Apparatus for classifying movement of objects along a passage by type and direction employing time domain patterns

摘要

An array of spaced parallel linear radiation beams are projected across a passage in sequentially spaced regions. Detectors sense when the beams are interrupted by one or more persons moving in the passage in either of two opposite directions. The beams are interrupted at different times in a sequence corresponding to the number of and direction of movement of persons. The sequentially generated interrupted beam signals are stored as object movement historic information in memory and later processed to generate composite beam interrupt patterns manifesting the number of persons and direction of movement, the patterns being a function of time domain and sensor index, i.e., sensor identity and position in the passage. The resulting generated patterns are compared to reference patterns utilizing computerized pattern recognition analysis such as with an artificial neural network. The comparison classifies the persons in the passage into direction of movement and number.