Access control device for people and / or mobile objects and method for controlling the opening and / or closing of a blocking device - Patent application

Abstract

The present invention relates to an access control device for a person (12) and / or a movable object (14), the access control device comprising: a barrier device (18) configured to be in an open state, allowing the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) to pass through the barrier device (18) after receiving an open signal, and to be in a closed state, preventing the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) from passing through the barrier device (18) after receiving a close signal; a control device (22) configured to generate the open signal and / or the close signal; and an imaging device (20) configured to image the barrier device (18) and its vicinity, so that the control device and an imaging device (20) in data communication with a control device (22), the control device (22) configured to identify a person (12) and / or a movable object (14) in an image generated by the imaging device (20), the control device (22) configured to generate a close signal when the control device (22) determines that the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) has passed through the barrier (18), and / or the control device (22) configured to generate an open signal when the control device (22) determines that the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) is in front of the barrier (18).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an access control device for persons and / or mobile objects, comprising a barrier device configured to be in an open state in which persons and / or mobile objects can pass through the barrier device, and in a closed state in which the barrier device prevents persons and / or mobile objects from passing through the barrier device.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method for controlling the opening and / or closing of a barrier device, the barrier device being configured to be in an open state in which people and / or movable objects can pass through the barrier device, and in a closed state in which the barrier device prevents people and / or movable objects from passing through the barrier device.

[0003] Access systems for persons (sometimes called checkpoints) are known from the prior art. These may comprise means for detecting and evaluating an access authorization and a mechanical blocking device, for example in the form of a turnstile, a sliding door, a lift-sliding door, or a so-called flap gate, whereby the blocking device is activated in the presence of a valid access authorization. The blocking device may be configured as described in EP 3 660 793 A1, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved mechanism for reliably and safely opening and / or closing a shut-off device.

[0005] This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Optional embodiments are set out in the dependent claims.

[0006] The present invention relates to an access control device for a person and / or a movable object, comprising a barrier device, a control device, and an imaging device. The barrier device is configured to be in an open state allowing the person and / or the movable object to pass through the barrier device after receiving an open signal, and to be in a closed state preventing the person and / or the movable object from passing through the barrier device after receiving a close signal. The control device is configured to generate the open signal and / or the close signal. The control device is in data communication with the barrier device. The imaging device is configured to capture images of the barrier device and its vicinity. The imaging device is in data communication with the control device. The control device is configured to identify the person and / or the movable object in an image generated by the imaging device. The control device is configured to generate a close signal when the control device determines that the identified person and / or the movable object has passed through the barrier device. Alternatively or additionally, the control device is configured to generate the open signal when the control device determines that the identified person and / or the movable object is in front of the barrier device.

[0007] The present invention further relates to a method for controlling the opening and / or closing of a barrier device, the barrier device being configured to be in an open state in which a person and / or a movable object can pass through the barrier device, and in a closed state in which the barrier device prevents the person and / or the movable object from passing through the barrier device. The method includes the steps of capturing an image of the barrier device and its vicinity, identifying the person and / or the movable object in the generated image, and performing one or both of the steps of closing the barrier device when the identified person and / or the movable object passes through the barrier device and / or opening the barrier device when the identified person and / or the movable object is in front of or near the barrier device.

[0008] The main idea of ​​the present invention is to control a barrier device to be in either a closed or open state depending on information gathered from images captured by an imaging device or information generated by the imaging device. The present invention can be used in addition to or as a replacement for sensors typically used to detect the presence of people and / or mobile objects at or near the barrier device. For example, images captured by an imaging device can be used to determine whether the barrier device can be safely closed, i.e., to assess whether closing the barrier device will result in a collision with a person and / or mobile object. Furthermore, the present invention may be used to determine when the barrier device needs to be in an open state to allow people and / or mobile objects to pass through the barrier device.

[0009] Previously, people and / or moving objects have been monitored using light barrier sensors with a blocking device such as a turnstile. Light is emitted toward and reflected by people and / or moving objects toward a photosensitive sensor. Additional radar sensors are used to monitor a wider area and more people passing through the blocking device. However, these commonly known systems have difficulty using radar sensors and / or light barriers to determine a "group of objects" (e.g., various people and / or moving objects). These systems provide "yes / no" information regarding the presence of objects in the monitored space. Advanced sensors can also provide distance information. Nevertheless, the number of sensors used is usually limited, e.g., two or four sensors. With this limited number of sensors, little information is available to determine location information regarding the "group of objects," such as where the "group of objects" is located. For example, these sensors have great difficulty detecting that a child belongs to an adult because the required gap between the adult and the child is not always provided. These drawbacks of commonly used sensors can be overcome by using imaging devices, as this idea makes it possible to determine the position of people and / or mobile objects even in groups, which helps to precisely control the blocking device.

[0010] Furthermore, the imaging device may be positioned offset from or above the blocking device so that the imaging device is less prone to errors. For example, dirt or scratches on the sensor due to contact with people and / or moving objects can render the sensor inoperable. This risk is reduced if the imaging device is positioned out of physical reach of people and / or moving objects, which is not possible with light barriers.

[0011] The blocking device may comprise one or more mechanical blocking elements, for example in the form of a revolving gate, a revolving gate with one, two or three blocking arms, a sliding door, a lift sliding door, a so-called flap gate, a gate, a barrier and / or a boundary. The blocking element may comprise a bending bar. One or more spindles can rotate in opposite directions to bend the bar. This is described in EP 3660793 A1.

[0012] The person may be an adult, teenager, or child who wants to pass through the barrier to access the restricted area. The restricted area may be a security area (e.g., at an airport), a stadium, or any other event venue. The movable object may be a bicycle, wheelchair, pram, buggy, and / or stroller moved by the person. Furthermore, the movable object may be a vehicle. In this case, the barrier may comprise, for example, a barrier for a parking lot. Thus, the restricted area may be a parking lot.

[0013] The blocking element may be in an open state only in the case of a valid access authorization, which may be checked by interaction of the access control device with the ticket of the authorization token or other means, and the access control device allows and / or denies access to the restricted area.

[0014] The access control device may include two or more blocking devices, each configured to control access to a restricted area, for example, each blocking device controlling access to a respective passageway that can be blocked by the respective blocking device.

[0015] For the purposes of this disclosure, an open state of an isolation device is considered to be a state or configuration of the isolation device in which people and / or movable objects can pass through the isolation device. In other words, people and / or movable objects can access the area restricted by the isolation device. This is in contrast to a closed state of the isolation device. For the purposes of this disclosure, a closed state of an isolation device is considered to be a state or configuration of the isolation device in which people and / or movable objects are prevented from passing through the isolation device. In other words, the isolation device prevents people and / or movable objects from passing through the isolation device and accessing the restricted area via the isolation device.

[0016] There are at least three configurations or examples of the open state: (i) the isolator is configured to be manually opened by a person and / or a movable object, (ii) the open state includes the isolator being maintained or remaining in an open position, or (iii) the isolator is being (actively) moved to the open position.

[0017] In a first example of an open state, a person and / or a movable object can manually open the blocking device. For example, the blocking device is in an unlocked state that allows manual actuation of the blocking device by a person and / or a movable object. For example, a turnstile is unlocked to allow a person to turn the turnstile, or the gate of a blocking device is unlocked to allow a person to manually open the gate.

[0018] In a second example of the open state, the barrier device is permanently in an open position where the barrier device is positioned or oriented so that people and / or movable objects can pass through the barrier device. For example, in the open position, the barrier, sliding door, and / or gate are positioned so that the entrance or access defined by the barrier device is not closed by the barrier, sliding door, or gate, respectively. The barrier device can remain in the open position to allow smooth access for people and / or movable objects until the barrier device receives a close signal. In this case, people and / or movable objects do not have to wait for the barrier device to be placed in the open position, but remain permanently open until a close signal is received.

[0019] In the third example of the open state, the shutoff device is in the closed position and receives an open signal that actively moves the shutoff device to the open position. This means that the shutoff device remains in the closed position until it receives the open signal and is actively opened. Therefore, the difference between the second and third examples of the open state is the position of the shutoff device when it receives the open signal. In the second example, the shutoff device is in the open position, while in the third example, the shutoff device is in the closed position. Upon receiving the open signal, in the third example, the shutoff device is actively moved to the open position, while in the second example, no shutoff device activation occurs.

[0020] There are at least two configurations or examples of the closed state: (i) the closed state includes the isolator being locked in the closed position, or (ii) the isolator being moved to the closed position.

[0021] In a first example of a closed state, the closed state includes a situation in which the shutoff device is locked, e.g., cannot be manually opened by a person. For example, upon receiving a close signal, the user can no longer rotate the turnstile.

[0022] In a second example of the closed state, the closed state may also refer to a closed position in which the blocking device is actively closed upon receiving a close signal. For example, when it is determined that a person and / or a moving object has passed through the blocking device, a close signal is generated, which may result in the blocking device returning from the open position to the closed position.

[0023] The isolating device may include a first isolating element and a second isolating element. The isolating device may include a first support device and / or a second support device. The first support device may support the first isolating element, enable movement of the first isolating element, and / or enable movement of the first isolating element from an open position to a closed position. The second support device may support the second isolating element, enable movement of the second isolating element, and / or enable movement of the second isolating element from an open position to a closed position. Access to the restricted area (e.g., a passageway) may be provided between the first support device and the second support device and / or may be restricted by the first support device and the second support device.

[0024] The first support device and / or the second support device may include an actuator, such as an electric motor, for moving the first blocking element and the second blocking element, respectively. Alternatively or additionally, the first support device and / or the second support device may include a locking means for locking and unlocking the first blocking element and / or the second blocking element, respectively. In the unlocked state (an example of an open state), the first blocking element and / or the second blocking element can be moved (e.g., from a closed position to an open position, or, in the case of a turnstile, can be rotated) by a person and / or an opposed piece of furniture. In the locked state, the first blocking element and / or the second blocking element cannot be moved (e.g., from a closed position to an open position, or, in the case of a turnstile, cannot be rotated) by a person and / or a movable object.

[0025] The controller may include a processor and / or memory. The memory may store programs, algorithms, and / or other types of software that can be executed by the processor. The controller may execute programs, algorithms, and / or other types of software that can perform the functions of the access controller described herein.

[0026] The control device is in data communication with the blocking device to control the blocking device. The control device may further be in data communication with the imaging device to receive images (image information) captured by the imaging device and / or to control the imaging device, such as changing the direction and / or focus of the imaging device, for example, to focus the imaging device on a person and / or object. Data communication between the control device, the blocking device, and / or the imaging device may be implemented by wireless communication and / or may be wired connecting these devices.

[0027] The control device may be electrically and / or electronically connected to the first shut-off element, the second shut-off element, the first supporting device and / or the second supporting device, and optionally to the actuator and / or the locking means, so that an open signal and / or a close signal can change the state of the first shut-off element and / or the second shut-off element.

[0028] The control device may be located within the housing of the isolating device or may be remote from the isolating device. For example, the control device may control multiple isolating devices and / or multiple imaging devices. The control device may include a computer or server located remotely from the isolating device. The control device may be located within the housing of the isolating device, for example, within the housing of the first and / or second support devices.

[0029] The imaging device may include one or more cameras and / or video cameras to image the blocking device and its vicinity, e.g., people and / or moving objects approaching, at, and / or leaving the blocking device. The imaged vicinity may include one or more areas of interest that may be close to and / or directly adjacent to the blocking device. The imaging device may image a predetermined area, or the imaging device may be configured to change its imaging direction and may have a changeable focus. For example, a video camera may initially image a wide area, and if a person and / or moving object is detected, the imaging device may focus on the person and / or moving object by changing its imaging direction and / or focus.

[0030] The camera or cameras may take images periodically. The periodicity may be changed upon detection of people and / or moving objects. For example, if people and / or moving objects are detected, the rate at which images are taken may be increased to better monitor the movement and / or location of the people and / or moving objects.

[0031] The video camera may generate a video stream (i.e., a stream of images) that may begin generating after a person and / or a moving object is detected, for example, by using the camera and / or by first capturing images using the video camera.

[0032] The images and / or video stream may be stored in a processing buffer of the camera and then transferred to a control device. The images and / or video stream may be saved directly to the control device for analysis, but are not permanently recorded. For example, the video stream and / or images are saved only for the process of identifying people and / or footage and their locations.

[0033] The (video) camera may include one or more optical sensors for acquiring image data indicative of people and / or movable objects. The image video data may be in a format that can be processed by the controller. For example, the controller may be configured to process the image data to generate video and / or images of people and / or movable objects.

[0034] The imaging device may include two or more (video) cameras, each configured to generate (video) images of a different area. The imaged areas may overlap or may be separate from one another. For example, each (video) camera may image an area associated with the barrier device. The (video) cameras may be positioned to generate a bird's-eye view of the barrier device. Furthermore, one (video) camera may be configured to image people and / or moving objects approaching the barrier device, one (video) camera may be configured to image people and / or moving objects passing through the barrier device, and / or one (video) camera may be configured to image people and / or moving objects leaving the barrier device.

[0035] The control device is configured to process the image data generated by the imaging device in order to identify people and / or moving objects in the images (or image data) generated by the imaging device. Commonly used techniques can be applied, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and / or neural networks, which can be executed by the control device. Using AI, it is possible to reliably detect people, bicycles, and / or any other (known) object. For example, a network such as Yolov5 can be used, which analyzes the video stream (example image data or images) frame by frame to detect people and / or moving objects.

[0036] When the control device identifies the person and / or movable object, the control device can be further configured to determine whether the identified person and / or movable object is in front of the barrier device (i.e., this indicates that the barrier device needs to be set to an open state so that the person / object can pass through the barrier device). In this case, the control device sends an open signal to the barrier device, causing the barrier device to be set to an open state so that the person and / or movable object can pass through the barrier device. The open signal may be generated when it is determined that the identified person and / or movable object is in a predetermined area in front of the barrier device.

[0037] Furthermore, the control device can be configured to determine whether the identified person and / or movable object is at the isolation device (e.g., the person and / or movable object obstructs movement of the isolation device from the open position to the closed position) and / or whether the identified person and / or movable object has passed the isolation device (e.g., the person and / or movable object no longer obstructs movement of the isolation device from the open position to the closed position). If it is determined that the person and / or movable object is no longer at the isolation device and / or has left the isolation device, the control device generates a close signal to close the isolation device (e.g., move the isolation device from the open position to the closed position). The close signal may be generated when it is determined that the identified person and / or movable object is in a predetermined area behind the isolation device.

[0038] The control device can extract real-world coordinates of the person and / or movable object from the image or image data. For example, the position and / or orientation of the imaging device is known and can be used to determine the real-world coordinates of the person and / or movable object. Alternatively or additionally, a specific location (e.g., real-world coordinate) within the field of view of the imaging device is known and can be linked to the identified person and / or movable object to determine the real-world coordinates. The determined real-world coordinates can be used to determine whether the identified person and / or movable object is in front of, at, and / or has passed through the blocking device.

[0039] Alternatively or additionally, the control device may determine the position of the identified person and / or movable object relative to the blocking device, meaning that the control device may not determine the real world coordinates of the identified person and / or movable object, but rather check whether the distance between the identified person and / or movable object and the blocking device is above or below a certain threshold.

[0040] In either case, the controller can be used to ensure that operation of the isolation device (e.g., movement of the isolation element from an open position to a closed position) does not contact or harm people and / or moving objects. Alternatively or additionally, the controller can be used to determine when the isolation device needs to be opened (e.g., operated from a closed position to an open position) because people and / or moving objects are in front of or near the isolation device.

[0041] Determining that a person and / or movable object is in front of, near, at, behind, and / or has passed through a blocking device (e.g., a blocking element) may be performed by determining whether the person and / or movable object is within a predetermined area (e.g., an area corresponding to the range of operation of the blocking element or an entrance area) and / or within or outside a particular distance between the blocking device (e.g., the blocking element) and the person and / or movable object. For example, a distance below a threshold distance indicates that the person and / or movable object is near or in front of the blocking device.

[0042] In an optional embodiment, the imaging device is further configured to image the entrance area in front of the blocking device. The control device may be configured to track the movement of identified people and objects within the entrance area to determine when an open signal should be generated.

[0043] An entry zone may be an area through which a person and / or a movable object must pass, cross, or move to reach a blocking device. The entry zones of two or more blocking devices may overlap. The blocking devices may define a passageway that is blocked by the blocking elements in the closed position. The controller may generate an open signal when it determines that a person and / or a movable object has entered the passageway (and thus is immediately in front of the blocking element). The entry zone may be an area adjacent to the passageway or a section of the passageway away from the blocking element (if the passageway is long).

[0044] To track people and / or movable objects, the control device may be configured to identify the same people and / or movable objects in each frame or successive images of the video stream and determine changes in the position of each person and / or movable object. Tracking the movement of people and / or movable objects may be used to predict the future movement of the identified people and / or movable objects, for example, when or which barrier the identified people and / or movable objects will reach. This may be used to ensure that barriers are not set to an open state prematurely (so that ineligible people and / or movable objects can pass through the barrier) and / or that barriers are opened in a timely manner (so that the people and / or movable objects do not have to stop in front of the barrier because it is still closed). This may provide for smoother passage through the barrier and allow more people and / or movable objects to pass through the barrier within a certain period of time.

[0045] Predictions of future movement of people and / or mobile objects can be based on the speed, current position, and / or direction of movement of people and / or mobile objects (by determining changes in position in previous frames and / or images).

[0046] In an optional embodiment, the controller is configured to place a virtual bounding box around the identified person and / or movable object, the bounding box indicating dimensions of the identified person and / or movable object. Optionally, the controller is configured to generate a close signal when the controller determines that the bounding box has passed the blocking device, and / or the controller is configured to generate an open signal when the controller determines that the bounding box is in front of or near the blocking device.

[0047] The virtual bounding box (or bounding box) may have a predetermined shape, for example, a rectangular prism. The bounding box may also have a more nuanced shape that includes the exact shape of a person and / or movable object. For example, the virtual bounding box may be a collection of different predetermined shapes that combine to resemble an identified person and / or movable object. Once assigned to a person and / or movable object, the virtual bounding box may not need to be changed, for example, for subsequent frames or images. In other words, the same virtual bounding box may be used for the same person and / or movable object in various frames of a video stream and / or images. This may simplify tracking of the person and movable object itself. The person and / or movable object may be tracked by monitoring changes in the position of the virtual bounding box.

[0048] The dimensions of the bounding box may be selected such that the entire identified person and / or movable object is within the virtual bounding box. This has the optional advantage of ensuring that the person and / or movable object is completely within the bounding box (which can increase the security of the access control device, as described further below). For example, the bounding box may have a predetermined shape (e.g., the shape is stored in memory and used for all identified persons and / or movable objects), or the bounding box for each type of person and / or movable object may have a predetermined shape (e.g., a rectangular parallelepiped). The dimensions of the bounding box are selected such that the person and / or movable object is completely within the bounding box. In another example, the shape and dimensions of the bounding box are adapted such that the person and / or movable object is completely within the bounding box. This can provide a bounding box with a reduced volume (resulting in a more accurate assessment). However, this approach requires more computational effort compared to a predetermined shape of the bounding box.

[0049] In a further embodiment, the dimensions of the bounding box are preset depending on whether it is a person or a movable object, and optionally depending on the type of movable object. For example, each bicycle identified in the image has the same bounding box, and each stroller identified in the image has the same bounding box regardless of whether these objects fit perfectly within the bounding box. For example, the dimensions of the current bounding box may be selected so that there is a very high probability, e.g., 90%, 95%, 99%, or 100%, that the identified person and / or movable object will fit perfectly within the bounding box.

[0050] The virtual bounding box can be considered a means for determining the location and / or activity range of a person and / or movable object. Therefore, if the virtual bounding box is determined to be outside the operating range of the blocking element, the blocking element can safely operate. The bounding box is virtual, meaning that the bounding box is a tool or measure applied to image data and / or can be virtually added to an image or video stream. For example, the control device uses the virtual bounding box to identify a person and / or movable object in an image, apply a virtual bounding box, and determine when to generate a close / open signal. In other words, the generation of the open and / or close signal is determined using the virtual bounding box, rather than the position and / or shape of the person / movable object. The person and / or movable object can be identified only to determine the shape and / or position of the bounding box.

[0051] The controller may be configured to determine the location of the bounding box, similar to the above-described determination of the location of the person and / or movable object. The controller may be configured to generate an open signal when a side of the bounding box is within a certain threshold distance to the blocking element or blocking device. Similarly, the controller may be configured to generate a close signal when it is determined that the bounding box is not within the operating range of the blocking element or that a side of the bounding box is outside the certain threshold distance to the blocking element or blocking device.

[0052] In an optional embodiment, the control device is configured to determine groups of people and / or movable objects in an image generated by the imaging device by determining distances between people and / or movable objects in the image.

[0053] A group of people and / or mobile objects may include an adult and a child, multiple people, a person and a mobile object (such as a bicycle, wheelchair, or stroller), or a vehicle and a trailer.

[0054] A group of people and / or mobile objects usually has in common that the distance between group members is smaller than the distance between people and / or mobile objects that do not belong to this group (e.g., belong to a different group). Therefore, a group of people and / or mobile objects may be identified when the distance between the people and / or mobile objects is below a (predetermined) threshold. The determination of the group may be useful for generating an open signal and a close signal. For example, a close signal is generated when the complete group of people and / or mobile objects passes the blocking device. Furthermore, an open signal is generated when the complete group is in front of the blocking device.

[0055] The above determination of a group can be more reliable than using light barriers or radar sensors because they can identify individual members of a group, which may not be able to determine individual group members if the distance between group members is too small, two close group members may be identified as a single group member, and the generation of a close / open signal may be very slow.

[0056] Distance may be measured between the center point (such as a geometric center point or centroid) of an identified person and / or movable object, or the portion of an identified person and / or movable object that is closest to another person and / or movable object. Additionally, changes in the position of the geometric center point or centroid of a person / movable object or their bounding box may be used to track the person and / or movable object.

[0057] The access control device may further include one or more sensors configured to detect whether a person and / or a movable object is within the operating range of the blocking device and / or in front of the blocking device. For example, a sensor is provided to detect the presence of a person and / or a movable object at or near the blocking device. Furthermore, the one or more sensors may be configured to measure the distance between the person and / or the movable object and the respective sensor. The sensor may include a light barrier, a radar sensor (e.g., a LiDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging) sensor), etc.

[0058] Sensors may be provided to assist in control based on the imaging device. For example, one or more sensors may be configured to measure distance, and that information may be combined with the position of the person and / or movable object determined using the imaging device. The bounding box used to determine the close and / or open signals may not be accurate enough for a particular embodiment. In this case, the distance between the blocking device and the person and / or movable object may be determined using one or more sensors to provide a more accurate close and / or open signal.

[0059] In some examples, the one or more sensors may provide redundancy and / or additional security, for example, the blocking device is only closed upon generation of a close signal, determined using an imaging device, if the one or more sensors indicate that people and / or movable objects are no longer within the operating range of the blocking device.

[0060] In an optional embodiment, the controller is configured to determine the distance by using a bounding box, optionally a centre point of the bounding box.

[0061] Since bounding boxes are usually larger than the volume / shape of a person and / or a movable object, the bounding boxes of group members may overlap. In this case, it is preferable to compare the center points of the bounding boxes. The center point may be the geometric center point of the bounding box or may correspond to the centroid of the bounding box. Furthermore, the center point of the bounding box may be predetermined for each bounding box. The distance between members of the group can also be determined by comparing the distance between the sides of two members of the group.

[0062] Overlapping bounding boxes may be combined to form a group bounding box. More generally, a single bounding box (e.g., a group box) may be used instead of or in addition to the individual bounding boxes of the group members. The group bounding box may be created by the outer surfaces of the bounding boxes of the individual members of the group. Alternatively, the group bounding box is established in a similar manner to that described above, at the connection of the bounding boxes for the individual group members. The only difference is that all group members are used instead of a single group member. For example, the dimensions of the predetermined shape of the group bounding box are adapted to the detected group. In an optional embodiment, the control device generates a close signal when it is determined that the group bounding box has passed the blocking device and / or generates an open signal when it is determined that the group bounding box is in front of the blocking device.

[0063] In an optional embodiment, the control device is configured to determine that the person and / or movable object belongs to the group if the distance is below a first threshold or if the distance is below a second threshold a predetermined number of times.

[0064] The first threshold value may be smaller than the second threshold value. The first threshold value may indicate that people in a group know each other. In this case, group members usually stand and / or walk closer to each other compared to people who do not know each other. Furthermore, the distance between a person and a movable object such as a bicycle is usually small because the person handles and / or holds the movable object. A person and / or a movable object may be identified as belonging to a group when the distance between the person and / or the movable object once falls below the first threshold value.

[0065] The second threshold value may be related to the fact that group members are close to each other over a period of time. Therefore, the distance between people and / or movable objects needs to fall below the second threshold value a predetermined number of times, for example, over a predetermined number of frames of a video stream and / or a previous number of images captured by an imaging device. The number of times reflects the period during which group members need to approach each other. When the group consists of several people (whose distance usually changes over time), and / or when there are many people and / or movable objects close to an occlusion device (for example, in a crowded space), the second threshold value may be a more reliable measure. As a result, at a certain point, the distance between people and / or movable objects is smaller than the first threshold value, but these people and / or movable objects do not belong to the group.

[0066] Using the second threshold value may include that at a certain point, the distance between people and / or movable objects is greater than the second threshold value as long as the distance between people and / or movable objects falls below the second threshold value a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time range. This means that the distance between people and / or movable objects falls below the second threshold value x times out of y measurement times, so x < y.

[0067] Further indications that people and / or mobile objects belong to a group are that individual group members start moving at the same or similar times, stop moving at the same or similar times, have the same or similar acceleration, and / or have the same or similar deceleration. These parameters may be collected by tracking group members. More generally, similar movement patterns of two or more people and / or mobile objects indicate that these people and / or mobile objects belong to the same group. For example, a bicycle pushed by a person is expected to have the same speed, acceleration, and / or start or stop times as the person.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, the control device is configured to classify the identified person and / or movable object into one of a plurality of types.

[0069] The types of people may include adults, teenagers, and / or children. The types of mobile objects may include bicycles, prams, buggies, and / or strollers, cars, trucks, lorries, and / or trailers. The types of people and / or mobile objects may be predetermined and, for example, stored in the control device. For example, the predetermined types of people and / or mobile objects may be used to train a neural network executed by the control device. This may mean that the neural network is configured to identify only certain types of people and / or mobile objects and classify the identified people and / or mobile objects accordingly.

[0070] The control device may be configured to identify the type of person and / or movable object by the shape of a virtual bounding box that is applied to the identified person and / or movable object. For example, the shapes of the movable boxes for people and bicycles are very different, which may be used as an indicator of the type of person and / or movable object. Alternatively, the control device may be configured to first identify the type of person and / or movable object and then apply a virtual bounding box that corresponds to the type of person and / or movable object. For example, the control device may be configured to store a virtual bounding box for each type of person and / or movable object.

[0071] The control device may be configured to actively determine the type of person and / or movable object, for example, by analyzing images generated by the imaging device. For example, the control device may use commonly known software and / or programs configured to identify people and / or movable objects in images. Optionally, the control device may include an AI and / or neural network trained to identify people and / or movable objects in images and, in a second step, identify the type of person and / or movable object, or vice versa.

[0072] In an optional embodiment, the control device includes a memory configured to store a plurality of combinations of different types. Optionally, the control device is configured to determine that the person and / or mobile object belongs to the group if the distance is below a third threshold and if the respective type is equal to one of the stored combinations.

[0073] The combination types may include person (adult) and bicycle, adult and child, person (adult) and pram, buggy and / or stroller, and / or vehicle and trailer. The combination types may be pre-stored in the memory of the controller and may reflect the types of combinations expected at the shut-off device.

[0074] The third threshold may be greater than the second threshold, or the third threshold may be greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold. The type of combination typically indicates the people and / or movable objects that form a group. Therefore, in one embodiment, the determination of a group can be used without determining the distance, i.e., by simply checking whether the group members correspond to the stored type combinations. However, the determination of a group may be more reliable if the type combination is associated with the third distance. In other words, there are two criteria: (i) the people and / or movable objects correspond to one of the stored type combinations, and (ii) the distance between the people and / or movable objects is below the third threshold. Furthermore, the identification of a person and / or movable object as belonging to a group can be associated with a third criterion: the distance between the people and / or movable objects is below the third threshold more than a predetermined number of times. Similar considerations discussed with the second threshold equally apply.

[0075] Optionally, the group bounding box may only apply to groups of people and mobile objects of different types. For example, a group bounding box may be assigned to people and bicycles, or to people and prams, buggies, and / or strollers. In some examples, the group bounding box may only be assigned to combinations of the stored different types as described above. In this example, the distance between individual people and mobile objects is assumed to be approximately constant, so the group bounding box is expected to maintain approximately the same outer dimensions (e.g., compared to a group bounding box placed around a group of people). In an optional embodiment, the blocking device is further configured to be in an intermediate state providing partial access after receiving the intermediate signal. Optionally, the control device is further configured to generate an open signal or an intermediate signal depending on the number of group members and / or the type of group members.

[0076] In an optional embodiment, the blocking device includes a first blocking element and a second blocking element, the first blocking element and the second blocking element positioned adjacent to each other to define a common access, and the first blocking element and the second blocking element configured to be in an open state and a closed state, respectively, after receiving an open signal and / or a close signal. Optionally, the controller is configured to control the first blocking element and the second blocking element independently of each other. Further optionally, the controller is further configured to generate an open signal for the first blocking element and / or the second blocking element depending on the number of group members and / or the type of group members.

[0077] The first and second blocking elements are positioned adjacent to each other to define a common access or single passageway. For example, a blocking device includes a passageway that can be commonly blocked by the first and second blocking elements. The first and second blocking elements can be controlled together or separately. An example of separate control is that partial access (e.g., an intermediate state) is provided by setting the first blocking element to an open state (by sending an open signal to the first blocking element) and setting the second blocking element to a closed state (by sending a close signal to the second blocking element). For example, the first blocking element may be configured to provide access for a person, and the second blocking element may be configured to provide access for a movable object, such as a bicycle. Thus, the intermediate state may be associated with setting the first blocking element to an open state, thereby allowing only a person to pass through the blocking device, but preventing a person with a bicycle from passing through the blocking device.

[0078] An example of joint control is when both the first and second blocking elements are in an intermediate position between the open and closed positions, where neither the first blocking element nor the second blocking element completely blocks their respective passageways, and therefore the first and second blocking elements commonly provide access having similar dimensions to the access provided by the first blocking element and / or the second blocking element.

[0079] The first and second blocking elements can define a first and second access, respectively. The first access can be blocked by the first blocking element in a closed state, and the second access can be blocked by the second blocking element in a closed state. The first blocking element can allow passage through the first access in the open state of the first blocking element. The second blocking element can allow passage through the second access in the open state of the second blocking element.

[0080] The first access and the second access generally define a common access. The common access is a continuous access, e.g., the first access and the second access are not separated by any additional (permanent) mechanical means. Thus, when the first and second blocking elements are in an open state, passage through the common access is possible. This allows people and / or movable objects to use the width of the sum of the widths of the first and second accesses. In other words, the common access can have a width that is the sum of the widths of the first and second accesses. Optionally, the widths of the first and second accesses are not separated and are therefore directly adjacent to each other.

[0081] The width of the common access may define the maximum width of a person and / or movable object that can move through the access control device. The sum of the widths of the first and second blocking elements may define the width of the common access and thus the maximum width of a person and / or movable object that can move through the blocking device. The maximum width of a person and / or movable object that can move through the first and second accesses may be defined by the widths of the first and second blocking elements, respectively.

[0082] The common access is defined by the first and second blocking elements. The common access is open when it allows the passage of people and / or movable objects through the common access. In other words, the common access is open when the first and second blocking elements are in an open state (i.e., when the first and second blocking elements allow access).

[0083] The control device can generate an open signal or an intermediate signal depending on the number of group members. For example, if the number of group members exceeds a certain threshold, e.g., 3, 4, or 5, the control device generates an open signal to the blocking device, e.g., by sending an open signal to the first blocking element and the second blocking element. This increases the number of people who can pass through the blocking device at the same time because both the first blocking element and the second blocking element are in the open position. However, if the number of group members is below the threshold, the control device sends an intermediate signal to the blocking device (e.g., by sending an open signal to the first blocking element and a close signal to the second blocking element) so that only one of the first blocking element and the second blocking element can be used to pass through the blocking device. In this way, person access can be reliably controlled.

[0084] In another example, the control device sends an open signal to the blocking device (e.g., to the first blocking element and the second blocking element) if it determines that the group includes a person and a movable object such as a bicycle. In this case, the person can pass through the blocking device with the bicycle. However, if only a person or a group of people is in front of the blocking device, the control device sends an intermediate signal (e.g., an open signal to the first blocking element and a close signal to the second blocking element) so that only the person can pass through the blocking device, but the person with the movable object such as the bicycle cannot pass through the blocking device.

[0085] In an optional embodiment, the control device is configured to generate a first close signal to close the first blocking element when the control device determines that a first identified person or movable object has passed through the first blocking element, and / or to generate a second close signal to close the second blocking element when the control device determines that a second identified person or movable object has passed through the second blocking element.

[0086] In this embodiment, the control device is configured to separately close the first and second blocking elements so that each blocking element closes immediately when a person and / or a movable object passes through the respective blocking element. For example, a bicycle is typically longer than a person, so a blocking element for a person can close more quickly compared to a blocking element for a bicycle. Therefore, the control device generates a first set close signal when a person passes through the first blocking element and a second set close signal when a bicycle passes through the second blocking element.

[0087] A first close signal can be sent to actuate the first blocking element to set the first blocking element to a closed state, and a second close signal can be sent to the second blocking element to set the second blocking element to a closed state.

[0088] In an optional embodiment, the access control device further comprises an interface device configured to generate an access request signal upon receiving an access request, the access request including a number of each type allowed to pass through the blocking device. Optionally, the control device is configured to determine the number of each type in the group after receiving the access request. Still optionally, the control device is further configured to generate an open signal when the control device determines that the number of types for each type determined by the control device is less than or equal to the number of the respective type in the access request.

[0089] An interface device can be provided to recognize, acquire, and / or detect access requests by people and / or mobile objects. An access request may be made by entering information into the interface device, paying an access fee, presenting a ticket, and / or presenting any other type of access means that can be recognized / detected by the interface device. Upon recognizing an access request, the interface device generates an access request signal that is transmitted / transferred to a control device. The access request signal may include any type of data that allows for a determination that a specific access request has been submitted to the interface device. For example, the access request signal may include information about who and / or what has valid access, the number of people and / or mobile objects with valid access, the type of people and / or mobile objects with valid access, the time of access, etc.

[0090] The interface device may include a first reader coupled to the first blocking element and / or a second reader coupled to the second blocking element. However, it is also possible for the interface device to include a single reader coupled to both the first blocking element and the second blocking element. The interface device may be in data communication with the controller.

[0091] The (first) reading device and / or the second reading device may include a scanner for scanning tickets, an input device (touchscreen, buttons, keyboard, etc.) for entering an access request, a payment device for accepting cash and / or card payments, and / or an antenna for detecting a token granting access. The (first) reading device and / or the second reading device may include, for example, a reading device for contactlessly reading an access authorization via a wireless communication standard such as RFID, NFC, WLAN, Bluetooth, BLE, UWB, etc., and / or a device for capturing biometric features such as a fingerprint scanner or camera with facial recognition software.

[0092] The (first) reading device and / or the second reading device may be electrically and / or electronically connected to the control device. The (first) reading device and / or the second reading device may be in data communication with the control device. The control device may be configured to initiate generation of an open signal (e.g., a first open signal for the first blocking element and a second open signal for the second blocking element) and / or an intermediate signal upon receiving an access request signal from the interface device. The interface device generates the access request signal upon detecting / receiving an access request, for example, by showing a ticket, paying an access fee, and / or presenting an access authorization, as described above. In other words, generation of the open signal and / or the intermediate signal may depend on receiving the access request signal.

[0093] The first open signal may be generated upon receiving an access request to pass through the first blocking element. The second open signal may be generated upon receiving an access request to pass through the second blocking element. The access request may include a request to pass through both the first blocking element and the second blocking element. Further, the controller may be configured to determine whether the first blocking element, the second blocking element, or both the first blocking element and the second blocking element are in an open state upon receiving the access request signal. For example, the access request may include information that enables the controller to generate the appropriate open signal.

[0094] In single mode, the submission of an access request to a first reader can result in access being granted by the first blocking element, and the submission of an access request to a second reader can result in access being granted by the second blocking element. This means that the first and second blocking elements are controlled separately in response to access requests submitted separately to the first and second reader, respectively. This can be called autonomous operation, where at least one reader can be clearly assigned to each blocking element.

[0095] Thereby, the access request stored in the ticket and / or other type of token for access authorization may contain information that is detected / read / recognized by the first and / or second reading device, which results in the generation of the first and / or second opening signal, respectively. Thus, the opening of the first and / or second blocking element, respectively, essentially depends on the information read by the first and / or second reading device. This can be considered as an individual mode in which each person or mobile object has a ticket.

[0096] In group mode, multiple people and / or vehicles share a ticket, for example a family card valid for two adults and two children, or a bicycle card worth a person and a bicycle, in which case it may be beneficial to control the number of people and / or vehicles passing through the barrier.

[0097] This is done in that the control device determines the number of each type in the group after receiving the access request. For example, the control device determines the number of adults and / or children, or the number of people and / or mobile objects, e.g., people and bicycles. In a subsequent step, the control device checks, for each type, whether the number of types identified in the group is less than or equal to the number of types allowed by the access request, i.e., the number of types defined on the ticket. For example, when a family ticket is presented to the interface device, the control device checks whether the number of adults and children in the group is less than the respective numbers allowed by the family ticket. In this example, the control device checks whether there are two or fewer adults in the group and whether there are two or fewer children in the group. If so, the control device issues an open signal (e.g., a first open signal for the first blocking element and / or a second open signal for the second blocking element) to the blocking device. If the control device determines that there are more than two adults or more than two children in the group, the control device does not send an open signal to the blocking device, or, if the blocking device is in an open state, sends a close signal to the blocking device.

[0098] In general, the access request may include information such as the permitted number of type A is x, the permitted number of type B is y, etc. The control device then checks whether, in the group, the number of people and / or movable objects of type A is equal to or not equal to x, whether the number of people and / or movable objects of type B is equal to or not equal to y, etc. If all these conditions are met, the control device sends an open signal to the disconnecting device. If one or more of these conditions are not met, the control device does not send an open signal to the disconnecting device, or sends a close signal to the disconnecting device if the disconnecting device is in an open state.

[0099] In an optional embodiment, the imaging device includes multiple cameras imaging the same area from different viewpoints. Optionally, the control device is configured to identify, for each camera, people and / or moving objects in the respective images. Further optionally, the control device combines the results of the identifications from each camera.

[0100] Multiple cameras imaging the same area can be used to increase the reliability of identifying people and / or movable objects. People and / or movable objects may only be identified and / or classified if they are in the correct orientation (or range of orientations) relative to the cameras. Thus, providing multiple cameras with different imaging directions increases the likelihood that one or more cameras will have the correct orientation (or range of orientations) relative to people and / or movable objects, thereby enabling them to be identified and / or classified.

[0101] For example, the control device may be configured to perform the above procedures for identifying people and / or movable objects, placing virtual bounding boxes around them, and / or classifying people and / or movable objects into types in each image or video stream generated by each camera. Thus, there may be more than one procedure for the same person and / or object. For example, a person may be considered identified if all or most of the processed images or streams from each camera provide the same identification. Similar considerations may apply to the classification into types and / or detection of groups.

[0102] Optional aspects are described below. One problem that can be solved by the present invention is the grouping of people and / or mobile objects into a single group that can access the barrier as a group. This could be a parent with a stroller in front of them, or a cyclist pushing their bike through the access control device. A further problem that can be solved by the present invention is translating this into an operation command for the barrier device and having it react appropriately while the group passes through the access control device.

[0103] An aspect in this respect is the identification of people and / or mobile objects and their location relative to the blocking device. As a result, the access control device can be configured to send a signal to the blocking device when such a group is about to cross the access line of the blocking device, and also when the group has partially or completely passed the access line. This can prevent the blocking device from being closed while the group has not completely passed the access line (e.g., as defined by the blocking element in the closed position). Furthermore, the access line may be controlled by several blocking elements, which in this case can also be individually controlled depending on how the group passes.

[0104] The invention may include one or more of the following aspects. One or more cameras monitoring the access area (especially the area in front of the access line) - Can be mounted in bird's-eye view and alien view from various directions A processing unit or control device that runs a neural network to extract objects in an image This control may operate on the camera itself A processing unit capable of running the entire system Combining people and / or movable objects into one or more groups Track groups Extract group positions -Combining information from different cameras Send a signal to the interrupter The control unit receives access control signals and evaluates them for appropriate operation.

[0105] For each frame of the video, one or more of the following steps can be performed: 1. Detect and classify people and / or moving objects in the frame 2. Semantic grouping of people and / or mobile objects based on rules applied to access situations For example, grouping a person with a bicycle walking towards access control 3. Check if the group has been previously detected in the frame a. If yes i. Check if the group is still the same (i.e. the same people and / or movable objects are part of the group). 1. If yes, extend the existing track at the new position in the current frame 2. If no, generate a new track for the new set of groups. b. If no, start a new track for the group of people and / or mobile objects 4. Extract the real-world position of each group (e.g., convert the position from the camera to world coordinates) 5. Combine (and adapt) the results of all cameras monitoring the scene (i.e., if more than one camera is used to improve the accuracy of the system) 6. Check if the group is approaching a line of access (e.g., approaching a blocking device or blocking element) If yes, send a signal to the control device indicating that the group is attempting to pass (this could potentially open a barrier or drive any other action) 7. Check if the group has partially or completely passed the access line a. If yes i. Transmitting a signal to the access system or relevant part of the access system indicating that the group or part of the group has passed access control; ii. Remove the group from the system and do not evaluate it further.

[0106] If the blocking device contains more than one blocking element, the blocking elements may be controlled separately by the process shown above, even if all elements together block only one lane. The goal can be to close a blocking element directly when the relevant part of the group has passed.

[0107] Regarding step 1, the detection and marking of people and / or mobile objects can be performed on a video stream, for example, an RTSP stream. For this, a network such as Yolov5 published by Glenn Jocher can be used, which analyzes the stream frame by frame. For each frame, multiple types of people and / or mobile objects can be detected, for example, bicycle, person, trolley. These types can be reduced to specific objects of interest. Classification of detected objects can already be performed by the control device, as it can assign a label to each detection, which is considered to be the most likely.

[0108] Regarding step 2, determining groups can be performed by using coordinates to identify people and / or mobile objects related to each other. An example for finding a "bicyclist" is combining two types of people and / or mobile objects, e.g., a person and a bicycle, whereby the distance between the bicycle and the person can be an indicator of the bicycle belonging to the person. Using a previously obtained bounding box, the distance between the coordinates can be calculated. If this distance is reasonable, e.g., if the bicycle is not placed behind the person and is being pushed, the bicycle and the person can be considered to belong to a group. Furthermore, the likelihood of the combination can be used to evaluate whether two people and / or mobile objects are likely to belong to a group. For example, a person and a bicycle are more likely to belong together than a first bicycle and a second bicycle with no person nearby. As mentioned in step 5, this can be an iterative process of evaluating whether the assigned group of people and / or mobile objects is still valid. This can be done as a tracking algorithm is evaluated at each step.

[0109] The tracking of step 3 can be accomplished using state-of-the-art trackers. For example, Euclidean distance trackers can be used successfully for single people or movable objects. These trackers can be tuned to be able to track groups of people and / or movable objects, as well as single people or movable objects within a group, without interruption. There are multiple trackers that may be suitable for this type of task. However, it is preferable to use multiple object trackers, as they are designed for this type of application.

[0110] Another optional embodiment may fulfill one or more of the following tasks: The general idea of ​​the present invention may include providing a barrier-free entry solution for people using machine learning in combination with ultra-wideband (UWB). · Target groups, such as groups of people, are recognized in the video stream. To that end, the access control device may include one or more of the following features: Camera placement: The camera is located on a wall about 3m high. The definition of a Region of Interest (ROI) is marked, which can be an area of ​​2m x 2m. Within this ROI, people and / or moving objects are detected and evaluated. Definition of successful entry: If entry is denied, i.e., if a valid ticket is not provided, a closed signal is generated, and if people and / or mobile objects are allowed to enter, an open signal is generated. For person and / or moving object detection, the YOLOv5 network published by Glenn Jocher is run on the control device. This network can detect various distinct types of people and / or moving objects, such as bicycles, people, cars, ties, etc. The control device can be simplified to only detect people. The controller takes the input stream and analyzes it frame by frame. For each frame bounding box, the coordinates of a box drawn around detected objects are returned. -Checking for valid tickets started when the bounding box was within the ROI. Each bounding box, i.e., detected person and / or moving object, can have a unique ID tied to this object, allowing uninterrupted tracking of the object until it leaves the ROI. For tracking people and / or moving objects, a Euclidean distance tracker can be used. When a person and / or a mobile object has a valid ticket, it can be linked to the associated ID ticket and is allowed entry. As soon as a person and / or a mobile object crosses the entrance line, the control device generates a close signal.

[0111] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0112] [Figure 1]1 shows a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an access control device; [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of an access control device; [Figure 3] 10 shows a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of an access control device. [Figure 4] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a person pushing a moving object as identified in a video stream. [Figure 5] 1 shows a schematic diagram of certain steps of a method for controlling the opening and closing of a shut-off device;

[0113] 1 illustrates an access control device 10 for a person 12 and / or a movable object 14 configured to grant or deny access to a restricted area. The access control device 10 includes a blocking device 18, an imaging device 20, a control device 22, and / or an interface device 24.

[0114] The access control device 10 can provide an automated gate at an event location such as an airport or sports stadium. A person 12 approaches the access control device 10 and presents a ticket. If the ticket is valid, the person 12 is granted or denied access to the restricted area by the access control device 10.

[0115] 1 , the blocking device 18 includes a first support device 26, a second support device 28, and / or a first blocking element 30. The first support device 26 and the second support device 28 define a passageway 32 therebetween. The blocking element 30 can be in a closed position (shown in FIG. 1 ) in which the passageway 32 is blocked by the first blocking element 30 such that the person 12 is restricted from accessing the restricted area. In other words, the first blocking element 30 blocks the passageway 32 in the closed position. The closed position is an example of a closed state.

[0116] The blocking element 30 is supported by the first support device 26 and is movable relative to the first support device 26. For example, the first support device 26 includes an actuator for moving the first blocking element 30 from a closed position to an open position (the open position is an example of an open state) that allows the person 12 to pass through the passageway 32. The actuator (not shown in FIG. 1 ) may be an electric motor or a locking means in data communication with the control device 22. The control device 22 can thus control the position or state of the actuator, and therefore the blocking element 30.

[0117] For example, the control device 22 can generate and send an open signal to the isolating device 18 to move the shutoff element 30 from a closed position to an open position, to maintain the shutoff element 30 in the open position, or to allow the person 12 to manually open the shutoff element 30, for example by pressing the shutoff element 30. The control device 22 can also generate and send a close signal to the isolating device 18 to move the shutoff element 30 from an open position to a closed position, or to lock the shutoff element 30 so that the person 12 can no longer manually open it. The execution of the open and close signals may be performed by an actuator and / or a locking means of the isolating device 18.

[0118] The actuator and / or locking means may be located within the housing of the first support device 26. The second support device 28 may house the control device 22 or may simply provide a physical component for defining the passageway 32 together with the first support device 26. The first support device 26 and / or the second support device 28 may have the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or a tower.

[0119] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the imaging device 20 includes one or more video cameras configured to capture video of the barrier device 18 and its vicinity. The imaging device 20 may capture the aisle 32 and the entrance area 34, which is the area in front of the barrier device 18. If there are multiple video cameras, some or all of the video cameras may capture the same area, such as the aisle 32 and the entrance area 34. Furthermore, the imaging device 20 may capture the area of ​​the barrier element 30 and / or the area behind the barrier element 30. This allows for determining whether the person 12 and / or the movable object 14 has passed through the barrier element 30. The imaging device 20 is in data communication with the control device 22, for example, via a wire. The imaging device 20 may be attached to the first support device 26 and / or the second support device 28. Furthermore, the imaging device 20 may be attached to a wall, ceiling, and / or pillar located near the barrier device 18.

[0120] 1, the control device 22 includes a processor 36 and a memory 38. The processor 36 is in data communication with the memory 38, the interceptor device 18, and / or the imaging device 20. This is illustrated in FIG. 1 by schematic wires that enable data communication between the respective components. The processor 36 and the memory 38 may be located within the housing of the second support device 28.

[0121] The processor 36 and memory 38 are configured to execute various programs and / or algorithms. The processor 36 may be configured to control the imaging device 20 and the blocking device 18. The control device 22 may be configured to execute a method such as that described in connection with FIG. 5 (see below).

[0122] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the interface device 24 is located within the first support device 26 and / or the second support device 28. The interface device 24 is also in data communication with the controller 22. The interface device 24 is configured to recognize, acquire, and / or detect access requests by the people 12 and / or movable objects 14. The access request may be made by entering information into the interface device 24, paying an access fee, presenting a ticket, and / or presenting any other type of access means that can be recognized / detected by the interface device 24. Upon recognizing an access request, the interface device 24 generates an access request signal that is transmitted / transferred to the controller 22. The access request signal may include any type of data that allows for a determination that a particular access request has been submitted to the interface device 24. For example, the access request signal may include information about who and / or what has valid access, the number of people 12 and / or movable objects 14 with valid access, the type of people 12 and / or movable objects 14 with valid access, the time of access, etc.

[0123] The interface device 24 may include a scanner for scanning tickets, an input device (touchscreen, buttons, keyboard, etc.) for entering an access request, a payment device for accepting cash and / or card payments, and / or an antenna for detecting tokens granting access. The interface device 24 may also include a reading device for contactlessly reading access authorization via wireless communication standards such as RFID, NFC, WLAN, Bluetooth, BLE, UWB, etc., and / or a device for capturing biometric characteristics such as a fingerprint scanner or camera with facial recognition software.

[0124] The access control device 10 of FIG. 2 includes the same features, optional embodiments, and / or characteristics as the access control device 10 of FIG. 1, except for the following differences.

[0125] The barrier device 18 is dimensioned to allow access to a vehicle, as an example of the movable object 14. The barrier element 30 may be a barrier rotatably supported by the first support element 26.

[0126] The access control device 10 of FIG. 3 includes the same features, optional embodiments, and / or characteristics as the access control device 10 of FIG. 1, except for the following differences.

[0127] The barrier device 18 further includes a second barrier element 40 movably supported by the second support device 28. Together, the first barrier element 30 and the second barrier element 40 restrict access through the passageway 32. Thus, when the first barrier element 30 and the second barrier element 40 are both in a closed position or state, the person 12 is prevented from passing through the barrier device 18.

[0128] The controller 22 may be configured to generate an intermediate signal that may include an open signal to the first blocking element 30 and a close signal to the second blocking element 40. The intermediate signal may also include moving both the first blocking element 30 and the second blocking element 40 to an intermediate position that is between the open and closed positions. In the intermediate position, the first blocking element 30 and the second blocking element 40 may define partial access through the passageway 32.

[0129] The control device 22 may also be configured to generate a first close signal sent to the first blocking element and a second close signal sent to the second blocking element 40. This may be useful when a person 12 and / or a mobile object 14 (e.g., a bicycle) passes through the blocking device 18, as shown schematically in FIG. 4. In this case, the person 12 will typically pass the first blocking element 30 sooner, and therefore the first blocking element 30 may close sooner, i.e., the first close signal is generated before the second close signal. Once the bicycle passes the second blocking element 40, the second close signal is generated.

[0130] A method for operating the access control device 10 to control the opening and closing of the barrier device 18 (to allow access of a person 12 and / or a movable object 14 to a restricted area) is described in connection with the block diagram of FIG. 5.

[0131] In step 1, the imaging device 20 captures an image of the passageway 32 and the entrance area 34. For example, the imaging device 20 captures an image of the passageway 32 and the entrance area 34. The data (image data) generated by the imaging device 20 is transferred to the control device 22.

[0132] In step 2, the controller 22 executes a program, such as an artificial intelligence or neural network, to identify people 12 and / or mobile objects 14 in the video. Identifying the people 12 and / or mobile objects 14 may include classifying the identified people 12 and / or mobile objects 14 into one or more types, such as adults, children, bicycles, vehicles, and / or trailers.

[0133] In step 3, the control device 22 places a virtual bounding box 42 around each identified person 12 and / or movable object 14. The shape and dimensions of the bounding box 42 may be preset. Furthermore, a respective virtual bounding box 42 can be selected for each type of person 12 and / or movable object 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the person 12 and the movable object 14 are entirely within the virtual bounding box 42. In other words, the virtual bounding box 42 indicates the volume that the person 12 and / or the movable object 14 occupies in a predetermined space. This is useful, for example, for evaluating when the blocking device 18 can be returned to the closed position. A close signal is generated when the virtual bounding box 42 is outside the operating range of the first blocking element 30 and the second blocking element 40. The bounding box 42 of the person 12 and the bounding box 42 of the movable object 14 can form a group bounding box.

[0134] In step 4, the position of the virtual bounding box 42 is determined within a frame of the video stream. Then, if multiple people 12 and / or movable objects 14 are present, the distance between the people 12 and the movable objects 14 is determined, for example, using the center points of the respective bounding boxes 42. If the distance between any two of the multiple people 12 and / or movable objects 14 is below a first threshold, these two people 12 and / or movable objects 14 are considered to belong to a group. Furthermore, the type of the identified people 12 and / or movable objects 14 is checked to see if it belongs to a predetermined combination of types stored in memory 38. Such a predetermined combination may be an adult and a child, or a person and a bicycle. If the identified people 12 and / or movable objects 14 belong to such a predetermined combination, the distance between them is checked to see if it is below a third threshold. If so, the identified people 12 and / or movable objects 14 are considered to belong to a group. The third threshold may be greater than the first threshold.

[0135] In step 5, steps 2 and 4 are repeated for each subsequent frame to track the movement of the people 12 and / or movable objects 14. If the distance between any two of the people 12 and / or movable objects 14 is below a second threshold for a predetermined number of frames, these two people 12 and / or movable objects 14 are considered to belong to a group. The second threshold may be greater than the first threshold.

[0136] In step 6, if the person 12 and / or movable object 14 presents a ticket or other form of authentication to the interface device 24, the interface device 24 sends an access request signal to the controller 22. The access request signal may include the number of each type of person allowed through the access control device 10. This information may be stored on the ticket. For example, the ticket may grant access to five people. The controller 22 then checks whether the group contains five or fewer people 12. If so, the controller 22 generates an open or intermediate signal depending on the number of people 12 in the group. Otherwise, i.e., if six or more people 12 are identified in the group, the controller 22 generates a close signal.

[0137] In step 7, the control device 22 predicts when the person 12 and / or the movable object 14 will reach the first blocking element 30 and / or the second blocking element 40 based on the previous movement of the person 12 and / or the movable object 14. This may allow the blocking device 18 to open at the correct time, i.e., without the person 12 and / or the movable object 14 having to stop at the blocking element 30, 40.

[0138] In step 8, the controller 22 determines whether each person 12 and / or movable object 14 has passed through the first and second blocking elements 30 and 40. If so, the controller 22 generates a close signal. Alternatively, the controller 22 generates a first close signal to be sent to the first blocking element 30 when the person 12 and / or movable object 14 passes through the first blocking element 30. Additionally, the controller 22 generates a second close signal to be sent to the second blocking element 40 when the person 12 and / or movable object 14 passes through the second blocking element 40. For example, the first blocking element 30 closes earlier when the person 12 passes through the first blocking element 30 compared to the closing of the second blocking element 40 when a bicycle passes through.

[0139] While the present invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments set forth above, numerous equivalent modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative, not restrictive. Various changes may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0140] The present invention can also be explained by the following aspects.

[0141] Aspect 1: An access control device for a person (12) and / or a mobile object (14), comprising: a blocking device (18) configured to be in an open state after receiving an open signal, allowing a person (12) and / or a movable object (14) to pass through the blocking device (18), and to be in a closed state after receiving a close signal, preventing the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) from passing through the blocking device (18); a control device (22) configured to generate an open signal and / or a close signal, the control device (22) being in data communication with the shutoff device (18); an imaging device (20) configured to image the blocking device (18) and its vicinity, the imaging device (20) being in data communication with a control device (22); Equipped with a control device (22) configured to identify people (12) and / or moving objects (14) in images generated by the imaging device (20); the control device (22) is configured to generate a close signal when the control device (22) determines that the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) has passed through the blocking device (18); and / or the control device (22) is configured to generate an open signal when the control device (22) determines that the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) is in front of the shutoff device (18); Access control device.

[0142] Aspect 2: The open state includes maintaining the isolating device (18) in an open position, the isolating device (18) is configured to be manually opened by a person (12) and / or a movable object (14), or the isolating device (18) is moved to the open position, and / or The closed state is when the shutoff device (18) is locked in the closed position or when the shutoff device (18) is moved to the closed position. 2. The access control device of embodiment 1, comprising:

[0143] Aspect 3: The imaging device (20) is further configured to image an entrance area (34) in front of the blocking device (18); the control device (22) is configured to track the movement of the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) within the entrance area (34) to determine when an open signal should be generated; 3. The access control device according to claim 1 or 2.

[0144] Aspect 4: The control device (22) is configured to place a virtual bounding box (42) around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14), the bounding box (42) indicating the dimensions of the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14); the controller (22) is configured to generate a close signal when the controller (22) determines that the bounding box (42) has passed through the blocking device (18); and / or the control device (22) is configured to generate an open signal when the control device (22) determines that the bounding box (42) is in front of the isolating device (18); The access control device according to any one of the first to third aspects.

[0145] Aspect 5: An access control device described in any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine groups of people (12) and / or movable objects (14) in an image generated by the imaging device (20) by determining the distance between the people (12) and / or movable objects (14) in the image.

[0146] Aspect 6: The access control device according to aspect 5, when dependent on aspect 4, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine the distance using a bounding box, optionally a center point of the bounding box.

[0147] Aspect 7: An access control device as described in aspect 5 or 6, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine that the person (12) and / or movable object (14) belongs to a group if the distance is below a first threshold or if the distance is below a second threshold a predetermined number of times.

[0148] Aspect 8: An access control device as described in any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the control device (22) is configured to classify the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) into one of a plurality of types.

[0149] Aspect 9: The control device (22) includes a memory (38) configured to store a plurality of combinations of different types; The access control device of aspect 8, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine that the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) belong to the group if the distance is below a third threshold and if the respective types are equal to one of the stored combinations.

[0150] Aspect 10: The cutoff device (18) is further configured to be in an intermediate state providing partial access after receiving an intermediate signal; The control device (22) is further configured to generate an open signal or an intermediate signal depending on the number of group members and / or the type of group members. 10. The access control device according to any one of aspects 7 to 9.

[0151] Aspect 11: A shutoff device (18) includes a first shutoff element (30) and a second shutoff element (40), the first shutoff element (30) and the second shutoff element (40) being positioned adjacent to each other to define a common access, and the first shutoff element (30) and the second shutoff element (40) being configured to be in an open state and / or a closed state, respectively, after receiving an open signal and / or a close signal, respectively; a control device (22) configured to control the first blocking element and the second blocking element (40) independently of each other; the control device (22) is further configured to generate an open signal for the first shut-off element (30) and / or the second shut-off element (40) depending on the number of group members and / or the type of group members; 11. The access control device according to any one of aspects 7 to 10.

[0152] Aspect 12: An access control device as described in Aspect 11, wherein the control device (22) is configured to generate a first close signal to close the first blocking element (30) when the control device (22) determines that a first identified person (12) or movable object (14) has passed through the first blocking element (30), and / or to generate a second close signal to close the second blocking element (40) when the control device (22) determines that a second identified person (12) or movable object (14) has passed through the second blocking element (40).

[0153] Aspect 13: Further comprising an interface device (24) configured to generate an access request signal upon receiving an access request; The access request includes the number of each type allowed to pass through the barrier (18); the control device (22) is configured to determine the number of each type in the group after receiving the access request; The control device (22) is further configured to generate an open signal when the control device (22) determines that the number of types determined by the control device (22) is less than or equal to the number of the respective types in the access request. 13. The access control device according to any one of aspects 8 to 12.

[0154] Aspect 14: The imaging device (20) includes multiple cameras that image the same area from different viewpoints; a control unit (22) configured for each camera to identify people (12) and / or moving objects (14) in each image; A control unit (22) combines the results of the identification of each camera. 14. The access control device according to any one of aspects 1 to 13.

[0155] Aspect 15: A method for controlling the opening and / or closing of a shut-off device (18), comprising: the barrier device (18) is configured to be in an open state in which the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) can pass through the barrier device (18) and in a closed state in which the barrier device (18) prevents the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) from passing through the barrier device (18); taking an image of the blocking device (18) and its vicinity; Identifying people (12) and / or moving objects (14) within the generated images; closing the blocking device (18) when the identified person (12) and / or moving object (14) passes through the blocking device (18); and / or opening the isolating device (18) when the identified person (12) and / or moving object (14) is in front of the isolating device (18). and performing one or both of the steps of:

Claims

1. 1. An access control device for a person (12) and / or a mobile object (14), comprising: a blocking device (18) configured to be in an open state, after receiving an open signal, allowing the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) to pass through the blocking device (18), and to be in a closed state, after receiving a close signal, preventing the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) from passing through the blocking device (18); a control device (22) configured to generate the open signal and / or the close signal, the control device (22) being in data communication with the shutoff device (18); an imaging device (20) configured to capture an image of the blocking device (18) and its vicinity, the imaging device (20) being in data communication with the control device (22); Equipped with the control device (22) is configured to identify the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) in an image generated by the imaging device (20); the control device (22) is configured to place a virtual bounding box (42) around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14), the bounding box (42) indicating dimensions of the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14); the control device (22) is configured to select the bounding box (42) to be placed around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) from one or more predetermined shapes; the control device (22) is configured to set the dimensions of the bounding box (42) such that the person (12) and / or movable object (14) is entirely within the bounding box; the control device (22) is configured to generate the close signal when the control device (22) determines that the bounding box (42) has passed through the blocking device (18); and / or the control device (22) is configured to generate the open signal when the control device (22) determines that the bounding box (42) is in front of the shut-off device (18). Access control device.

2. The open state includes maintaining the isolating device (18) in an open position, the isolating device (18) is configured to be manually opened by the person (12) and / or the movable object (14), or the isolating device (18) is moved to the open position, and / or The closed state includes the isolating device (18) being locked in a closed position or the isolating device (18) being moved to the closed position. The access control device according to claim 1 .

3. the imaging device (20) is further configured to image an entrance area (34) in front of the blocking device (18); the control device (22) is configured to track the movement of the identified person (12) and / or mobile object (14) within the entrance area (34) to determine when the open signal should be generated. The access control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 4. The access control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine groups of people (12) and / or movable objects (14) in the image generated by the imaging device (20) by determining distances between the people (12) and / or movable objects (14) in the image.

5. 5. An access control device according to claim 4, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine distance by using the bounding box (42), optionally a centre point of the bounding box (42).

6. 6. The access control device of claim 4 or 5, wherein the control device (22) is configured to determine that the person (12) and / or mobile object (14) belongs to a group if the distance is below a first threshold or if the distance is below a second threshold a predetermined number of times.

7. the control device (22) is configured to combine overlapping bounding boxes (42) of groups of people (12) and / or movable objects (14) to form a group bounding box; the control device (22) is configured to generate the close signal when the control device (22) determines that the group bounding box has passed the blocking device (18); and / or the control device (22) is configured to generate the open signal when the control device (22) determines that the group bounding box (42) is in front of the shut-off device (18); The access control device according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

8. the control device (22) is configured to classify the identified person (12) and / or mobile object (14) into one of a plurality of types; Optionally, the control device (22) is configured to select the bounding box (42) to be placed around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) from one or more predefined bounding boxes (12) based on a type of the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14). The access control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The control device (22) includes a memory (38) configured to store a plurality of different types of combinations; the control device (22) is configured to determine that the person (12) and / or the mobile object (14) belong to a group if the distance is below a third threshold and if the respective type is equal to one of the stored combinations. The access control device according to claim 8 .

10. the cutoff device (18) is further configured to be in an intermediate state providing partial access after receiving an intermediate signal; The access control device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the control device (22) is further configured to generate the open signal or the intermediate signal depending on the number of group members and / or the type of the group members.

11. the shutoff device (18) includes a first shutoff element (30) and a second shutoff element (40), the first shutoff element (30) and the second shutoff element (40) being positioned adjacent to each other to define a common access, and the first shutoff element (30) and the second shutoff element (40) being configured to be in the open state and / or the closed state, respectively, after receiving the open signal and / or the close signal, respectively; the control device (22) is configured to control the first blocking element and the second blocking element (40) independently of each other; the control device (22) is further configured to generate the opening signal for the first blocking element (30) and / or the second blocking element (40) depending on the number of group members and / or the type of group members. The access control device according to any one of claims 6 to 10.

12. The control device (22) is configured to generate a first close signal to place the first blocking element (30) in the closed state when the control device (22) determines that a first identified person (12) or movable object (14) has passed through the first blocking element (30), and / or to generate a second close signal to place the second blocking element (40) in the closed state when the control device (22) determines that a second identified person (12) or movable object (14) has passed through the second blocking element (40). The access control device according to claim 11.

13. an interface device (24) configured to generate an access request signal upon receiving an access request; Furthermore, the access request includes the number of each type allowed to pass through the blocking device (18); the control device (22) is configured to determine the number of each type in a group after receiving the access request; The control device (22) is further configured to generate the open signal when the control device (22) determines that the number of types determined by the control device (22) is less than or equal to the number of the respective types in the access request. The access control device according to any one of claims 8 to 12.

14. the imaging device (20) includes multiple cameras imaging the same area from different viewpoints; the control device (22) is configured to identify, for each camera, the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) in the respective image; the control device (22) combines the results of the identification of the respective cameras; The access control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A method for controlling the opening and / or closing of a barrier device (18), the barrier device (18) being configured to be in an open state in which a person (12) and / or a movable object (14) can pass through the barrier device (18) and in a closed state in which the barrier device (18) prevents the person (12) and / or the movable object (14) from passing through the barrier device (18), the method comprising: taking an image of the blocking device (18) and its vicinity; identifying the person (12) and / or moving object (14) in the generated image; placing a virtual bounding box (42) around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14), the bounding box (42) indicating dimensions of the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14), the bounding box (42) placed around the identified person (12) and / or movable object (14) being selected from one or more predetermined shapes; setting the dimensions of the bounding box (42) such that the person (12) and / or moving object (14) is entirely within the bounding box; placing the isolator (18) in the closed state when the bounding box (42) passes through the isolator (18); and / or placing said isolator (18) in said open state when said bounding box (42) is in front of said isolator (18); and performing one or both of the steps of: A method comprising:

Images