An occupancy distribution estimation method using the surveillance cameras in buildings

摘要

Occupancy distribution can not only help improve the energy efficiency of the buildings but also generate better evacuation plan under emergency. There are many techniques such as CO2 sensor network, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra wideband (UWB), passive infrared (PIR) etc. that can be used to estimate the occupancy distribution. However, these methods require the extra installation of devices, which are expensive and impractical for large-scale deployment. In this paper, we propose an occupancy distribution estimation method using the surveillance cameras in buildings, requiring no further deployment of sensors. By processing the camera videos, the number of passing occupants at the entrance of a region will be recorded so that the occupancy distribution can be estimated. We tested our method in a real functioning building and the validity of our method is shown in the experiments.