Lidar sensing system

Abstract

LiDAR ranging devices include an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver assembly. There is one LiDAR, and there can be more LiDARs each covering a field of sensing. The LiDAR devices are mounted within a building on a support structure in spaced relationship from each other. The fields of sensing from each LiDAR collectively provide an enhanced field of sensing of an area in the building. Each LiDAR and its base are tuned to sense human traffic. A base collects sensed data from each LiDAR such that tracking information and movement of human traffic over the enhanced area is received by the base. The fields of sensing of each LiDAR can overlap, and an analytic program stitches the sensed data from each LiDAR to obtain a stitched map of sensed data over the enhanced area. Barriers to line of site between humans to be sensed and LiDAR devices are minimized by the LiDARs.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprises at least one time-of-flight light detection and ranging sensor (‘LiDAR”) ranging device, the LiDAR device includes an optical transmitter, an optical receiver assembly, power regulation electronics, control electronics, data conversion electronics, and processing electronics; and
 the LiDAR device covering a field of sensing of a zone, the device being mounted within a building on a support structure, the LiDAR device providing data from the field of sensing of the zone, such data including from the LiDAR device being an enhanced field of sensing of an area in the building, a system, unit or protocol tuned to sense human traffic from the sensed data, and providing a sensing profile of tracking information and movement of human traffic over the zone or area, the sensing data of the LiDAR device being stitched in an analytical process to provide a sensing profile, the profile additionally including data relating to characteristics of the field or area of sensing in the building. 
 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the profile additionally includes data relating to characteristics of a normal regular expected pattern or sequence of activity in the building. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein such analytic process including a first in/first out (FIFO) analysis. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  including mountings for each LiDAR device and the LiDAR device projects over the respective areas in the building. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus for providing a tracking service to an operator of an airport facility-building comprising:
 at least two time-of-flight LiDAR ranging devices, each LiDAR device includes an optical transmitter, an optical receiver assembly, power regulation electronics, control electronics, data conversion electronics, and processing electronics; and each LiDAR device covering a field or area of sensing, the two devices being mounted within a building on a support structure in spaced relationship from each other, the fields of sensing from each LiDAR device being at least adjacent the other whereby collectively an enhanced field or area of sensing of an area in the building is achieved, each LiDAR device being tuned to sense human traffic, a unit for collecting sensed data from each LiDAR device such that tracking information and movement of human traffic over the enhanced area is received by the unit; the sensing data of each LiDAR device being stitched by an analytical process with data from the other data from the associated LiDAR device to provide an enlarged sensing profile such analytic process being a first in/first out (FIFO) analysis;   the airport facility comprising a door for entry into the facility from an outside position from the facility, a first area between the door and a security checking location within the facility, the security checking location, and a second area beyond the security checking location and providing information of movement of humans from the first area through the security checking location and into the second area,   a location node within the facility, the location node including a transceiver of wireless signals, and transmitting the signals received to a base for processing the received signals;   the location node being located in a specific security checking location within the facility, the node wireless communicating with movable humans within the facility thereby to establish the location and movement of humans within the facility, the humans having wireless communicating units transmitting and receiving signals wirelessly with the node, each unit being unique for each human and communicating with the node when the human enters at least one area; and   the location node including a detection device, the device including a radio transmitter/receiver, the device being capable of detecting the first area entry, dwell and exit events of the human respectively through a communication with the wireless communicating unit of respective human entities, the wireless communicating units equipped with selectively a Bluetooth and WI-FI radio, wherein the location is a retail store, the store being divided into multi-dimensional areas where the radius of each area is configurable.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of areas having LiDAR device search areas are located on different floors of a building, and wherein the analytic process effects stitching of data from different floors, thereby to track humans moving between different floors. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus for providing a tracking service to an operator of a facility comprising:
 at least two time-of-flight LiDAR ranging devices, each LiDAR device includes an optical transmitter, an optical receiver assembly, power regulation electronics, control electronics, data conversion electronics, and processing electronics; and each LiDAR device covering a field or area of sensing, the two devices being mounted within a building on a support structure in spaced relationship from each other, the fields of sensing from each LiDAR device being at least adjacent the other whereby collectively an enhanced field or area of sensing of an area in the building is achieved, each LiDAR device being tuned to sense human traffic, a unit for collecting sensed data from each LiDAR device such that tracking information and movement of human traffic over the enhanced area is received by the unit;   the devices providing data about the movement of the humans in the facility relative to the location such data including at least one of entry into the location, departure from the location, amount of time spent in the vicinity of the location;   the unit receiving the data from the devices and selectively photographs from a camera to constitute flow control information;   optionally, a server for receiving location data of a communication device associated with a human, the location data defining the detected position of the communication device at a number of different points in time, the location server further being arranged to receive data associated with the location data indicative of the order in which the location data was determined;   wherein the server is further arranged to compare the received location data and area data defining a plurality of areas and to associate the received location data with one of the plurality of areas; and determining the human's path passing through an area, the sensing data of each LiDAR device being stitched by an analytical process with data from the other data from the associated LiDAR device to provide an enlarged sensing profile, wherein the plurality of areas having LiDAR device search areas are located on different floors of a building, and wherein the analytic process effects stitching of data from different floors, thereby to track humans moving between different floors.   
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for providing a tracking service to an operator of an airport facility-building comprising:
 at least two time-of-flight LiDAR ranging devices, each LiDAR device includes an optical transmitter, an optical receiver assembly, power regulation electronics, control electronics, data conversion electronics, and processing electronics; and   each LiDAR device covering a field or area of sensing, the two devices being mounted within a building on a support structure in spaced relationship from each other, the fields of sensing from each LiDAR device being at least adjacent the other whereby collectively an enhanced field or area of sensing of an area in the building is achieved, each LiDAR device being tuned to sense human traffic, a unit for collecting sensed data from each LiDAR device such that tracking information and movement of human traffic over the enhanced area is received by the unit; the sensing data of each LiDAR device being stitched by an analytical process with data from the other data from the associated LiDAR device to provide an enlarged sensing profile such analytic process being a first in/first out (FIFO) analysis;   the airport facility comprising a door for entry into the facility from an outside position from the facility, a first area between the door and a security checking location within the facility, the security checking location, and a second area beyond the security checking location and providing information of movement of humans from the first area through the security checking location and into the second area,   a location node within the facility, the location node including a transceiver of wireless signals, and transmitting the signals received to a base for processing the received signals;   the location node being located in a specific security checking location within the facility, the node wireless communicating with movable humans within the facility thereby to establish the location and movement of humans within the facility, the humans having wireless communicating units transmitting and receiving signals wirelessly with the node, each unit being unique for each human and communicating with the node when the human enters at least one area; and   the location node including a detection device, the device including a radio transmitter/receiver, the device being capable of detecting the first area entry, dwell and exit events of the human respectively through a communication with the wireless communicating unit of respective human entities, the wireless communicating units equipped with selectively a Bluetooth and WI-FI radio, wherein the plurality of areas having LiDAR device search areas are located on different floors of a building, and wherein the analytic process effects stitching of data from different floors, thereby to track humans moving between different floors.