Secure method and system of video detection for automatically controlling a mechanical system such as a moving staircase or a travelator

A method for detecting persons or objects in a detection zone in order to control a mechanical system as a function of a presence of objects or persons detected in the detection zone by means of cameras disposed so as to cover the detection zone and connected to a monitoring processor coupled to a control device for controlling the mechanical system, the detection method comprising:

• an initialization phase comprising a step of checking hardware elements of the monitoring processor and data stored in the monitoring processor;
• a processing loop including, for each active camera, a step of acquiring an image supplied by the camera and of processing the image in order to generate detection data whenever a person or an object is detected in the detection zone and in order to determine which commands to apply to the control device of the mechanical system, a step of checking the quality of the image, a step of checking an angular position of the camera relative to the detection zone, and a step of checking hardware elements of the monitoring processor and data stored in the monitoring processor;
• and
• a phase of checking and controlling the control device using commands determined in the processing loop and as a function of any defects detected during the checking step.