Patent Application
20120096771
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an electronic gate with safety system and a safety method for the electronic gate.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic gate is used to stop or allow someone to enter or leave a compound or premises. Sometimes, people usually try to pass through the electronic gate quickly while the electronic gate is closing, which may result in injury to these people.
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
Referring to
The foldable portion 10 is mounted between a first support 21 and a second support 22. A first end of the foldable portion 10 is fixed to the second support 22. A second end of the foldable portion 10 contacts with and is able to separate from the first support 21 under control of the motor 11. As a result, the electronic gate 1 can be closed or opened to stop or allow one to pass through the electronic gate 1.
The TOF camera 12 is mounted on a side of the first support 21, to capture an image of a scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22, and gather distance data between a plurality of points and the TOF camera 12 in the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22. The two alarm apparatus 16 are mounted on the top surfaces of the first support 21 and the second support 22 respectively. The switch 18 cuts off or connects the motor 11 to a power supply 25. In other embodiments, the TOF camera 12 can be mounted on the second end of the foldable portion 10 to capture an image of a scene at the front of the second end of the foldable portion 10. Moreover, it gathers distance data between a plurality of points and the TOF camera 12 in the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22. In addition, two TOF cameras 12 can be respectively mounted on the second end of the foldable portion 10 and the side of the first support 21. Moreover, the safety system 2 may include only one alarm apparatus 16. The alarm apparatus 16 can be mounted on the top surface of the first support 21 or the second support 22.
The TOF camera 12 is a camera system that creates distance data between a plurality of points in the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22 and the TOF camera 12. When the TOF camera 12 shoots the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the TOF camera 12 sends radio frequency (RF) signals. The RF signals is reflected back to the TOF camera 12 when the RF signals meet an object, such as a desk in the scene. As a result, the distance data can be obtained according to time differences between sending and receiving the RF signals of the TOF camera 12.
Referring to
The human model storing module 153 stores a number of models for different shapes of different people. The TOF cameras may obtain the different models in advance.
The 3D model building module 155 builds a 3D model of the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22 according to the image captured by the TOF camera 12 and the data about distances between a plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12. In the embodiment, according to the data regarding distances between a plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12, the plurality of points in the scene has coordinates relative to the TOF camera 12. The 3D model building module 155 can obtain a 3D mathematical model according to the coordinates of the plurality of points and the image. The 3D mathematical model can be regarded as the 3D model of the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22.
The human detection module 150 checks the 3D model obtained by the 3D model building module 155 to determine whether there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22. The human detection module 150 analyzes the 3D models using well known human recognition technology. In the embodiment, the human detection module 150 compares the 3D model obtained by the 3D model building module 155 with the different human models stored in the human model storing module 155 to determine whether there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22. If a portion of the 3D model obtained by the 3D model building module 155 is similar to a human model stored in the human model storing module 152, it is determined that there is a person in the 3D model, namely, there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22. If the 3D model obtained by the 3D model building module 155 is different from all human models stored in the human model storing module 152, it is determined that there are no people in the 3D model, namely, there are no people between the first support 21 and the second support 22. In addition, the human model storing module 153 may further store a number of different animals models, such as cats or dogs. The human detection module 150 may further determine that whether there is an animal between the first support 21 and the second support 22.
When the human detection module 150 determines that there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the control module 152 activates the alarm apparatus 16, such as a blinking light-emitting diode (LED), and controls the switch 18 to cut off power from the motor 11. After the switch 18 cuts off the power and a preset interval of time, such as 5-10 seconds, elapses, the human detection module 150 determines whether the person is still between the first support 21 and the second support 22. If the person is still between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the control module 152 still activates the alarm apparatus 16 and controls the switch 18 to cut off power from the motor 11. If there is no person between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the control module 152 then controls the switch 18 to reconnect the power supply 25 to the motor 11, and deactivates the alarm apparatus 16.
As a result, when there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the control module 152 cuts off power from the motor 11 to stop the electronic gate 1 from working, thus to ensure the safety of the person.
The alarm apparatus 16 functions as an indicator to operators that the safety system 2 has been activated and is the cause of loss of power to the motor 11. When the alarm apparatus 16 is activated, it indicates that the safety system 2 is activated, and the motor 11 is powered down. If the motor 11 is unexpectedly powered down, an operator will know right away it is not because of the safety system 2 if the alarm apparatus 16 is not activated, some other problem exists.
When the human detection module 150 determines that there is no people between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the alarm apparatus 12 is deactivated, and the switch 18 connects the power supply 25 to the motor 11.
In step S1, the TOF camera 12 captures an image of the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22, and gathers data about distances between a plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12. The TOF camera 12 is a camera system that gathers data about distances between the plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12. When the TOF camera 12 is recording the scene, the TOF camera 12 emits signals. The signals are reflected back to the TOF camera 12 when the signals meet a feature in the scene, such as the foldable portion 10. As a result, the data about distances can be obtained according to time differences between sending and receiving the signals of the TOF camera 12.
In step S2, the 3D model building module 155 builds a 3D model of the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22 according to the image captured by the TOF camera 12 and the data about distances between the plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12. In the embodiment, according to the data about distances between a plurality of points in the scene and the TOF camera 12, the plurality of points in the scene has coordinates relative to the TOF camera 12. The 3D model building module 155 can obtain a 3D mathematical model according to the coordinates of the plurality of points and the image. The 3D mathematical model can be regarded as the 3D model of the scene between the first support 21 and the second support 22.
In step S3, the human detection module 150 checks the 3D model obtained by the 3D model building module 155 to determine whether there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22. If it is determined that there is a person between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the process flows to step S4. If it is determined that there are no people between the first support 21 and the second support 22, the process flows to step S5.
In step S4, the control module 152 activates the alarm apparatus 16, and controls the switch 18 to cut off the power from the motor 11.
In step S5, the control module 152 controls the switch 18 to reconnect power to the motor 11, and deactivates the alarm apparatus 16. Then the process flows to step S1.
The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above everything. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skills in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99136093 | Oct 2010 | TW | national |
Relevant subject matter is disclosed in the co-pending U.S. patent application (Attorney Docket No. US35594) having the same title, which is assigned to the same assignee as named herein.
