JP2000357286A - Method and device for vehicle detection and recording medium for program recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a technique by which moving vehicles are photographed and images of vehicles are extracted from the photographed image and a specific vehicle is detected. SOLUTION: The device uses a sound and moving image recorder 110 and a distance measuring instrument 120 to record vehicles running across the front of a fixed observation point and automatically extracts images of vehicles from recorded data. In this case, the device is provided with a start signal transmission part 135 which records a synchronizing signal of the sound and moving image recorder 110 and the distance measuring instrument 120 in the sound and moving image recorder 110 as sound data, a passing vehicle time information storage part 143 and a synchronizing position setting par 145 which detect the synchronizing signal from recorded sound data to synchronize distance data measured by the distance measuring instrument 120 and image data recorded by the sound and moving image recorder 110 with each other, and a selection part 147 which uses distance data to extract an image including vehicles from image data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle detecting device and a vehicle detecting method, and more particularly to a vehicle detecting device and a vehicle detecting method for extracting an image of a vehicle from an image of a moving vehicle and detecting a specific vehicle. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of vehicle detection devices have been put into practical use for measuring traffic volume and identifying traffic-violating vehicles. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-146007 (traffic flow measuring device) and Japanese Patent Application No. 6-293395 (ultrasonic vehicle detection system)
In the ultrasonic vehicle detector disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-284, an object that passes through a predetermined route and is detected by the detector is recognized as a vehicle.

In the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 6-150818 (vehicle detecting device), a vehicle type is detected in real time from heat source image information using an infrared sensor.

Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 4-41185 (Ultrasonic vehicle detection device), it is determined whether an object is a vehicle based on the time when an object passes in front of the ultrasonic sensor. Had been determined.

On the other hand, a vehicle detector based on image processing disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-218488 (vehicle detection method) performs a recognition process on all captured images to detect a vehicle.

[0006] Further, in a speed violation enforcement machine, a camera and an ultrasonic sensor are linked to take in an image when a violating vehicle passes in front of the camera to detect a vehicle.

[0007]

Although a conventional vehicle detection method using a distance sensor or a temperature sensor can determine the presence or absence of a vehicle, this method cannot detect a specific vehicle. Further, the method based on image processing has a problem that the amount of processing is enormous because all captured images must be processed. In the method of capturing images in conjunction with the ultrasonic sensor, if a feature point is not captured on the screen at the moment of shooting, such as when the information identifying the vehicle such as the license plate protrudes from the image, the specific vehicle is detected. Can not.

An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems and to provide a new specific vehicle detecting device. An object of the present invention is to capture a moving vehicle and extract a vehicle image from the captured image. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of detecting a specific vehicle.

[0009]

A vehicle detection device according to the present invention uses an audio / video recording device and a distance measurement device to record a vehicle that crosses a fixed observation point, and detects the vehicle from the recorded data. Means for recording a synchronization signal between the audio / video recording device and the distance measurement device as audio data in the audio / video recording device, and detecting the synchronization signal from the recorded audio data, and the distance measurement device performs measurement. Means for synchronizing the obtained distance data with the image data recorded by the audio / video recording apparatus, and means for extracting an image including a vehicle from the image data using the distance data.

[0010] Further, a vehicle crossing in front of a fixed observation point is recorded using an audio / video recording device and a distance measuring device.
A device for detecting a specific vehicle from recorded data, further comprising: means for comparing a specific vehicle pattern stored in advance with an image including the extracted vehicle to obtain a similarity; and specifying the similarity using the similarity. Means for detecting a vehicle.

In any case, the recording medium may be provided, and the operation of the control unit for controlling each means may be controlled by a vehicle detection program recorded on the recording medium.

A vehicle detection method according to the present invention is a vehicle detection method for synchronizing moving image audio data and distance data by a start signal, detecting a passing vehicle from the distance data, and displaying only an image of a passing time of the passing vehicle. Then, the sound data serving as a start signal at the start of recording of the distance measuring device is output to the moving image sound recording device and recorded. Recording, detecting the vehicle by threshold processing for the distance from the recorded distance data, and calculating the detected time, detecting a start signal from the audio data of the recorded moving image audio data, and detecting the distance from the image data. The method includes a step of giving a time corresponding to the time of the data, and a step of extracting an image at a time when the vehicle is detected and displaying the image.

Further, the moving image audio data and the distance data are synchronized by the start signal, the passing vehicle is detected from the distance data, and the specific vehicle is detected by comparing the image of the passing time of the passing vehicle with the specific vehicle characteristic pattern. The vehicle detection method further includes a step of comparing each image of the time at which the vehicle is detected with a specific vehicle characteristic pattern stored in advance, and calculating a similarity based on a predetermined reference to detect a characteristic vehicle. .

The recording medium of the present invention records a control program for synchronizing moving image audio data and distance data with a start signal, detecting a passing vehicle from the distance data, and displaying only an image of the passing time of the passing vehicle. I do.

Further, a control program for detecting the specific vehicle by comparing the image of the passing time of the passing vehicle with the specific vehicle characteristic pattern may be recorded.

According to the vehicle detecting device and the detecting method of the present invention, only the image including the vehicle can be automatically extracted from the recorded image data.

Further, it is possible to detect only an image obtained by photographing a specific vehicle by using a license plate, the color of the vehicle, and the like, and it is possible to detect the specific vehicle and the passing time of the specific vehicle. Further, the images before and after that can be displayed.

[0018]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle detecting device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a moving image sound recording device 110 such as a digital video camera, a distance measuring device 120 using an ultrasonic sensor or the like, a vehicle detecting mechanism 130, Display device 1 for displaying data
60 and an external recording device 170 using a digital video tape, MO, or the like as a medium.

The vehicle detection mechanism 130 includes an input section 131 for inputting moving picture audio information recorded on a video deck or the like of the moving picture audio recording apparatus 110, distance data from the distance measuring apparatus 120, and external instructions, And the distance measurement device start / stop unit 134 for starting / stopping the video / audio recording device 110 in response to an instruction of the distance measurement device 120, and outputting the start signal audio data to the digital video camera. A start signal transmitting unit 135, a distance data analyzing unit 141 that analyzes recorded distance data and gives time from the start signal, a vehicle detecting unit 142 that detects a vehicle using a threshold from the analyzed distance data, A vehicle position / time information recording unit 143 for recording the time information of the selected vehicle position, and an operation for temporarily recording moving image audio information data. Audio recording unit 144, the synchronization is synchronized with the moving image audio data and the distance data by detecting audio data as a start signal to add time to the image data position setting unit 145, video audio reproducing unit 146 for reproducing video voice,
An image selection unit 147 that selects an image at a vehicle detection time with reference to the vehicle position time information recording unit 143 and displays the selected image on the display device 160 together with related data. An output unit 132 that transmits the selected image to the display device 160 together with related data, and a control unit 136 that controls the operation of each unit are provided.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a measurement environment of the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Digital video camera 2 which is a moving picture audio recording device
10 and the ultrasonic sensor 220, which is a distance measuring device, are directed to a predetermined expected passing position of the moving vehicle 280. Computer 230 as a vehicle detection mechanism and digital video camera 2
10 is connected by an audio cable 211.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a recognition processing environment of the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The digital video deck 310, which is a moving picture audio recording device, and the computer 330, which is a vehicle detection mechanism, are I
EEEl394 Capele 312 (Cable for DV terminal)
And an audio cable 311.

Next, a vehicle detection method according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a measurement method using the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, when measurement is started (S1
1), shooting is started with a moving picture audio recording device such as a digital video camera (S12). Next, start a distance measuring device such as an ultrasonic sensor and start recording distance data.
At the same time, audio data serving as a start signal is output to the moving image audio recording device (S13). This makes it possible to synchronize the image data and the distance data during reproduction. Photographing is performed until an arbitrary time (S14), the moving image sound recording device and the distance measuring device are stopped (S15), the distance data is recorded in the external recording device (S16), and the measurement is terminated (S17).

Here, the distance data is recorded in the distance measuring device during the measurement and is recorded in the external storage device at the end of the measurement. However, during the measurement, the ultrasonic sensor is always used by the external recording device via the vehicle detecting mechanism. May be recorded in an external recording device. In addition, the moving image audio data is recorded in the moving image audio recording device, but may be recorded in an external recording device via a vehicle detection mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a vehicle detection method using the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
When the detection process is started (S21), first, distance data is input from an external recording device (S22), a vehicle is detected by threshold processing for the distance, and the detected time is obtained (S22).
23). Next, the moving image sound is read from the moving image sound recording device (S24), a start signal is detected from the audio data input as audio (S25), and time stamping corresponding to the distance data is performed (S26). By the IEEE 1394 connection, the digital video of the moving picture audio recording device is controlled from the vehicle detection mechanism (S27), the tape is fed until the vehicle detection time (S28N), and when the vehicle detection time comes (S28).
Y), the image is displayed on the display device (S29). If it is not the last detected passing vehicle (S30N), step S
Returning to step S27, the moving image data is transmitted. If the detected vehicle is the last passing vehicle (S30Y), the detection process ends (S31). In this way, only the recorded image of the vehicle can be extracted from the image data.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a vehicle detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle detection device 400 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a specific vehicle to be detected by a vehicle detection mechanism 430 in addition to the components constituting the vehicle detection device 100 according to the first embodiment. Specific vehicle pattern storage unit 44 for storing the characteristic pattern of the vehicle
8 and a vehicle similarity which outputs a recognition result to the outside when the similarity exceeds a threshold value by comparing the image with the feature pattern of the specific vehicle for each frame of the detected passing vehicle image. A determination unit 449 is provided. The functions of the other constituent elements are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

Next, a vehicle detection method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a vehicle detection method using the vehicle detection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Step S41 to Step S
48 is the same as Steps S11 to S18 in FIG. 5 of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. If the image data is the vehicle passing time (S48Y), for each image,
The similarity is determined by comparing the color, shape, license plate, and the like with the specific vehicle feature pattern (S49). If the images are not similar, the process proceeds to the comparison of the next image (S50N). If the images are similar, the recognition result is output (S51). If the image is displayed (S52Y), the image is reproduced on the display device (S5).
3) If it is not the last passing vehicle detected (S54)
N), the process returns to step S47 to send out the moving image data, and if it is the last passing vehicle detected (S54Y),
The detection process ends (S55). If no image is displayed (S52N), the process proceeds to step S54, and if it is not the last detected passing vehicle (S54N), step S4.
7, the moving image data is transmitted, and if it is the last passing vehicle detected (S54Y), the detection process is terminated (S55). Thus, the specific vehicle in the image data can be detected.

The specific similarity calculation is described in "Fuzzy Hierarchical Vehicle Type Recognition by Gaze Point Feedback" (Papers of the Fuzzy System Symposium of the Fuzzy Society of Japan, 1996).
) And "License Plate Recognition of Running Vehicles Robust to Changes in Environmental Brightness" (Transactions of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, D-
2, 1998) can be applied.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a vehicle detection mechanism of the vehicle detection device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a vehicle detecting mechanism 130 of the vehicle detecting apparatus 100 of the present invention as a computer constituting the apparatus. The computer includes an input unit 131 such as a modem, a keyboard, a pointing device, a modem, and a printer. , An output unit 132 such as a display, a data processing device 137, a storage unit 138, and a recording medium 139. The recording medium 139 stores a vehicle detection system control program of the present invention capable of controlling the operation of each unit, and uses an FD, a CD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, or the like. The configuration of the vehicle detection device and the vehicle detection method are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

The control program for synchronizing the moving picture audio data and the distance data by the start signal, detecting the passing vehicle from the distance data, and displaying only the image of the passing time of the passing vehicle is obtained from the recording medium 139 to the data processing device. The data is read by the memory 137 and controls the operation of the data processor 137. The data processing device 137 executes the following processing under the control of the control program.

That is, the sound data serving as a start signal at the start of recording by the distance measuring device is output to the moving image sound recording device and recorded, and then the scheduled passage point of the vehicle is photographed by the moving image sound recording device. A process of recording distance data, a process of detecting a vehicle by a threshold process for the distance from the recorded distance data, a process of obtaining a detected time, a process of detecting a start signal from audio data of the recorded moving image audio data, and A process of giving time corresponding to the time of the distance data to the data and a process of extracting an image at a time when the vehicle is detected and displaying the image are executed.

Further, each image at the time when the vehicle is detected is
A process of comparing with a specific vehicle feature pattern such as a color, a shape, or a license plate stored in advance and obtaining a similarity based on a predetermined reference may be executed.

[0033]

As described above, the present invention has an effect that only an image including a vehicle can be automatically extracted from a photographed image by associating the distance data with the distance data measured at the same time.

In addition, a specific vehicle can be detected by performing recognition processing limited to an image including a vehicle from the recorded image data, and there is an effect that a calculation cost can be suppressed.

In order to add a synchronization signal to the audio or image recording unit and record image data and distance data in separate devices,
It can be realized inexpensively with only a general video camera and a computer, and is portable because it can be driven by a battery.

Further, since all the images within the photographing time are recorded, even if the image corresponding to the time when the vehicle is detected by the distance sensor does not include the characteristic of the specific vehicle, the detection time is not changed. Images including the front and rear vehicle features can be extracted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a vehicle detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example of a measurement environment of the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example of a recognition processing environment of the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a measurement method using the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a vehicle detection method using the vehicle detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram of a vehicle detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a vehicle detection method using the vehicle detection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a vehicle detection mechanism of a vehicle detection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100, 400 Vehicle detection device 110, 410 Video / audio recording device 120, 420 Distance measurement device 130, 430 Vehicle detection mechanism 131, 431 Input unit 132, 432 Output unit 133, 433 Video / audio recording device start / stop unit 134, 434 Distance measurement Device start / stop unit 135, 435 Start signal transmission unit 136, 436 Control unit 137 Data processing unit 138 Storage unit 139 Recording medium 141, 441 Distance data analysis unit 142, 442 Vehicle detection unit 143, 443 Passing vehicle time information storage unit 144, 444 Video / audio storage unit 145, 445 Synchronization position setting unit 146, 446 Video / audio reproduction unit 147, 447 Image selection unit 160, 360, 460 Display device 170, 470 Recording device 210 Digital video camera 211, 311 Audio cable 220 Ultrasonic wave Sensor 230, 330 Computer 270, 370 External recording device 280 Moving vehicle 310 Digital video deck 312 IEEE 1394 cable 448 Specific vehicle pattern storage unit 449 Vehicle similarity determination unit S11-S17, S21-S31, S41-S55 Each step

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Sakuma 3-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Yukohiro Takahashi 3--19, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Akio Shio Inventor 3--19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Sakuichi Otsuka 3-19 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5H180 AA01 BB13 BB15 CC04 CC11 DD01 DD10

Claims (7)

[Claims] An apparatus for recording a vehicle crossing in front of a fixed observation point by using an audio / video recording device and a distance measuring device, and detecting the vehicle from the recorded data. Means for recording a synchronization signal between the audio signal and the distance measuring device as audio data in the audio / video recording device; detecting a synchronization signal from the recorded audio data; and recording the distance data measured by the distance measuring device and the audio / video recording. A vehicle detection apparatus comprising: means for synchronizing image data recorded by the apparatus; and means for extracting an image including a vehicle from the image data using the distance data. 2. An apparatus for recording a vehicle crossing a fixed observation point using an audio / video recording device and a distance measuring device, and detecting a specific vehicle from the recorded data. The vehicle detection according to claim 1, further comprising: means for comparing the extracted specific vehicle pattern with an image including the extracted vehicle to determine a similarity; and means for detecting a specific vehicle using the similarity. apparatus. 3. The vehicle detection device according to claim 1, further comprising a recording medium, wherein an operation of a control unit for controlling each of the units can be controlled by a vehicle detection program recorded on the recording medium. 4. The moving picture audio data and the distance data are synchronized by a start signal, and a passing vehicle is detected from the distance data.
A vehicle detection method that displays only an image of a passing time of a passing vehicle, wherein sound data serving as a start signal at the start of recording of a distance measuring device is output to a moving image sound recording device and recorded, and then a scheduled passage point of the vehicle Recording the distance data with the distance measuring device while photographing the moving image with the moving image sound recording device, detecting the vehicle by threshold processing for the distance from the recorded distance data, and obtaining the detected time. Detecting the start signal from the audio data of the moving image audio data obtained, and performing time stamping on the image data in correspondence with the time of the distance data; and extracting the image at the time when the vehicle is detected and displaying the image. A vehicle detection method comprising: 5. The moving image sound data and the distance data are synchronized by a start signal, and a passing vehicle is detected from the distance data.
A vehicle detection method for detecting a specific vehicle by comparing an image of a passing time of a passing vehicle with a specific vehicle characteristic pattern, further comprising: an image of a time at which the vehicle is detected, and a specific vehicle characteristic pattern stored in advance. 5. The vehicle detection method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of: comparing the vehicle speed with the vehicle speed and calculating a similarity based on a predetermined criterion to detect a characteristic vehicle. 6. A video signal and a distance data are synchronized by a start signal, and a passing vehicle is detected from the distance data.
A recording medium on which a control program for displaying only an image of a passing time of a passing vehicle is recorded, wherein sound data serving as a start signal at the start of recording of a distance measuring device is output to a moving image sound recording device and recorded. A procedure in which the moving image sound recording device captures a scheduled vehicle passing point and records the distance data with the distance measuring device; and, based on the recorded distance data, a vehicle is detected by threshold processing with respect to the distance. , A start signal is detected from the audio data of the recorded video audio data, and a time is assigned to the image data in correspondence with the time of the distance data. A machine-readable recording medium that stores a procedure for displaying and a program for executing the procedure. 7. A moving image sound data and a distance data are synchronized by a start signal, and a passing vehicle is detected from the distance data.
A recording medium recording a control program for detecting a specific vehicle by comparing an image of a passing time of a passing vehicle with a specific vehicle characteristic pattern. 7. The machine-readable recording medium according to claim 6, wherein a program for executing a procedure of comparing a specific vehicle feature pattern and calculating a similarity based on a predetermined reference to detect a specific vehicle is recorded.