JP2002279581A - Traffic control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To establish a traffic control system for precisely determining the completion of an event at an early timing and reflecting the determination to traffic control. SOLUTION: An imaging device CAM picks up the image of walkers WLK moving through exits or paths in an event hall or a play ground. An image recognition device IP uses the image input from the imaging device CAM to seize the jammed conditions of the walkers WLK using as a characterizing amount the area of a brightness change region in the image changing with the flow rate of the walkers WLK and to determine the completion of the event opened in the hall or the play ground when the jammed conditions reach a preset level. The fact of the completion of the event is transferred to a traffic control installation CTRL by a transfer device TRN and traffic control is performed corresponding to the completion of the event.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traffic control system for supporting smooth operation of vehicles and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image recognition apparatus for extracting a moving object according to the prior art, a moving object region in an image is extracted by an inter-frame difference process and a background difference process.
In the inter-frame difference processing, first, luminance difference processing between images is performed using images at different shooting times. Next, a threshold value process is performed on the luminance difference value to create a binary image, and an area where the luminance has changed, that is, a moving object area has been extracted. In the background subtraction process, an image in which no object to be extracted is present is set as a background image, and a difference process of the luminance between the background image and the input image is performed to binarize and extract a moving object region.

[0003]

However, in the conventional traffic control system, the end of an event or the like at a venue or a stadium is determined based on an increase in the number of vehicles passing around a nearby road or a length of congestion. There was a delay from the timing when the event etc. ended. Therefore, there has been a demand for a traffic control system that accurately determines that an event or the like has ended at an earlier timing and reflects the result in traffic control.

[0004] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a traffic control system that accurately determines at an earlier timing that an event or the like in a venue or a stadium has ended and reflects the result in traffic control.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a traffic control system comprising: an imaging device for capturing an image of a pedestrian moving; inputting the image; processing the image to reduce a flow rate of the pedestrian; An image recognition device that obtains related feature amounts and determines the pedestrian congestion state using the feature amounts; a transmission device that transmits a result of the determination by the image recognition device; and a traffic device that uses the result of the determination. It controls traffic.

The image recognition device of the traffic control system according to the present invention comprises: an image input unit for inputting images sequentially output from an image pickup device; a change detection unit for detecting a region where a change has occurred in the image; An area calculation unit that calculates the area by summing the number of pixels of the area where the change has occurred, an area correction unit that performs correction from the area value calculated by the area calculation unit, and an area that is corrected by the area correction unit An area averaging unit that calculates an average area by averaging a predetermined period in the past, a determination unit that detects a moving object using the average area and determines a state of a recognition target, and outputs a result of the determination in the determination unit. And an output unit.

The image recognition device of the traffic control system according to the present invention has an image input unit for inputting images sequentially output from the image pickup device, and a luminance change in the image due to difference processing between images at different image pickup times. A change detection unit that detects a region where the change has occurred, an area calculation unit that calculates the area by summing the number of pixels of the region where the luminance change has occurred, and an area correction that performs correction based on the area value calculated by the area calculation unit Department and
An area averaging unit that calculates an average area by averaging the area corrected by the area correction unit for a fixed period in the past, and a determination unit that detects a moving object using the average area to determine a state of a recognition target, And an output unit for outputting a result of the determination by the determination unit.

[0008] Then, an image of a pedestrian moving near an exit or a passage of a venue or a stadium is taken by an imaging device,
By grasping the pedestrian's congestion state from the feature amount such as the area of the brightness change area in the image that changes according to the pedestrian's flow rate and determining the end of the event etc., the event etc. can be performed at an earlier timing with high accuracy. It can be understood that the operation has been completed and reflected in traffic control.

[0009]

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an image recognition apparatus used in a traffic control system of the present invention. In FIG. 1, IP1 denotes an image input unit, which performs an input process of an image of a recognition target captured by an imaging unit. IP2 is a change detection unit that detects an area where some change has occurred in the image. IP3 is an area calculator,
The area is calculated by summing all pixels for which a change has been detected in the change detection unit IP2. The area correction unit IP4 corrects an error included in the area. The area averaging unit IP5 averages the corrected area over the past fixed period. The determination unit IP6 determines the state of the recognition target from the averaged area. The output unit IP7 outputs the result of the determination by the determination unit IP6 to the outside. Hereinafter, the change detection unit, the area calculation unit, the area correction unit, the area averaging unit, the determination unit, and the output unit will be described in detail.

(Change Detection Unit IP2) The processing of the change detection unit IP2 will be described with reference to FIG. The change detection unit IP2 detects any change that occurs in the image. A description will be given of a case where a temporal change in luminance of an image obtained by the inter-frame difference processing or the background difference processing is used as a change in an image. First, the difference processing of the luminance value is performed between the two images using the image 1IM1 and the image 2IM2 having different shooting times. The difference image IM3 is obtained by the difference processing. Since an object that does not exist in the image 1 exists in the image 2, a difference occurs in the difference image. Next, threshold processing is performed on the difference image,
Pixels that are equal to or greater than the threshold have a luminance of 1 and other pixels have a luminance of 0
To obtain a binary image IM4.

(Area Calculation Unit IP3) The area calculation unit IP3 calculates the number of pixels having a luminance value of 1 using the binary image acquired by the change detection unit IP2. As a method of calculating the area, each pixel is sequentially scanned from the upper left of the image, and the luminance value is 1
Or a method of performing a labeling process on pixels having a luminance value of 1 and summing the area obtained for each label in the image for all labels.

(Area Correction Unit IP4) The area correction unit IP4
Corrects errors included in the area. The operation will be described with reference to FIG. Since various disturbances that cause an error have a property that occurs spontaneously without being continuous in time, correction is made using the property. The area values for the past n frames obtained from the area calculation unit IP3 are stored in the memory MEM1, and a median value detection processing MED for detecting the median value of the area values is performed. The area obtained by the median value detection processing is defined as the area after correction. By this processing, it is possible to correct even when an error occurs in which some change occurs in the image due to disturbance and the area of the change area in the image becomes excessively large or small once.

(Area average part IP5) In the area average part IP5, errors included in the area value are further reduced. The processing in the area average part IP5 will be described with reference to FIG.
The data for m frames, which is the area after the correction in the past fixed period, is held in the memory MEM2, and the averaging process AVG is performed on the data in the memory. The averaging process is performed by reading out all data in the past fixed period from the memory MEM2, adding the data, and dividing by the number m of area data.

(Judgment Unit IP6) The judgment unit IP6 performs a judgment process using the average area obtained by the area averaging unit IP5. The situation in the image is determined by examining whether the average area indicates a predetermined value.

(Output Unit IP7) The judgment result by the judgment unit IP6 is output from the image recognition device through a predetermined interface such as RS232C, USB, IEEE1394.

As described above, in the image recognition apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, errors included in the area of a region where some change has occurred in an image are corrected by the area correcting unit IP4 and the area averaging unit IP5. By reducing, the judgment unit IP
6 has the effect of improving the accuracy of situation determination.

Although the change detection unit IP2 has described the case of a luminance change as a change in an image, the change in an image may be a change in an optical flow, an edge, a texture, or the like. . Also,
The area of a region where a change has occurred in the image can be replaced with an area ratio obtained by dividing the area by the total number of pixels of the image.

(Embodiment 2) Next, an image recognition apparatus for a traffic control system according to the present invention will be described as a second embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the image input unit IP1, the control unit CONT,
An image recognition device having an output unit IP9. Control unit CO
NT includes a change detection step PR2, an area calculation step PR3, an area correction step PR4, an area averaging step PR5, and a determination step PR6.
Each step includes a change detection unit IP2, an area calculation unit IR3, and an area correction unit according to the first embodiment.
Each processing in IR4, area averaging part IP5, and judgment part IP6 is C
This is realized by software processing by a PU, and the processing flow is as shown in FIG. The image input unit IP1 and the output unit IP7 are the same as in the first embodiment.

As described above, in the image recognition apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, errors included in the area of a region where a change has occurred in an image are corrected in the area correcting step PR4 and the area averaging step PR5. This has the effect of improving the accuracy of the situation determination performed in the determination step PR6.

(Embodiment 3) Next, a traffic control system according to the present invention will be described as a third embodiment. In the third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, an imaging device CAM, an image recognition device IP, a transmission device TRN,
It is a traffic control system having a traffic control device CTRL.

The imaging device CAM takes an image of a pedestrian WLK moving through an exit or a passage of a venue or a stadium. The image recognition device IP is, for example, the first embodiment or the second embodiment.
The image recognition device according to the embodiment, wherein the imaging device C
Using the image input from the AM, the congestion state of the pedestrian WLK is grasped using the area of the brightness change area in the image that changes according to the flow rate of the pedestrian WLK as a feature amount, and the congestion state becomes a predetermined level. In this case, it is determined that the event or the like held at the venue and the stadium has ended. The end of the event or the like is transmitted to the traffic control equipment CTRL by the transmission device TRN, and the traffic is controlled according to the end of the event or the like.

As described above, in the traffic control system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to accurately and quickly determine that an event or the like held in a venue or a stadium has ended.

Note that in the third embodiment, the first
Although the example using the image recognition device described in the embodiment or the second embodiment has been described, aside from using the area of a region where some change occurs in the image as a feature amount for determination, Using an imaging device with an image sensor, multiple images with different viewpoints are taken, and areas having a high correlation are associated with each other, thereby performing three-dimensional sensing in the imaging space by stereo image processing. An image recognition device that determines that an event or the like has ended by grasping the congestion state based on a space occupancy rate or the like, which is a ratio of pedestrians in the space, may be used.

Further, the imaging device is installed at an exit or a passage of a horse racetrack, a boat racetrack, an amusement park, a theater, a baseball stadium, or the like, and images of pedestrians moving are taken. It is also possible to determine that.

(Embodiment 4) Next, a traffic control system according to the present invention will be described as a fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the fourth embodiment of the present invention is a traffic control system including an imaging device CAM, an image recognition device IP, a transmission device TRN, and a traffic control device CTRL.

First, the crossing alarm CRS is photographed by the imaging device CAM. The image recognition device IP is, for example, a first
The image recognition device according to the embodiment of the present invention or the second embodiment, wherein an image obtained by photographing the level crossing alarm CRS by the imaging device CAM is input. When the circuit breaker is closed, the crossing alarm is closed when the feature amount becomes a predetermined value with the area or the like of the brightness change area generated in the image accompanying the blinking of the railroad crossing alarm CRS as the feature amount. Is determined.

As described above, in the traffic control system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the image of the level crossing alarm CRS is photographed by the imaging device CAM, and the image recognition device IP
Since the closed state of the circuit breaker is determined by the above, means for transmitting the closed state from the railroad crossing itself to the outside becomes unnecessary.

In the fourth embodiment, the case has been described where the area of the brightness change area generated in the image is used as the feature quantity used by the image recognition apparatus. An image recognition device that uses a feature in which a luminance change area in an image alternates left and right or up and down with blinking, or uses color information as a feature since blinking of an alarm device is red. It may be.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, a pedestrian moving at an exit or a passage of a venue or a stadium is photographed by an imaging device, and the luminance in an image that changes according to the flow rate of the pedestrian is taken. Since it is determined that an event or the like held at a venue or a stadium has ended, using the area of the changing area as a feature amount, the timing of ending the event or the like can be determined more accurately and earlier than in the past, and traffic can be determined. An effect that can be reflected in traffic control is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image recognition device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of a change detection unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating operations of an area correction unit and an area averaging unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image recognition device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a traffic control system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a traffic control system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 IP1 Image input unit IP2 Change detection unit IP3 Area calculation unit IP4 Area correction unit IP5 Area averaging unit IP6 Judgment unit IP7 Output unit IP Image recognition device IM1 Image1 IM2 Image2 IM3 Difference image IM4 Binary image MEM1 Memory1 MEM2 Memory2 MED Median value detection process AVG averaging process CONT control unit PR2 Change detection process PR3 Area calculation process PR4 Area correction process PR5 Area averaging process PR6 Judgment process CAM Imaging device WLK Pedestrian TRN transmission device CTRL Traffic control equipment CRS Level crossing alarm

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) G08G 1/04 G08G 1/04 D H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 K (72) Inventor Masato Nishizawa Kohoku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 4-3-1, Tsunashima-ku, Ward Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) FA59 GA08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device for capturing an image of a pedestrian moving, inputting the image, processing the image, acquiring a characteristic amount related to the flow rate of the pedestrian, and using the characteristic amount A traffic control system including an image recognition device that determines the congestion state of the pedestrian, a transmission device that transmits a result of the determination by the image recognition device, and a traffic control device that performs traffic control using the result of the determination. 2. The image recognition device, comprising: an image input unit for inputting images sequentially output from an imaging device; a change detection unit for detecting a region where a change has occurred in the image; An area calculation unit that calculates the area by summing the number of pixels, an area correction unit that performs correction from the area value calculated by the area calculation unit, and the area corrected by the area correction unit is averaged for a past fixed period. An area averaging unit that calculates an average area by using the average area, a determination unit that detects a moving object using the average area to determine a state of a recognition target, and an output unit that outputs a result of the determination in the determination unit. Item 1. The traffic control system according to Item 1. 3. An image recognition device, comprising: an image input unit for inputting images sequentially output from an imaging device; and an area in which a luminance change occurs in the images due to a difference process between images at different imaging times. A change detection unit, an area calculation unit that calculates the area by summing the number of pixels of the area where the luminance change has occurred, an area correction unit that performs correction based on the area value calculated by the area calculation unit, and the area correction. An area average unit that averages the area corrected by the unit for the past fixed period to calculate an average area, a determination unit that detects a moving object using the average area and determines a state of a recognition target, and the determination unit The traffic control system according to claim 1, further comprising: an output unit that outputs a result of the determination.