JPH01291123A - Metering device for garbage collecting car or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a driver's burden by discriminating a carrying car from an image which has been brought to image pickup by an image pickup means. CONSTITUTION:A video signal which has been outputted from a camera 11 is supplied to an image processor 12. Discrimination data of the device 12 is transferred to a data processor 15. A memory 16 of the device 15 is provided with an area for storing a registered car file 16a and a metering unit price table 16b, and also, for storing the load weight 16c. This device 15 retrieves the file 16a, and detects that of the same car number from in the cars which have been registered in advance. Subsequently, from the car number, a loaded object kind code, weighting weight and a unit price table 16b, a metering calculation is executed by the device 15, and from a printer 7, a bill is printed out. Also, as for an unregistered car, reweighing is executed at the time of leaving, and simultaneously, by discriminating the number of this car, this car and its carrying-in quantity data are retrieved from in the cars in an unregistered car file, and after subtracting the tare quantity by the device 15, the metering calculation and printing-out of the bill are executed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" This invention is a method of automatically discharging garbage trucks, etc., according to the amount, type, etc. of the loaded material when they enter or exit a treatment plant, etc. This paper relates to a charging device for garbage trucks that charges a fee for a garbage truck.

"Prior Art" FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional billing device in a waste disposal plant.

In the figure, a garbage truck l entering the tank is weighed by a weighing machine (truck scale) 2 installed at the entrance of the site.
Its weight is measured. At that time, the driver must
A punch card 3 with the vehicle number, cargo type, etc. punched therein is inserted into the card reader 4. As a result, the vehicle number and load type are input into the data processing bag j15.

A memory 6 is connected to the data processing device 5, and a registered vehicle file 6a and a charging unit price table 6b are stored in advance in the memory 6. Then, the loaded weight 16 c is determined from the weighing value and the tare weight (usually, the tare weight is input in advance or manually from a punch card), which is totaled by the weighing machine 2 and input into the data processing device 5, and the charge is made. After calculations are made and charges are totaled for a certain period of time, a charge bill is printed out using a printer 7.

"Problems to be Solved by the Invention" By the way, the above-mentioned conventional device has the following problems.

B. An input error may occur in the card reader 4. In this case, normal metering may become impossible or errors may occur in billing statements.

For example, input errors may occur due to a) misuse of a card from another factory, b) incorrect card insertion method, C) malfunction or non-operation of the card reader 4 due to dust or the like. In this case, there are problems such as the registration number corresponding to the vehicle 1 being not found in the registered vehicle file 6a, the vehicle number being input incorrectly, or someone else's vehicle number being input.

If you forgot to bring your credit card with you, or if your car was unregistered, you could not use the billing device.

C. Since the card reader 4 has a sophisticated mechanism, the bunch card 3 must be inserted after the driver gets out of the car or after the driver has stopped at a precise stop position, making it complicated to handle. .

Second, it takes time to stop the car at the correct location, insert the punch card 3, and confirm that the input is correct, which can lead to congestion in the queue.

The present invention was made against this background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a charging device for a garbage truck or the like that reduces the burden on the driver.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' In order to solve the above problems, the present invention uses a weighing machine to weigh the waste that is carried in and out of a factory such as a waste treatment plant using a transport vehicle, and based on the weighed value. A charging device for a garbage truck or the like that charges a fee based on the amount of money collected, comprising: an imaging means for taking an image of the number plate of the transportation vehicle; an identification means for identifying the transportation vehicle from the captured image; and a discrimination device for the transportation vehicle. The present invention is characterized in that it has a data processing means for creating a bill from the data and the measured value of the processed material.

"Operation" According to the above configuration, the weight of the object to be processed is measured when it is brought in or taken out, and the car number plate is read as an image and identified, and based on the weight and the car number, charge calculation and toll fee are calculated. Invoices are automatically created.

Therefore, the burden on the driver is significantly reduced.

"Example" Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a camera that images the number plate 1a of the garbage truck 1.

This camera 11 has a swing mechanism and a zoom mechanism (not shown), and is configured to take an image of the number play 1a at a predetermined size.

The video signal output from camera +1 is supplied to image processing device 12 . The image processing device 12 includes a detection function section 12a that controls the swinging mechanism to detect the number plate la.
, a zoom-up function section 12b that controls the zoom mechanism to adjust the size of the image to a predetermined size, and an identification function section 12c that identifies a number from the video signal and forms identification data. . This identification function section +2c stores the pattern of letters and numbers of the number plate la in the form of a pattern file.

The identification data is transferred to the data processing device 15.

The data processing device 15 includes a memory 16, and this memory 1
6 stores a registered car file 16a and a charging unit price table 16b. It also has an area for storing a loading chamber 1116c obtained by subtracting the tare from the weighing value transferred from the weighing machine 2.

In the registered vehicle file 16a, the type of cargo, that is, garbage, loaded on each registered vehicle is coded and stored as a loaded cargo type code. Additionally, the tare weight of each registered vehicle is stored.

In this embodiment, the bunch card 3 and card reader 4 shown in FIG. 3 are unnecessary and have been removed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

(1) Processing of registered vehicles When the garbage collection vehicle 1 arrives at the weighing machine 2, the output signal from the weighing machine 2 exceeds a certain value (step SI). Therefore,
The data processing device 15 can easily identify the arrival of the garbage truck l from its input, and at this point outputs a vehicle number identification processing start command to the image processing device 12 (step S2).
.

The image processing device 12 is constantly input with a video signal from the camera 11, and based on the above-mentioned identification processing start command,
The swing mechanism and zoom mechanism of the camera It are controlled by the plate detection function section 12a and the zoom up function section 12b, respectively, so that the number plate la of the garbage truck 1 is focused on.

I will explain further. Each collection vehicle 1 has number plates 1a attached to the front and rear of the vehicle, which are registered according to a prescribed procedure established by law. The shape of the number plate la, and the shape, number, and arrangement of the characters written on the plate la are also defined.

The image processing device 12 processes the video signal input from the camera 11, extracts edges from the image information, performs pattern matching, identifies the mounting position of the number plate Ia (step S3), and is zoomed up to take a close-up of the character information written on the number plate la (step S4).

The characters on the number plate la are a combination of kankyo, kana, and numbers, with a total of 8 to 9 characters, including 1 to 3 kanji for the city name, 2 kanji for the year name, and their arrangement is also specified. There is.

Here, since city names are usually limited to nearby cities, they are limited to several types (<10). Furthermore, even if kana and numbers are added together, the number of character patterns is limited to about ten. Therefore, by storing these character patterns in advance inside the image processing device 12 and pattern-matching the character information of the number plate la of the garbage truck 1 input from the camera 11 one character at a time, the vehicle number can be determined. (Step S5).

The vehicle number thus identified is input to the data processing device 15. The data processing device 15 searches the registered car file 16a in the memory 16, searches for a car with the same number from among the cars registered in advance, and if found, moves from step S6 to step S7.

The registered vehicle file 16a stores the type of garbage loaded by the vehicle with that number in the form of a code, and the pre-weighed tare as numerical data. therefore,
Based on the vehicle number, load type a-code, measured weight, and billing unit price table 16b, the data processing device 15 calculates billing, and the printer 7 prints out a bill (step S7).

In other words, the driver only has to stop at a substantially prescribed position on the weighing machine 2 or pass over it at a slow speed, and the complicated process of card insertion is not necessary. Therefore,
It is possible to quickly complete the entry procedure without causing traffic jams.

(2) Processing of unregistered vehicles As a result of pattern matching using the above method, if the number of the garbage truck I is not found in the registered vehicle file 16a, it is recorded as an unregistered vehicle in the unregistered vehicle file inside the data processing device 15. It is stored (step S8).

On the other hand, near the exit gate, there are installed a weighing machine for tare weighing and transporting processed materials, and a camera and image processing device for inputting images of vehicle number plates similar to those described above.

°For unregistered vehicles, we reweigh them (usually called post-weighing) when leaving the venue, identify the number of the vehicle, and identify the vehicle and its weight from among the vehicles in the unregistered vehicle file. After searching the data, the data processing device 15 subtracts the tare weight, calculates the charge, and prints out the charge bill (
Step S9).

In addition, by weighing the tare bag of the processed material delivery vehicle in advance when it enters the tank, the weighing value on the weighing machine at the exit gate, the vehicle number obtained in the same manner as above, and the material unit price file are recorded. Billing calculations and invoices (based on data such as
You can also print out the shipping fee (or shipping fee).

The following modifications can be considered to the above embodiment.

(1) In the above embodiment, the image data and the character pattern are matched sequentially one character at a time, but the following method may be considered in addition to this. .

■ In the case of a garbage disposal plant, the number of registered garbage trucks is usually around 100 to 500, so the character pattern of each number plate la should be stored in advance as one pattern in a file. , camera 1
It is also possible to identify the numbers all at once by pattern matching with the image data input from 1.

Since the character string displayed on the car number plate la is relatively simple, the car number can be identified in a short time using this method. As mentioned above, when performing identification processing by randomly reading reference patterns of registered cars from a file,
Pattern matching may be performed a maximum of 100 to 500 times.

■ You can also combine the examples and the above methods as appropriate (
(for example, city names combined with other number sequences)
, it is also possible to perform identification more easily and quickly.

(2) In the above embodiment, the load type code is stored in association with each registered vehicle number in the registered vehicle file 16a, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, by providing an easy-to-operate push button for inputting numerical values near the weighing machine, it is possible to input the load type code by simply pressing the push button from the driver's seat.

"Effects of the Invention" As explained above, this invention can produce the following effects.

■ Since the vehicle number is identified using image information obtained from the unique number plate of the vehicle, the following input errors that tend to occur with card league type input devices can be prevented.

a) Input error due to card league malfunction due to intrusion of dust, etc., b) Error due to misuse of a card used in another factory, C) Error due to incorrect card insertion.

In this case, normal entry procedures cannot be carried out.

■ Eliminates the need for complicated card handling and accurate stopping of delivery vehicles.

a) It eliminates the need for elaborate card insertion into the card league, b) It avoids the situation where entering the tank is impossible due to forgetting to carry the card, and C) it does not require the device to stop at a fixed position in the card league during weighing. Also good. In addition, - there is no need to go through the process of getting off the windmill and inserting a card (especially when the seat heights are different).

■ For unregistered vehicles, there is no need to take any special procedures at the time of a major break; all you have to do is weigh them in the same way as registered vehicles.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent traffic jams caused by vehicles carrying vehicles with entrance gates. However, in this case, it is necessary to weigh in after leaving the venue.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional billing device. l...garbage truck, la...number plate, 2...weighing machine, 7...printer,
+1...camera, 12...image processing device,
15... Data processing device η, 16...
memory. Applicant Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a billing device for a garbage collection truck, etc., which uses a weighing machine to weigh the processed material carried in and out of a factory such as a garbage processing factory by a transport vehicle, and charges the bill based on the weighed value. , an imaging means for taking an image of the number plate of the transport vehicle; an identification means for identifying the transport vehicle from the captured image; and a billing bill is created from the discrimination data regarding the transport vehicle and the measured value of the processed material. A charging device for a garbage truck or the like, characterized in that it has a data processing means that performs the following steps.