications device to perform the communications functions of the communications apparatus.

[0353] The communication apparatus also includes infrastructure facilities, such as base stations, access points, and any other apparatus, device, or system that communicates with or controls the various apparatuses listed above, but are not limited to these.

[0354] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

[0355] Although specific examples of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the specific examples exemplified above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0356] An embodiment of the present disclosure is suitable for a face authentication system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0357] 1, 2, 3, 4, 9 Facial recognition ticket gate system 10, 20, 30, 90 Face Recognition Server 11, 91 Management Server 12, 42, 92 Facial recognition ticket gates 13, 93 Ticket gate detection device 14 Ticket gate determination cash table 35 Ticket gate determination cash device

Claims

1. A pass permission determination system having an information processing device and a first gate device, the pass permission determination system determining whether or not a user is permitted to pass through the first gate device based on a face matching process based on a face image of the user and an authority determination process determining whether or not the user identified by the face matching process has authority to pass through the gate device, The information processing device includes: transmitting an authority determination request to the determination device, the authority determination request requesting the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process; transmitting to the first gate device a result of the first face matching process, an authority determination result indicating the result of the authority determination process received from the determination device, and a first determination result including identification information of the user; The first gate device registering the first determination result in a cache table; When it is determined based on the first determination result that the user should be allowed to pass through the first gate device, tracking the user based on an image of the user; If the tracking fails, the identification information of the user registered in the cache table and a face matching request including the image are transmitted to the information processing device; The information processing device includes: a second face matching process based on the face matching request to identify a person included in the image, and if the identification information of the user matches the identification information of the person, transmit a result of the second face matching process to the first gate device; The first gate device continuing to track the user based on the result of the second face matching process; Passage permission determination system.

2. Further comprising a second gate device; the first gate device transmits the first determination result to the second gate device; the second gate device stores the first determination result received from the first gate device in a cache table of the second gate device; The passage permission determination system according to claim 1 .

3. A method for determining whether or not a user is permitted to pass through a gate device, the method comprising: a process for performing face matching based on a face image of the user; and a process for determining whether or not the user identified by the face matching process is authorized to pass through the gate device, the method comprising: The processor: registering an authority determination result indicating a result of the authority determination process for the user identified by the first face matching process and a first determination result including identification information of the user in a cache table; When it is determined based on the first determination result that the user is to pass through the gate device, tracking the user based on an image of the user; If the tracking fails, a person included in the image is identified by a second face matching process, and if the identification information of the user registered in the cache table matches the identification information of the person, tracking of the user is continued based on the result of the second face matching process. Passage permission determination method.

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