JP2007003450A - Noxious organism detecting device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a noxious organism detecting device capable of stationarily and easily detecting a noxious organism. <P>SOLUTION: Ultraviolet light L<SB>UV</SB>is stationarily radiated to a predetermined region around a user 2 by UV lamp 11. A UV camera 12 selectively receives the ultraviolet light L<SB>UV</SB>of reflected light from the noxious organism 3, and outputs an imaging signal generated by the ultraviolet light L<SB>UV</SB>. An image processing section 13 performs comparison (pattern matching) by a predetermined image processing using the imaging signal generated by the ultraviolet light L<SB>UV</SB>. A detecting section 14 detects whether the noxious organism 3 lies in the predetermined region around the user 2 based on the comparison result, and outputs the detection result to a monitor 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pest detection apparatus and method for detecting the presence or absence of a pest.

  Conventionally, methods for detecting pests (for example, organisms having poisonous substances or organisms that may harm humans) include a method of detecting by visual observation and a method of detecting by an imaging means.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the shape classification of microbial cells in which the presence of harmful microbial cells can be detected in a short time by digitally converting an image captured by a microscope to obtain image information. A method is disclosed.

JP-A-10-240949

  However, when visual detection is performed, for example, when the pest is a color similar to the surrounding soil, sand, floor, wall, etc., that is, when it is a protective color, it is detected that it is not a skilled person. It was difficult. Further, for example, when the person to be detected is sleeping, it cannot of course be detected, and it has been virtually impossible to always detect.

  Here, if it detects using an imaging means like the said patent document 1, it will become possible to always detect a pest. However, when the pests are similar in color to the surrounding colors, it is difficult to detect them based on the captured images.

  As described above, it is difficult for the conventional detection method to constantly detect pests.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide a pest detection apparatus and a pest detection method capable of detecting a pest constantly and easily.

  The pest detection apparatus of the present invention is based on an imaging unit that outputs an imaging signal by selectively entering light in the ultraviolet region among reflected light from a pest, and an imaging signal output from the imaging unit. And detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of pests, and output means for outputting the detection result by the detecting means.

  Here, the “pest organism” is literally a harmful organism for the user, and means, for example, an organism having a poisonous substance or an organism that may cause harm to the user. Further, “light in the ultraviolet region” means light in a wavelength region of about 400 nm or less.

  The pest detection method of the present invention is a method for detecting the presence or absence of a pest, and outputs an imaging signal by selectively entering light in the ultraviolet region of reflected light from the pest. An imaging means is provided, the presence or absence of pests is detected based on the imaging signal output from the imaging means, and the detection result is output.

  In the pest detection apparatus and the pest detection method of the present invention, light in the ultraviolet region is selectively incident among the reflected light from the pest, and an imaging signal based on this is output. As a result, in this video signal, the pest portion to be detected and the surrounding portion are clearly identified. Based on this imaging signal, the presence or absence of pests is detected, and the detection result is output.

  The pest detection apparatus of the present invention further includes a light source capable of emitting light in at least the ultraviolet region, and the imaging means enters the ultraviolet region light emitted from the light source and reflected by the pest. Thus, the imaging signal may be output. When configured in this way, the ratio of pests can be reliably detected even indoors or at night when light in the ultraviolet region by sunlight cannot be obtained.

  The pest detection apparatus of the present invention preferably further includes warning means for issuing a warning when it is determined that there is a pest based on the detection result output from the output means. When configured in this way, it is possible to reliably recognize that there is a pest without constantly monitoring the detection result output by the user.

  In the pest detection apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to further include a repelling means for repelling the pest when it is determined that there is a pest based on the detection result output from the output means. When comprised in this way, a user can be protected from a pest without always monitoring the detection result which a user outputs. In this case, the repelling means may be constituted by a robot that can move according to the detection result. Here, the “robot” may be in any form, for example, one that moves based on a control signal output from the output means, or one that can move by itself. When comprised in this way, even if a pest moves, it can fight off reliably.

  In the pest detection apparatus of the present invention, the imaging means includes a light-shielding filter that selectively shields light other than the ultraviolet region out of the reflected light from the pest, and an image forming an image of light transmitted through the light-shielding filter. An optical system can be included. The image processing apparatus further includes comparison means having image information relating to pests and comparing an image signal based on the image information and an image pickup signal output from the image pickup means, and the detection means is based on a comparison result by the comparison means. It can be configured to detect the presence or absence of pests.

  According to the pest detection apparatus or the pest detection method of the present invention, the ultraviolet light in the reflected light from the pest is selectively incident, and the presence / absence of the pest is detected using an imaging signal based thereon. Since the detection result is output and the detection result is output, the pest to be detected and its surroundings can be clearly identified, and the pest can be detected constantly and easily.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as an embodiment) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a pest detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  This pest detection device is for detecting whether there is a pest (pest 3) in the vicinity of the user 2 in the building H. The UV (Ultra Violet) lamp 11, the UV camera 12, , An image processing unit 13, a detection unit 14, a monitor 15, a warning lamp 16, and a repelling unit 17. Here, the situation is shown when the user 2 is resting in the bed B and there is a pest 3 in the vicinity thereof. The pest detection method according to the present embodiment is embodied by the pest detection apparatus according to the present embodiment, and will be described below.

  The pest 3 is a harmful organism for the user 2, for example, an organism having a poisonous substance or an organism that may cause harm to the user 2. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, a case where the pest 3 is “scorpion” will be described as an example.

The UV lamp 11 is a lamp that can constantly irradiate the ultraviolet light L _UV and is arranged so as to irradiate the periphery of the user 2. The UV lamp 11 only needs to irradiate at least light in the ultraviolet region (light in a wavelength region of about 400 nm or less), and may irradiate light in other wavelength regions in addition to this. However, it is preferable to irradiate only light in the ultraviolet region because, for example, the user 2 is not sleeping due to visible light even when the user 2 is sleeping.

The UV camera 12 includes a light blocking filter 121 that can selectively block light outside the ultraviolet region, and a UV lens 122 that selectively forms light in the ultraviolet region. Further, the UV camera 12 is arranged so as to capture a predetermined area near the user 2 among the areas irradiated with the ultraviolet light L _UV by the UV lamp 11. With such a configuration, the UV camera 12 receives the ultraviolet light L _UV emitted from the UV lamp 11 and reflected by an object in this region, and performs imaging using the ultraviolet light L _UV . An imaging signal based on the video imaged in this way is output to the image processing unit 13.

  The image processing unit 13 is a part that performs predetermined image processing on the imaging signal output from the UV camera 12. Specifically, the image processing unit 13 stores image information related to the pest 3 to be detected in advance, and an image signal of the image information related to the pest 3 and an imaging signal output from the UV camera 12. Are compared, that is, each of the binarized video signals is pattern-matched. The comparison result obtained in this way is output to the detection unit 14.

The detection unit 14 is a part that detects whether or not the pest 3 to be detected is present in a predetermined region near the user 2, that is, the imaging region of the UV camera 12, based on the comparison result obtained by the image processing unit 13. . Specifically, as a result of pattern matching by the image processing unit 13, if the image signal of the image information related to the pest 3 matches the imaging signal output from the UV camera 12, it is determined that there is a pest 3 to be detected. On the contrary, if these signals do not match, it is determined that there is no pest 3 to be detected. The detection result obtained in this way is output to the monitor 15, warning lamp 16 and repulse unit 17. In addition, an image pickup signal by the ultraviolet light L _{UV picked up} by the UV camera 12 is output to the monitor 15 together with the detection result.

Monitor 15, based on the imaging signal by the detection results and the ultraviolet light L _UV outputted from the detection unit 14, and displays the captured image by ultraviolet light L _UV with the detection result. Instead of the display output by the monitor 15, the detection result by the detection unit 14 may be output by printing it on paper or recording it on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk. Good.

  The warning lamp 16 issues a warning to the user 2 based on the detection result output from the detection unit 14. Specifically, when the detection unit 14 outputs a detection result indicating that the pest 3 is present, the user 2 is warned by emitting light or sound. Further, the repelling unit 17 has a gas outlet 171 and repels the pest 3 based on the detection result output from the detecting unit 14. Specifically, when the detection result indicating that the pest 3 is present is output by the detection unit 14, the repelling gas G is ejected from the gas ejection port 171 toward the pest 3, thereby Repel it. The method for repelling the pest 3 is not limited to the method for ejecting the repelling gas G in this way. For example, the pest 3 may be beaten and crushed.

  Here, the UV lamp 11 corresponds to a specific example of “light source” in the present invention, and the UV camera 12 and the UV lens 122 respectively correspond to specific examples of “imaging unit” and “imaging optical system” in the present invention. Correspond. The image processing unit 13 corresponds to a specific example of “comparison unit” in the present invention, and the detection unit 14 corresponds to a specific example of “detection means” in the present invention. The monitor 15 corresponds to a specific example of “output unit” in the present invention, the warning lamp 16 corresponds to a specific example of “warning means” in the present invention, and the repelling unit 17 corresponds to “repelling means” in the present invention. This corresponds to a specific example.

  Next, the operation of the pest detection apparatus having such a configuration will be described.

First, the ultraviolet light L _UV by a UV lamp 11 around the user 2 are constantly irradiated, in a predetermined region near the user 2, is imaging using ultraviolet light L _UV by UV camera 12 is performed, ultraviolet light imaging signal by L _UV is obtained.

Next, a video signal based on the ultraviolet light L _UV is output to the image processing unit 13, and the above-described predetermined image processing (pattern matching) is performed. A comparison result with the output imaging signal is obtained.

Based on the comparison result, the detection unit 14 detects whether or not the pest 3 is present in the vicinity of the user 2. The detection result is always output to the monitor 15 together with the image pickup signal by the ultraviolet light L _UV , and the contents thereof are displayed. Thereby, when the user 2 is monitoring the monitor 15, the monitor 15 recognizes whether or not the pest 3 is in the vicinity thereof.

  The detection result by the detection unit 14 is also output to the warning lamp 16 and the repulse unit 17. If the detection result indicates that there is a pest 3, the warning lamp 16 warns the user 2 and the repelling unit 17 blows off the repelling gas G so that the pest 3 is repelled. Accordingly, even when the user 2 is sleeping or not monitoring the monitor 3, it is surely recognized whether the pest 3 is in the vicinity thereof, and the user 3 is reliably protected from the pest 3. .

FIG. 2B schematically shows an image of the pest 3 detected in this way, that is, a photographed image by the ultraviolet light L _UV output from the UV camera 12. FIG. 2A schematically shows a captured image obtained from a conventional imaging means (such as a camera using visible light) as a comparative example.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (A), in the captured image by the conventional imaging means, the pest 3 (scorpion) to be detected has a color similar to the surrounding color, so it is hardly distinguishable from the surrounding. I understand that Therefore, it is difficult to detect this pest 3 based on such a conventional captured image.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), in the captured image by the UV camera 12 of the present embodiment, the pest 3 (scorpion) to be detected is white, while the surrounding area is black. It has become. This is the pest 3, while the ultraviolet light L _UV emitted from the UV lamp 11 is reflected at its periphery is for the ultraviolet light L _UV is absorbed, thereby part of the pest 3 and its The surrounding parts are clearly identified. Therefore, based on the video image taken by the UV camera 12, it is easily detected whether there is a pest 3 and where it is.

  In this way, it is difficult to detect the pest 3 in the captured image obtained from the conventional imaging means (such as a camera using visible light), but in the captured image by the UV camera 12 of the present embodiment. It can be seen that the presence or absence of the pest 3 and the position thereof are easily detected.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the UV camera 12 selectively enters light in the ultraviolet region (ultraviolet light L _UV ) of the reflected light from the pest 3, and the ultraviolet light LU _V based on this is incident. Since it is detected whether or not there is a pest 3 in a predetermined area near the user 2 using the image pickup signal of, and the detection result is output to the monitor 15 or the like, the pest 3 to be detected and its surroundings are detected. The pest 3 can be clearly identified and the pest 3 can be detected constantly and easily.

Further, the UV lamp 11 can be irradiated with ultraviolet light L _UV provided, since thereby was to illuminate the periphery of the user 2, the indicated such buildings in H 1, i.e. by solar as described below Even indoors where the ultraviolet light L _UV cannot be obtained, the ultraviolet light L _UV can be constantly obtained, and the pest 3 can be detected.

  Further, since the warning lamp 16 is provided so that the user 2 is warned when the pest 3 is detected, the user 2 does not always have to monitor the pest 3 with the monitor 15, for example, during sleep. Even if the pest 3 is detected, the pest 3 can be surely recognized. In addition, since the repelling unit 17 is provided so that the pest 3 is repelled when the pest 3 is detected, the user 2 does not always monitor the pest 3, and the user 2 is always monitored. It becomes possible to protect from.

  Further, the image processing unit 13 stores image information related to the pest 3 to be detected in advance, and performs pattern matching between the image signal of the image information related to the pest 3 and the imaging signal output from the UV camera 12. Therefore, the comparison result is output, so that the detection unit 14 can reliably detect the pest 3 based on the comparison result.

  Note that the warning lamp 16 and the repelling unit 17 in the pest detection apparatus of the present embodiment are not necessarily used when the user 2 always monitors with the monitor 15, for example, when the user alternates and monitors. It is not necessary to provide it. In that case, the configuration of the entire apparatus can be simplified and the component cost can be reduced. Further, when the user 2 does not monitor with the monitor 15, for example, the switching control may be performed so that the warning lamp 16 and the repelling unit 17 operate only when sleeping.

  While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the repelling means for the pest 3 is configured by the repelling unit 17 disposed at a predetermined position. However, for example, as shown in FIG. In addition (or in addition to this), a repelling robot 18 that can move according to the detection result by the detection unit 14 may be provided. Further, in this configuration, when the detection unit 14 detects the pest 3, in addition to the information that the pest 3 is present, the absolute position information is also output to the repelling robot 18. Well, it is configured such that the repelling robot 18 can always grasp its absolute position information. Here, the repelling robot 18 in this case corresponds to a specific example of “robot” in the present invention. When comprised in this way, even when the pest 3 moves, it can fight off reliably. The repelling robot 18 itself may have the functions of the UV camera 12, the image processing unit 13, and the detecting unit 14, and the repelling robot 18 may automatically detect and repel the pest 3.

In the above embodiment, the UV lamp 11 irradiates a wide area around the user 2 and the UV camera 12 is configured to capture a predetermined area of the UV camera 12. The imaging region may be configured to be moved periodically, or may be configured to be moved based on the detection result (absolute position information) of the pest 3. Further, the UV lamp 11 is configured to irradiate only a predetermined narrow area, and the irradiation area is moved in conjunction with the UV camera 12 based on the detection result (absolute position information) of the pest 3. You may comprise. When configured in this manner, the irradiation area of the UV lamp 11 is narrowed, so that the amount of light per unit area of the ultraviolet light L _UV to be irradiated can be increased, and the contrast of the image captured by the UV camera 12 can be improved. Therefore, the pest 3 and its surroundings can be more clearly identified, and the pest 3 can be detected more easily.

Moreover, although the case where the whole pest detection apparatus was installed indoor was demonstrated in the said embodiment, as shown, for example in FIG. 4, you may make it install this whole pest detection apparatus outdoors. When configured in this way, the UV lamp 11 is not required at least during the daytime by using the ultraviolet light L _UV emitted from the sun 4, thereby simplifying the overall configuration of the apparatus and reducing component costs. However, since the ultraviolet light L _UV due to sunlight cannot be obtained at night, for example, a light / dark sensor capable of detecting ambient brightness is provided together with the UV lamp 11 of FIG. The UV lamp 11 may be turned on only when

  Furthermore, the pest detection apparatus and method of the present invention can be applied to harmful substances other than the scorpion as described in the above embodiment.

It is a block diagram showing schematic structure of the pest detection apparatus which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram showing the image | video of the detected pest. It is a block diagram showing schematic structure of the pest detection apparatus which concerns on the modification of this invention. It is a block diagram showing schematic structure of the pest detection apparatus which concerns on the other modification of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... UV lamp, 12 ... UV camera, 121 ... Light-shielding filter, 122 ... UV lens, 13 ... Image processing part, 14 ... Detection part, 15 ... Monitor, 16 ... Warning lamp, 17 ... Repulse part, 171, 181 ... Gas Spout, 18 ... repelling robot, 2 ... user, 3 ... pest, 4 ... sun, H ... building, _LUV ... ultraviolet light, B ... bed, G ... repelling gas.

Claims (8)

Imaging means for outputting an imaging signal by selectively entering light in the ultraviolet region among reflected light from pests,
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the pest based on an imaging signal output from the imaging means;
A pest detection device comprising: output means for outputting a detection result by the detection means. A light source capable of emitting at least ultraviolet light;
2. The pest detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit outputs the imaging signal by entering light in an ultraviolet region that is emitted from the light source and reflected by the pest. 3. The pest detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a warning unit that issues a warning when it is determined that the pest is present based on the detection result output from the output unit. The pest according to claim 1, further comprising a repelling unit that repels the pest when it is determined that the pest is present based on the detection result output from the output unit. Detection device. The pest detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the repelling means is a robot that can move according to the detection result. The imaging means includes
A light-shielding filter that selectively shields light other than the ultraviolet region from the reflected light from the pest;
The pest detection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an imaging optical system that forms an image of light transmitted through the light shielding filter. Comparing means that has image information related to the pest and that compares an image signal based on the image information and an imaging signal output from the imaging means,
The pest detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects the presence or absence of the pest based on a comparison result by the comparison unit. A method for detecting the presence or absence of pests,
Among the reflected light from the pest, an imaging unit that outputs an imaging signal by selectively entering light in the ultraviolet region is provided, and the presence or absence of the pest is determined based on the imaging signal output from the imaging unit A pest detection method characterized in that the detection result and the detection result are output.

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