JP2001043480A - Instrument for measuring floor projecting area of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unnecessitate the guide of a person in charge at the time of setting a parking space in accordance with the size of a vehicle when efficiency is improved by means of a fixed area in the system of a parking lot. SOLUTION: A vehicle floor projecting area measuring instrument 1 is the one which is provided with a floor surface where two-toned stripes 2 are drawn at equal interval by nearly 45 deg. in the progress direction of the vehicle 10, two digital cameras 3R and 3L for fetching the image of the vehicle on the floor surface 2, which includes the floor surface, from both side surface upper parts and a processor 4 for processing the images being inclined to mutually opposite sides from the digital cameras, generating the planar graphic of the vehicle, correcting the distortion of the tow-tone stripes 2 on the floor surface and calculating the floor projecting area or the max. dimension of the vehicle from the planar graphic and the two-tone-stripe images. Then the size of the vehicle is automatically decided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to, for example, in a parking lot or the like, when trying to effectively use a parking space, the size of a vehicle is grasped in order to designate an optimum parking position for a vehicle entering the parking lot. The present invention relates to a dimension measurement device sometimes used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a parking lot or the like, it is usual practice to provide a partition in a parking space for a small car, a large car or the like so as to effectively use a limited space. In this case, if a clerk is assigned, the size is determined from the name of the vehicle entering the vehicle and the like, and an appropriate parking space is designated.

[0003]

However, in the above-described system which relies on the judgment by the attendant, the use efficiency of the parking lot depends on the experience of the attendant, so that experienced personnel must be allocated. There is a problem in that the operation cost of the entire parking lot increases.

[0004] This problem is that, when the parking lot itself is used as a business, there is still a means for absorbing it. In industries where large parking lots have to be installed, the above-mentioned increase in operating expenses is putting pressure on even the main business. In addition, in the above-described conventional system, it is impossible to make the parking lot unmanned.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, is a measuring device for measuring the floor projected area of an operating vehicle, An image of a vehicle including a floor surface is drawn from above a floor surface on which a two-color stripe is drawn at approximately 45 ° and at equal intervals, and both sides of the vehicle on the floor surface which are substantially orthogonal to the traveling direction. The two digital cameras and the images from the two digital cameras that are tilted to the opposite sides are processed to create a plane figure of the vehicle, and the two-color stripes on the floor are also corrected for distortion. By providing a device for measuring the vehicle floor projected area or a processing device for calculating the vehicle floor projected area or the maximum dimension from the figure and the two-color stripe image, even an inexperienced clerk can provide the apparatus. Provide appropriate guidance and The advance is to solve the problems as unmanned also possible.

[0006]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. 1 is a device for measuring the floor projected area of a vehicle 10 according to the present invention, and the measuring device 1 is basically a taxiway 11 to a parking lot.
It is composed of a two-color stripe 2 formed thereon by appropriate means such as painting with blue and yellow paint, two digital cameras 3L and 3R, and a processing device 4 using a personal computer or the like.

The two-color stripes 2 are painted on the guideway 11 with paint or the like. Each of the two-color stripes 2 is alternately painted with the same width, for example, two colors of blue and yellow as described above. When performing this coloring, the angle is set to 45 ° with respect to the traveling direction Z of the vehicle 10,
The width when measured as the same direction as the traveling direction Z of the vehicle 10 is, for example, 50 mm or 100 mm.

The width of the above-mentioned stripe 2 is not limited to the above-mentioned numerical value. For example, if the width is 10 mm, a more accurate measurement value can be obtained. Since the suitability for the space is determined, it is sufficient that the required precision is obtained for the purpose. In this case, the pair of widths of the stripe 2 itself is 70. 7 mm, and the width when measured along the traveling direction Z of the vehicle 10 is 100 mm.
The description is made assuming that

The digital cameras 3L and 3R take images of the vehicle 10 entering the taxiway 11 from obliquely above the right and left sides and take in the images as digital values. Since it is possible to expect higher accuracy in the later calculation when shooting at the same angle and at the same time, it is assumed that the shutter is set at a position where the above condition is obtained with respect to the taxiway 10 at the same time.

The downward angle when the digital cameras 3L and 3R capture the image of the vehicle 10 is set, for example, in the downward direction as far as the side of the vehicle 10 can be seen, since the later the image processing becomes easier, the lower the angle becomes. Is preferably set in the range of 45 ° to 60 °. Further, the digital cameras 3L and 3R specifically use a CCD image element and may be commercially available for industrial use, private use, and the like.

In the digital cameras 3L and 3R, the number of pixels influences the accuracy of the subsequent measurement. If the parking lot is, for example, dedicated to a car, the maximum total length is about 5 meters (5000 mm). Therefore, a digital camera 3L or 3R that employs a CCD device having 1000 pixels arranged in the length direction can theoretically measure up to 1 mm. Therefore, the number of pixels may be set according to the type of vehicle and the accuracy of the measurement.

The processing device 4 may be a so-called personal computer, which is generally available on the market. The processing device 4 is a three-dimensional process called a 3D process for processing digital images from the digital cameras 3L and 3R. The program 4a capable of performing the image analysis processing is installed. If necessary, a display device 5 is connected to the processing device 4, and a program 4b for driving the display device 5 is also installed.

The display device 5 differs depending on the usage of the measuring device 1. For example, in the case where the display device 5 is used for an unmanned parking lot, the above-mentioned stripe 2, digital cameras 3L and 3R, and a processing device 4, the parking space allocated to the vehicle 10 that has entered the parking lot is displayed as, for example, (No. 23 in section A).

Next, the operation of the measuring apparatus 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described in accordance with the operation flow. First, when the vehicle 10 enters the parking lot for the purpose of parking and reaches a predetermined position where the two-color stripe 2 is applied on the road surface, the digital cameras 3L and 3R are operated, and the left digital camera shown in FIG. Two images, an image 10a and a right digital image 10b from the upper right side shown in FIG. 3, are photographed simultaneously.

In a city area, a parking lot is often provided on the basement floor or the like, so it is necessary to provide an appropriate lighting device such as a lamp at the time of photographing.
At this time, it is preferable to illuminate the vehicle 10 from four directions and to avoid shadows from the viewpoint of improvement of measurement accuracy.

The processing device 4 converts the left digital image 10a and the right digital image 10b as soon as the processing in the digital cameras 3L and 3R (normally 1 to 5 seconds: differs depending on the number of pixels of the digital image to be shot) is completed. The left and right digital images 10a and 10b are captured by appropriate means such as a TWAIN method.

Here, the captured left and right digital images 10a and 10b are photographed obliquely from above as described above, so that the images that cause distortion for both the vehicle 10 and the two-color stripe 2 are obtained. However, since the original shape of at least the two-color stripe 2 is known,
It is relatively easy to correct by performing three-dimensional processing so as not to tilt.

When the two-color stripe 2 is corrected, the inclination of the vehicle 10 on the upper surface is automatically corrected, so that the left digital image 10a and the right digital image 10b are If processing is performed such that the corrected ones are superimposed and integrated, the plane shape P of the vehicle can be instantaneously obtained as shown in FIG.

If the color of the vehicle 10 is a dark color such as black, only the yellow color in the stripe 2 is extracted.
If it is a light color system such as white, only blue in the stripe 2 is extracted, and if the others are achromatic (black), an orthographic projection image Q of the plane of the vehicle 10 on the road surface is obtained as shown in FIG. It will be.

Therefore, the maximum dimension Lm in the length direction and the maximum dimension Wm in the width direction in the orthographic projection image Q of the vehicle 10 are described.
Is determined by the number of overlaps with the two-color stripe 2, and a rectangle is formed with both dimensions Lm and Wm.
Can be measured, and from this result, it is possible to determine which of the parking spaces prepared, for example, large, medium, and small, should be guided.

In the actual implementation, it is not necessary to notify the parking staff or the like of the dimensions of the vehicle 10 obtained by the above-described procedure. Alternatively, it is sufficient to inform the reference number of the parking lot. Also, if the display unit attached to the processing device 4 at this time is separately provided and enlarged, and the display device 5 is provided at a position where the driver in the vehicle 10 can read (see FIG. 1), the display unit 5 can be reduced. It is also possible to make the parking lot unmanned in the parking area.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a measuring apparatus for measuring the floor projected area of a vehicle in operation, wherein two-color stripes at equal intervals of approximately 45 ° with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle are provided. The drawn floor surface, two digital cameras for capturing an image of the vehicle including the floor surface from above both side surfaces substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, and the two digital cameras Processing the images that are tilted to opposite sides to create a plane figure of the vehicle, and also corrects the distortion of the two-color stripe on the floor, and projects the floor of the vehicle from the plane figure and the two-color stripe image. By measuring the floor projected area of the vehicle consisting of a processing device that calculates the area or the maximum dimension,
First, the staff can provide appropriate guidance without knowing the size of each vehicle type, so no experience is required, and costs can be reduced. Efficiency is improved, and further cost reduction is possible.

Further, by providing a display device so as to be seen by the driver of the vehicle, for example, there is no charge in an industry where a parking lot is required as a service-related ancillary equipment such as a hotel business or a department store business. Complete unmanned operation is possible, and the cost can be further reduced in this aspect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an apparatus for measuring a floor projected area of a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a left digital image obtained by a digital camera on the left side of the vehicle floor projected area measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a right digital image similarly obtained by the right digital camera.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a planar shape of a vehicle obtained by a composite image of a left digital image and a right digital image in a processing device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an orthographic projection image of a vehicle on a road surface is formed according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Measuring device 2 ... Two-color stripe 3L, 3R ... Digital camera 4 ... Processing device 5 ... Display device 10 ... Vehicle 10a ... Left digital image 10b ... Right digital image 11 ... Guidance path P: planar shape Q: orthographic image

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2F065 AA23 AA51 AA58 BB05 CC12 DD00 EE08 FF04 FF05 FF52 FF61 HH14 JJ03 JJ05 JJ08 JJ26 LL30 NN11 QQ03 QQ24 SS03 SS13 5H180 AA01 CC04 CC24 EE07

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A measuring device for measuring a floor projected area of a vehicle in operation, comprising: a floor surface on which two-color stripes are drawn at approximately 45 ° with respect to a traveling direction of the vehicle at equal intervals; Two digital cameras for capturing an image of the vehicle including the floor surface from above both sides of the vehicle on the side substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction;
In addition to processing images from the two digital cameras tilted to the opposite side to create a plane figure of the vehicle, the distortion of the two-color stripe on the floor is also corrected, and the plane figure and the two-color stripe image are corrected. And a processing device for calculating a vehicle floor projected area or a maximum dimension from the vehicle. 2. The processing device is provided with a display device,
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information obtained by a calculation result of the processing device is displayed.