JP2003258742A - Communication obstacle investigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication obstacle investigation apparatus in which data can be stored while surely grasping, recognizing and recording the location information of obstacles in order to create the database of communication obstacle information. <P>SOLUTION: The communication obstacle investigation apparatus is provided with a wide angle camera apparatus loaded on a vehicle for photographing an upper sky area perpendicular to the ground, a recognition means for recognizing the location of the vehicle, and an information processing means for detecting the presence/absence of communication obstacles within the predetermined elevation angle area in the sky on the basis of video data obtained by the wide angle camera apparatus and measuring the location of the detected obstacle on the basis of the recognition information from the recognition means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication obstacle investigation device for creating a database of position information of obstacles which obstruct communication via a high elevation orbit satellite.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a communication satellite has been used as a communication means between a mobile station and a fixed station or between mobile stations such as data communication between an ambulance and a medical center. However, communication satellites that are mostly in geostationary orbits on the equator have low elevation angles from mid-latitude to high-latitude regions such as Japan, and radio waves are often blocked by buildings and trees,
It becomes difficult to continue communication. So, in such communication,
The use of high elevation orbit satellites is being considered.

[0003]

However, in urban areas, there are many obstacles even at high elevation angles such as high power poles, high-rise buildings, billboards, and road guide signs beside the road. Therefore, if it is possible to recognize in advance the obstacles to communication and the positions thereof, it is possible to avoid the location where communication failure occurs or to predict the occurrence of failure and intentionally interrupt communication to improve the communication content. You can prevent omissions.

In order to recognize such obstacles in advance, it is necessary to create a database capable of presenting information on substances that cause communication obstacles in the specific area together with position information.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication obstacle information database in which a position information of the obstacle can be reliably grasped, recognized, recorded, and data can be accumulated. It is to provide a survey device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a communication obstacle investigation apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is mounted on a vehicle and is used for photographing a sky area vertically above the ground. A camera device, a recognition means for recognizing the position of the vehicle, and the presence or absence of a communication obstacle in a predetermined elevation angle region of the sky based on the image data obtained by the wide-angle camera device, and the recognition. Information processing means for measuring the position of the detected obstacle based on the recognition information from the means.

A communication obstacle investigation apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the communication obstacle investigation apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the recognition means includes a traveling direction and a moving speed of the vehicle. You can also recognize driving information,
The information processing means continuously processes the measurement position information of the obstacle based on the image data from the wide-angle camera device and the traveling information from the recognition means, which are continuously obtained as the vehicle travels. While accumulating data.

In the present invention, the wide-angle camera device mounted on the vehicle photographs the sky region above it, and the presence or absence of a communication obstacle is detected within a predetermined elevation region from the image data photographed by the information processing means. The position of the obstacle detected by the vehicle position recognition by the recognition means is measured, and this is repeated for each predetermined area, and if the position information of the communication obstacle in each area is accumulated as data, future In the implementation of a communication system via a satellite in a specific high elevation orbit, a database that can be used in advance to recognize a communication failure even when the communication station is moving and to avoid a communication failure or a communication loss is provided. Can be created.

Further, as described in claim 2, the recognizing means is also capable of recognizing traveling information including a traveling direction and a moving speed of the vehicle, and the information processing means is continuously operated as the vehicle travels. Based on the video data obtained from the wide-angle camera device and the traveling information from the recognition means obtained in FIG. 1, data is accumulated while continuously processing the measurement position information of the obstacle, thereby driving the vehicle. However, according to the route, it is possible to continuously measure the position information of the communication obstacle in the region above the travel route at a predetermined elevation angle and accumulate the data to proceed with the creation of the database.

The recognition means for recognizing the position of the vehicle is, for example, a global positioning system, so-called GPS (Global).
It is convenient and desirable to use existing systems such as Positioning System). Further, as means for recognizing the traveling direction and moving speed of the vehicle, various mechanisms including existing ones such as a direction and a speed sensor can be used as long as these traveling information can be continuously acquired in almost real time. The device can be widely adopted.

Further, the elevation angle region to be detected as to whether or not there is an obstacle may be set appropriately in accordance with the elevation angle of the satellite which is considered to be used.

[0012]

FIG. 1 shows a communication obstacle investigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication obstacle investigation device of the present embodiment mounted on a vehicle, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory view showing a communication obstacle investigation condition by this device.

The communication obstacle investigation apparatus according to this embodiment includes a wide-angle camera apparatus 3 in which a wide-angle camera 2 is installed in a transparent dome D provided on a roof so that the sky area of the vehicle 1 can be photographed, and a vehicle 1. Mechanism 4 to recognize the position of the
And an information processing mechanism 5 that detects a communication obstacle and measures its position based on the video data from the wide-angle camera device 3 and the vehicle position information from the recognition mechanism 4. .

The wide-angle camera device 3 is for taking an image of the sky region vertically above the wide-angle camera 2 and transmitting the image data to the information processing mechanism 5. Further, the recognition mechanism 4 recognizes the current position of the vehicle 1 by using GPS, and in the present embodiment, the position of the vehicle that is traveling by detecting the azimuth and moving speed of the vehicle 1 with a sensor. Information shall be recognized in near real time.

The information processing mechanism 5 uses the image data from the wide-angle camera device 3 as shown in FIG. 2 to reflect trees or buildings reflected in the elevation angle region T1 corresponding to the high-elevation angle satellite S used for communication. The obstacles (10A, 10B) are detected as communication obstacles based on, for example, shadows and light / dark boundaries, and the position of the detected obstacles is measured based on the vehicle position information from the recognition mechanism 4, and the measurement result is obtained. Is recorded as the data of the communication obstacle position information.

Based on the image data from the wide-angle camera device 3 and the position information from the recognition mechanism 4, which are continuously obtained while the vehicle 1 is running, the above communication obstacle investigation is continuously performed by the information processing mechanism 5. If the data is accumulated, the position information of the communication obstacles scattered along the traveling route of the vehicle 1 can be obtained, and the database of the communication obstacle information in the predetermined city area can be created.

That is, if a database is created by conducting a survey in an elevation angle region corresponding to the satellite in an urban area where a communication system via a specific high elevation satellite will be implemented in the future, in this surveyed region In the situation where it is necessary to avoid interruption or loss of communication, such as between an ambulance and a medical center, by opening the database, it is necessary to check communication obstacles in advance to avoid routes that cause communication failures and It is possible to prevent communication loss by intentionally interrupting communication at a place where is predicted.

Further, such a database serves as a reference for moving or removing an object that causes communication obstacles, for future planning, or for determining the position or size of a planned building or installed object, and the satellite orbit. It can be effectively used for design.

The elevation angle region to be detected, which is a database creation region, may be appropriately selected and set in accordance with the elevation angle of the target satellite. For example, as shown by concentric circles in FIG. Multiple region boundaries (T1, T2,
(T3 ...), and a stepwise database that can be selectively switched may be created so that communication conditions of different elevation angles can be dealt with.

Further, the information processing means of the present invention does not necessarily have to be mounted on a traveling vehicle and directly connected to the wide-angle camera device, and if the data transfer is possible, it is installed at a fixed location apart from the vehicle. The structure does not matter.

[0021]

As described above, according to the communication obstacle investigation apparatus of the present invention, communication is performed in the elevation angle region corresponding to the satellite in use for the future implementation of the communication system via the satellite in the specific city area. There is an effect that the position information of the object which becomes an obstacle is stored as data, and a database of communication obstacles that can be used for confirmation of communication obstacles in advance for avoiding communication interruption or communication loss can be created.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication obstacle investigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a schematic configuration diagram of the device, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing an investigation situation by the device. .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of video data by the wide-angle camera device of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Vehicle 2: Wide-angle camera D: Transparent dome 3: Wide-angle camera device 4: Cognitive mechanism 5: Information processing mechanism 10A, 10B: communication obstacle S: High elevation satellite T1, T2, T3: elevation angle boundary

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masuhisa Ta             2-3-6 Fushiki Kofu, Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture F term (reference) 5B057 BA12 CA12 CA16 DA02 DB02                 5K042 AA05 AA06 CA02 CA23 DA19                 5K067 BB03 DD52 EE02 FF03 HH23                       JJ52 JJ56 LL11

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A wide-angle camera device mounted on a vehicle for photographing a sky region vertically above the ground, a recognition means for recognizing the position of the vehicle, and based on image data obtained by the wide-angle camera device, An information processing unit that detects the presence or absence of a communication obstacle in a predetermined elevation angle region of the sky and that measures the position of the detected obstacle based on the recognition information from the recognition unit. A communication obstacle investigation device characterized by the above. 2. The recognizing means is capable of recognizing traveling information including a traveling direction and a moving speed of the vehicle, and the information processing means obtains the wide-angle camera continuously obtained as the vehicle travels. The communication obstacle investigation device according to claim 1, wherein data is accumulated while continuously processing measured position information of the obstacle based on video data from the device and traveling information from the recognition means. .