Patent Description:
Conventionally, there are systems in which cameras are disposed in a car and a hall of an elevator, and the drive of the elevator is controlled by detecting an entering action of users and the number of waiting people in the hall based on images captured by the cameras.

In these systems, a single detection function is realized by images captured by a camera, and it means that cameras are required per sensing-target area in order to realize different detection functions.

<CIT> describes an elevator control device comprising image input means arranged on a ceiling or a wall of an elevator hall for detecting the number of waiting passengers in the elevator hall and controlling the operation of the elevator car, the image input means being constructed of a wide angle lens and an image sensor for forming the image obtained via the wide angle lens. A first area where the waiting passengers in front of a door corresponding to each elevator in the elevator hall are held ready and a second area where walkers apart from the door is freely movable are set up so that the number of the waiting passengers in the first area corresponding to each elevator is detected by using image sensor data in each area on the image sensor corresponding to the first area.

<CIT> describes an elevator system including imaging means capable of imaging a predetermined area toward a direction of a boarding hall from the vicinity of a door of a car when the car arrives at the boarding hall; detection area setting means for detecting a sill between the car and the boarding hall which is included in an image imaged by the imaging means to set a detection area on the image on the basis of the detected sill; user detection means using a plurality of images contiguous in time series which are imaged by the imaging means, to detect presence/absence of a user by focusing on movement of people and things in the detection area; and control means for controlling opening/closing operation of the door on the basis of detection result by the user detection means.

The present disclosure would present an elevator user detection system which can realize multiple detection function with one camera.

The above problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Examples and technical descriptions of apparatuses, products and/or methods in the description and/or drawings which are not covered by the claims are presented not as embodiments of the invention but as background art or examples useful for understanding the invention. In general, according to one example, an elevator user detection system includes a camera disposed in a car and including a super-wide-angle lens, configured to capture at least an image of the entirety of the inside of the car. The system includes a detection area setting unit configured to set at least two detection areas on an image captured by the camera; and a detection processing unit configured to execute a detection process related to a drive operation of the car for each of the at least two detection areas set by the detection area setting unit.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Each figure is a schematic view of corresponding embodiment for its better understanding, and a shape, size, and ratio of the figure may be different from those of actual embodiment, and they may be arbitrarily changed based on the following description and may be shown schematically. The same elements may be referred to by the same referential numbers in the figures, and the detailed description thereof may be omitted.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the structure of an elevator user detection system of an embodiment. Note that, in this example, a case where one car is used will be discussed; however, the same applies to a case where several cars are used.

A camera <NUM> is disposed in the upper part of the doorway of a car <NUM>. Specifically, the camera <NUM> is disposed inside a modesty panel 11a covering the upper part of the doorway of the car <NUM> where the lens portion thereof is directed directly below. The camera <NUM> includes, for example, a super-wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens to widely capture an image of a target including the inside of the car <NUM> at an angle view of <NUM> degrees or more. The camera <NUM> can consecutively capture an image at a certain FPS rate (for example, <NUM> FPS).

Note that the position of the camera <NUM> is not limited to the upper part of the doorway of the car <NUM> but may be any part near a car door <NUM>. For example, the camera <NUM> may be placed to a position where images of both the entire car room including the entirety of the floor surface of the car <NUM> and the hall <NUM> near the doorway of the car <NUM> during the door opening time can be captured, that is, for example, the sealing surface near the doorway of the car <NUM>.

At the elevator hall <NUM> of each floor, a hall door <NUM> is disposed to be opened/closed freely at the doorway of the car <NUM>. The hall door <NUM> opens/closes in accordance with the car door <NUM> at the time when the car <NUM> arrives. Note that a power source (door motor) is in the car <NUM> side, and the hall door <NUM> simply opens/closes following the car door <NUM>. In the following description, it is assumed that when the car door <NUM> opens, the hall door <NUM> opens, and when the car door <NUM> opens, the hall door <NUM> opens.

Images (video) captured consecutively by the camera <NUM> are analyzed in real time by an image processor <NUM>. Note that, in the <FIG>, the image processor <NUM> is illustrated outside the car <NUM> for easier understanding; however, the image processor <NUM> is actually stored in the modesty panel 11a together with the camera <NUM>.

The image processor <NUM> includes a storage unit <NUM> and a detection unit <NUM>. The storage unit <NUM> store images captured by the camera <NUM> one after another, and includes a buffer area to temporarily store data necessary for the processing of the detection unit <NUM>. Note that the storage unit <NUM> may store images after a preliminary process such as a distortion correction, enlargement/reduction, or partial cut process.

The detection unit <NUM> detects a user in the car <NUM> or in the hall <NUM> using the images captured by the camera <NUM>. The detection unit <NUM> includes, as categorized by functions, a detection area setting unit 22a and a detection processing unit 22b. Note that these components may be realized by software, or by hardware such as an integrated circuit (IC), or combination of software and hardware.

The detection area setting unit 22a sets two or more detection areas to detect a user (person who rides the elevator) or an object on the images captured by the camera <NUM>. The object includes, for example, a cloth and a baggage of the user, and a mobile object such as a wheelchair. Furthermore, the object includes, for example, devices related to the elevator such as operation buttons, lamps, and displays. Note that a setting method of the detection areas will be explained later with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

The detection processing unit 22b executes a detection process related to a drive operation of the car <NUM> per detection area set by the detection area setting unit 22a. The detection process related to the drive operation of the car <NUM> is a process to detect a user and an object based on drive conditions of the car <NUM> such as door opening/closing, and the drive conditions include one or more conditions such as the door opening/closing of the car <NUM>, upward/downward movement of the car <NUM>, and drive stop of the car <NUM>. The detection process will be explained later with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

Note that an elevator controller <NUM> may include a part of or the entire functions of the image processor <NUM>.

The elevator controller <NUM> is a computer including a CPU, ROM, and RAM, for example. The elevator controller <NUM> controls operations of various devices disposed in the car <NUM> (floor select buttons and illuminations, for example). Based on the detection results, the elevator controller <NUM> executes a response process which may differ from one detection area to another based on the detection results of the detection processor 22b. The response process includes at least the drive control of the car <NUM> and the open/close control of the door <NUM>.

Specifically, the elevator controller <NUM> includes a drive controller <NUM>, door opening/closing control unit <NUM>, and notification unit <NUM>. The drive controller <NUM> controls the drive of the car <NUM>. The door opening/closing control unit <NUM> controls opening/closing of the car door <NUM> when the car <NUM> arrives at a hall <NUM>. Specifically, the door opening/closing control unit <NUM> opens the car door <NUM> when the car <NUM> arrives at a hall <NUM>, and closes the car door <NUM> after a certain period of time passes.

For example, if the detection processing unit 22b detects a user or an object during the opening operation of the car door <NUM>, the door opening/closing control unit <NUM> performs a door opening/closing control to avoid a door accident (accident where someone is caught by the door). Specifically, the door opening/closing control unit <NUM> temporarily stops the opening operation of the car door <NUM>, or moves the car door <NUM> in the opposite direction (closing direction), or slows the opening speed of the car door <NUM>. The notification unit <NUM> sends warnings to the users in the car <NUM> based on a detection result by the detection processing unit 22b.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the structure near the doorway of the car <NUM>.

The car door <NUM> is disposed at the doorway of the car <NUM> to be opened/closed freely. In the example of <FIG>, the car door <NUM> is a two-leaved center open type, and two door panels 13a and 13b of the car door <NUM> open/close in the doorway width (horizontally) opposite directions. Note that the doorway width means the doorway of the car <NUM>.

At the both sides of the doorway of the car <NUM>, there are front pillars 41a and 41b, surrounding the doorway of the car <NUM> with the modesty panel 11a. The front pillars may be referred to as doorway pillars or doorway jamb, and in general, include a door pocket to accommodate the car door <NUM> in the back side. In the example of <FIG>, when the car door <NUM> opens, one door panel 13a is accommodated in the door pocket 42a provided with the back side of the front pillar 41a, and the other door panel 13b is accommodated in the door pocket 42b provided with the back side of the front pillar 41b.

A display <NUM>, a control panel <NUM> including a display <NUM> and a destination floor button <NUM>, for example, and a speaker <NUM> are disposed on one of or both the front pillars 41a and 41b. In the example of <FIG>, the speaker <NUM> is disposed on the front pillar 41a, and the display <NUM> and the control panel <NUM> are disposed on the front pillar 41b.

The camera <NUM> including a super-wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens is disposed in the center of the modesty panel 11a in the upper part of the doorway of the car <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of an image captured by the camera <NUM>. The image of <FIG> includes the entirety of the car room and the hall <NUM> near the doorway, captured at a view angle of <NUM> degrees or more from the upper part of the doorway of the car <NUM> while the car door <NUM> (door panels 13a and 13b) and the hall door <NUM> (door panels 14a and 14b) are entirely opened. The upper side is the hall <NUM> and the lower side is the inside of the car <NUM>.

In the hall <NUM>, jambs 17a and 17b are provided with the both sides of the arrival gate of the car <NUM>, and a band-like hall sill <NUM> having a certain width is disposed on a floor surface <NUM> between the jambs 17a and 17b along the opening/closing direction of the hall door <NUM>. Furthermore, a band-like car sill <NUM> having a certain width is disposed in the doorway side of the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM> along the opening/closing direction of the car door <NUM>.

Detection areas E1 to E4 to detect a user or an object are set with respect to the inside of the car <NUM> and the hall <NUM> illustrated in the captured image.

The detection area E1 is an area to detect a user riding condition (in-car position of users, the number of users in the car, and the like) of the car <NUM> (car riding detection area), and is at least set to the entirety of the floor surface <NUM>. Note that the detection area E1 may include the front pillars 41a and 41b, side surfaces 48a and 48b, and rear surface <NUM> surrounding the car room.

Specifically, as in <FIG>, the detection area E1 is set to conform to a horizontal width W1 and a vertical width W2 of the floor surface <NUM>. Furthermore, the detection area E1 is set to a height h1 from the floor surface <NUM> with respect to the front pillars 41a and 41b, side surfaces 48a and 48b, and rear surface <NUM>. The height h1 is set optionally.

The detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> are areas to predict a user getting caught by the door during the door opening operation, and are set in the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b.

Specifically, as in <FIG>, the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> are set in a band-like shape with certain widths D1 and D2 in the width direction of the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b. The widths D1 and D2 are set to, for example, the same as or slightly shorter than the horizontal widths (width in the transverse direction) of the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM>. The widths D1 and D2 may be the same or may be different. Furthermore, the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> may be set to the position of a height h2 from the floor surface <NUM>. The height h2 is set optionally, and may be the same as or different from the height h1.

The detection area E3 is an area to detect a condition (waiting positions of users, the number of users waiting, and the like) of the hall <NUM> (hall condition detection area), and is set to near the doorway of the car <NUM>.

Specifically, as in <FIG>, the detection area E3 is set to have a certain gap L1 between the gate of the car <NUM> and the hall <NUM>. WO in the figure is a horizontal width of the doorway. Note that the detection area E3 may have a rectangular shape having the same as or greater than WO in the horizontal direction (x direction), or may be a trapezoid excluding a blind spot of the jambs 17a and 17b. Or, the vertical direction (Y direction) and the horizontal direction (X direction) of the detection area E3 may be fixed, or may be changed actively in accordance with the opening/closing operation of the car door <NUM>.

The detection area E4 is an area to detect a user or an object approaching the car <NUM> (approach detection area) and is set near the doorway of the car <NUM>.

Specifically, as in <FIG>, the detection area E4 is set to have a certain gap L2 between the doorway of the car <NUM> and the hall <NUM> (L1 > L2). The detection area E4 may have a rectangular shape having the same as or greater than WO in the horizontal direction (X direction), or may be a trapezoid excluding a blind spot of the jambs 17a and 17b. The detection area E4 includes the detection area E3 and may be changed actively in accordance with the opening/closing operation of the car door <NUM> in synchronization with the detection area E3.

Note that, in the example of <FIG>, four detection areas E1 to E4 are set in the captured image; however, more detection areas may be set. For example, detection areas may be set along the car sill <NUM>. The detection areas are used, in a case where the car door <NUM> is a two-leaved center open type, as areas to predict a user caught by the door during the door opening operation. Furthermore, for example, a detection area may be set in the control panel <NUM> of the car <NUM> shown in <FIG> to detect a condition of various buttons on the control panel <NUM>.

The detection area setting unit 22a calculates a three-dimensional coordinate of a captured image based on setting values of each component of the car <NUM> and unique parameter values of the camera <NUM>, determines what is shown where on the captured image, and sets a detection area on a position to be a target of detection.

The three-dimensional coordinate is, as shown in <FIG>, a coordinate calculated where a direction parallel to the car door <NUM> is given as axis X, a direction from the center of the car door <NUM> to the hall <NUM> (direction orthogonal to the car door <NUM>) is given as axis Y, and a height direction of the car <NUM> is given as axis Z.

Now, the operation of the system will be explained.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a whole process of the system.

As an initial setting, a detection area setting process is performed by the detection area setting unit 22a of the detection unit <NUM> of the image processor <NUM> (step S11). The detection area setting process is executed when, for example, the camera <NUM> is set, or the setting position of the camera <NUM> is adjusted in the following manner.

That is, the detection area setting unit 22a sets, on an image captured by the camera <NUM>, several detection areas E1 to E4 as shown in <FIG>. As described above, the detection area E1 is used as a user riding condition detection area, and is at least set to the entirety of the floor surface <NUM>, or may be set to include the front pillars 41a and 41b, side surfaces 48a and 48b, rear surface <NUM> which surround the car room.

The detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> are used as user-caught-by-the-door detection area, and are set to the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b. The detection area E3 is used as a hall condition detection area, and is set from the doorway of the car <NUM> to the hall <NUM>. The detection area E4 is used as an approach detection area, and is set near the doorway of the car <NUM>.

Areas including the floor surface <NUM>, front pillars 41a and 41b, and hall <NUM> on the captured image are calculated based on setting values of each components of the car <NUM> and unique values of the camera <NUM>.

The detection area setting unit 22a calculates an area in which the detection target is shown on the captured image based on the above values. For example, with respect to the front pillars 41a and 41b, the detection area setting unit 22a estimates that the front pillars 41a and 41b are standing vertically from the both ends of the door (doorway), and calculates a three-dimensional coordinates of the front pillars 41a and 41b based on the relative position/angle/angle of view of the camera <NUM> with respect to the door.

Note that, as in <FIG>, for example, markers m1 and m2 may be arranged at both ends of the car sill <NUM> inside the car, and the three-dimensional coordinates of the front pillars 41a and 41b may be calculated using the positions of the markers m1 and m2 as the reference. Or, the positions of both ends of the car sill <NUM> inside the car may be calculated by image processing, and the three-dimensional coordinates of the front pillars 41a and 41b may be calculated using the positions as the reference.

The detection area setting unit 22a projects the three-dimensional coordinates of the front pillars 41a and 41b on the two-dimensional coordinates on the captured image to acquire an area including the front pillars 41a and 41b on the captured image, and sets the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> within the area. Specifically, the detection area setting unit 22a sets the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> having certain widths D1 and D2 along the longitudinal direction of the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b.

The setting process of the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> may be executed while the car door <NUM> is opened, or may be executed while the car door <NUM> is closed. Since the hall <NUM> is not shown in the image captured by the camera <NUM> when the car door <NUM> is closed, the detection areas E2-<NUM> and W2-<NUM> are easier to be set in that condition.

Note that, in general, the width of the car sill <NUM> (width in the transverse direction) is wider than the thickness of the car door <NUM>. Thus, even if the car door <NUM> is in the full-close condition, one end of the car sill <NUM> is shown in the captured image. Thus, the positions of the front pillars 41a and 41b can be specified using the position of the one end, and the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> can be set accordingly.

The same applies to the other detection areas E1, E3, and E4. Each area including a detection target is acquired on the captured image based on the setting values of each component of the car <NUM> and the unique values of the camera <NUM>, and the detection areas E1, E3, and E4 will be set within the area.

Now, the operation of the car <NUM> in the drive will be explained.

As in <FIG>, when the car <NUM> arrives at a hall <NUM> of any floor (Yes in step S12), the elevator controller <NUM> opens the car door <NUM> (step S13).

At that time (during the car door <NUM> opening), the camera <NUM> having a super-wide-angle lens captures an image of the car <NUM> and the hall <NUM> at a certain FPS (for example, <NUM> FPS). The image processor <NUM> acquires the images captured by the camera <NUM> chronologically, stores the images in the storage unit <NUM> consecutively (step S14), and executes the following detection process in real time (step S15). Note that, as a preliminary treatment to the captured images, distortion correction, enlargement/reduction, and cut of images may be performed.

<FIG> is a flowchart related to the detection process executed in step S15.

The detection process is executed per detection area by the detection processing unit 22b of the detection unit <NUM> of the image processor <NUM>. That is, the detection processing unit 22b extracts an image of each of the detection areas E1 to E4 from a plurality of images captured chronologically by the camera <NUM>, and analyzes the images to execute the detection process corresponding to each of the detection areas E1 to E4.

As in <FIG>, the detection processing unit 22b analyzes an image in the detection area E1 set on the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM> and detects a user riding condition including riding positions of the users and he number of users in the car <NUM> (step S21).

In <FIG>, P1 to P5 are schematic images of users. Note that, the position of users may not be a precise position of each of the users but may be, for example, a position of the users concentrated on the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM>. Furthermore, the number of users may not be the precise number but may be, for example, an occupation rate of users with respect to the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM> as crowded degree.

By detecting the user riding condition using the image of the detection area E1, if, for example, users are concentrated in front of the car door <NUM>, the users can be guided to step further in the car <NUM>. Furthermore, if many users are in the car in a crowded state, the car <NUM> may carry out drive control including control of allocation of a hall call with respect to the car <NUM>.

Furthermore, as in <FIG>, as the detection area E1 is set to include the front pillars 41a and 41b, side surfaces 48a and 48b, and rear surface <NUM> surrounding the car room, a user riding condition in the car <NUM> where, for example, a user is contacting the front pillars 41a and 41b can be detected with more details.

Note that a method of detecting a user or an object by the image analysis may be, for example, a difference method to compare a basic image and a captured image, or a movement detection method to follow the movement of the user or the object per block. Or, the existence of a user or an object may be determined by recognizing objects other than the elevator components from the image within the detection area. Any conventional object recognition method can be used. For example, deep learning, support vector machine, and random forests may be used.

The detection processing unit 22b analyzes images within the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> set in the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b, and executes a detection of a user caught by the car door <NUM> during the door opening operation (step S22). The detection of a user caught by the car door <NUM> means predicting a user to be caught by the door pockets 42a and 42b in the two-door both opening type car door <NUM> in the door opening operation. That is, as in <FIG>, when a user put a hand on the inner side surface 41a-<NUM> of the front pillar 41a during the door opening operation, the hand is detected before it is caught by the door pocket 42a.

Note that the same applies to a side open opening type as in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the structure near the doorway of the car in which a two-door one side opening type car door is used. In this example, the two-door one side opening type car door <NUM> is disposed at the doorway of the car <NUM> to be opened/closed freely. The car door <NUM> includes, as in <FIG>, two door panels 13a and 13b and they open/close in the same direction along the door direction.

If the car door <NUM> is the one side opening type, the door pocket 42a is disposed only with the one side of the doorway. In the example of <FIG>, the door pocket 42a is provided with the left side of the doorway, and the two door panels 13a and 13b are accommodated in the door pocket 42a in the door opening operation to be overlapping with each other.

In that case, the camera <NUM> with the super-wide-angle lens can capture an image of a wide range, and thus, the camera <NUM> is not required to be disposed closer to the door pocket 42a side, and may be disposed in the central part of the doorway. The detection area E2-<NUM> is set with respect to the front pillar 41a in the door pocket 42a side on the image captured by the camera <NUM>. Thereby, if a hand of a user is close to the door pocket 42a, such a condition can be detected from the image in the detection area E2-<NUM>.

Note that, in <FIG>, if there is the detection area E2-<NUM> set with respect to the other front pillar 41b, an accident where a side end of the car door <NUM> hits a user in the door closing operation (door hit accident) can be prevented.

As in <FIG>, the detection processing unit 22b analyzes the image in the detection area E3 set near the hall <NUM> to detect a hall condition including positions of users waiting in the hall <NUM> and the number of waiting users (step S23).

In <FIG>, P1 to P4 are schematic images of users. Note that, the waiting position may not be a precise position of each user but may be a position of users concentrating in the car. Furthermore, the number of waiting users may not be a precise number but may be an occupation rate of users with respect to the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM> in the detection area E3 as crowded degree of the hall <NUM>.

The hall condition is detected using the image of the detection area E3 as above, and thus, if many users are waiting in the hall <NUM>, the users in the car <NUM> are prompted to step further in the car <NUM> to accommodate as many users as possible.

The detection processing unit 22b analyzes the image of the detection area E4 set to near the doorway of the car <NUM> to detect a user or an object approaching the car <NUM> from the hall <NUM> in the door opening operation (step S24).

Specifically, the detection processing unit 22b compares images in the detection area E4 from the images chronologically captured by the camera <NUM> per block to detect the movement of feet of users moving from the center of the car door <NUM> to the hall <NUM>, that is, moving in the axis Y direction.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a movement detection using image comparison. <FIG> schematically illustrates a part of an image captured with time tn and <FIG> schematically illustrates a part of an image captured with time tn+<NUM>. P1 and P2 in the figure are partial images of users detected as moving objects on the captured image, and actually, are aggregations of blocks detected as a moving object through the image comparison.

A moving block Bx closest to the car door <NUM> will be extracted from the image parts P1 and P2, and Y coordinate of the block Bx is followed to determine whether or not the target has an intention to ride the car. In that case, equidistant lines as shown in dotted lines are drawn in the axis Y direction (equidistant horizontal lines parallel to the car door <NUM>), a gap between the block Bx and the car door <NUM> in the axis Y direction can be acquired.

In the example of <FIG>, positions of the moving block Bx closest to the car door <NUM> change from yn to yn-<NUM>, and thus, it can be understood that a user who has an intention to ride the car is approaching the car door <NUM>.

In addition, a process to detect a movement track of a user or a process to detect attribution of users (wheelchair, stroller, elderly person, and the like) may be added in each detection area.

Now, the detection process is executed in each detection area as in <FIG>, and then, a result of the detection process is output to the elevator controller <NUM> from the image processor <NUM> (step S16). The elevator controller <NUM> receives a detection result from each detection area and executes a response process corresponding to the detection result (step S17).

The response processes executed in step S17 differ in the detection areas, and for example, in the detection area E1, a process corresponding to the car riding condition of the car <NUM>. Specifically, if users are concentrated in front of the car door <NUM>, the elevator controller <NUM> may guide the users in the car <NUM> to step further in through the notification unit <NUM>. Furthermore, if many users are in the car in a crowded state, the elevator controller <NUM> carries out drive control including control of allocation of a hall call with respect to the car <NUM> via the drive controller <NUM>.

As an example, a response process corresponding to a case where a user or an object is detected in the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> will be explained with reference to <FIG>.

If a user or an object is detected in the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM> set in the inner side surfaces 41a-<NUM> and 41b-<NUM> of the front pillars 41a and 41b during the door opening operation of the car door <NUM> (Yes in step S31), the door opening/closing control unit <NUM> of the elevator controller <NUM> temporarily stops the door opening operation of the car door <NUM>, and after a few seconds, resumes the door opening operation from the stop position (step S32). Note that, the door opening speed of the car door <NUM> may be set slower than an ordinary speed, or resume of the door opening operation may be performed after the car door <NUM> is slightly moved to the opposite direction (door closing direction).

Furthermore, the notification unit <NUM> of the elevator controller <NUM> performs voice announce through the speaker <NUM> of the car <NUM> to inform the users to be distant from the door pockets 42a and 42b (step S33). Note that, a method of notification is not limited to the voice announce, and may be a message such as "Stay away from door pockets" displayed on the display device, or both the voice announce and the message may be presented. Furthermore, an alarming sound may be used.

While a user or an object is being detected in the detection areas E2-<NUM> and E2-<NUM>, the above process is repeated. Thus, if a hand of the user is close to the door pocket 42a, the hand caught by the door pocket 42a can be prevented, for example.

If a user or an object is not detected in the detection area E2-<NUM> or E2-<NUM> (No in step S31), the elevator controller <NUM> performs the door closing operation after the car door <NUM> is fully opened, and after the door is closed, the car <NUM> is moved to a target floor (step S34).

Note that, even if a user or an object is not detected in the detection area E2-<NUM> or E2-<NUM>, if a user is approaching the car <NUM> in the detection area E4, for example, the elevator controller <NUM> maintains the door opening until the user rides the car <NUM> or sets the door opening speed of the car door <NUM> slower than a normal speed. That is, the elevator controller <NUM> executes the response process corresponding to the detection result obtained in each of the detection areas E1 to E4.

Furthermore, when the car <NUM> stops at the hall <NUM> of each floor, movement of users is traced in the detection areas E3 and E4 to detect the number of users to ride the car <NUM> in each floor (the number of users onboard) and the number of users to leave the car <NUM> (the number of users outbound), and the detection result can be reflected on the drive control of the car <NUM>.

Note that, in the flowchart of <FIG>, a case where the detection process is performed per area during the door opening operation of the car <NUM> is illustrated; however, the same applies to a case during the door opening operation of the car <NUM>. That is, the detection process is performed in each of the detection areas E1 to E4 during the door closing operation, and the response process corresponding to the detection result is executed. Thereby, if a user is detected in the detection area E3 while the car door <NUM> is closing, the car door <NUM> is reopened to accept the user.

Furthermore, the same can be applied to the upward movement operation (moving) of the car <NUM>. In that case, the detection areas E1 and E2 set in the car <NUM> are targets of detection, and the detection process is performed per area during the upward movement operation (moving), and then, the response process corresponding to the detection result is executed.

Furthermore, the same applies to the car <NUM> while it is stopped for some reason. In that case, the detection areas E1 and E2 set in the car <NUM> are targets of detection. For example, if the car <NUM> is emergency stopped by an earthquake in the door closing condition, the number of users in the car <NUM> is detected from the image of the detection area E1 set on the floor surface <NUM> of the car <NUM> to be reported to a surveillance center which is not shown in order to rapidly respond to the elevator lock-in accident.

With the embodiment, a camera having a super-wide-angle lens is used to set several detection areas on the captured image of the camera, and a detection process is performed per detection area. Thus, without using several cameras, several detection functions can be realized with only one camera. Thus, with a simple and cost effective structure, security and convenience of the elevator can be increased.

The above embodiment uses one car for example. However, the embodiment can be applied to an elevator group management system including several cars.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating the structure of the elevator group management system, and several cars (four cars of elevators A to D) are managed as a group.

Cars 51a to 51d include, as in the car <NUM> of <FIG>, cameras 12a to 12d having a super-wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens, respectively. The camera 12a captures an image in the car 51a and an image of the hall near the doorway of the car 51a during the door opening operation, and sends the captured images to the image processor 20a. The same applies to the cameras 12b to 12d to capture an image of each of the cars 51b to 51d and an image of the hall near the doorway of each of the cars 51b to 51d during the door opening operation, and sends the captured image to the image processors 20b to 20d, respectively.

The image processor 20a to 20d have, as with the image processor <NUM> of <FIG>, a function to set several detection areas on the captured image and to execute a detection process per detection area.

Here, in the elevator controllers 30a to 30d of each car, the door opening/closing control is performed based on the detection result of each area obtained from the image processors 20a to 20d; however, for example, the following controls may be performed in the group management controller <NUM> which is a higher rank controller.

If a new hall call is made, the hall call is allocated to a car relatively less crowded amongst the cars 51a to 51d based on the number of users on board (crowded degree) output from the image processors 20a to 20d as detection results.

In response to the conditions of the cars output from the image processors 20a to 20d as the detection results, a car with some kind of error is stopped.

Based on the existence of users output from the image processors 20a to 20d as the detection results, a car including no user is maintained at a certain floor to wait. A certain floor includes a reference floor where users ride the car more frequently.

Claim 1:
An elevator user detection system comprising a camera (<NUM>) disposed in a car, including a super-wide-angle lens for widely capturing an image of a target including the inside of the car at an angle view of <NUM> degrees or more, and configured to capture an image of the entirety of the inside of the car and an image of a hall near a doorway of the car, the system comprises:
a detection area setting unit (22a) configured to set at least two detection areas with respect to each of the inside of the car and the hall on an image captured by the camera (<NUM>);
a detection processing unit (22b) configured to execute a detection process related to a drive operation of the car for each of the at least two detection areas set by the detection area setting unit (22a); and
an elevator controller (<NUM>) configured to execute different response processes for the at least two detection areas, respectively, based on detection results of the detection processing unit (22b), the response processes including at least drive control of the car, open/close control of a door of the car and notification of giving a warning to a user in the car.