Intercom System

Abstract

To provide an intercom system that prevents falsely detected imaging data from being repeatedly transmitted to a server and can be operated at low cost.SOLUTION: An intercom system comprises a collective entrance unit 1 including a face detection section 40 that detects the face of a person from images picked up by a camera 31, a falsely detected image storage section 39 that is configured to extract, from images, a face image of a person used for face authentication processing in a face authentication server, and stores a predetermined falsely detected image; and a determination section 41 that compares a currently extracted face image with the falsely detected image. As a result of determination made by the determination section 41, when the intercom system determines that the currently extracted face image is the face image of the person, it transmits the face image to the face authentication server and causes the face authentication server to execute predetermined face authentication processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an intercom system, such as an intercom system for an apartment building, which checks visitors based on an image captured by a unit at the entrance of the apartment building. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an apartment complex intercom system, which is one example of an intercom system, has been devised that uses a server located on the cloud (for example, Patent Document 1). In such an intercom system, for example, an image of a visitor captured by a collective entrance device constituting the apartment complex intercom system is transmitted to the server, and the server is configured to execute processing related to face recognition, thereby improving the accuracy of face recognition and reducing costs by using an inexpensive CPU to be installed in the collective entrance device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-127151 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, an intercom device equipped with an inexpensive CPU may erroneously detect an object other than a person as a person, and transmit the captured image data of the image to a server, where the server executes face recognition processing. In such a case, even if the server finds out that the object is a false positive, if the object other than a person is, for example, a utility pole or a mailbox, which may be constantly captured by the camera, the intercom device may repeatedly detect the object by mistake, and may repeatedly transmit the captured image data of the false positive to the server, causing the server usage fee to rise.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide an intercom system that can be operated at low cost without erroneously detecting image data and sending it repeatedly to a server. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, Ming is The intercom system includes an intercom device equipped with an imaging means, and a face recognition server that is placed on the cloud and with which the intercom device can communicate, and the face recognition server executes a predetermined face recognition process based on the imaging data transmitted from the intercom device. The intercom device includes a face detection unit that detects a person's face from an image captured by the imaging means, and a data creation unit that creates imaging data from the image to be used for the face recognition process in the face recognition server, as well as a false detection data storage unit that stores predetermined false detection data, and a judgment unit that compares the imaging data with the false detection data, and when the judgment unit determines that the judgment result is a predetermined judgment result, the imaging data is transmitted to the face recognition server. On the other hand, when the face authentication server determines that the imaging data is not imaging data relating to a person's face, it transmits a false detection signal to the intercom device, and when the intercom device receives the false detection signal, it stores the imaging data transmitted to the face authentication server in a false detection data storage unit as false detection data, and erases from the false detection data storage unit any false detection data that has not been used for comparison with the imaging data for a predetermined period of time since it was stored. It is characterized by: Books According to the invention, the intercom device is provided with a face detection unit that detects a person's face from an image captured by the imaging means, a data creation unit that creates imaging data to be used for face recognition processing in the face recognition server from the image, an erroneous detection data storage unit that stores predetermined erroneous detection data, and a judgment unit that compares the imaging data with the erroneous detection data, and when the judgment unit determines that the result is a predetermined judgment result, the imaging data is transmitted to the face recognition server. Therefore, it is possible to provide an intercom system that can be operated at low cost without repeatedly transmitting the same imaging data that has been erroneously detected as a person's face to the face recognition server.

[0007] Also,When the facial recognition server determines that the image data does not relate to a person's face, it sends a false detection signal to the intercom device. On the other hand, when the intercom device receives the false detection signal, it stores the image data sent to the facial recognition server as false detection data in the false detection data storage unit. This allows the facial recognition server to increase and store more image data that is determined to be a false detection due to its highly accurate authentication processing as false detection data, improving the accuracy of the judgment results in the intercom device and ultimately resulting in an intercom system that can be operated at even lower cost. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the intercom device is provided with a face detection unit that detects a person's face from an image captured by an imaging means, a data creation unit that creates imaging data from the image to be used for face authentication processing in a face authentication server, an erroneous detection data storage unit that stores predetermined erroneous detection data, and a judgment unit that compares the imaging data with the erroneous detection data, and when the judgment unit determines that the result is a predetermined judgment result, the imaging data is transmitted to the face authentication server. Therefore, it is possible to provide an intercom system that can be operated at low cost without repeatedly transmitting the same imaging data that has been erroneously detected as a person's face to the face authentication server. In addition, if the facial recognition server determines that the image data does not relate to a person's face, it sends a false detection signal to the intercom device. On the other hand, when the intercom device receives the false detection signal, it stores the image data sent to the facial recognition server as false detection data in the false detection data storage section. Therefore, the facial recognition server can increase and store more image data that is determined to be a false detection due to its highly accurate authentication processing as false detection data, improving the accuracy of the judgment results in the intercom device and ultimately resulting in an intercom system that can be operated at even lower cost. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apartment building intercom system. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of a collective entrance unit of the apartment building intercom system. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An apartment house intercom system according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an apartment house intercom system according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing the functions of an apartment entrance device 1 of the apartment house intercom system. The apartment complex intercom system is composed of an apartment complex entrance unit 1, which is installed at the entrance of the apartment complex for visitors to call residents, entrance slave units 15, 15..., which are installed at the entrance of each room to call residents, room master units 12, 12..., which are installed in each room to allow residents to respond to calls, a management room master unit 13, which is installed in the management room to allow the manager to talk to residents and visitors, and a controller 14 to control communication between these devices. An automatic door 16 is installed at the entrance, which must be passed when moving from the entrance to the living area where the rooms are located. Furthermore, the apartment complex entrance unit 1 and the controller 14 are connected via a transmission line L1, the management room master unit 13 and the controller 14 are connected via a transmission line L2, and the automatic door 16 and the controller 14 are connected via a transmission line L3, and the room master units 12, 12..., and the controller 14 are connected via a master unit trunk line L4.

[0012] Here, the control relating to face authentication using the collective entrance device 1 and the face authentication server 2, which are essential parts of the present invention, will be described. The collective entrance device 1 comprises a camera 31 for capturing images of visitors, a microphone 32 and a speaker 33 for communication between the visitor and the resident, an operation unit 34 for the visitor to input the room number to be called, etc., a display unit 35 for displaying the operation contents, etc., a CPU 36 for controlling the operation of the collective entrance device 1 itself, an automatic door control unit 37 for controlling the opening and closing of the automatic door 16, and an erroneous detection image storage unit 39 for storing erroneous detection images as described later. The collective entrance device 1 also comprises a communication unit 38 for communicating with external devices, and is capable of communicating with the control device 14 and the face recognition server 2 arranged on the cloud N via the communication unit 38.

[0013] In the collective entrance device 1 as described above, the camera 31 is constantly running to capture surrounding video, and when a person is captured in the video, the CPU 36 detects the person's face using the face detection unit 40, extracts the captured face image of the person from the video (creates captured image data), and compares the currently extracted face image with the false positive image stored in the false positive image storage unit 39 as described below using the judgment unit 41. If the comparison results in the determination that the currently extracted face image is a person's face image, the face image is transmitted to the face recognition server 2, and the face recognition server 2 executes a predetermined face recognition process. On the other hand, if the CPU 36 determines that the currently extracted face image is not a person's face image, the captured image data created as the currently extracted face image is not transmitted to the face recognition server 2.

[0014] The facial recognition process executed by the facial recognition server 2 is to identify the person captured by the camera 31 of the collective entrance machine 1, for example by comparing the facial image sent from the collective entrance machine 1 with an authentication image registered in advance in the facial recognition server 2, and determining whether the person captured by the camera 31 of the collective entrance machine 1 matches the person registered in advance. Then, when the facial recognition server 2 identifies the person captured by the camera 31 as a person registered in advance, the collective entrance machine 1 executes control such as permitting operation of the operating unit 34 or permitting the automatic door 16 to be opened.

[0015] Furthermore, as a result of the facial recognition process in the facial recognition server 2, it may be determined that the image currently sent from the collective entrance device 1 as a facial image is not a facial image of a person (for example, a utility pole or a mailbox may be mistakenly detected as a person). In such a case, the facial recognition server 2 sends an erroneous detection signal indicating erroneous detection to the collective entrance device 1. Then, when the collective entrance device 1 receives the erroneous detection signal from the facial recognition server 2, it stores the image extracted as the current facial image in the erroneous detection image storage unit 39 as an erroneous detection image, and uses it to determine facial images from the next time onwards.

[0016] According to the apartment building intercom system having the above configuration, the apartment entrance device 1 is provided with a face detection unit 40 that detects a person's face from the image captured by the camera 31 and extracts a person's face image from the image to be used for face recognition processing in the face recognition server 2, and is also provided with an erroneous detection image storage unit 39 that stores a predetermined erroneous detection image and a judgment unit 41 that compares the currently extracted face image with the erroneous detection image, and if the judgment unit 41 judges that the currently extracted face image is a person's face image, it transmits the face image to the face recognition server 2, and the face recognition server 2 executes a predetermined face recognition process. Therefore, it is possible to provide an apartment building intercom system that can be operated at low cost without repeatedly transmitting the same image erroneously detected as a person's face to the face recognition server 2.

[0017] In addition, when the facial recognition server 2 determines that the image data received from the collective entrance unit 1 does not relate to a person's face, it sends a false positive signal to the collective entrance unit 1. On the other hand, when the collective entrance unit 1 receives a false positive signal from the facial recognition server 2, it stores the image data it sent to the facial recognition server 2 as a false positive image in the false positive image memory unit 39. This allows the facial recognition server 2 to increase and store more image data that are determined to be false positives through its highly accurate authentication processing as false positive images, improving the accuracy of the judgment results in the collective entrance unit 1 and ultimately resulting in an apartment complex intercom system that can be operated at even lower cost.

[0018] In addition, the intercom system of the present invention can be modified as necessary, as appropriate, not only in terms of the overall configuration of the intercom system, but also in terms of the configuration of the intercom equipment equipped with an imaging means, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0019] For example, while the above embodiment has been described as an intercom system for an apartment building, the present invention can also be suitably adopted as other intercom systems, such as an intercom system consisting of an intercom slave unit and an intercom master unit. In addition, in the above embodiment, the imaging means is built into the main body of the intercom device, but the intercom device may also be composed of, for example, a collective entrance unit, a surveillance camera installed separately from the collective entrance unit, and a controller that controls the operation of both of them.

[0020] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, only imaging data that the face recognition server determines is not imaging data relating to a person's face is stored as false positive data, but it is also possible to configure the intercom device to arbitrarily store imaging data that is likely to be false positive as false positive data in the false positive data storage unit depending on the environment in which the intercom device is installed.

[0021] In addition, as the amount of false positive data increases, it is possible that the capacity of the false positive data storage unit in the intercom device will be strained. Therefore, it is also possible to configure the device so that false positive data that has not been used for comparison with the created imaging data over a specified period of time (e.g., one month) after storage is sequentially deleted from the false positive data storage unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 1·· Collective entrance device (intercom device), 2·· Face recognition server, 31·· Camera (imaging means), 36·· CPU (data creation section), 39·· False-detection image storage section (False-detection data storage section), 40·· Face detection section, 41·· Determination section.

Claims

[Claim 1] The present invention includes an intercom device having an imaging means, and a face authentication server that is arranged on a cloud and can communicate with the intercom device, In the face authentication server, a predetermined face authentication process is performed based on the image data transmitted from the intercom device. The intercom device includes a face detection unit that detects a person's face from an image captured by the imaging means, and a data creation unit that creates the imaging data to be used for face authentication processing in the face authentication server from the image, The device includes an erroneous detection data storage unit that stores predetermined erroneous detection data, and a determination unit that compares the imaging data with the erroneous detection data, If the result of the determination by the determination unit is a predetermined result, the imaging data is transmitted to the face authentication server. When the face authentication server determines that the imaging data is not imaging data relating to the face of the person, the face authentication server transmits a false detection signal to the intercom device, The intercom system is characterized in that, when the intercom device receives the false detection signal, it stores the imaging data sent to the face recognition server in the false detection data storage unit as the false detection data, and deletes from the false detection data storage unit any false detection data that has not been used for comparison with the imaging data for a predetermined period of time since being stored.

Images