Method of, and apparatus for, controlling the position of an automatically operated door

A method of controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of said automatically operated door, said method comprising the steps of:

• emitting infrared radiation into the predeterminate space and thereby irradiating at least one person present on the support surface within the predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• detecting by means of an infrared camera infrared radiation reflected by the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• evaluating the detected reflected infrared radiation by means of a programmable evaluation and control unit for generating control signals for controlling the operation of said automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said step of detecting said reflected infrared radiation by means of said infrared camera entails adjusting said infrared camera to a predetermined position in which the camera axis extends at a predetermined angle different from 90.degree. relative to said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said step of detecting by means of said infrared camera reflected infrared radiation further entails projecting at least one infrared reflection image of said predeterminate space;
• and
• during said step of projecting said at least one infrared reflection image, imaging different zones of said predeterminate space and which zones extend substantially parallel to said support surface and said automatically operated door in a manner such that a zone which is closer to said automatically operated door, is imaged at a larger scale than a zone which is more distant from said automatically operated door, and the imaging scale progressively increases with decreasing distance from said automatically operated door so that each zone situated closer to said automatically operated door is imaged at proportionally higher resolution as compared to an adjacent zone which is more distant from said automatically operated door.

A method of controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of said automatically operated door, said method comprising the steps of:

• emitting infrared radiation into the predeterminate space and thereby irradiating at least one person present on the support surface within the predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• detecting by means of an infrared camera infrared radiation reflected by the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• evaluating the detected reflected infrared radiation by means of a programmable evaluation and control unit for generating control signals for controlling the operation of said automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said step of detecting said reflected infrared radiation by means of said infrared camera entails projecting at least one infrared reflection image of said predeterminate space;
• scanning said at least one projected infrared reflection image in two mutually perpendicular directions corresponding to respective directions extending in said support surface within said predeterminate space substantially parallel to said automatically operated door and substantially perpendicular to said automatically operated door;
• said scanning operation including the following steps:
• sequentially scanning said infrared reflection image in a first one of said two mutually perpendicular directions by means of a predetermined number of image columns which are arranged in sequence in said first direction corresponding to said direction extending substantially parallel to said automatically operated door, and extending in a second one of said two mutually perpendicular directions corresponding to said direction extending substantially perpendicular to said automatically operated door;
• sequentially projecting each one of said sequence of image columns onto a linear image sensor extending in said second direction;
• and
• after each projecting step, reading-out said linear image sensor and preparing said linear image sensor for receiving the projection from a next-following one of said sequence of imaging columns.

A method of controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of said automatically operated door, said method comprising the steps of:

• emitting infrared radiation into the predeterminate space and thereby irradiating at least one person present on the support surface within the predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• detecting by means of an infrared camera infrared radiation reflected by the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• evaluating the detected reflected infrared radiation by means of a programmable evaluation and control unit for generating control signals for controlling the operation of said automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said step of detecting said reflected infrared radiation by means of said infrared camera entails projecting a plural number of infrared reflection images of said predeterminate space;
• converting each one of said plural number of projected infrared reflection images into binary data representative of said infrared image and indicating a contour in said infrared reflection image as well as a temporal variation in said infrared reflection images as compared to at least one further infrared reflection image of said plural number of infrared reflection images;
• storing each one of said binary data representative of each one of said infrared reflection images;
• and
• during said step of evaluation said detected reflected infrared radiation, comparing said stored binary data representative of the plural number of infrared reflection images with further projected infrared reflection images.

A method of controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of said automatically operated door, said method comprising the steps of:

• emitting infrared radiation into the predeterminate space and thereby irradiating at least one person present on the support surface within the predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• detecting by means of an infrared camera infrared radiation reflected by the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• evaluating the detected reflected infrared radiation by means of a programmable evaluation and control unit for generating control signals for controlling the operation of said automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• detecting reflected optical radiation reflected by the at least one person present of the support surface within said predeterminate space and forming an optical reflection image of said predeterminate space;
• during said step of detecting said reflected infrared radiation by means of said infrared camera, projecting an infrared reflected image of said predeterminate space;
• alternatingly forming said optical reflection image and said infrared reflection image;
• converting said optical reflection image into binary data representative of said optical reflection image;
• converting said infrared reflection into binary data representative of said infrared reflection image;
• and
• subtracting said binary data representative of said optical reflection image from said binary data representative of said infrared reflection image in order to thereby form differential binary data representative of a differential reflection image.

A method of controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of said automatically operated door, said method comprising the steps of:

• emitting a radiation field of limited vertical extent into the predeterminate space along and at a predeterminate height above the support surface within the predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• arranging an active imaging device at a predeterminate height above said radiation field and directing said active imaging device at a predeterminate angle of inclination different from 90.degree. to said radiation field;
• imaging by means of said active imaging device and in the form of reflection images, at the least part of the at least one person by reflected radiation reflected by at least said part of said at least one person present within a predeterminate imaging region of said predeterminate space;
• evaluating, by means of a programmable evaluation and control unit, said reflection images of at least said part of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• and
• generating control signals for controlling the operation of said automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space as determined by evaluating said reflection images.

An apparatus for controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• an infrared radiation source emitting an infrared radiation into said predeterminate space substantially along and above the support surface;
• an active infrared imaging device directed to a predeterminate imaging region of said predeterminate space on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• support means for mounting said active infrared imaging device at a predeterminate height above said infrared radiation field and at a predeterminate angle of inclination different from 90.degree. to said infrared radiation field;
• said active infrared imaging device imaging in the form of infrared reflection images, at least part of the at least one person present within said predeterminate imaging region of said predeterminate space by means of reflected infrared radiation reflected by at least said part of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active infrared imaging device for evaluating said reflection images of at least said part of the at least one person present in said predeterminate imaging region and thereby detecting the presence of said at least one person on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said programmable evaluation and control unit being programmed for evaluating said infrared reflection images of at least said part of the at least one person present within said predeterminate imaging region of said predeterminate space with respect to determining the number and the movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• and
• said programmable evaluation and control unit generating control signals for controlling the operation of the automatically operated door as a function of the infrared reflection image evaluation with respect to detecting the presence and determining the number and movement condition of the at least one person on said support surface within said predeterminate space.

An apparatus for controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending n a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• an infrared radiation source incorporated into the automatically operated door for emitting infrared radiation into said predeterminate space;
• an active infrared imaging device for imaging said predeterminate space on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• said active infrared imaging device imaging the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space by means of reflected infrared radiation originating from said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active infrared imaging device for controlling said automatically operated door in correspondence with the movement condition of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said active infrared imaging device constituting an infrared camera having a predetermined camera axis;
• said infrared camera being arranges with said camera axis at a predetermined angle of inclination different from 90.degree. relative to said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said infrared camera projecting at least one infrared reflection image of said predeterminate space;
• and
• said infrared camera imaging different zones of said predeterminate space and which zones extend substantially parallel to said support surface and said automatically operated door in a manner such that a zone, which is closer to said automatically operated door, is imaged at a larger scale than a zone which is more distant from said automatically operated door, and the imaging scale progressively increases with decreasing distance from said automatically operated door so that each zone situated closer to said automatically operated door is imaged at proportionally higher resolution as compared to an adjacent zone which is more distant from the automatically operated door.

An apparatus for controlling eh position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• an infrared radiation source incorporated into the automatically operated door for emitting infrared radiation into said predeterminate space;
• an active infrared imaging device for imaging said predeterminate space on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• said active infrared imaging device imaging the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space by means of reflected infrared radiation originating from said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active infrared imaging device for controlling said automatically operated door in correspondence with the movement condition of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• said active infrared imaging device comprising an infrared camera projecting a plural number of consecutive infrared reflection images of said predeterminate space;
• said infrared camera containing:
• a liquid crystal display unit containing a liquid crystal display and an associated microshutter;
• said microshutter possessing a plural number of microshutter columns arranged substantially parallel and adjacent to each other and defining a plural number of associated images columns at said liquid crystal display;
• said plural number of microshutters being arranged adjacent each other in a first direction corresponding to a direction extending substantially parallel to said support surface and substantially parallel to said automatically operated door and extending in a second direction corresponding to a direction extending substantially parallel to said support surface and substantially perpendicular to said automatically operated door;
• a linear image sensor constituting a charge-coupled device;
• and
• said linear image sensor extending in said second direction and substantially parallel to said liquid crystal display unit.

An apparatus for controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• an infrared radiation source incorporated into the automatically operated door for emitting infrared radiation into said predeterminate space;
• an active infrared imaging device for imaging said predeterminate space on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• said active infrared imaging device imaging the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space by means of reflected infrared radiation originating from said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active infrared imaging device for controlling said automatically operated door in correspondence with the movement condition of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• an optical imaging device for projecting at least one optical reflection image of said predeterminate space;
• said optical imaging device and said infrared imaging device being alternatingly operated in order to alternatively project at least one optical reflection image and said at least ne infrared reflection image;
• said programmable evaluation and control unit being operatively connected to said optical imaging device and said infrared imaging device for alternatingly generating binary data respectively representative of said at least one optical reflection image and said at least one infrared reflection image;
• and
• subtraction means of said programmable evaluation and control unit receiving said binary data and subtracting said binary data representative of said at least one optical reflection image from said binary data representative of said at least one infrared reflection image in order to thereby generate differential binary data representative of at least one differential reflection image.

An apparatus for controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• an infrared radiation source incorporated into the automatically operated door for emitting infrared radiation into said predeterminate space;
• an active infrared imaging device for imaging said predeterminate space on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• said active infrared imaging device imaging the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space by means of reflected infrared radiation originating from said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active infrared imaging device for controlling said automatically operated door in correspondence with the movement condition of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable microprocessor operatively connected with said active infrared imaging device and said infrared radiation source;
• said programmable microprocessor being programmed for controlling said infrared radiation source such as to emit infrared radiation into the predeterminate space;
• said programmable microprocessor being programmed for controlling the active infrared imaging device for projecting infrared reflection images of said predeterminate space;
• and
• said programmable microprocessor being further programmable for scanning said projected infrared reflection images and processing data representative of said infrared reflection images for generating control signals for controlling said automatically operated door in correspondence with the movement condition of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space.

An apparatus for controlling the position of an automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of at least one person present on a support surface within a predeterminate space extending on a predetermined side of the automatically operated door, said apparatus comprising:

• a radiation source for emitting a radiation field limited vertical extent into said predeterminate space along and at a predeterminate height above the support surface within said predeterminate space extending on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door;
• an active imaging device arranged on the predetermined side of the automatically operated door at a predeterminate height above said radiation field and directed at a predeterminate angle of inclination different from 90.degree. to said radiation field;
• said active imaging device imaging a predeterminate imaging region within said predeterminate space;
• said active imaging device further imaging in the form of reflection images, at least part of the at least one person present within said predeterminate imaging region of said predeterminate space by means of reflected radiation reflected by at least said part of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• a programmable evaluation and control unit operatively connected to said active imaging device for evaluating said reflection images produced by at least said part of said at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space;
• and
• said programmable evaluation and control unit generating control signals for controlling the operation of the automatically operated door as a function of the presence, number and movement condition of the at least one person present on said support surface within said predeterminate space in response to the evaluation of the reflection images produced by said active imaging device.