Video-based system and method for counting persons traversing areas being monitored

A method of counting persons traversing areas being monitored comprising:

• initialization of at least an end unit, said end unit having installed therein, at least a camera producing images of a first area being monitored and a second separate area being monitored, said end unit comprising at least a non-volatile memory unit and a working memory unit, the non-volatile memory unit comprising a plurality of counters;
• digitizing said images and storing said digitized images in a nonvolatile memory unit and a working memory unit;
• detecting objects being potential persons from said digitized images;
• comparing the digitized images of objects detected in said first area being monitored with digitized images of said first area being monitored stored in the working memory unit to determine whether the detected object is a new figure that has entered said first area being monitored or whether the detected object is a known figure, that has remained within said first area being monitored and to determine that a figure which was not detected has left said first area being monitored;
• and
• incrementing at least a first of said plurality of counters with an indication of the number of persons that have passed through said first area being monitored,
• comparing the digitized images of objects detected in said second area being monitored with digitized images of said second area being monitored stored in the working memory unit to determine whether the detected object is a new figure that has entered said second area being monitored or whether the detected object is a known figure, that has remained within said second area being monitored and to determine that a figure which was not detected has left said second area being monitored;
• and
• incrementing at least a second of said plurality of counters with an indication of the number of persons that have passed through said second area being monitored, and
• comparing said indication of the number of persons that have passed through said first area being monitored with said indication of the number of persons that have passed through said second area being monitored.