Video traffic monitor for retail establishments and the like

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing further comprises the steps of: obtaining a position for a person within one of said consecutive segments; and comparing said position with a previous position for said person within said one of said consecutive segments to determine a direction of movement for said person across said zone.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: storing numbers for directions of movement of said retail customers; and displaying said numbers and said directions.

Claim 5

The method of monitoring and counting retail customers of claim 1 wherein said step of processing further includes the step of: examining a gap of an unoccupied segment between otherwise consecutive segments which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied segment is to be considered as occupied.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein said steps following said step of positioning further comprises the step of employing a digital signal processor on a dedicated board.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein said step of digitizing further comprises employing a custom frame-grabber board coupled to said digital signal processor.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein said steps following said step of positioning further comprise the step of employing a personal computer.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein said step of digitizing further comprises employing a conventional frame-grabber board coupled to an I/O port of said personal computer.

Claim 10

A video traffic monitor for detecting and counting objects of measurement traversing a traffic zone in different directions, said video traffic monitor, comprising: a video imager positioned above a traffic zone to be monitored for object movement, said video imager producing an image of said traffic zone in the form of an analog signal; a signal converter coupled to said video imager for converting said analog signal into digital information representing said image; an image handler coupled to said signal converter for storing said image represented by said digital information at repetitive time intervals; and a processor coupled to said image handler for analyzing a window of said image, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, said window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement across said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said traffic zone, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement.

Claim 11

A video traffic monitor for detecting and counting objects of measurement traversing a traffic zone in different directions, said video traffic monitor, comprising: a video imager positioned above a traffic zone to be monitored for object movement, said video imager producing an image of said traffic zone in the form of an analog signal; a signal converter coupled to said video imager for converting said analog signal into digital information representing said image; an image handler coupled to said signal converter for storing said image represented by said digital information at repetitive time intervals; and a processor coupled to said image handler for analyzing a window of said image, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, said window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement across said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said traffic zone, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement.

Claim 12

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said processor being a digital signal processor on a dedicated board.

Claim 13

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said processor is coupled to a personal computer, said personal computer storing and displaying numbers for the directions of movement for said objects.

Claim 14

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said video imager being a monochrome camera.

Claim 15

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said video imager being a color CCD camera.

Claim 16

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said video imager being a infrared camera.

Claim 17

The video traffic monitor for detecting and counting objects of measurement traversing a traffic zone of claim 9 wherein said processor examines a gap of an unoccupied gate between otherwise consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied gate is to be considered as occupied.

Claim 18

The video traffic monitor of claim 9 wherein said processor being a conventional personal computer.

Claim 19

The video traffic monitor of claim 16 wherein said image handler and said signal converter being a conventional frame-grabber board coupled to an I/O port of personal computer.

Claim 20

A video traffic analyzer for detecting the flow of objects of measurements across an image of a traffic zone having said objects of measurement traversing said traffic zone, said video traffic analyzer receiving digital information representing said image of said traffic zone and comprising a processor analyzing a window of said image, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, said window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement traversing said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said traffic zone, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement.

Claim 21

A video traffic analyzer for detecting the flow of objects of measurements across an image of a traffic zone having said objects of measurement traversing said traffic zone, said video traffic analyzer receiving digital information representing said image of said traffic zone and comprising a processor analyzing a window of said image, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, said window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement traversing said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said traffic zone, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement.

Claim 22

The video traffic analyzer of claim 18 wherein said processor being a digital signal processor on a dedicated board.

Claim 23

The video traffic analyzer of claim 18 wherein said processor is coupled to a personal computer, said personal computer storing and displaying a number and directions of movement for said objects.

Claim 24

The video traffic analyzer of claim 18 wherein said processor being a conventional personal computer.

Claim 25

The video traffic analyzer of claim 18 wherein said processor examines a gap of an unoccupied gate between otherwise consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied gate is to be considered as occupied.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: storing a result of said counting and directions of movement for said objects; and displaying said results and said directions of movement for said objects.

Claim 29

The method for detecting the traffic flow of objects of measurement traversing a traffic zone of claim 23 wherein said step of distinguishing further includes the step of: examining a gap of an unoccupied gate between otherwise consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied gate is to be considered as occupied.

Claim 30

The method of claim 23 wherein said steps following said step of storing further comprise the step of employing a digital signal processor on a dedicated board.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 wherein said step of storing further comprises employing a custom frame-grabber board coupled to said digital signal processor.

Claim 32

The method of claim 23 wherein said steps following said step of storing further comprise the step of employing a personal computer.

Claim 33

The method of claim 28 wherein said step of storing further comprise employing a conventional frame-grabber board coupled to an I/O port of said personal computer.

Claim 36

The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of employing a digital signal processor on a dedicated board.

Claim 37

The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of employing a personal computer.

Claim 38

The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of: storing a result of said counting and directions of movement for said objects; and displaying said results and said directions of movement for said objects.

Claim 39

The method for detecting the flow of objects of measurement across an image of a traffic zone of claim 30 wherein said step of distinguishing further includes the step of: examining a gap of an unoccupied gate between otherwise consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied gate is to be considered as occupied.

Claim 40

A video traffic monitoring system for detecting the flow of objects of measurement across a plurality of traffic zones, comprising: a plurality of video traffic analyzers, each of said plurality of video traffic analyzers comprising a processor analyzing a window of an image of one of said plurality of traffic zones, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement traversing said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said one of said plurality of traffic zones, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement; and a computer coupled to each of said plurality of video traffic analyzers, said computer storing and displaying numbers and directions of movement for said objects in each of said plurality of traffic zones.

Claim 41

A video traffic monitoring system for detecting the flow of objects of measurement across a plurality of traffic zones, comprising: a plurality of video traffic analyzers, each of said plurality of video traffic analyzers comprising a processor analyzing a window of an image of one of said plurality of traffic zones, said window being a subset of said image and positioned and fixed in position during analyzing substantially across said image, window including a linear array of gates consecutively positioned and fixed in position within said window and within said image during analyzing, each of said gates having a predetermined size relative to the size of an object of measurement, said processor analyzing said gates to determine whether an object of measurement is traversing said window and to determine a direction of movement transverse to said linear array of gates for said object of measurement traversing said window such that said processor counts said object as entering or exiting said one of said plurality of traffic zones, said processor distinguishing objects of measurement traversing said window by examining consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether the number of consecutive gates which are occupied corresponds to an individual object of measurement; and a computer coupled to each of said plurality of video traffic analyzers, said computer storing and displaying numbers and directions of movement for said objects in each of said plurality of traffic zones.

Claim 42

The video traffic monitoring system for detecting the flow of objects of measurement across a plurality of traffic zones of claim 35 wherein said processor examines a gap of an unoccupied gate between otherwise consecutive gates which are occupied to determine whether said unoccupied gate is to be considered as occupied.