US5387768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Elevator passenger detector and door control system which masks portions of a hall image to determine motion and court passengers
Assignee: Otis Elevator Co
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Filing: 1993-09-27
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Granted: 1995-02-07
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Expires: 2013-09-27
Abstract
Abstract Passengers approaching an elevator are distinguished from other people standing in front of an elevator door by obtaining an image signal of an area in front of the elevator door and masking out of the image signal increasing with time greater portions thereof when no motion is indicated by the image signal for controlling door movement when motion is detected in an unmasked portion of the image.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeff Izard
- 👤 Francois M. Mottier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F7/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/18; H04N7/183; H04N7/188
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for detecting motion in the vicinity of an open elevator hall door, comprising: a. providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator including providing an old image of the elevator door sill and hall providing a new image of the elevator door sill and hall subtracting the old image from the new image for providing a difference image; b. providing a motion detected signal in response to said difference image; c. over a time period masking out a portion of said difference image, so long as no motion detected signal is provided, thereby providing a masked difference image; and then d. providing a motion detected signal in response to said masked difference image if a number of pixels in the masked difference image exceeds a selectable threshold e. commanding the elevator door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for detecting motion in the vicinity of an open elevator hall door, comprising: a. providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator including providing an old image of the elevator door sill and hall providing a new image of the elevator door sill and hall subtracting the old image from the new image for providing a difference image; b. providing a motion detected signal in response to said difference image; c. over a time period masking out a portion of said difference image, so long as no motion detected signal is provided, thereby providing a masked difference image; and then d. providing a motion detected signal in response to said masked difference image if a number of pixels in the masked difference image exceeds a selectable threshold e. commanding the elevator door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said difference image comprises a plurality of pixels of variable brightness; and further including the step of counting clusters of adjacent pixels exceeding a selectable brightness whose number exceeds said selectable threshold, in response to said motion detected signal provided in response to said masked difference image, thereby providing a count of the number of moving objects in the area of the hall and sill the image of which is not masked out.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for controlling an elevator door, comprising: a. providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator; b. providing a motion detected signal in response to said image; c. over a time period masking out increasingly greater portions of said image so long as said motion detected signal is provided; d. commanding the elevator door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for controlling an elevator door, comprising: a. providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator; b. providing a motion detected signal in response to said image; c. over a time period masking out increasingly greater portions of said image so long as said motion detected signal is provided; d. commanding the elevator door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 3, wherein a. and b. include providing an old image of the elevator door sill and hall; providing a new image of the elevator door sill and hall; subtracting the old image from the new image for providing a difference image including a plurality of pixels of variable brightness and providing said motion detected signal in response to said difference image.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
40 words
The method of claims 4 further including counting the number of pixels of the difference image; comparing the number of pixels of the difference image with a second threshold; providing said motion detected signal if said second threshold is exceeded.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of claims 4 further including comparing the number of pixels of the difference image with a second threshold; providing said motion detected signal if said second threshold is exceeded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of masking out portions of said image includes the steps of providing an hall mask for cancelling a portion of that part of the image associated with the hall; providing a sill mask for cancelling a portion of that part of the image associated with the door sill; summing said hall and sill masks with said image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said step of masking out increasingly greater portions of said image includes the steps of providing a hall mask for cancelling a portion of that part of the image associated with the hall; increasing the breadth or increasing the depth of the hall mask summing said hall mask with said image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 4 further including the step of commanding the door to close; and masking out increasingly greater portions of said image until the door is closed or until motion is detected, in which case the door is commanded to open.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for elevator door control, comprising: a camera for providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator; an image buffer for storing an old image; a summer for adding said old image and a new image and providing a difference image including a plurality of pixels of variable brightness and providing said motion detected signal in response to said difference image; a mask generator for masking out, increasingly with time, measured from the most recent of motion being detected or the door opening, greater portions of said difference image so long as said motion detected signal is provided; means for commanding said door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for elevator door control, comprising: a camera for providing an image of an elevator door sill and a hall in front of an elevator; an image buffer for storing an old image; a summer for adding said old image and a new image and providing a difference image including a plurality of pixels of variable brightness and providing said motion detected signal in response to said difference image; a mask generator for masking out, increasingly with time, measured from the most recent of motion being detected or the door opening, greater portions of said difference image so long as said motion detected signal is provided; means for commanding said door to close when said motion detected signal is no longer provided.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further including a comparator for comparing the brightness of said plurality of pixels and providing in their respective places pixels of one or the other of two states, lit or not lit, depending on whether a first threshold is exceeded.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said mask generator provides a masked difference frame and further including a cluster analyzer for providing said motion detected signal if the number of adjacent pixels in the lit state exceeds a second threshold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 10 further including means for commanding the door to close; and wherein said mask generator masks out, increasingly with time, greater portions of said image until the door is closed or until motion is detected, in which case the door is commanded to open.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-02-06 | 1998-08-08 | 1999-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-02-06 | 2002-08-08 | 2003-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-02-06 | 2006-08-08 | 2007-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |