JP2010088338A - Device for preventing approach - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive device for preventing approach, capable of preventing the approach of animals such as birds by precisely threatening them by rapidly detecting the approach of the animals such as the birds by a simple image processing giving a light load on a processor. <P>SOLUTION: The device 100 for preventing the approach can prevent the approach of animals such as birds. The device 100 includes an image-taking means 110 for taking an image in a prescribed region, a velocity vector-detecting part 122 for detecting the velocity vector at a plurality of points on images from the difference between the two or more images taken at different times by the image-taking means, a maximum velocity-extracting part 124 for extracting the maximum value of the velocities from the detected velocity vectors, a velocity-judging part 126 for deciding whether the maximum value of the velocities is equal to or higher than a prescribed reference value or not by comparing the maximum value of the velocity with the prescribed reference value, a threatening part 130 for threatening the animals by being operated by an electric signal, and an electric signal-generating part 132 for generating an electric signal for operating the threatening part when the maximum value of the velocity is equal to or higher than the prescribed reference value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an access preventing device for preventing an animal such as a bird from approaching.

  In recent years, in urban areas, crows nest on utility poles and steel towers, and conductive materials such as wires used in nesting have caused problems such as short-circuiting of wires and ground faults. There is another problem that starlings are crowded on utility poles and steel towers, and the squealing noise is annoying local residents.

  For crow problems, measures to prevent the crows from nesting before they nest, and measures to prevent crow nests from approaching the nesting site even after nesting are effective. Measures to prevent access to electric wires and steel towers are also effective against starling problems. As one of these measures, there is a technique for recognizing the position of birds and animals and threatening the approaching object, for example, the following.

  As a device for preventing various kinds of harm caused by the arrival of birds, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for preventing the arrival of birds by using repelling sound. This technology recognizes the arrival of birds from the two image data obtained by multiple camera modules, calculates the position of the flying birds, and estimates the location of the flying birds after a predetermined time. A sound signal is supplied to a plurality of speaker modules so that sound can reach the sound source.

Patent Document 2 discloses a device capable of effectively threatening animals. Such a device controls an intimidation means to recognize the presence and position of an animal, an intimidation means to intimidate the animal, and an intimidation toward the position of the animal recognized by the animal recognition means. Control means, and stops threatening when the evacuation behavior of the animal is determined by the evacuation behavior determination means.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-4858 JP 2007-306818 A

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, since a three-dimensional spatial position of a bird is calculated from two image data, a complicated calculation is required and a heavy load is imposed on the processing device. For this reason, in some cases, processing that follows the movement of birds with good timing cannot be performed, and there is a possibility that a threatening sound cannot be emitted at an appropriate position. In addition, a device that performs complex calculations is expensive.

  In the technique of Patent Document 2, the position of an animal is recognized by a camera sensor or an infrared sensor. However, the recognition of the position of an animal requires complicated image processing and may not be able to perform high-speed processing. In particular, heat detection by an infrared sensor is often difficult to use because birds do not generate heat as humans and other animals have feathers.

  In view of such problems, the present invention is a low-cost that can prevent the approach by quickly detecting and accurately threatening the approach of animals such as birds by simple image processing with a light burden on the processing device. An object of the present invention is to provide a simple access prevention device.

  In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of an access preventing apparatus according to the present invention is an access preventing apparatus for preventing the approach of animals such as birds, and includes an imaging means for imaging a predetermined area, and an imaging means. A velocity vector detecting unit for detecting a velocity vector at a plurality of points on the image from a difference between two or more images taken at different times; a maximum velocity extracting unit for extracting a maximum velocity value from the detected velocity vector; , Comparing the maximum value of speed with a predetermined reference value to determine whether the maximum value of speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined reference value, and intimidate the animal by operating with an electrical signal An intimidating part and an electric signal generating part for generating an electric signal for operating the intimidating part when the maximum value of speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value are provided.

  The velocity vector detection can use, for example, an optical flow process. Here, the optical flow process is a process for obtaining a velocity vector at each point on the image, and a block matching method, a gradient method, or the like is used. In optical flow processing, velocity vectors can be obtained at a reasonable number of points. And since it can be a process that only judges by comparing the maximum speed value extracted from the speed vector with the reference value, it does not perform moving object recognition, position analysis, contour extraction, etc. It can be a simple process. Rapid processing is possible without placing a heavy burden on the arithmetic unit.

  According to the above configuration, when the maximum speed obtained by speed vector detection is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value, it is determined that a bird or the like to be prevented from approaching has approached, and an intimidating part is generated by issuing an electrical signal. It can be operated to drive away birds that have approached it.

  Another configuration of the access preventing apparatus according to the present invention includes a solar cell that supplies driving power to the apparatus.

  By providing a solar cell, driving power can be supplied to the device using solar energy during the day. Regular charging like a normal storage battery is not required, and charging time can be saved. In addition, since connection with an outlet, a generator, or the like is not required, the degree of freedom in installing the access prevention device according to the present invention is increased.

  Another configuration of the access preventing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by including a yellow cover that covers the entire apparatus.

  It is known that yellow is a color that crows particularly avoid (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-25733), and covering the entire apparatus with a yellow cover can further enhance the effect of preventing crows from approaching.

  Another configuration of the access preventing device according to the present invention is characterized by including an attachment portion attached to a utility pole or a steel tower.

  There are many poles and steel towers as nesting sites for crows and assemblages for starlings. In addition, when nesting and crowding on utility poles and steel towers, electrical faults in wires and inconvenience to neighboring residents are significant. Therefore, the access prevention device according to the present invention exhibits its effect particularly when installed on a utility pole or a steel tower.

  According to the present invention, the approach of animals such as birds can be quickly detected and accurately threatened by simple image processing with a light burden, thereby preventing the access to power poles and steel towers at low cost and effectively. can do.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an access preventing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The access preventing apparatus 100 includes a camera 110 as an imaging unit that captures a predetermined area, a signal processing unit 120 that processes data of an image captured by the camera 110, and an animal such as a bird that wants to prevent access as a result of signal processing. If it is determined that the animal has been threatened, the threatening unit 130 threatens the animal, the electrical signal generating unit 132 that generates an electrical signal for operating the threatening unit 130, and the solar cell 140 that supplies driving power to the access prevention device 100. . The signal processing unit 120 includes a speed vector detection unit 122, a maximum speed extraction unit 124, and a speed determination unit 126.

  In the access preventing apparatus 100, data of an image taken in time series by the camera 110 is sent to the velocity vector detection unit 122. The speed vector detection unit 122 performs speed vector detection for two or more image data sent at different times. That is, the velocity at a plurality of points on the image is obtained as a vector distribution by velocity vector detection. Subsequently, the maximum speed extraction unit 124 extracts the maximum value of the speed from the obtained speed vector. The speed determination unit 126 compares the extracted maximum speed value with a predetermined reference value, and determines whether or not it is equal to or greater than the reference value. The reference value may be determined in advance by grasping the speed at which a bird or the like whose access is to be prevented approaches and referring to this speed.

  When the maximum value of the extracted speed is greater than or equal to the reference value, the electrical signal generator 132 generates an electrical signal and operates the threatening unit 130 that threatens the animal. As the threatening unit 130, for example, a speaker that makes a threatening sound such as a distress call (screaming sound) or explosive sound is effective. In addition to the loudspeakers that emit such sounds, the birds are controlled by a threatening mechanism such as applying an electric shock to nearby birds, forcibly oscillating the bird's moving area, or moving a pre-installed thorn. It may be dissipated.

  The driving power is supplied to the access preventing device 100 by the solar cell 140. By using the solar cell 140, installation becomes easy and charging like a storage battery can be made unnecessary. Electric power may be supplied by connection to an outlet or a generator without using the solar cell 140.

  FIG. 2 is an example of an external view of the access preventing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the camera 110, the signal processing unit 120, and the threatening unit 130 are integrally configured. The solar cell 140 is built in the signal processing unit 120. In addition, the camera 110, the signal processing unit 120, and the threatening unit 130 may be installed separately from each other.

The camera 110 is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled).
Device) A camera (CCD camera) provided with an image sensor is used. A camera equipped with a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor may be used. For example, the CCD camera captures a predetermined area at a frequency of 30 frames per second.

  In the present embodiment, a speaker is applied as the threatening unit 130. When the signal processing unit 120 determines that birds are approaching, the speaker 130 emits a distress call (scream sound), explosive sound, or the like.

  The entire access preventing apparatus 100 may be covered with a yellow cover that avoids crows. In such a case, the approach of the crow can be effectively prevented.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of use of the access prevention device according to the present embodiment in a utility pole. In this example, crows have begun nesting on the brace 170 of the utility pole 160. The electric wire 172 and the retaining clamp 174 are electrically insulated by an insulating cover or the like. However, if a crow uses a conductive material such as a wire to form the nest 180, the electrical insulation is damaged, causing electrical failure such as a short circuit between wires and a ground fault.

  In FIG. 3, the access prevention device 100 according to the present embodiment is fixed to the utility pole 160 by an attachment portion (fixed band) 150. The camera 110 captures an area near the crow's nest 180. When the crow approaches the nest, the movement of the crow is recognized as a velocity vector by the velocity vector detection unit 122 in the signal processing unit 120. If the maximum value of the speed is equal to or greater than the reference value, the access preventing apparatus 100 determines that birds or the like that should be prevented from approaching have approached, emits a threatening sound from the speaker 130, and drives away the crow.

  In order to widen the area to be photographed, it is preferable to use a camera 110 having a short focus optical system capable of wide-angle photographing. As such a short focus optical system, a lens having a focal length of 16 mm or less can be used. By using a plurality of cameras 110, a wide area can be photographed.

  The present embodiment shows an application example for preventing the access of crows, but is effective not only for the access of crows but also for starlings gathering on electric wires and steel towers.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a signal processing flow of the access preventing apparatus according to the present embodiment. First, the camera 110 acquires image data of a predetermined area in time series (step S200). Next, the velocity vector detection unit 122 acquires velocity vector distributions of a plurality of points in the imaging region from a plurality of images at different times (step S202).

  Subsequently, the maximum speed extraction unit 124 extracts the maximum speed value from the obtained speed vector distribution (step S204). The speed determination unit 126 determines whether or not the maximum value of the extracted speed is greater than a predetermined determination criterion (step S206). If it is larger than the criterion, the electric signal generator 130 emits an electric signal (step S208), and if it is smaller, no electric signal is emitted and the signal processing is continued.

  With the signal processing flow described above, the approach of birds and the like can be determined based on the maximum value of the speed obtained using the speed vector detection, and the approach of birds and the like can be prevented by the threat of the threat.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an access preventing device that prevents an animal such as a bird from approaching.

It is a whole block diagram of the approach prevention apparatus concerning this embodiment. It is an example of the external view of the access prevention apparatus concerning this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the usage example in the utility pole of the approach prevention apparatus concerning this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the signal processing of the approach prevention apparatus concerning this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Approach prevention apparatus 110 ... Camera 120 ... Signal processing part 122 ... Speed vector detection part 124 ... Maximum speed extraction part 126 ... Speed determination part 130 ... Intimidation part (speaker)
132 ... Electric signal generator 140 ... Solar cell 150 ... Mounting part (fixed band)
160 ... electric pole 170 ... arm metal 172 ... electric wire 174 ... retention clamp 180 ... crow's nest

Claims (4)

An access prevention device for preventing the approach of animals such as birds,
Photographing means for photographing a predetermined area;
A velocity vector detection unit that detects velocity vectors at a plurality of points on the image from differences between two or more images taken at different times taken by the imaging unit;
A maximum speed extraction unit that extracts a maximum speed value from the detected speed vector;
A speed determination unit that compares the maximum value of the speed with a predetermined reference value and determines whether the maximum value of the speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value;
An intimidating part that operates by electrical signals to intimidate animals,
If the maximum value of the speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value, an electrical signal generator for generating an electrical signal for operating the threatening unit;
An access prevention device comprising: The access prevention device according to claim 1,
An access prevention device comprising a solar cell for supplying driving power to the device. The access prevention device according to claim 1 or 2,
An access prevention apparatus comprising a yellow cover covering the entire apparatus. An access prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
An access prevention device comprising an attachment portion attached to a utility pole or a steel tower.

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