Authentication system and authentication method

Abstract

By utilizing facial recognition, visitors can enter a private space even when the owner is not present, while also enhancing security. [Solution] An authentication method using a system equipped with a facial recognition function and a visitor reception function, comprising: a visitor registration step in which a first user, who is the manager or owner of the occupied space, configures the system to allow a second user, who is a visitor to the occupied space, to enter the occupied space by facial recognition; and a facial registration step in which the second user registers their own face in the system using a second user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the second user. The problem is solved by this authentication method and authentication system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an authentication system and an authentication method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a face authentication system that performs authentication based on face data, there is known a face authentication system that performs personal authentication by comparing input face data that has been input with registered face data that has been registered in advance (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In the face authentication system described in Patent Document 1, the target person is authenticated using an image of the face portion in the captured image captured by a camera. Further, in the face authentication system described in Patent Document 2, for example, when there are four registered face images, two are used as face patterns for accuracy assurance, one is used as a face pattern for absorbing disturbance components, and one is used as a face pattern for updating. Then, when registering a new face pattern, among the four face patterns registered in advance, the face pattern for updating, which has the second lowest similarity to the newly registered face pattern, is deleted. That is, by leaving the face pattern for absorbing disturbance components, which has the lowest similarity to the newly registered face pattern, face authentication is performed in accordance with variations in the environment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] It would be convenient if a system could be used to allow visitors, who are related to the owner of the occupied space, to enter the space even if the owner is not present, by using facial recognition when the visitor enters the space. However, such a system has not existed until now.

[0006] This invention was made with these points in mind, and aims to provide an authentication system and authentication method that is highly convenient and secure because it utilizes facial recognition to allow visitors to enter a occupied space even when the owner is not present. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The authentication method of the present invention is An authentication method using a system equipped with facial recognition and visitor reception functions, A visitor registration step in which a first user, who is the manager or owner of the occupied space, configures the system to allow a second user, who is a visitor to the occupied space, to enter the occupied space using facial recognition, The gist of the method is that it includes a face registration step in which the second user registers their own face in the system using a second user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the second user.

[0008] The authentication system of the present invention is A storage unit that holds comparison data generated from the user's facial image, An imaging device installed for the entrance door of the occupied space, A comparison unit that compares the face captured by the imaging device with the comparison data, A visitor registration means that allows a first user, who is the manager or owner of the occupied space, to enter the occupied space using facial recognition, The system comprises a face registration means for the second user to register their own face, The essence of the facial registration means is that it is provided using a second user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the second user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the authentication system and authentication method of the present invention, by utilizing facial recognition, visitors can enter the occupied space even if the owner is not present, thereby increasing convenience and enhancing security. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure schematically illustrates a facial recognition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the information exchange process in the facial recognition system shown, where visitor information is registered in advance before the visitor first enters the designated space. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the exchange of information when a visitor first enters a designated space in the facial recognition system shown. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the exchange of information when a visitor makes a second or subsequent visit to a occupied space in the facial recognition system shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 4 show a facial recognition system according to this embodiment and a facial recognition method using such a facial recognition system.

[0012] The facial recognition system 10 and facial recognition method according to this embodiment allow visitors to enter the occupied space even when the owner is not present, by performing facial recognition on the visitor when the visitor is a related party to the owner of the occupied space. In this invention, the occupied space refers to an apartment room or the interior space of a detached house. The occupied space may also be a rental conference room or a common area of ​​an apartment building. Furthermore, the owner only needs to own the occupied space or have the right to manage the occupied space, and the owner is not limited to the person who lives in the occupied space. For example, this invention can also be applied to short-term rentals where travelers pay a fee to the owner of the occupied space to stay in that owner's occupied space. In this case, the traveler is the visitor. Also, if the occupied space is a rented apartment room, the owner may be the tenant who rents the room.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the facial recognition system 10 according to this embodiment includes a visitor reception system 12 and a facial recognition cloud 14. A locking system 40 is also installed at the entrance to the occupied space. For example, if the occupied space is the interior space of a detached house, the locking system 40 is installed near the entrance door on the exterior wall of the detached house. If the occupied space is a room in an apartment building or a common area, the locking system 40 is installed near the entrance door of each unit on the exterior wall of the apartment building, or in the entrance, elevator, etc., where the apartment building's auto-lock system is installed. Furthermore, to further enhance security, the locking system 40 may be installed in multiple layers, for example, in an apartment building, where the locking system 40 is installed at multiple locations such as the entrance, elevator, and entrance doors of each unit. The locking system 40 includes an imaging device 42 and a locking device 44. The imaging device 42 and the locking device 44 are connected to each other by wiring such as a LAN cable. The imaging device 42 is capable of capturing facial images of visitors who come to the owner's occupied space. Furthermore, the imaging device 42 is connected to a network such as the Internet. The locking device 44 is capable of locking and unlocking the entrance doors of detached houses and apartments. If the locking device 44 is installed in the entrance of an apartment building with an automatic locking system, it can lock and unlock the entrance door in that entrance. If the locking device 44 is installed in an elevator, unlocking the locking device 44 may allow the elevator to move up or down or stop at a designated floor. The visitor reception system 12 unlocks the entrance door using the locking device 44 by performing authentication using the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40. The facial recognition cloud 14 stores visitor registration information, including information related to the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image that has been registered in advance. The facial recognition system 10 and the locking system 40 are connected to each other via a network such as the Internet.In addition, the user terminal 30 such as a smartphone held by a visitor and the user terminal 20 such as a smartphone held by an owner are each communicably connected to the face recognition system 10 via a network such as an Internet line.

[0014] The visitor reception system 12 of the face recognition system 10 is composed of, for example, a computer or the like. The visitor reception system 12 has a processor 12a such as a CPU and a memory 12b (recording medium) that stores programs. Then, the processor 12a is configured to perform various processes described below by executing the programs stored in the memory 12b. Note that the programs executed by the processor 12a are not limited to those stored in the memory 12b. Various processes described below may be performed when the processor 12a executes a program transmitted from an external device to the face recognition system 10 or a program stored in a recording medium detachably attached to the face recognition system 10.

[0015] Next, the processing content when authenticating a visitor by the face recognition system 10 having such a configuration will be described using FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0016] First, the processing content when registering visitor information in advance before a visitor first visits the owner's occupied space in the face recognition system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described using FIG. 2. The owner of the occupied space installs an application for the visitor reception service in the user terminal 20 in advance. The owner can register a visitor with such an application. Specifically, when the date and time when the visitor visits the occupied space are determined between the owner and the visitor by phone, email, chat, conversation application, etc., the owner executes the application for the visitor reception service on his / her user terminal 20 and presses the "Additional Registration Application Button". When the "Additional Registration Application Button" is pressed by the owner, the additional registration application information is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the visitor reception system 12 of the face recognition system 10 ((1) in FIG. 2).

[0017] The processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 receives additional registration application information from the user terminal 20 by the additional registration application information receiving means 50. Then, when the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 receives the additional registration application information by the additional registration application information receiving means 50, it newly allocates the necessary registration information, and automatically transmits this allocated necessary registration information to the user terminal 20 of the owner by the necessary registration information transmitting means 52 ((2) in FIG. 2). Here, the necessary registration information refers to, for example, the URL for downloading the face authentication application. The necessary registration information transmitted to the user terminal 20 of the owner is displayed on an application or the like of the visitor reception service executed on the user terminal 20 of the owner.

[0018] The owner transmits the necessary registration information displayed on an application or the like of the visitor reception service executed on the user terminal 20 to the user terminal 30 of the visitor ((3) in FIG. 2). Specifically, the owner copies the necessary registration information displayed on an application or the like of the visitor reception service, and transmits this copied necessary registration information to the user terminal 30 of the visitor by mail, chat, a conversation application, or the like.

[0019] When a visitor receives registration information sent from the owner's user terminal 20 via user terminal 30, user terminal 30 installs a facial recognition application using the received registration information. For example, if the registration information is a URL for downloading the facial recognition application, the visitor downloads the application by accessing this URL on user terminal 20. Once such a facial recognition application is installed on user terminal 30, the visitor can enter registration information using the application. Specifically, the visitor can set up to use the visitor reception service by using the facial recognition application. When setting up to use the visitor reception service, the visitor enters their name, date of birth, gender, email address, phone number, password, etc., as registration information on user terminal 30. The visitor also enters information agreeing to the terms of service for the visitor reception service when setting up to use the visitor reception service. Note that the above setting up to use the visitor reception service may be done through the facial recognition application or separately from the facial recognition application. The visitor also uses the facial recognition application to capture an image of their face with the camera on user terminal 30. As a result, user terminal 30 obtains the visitor's facial image data.

[0020] When a visitor registers for the visitor reception service using the user terminal 30, the registration information entered by the visitor is transmitted from the user terminal 30 to the facial recognition cloud 14 of the facial recognition system 10 (Figure 2 (4)). Specifically, information such as the visitor's name, date of birth, gender, email address, telephone number, password, and facial image data is transmitted from the user terminal 30 to the facial recognition cloud 14 of the facial recognition system 10. The facial recognition cloud 14 extracts a hash value using a predetermined hash function based on the facial image data transmitted from the user terminal 30. This hash value is used as a feature of the visitor's facial image. The facial recognition cloud 14 also assigns identification information (e.g., an identification number) to the visitor. Then, information such as the visitor's name, date of birth, gender, email address, telephone number, password, and facial image feature data is recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14 in association with the visitor's identification information.

[0021] Furthermore, the visitor identification information and information related to the visitor's name, etc., assigned by the facial recognition cloud 14, are sent to the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 2 (5)). The visitor's name is recorded in the memory 12b of the visitor reception system 12 by the recording means 56, associated with the visitor's identification information. Subsequently, registration completion information, including information related to the visitor's name, is transmitted from the visitor reception system 12 to the owner's user terminal 20 by the registration completion information transmission means 58 (Figure 2 (6)). As a result, the owner's user terminal 20 receives a push notification that the visitor's face registration has been completed.

[0022] Subsequently, when the owner runs the visitor reception service application on the user terminal 20 and taps the visitor's name included in the registration completion information transmitted by the registration completion information transmission means 58, the user terminal 20 becomes able to input information regarding the date and time the visitor will visit the occupied space. Once the owner inputs the information regarding the date and time the visitor will visit the occupied space on the user terminal 20, the visitor's name and visit date and time information are transmitted from the owner's user terminal 20 to the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 2 (7)). The processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 receives the visitor's name and visit date and time information from the owner's user terminal 20 via the visit date and time information receiving means 60. The processor 12a then records the visitor's name and visit date and time information in memory 12b, associating it with the visitor's identification information. Subsequently, the processor 12a transmits registration completion notification information to the visitor's user terminal 30 via the registration completion notification information transmission means 62 (Figure 2 (8)). As a result, the visitor's user terminal 30 receives a push notification of the registration completion message and visit date and time information.

[0023] Subsequently, when the visitor runs the visitor reception service app on the user terminal 30 and presses the receipt notification button, receipt notification information is sent from the visitor's user terminal 30 to the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 2 (9)). Upon receiving the receipt notification information, the processor 12a pushes a notification to the owner's user terminal 20 that the visitor has received the registration completion message (Figure 2 (10)). In this embodiment, after the owner receives a visitor registration completion notification from the visitor reception system 12 of the facial recognition system 10, the owner can further improve security by receiving receipt notification information from the visitor reception system 12. More specifically, the facial recognition system 10 according to the present invention requires strict security because it allows visitors to enter the occupied space when the owner is absent. In other words, it is necessary to prevent visitors not registered by the owner from entering the occupied space due to the owner accidentally registering a different visitor when registering a visitor. In this embodiment, the owner not only receives a visitor registration completion notification from the visitor reception system 12 of the facial recognition system 10, but also receives further receipt notification information from the visitor reception system 12. This allows the owner to realize the registration error if they mistakenly register a different visitor when registering a visitor, by receiving a notification from the other visitor stating that they received a registration notification they do not recognize, or by receiving receipt notification information regarding the other visitor. Furthermore, even if visitor information entered by the owner using the user terminal 20 is hacked by a third party, it is possible to prevent this third party from entering the occupied space while the owner is absent.

[0024] Next, Figure 3 will be used to explain the process when a visitor first visits the occupied space in the facial recognition system 10 according to this embodiment. When a visitor reaches the entrance of the occupied space, the visitor taps the facial recognition button on the screen of the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 installed at the entrance. When the visitor holds their face up to the imaging device 42, the camera of the imaging device 42 captures the visitor's face. Note that the visitor may not need to operate the imaging device 42 at all; simply holding their face up to it will capture the visitor's face with the camera of the imaging device 42. The imaging device 42 extracts a hash value using a predetermined hash function based on the visitor's facial image data captured by the camera. Such a hash value is used as a feature of the visitor's facial image.

[0025] As described above, when a visitor's face is captured by the camera of the imaging device 42, information relating to the feature quantities of the visitor's face image is transmitted from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10 (Figure 3(1)). In addition, information regarding the date and time when the visitor's face image was captured by the imaging device 42 (hereinafter also referred to as the capture date and time) is also transmitted from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10.

[0026] When the facial recognition system 10's facial recognition cloud 14 receives information related to the feature quantities of a visitor's facial image from the imaging device 42, it compares the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 with the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14. If the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 substantially match the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, the visitor's name, visitor identification information, and information regarding the date and time of imaging are transmitted from the facial recognition cloud 14 to the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 3 (2)). If the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 substantially do not match the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, no further processing is performed. Furthermore, if the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image do not substantially match the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14 even after the imaging device 42 has captured the visitor's facial image a certain number of times, the owner may notify the security company or other party with whom they have a contract.

[0027] The processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 compares the visitor's name, identification information, and image capture date and time sent from the facial recognition cloud 14 with the visitor's name, identification information, and pre-registered visit date and time information recorded in the memory 12b. If the visitor's name, identification information, and image capture date and time sent from the facial recognition cloud 14 substantially match the visitor's name, identification information, and visit date and time information recorded in the memory 12b, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 performs visitor authentication using the authentication means 64.

[0028] When the visitor is authenticated by the authentication means 64, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 sends an unlocking instruction to the locking system 40 via the unlocking instruction transmission means 66 (Figure 3 (3)). When the locking system 40 receives the unlocking instruction from the visitor reception system 12 of the facial recognition system 10, the locking device 44 unlocks the entrance door of the occupied space. This allows visitors to enter the occupied space even if the owner is not present. Furthermore, when the visitor is authenticated by the authentication means 64, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 sends unlocking completion information to the owner's user terminal 20 via the unlocking completion information transmission means 68 (Figure 3 (4)). This allows the owner to know that the entrance door of the occupied space has been unlocked. Alternatively, after the locking device 44 unlocks the entrance door of the occupied space, the unlocking completion information may be transmitted from the locking device 44 to the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12. In this case, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 receives unlocking completion information from the locking device 44 and then transmits the unlocking completion information to the owner's user terminal 20 via the unlocking completion information transmission means 68. In this way, the processing for when a visitor first visits the occupied space is completed in the facial recognition system 10.

[0029] Furthermore, "approximately matching" of the visitor's facial image features means, for example, that the matching rate between the visitor's facial image features received from the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 and the visitor's facial image features recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14 exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g., 80%). Also, "approximately matching" of the date and time of imaging by the imaging device 42 with the previously registered visit date and time information means that the error between the date and time the visitor's facial image was captured by the imaging device 42 and the date and time the visitor visited the occupied space, as recorded in the memory 12b of the visitor reception system 12, is within a predetermined time (e.g., 3 hours).

[0030] Next, Figure 4 will be used to explain the processing steps involved when a visitor visits the occupied space for the second time or later in the facial recognition system 10 according to this embodiment.

[0031] Once the date, time, and number of visitors to the owner's occupied space are confirmed between the owner and the visitor via phone, email, chat, or messaging app, the owner runs the visitor reception service application on their user terminal 20 and enters the visitor's name and information such as the date and time the visitor will visit the owner's occupied space.

[0032] When the owner inputs information such as the visitor's name and the date and time the visitor will visit the owner's occupied space into the user terminal 20, this input visitor name and visit date and time information is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the visitor reception system 12 of the facial recognition system 10 (Figure 4 (1)). The processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 receives the visitor's name and visit date and time information from the user terminal 20 via the visit date and time information receiving means 60. The processor 12a records the visitor's name and visit date and time information in memory 12b, associating it with the visitor's identification information. Then, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 transmits registration completion notification information to the visitor's user terminal 30 via the registration completion notification information transmission means 62 (Figure 4 (2)). As a result, the visitor's user terminal 30 receives a push notification of the registration completion message and visit date and time information.

[0033] Subsequently, when the visitor runs the visitor reception service app on the user terminal 30 and presses the receipt notification button, receipt notification information is sent from the visitor's user terminal 30 to the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 4 (3)). Upon receiving the receipt notification information, the processor 12a pushes a notification to the owner's user terminal 20 that the visitor has received the registration completion message (Figure 4 (4)). Even when the visitor visits the owner's area for the second time or later, the owner can improve security by receiving a notification from the visitor reception system 12 that the registration completion notification information has been received when the visitor presses the receipt notification button.

[0034] Subsequently, when the visitor reaches the entrance to the occupied space, the visitor taps a face recognition button on the screen of the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 installed at the entrance. When the visitor holds their face up to the imaging device 42, the camera of the imaging device 42 captures an image of the visitor's face. Alternatively, the visitor may not need to operate the imaging device 42 at all; simply holding their face up to it may be sufficient for the camera of the imaging device 42 to capture an image of the visitor's face. The imaging device 42 extracts a hash value based on the visitor's face image data captured by the camera using a predetermined hash function. This hash value is used as a feature of the visitor's face image.

[0035] As described above, when a visitor's face is captured by the camera of the imaging device 42, information relating to the feature quantities of the visitor's face image is transmitted from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10 (Figure 4 (5)). Information regarding the date and time of capture is also transmitted from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10.

[0036] When the facial recognition system 10's facial recognition cloud 14 receives information related to the feature quantities of a visitor's facial image from the imaging device 42, it compares the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 with the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14. If the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 closely match those recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, the visitor's name, identification information, and information regarding the date and time of imaging are transmitted from the facial recognition cloud 14 to the visitor reception system 12 (Figure 4 (6)). If the feature quantities of the visitor's facial image received from the imaging device 42 do not closely match those recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, no further processing is performed.

[0037] The processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 compares the visitor's name, identification information, and image capture date and time sent from the facial recognition cloud 14 with the visitor's name, identification information, and pre-registered visit date and time information recorded in the memory 12b. If the visitor's name, identification information, and image capture date and time sent from the facial recognition cloud 14 substantially match the visitor's name, identification information, and visit date and time information recorded in the memory 12b, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 performs visitor authentication using the authentication means 64.

[0038] When the visitor is authenticated by the authentication means 64, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 sends an unlocking instruction to the locking system 40 via the unlocking instruction transmission means 66 (Figure 4 (7)). When the locking system 40 receives the unlocking instruction from the visitor reception system 12 of the facial recognition system 10, the locking device 44 unlocks the entrance door of the occupied space. This allows visitors to enter the occupied space even if the owner is not present. Furthermore, when the visitor is authenticated by the authentication means 64, the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12 sends unlocking completion information to the owner's user terminal 20 via the unlocking completion information transmission means 68 (Figure 4 (8)). This allows the owner to know that the entrance door of the occupied space has been unlocked. Alternatively, after the locking device 44 unlocks the entrance door of the occupied space, the unlocking completion information may be transmitted from the locking device 44 to the processor 12a of the visitor reception system 12. In this case, after the visitor reception system 12's processor 12a receives unlocking completion information from the locking device 44, it transmits the unlocking completion information to the owner's user terminal 20 via the unlocking completion information transmission means 68. In this way, the processing for when a visitor visits the occupied space for the second time or later is completed in the facial recognition system 10.

[0039] According to the facial recognition method performed by the facial recognition system 10 of this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, when a visitor registers visitor information in advance before visiting the owner's occupied space for the first time, the facial recognition system 10 receives additional registration request information from the owner's user terminal 20, assigns new registration required information, and transmits this assigned registration required information to the owner's user terminal 20. Furthermore, when the facial recognition system 10 receives visitor registration information including information about the visitor's face image, the facial recognition system 10 records the received visitor registration information and transmits registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20. In addition, after the facial recognition system 10 transmits the registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20, when it receives visit date and time information regarding the date and time the visitor will visit the occupied space, the facial recognition system 10 records the received visit date and time information. Furthermore, when the facial recognition system 10 receives information regarding the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 installed at the entrance to the occupied space, the facial recognition system 10 authenticates the visitor by comparing the information regarding the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 with the information regarding the visitor's facial image that has been recorded, and by comparing the date and time the visitor's facial image was captured by the imaging device 42 with the visit date and time information that has been registered in advance. Once the facial recognition system 10 has authenticated the visitor, the facial recognition system 10 sends an unlocking command to the locking device 44 of the locking system 40 and sends an unlocking completion notification to the owner's user terminal 20. With this facial recognition method, when a visitor reaches the owner's occupied space using facial recognition, the entrance door is unlocked by the locking device 44 even if the owner is not in the occupied space, allowing the visitor to enter the occupied space. This enhances convenience. Also, once the visitor is authenticated, an unlocking completion notification is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, so the owner can know that the visitor has entered the occupied space. This enhances security.Furthermore, the facial recognition system 10 receives visitor registration information, including information about the visitor's facial image. Once this received visitor registration information is recorded in the facial recognition system 10, registration completion information is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, allowing the owner to know that the visitor has registered their information. This further enhances security.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the facial recognition method of this embodiment, when a visitor registers visitor information in advance before visiting the owner's exclusive space for the first time, the facial recognition system 10 sends registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20. After the facial recognition system 10 receives the visit date and time information, the facial recognition system 10 sends registration completion notification information to the visitor's user terminal 30. In this case, by sending registration completion notification information to the visitor's user terminal 30, the visitor can be reliably aware that a visit to the owner's exclusive space has been reserved.

[0041] Furthermore, according to the facial recognition method of this embodiment, the registration information transmitted to the owner's user terminal 20 by the facial recognition system 10 is the information necessary to download the facial recognition application, and the facial recognition application sends the visitor's registration information, including information about the visitor's face image, to the facial recognition system 10. In this case, the visitor can download the facial recognition application to the user terminal 30 using the information necessary to download the facial recognition application provided by the owner, and then use the facial recognition application to send the visitor's registration information, including information about the visitor's face image, to the facial recognition system 10.

[0042] Furthermore, according to the facial recognition method of this embodiment, when a visitor visits the owner's occupied space for the second time or later, once the facial recognition system 10 receives at least the visitor's name and visit date and time information, the facial recognition system 10 sends registration completion notification information to the visitor's user terminal 30. In this case, when a visitor visits the owner's occupied space for the second time or later, the owner can reserve a visit to the visitor's occupied space in a simple manner.

[0043] Furthermore, the facial recognition system 10 according to this embodiment includes: an additional registration application information receiving means 50 that receives additional registration application information from the owner's user terminal 20 when a visitor registers visitor information in advance before visiting the owner's occupied space for the first time; a registration required information transmission means 52 that transmits newly assigned registration required information to the owner's user terminal 20 when the facial recognition system 10 receives the additional registration application information; a visitor registration information receiving means 54 that receives visitor registration information including information about the visitor's facial image; a facial recognition cloud 14 that records the visitor registration information received by the visitor registration information receiving means 54; and a registration completion information transmission means that transmits registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20 when the visitor registration information is recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14. The system includes a communication means 58, an authentication means 64 that, upon receiving information regarding a visitor's facial image captured by an imaging device 42 of a locking system 40 installed at the entrance to the occupied space, compares the information regarding the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 with the information regarding the visitor's facial image recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, and authenticates the visitor by comparing the date and time the visitor's facial image was captured by the imaging device 42 with pre-registered visit date and time information, an unlocking instruction transmission means 66 that transmits an unlocking command to the locking device 44 of the locking system 40 once the visitor has been authenticated by the authentication means 64, and an unlocking completion information transmission means 68 that transmits an unlocking completion notification to the owner's user terminal 20 once the visitor has been authenticated by the authentication means 64. With such a facial recognition system 10, when a visitor reaches the owner's occupied space using facial recognition, the entrance door is unlocked by the locking device 44 even if the owner is not in the occupied space, allowing the visitor to enter the occupied space. This enhances convenience. Furthermore, once the visitor is authenticated, an unlocking completion notification is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, allowing the owner to know that the visitor has entered the occupied space. This enhances security. In addition, the facial recognition system 10 receives visitor registration information, including information about the visitor's face image, and once this received visitor registration information is recorded in the facial recognition system 10, registration completion information is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, allowing the owner to know that the visitor has registered their information.Therefore, security can be further enhanced.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a program for performing a facial recognition method by the facial recognition system 10, which is executed by the processor 12a, and a recording medium on which this program is recorded are used. Here, when the processor 12a executes the program, if a visitor registers visitor information in advance before visiting the owner's occupied space for the first time, the facial recognition system 10 receives additional registration request information from the owner's user terminal 20, assigns new registration required information, and transmits this assigned registration required information to the owner's user terminal 20. Also, when the facial recognition system 10 receives visitor registration information including information about the visitor's face image, the facial recognition system 10 records the received visitor registration information and transmits registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20. After the facial recognition system 10 transmits the registration completion information to the owner's user terminal 20, if it receives visit date and time information regarding the date and time the visitor will visit the occupied space, it records the received visit date and time information to the facial recognition system 10. Furthermore, when the facial recognition system 10 receives information regarding the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 installed at the entrance to the occupied space, the facial recognition system 10 authenticates the visitor by comparing the information regarding the visitor's facial image captured by the imaging device 42 with the information regarding the visitor's facial image that has been recorded, and by comparing the date and time the visitor's facial image was captured by the imaging device 42 with the previously registered visit date and time information. Once the facial recognition system 10 has authenticated the visitor, the facial recognition system 10 sends an unlocking command to the locking device 44 of the locking system 40 and sends an unlocking completion notification to the owner's user terminal 20. With such a program and recording medium, when a visitor reaches the owner's occupied space using facial recognition, the entrance door is unlocked by the locking device 44 even if the owner is not in the occupied space, allowing the visitor to enter the occupied space. This enhances convenience. Also, once the visitor is authenticated, an unlocking completion notification is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, so the owner can know that the visitor has entered the occupied space. This enhances security.Furthermore, the facial recognition system 10 receives visitor registration information, including information about the visitor's facial image. Once this received visitor registration information is recorded in the facial recognition system 10, registration completion information is sent to the owner's user terminal 20, allowing the owner to know that the visitor has registered their information. This further enhances security.

[0045] Furthermore, the facial recognition method and facial recognition system according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways.

[0046] For example, in the above description, the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 extracts a hash value using a predetermined hash function based on the visitor's face image data captured by the camera, and uses this hash value as a feature of the visitor's face image. The feature of the visitor's face image is then transmitted from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10. However, in other embodiments, the visitor's face image data captured by the imaging device 42 may be transmitted directly from the imaging device 42 to the face recognition cloud 14 of the face recognition system 10. In this case, the face recognition cloud 14 extracts a hash value using a predetermined hash function based on the visitor's face image data transmitted from the imaging device 42, and uses this hash value as a feature of the visitor's face image.

[0047] Alternatively, in another configuration, the facial recognition application used on the visitor's user terminal 30 may, instead of transmitting the visitor's facial image data itself, captured by the user terminal 30's camera, to the facial recognition cloud 14 of the facial recognition system 10, extract a hash value as a feature quantity using a predetermined hash function based on the visitor's facial image data captured by the user terminal 30's camera, and transmit the extracted feature quantity of the visitor's facial image to the facial recognition cloud 14 of the facial recognition system 10. In this case, when the facial recognition cloud 14 receives registration information including the feature quantity of the visitor's facial image from the user terminal 30, it assigns the visitor identification information (e.g., an identification number). Then, information such as the visitor's name, date of birth, gender, email address, telephone number, password, and information related to the visitor's facial image feature quantity are recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14 in association with the visitor's identification information.

[0048] In yet another embodiment, if the facial image data of a visitor captured by the imaging device 42 of the locking system 40 is transmitted directly from the imaging device 42 to the facial recognition cloud 14, the facial recognition cloud 14 may compare the facial image data of the visitor transmitted from the imaging device 42 with the facial image data of the visitor recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14. In this case, if the facial image data of the visitor received from the imaging device 42 substantially matches the facial image data of the visitor recorded in the facial recognition cloud 14, the facial recognition cloud 14 transmits the visitor's name, visitor identification information, and information regarding the date and time of capture from the facial recognition cloud 14 to the visitor reception system 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 10. Facial Recognition System 12. Visitor Reception System 12a processor 12b memory 14. Facial Recognition Cloud 20. User terminal of the owner of the occupied space 30 Visitor User Terminals 40 Locking Systems 42 Imaging device 44 Locking device 50. Method for receiving additional registration application information 52. Means for transmitting registration information 54. Means of receiving visitor registration information 56 Recording means 58. Means for transmitting registration completion information 60. Method for receiving visit date and time information 62 Registration completion notification information transmission means 64 Authentication methods 66 Unlocking instruction transmission means 68 Unlock completion information transmission means

Claims

1. An authentication method using a system equipped with facial recognition and visitor reception functions, A visitor registration step in which a first user, who is the manager or owner of the occupied space, configures the system to allow a second user, who is a visitor to the occupied space, to enter the occupied space using facial recognition, The process includes a face registration step in which the second user registers their own face in the system using a second user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the second user. Authentication method.

2. The aforementioned occupied space is a room in an apartment building or an interior space in a detached house. The authentication method according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes a visit schedule notification step, in which at least a portion of the information entered by the first user in the visit registration step is notified to the second user by the system. The authentication method according to claim 1.

4. The system further includes a visitor notification step, in which, when the facial recognition of the second user by the system is successful, the system notifies the first user to that effect. The authentication method according to claim 1.

5. A storage unit that holds comparison data generated from the user's facial image, An imaging device installed for the entrance door of the occupied space, A comparison unit that compares the face captured by the imaging device with the comparison data, A visitor registration means that allows a first user, who is the manager or owner of the occupied space, to enter the occupied space using facial recognition, The system includes a face registration means for the second user to register their own face, The facial registration means is provided using a second user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the second user. Authentication system.

6. The visit registration means is provided using the first user terminal, which is an information terminal owned by the first user. The authentication system according to claim 5.

7. The system further includes a visitor notification means that notifies the first user when the second user successfully performs facial recognition. The authentication system according to claim 5.

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