Variable Depth of Field Camera for Vehicle Door Surveillance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surveillance systems for public passenger transport vehicle doors lack the ability to reliably distinguish between humans and other objects, leading to false alarms and potential driver disengagement, necessitating an enhancement in reliability and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A surveillance system employing cameras with variable depth of field, integrated with a control unit that adjusts the camera's field of view based on the vehicle's operational status, allowing for separate and overlapping areas of detection to monitor passengers entering/exit and detect individuals along the vehicle's side while in motion, with image processing to count passengers and provide warnings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are used to detect the presence of people, then detection capability is improved, but false alarms increase due to inability to distinguish between persons and other objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple detection capabilities into a single surveillance system: cameras with variable depth of field, image processing algorithms, and radar sensors work together. The camera captures visual information to distinguish persons from objects, while the radar provides additional detection capability, creating a multi-functional system that resolves the contradiction between detection precision and false alarm rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the depth of field parameter of the camera dynamically based on operational status. By adjusting the depth of field, the system optimizes image quality for different scenarios (passenger boarding vs. vehicle motion), improving person detection accuracy and reducing false alarms caused by inappropriate focus settings.
2Device complexity
If cameras with fixed depth of field are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but monitoring effectiveness decreases for different operational scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic depth of field adjustment mechanism that automatically adapts the camera's focus based on the vehicle's operational status. When the vehicle is stopped for passenger boarding, the depth of field is adjusted to capture the platform area; when the vehicle is in motion, it adjusts to monitor the side area. This dynamic adaptation maintains monitoring effectiveness without requiring multiple fixed cameras.
3Measurement precision
If separate monitoring areas are used for passenger flow and side detection, then monitoring precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surveillance system divides the monitoring space into distinct areas: a first area for monitoring passenger flow during boarding/alighting, and a second area for detecting persons along the vehicle side during motion. The camera system segments its depth of field to focus on different areas based on operational status, providing precise monitoring for each function while using a single camera unit rather than multiple separate systems.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A road vehicle (1) for the public transport of passengers comprising a plurality of doors (3) of the road vehicle through which the passengers may enter or exit the vehicle (1); each of the doors (3) is provided with a camera (6) with a variable depth of field between at least first depth of field, to see a first area (7a) and capture the images of the passengers that enter/exit the vehicle (1), and a second depth of field to see a second area (7b) to detect the presence of people alongside the vehicle (1).