Sony video surveillance, alarms, and access control systems deployed at Beijing Subway

Sony deployed a combination of analog cameras and network cameras to implement HD monitoring along Changping line

Background

The Beijing Subway serves the city’s urban and suburban districts, considerably relieving pressure on other types of public transportation. Total operating track length is projected to reach 420 km in 2012, and a new 31.24-km Changping line runs north from downtown Beijing to suburban Changping, with stops at an innovation center, Life Science Park, technology park, Shahe University Park, the old part of Changping, the eastern area of newer Changping, and the Ming Tombs scenic area. Sony began providing video security solutions to the Beijing Subway in 2006, and Sony technology is now incorporated in lines 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10.

Challenges

There are a number of challenges in designing effective safety measures for the Beijing Subway, which serves a dense and highly mobile population and carries large numbers of passengers. It serves both downtown and the suburbs, with stops both above and below ground. And its 12 security systems – including video surveillance, alarms, access control, and communications – must be mutually compatible.

Solution

Sony solution

Sony is deploying a combination of analog cameras and network cameras to implement high-definition monitoring along the Changping line.

Wide-angle color cameras and vandal-resistant dome cameras are installed at entrances and exits – areas where lighting conditions vary greatly and where 24-hour monitoring is required. These systems provide wide coverage and capture facial features and other important object details. These cameras connected with advanced face detection systems are installed near escalators, stairs, ticket offices, elevators, and security gates. If one of these cameras detects an incident, it can lock on the suspect while at the same time sending an alarm, together with images, to the management system. Consequently, managers are on the alert as needed.

Analog ultra-low-light dome cameras are deployed in the relatively dark and spacious underground passages. These cameras cover a wide angle and generate high-quality images: bright, with low noise, and with no trailing. They automatically switch between day mode and night mode to work under both daytime and night-time lighting. Analog rapid dome cameras, with 36x optical zoom, are installed within crowded station hallways to provide robust monitoring, with the ability to capture facial details and generate alarms. Sony intelligent network video encoders and Sobey decoders are used to provide faster, more efficient data transmission and video management.

Results

Sony cameras deliver three important advantages: they work under wide dynamic lighting conditions; they work under low light; and they automatically switch between day mode and night mode. As a result, they provide excellent HD monitoring services at security checkpoints, gates, platforms, and escalators. Together with SNT-EX104 Intelligent Network Video Encoders and the Sobey decoders, they deliver an effective management platform for HD monitoring.