US 2002/0118113 A1Published application

Object detection sensor

AssigneeOptex Co., Ltd.

InventorsShin-ichi Oku, Yoshinori Tatsumi, Akihiko Hayashi, Maki Takeguchi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Cameras 31, 32 take images of an image space around a door. A distance calculation unit 33 calculates the distance to an object in the taken images. A coordinate transformation unit 34 detects the three-dimensional position of the object in the image space. The image space covered by the cameras 31, 32 is divided into a plurality of voxels. Some of these voxels are optionally set as constituents of the detection area. A judgement unit 36 judges whether the detected three-dimensional position of the object locates within or outside the detection area. If the object is present within the detection area, an output unit 37 produces an object detection signal, so that the door is allowed to open.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An object detection sensor which comprises:

means capable of taking an image of a predetermined image space;
means for calculating a distance between the image pickup means and an object observed in the image of the image space, the distance calculation means operating on receiving an output from the image pickup means;
means for detecting a three-dimensional position of an object in the image space, the object position detection means operating on receiving an output from the distance calculation means, wherein the position of an object is detected with respect to the object for which the distance from the image taking means is calculated, based on the calculated distance;
means for registering a detection space, which is capable of setting an optional mask space in the image space covered by the image taking means, and which registers a space in the image space, excluding the mask space, as an object detection space;
means for judging whether the detected three-dimensional position of the object locates within or outside the registered object detection space, the judgement means operating on receiving outputs from the position detection means and the detection space registration means;
and
means for outputting an object detection signal, the output means operating on receiving an output from the judgement means, wherein the object detection signal is produced, with a proviso that the detected three-dimensional position of the object locates within the registered object detection space.

4 more elements

An object detection sensor which comprises:

means capable of taking an image of a predetermined image space;
means for calculating a distance between the image pickup means and an object observed in the image of the image space, the distance calculation means operating on receiving an output from the image pickup means;
means for detecting a three-dimensional position of an object in the image space, the object position detection means operating on receiving an output from the distance calculation means, wherein the position of an object is detected with respect to the object for which the distance from the image taking means is calculated, based on the calculated distance;
means for registering a detection space, which registers, as an object detection space, an optional space in the image space covered by the image taking means;
means for judging whether the detected three-dimensional position of the object locates within or outside the registered object detection space, the judgement means operating on receiving outputs from the position detection means and the detection space registration means;
and
means for outputting an object detection signal, the output means operating on receiving an output from the judgement means, wherein the object detection signal is produced, with a proviso that the detected three-dimensional position of the object locates within the registered object detection space.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.