Elevator system

Abstract

To accurately detect that a user who requires security operation has boarded the elevator alone. 【Solution】An elevator system according to an embodiment detects the presence or absence of a user in the car. When the presence of a user is not detected in the car, the elevator system determines the number and height of the users in the landing based on the image captured by the upper camera. The elevator system determines the gender of the user based on the image captured by the operation panel camera. The elevator system detects whether or not a user who is a target of security operation has boarded the car alone based on the number, height, and gender of the users. When it is detected that a user who is a target of security operation has boarded the car alone, the elevator system performs a security operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an elevator system.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a technique is known in which a camera installed in an elevator is used to detect a user near the elevator and perform door opening / closing control of the elevator door.

[0003] By the way, since an elevator is a closed space, crimes using the closed space can occur. In particular, such crimes are likely to occur when a child or a woman rides in the elevator alone. In order to prevent such crimes, some elevators are equipped with a crime prevention driving function that performs a driving operation (crime prevention driving) to prevent other users from boarding when a user boards the elevator alone.

[0004] In recent years, the demand for elevators equipped with such a crime prevention driving function has been increasing, and an improvement in technology for accurately detecting that a user who requires crime prevention driving has boarded the elevator alone, such as a child or a woman, is desired.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an elevator system capable of accurately detecting that a user who requires crime prevention driving has boarded the elevator alone.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] An elevator system according to an embodiment includes an upper camera, an operation panel camera, an in-car user detection means, a first user detection means, a second user detection means, a target person detection means, and a door opening / closing control means. The upper camera is installed above the entrance / exit of the car. The operation panel camera is installed on the operation panel in the car. The in-car user detection means detects the presence or absence of a user in the car. The first user detection means , front detects the presence or absence of a user in the landing based on the image captured by the upper camera, and when the presence of a user is detected from the landing, determines the number and height of the detected user based on the image. The second user detection means Moving with the intention of boarding the car determines the gender of the detected user based on the image captured by the operation panel camera by the first user detection means. The target person detection means When it is detected that the detected user boards the car, then detects whether or not a user who is the target of the security operation is riding alone in the car based on the number and height of the detected user and the gender of the detected user. The door opening / closing control means, when it is detected by the target person detection means that a user who is the target of the security operation is riding alone in the car, performs a security operation and closes the door of the car. When the car arrives at a predetermined floor, if the presence of a user is not detected from within the car by the in-car user detection means

Brief Description of the Drawings

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an elevator system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the vicinity of the entrance / exit in the car according to the same embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the upper camera according to the same embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the elevator system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which an image captured by the upper camera according to the embodiment is divided into block units.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and the invention is not limited by the content described in the following embodiments. Modifications that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art are naturally included in the scope of the disclosure. For the sake of clearer explanation, in the drawings, the size, shape, etc. of each part may be changed with respect to the actual embodiment and schematically represented. In a plurality of drawings, the same reference numerals may be assigned to corresponding elements, and detailed descriptions may be omitted.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an elevator system according to an embodiment. Here, although one car is described as an example, a plurality of cars have the same configuration.

[0011] The elevator system according to this embodiment has a security driving function that performs driving (security driving) to prevent other users from boarding when a child or a woman boards the elevator (car) alone.

[0012] An upper camera 12 is installed above the entrance / exit of the car 11. Specifically, the upper camera 12 is installed in a curtain plate 11a that covers the upper part of the entrance / exit of the car 11, with the lens part installed directly downward or tilted by a predetermined angle toward the landing side or the car side.

[0013] The upper camera 12 is, for example, a small surveillance camera such as an in-vehicle camera, has a wide-angle lens or a fish-eye lens, and can continuously capture images at several frames per second (for example, 30 frames / second). The upper camera 12 is activated, for example, when the car 11 arrives at the landing 15 on each floor, and captures images including the vicinity of the car door 13 and the landing 15. Note that the upper camera 12 may operate constantly during the operation of the car 11.

[0014] The shooting range of the upper camera 12 is adjusted to L1 + L2 (L1 > L2). L1 is the shooting range on the landing side and has a predetermined distance from the car door 13 towards the landing 15. L2 is the shooting range on the car side and has a predetermined distance from the car door 13 towards the back of the car. Note that L1 and L2 are ranges in the depth direction, and the range in the width direction (the direction orthogonal to the depth direction) shall be at least larger than the lateral width of the car 11.

[0015] An operation panel camera 17 is installed on the operation panel 16 installed inside the car 11. The operation panel camera 17 shoots the user operating the operation panel 16. The shooting range of the operation panel camera 17 is adjusted so that the range of heights H1 to H2 from the floor surface of the car 11 is reflected (more specifically, so that the face of the user operating the operation panel 16 is reflected).

[0016] At each floor landing 15, a landing door 14 is installed at the arrival opening of the car 11 so as to be openable and closable. The landing door 14 engages with the car door 13 when the car 11 arrives and performs an opening and closing operation. Note that the power source (door motor) is on the car 11 side, and the landing door 14 only follows the car door 13 to open and close. In the following description, it is assumed that when the car door 13 is open, the landing door 14 is also open, and when the car door 13 is closed, the landing door 14 is also closed.

[0017] Each image (video) captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17 is analyzed and processed in real time by the image processing device 20. Note that in FIG. 1, for the sake of convenience, the image processing device 20 is taken out of the car 11 and shown, but actually, the image processing device 20 is housed in the curtain plate 11a together with the upper camera 12.

[0018] The image processing device 20 includes a storage unit 21 and a detection unit 22. The storage unit 21 is composed of a memory device such as a RAM or the like. The storage unit 21 sequentially stores the images captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17. Note that the storage unit 21 has a buffer area for temporarily storing data necessary for the processing of the detection unit 22. In the storage unit 21, images subjected to processing such as distortion correction, enlargement / reduction, and partial cutting may be stored as preprocessing for the images captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17.

[0019] Using the images captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17, the detection unit 22 detects, for example, that a user (hereinafter referred to as a crime prevention driving target or simply a target) who is a target of crime prevention driving, such as a child or a woman, is riding alone in the car 11.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the detection unit 22 includes an in-car user detection unit 23, a first user detection unit 24, a second user detection unit 25, and a target detection unit 26. Note that each of the units 23 to 26 included in the detection unit 22 may be realized by a CPU (not shown) provided in the image processing device 20 executing a program (that is, software), may be realized by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0021] The in-car user detection unit 23 detects the presence or absence of a user in the car 11 based on the in-car load (the loading load of the car 11) measured by a load sensor (not shown) installed at the bottom of the car 11. Information indicating the result of the detection by the in-car user detection unit 23 (that is, information indicating that a user is riding in the car 11 or information indicating that no user is riding in the car 11) is sent to the first user detection unit 24.

[0022] Note that the in-car user detection unit 23 does not detect the presence or absence of users in the elevator car 11 based on the load inside the car measured by the load sensor. Instead, for example, it may detect the presence or absence of users in the elevator car 11 based on the images captured by the upper camera 12 or the operation panel camera 17.

[0023] The first user detection unit 24 detects the presence or absence of users at the landing 15 based on the image captured by the upper camera 12. More specifically, the first user detection unit 24 is a detection area set on the image captured by the upper camera 12, and based on the luminance change of the image within the detection area for detecting users at the landing 15, it detects the presence or absence of users in the detection area. Since the details of the detection area will be described later, a detailed explanation thereof is omitted here.

[0024] When the first user detection unit 24 detects the presence of a user from the landing 15 while obtaining information from the in-car user detection unit 23 that there is no user in the elevator car 11, based on the image captured by the upper camera 12 and the image in which the user is detected, it confirms (discriminates) the number of detected users.

[0025] Also, when the first user detection unit 24 detects the presence of a user from the landing 15 while obtaining information from the in-car user detection unit 23 that there is no user in the elevator car 11, based on the image captured by the upper camera 12 and the image in which the user is detected, it measures (discriminates) the height of the detected user. Note that the height measurement may be performed only when the number of users is one as a result of confirming the number of users.

[0026] The height of the user is measured using known image recognition technology. For example, it may be measured based on the number of pixels from the pixel corresponding to the user's toe to the pixel corresponding to the top of the user's head among the pixels included in the image in which the user appears (see FIG. 3). Information indicating the result of detection by the first user detection unit 24 (that is, information indicating the number of users appearing in the image captured by the upper camera 12 and the height of the user) is sent to the target person detection unit 26.

[0027] The second user detection unit 25 detects (discriminates) the gender of the user operating the operation panel 16 based on the image captured by the operation panel camera 17. The gender of the user is discriminated using known image recognition technology. For example, it may be discriminated based on a prediction model that has been pre-trained using male face images and female face images as teacher data, or it may be discriminated based on feature amounts obtained by analyzing the image. Information indicating the result of detection by the second user detection unit 25 (that is, information indicating the gender of the user appearing in the image captured by the operation panel camera 17) is sent to the target person detection unit 26.

[0028] The target person detection unit 26 determines (detects) whether or not the crime prevention driving target person is riding alone in the car 11 based on the information indicating the number and height of the users from the first user detection unit 24 and the information indicating the gender of the users from the second user detection unit 25. When it is determined that the crime prevention driving target person is riding alone in the car 11 (in other words, when it is detected that the crime prevention driving target person is riding alone in the car 11), the image processing device 20 (target person detection unit 26) outputs a crime prevention driving request signal to the elevator control device 30 requesting the implementation of crime prevention driving.

[0029] The elevator control device 30 consists of a computer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The elevator control device 30 controls the elevating operation of the car 11 and the operations of various devices installed in the car 11. The elevator control device 30 includes a door opening / closing control unit 31.

[0030] The car door control unit 31 controls the opening and closing of the car door 13 when the car 11 arrives at the landing 15. Specifically, when the car 11 arrives at the landing 15, the car door control unit 31 opens the car door 13 and closes it after a predetermined time has elapsed. However, if the presence of a user is detected in the detection area by the detection unit 22 (the first user detection unit 24) while the car door 13 is fully open or during the closing operation of the car door 13, the car door control unit 31 extends the opening time of the car door 13 to maintain the open state, or reopens the car door 13 in the fully open direction to maintain the open state.

[0031] In addition, when the car door control unit 31 receives a crime prevention operation request signal from the image processing device 20, it performs a crime prevention operation. Specifically, in order to prevent other users from boarding the car 11, the car door control unit 31 immediately closes the car door 13. When the door close button is pressed during the closing operation of the car door 13 due to the implementation of the crime prevention operation, the car door control unit 31 increases the closing speed compared to normal and closes the car door 13.

[0032] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the area around the entrance and exit inside the car 11. A car door 13 is provided at the entrance and exit of the car 11 so as to be openable and closable. In the example of Figure 2, a double-opening type car door 13 is shown, and the two door panels 13a and 13b constituting the car door 13 open and close in opposite directions along the frontage direction (horizontal direction). Note that the "frontage" refers to the entrance and exit of the car 11.

[0033] Entrance pillars 41a and 41b are provided on both sides of the entrance and exit of the car 11, and together with the curtain board 11a, surround the entrance and exit of the car 11. The "entrance pillar" is also called the front pillar, and generally, a door pocket for storing the car door 13 is provided on the back side. In the example of Figure 2, when the car door 13 is opened, one door panel 13a is stored in the door pocket 42a provided on the back side of the entrance pillar 41a, and the other door panel 13b is stored in the door pocket 42b provided on the back side of the entrance pillar 41b.

[0034] On one or both of the entrance columns 41a and 41b, an operation panel 16 and a speaker 43 are provided. In the example of FIG. 2, the speaker 43 is provided on the entrance column 41a, and the operation panel 16 is provided on the entrance column 41b. In addition to the operation panel camera 17 shown in FIG. 1, the operation panel 16 is provided with a display 18 and various buttons 19 including destination floor buttons, door open buttons, and door close buttons.

[0035] An upper camera 12 is provided at the center of the curtain board 11a above the entrance and exit of the car 11. Also, on the ceiling surface of the car 11, lighting equipment 44 using, for example, LEDs is installed.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the upper camera 12. The upper side in the figure shows the landing 15, and the lower side in the figure shows the inside of the car 11. In the figure, 15f indicates the floor surface of the landing 15, and 11f indicates the floor surface of the car 11. E1 and E2 in the figure indicate detection areas.

[0037] The car door 13 has two door panels 13a and 13b that move in opposite directions on the car sill 51. The landing door 14 is the same, having two door panels 14a and 14b that move in opposite directions on the landing sill 52. The door panels 14a and 14b of the landing door 14 move in the door opening and closing direction together with the door panels 13a and 13b of the car door 13.

[0038] The upper camera 12 is installed above the entrance and exit of the car 11. When the car 11 opens its door at the landing 15, as shown in FIG. 1, a predetermined range (L1) on the landing side and a predetermined range (L2) on the car side are captured by the upper camera 12. Among these, detection areas E1 and E2 for detecting users are set in the predetermined range (L1) on the landing side.

[0039] The detection area E2 is an area included in the detection area E1 and functions as both the detection areas E1 and E2. The detection area E1 is an area called the "user detection area E1" and is an area for detecting users present at the landing 15. The detection area E2 is an area called the "boarding intention estimation area E2" and is an area for estimating whether a user present at the landing 15 has the intention to board and is heading towards the car 11.

[0040] In the real space, the boarding intention estimation area E2 has a distance of L3 from the center of the entrance (frontage) in the direction of the landing (L3 ≤ L1). The lateral width W2 of the boarding intention estimation area E2 when fully opened is set to a distance equal to or greater than the lateral width W1 of the entrance (frontage). The boarding intention estimation area E2 includes the pillars 51 and 52 and is set excluding the blind spots of the triple frame 53, as shown by the double diagonal lines in FIG. 3. Note that the size of the boarding intention estimation area E2 in the lateral direction (X-axis direction) may be configured to change in accordance with the opening and closing operation of the car door 13. Also, the size of the boarding intention estimation area E2 in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) may be configured to change in accordance with the opening and closing operation of the car door 13.

[0041] Although details will be described later, when the presence of a user who has the intention to board the car 11 and is moving is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 while no user is boarding the car 11, a process for determining whether the user is a target for security driving is executed. On the other hand, when the presence of a user who has the intention to board the car 11 and is moving is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 while a user is boarding the car 11, a process for maintaining the open state of the car door 13 is executed.

[0042] As described with reference to FIG. 1, the height of a user is measured based on, for example, the number of pixels from the pixel PX1 corresponding to the user's toe to the pixel PX2 corresponding to the user's head.

[0043] Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, an example of the operation of the elevator system according to this embodiment will be described. Here, it will be described assuming that the image processing apparatus 20 acquires the images captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17 in time series and sequentially stores these acquired images in the storage unit 21.

[0044] When the car 11 arrives at an arbitrary floor (Yes in step S1), the door opening / closing control unit 31 opens the car door 13 (step S2).

[0045] When the car door 13 opens, the in-car user detection unit 23 detects the presence or absence of a user in the car 11 based on the in-car load measured by the load sensor installed at the bottom of the car 11 (step S3).

[0046] In the process of step S3, when the in-car load measured by the load sensor indicates a value equal to or greater than a preset threshold and the presence of a user is detected from inside the car 11 (Yes in step S3), the elevator system executes the process of step S11 described later.

[0047] On the other hand, in the process of step S3, when the in-car load measured by the load sensor indicates a value less than the preset threshold and the presence of a user is not detected from inside the car 11 (No in step S3), the first user detection unit 24 executes a user detection process of detecting the presence or absence of a user in the landing 15 (more specifically, the presence or absence of a user who moves to the boarding intention estimation area E2 with the intention of boarding the car 11) based on the image captured by the upper camera 12 (step S4).

[0048] Here, the user detection process executed by the first user detection unit 24 will be described in detail. First, the first user detection unit 24 reads out one of the images captured by the upper camera 12 from the storage unit 21 as a target image, and sets the side length of the target image to W blockExecute a process of dividing into a number of blocks (see FIG. 5). Each block contains a plurality of pixels, for example, 16 (= 4×4) pixels or the like.

[0049] Subsequently, the first user detection unit 24 calculates the average luminance value for each block (that is, the average of the luminance values of the plurality of pixels included in the block) for a plurality of blocks included in the riding intention estimation area E2 set in the target image, and stores the calculated average luminance value for each block in a buffer area (not shown) in the storage unit 21.

[0050] Next, the first user detection unit 24 reads out the image captured next to the above-mentioned target image from the storage unit 21 as a new target image, and similarly calculates the average luminance value for each block for the new target image.

[0051] Thereafter, the first user detection unit 24 compares the average luminance value for each block of the new target image with the average luminance value for each block stored in the above-mentioned buffer area. As a result, if there is a block having a luminance difference equal to or greater than a preset threshold value, the first user detection unit 24 detects the block as a moving block. Note that the first user detection unit 24 stores the average luminance value for each block of the new target image in the above-mentioned buffer area for comparison with the next image.

[0052] Subsequently, in the same manner, the first user detection unit 24 repeatedly compares the luminance values of each image captured by the upper camera 12 in units of blocks. As a result, when a moving block is detected, the first user detection unit 24 determines that there is a user who moves the riding intention estimation area E2 with the intention of boarding the car 11 (that is, detects the presence of a user who moves the riding intention estimation area E2 with the intention of boarding the car 11).

[0053] Return again to the description of FIG. 4. In the process of step S4, when no moving block is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 and the presence of the user is not detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 (No in step S4), the elevator system repeatedly executes the process of step S4 described above until the car door 13 is fully closed according to the elapsed time since it was fully opened (Yes in step S5).

[0054] On the other hand, in the process of step S4, when a moving block is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 and the presence of the user is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 (Yes in step S4), the first user detection unit 24 confirms the number of users detected in the process of step S4 based on the image captured by the upper camera 12 (step S6). Further, the first user detection unit 24 measures the height of the user detected in the process of step S4 based on the image captured by the upper camera 12 (step S7). Note that the information indicating the results of the processes in steps S6 and S7 (that is, the information indicating the number of users detected in the process of step S4 and the height of the user) is sent from the first user detection unit 24 to the target person detection unit 26.

[0055] Subsequently, the second user detection unit 25 discriminates the gender of the user detected in the process of step S4 based on the image captured by the operation panel camera 17 (step S8). Note that the information indicating the result of the process in step S8 (that is, the information indicating the gender of the user detected in the process of step S4) is sent from the second user detection unit 25 to the target person detection unit 26.

[0056] Next, the target person detection unit 26 determines (detects) whether or not a crime prevention driving target person is boarding the car 11 alone based on the information indicating the number and height of the users obtained from the first user detection unit 24 and the information indicating the gender of the users obtained from the second user detection unit 25 (step S9).

[0057] When the number of users detected in the process of step S4 is one and the height of the user is less than a preset threshold, the target person detection unit 26 detects that a "child", who is a target person for security driving, is riding alone in the car 11.

[0058] Also, when the number of users detected in the process of step S4 is one and the gender of the user is female, the target person detection unit 26 detects that a "female", who is a target person for security driving, is riding alone in the car 11.

[0059] In the process of step S9, when it is detected that a target person for security driving is riding alone in the car 11 (Yes in step S9), the target person detection unit 26 outputs a security driving request signal to the elevator control device 30, requesting the implementation of security driving. When receiving the security driving request signal, the elevator control device 30 implements security driving according to the security driving request signal. Specifically, the door opening / closing control unit 31 of the elevator control device 30 immediately closes the car door 13 (step S10) to prevent other users from boarding the car 11, and ends the series of operations here.

[0060] On the other hand, in the process of step S9, when it is not detected that a target person for security driving is riding alone in the car 11 (specifically, when the number of users boarding the car 11 is not one, or when the user boarding the car 11 alone is not a "child" or a "female") (No in step S9), the elevator system operates the car 11 as normal. Specifically, the elevator system starts the car 11 toward the destination floor (step S11) when the car door 13 is fully closed according to the elapsed time from fully open or in response to the pressing of the door closing button provided on the operation panel 17, and ends the series of operations here.

[0061] Note that until the cage door 13 is fully closed, the user detection process similar to the above-described step S4 is executed. If a moving block is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 before the cage door 13 is fully closed, the elevator system executes a process to maintain the door open state, allows the user moving in the boarding intention estimation area E2 to board the car 11, and then executes the process of step S11 again.

[0062] Here, the case where the security operation is performed when it is detected that a security operation target person is boarding the car 11 alone by the process of step S9 described above has been explained. However, the timing at which the security operation is performed is not limited to this. For example, the elevator system may perform the security operation at a timing after it is detected that a security operation target person is boarding the car 11 alone and at a timing when the presence of another user is detected from the user detection area E1 by the first user detection unit 24.

[0063] As described above, the elevator system according to the present embodiment utilizes two cameras, i.e., the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17, to determine the number, height, and gender of the user, thereby detecting that the user is boarding the car 11 alone and determining whether the user boarding the car 11 alone is a security operation target person such as a "child" or a "female". According to this, it is possible to accurately determine whether the user boarding the car 11 alone is a user who actually requires the security operation (security operation user).

[0064] For example, a function to close the door when it is detected that a user is riding alone in the car, or a function to increase the door closing speed when it is detected that another user approaching the car at a fast walking speed after detecting that a user is riding alone in the car have already been invented. However, with these functions, a user riding alone in the car cannot determine whether the user is a person who actually needs anti-theft operation. Therefore, anti-theft operation may be implemented for users who do not actually need anti-theft operation, which may reduce the operating efficiency of the car.

[0065] On the contrary, as described above, the elevator system according to the present embodiment can accurately determine whether a user riding alone in the car 11 is a user who actually needs anti-theft operation. Therefore, it is possible to realize an anti-theft operation function that does not reduce the operating efficiency of the car.

[0066] In addition, a function to implement anti-theft operation when a user with predetermined user identification information rides alone in the car by having the user carry an IC card or the like storing the user identification information has also been invented. However, with this function, the user needs to carry an IC card storing the user identification information, which is inconvenient.

[0067] On the contrary, in the elevator system according to the present embodiment, based on the images captured by the upper camera 12 and the operation panel camera 17, the image processing device 20 can automatically detect that the anti-theft operation target person is riding alone in the car 11. Therefore, the above-mentioned IC card is not required, and it is possible to realize an anti-theft operation function that does not reduce the convenience of the user.

[0068] In the present embodiment described above, when it is detected that the crime prevention driving target person is riding alone in the car 11, the crime prevention driving is carried out. However, depending on the time zone (for example, late at night, etc.), all users may be regarded as crime prevention driving target persons, and when it is detected that a user is riding alone in the car 11, the crime prevention driving may be carried out.

[0069] In this case, when the current time is a time included in a predetermined time zone, in the process of step S4 described above, when a moving block is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 and the presence of a user is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2, the image processing apparatus 20 determines whether to carry out crime prevention driving based only on the number of users confirmed in the process of step S6 described above.

[0070] According to this, depending on the time zone, it is possible to carry out crime prevention driving based on the situation that a user is riding alone in the car 11 regardless of "children", "women", etc., and it is possible to further improve the crime prevention performance of the elevator system.

[0071] Also, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the boarding intention estimation area E2 is always effective, but it is not limited to this. For example, the validity / invalidity of the boarding intention estimation area E2 can be switched, and depending on the time zone (for example, late at night, etc.), the boarding intention estimation area E2 may be made invalid. More specifically, when the current time is a time included in a predetermined time zone, in the process of step S4 described above, when a moving block is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 and the presence of a user is detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2, the image processing apparatus 20 may temporarily invalidate the boarding intention estimation area E2 until the car door 13 of the car 11 is fully closed.

[0072] According to this, the movement of another user (the follower) who follows the detected user is further detected from the boarding intention estimation area E2 by the process of step S4 described above. As a result, the process for maintaining the door open state is executed, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the above-mentioned follower gets on the car 11, and it is possible to further improve the security of the elevator system.

[0073] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when it is detected that the security operation target person is riding alone in the car 11, the security operation is carried out. However, even when it is detected that only a plurality of security operation target persons are riding in the car 11 (for example, when it is detected that only a plurality of "children" are riding in the car 11), the security operation may be carried out.

[0074] For example, when only a plurality of children are riding in the car 11, if the security operation is not carried out because the number of users is not one, there is a possibility that a suspicious person may get on the car 11 in which only a plurality of children are riding. Even if there are a plurality of people, in the case of children, there is a possibility that they will panic when a suspicious person gets on the car 11 and they will not be able to take appropriate measures. However, according to this aspect, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of such a situation, and it is possible to further improve the security of the elevator system.

[0075] In addition, the elevator system (image processing device 20) according to the present embodiment may, for example, analyze an image captured by the operation panel camera 17 and perform a security operation when the expression of the user shown in the image is an expression when feeling a sense of crisis or fear (that is, it may output a security operation request signal). On the other hand, when the expression of the user shown in the image is a gentle expression, the elevator system (image processing device 20) may execute a process of maintaining the door open state without performing a security operation even when it is detected that the security operation target person is riding alone in the car 11.

[0076] Furthermore, the elevator system (image processing device 20) according to the present embodiment analyzes, for example, an image captured by the operation panel camera 17, and when detecting a gesture (movement) that invites other users in the landing 15 into the car 11, even if it is detected that the crime prevention operation target person is riding alone in the car 11, the process of maintaining the door open state may be executed without performing the crime prevention operation.

[0077] In the present embodiment, the crime prevention operation target person is assumed to be a "child" or a "female", but it is not limited thereto, and the crime prevention operation target person may further include, for example, an "elderly person" or the like.

[0078] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide an elevator system capable of accurately detecting that a user who needs a crime prevention operation has boarded the elevator alone.

[0079] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0080] 11... car, 12... upper camera, 13... car door, 14... landing door, 15... landing, 16... operation panel, 17... operation panel camera, 20... image processing device, 21... storage unit, 22... detection unit, 23... in-car user detection unit, 24... first user detection unit, 25... second user detection unit, 26... target person detection unit, 30... elevator control device, 31... door opening / closing control unit.

Claims

1. an upper camera installed above the entrance of the car, an operation panel camera installed on the operation panel inside the car, an in-car user detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a user inside the car, detecting the presence or absence of a user in the landing based on the image captured by the upper camera, and when the presence of a user who intends to board the car from the landing is detected, a first user detection means for discriminating the number and height of the detected user based on the image, a second user detection means for discriminating the gender of the detected user based on the image captured by the operation panel camera when the user detected by the first user detection means boards the car, when the in-car user detection means detects no presence of a user inside the car when the car arrives at a predetermined floor, a target person detection means for detecting whether or not a user who is the target of the security operation is boarding the car alone based on the number and height of the detected user and the gender of the detected user, a door opening / closing control means for performing a security operation and closing the door of the car when the target person detection means detects that a user who is the target of the security operation is boarding the car alone, an elevator system.

2. The door opening / closing control means performs the security operation when the target person detection means detects that a user who is the target of the security operation is boarding the car alone and then the first user detection means further detects the presence of a user from the landing, The elevator system according to Claim 1.

3. The target person detection means detects that a child who is the target of the security operation is boarding the car alone when the number of the detected users is one and the height of the detected user is less than a preset threshold value, detects that a woman who is the target of the security operation is boarding the car alone when the number of the detected users is one and the gender of the detected user is female, The elevator system according to Claim 1.

4. The door opening / closing control means When the door closing button is pressed while the door of the car is closing during the execution of the security operation, the door closing speed is increased compared to normal to close the door of the car. The elevator system according to claim 1.

5. The target person detection means When the current time is within a predetermined time zone, all users are regarded as targets of the security operation, and based only on the number of the detected users, it is detected whether a user who is a target of the security operation is riding alone in the car. The elevator system according to claim 1.

6. The first user detection means Based on the luminance change in the detection area set in the landing part shown in each of the plurality of images taken by the upper camera, the presence or absence of a user in the detection area is detected. When there is a luminance change equal to or greater than a preset threshold value in the detection area, the presence of a user is detected from the detection area. The elevator system according to claim 1.

7. The door opening / closing control means When the presence of a user is detected from inside the car by the in-car user detection means and the presence of a user is detected from the landing by the first user detection means, a process of maintaining the door open state of the car door is executed. The elevator system according to claim 6.

8. The first user detection means When the current time is within a predetermined time zone and it is detected by the target person detection means that a user who is a target of the security operation is riding alone in the car, the detection area is temporarily invalidated until the car door is fully closed. The elevator system according to claim 7.

9. The door opening / closing control means Even when it is detected by the target person detection means that only users who are targets of the security operation are riding in the car in a plurality, the security operation is executed. The elevator system according to claim 1.

10. The first user detection means Based on the number of pixels from the pixels corresponding to the feet of the user shown in the image taken by the upper camera to the pixels corresponding to the top of the head of the user, the height of the user is discriminated. The elevator system according to claim 1.

11. The shooting range of the operation panel camera is adjusted so that the face of the user operating the operation panel is shown. The elevator system according to claim 1.

Images