Methods and systems for auto-commissioning people counting systems

1. A method of auto-commissioning a people counting system of a person transportation system, the method comprising:

collecting people counting data associated with the person transportation system using a sensing device arranged to detect people crossing a counting area, wherein the counting area is a pre-designated area associated with the person transportation system;

using a processor to fit one or more distributions to the collected people counting data;

determining, with the processor, a value from the one or more distributions; and

setting, with the processor, the determined value as a key parameter of the people counting system,

wherein the collecting, fitting, determining, and setting are performed automatically using the processor and sensing device in response to an instruction to auto-commission the people counting system without human interaction during the auto-commissioning process as executed by the processor and using the sensing device, and

wherein the setting step comprises setting a key parameter for a single person count, a two person count, and a three person count.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the people counting data comprises an integrated pixel count of activated pixels.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said fitting of one or more distributions comprises a first Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data and a second Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first Gaussian curve represents a single person count and the second Gaussian curve represents a two person count.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

repeating the collecting step, the fitting step, and the determining step one or more times; and

determining when the peak value converges on a single value.

6. A people counting system comprising:

a sensing device configured to observe movement across a counting area;

a processor in communication with the sensing device and configured to set the counting area, wherein the sensing device and processor are part of a person transportation system and the counting area is a pre-designated area of the person transportation system;

the processor configured to perform a self-commissioning of the system, wherein the self-commissioning is performed without human interaction as executed by the processor and using the sensing device, the self-commissioning comprising:

collecting people counting data;

fitting one or more distributions to the collected people counting data;

determining a value from the one or more distributions; and

setting the value as a key parameter of the people counting system,

wherein the setting step comprises setting a key parameter for a single person count, a two person count, and a three person count.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the people counting data comprises an integrated pixel count of activated pixels of a view of the sensing device.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein said fitting of one or more distributions comprises a first Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data and a second Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first Gaussian curve represents a single person count and the second Gaussian curve represents a two person count.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

repeat the collecting step, the fitting step, and the determining step one or more times; and

determine when the peak value converges on a single value.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the person transportation system is an escalator.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the person transportation system is an elevator.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the person transportation system is an escalator.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the person transportation system is an elevator.

15. A method of auto-commissioning a people counting system of a person transportation system, the method comprising:

collecting people counting data associated with the person transportation system using a sensing device arranged to detect people crossing a counting area, wherein the counting area is a pre-designated area associated with the person transportation system;

using a processor to fit one or more distributions to the collected people counting data;

determining, with the processor, a value from the one or more distributions; and

setting, with the processor, the determined value as a key parameter of the people counting system,

wherein the collecting, fitting, determining, and setting are performed automatically using the processor and sensing device in response to an instruction to auto-commission the people counting system without human interaction during the auto-commissioning process as executed by the processor and using the sensing device, and

wherein said fitting of one or more distributions comprises a first Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data and a second Gaussian curve fit to the people counting data, wherein the first Gaussian curve represents a single person count and the second Gaussian curve represents a two person count.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the people counting data comprises an integrated pixel count of activated pixels.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

repeating the collecting step, the fitting step, and the determining step one or more times; and

determining when the peak value converges on a single value.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the setting step comprises setting a key parameter for a single person count, a two person count, and a three person count.