JP2002211367A - Vehicle shape detection method in gate-type car washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle shape detection method in a gate-type car washing machine capable of obtaining more accurate vehicle shape data by small number of photographing means and reduces a detection error due to a blind spot of the side photographing means. SOLUTION: In this gate-type car washing machine constituted such that a vehicle shape is detected based on image data obtained by moving a vehicle body 1 and a gate-type frame 2 crossing astride the vehicle body relatively to control a car washing mechanism 10 based on vehicle shape data, a plurality of side CCD cameras 3, 4 as the side photographing means photographing from the side of the vehicle body 1 are installed by changing their installation heights, the whole vehicle body is divided into a plurality of photographing scopes, and image data from the side CCD cameras 3, 4 adapted for a height of each photographing scope is selected to prepare vehicle shape data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention detects a vehicle shape based on an image obtained by relatively moving a vehicle body and a gate-shaped frame straddling the vehicle body, and controls a car washing mechanism based on the vehicle shape data. The present invention relates to a method for detecting a vehicle shape in a portal type car washer configured as described above. More specifically, the present invention mainly relates to a photographing technique for obtaining image data from a side of a vehicle body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of portal type car washer is configured to control the operation of a car washing mechanism such as a washing means and a drying means based on vehicle shape data obtained from a side and an upper side of a vehicle body. Things are widely known. Means for obtaining the vehicle shape data include photoelectric elements and CCs.
A camera using a D camera, a PSD element and the like is known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-309411). Also, input image data obtained from the side and above the vehicle body is shaded, digitized by an A / D converter, and the image data is stored in a frame memory. It is also known to execute a binarization and an edge detection of the binarized image, and then to control the operation of the car washing mechanism based on the vehicle shape data obtained by the edge detection (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6 (1994) -108). -206519).

[0003]

When a photoelectric element comprising a pair of a light emitting element and a light receiving element is employed as means for obtaining vehicle shape data, the interval between the light emitting elements (light receiving elements) is set. That is, when the detection interval is large, the detection data naturally becomes uneven, and fine and accurate vehicle shape data cannot be obtained. Therefore, due to the relationship with the detection interval, a relatively small projection such as an inclined portion, a wing, or an antenna may not be accurately detected. On the other hand, when the intervals between the photoelectric elements are reduced, more precise vehicle shape data can be obtained, but there is a technical difficulty in that equipment costs are high. Also, CC
In the case of using a photographing means such as a D camera, a method of performing edge detection based on input image data of the entire vehicle body and detecting vehicle shape data in a portal type car washer as in the related art includes:
Obtaining accurate data has been technically difficult. That is, it is not practical to increase the distance between the vehicle body and the CCD camera in a gate-type car washer. Therefore, when photographing the entire vehicle body at once with the CCD camera, it is necessary to use a wide-angle lens. However, although the wide-angle lens has little distortion near the center, the distortion at the periphery is large, and the technical problem that the vehicle shape data of the part corresponding to the periphery must be inaccurate. there were. Further, when a photographing means such as a CCD camera is used and the installation position of the photographing means for the side is lower than the vehicle height, the shadow behind the straight line connecting the side photographing means and the side edge of the vehicle body. For example, a protruding portion such as a load on the roof of the vehicle body, which is located at the portion, enters a blind spot of the side photographing means, and thus there is a problem that a detection error easily occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and is directed to a portal type car washer capable of obtaining more accurate vehicle shape data with a smaller number of photographing means. An object is to provide a vehicle shape detection method. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting a vehicle shape in a portal type car washer capable of improving the followability of the photographing height with respect to the vehicle shape. It is another object of the present invention to reduce detection errors caused by blind spots in the side photographing means.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention detects a vehicle shape based on image data obtained by relatively moving a vehicle body and a gate-shaped frame straddling the vehicle body, and detects the vehicle shape. In a portal type car washer configured to control the car wash mechanism based on shape data, a plurality of side photographing means for photographing from the side of the vehicle body are installed at different installation heights, and a plurality of photographing ranges of the entire vehicle body are provided. And technical means for selecting the image data from the side photographing means and detecting the vehicle shape in accordance with the height of each photographing range. That is, the present invention divides the entire photographing range necessary for obtaining vehicle shape data of the entire vehicle body into a plurality of portions, and performs lateral photographing with different heights according to the height of each of the divided photographing ranges. By selecting the image data from the means, more accurate vehicle shape data is created based on the input image data with less distortion. Moreover,
Since the side photographing means does not have to be moved for the height adjustment, it is possible to eliminate the deflection of the optical axis due to the movement, and to obtain vehicle shape data with less error. In order to select the optimal image data from the side photographing means in accordance with the height of the photographing range, vehicle shape data such as a vehicle type is stored in advance, and the vehicle obtained by designating the vehicle type and the like is obtained. The image data from the side photographing means may be selected based on the shape data (claim 2). When the photographing range is moved, the next photographing is performed based on the vehicle height data obtained in the photographing range. A method of determining the height and selecting the image data from the side photographing means based on the photographing height is possible. Further, it is possible to select image data suitable for the height of the photographing range from a plurality of image data by selecting image data whose contour obtained by the image data is closer to the center of the image. Item 4). In addition, the vehicle shape may be detected based on image data from above at substantially the same position in the longitudinal direction as image data from the side (claim 5).

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention detects a vehicle shape based on an image obtained by relatively moving a vehicle body and a gate-shaped frame straddling the vehicle body, and controls a car washing mechanism based on the vehicle shape data. Any portal type car washer configured as described above can be widely applied. Further, the present invention can be widely applied not only to general vehicles, but also to gate-type car wash machines for special vehicles and railway vehicles. The car wash mechanism that is subject to operation control includes a washing nozzle that sprays detergent and washing water on the car body, a drying nozzle that sprays air to blow off water droplets attached to the car body, and the operation control of a rotating brush. Also widely included. For example, the present invention can be widely applied not only to a non-brush type configuration using only the cleaning action of the jet flow from the cleaning nozzle, but also to a brush type configuration using both the cleaning action of the jet flow from the cleaning nozzle and the cleaning action by the rotating brush. Further, the car washing mechanism may include a mechanism for not only a washing operation but also a related operation accompanying the car washing operation such as a wax operation. In each car washing process, it is possible to select whether to move the portal frame side or the vehicle body side, as long as the vehicle body and the portal frame move relatively. The form of the relative movement between the vehicle body and the portal frame may be a continuous relative movement or an intermittent relative movement.
In particular, if the intermittent relative movement mode is adopted in the vehicle shape detection process and the photographing is performed at the time of stop, the vehicle shape data with less error can be obtained without the fluctuation of the optical axis. Incidentally, it goes without saying that the approach direction of the vehicle body to the portal frame does not matter.

[0007] As the photographing means of the present invention, an appropriate photographing means such as a CCD camera can be used. Further, the input image data from the photographing means may be not only monochrome data but also color data. In the case of color data, it is possible to determine the color of the vehicle body and select a detergent or wax according to the vehicle color. Regarding the number of side photographing units installed for photographing the vehicle body from the side, it is sufficient that there are at least two or more side photographing units having different installation heights. The side photographing means having the optimum installation height refers to the side photographing means most suitable for the height of the photographing range among the number of the installations. Needless to say, a finer selection can be made with a larger number of installations, but in consideration of detection accuracy and cost, about 3 to 4 side imaging units are appropriate. When the vehicle data is created by combining the image data from above the vehicle body, it may be combined with one fixed or movable upper photographing means, or may be separated at an interval substantially equal to the vehicle width, for example. It is possible to combine two upper photographing means whose axes are fixed in parallel. In this case, the installation position of each photographing means should be set so that all the optical axes of the lateral and upper photographing means pass in the same plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, but in principle, However, it is possible to detect the vehicle shape depending on the image processing method. If the side photographing means is installed in a horizontal state and the upper photographing means is installed in a vertical state, the calculation is simple and errors are reduced. Further, these photographing means may be installed on the portal frame itself, or may be installed on a separate frame separated from the portal frame. When installing on the portal frame itself, install it so that washing water or the like does not splash on the photographing means. It is also possible to provide a shutter mechanism in the photographing means itself so that washing water or the like is not applied. In the relative movement between the portal frame and the body,
The vehicle shape may be detected during the first forward movement, and the car wash operation may be performed based on the vehicle shape data from the time of the backward movement, or the vehicle shape may be detected if it is configured so that washing water or the like is not applied. At the same time, it is also possible to carry out a car wash operation. In addition, for example, vehicle types such as a sedan type and a one-box type and vehicle type data for each vehicle name are stored in advance, and by inputting the vehicle type and the like prior to car washing, the stored vehicle type data is used. It is also possible to select the side photographing means.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram schematically showing a main part of an embodiment of a portal type car washer to which the present invention is applied. In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, a gate-shaped frame 2 having an appropriate structure installed so as to straddle the vehicle body 1 is provided with two side photographing means for obtaining image data from the side of the vehicle body 1. The side CCD cameras 3 and 4 are installed in a fixed state while changing the height, and two upper CCD cameras 5 and 6 are horizontally mounted as upper photographing means for obtaining image data from above the vehicle body 1. It was installed in a fixed state with a distance.

The image data from the side CCD cameras 3 and 4 and the image data from the upper CCD cameras 5 and 6 are:
Sent to capture board 7. As described above, those lateral CCD cameras 3 and 4 and upper CCD cameras 5 and 5
The input image data transmitted from 6 is transmitted as image data obtained by dividing the entire vehicle shape into a plurality of photographing ranges and photographing. In the capture board 7, each input image data is A / D converted, digitized, temporarily stored in a memory, and transmitted to the image processing unit 8. The image processing unit 8 performs gray processing on the digitized image data and creates vehicle shape data through edge detection. And
The vehicle shape data created as described above is transmitted to the control device 9 and used as control data for controlling the operation of the car washing mechanism 10 such as a washing nozzle, a drying nozzle or a rotating brush. When the vehicle shape data is created, as described above, the vehicle shape is detected by selecting the image data from the side CCD camera 3 or the side CCD camera 4 according to the height of each shooting range. I do. In this case, the vehicle type and the vehicle shape data for each vehicle name are stored in advance in the operation panel 11 for the car washing operation connected to the control device 9, and the vehicle obtained by designating the vehicle type and the like prior to the car washing. Based on the shape data, it is also possible to configure such that the first shooting position is set and the side CCD camera 3 or the side CCD camera 4 suitable for the shooting position is selected. Further, the lateral CCD camera 3 or the lateral C
Regarding the selection of the CD camera 4, when the photographing range is moved, the next photographing height is obtained based on the vehicle height data obtained in the photographing range, and based on the photographing height, the side photographing means is used. It is possible to select the image data from the side photographing means using the vehicle type and the vehicle shape data for each vehicle name stored in the operation panel 11 in advance. It is. When selecting image data from a suitable side photographing unit, the target image data may be acquired by selecting the side photographing unit itself, or the target image data may be acquired after acquiring the image data. Image data may be selected.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle shape detection flow according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of how to select the side photographing means.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a case is shown in which two side CCD cameras 3 and 4 provided at different installation heights are used as side photographing means. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper CCD cameras 5 and 6 fixed above the vehicle body 1 with an interval substantially corresponding to the vehicle width are used as the upper photographing means. Those lateral CCD cameras 3,
The optical axes of the upper CCD camera 4 and the upper CCD cameras 5 and 6 are set so as to pass through substantially the same plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 1. As mentioned above, we increased the number of side CCD cameras installed,
One fixed or movable CCD with upper CCD camera
It is possible to change to a camera. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the entire photographing range of the vehicle body 1 is divided into six photographing ranges A01 to A06, and the vicinity of the center is adopted as the measuring ranges a01 to a06, so that the distortion is reduced. The image data in the peripheral part of the easy shooting range is excluded from the measurement range to ensure accuracy. Then, in the detection of vehicle shape data, each measurement range a01 to a06 is further subdivided into a plurality of measurement windows, and edge detection is performed.
Each measurement range a01 based on the result of the edge detection
To a06, and the entire vehicle shape data is obtained based on the vehicle shape data in each of the measurement ranges. When setting the measurement window, the side CCD camera 3
The relative positions of the measurement windows in the image data from the upper CCD cameras 4 and 5 and the measurement windows in the image data from the upper CCD cameras 4 and 5 correspond to each other accurately. Alternatively, it is also possible to select and use the combination of the measurement windows having the closest corresponding positional relationship from the measurement windows set in the image data from the respective CCD cameras. As described above, a slight shift in the front-rear direction between the optical axes of the respective CCD cameras is corrected, and accurate vehicle shape detection becomes possible.

Next, the operation for detecting the vehicle shape will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S01, an initial shooting position, that is, a shooting range A01 in FIG. 3 is set. In this case, if the vehicle shape data for each vehicle type and vehicle name is stored in advance as described above, the first shooting position can be easily set by inputting the vehicle type and the like on the operation panel 11. In this embodiment, the side CC used for the first time is used here.
The D camera, that is, the lower side CCD camera 4 that matches the shooting range A01 is selected. Step S0
In Step 2, the vehicle body 1 and the gate-shaped frame 2 are
The relative movement is performed so as to realize the first imaging position set in the above, that is, the positional relationship of the imaging range A01. By the way, in the present embodiment, the case where the intermittent movement form is adopted as the movement form between the vehicle body 1 and the gate-shaped frame 2 has been described, but the form in which the relative movement is continuously performed at the predetermined speed as described above is also possible. It is possible.

Next, image data is taken in according to the following procedure to obtain vehicle shape data. In step S03, respective image data is taken from each of the CCD cameras 3 to 6. In step S04, peripheral areas are excluded from the captured image data of the upper CCD cameras 5 and 6 to form measurement ranges, and the measurement ranges are further subdivided to set a plurality of measurement windows. In step S05, edge detection is performed for each of these measurement windows to detect the outermost edge position. In step S06, vehicle width data for each measurement window is created from the edge detection result obtained in step S05.

Further, after step S07, the process shifts to a process relating to the image data from the side CCD camera 4 selected at step S01.
The same data processing as in step 6 is executed. That is, in step S07, as shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral area is excluded from the image data on the side CCD camera 4 captured in step S03 to obtain a measurement range a01.
Are set, and a plurality of measurement windows are set, and in step S08, edge detection is executed for each of the measurement windows. In step S09, step S
From the edge detection result obtained in step 08, vehicle height data for each measurement window is created. The vehicle height data is calculated by finding a point that satisfies the edge position obtained from the image data of the side CCD camera 4 and the edge position obtained from the image data of the upper CCD cameras 5, 6.
When the installation position is lower than the edge position as in the case of the side CCD camera 4, an edge on the near side appears, so the image data from the upper CCD camera 5 on the near side is used. Conversely, when the installation position is higher than the edge position as in the case of the side CCD camera 3, since the rear edge appears,
The image data from the rear upper CCD camera 6 will be used. Therefore, when the measurement window whose edge position is located above the image center and the measurement window located below are mixed in the image data from one side CCD camera 3, the upper image is displayed for each measurement window. The data will be selected.

When vehicle width data and vehicle height data have been obtained by the above steps, the process proceeds to the next step S10, where the current photographing range is the rearmost photographing range A06 of the vehicle body.
Is determined, and if the condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the next photographing position is set, and the next photographing height is obtained based on the vehicle height data of the side CCD camera 4 in the photographing range obtained in step S08, and the photographing height is adapted. Select the side CCD camera to be used. Incidentally, in order to obtain the next photographing height, the entire vehicle height data obtained from the edge detection in each measurement window of the photographing range may be obtained by averaging, or several windows in the latter half of FIG. Then, four windows are used as selection windows, the vehicle height data for the selection windows are averaged to determine the next shooting height, and the first portion of the next measurement window is added to the selection window. You may set so that it may overlap.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, while the photographing positions exemplified in the photographing ranges A01 to A06 are intermittently moved, the photographing ranges A01 and A
02, the lower side CCD camera 4 is selected in the front hood portion of the shooting range A03, the upper side CCD camera 3 is selected in the roof portion of the shooting range A03 to A05, and the lower side CCD camera is selected in the rear hood portion of the shooting range A06. The camera 4 is selected, and the above steps are repeatedly executed. If the detection of the vehicle shape data in all the photographing ranges A01 to A06 is completed, and it is determined in step S10 that the photographing range corresponds to the photographing range A06 at the rear end of the vehicle body, the work of detecting all the vehicle shapes is performed. To end. The operation control of the car washing mechanism 10 based on the vehicle shape data obtained in each of the above steps is configured to be executed in parallel with the vehicle shape detection operation as occasion demands, as described above. Alternatively, the control may be shifted to the operation control of the car wash mechanism 10 after all the vehicle shape data detection work is completed. By the way, in the case of adopting a continuous movement mode instead of the intermittent movement mode described above, the interval between the image capturing timings of each time is appropriately set so that the amount of movement between the imaging ranges is arbitrary. Can be set to In the case of the latter continuous movement mode, since the relative movement between the vehicle body 1 and the portal frame 2 is continuously performed, the vehicle shape detection operation and the car wash operation are performed in parallel. It is suitable for the case.

[0016]

According to the present invention, since the photographing means such as a CCD camera is employed, fine vehicle shape data can be obtained, and it is possible to accurately detect a slope portion, a wing, a projection portion such as an antenna portion, etc. Since the entire shooting range necessary to obtain the vehicle shape data of the entire vehicle body was divided into multiple parts, side shooting means installed at different heights for each of the divided shooting ranges were selected. By using a smaller number of photographing means, more accurate vehicle shape data can be obtained. Moreover, since it is not necessary to move the side photographing means for height adjustment, it is possible to eliminate the deflection of the optical axis due to the movement, and to obtain vehicle shape data with less error. In addition, since the photographing is performed by selecting the side photographing means having different heights according to the vehicle height, it is possible to reduce detection errors due to blind spots. Furthermore, when moving the photographing range, the next photographing height is obtained based on the vehicle height data obtained in the photographing range, and the side photographing means suitable for the photographing height is selected. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the followability of the photographing height with respect to the vehicle shape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram schematically showing a main part of an embodiment of a portal type car washer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle shape detection flow according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a method of selecting a side photographing unit;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Body, 2 ... Gate type frame, 3, 4 ... Side CCD camera, 5, 6 ... Upper CCD camera, 7 ... Capture board, 8 ... Image processing part, 9 ... Control device, 10 ... Car wash mechanism,
11 ... Operation panel

Continuation of the front page F term (reference) 2F065 AA04 AA07 AA12 AA53 BB24 CC11 DD00 FF04 FF26 JJ03 JJ05 JJ26 MM14 PP02 QQ24 UU03 UU05 UU06 3D026 AA03 AA04 AA05 AA06 AA14 AA25 AA16 A02 AA16 AA19 AA19 AA12 AA19 AA12 AA12 AA12 AA12

Claims (5)

[Claims] A vehicle shape is detected based on image data obtained by relatively moving a vehicle body and a gate-shaped frame straddling the vehicle body,
In a portal type car washer configured to control the car wash mechanism based on the vehicle shape data, a plurality of side photographing means for photographing from the side of the vehicle body are installed at different installation heights,
A gate wherein the whole vehicle body is divided into a plurality of photographing ranges, and image data from the side photographing means is selected to detect a vehicle shape according to the height of each photographing range. Method of detecting vehicle shape in a type car washer. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein vehicle shape data such as a vehicle type is stored in advance, and image data from the side photographing means is selected based on the vehicle shape data obtained by designating the vehicle type and the like. The method for detecting a vehicle shape in a portal type car washer according to claim 1. 3. When a photographing range is moved, a next photographing height is obtained based on vehicle height data obtained in the photographing range,
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein image data from the side photographing means is selected based on the photographing height. 4. The method of detecting a vehicle shape in a gate-type car washing machine according to claim 1, wherein an image data whose contour obtained by the image data is closer to the center of the image is selected from the plurality of image data. 5. The gate type according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle shape is detected based on image data from above and at substantially the same position in the longitudinal direction as image data from the side. Vehicle shape detection method in car washer.