JP2010061463A - Apparatus for determining forward/backward movement of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle forward/backward movement determination apparatus capable of determining the forward and backward movements of a vehicle by one vehicle detector including a pair of a light projecting means and a light receiving means. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle forward/backward movement determination apparatus includes: a vehicle detector 10 having a light receiver 10B for receiving light projected from a light projector 10A and capable of detecting a vehicle when the moving vehicle interrupts light projected from the light projector 10A and outputting a vehicle detection signal; a feature data acquisition part 15 for acquiring the feature data of the head side and tail side of the vehicle by using a silhouette pattern obtained from the vehicle detection signal outputted from the vehicle detector 10; and a trouble forward/backward movement determination part 16 for determining the forward/backward movement of the vehicle based on the feature data of the head side and the tail side of the vehicle which are acquired by the feature data acquisition part 15. Consequently, the forward/backward movement of the vehicle can be determined only by one vehicle detector 10 composed of a pair of the light projector 10A and the light receiver 10B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle forward / reverse determination apparatus suitable for use in an automatic toll collection system that charges a toll such as ETC installed on a highway.

  As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 10 (1), the conventional forward / reverse determination is determined from the rising and falling timings of the output signals of the vehicle detectors 100 and 101 each composed of two pairs of light emitting and receiving devices. Like to do. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 (2), the output signal S1 of the vehicle detector 100 on the front side in the traveling direction of the vehicle is turned on, and then the output signal S2 of the vehicle detector 101 on the far side in the traveling direction of the vehicle. Is turned on, S1 is turned off, and S2 is turned off, it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward. Next, as shown in FIG. 10 (3), when the order of S2 on, S1 on, S2 off, and S1 off is reached, it is determined that the vehicle is moving backward. Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (4), when the order of S2 on, S1 on, S1 off, and S2 off is reached, it is determined that the vehicle that has moved backward has moved forward (move forward). Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (5), when the order is S1 on, S2 on, S2 off, and S1 off, it is determined that the vehicle that has moved forward has moved backward (move backward).

  In addition, although not determining whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward, as a vehicle management method for managing a vehicle passing through a toll gate, for example, there is a method disclosed in Patent Document 1. The vehicle management method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a vehicle detector that forms a light screen, detects a vehicle passing through the screen with light, and calculates parameters representing vehicle characteristics based on the detection result. Then, the vehicle management information for identifying the identity of the vehicle that has passed through each of the plurality of vehicle detectors using the parameter and managing the vehicles existing in the lane based on the identification result is necessary. Is added.

JP 2003-263698 A

  By the way, the toll booth on the expressway has a small site area and some existing equipment, so the installation space is small and it may be difficult to install two vehicle detectors.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a vehicle forward / reverse determination device that can determine whether a vehicle is moving forward or backward with a single vehicle detector having a pair of light projecting means and light receiving means. The purpose is to provide.

  The vehicle forward / reverse determination device of the present invention has light receiving means for receiving the light emitted from the light projecting means, and detects the vehicle by blocking the vehicle moving the light emitted from the light projecting means. Vehicle detection means for outputting a vehicle detection signal, and feature data acquisition for acquiring feature data on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of the vehicle using a silhouette pattern obtained from the vehicle detection signal output from the vehicle detection means And forward / reverse determination means for determining forward / backward travel of the vehicle based on the characteristic data on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle acquired by the characteristic data acquisition means.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward with only one vehicle detection means having a pair of light projecting means and light receiving means. Therefore, it can be easily installed even in a narrow place of a tollgate on the highway.

  The light receiving means has a configuration in which a plurality of light receiving sensors are arranged in the vertical direction, and a vehicle silhouette pattern is obtained by turning on / off the plurality of light receiving sensors. And the characteristic data of the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of a vehicle are acquired using the obtained silhouette pattern. This feature data is vehicle height values on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of the vehicle, and the feature data is profile data corresponding to irregularities of silhouette patterns on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of the vehicle. The feature data is the number of times the silhouette pattern is turned on on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward with one vehicle detection means including a pair of light projecting means and light receiving means, and one vehicle detector. But it can be easily installed.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle forward / reverse determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a vehicle forward / reverse determination device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle detector 10, two axle detectors 11A and 11B, an axis number determination unit 12, an axis failure determination unit 13, and a normal state. A forward / reverse determination unit 14, a feature data acquisition unit 15, and a failure forward / reverse determination unit 16 are provided.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an installation state of the vehicle detector 10 and the axle detectors 11A and 11B. In the figure, the vehicle detector 10 includes a projector 10A having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged at regular intervals along the vertical direction, and the same number of light receiving sensors as the light emitting elements of the projector 10A. The light receiving element 10B is disposed at a position facing each light emitting element, and the vehicle detection signal is turned on when the vehicle 20 is detected. The axle detectors 11A and 11B have sensors for detecting the pressure of conductive rubber, contacts, etc., and when detecting the axle (wheel) of the vehicle 20, the axle detector signals (hereinafter referred to as AX1 signal and AX2 signal) are turned on. Become. In this case, the AX1 signal is turned on when the axle detector 11A detects the axle, and the AX2 signal is turned on when the axle detector 11B detects the axle. The axle detectors 11A and 11B are arranged in parallel between the light projector 10A and the light receiver 10B of the vehicle detector 10 and are installed 40 centimeters before the vehicle detector 10 to detect the axle. The axle detector 11A is arranged on the front side in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the axle detector 11B is arranged on the far side in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

  In the vehicle forward / reverse determination device 1 of the present embodiment, when the axle detectors 11A and 11B are operating normally, the determination of the traveling direction of the vehicle 20 and the measurement of the number of axes are performed according to the on / off order. . The period from when either of the axle detector 11A or the axle detector 11B is turned on first to when it is finally turned off is set as one axis, and the axle detectors 11A and 11B are turned on between them. The traveling direction of the axis of the vehicle 20 is obtained in the order of / off, and the traveling direction of the vehicle 20 is determined by comprehensive determination of the traveling direction of all the axes while the vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10 is on.

  FIG. 3 is a time chart showing signal outputs of the vehicle detector 10 and the axle detectors 11A and 11B when the vehicle 20 moves forward. In the same figure, after the AX1 signal of the axle detector 11A is first turned on for both shafts of the vehicle 20, the AX2 signal of the axle detector 11B is turned on, the AX1 signal is turned off, and the AX2 signal is turned off. It is an axis, and it is determined as a forward two-axis by the total when the vehicle detection signal is turned off.

  As described above, the number-of-axis determination unit 12 determines the number of axes of the vehicle based on the vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10 and the AX1 signal and the AX2 signal of the axle detectors 11A and 11B, and outputs the result. . The shaft failure determination unit 13 determines a shaft failure based on the presence or absence of the AX1 signal and the AX2 signal of the axle detectors 11A and 11B, and gives the result to each of the normal time forward / reverse determination unit 14 and the feature data acquisition unit 15. . The forward / reverse determination unit 14 at normal time moves forward, reverse, forward, or reverse in the middle of the vehicle 20 based on the AX1 and AX2 signals of the axle detectors 11A and 11B when the axle detectors 11A and 11B are not broken. And output the result. The feature data acquisition unit 15 acquires feature data representing shapes of a vehicle head, a vehicle tail, and a vehicle height based on a vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10 when the axle detectors 11A and 11B are out of order. . The failure forward / reverse determination unit 16 determines whether the vehicle is moving forward, backward, halfway forward, or halfway backward based on the feature data acquired by the feature data acquisition unit 15 when the axle detectors 11A and 11B fail.

Here, details of the vehicle traveling direction determination at the time of failure of the axle detectors 11A and 11B will be described. If at least one of the axle detectors 11A and 11B fails and normal shaft passage information cannot be obtained, the vehicle is as follows on the assumption that the reverse vehicle (the vehicle that is backing) is the immediately preceding forward vehicle. Determine the direction of travel.
(1) First, using the vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10, vehicle characteristic data on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of the passing vehicle is measured.
(2) (A) The vehicle head characteristic data of the current passing vehicle and the vehicle tail characteristic data of the immediately preceding vehicle, and (B) If the vehicle tail characteristic data of the vehicle passing this time and the vehicle head characteristic data of the immediately preceding vehicle are equal, "Reverse".
(3) If the vehicle head characteristic data and the vehicle tail characteristic data of the passing vehicle are the same and the vehicle head characteristic data of the vehicle passing this time and the vehicle tail characteristic data of the immediately preceding forward vehicle are equal, “move forward (go backward once and move forward)”, If they are not equal, “move backward (move forward and reverse)”.
(4) The cases other than (2) and (3) above are defined as “forward”.

  Next data (characteristic data) indicating the characteristics of the vehicle body is obtained from the vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10 when the vehicle passes.

<High value when the axle is on>
When the vehicle passes, the vehicle detector 10 and the axle detectors 11A, 11B use the on / off patterns (hereinafter referred to as “silhouette patterns”) of the output signals of the detectors 10, 11A, 11B as shown in FIG. ) Is obtained. Here, it is assumed that the axle detector 11A has failed (the axle detector 11B is normal). In this case, of course, the AX1 signal is not output. In FIG. 4, when the vehicle height value is measured when the AX2 signal of the first axis is on, it is # 22 to # 23 optical axis from the vehicle detection signal, and # 9 to # 10 is the second axis that is the final axis. Takes a value different from the optical axis. That is, the vehicle height value differs between the vehicle head and the vehicle tail. This is characteristic data of the vehicle head side and the vehicle rear side of the vehicle of the silhouette pattern shown in FIG.

  A sedan type (or two box type) passenger car has a silhouette pattern as shown in FIG. 4, while a one box type wagon car has a silhouette pattern as shown in FIG. In the case of a wagon car, the vehicle height value is the # 1 optical axis (upper end) for both the first and second axes, and there is almost no difference between the vehicle head and the vehicle tail. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 6, the installation position of the vehicle detector 10 is shifted from the axle detectors 11A and 11B by about 40 cm in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20 (of course, the reverse is also possible). In this way, since the axle detection timing moves as shown in FIG. 5, even in a wagon car, a clear difference can be produced in the vehicle height value between the first axis and the second axis as the final axis. In FIG. 5, “first axis (after movement)” and “final axis (after movement)” are cases where the installation position of the vehicle detector 10 is shifted from the axle detectors 11A and 11B by about 40 cm in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20. This is the axle detection timing. The “first axis (before movement)” and “final axis (before movement)” are the axle detections before the installation position of the vehicle detector 10 is shifted from the axle detectors 11A and 11B by about 40 cm in the traveling direction of the vehicle 20. It is timing. In this way, the characteristic data is the vehicle height values on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle. The vehicle height value when the axle detection signal is ON is very effective feature data in a small vehicle having a high frequency of abnormal traveling such as reverse travel.

<Vehicle detection pattern>
In the case of a substantially perfect rectangular large vehicle, even if the installation position of the vehicle detector 10 is shifted in order to make the vehicle height value characteristic when the axle is on, the first axis as shown in the silhouette pattern of FIG. The vehicle height value on the final axis is the # 1 optical axis, and is not characteristic data for distinction. Therefore, the feature data is obtained by examining the change in the on / off pattern of the vehicle detector 10.

(1) Profile data The contours of the vehicle detection signal on the vehicle head side and the vehicle tail side are checked for profile irregularities (the turn-on start order of the optical axis) to obtain profile data. For example, in FIG. 7, the # 26 optical axis is turned on (convex) first on the vehicle head side, whereas the # 26 optical axis is turned off (concave) first on the vehicle tail side. It becomes feature data for distinguishing. That is, the feature data can be distinguished from forward or reverse. Of course, this profile data is also effective in downsizing.

(2) Number of ONs The number of ONs on each optical axis is measured on each of the vehicle head side (between the vehicle detection start and the first axis) and the vehicle rear side (between the last axis and the vehicle detection end). For example, in FIG. 7, the optical axis # 35 is turned on only once on the vehicle head side, but is turned on five times on the vehicle tail side, which is characteristic data for distinguishing between the vehicle head and the vehicle tail. That is, the feature data can be distinguished from forward or reverse.

  In this way, by processing the pattern of the vehicle detection signal, it is possible to obtain feature data on the vehicle head side and the vehicle tail side of the vehicle. That is, basically, if the vehicle height can be measured, the vehicle height is obtained. If the vehicle height cannot be measured, one of the silhouette patterns on the vehicle head side and the vehicle tail side It is obtained as profile data corresponding to the unevenness, and the other is obtained as the number of times the silhouette pattern is turned on at the vehicle head side and the vehicle tail side.

  The vehicle detector 10 corresponds to vehicle detection means, the light projector 10A of the vehicle detector 10 corresponds to light projection means, and the light receiver 10B of the vehicle detector 10 corresponds to light reception means. The feature data acquisition unit 15 corresponds to the feature data acquisition unit, and the failure forward / reverse determination unit 16 corresponds to the forward / reverse determination unit.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle forward / reverse determination device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a passage process when the axis detectors 11A and 11B are normal. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the passage process when the axis detectors 11A and 11B fail. Hereinafter, it demonstrates in order.

  In FIG. 8, it is first determined whether or not a vehicle has been detected (step ST10). If no vehicle is detected, this process is repeated. If a vehicle is detected, it is determined whether either the AX1 signal of the axle detector 11A or the AX2 signal of the axle detector 11B is on (step ST11). If neither is on (if both are off), The process is repeated, and if either is on, the vehicle is determined to move forward and backward (step ST12). That is, the turn-on order of the AX1 signal and the AX2 signal is determined. After the AX1 signal is turned on, if the AX2 signal is turned on, the AX1 signal is turned off, and the AX2 signal is turned off (as shown in FIG. 3), it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward (step ST13), and the AX2 signal is turned on. After that, if the AX1 signal is on, the AX2 signal is off, and the AX1 signal is off, it is determined that the vehicle is moving backward (step ST14). After performing the forward / reverse determination, the number of times of detecting the axle while the vehicle detection signal of the vehicle detector 10 is turned on is obtained, and this process is finished (step ST15).

  In FIG. 9, it is determined whether or not the axle detectors 11A and 11B have failed (step ST20). If neither of them has failed, this process is repeated. If any one of them has failed, the vehicle head side is determined. The feature data on the vehicle rear side is acquired (step ST21). Then, it is determined whether the vehicle head feature data and the vehicle tail feature data in the case of (A) described above are equal (step ST22). That is, it is determined whether or not the characteristic data of the vehicle head of the currently passing vehicle and the characteristic data of the vehicle tail of the immediately preceding forward vehicle. If they are not equal, it is determined whether the current vehicle head and the current vehicle tail are equal (step ST23). If they are equal, it is determined that the vehicle is moving backward (step ST28). Otherwise, it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward (step ST29).

  On the other hand, if they are equal, it is determined whether the vehicle tail feature data and the vehicle head feature data in the case of (B) described above are equal (step ST24). That is, it is determined whether or not the vehicle tail feature data of the currently passing vehicle and the vehicle head feature data of the immediately preceding forward vehicle are equal. If they are equal, it is determined that the vehicle is moving backward, and the process is terminated (step ST25).

  On the other hand, if they are not equal, it is determined whether the current vehicle head and the current vehicle tail are equal (step ST26). In this determination, if the head of the current vehicle and the tail of the current vehicle are equal, it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward and the present processing is terminated (step ST27). Otherwise, it is determined that the vehicle is moving forward (step ST29).

  As described above, according to the vehicle forward / reverse determination device 1 of the present embodiment, the vehicle that has the light receiver 10B that receives the light emitted from the projector 10A and moves the light emitted from the projector 10A blocks the vehicle. The vehicle detector 10 that detects the vehicle and outputs a vehicle detection signal, and the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side feature data using the silhouette pattern obtained from the vehicle detection signal output from the vehicle detector 10 And a failure forward / reverse determination unit 16 that determines whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward based on the characteristic data on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle acquired by the characteristic data acquisition unit 15. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward with only one vehicle detector 10 including a pair of projector 10A and light receiver 10B. Thereby, it can be easily installed even in a narrow place of a tollgate on the highway.

  The present invention has an effect that it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward with only one vehicle detector composed of a pair of light projecting means and light receiving means, and tolls such as ETC installed on toll roads. It can be applied to an automatic toll collection system that charges

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle forward / reverse determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows the installation state of the vehicle detector and axle detector which comprise the vehicle forward / backward determination apparatus of FIG. 1 is a time chart showing signal outputs of the vehicle detector and the axle detector when the vehicle moves forward in the vehicle forward / reverse determination device. The figure which shows an example of the silhouette pattern obtained with the vehicle forward / backward traveling determination apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows an example of the silhouette pattern obtained with the vehicle forward / backward traveling determination apparatus of FIG. The perspective view which shows the state which shifted and installed the installation position of the vehicle detector which comprises the vehicle forward / backward determination apparatus of FIG. 1 about 40 cm from the axle detector in the advancing direction of a vehicle. The figure which shows an example of the silhouette pattern obtained with the vehicle forward / backward traveling determination apparatus of FIG. In the vehicle forward / reverse determination device of FIG. 1, a flowchart showing a passing process when the axis detector is normal. In the vehicle forward / reverse determination device of FIG. 1, a flowchart showing a passing process when the axis detector fails. The figure for demonstrating the forward / reverse determination of the conventional vehicle

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle forward / reverse determination apparatus 10 Vehicle detector 10A Light projector 10B Light receiver 11A, 11B Axle detector 12 Axis number determination part 13 Axis failure determination part 14 Normal forward / reverse determination part 15 Feature data acquisition part 16 Forward / reverse determination at failure Part 20 Vehicle

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an installation state of the vehicle detector 10 and the axle detectors 11A and 11B. In the figure, the vehicle detector 10 includes a projector 10A having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged at regular intervals along the vertical direction, and the same number of light receiving sensors as the light emitting elements of the projector 10A. The light receiving element 10B is disposed at a position facing each light emitting element, and the vehicle detection signal is turned on when the vehicle 20 is detected. The axle detectors 11A and 11B have sensors for detecting the pressure of conductive rubber, contacts, etc., and when detecting the axle (wheel) of the vehicle 20, the axle detector signals (hereinafter referred to as AX1 signal and AX2 signal) are turned on. Become. In this case, the AX1 signal is turned on when the axle detector 11A detects the axle, and the AX2 signal is turned on when the axle detector 11B detects the axle. Axle detectors 11A, 11B are arranged in parallel between the emitter 10A and the light receiver 10B of the vehicle detector 10, for sensing the vehicle axis. The axle detector 11A is arranged on the front side in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the axle detector 11B is arranged on the far side in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

Claims (6)

Vehicle detection means having light receiving means for receiving light emitted from the light projecting means, detecting the vehicle when a vehicle moving the light emitted from the light projection means is blocked, and outputting a vehicle detection signal; ,
Feature data acquisition means for acquiring feature data on the vehicle head side and vehicle tail side of the vehicle using a silhouette pattern obtained from the vehicle detection signal output from the vehicle detection means;
Forward / reverse determination means for determining forward / backward movement of the vehicle based on characteristic data on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle acquired by the characteristic data acquisition means;
A vehicle forward / reverse determination device.   The vehicle forward / reverse determination device according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving means includes a plurality of light receiving sensors arranged in a vertical direction.   The vehicle forward / reverse determination device according to claim 2, wherein the silhouette pattern is obtained by turning on / off the plurality of light receiving sensors.   The vehicle forward / reverse determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the characteristic data on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle are vehicle height values on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle.   The characteristic data on the vehicle head side and the vehicle rear side of the vehicle is profile data corresponding to the unevenness of the silhouette pattern on the vehicle head side and the vehicle rear side of the vehicle. A vehicle forward / reverse determination device.   The forward / backward travel of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the characteristic data on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle is the number of times the silhouette pattern is turned on on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle. Judgment device.

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