Structured Light Passenger Detector for Escalator Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passenger conveyor systems, such as escalators, often operate in continuous running mode even when no passengers are present, leading to energy wastage, and existing automatic switching technologies are either prohibitively expensive or unable to determine if a passenger is approaching, posing safety and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
A passenger detector using structured light, including a structured light source and detector, processes reflected light patterns to determine the presence, movement, and intent of passengers, allowing for automatic switching between operation modes with near absolute certainty, incorporating a controller to analyze depth and movement information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous running mode is used to ensure passenger safety, then safety is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of passenger presence and intent to approach before switching from shutdown to running mode. The structured light detector and camera capture depth information and movement patterns in advance, allowing the controller to predict passenger intent and pre-position the system in standby mode, ensuring safety while avoiding unnecessary continuous operation and energy waste.
2Loss of energy
If expensive automatic switching devices are used to reduce energy waste, then energy efficiency is improved, but device cost increases prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple detection functions into a single integrated detector unit that uses structured light projection and camera capture to perform both presence detection and intent prediction. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate expensive devices with one cost-effective unit that provides comprehensive passenger monitoring capabilities for automatic mode switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with optical-based structured light detection and computer vision algorithms. By using light projection patterns and image processing to detect passenger presence and movement intent, the system achieves accurate detection at lower cost compared to traditional mechanical or electronic sensing arrays.
3Device complexity
If simple presence detection is used to enable mode switching, then device cost is reduced, but ability to detect approaching passengers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from two-dimensional image capture to three-dimensional depth information acquisition using structured light projection. By projecting known light patterns and analyzing their reflection from passengers, the camera can calculate depth distances and detect movement toward or away from the escalator, providing spatial awareness that simple 2D cameras cannot achieve at comparable cost.
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
Enables cost-effective and reliable automatic switching of passenger conveyor systems between operation modes, reducing energy wastage and ensuring safety by accurately detecting passenger presence and intent, thereby optimizing energy usage and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A passenger detector uses structured light to make a determination as to whether a passenger is disposed within a detection area. The passenger detector includes a structured light source... a structured light detector operable to generate reflected light signals that are indicative of light that has been reflected back toward the structured light detector from the detection area
Data Source
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AI summary
A passenger detector (10) for use in a passenger conveyor system (12) is provided that includes a structured light source (34), a structured light detector (36), and a controller (38). The structured light source (34) is operable to project light (40) into a detection area (32) in a predetermined projected pattern. The structured light detector (36) is operable to generate reflected light signals indicative of light (40) reflected back toward the structured light detector (36) from the detection area (32). The controller (38) is operable to receive the reflected light signals from the structured light detector (36), and operable to process the reflected light signals to make a determination as to whether a passenger is disposed within a detection area (32).