Empty Elevator Car Imaging Triggered by Sensor Checks for Baseline Updates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image-based detection solutions for elevator car occupancy are affected by changes in the elevator car's floor conditions, such as new carpeting or floor material wear, leading to decreased accuracy, and require an up-to-date baseline image for reliable operation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize door and occupancy sensors to trigger image data acquisition in an empty elevator car, using an acceleration sensor for door status and a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor for occupancy status, ensuring accurate detection of an empty and closed elevator car to update the baseline image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image data acquisition is triggered periodically or on specific events, then the baseline image can be updated regularly, but the accuracy decreases when the elevator car is not empty or door is open, leading to unreliable baseline updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary checks of door status and occupancy status before triggering image data acquisition. By verifying that the door is closed and the elevator car is empty before capturing the baseline image, the system ensures that baseline updates only occur under appropriate conditions, thereby maintaining reliability while enabling timely updates whenever suitable conditions arise.
2Measurement precision
If image data acquisition is triggered without verifying door status and occupancy status, then the system response is faster and simpler, but the accuracy of detection solutions decreases due to incorrect baseline images
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of door status and occupancy status before triggering image acquisition. This preliminary check ensures that baseline images are only captured when the elevator car is empty and the door is closed, guaranteeing measurement precision while adding only minimal complexity through simple sensor checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The triggering system acts as an intermediary between the sensors (door status and occupancy status) and the imaging device. It processes sensor signals and conditions the triggering of image acquisition, thereby ensuring accuracy while managing system complexity through a dedicated control layer.
3Measurement precision
If the baseline image is not kept up to date, then the system operation is simpler, but the accuracy of image analysis-based detection solutions decreases due to floor changes such as new carpet or wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic baseline image updates triggered by specific events (door closing and empty car detection) rather than continuous monitoring. This event-driven periodic action maintains measurement precision by updating baselines when floor changes are likely to occur, while minimizing time loss by activating only when appropriate conditions are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects when baseline updates are needed through sensor monitoring and self-triggers the image acquisition process. This self-service mechanism maintains detection accuracy without requiring manual intervention or continuous system operation, thereby reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures timely and reliable acquisition of image data for updating the baseline image, improving the accuracy of image analysis-based detection algorithms by ensuring the elevator car is empty and the door is closed, thus maintaining detection precision.
Implementation Method 1
The door status data may be obtained from a first sensor device being an acceleration sensor device arranged to the elevator car, and wherein the door status data may comprise acceleration of the elevator car or deceleration of the elevator car
Implementation Method 2
The occupancy status data may be obtained from a second sensor device being a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor device arranged inside the elevator car, and wherein the occupancy status data may comprise distance data
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for triggering an acquisition of image data of an empty elevator car (110). The method comprises obtaining (310) door status data representing a status of the door of the elevator car (110), obtaining (320) occupancy status data representing an occupancy status of the elevator car (110), detecting (330) based on the obtained door status data that the door of the elevator car (110) is closed, detecting (340) based on the obtained occupancy status data that the elevator car (110) is empty, and generating (350) a control signal to an imaging device (230) arranged inside the elevator car (110) in response to the detecting that the door of the elevator car (110) is closed and the elevator car (110) is empty. The control signal comprises an instruction to trigger the acquisition of the image data of the empty elevator car (110). The invention relates also to a triggering system (200) for triggering an acquisition of image data of an empty elevator car (110) and to an elevator system comprising a triggering system (200).