JP2011019546A - Electronic arrival order and time determining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic arrival order and time determining apparatus capable of achieving immediacy and accuracy in determining the order of arrival and the time of arrival of a moving body. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic arrival order and time determining apparatus includes a color line sensor camera 3 for photographing a runner 2 on a track, and a time generator 11 which starts time measurement when the runner 2 starts. The electronic arrival order and time determining apparatus is configured to determine the order of arrival and the time of arrival of the runner 2 by displaying the image of a time scale measured by the time generator 11 on the image of the runner 2 photographed by the color sensor camera 3 on the screen of a color video monitor 16. The electronic arrival order and time determining apparatus also has a receiving data receiver 31 which acquires data from an IC tag 30 held by the runner 2 when the runner 2 passes on a goal line 1. The runner 2 passing on the goal line 1 is identified based on the data acquired by the receiving data receiver 31, and the determined time can be corrected on the screen of the color video monitor 16 based on the result of identification of the runner 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a determination device used in a competition in which a plurality of athletes compete at the same time in the order of arrival and time, such as a boat race, a horse race, a bicycle race, and an athletic competition. The present invention relates to an electronic arrival order and time determination device that determines the arrival order and time.

In the case of a race such as a boat race, horse race, bicycle race, and track and field where a plurality of competitors compete for the order of arrival and speed at the same time, it is usually difficult to accurately determine the order of arrival and time. And this is not particularly noticeable, even when the skills of multiple competitors are in good balance, sometimes even making it impossible to determine.
Therefore, photo determination has been used for a long time, and it is known as a technique that is almost indispensable for horse racing. However, in recent years, an electronic determination device using a television camera has been used to determine the order of arrival on image data. A method for determining time is used.

By the way, a device using a line sensor camera has been conventionally known as this electronic arrival order and time determination device (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
In the arrival order and time determination device using this line sensor camera, a moving object passing on a determination reference line such as a goal line is imaged using a line sensor camera in which the imaging field of view accurately matches the determination reference line. The one-dimensional video signal, which is the output of the line sensor camera, is input to an image storage unit having a scan conversion function and recorded together with time information necessary for determining the arrival order, and the one-dimensional video signal of the line sensor camera. Is converted into a two-dimensional video signal, read out from the image recording unit together with time information necessary for arrival order determination, etc., output to a video monitor, and an image necessary for determination is displayed.

Therefore, the prior art of such a determination apparatus will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
FIG. 7 shows an example in which the judging device is applied to athletics. The color line sensor indicates the arrival order and time when the runner (runner) 2 passes across the goal line 1 provided on the track track. The camera 3 is used to determine the goal line 1 as a determination reference line. At this time, the color line sensor camera 3 is a three-plate type color line sensor camera including an imaging lens 4. .
Then, the color line sensor camera 3 is installed beside the goal line 1, whereby the runner 2 passing over the goal line 1 is imaged from the upper right in the traveling direction, and the one-dimensional color image signal is obtained by the color line sensor camera. 3 is input to the image recording control unit 5.

  At this time, the image recording control unit 5 stores an A / D conversion circuit 6 for converting the RGB video signal output from the color line sensor camera 3 into a digital signal, and the digital RGB video signal from the A / D conversion circuit 6 as a memory. An image memory unit 8 for storing digital RGB video signals and digital information signals, and an image to be displayed on a color video monitor by synthesizing the digital RGB video signals and digital information signals stored in the image memory unit 8. And a read circuit 10 that scan-converts and reads display data stored in the display memory unit 9.

  Further, the image recording control unit 5 writes and reads the time generator 11 that outputs digital information data for superimposing and displaying the elapsed time from the start, and the image memory unit 8 and the display memory unit 9, for example. An address control unit 12 for controlling, a character generator 13 for outputting digital information data for superimposing characters such as a competition name and a symbol determination line on an image, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 14 for overall control, In addition, an interface unit 15 for interfacing with external signals is provided.

On the other hand, a color video monitor 16, an image filing device 17, and a video printer 18 are connected to the image recording control device 5, and a reference timer start signal input means 19, a memory take-in signal input means 20, and an operating device 21 are also provided. It is connected.
Here, when the color line sensor camera 3 operates, a moving body such as a runner 2 passing over the goal line 1 is imaged as a subject, and a one-dimensional RGB video signal thereby is transferred from the color line sensor camera 3 to the image recording unit 5. Will be supplied.

  The one-dimensional RGB video signal is converted into a digital RGB video signal by the A / D conversion circuit 6, and is written and stored in the image memory unit 8 via the writing circuit 7. At this time, the digital information data input from the time generator 11 and the digital information data input from the character generator 13 are simultaneously stored in the image memory unit 8. Accordingly, the image data and information data stored in the image memory unit 8 at this time are as shown in FIG. 8, and as a result, digital RGB video data can be displayed as an image 22 and input from the time generator 11 therebelow. The digital information data to be displayed can be displayed as a time scale (time scale) T.

  For this reason, the digital RGB video signal and the digital information signal stored in the image memory unit 8 are subsequently read out in order necessary for arrival order and time determination, and are displayed on the color video monitor 16 at this time in a two-dimensional manner. The image data is synthesized and stored in the display memory unit 9 as synthesized image data. Therefore, the readout circuit 10 reads out the composite image data from the display memory unit 9, scans and converts it into a television signal, and outputs it to the color video monitor 16. As a result, the color video monitor 16 displays an image necessary for determining the arrival order and time from the two-dimensional video signal and the information signal input from the readout circuit 9.

Further, the composite image data can be recorded and stored by supplying the composite image data to the image filing device 17 as necessary. Similarly, by supplying the composite image data to the video printer 18, the composite image data can be stored. You can get a printout.
For this purpose, the writing circuit 7, the image memory unit 8, the display memory 9, the reading circuit 10, the character generator 13, and the like are controlled by the CPU 14 via the address control unit 12 as necessary. Be controlled.

  Here, the operation device 21 serves to generate signals for various controls by selecting recording and reading of video signals and information signals, and the signals for various controls given thereby are sent to the interface unit 15. And input to the CPU 14 to be used for control and management of the entire apparatus. At this time, the reference timer start signal S is input from the reference timer start signal input means 19 to the time generator 11, and the memory acquisition signal R is input from the memory acquisition signal input means 20 to the CPU 14 via the interface unit 15. Is entered.

When the reference timer start signal S is input, the time generator 11 starts counting from 0 seconds, which is a reference for time measurement. When the memory acquisition signal R is input, the runner 2 moves above the goal line 1. Is recorded in the image memory unit 8, and thereafter, the composite image data can be stored in the display memory unit 9.
For the reference timer start signal S at this time, for example, in the case of athletics, an electric signal obtained directly from a starter pistol used for a start signal or a signal from an acoustic sensor that captures a starter pistol firing sound may be used. In other competitions, there will always be some signal at the start, so you can use the signal obtained from the equipment used for it.

On the other hand, as the memory fetch signal R, a signal that is manually generated by a person operating a game or the like by manually operating a switch is generally used, but an object on the track is detected before the goal line. You may make it use the signal by a sensor, for example, an optical sensor.
Therefore, when the determination device by the line sensor camera 3 is applied to the above-described boat racing, horse racing, bicycle racing, track and field competition, etc., each moving body such as a boat, horse, bicycle, runner (runner) determines the goal line, etc. When passing on the reference line, the one-dimensional image of the moving object is recorded in the image storage unit in time series along the time axis.

Therefore, when the image data and other information data stored in the image memory unit 8 at this time are displayed on the video monitor as images, as shown in FIG. 8, the horizontal direction is the time axis, and a determination reference line is provided there. A horizontally long image 22 in which the moving bodies are arranged in the order of passage is displayed, and a time scale T that is information on the elapsed time from the start time of the moving body is displayed below the image 22. If it is displayed on 16, it is possible to determine the arrival order and the time.
In addition, since the case where track and field competition was made into an object was shown as an example here, the runner 2 is shown as a moving body on the screen.

In order to determine the arrival order at this time and to measure the time, it is necessary to identify each moving body. At this time, in the above-described prior art, the number such as the bib number attached to each moving body is displayed in the image of FIG. By looking, the moving object is identified artificially.
On the other hand, with respect to the identification of the moving body, another conventional technique has proposed a method in which identification is obtained from the beginning using a non-contact identification element such as an IC tag (for example, Patent Document 3). -Refer patent document 8 grade | etc.,).

In this case, a non-contact identification element such as an IC tag in which information data unique to each moving body is previously registered is held in the moving body such as the runner 2.
And when the mobile body holding this IC tag etc. passes the goal line, the identification of the mobile body can be obtained individually by the information data obtained from the receiving device installed on the goal line of the runway Therefore, in this case, identification of the moving object can be obtained without requiring human intervention.

Japanese Patent Publication No.55-24831 JP-A-3-139374 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-284061 JP 2006-141867 A JP 2002-281492 A JP 2004-159151 A JP 2005-293020 A JP 2004-312511 A

In the above prior art, it cannot be said that attention is paid to the fact that it responds accurately to the arrival order determination and time determination of the moving body, and it is difficult to obtain accurate determination immediately after passing the goal line. There was a problem that there was.
First, in the determination based on the image of the conventional line sensor method, when the moving body passes the goal line, the moving body must be identified artificially from the image of the moving body. difficult.

  Moreover, in the determination using the conventional IC tag or the like, the mobile object can be identified instantly, but the detection position of the IC tag or the like by the receiving device has a wide range. It is difficult to determine the arrival order, and accurate determination cannot be made. It cannot be verified or confirmed later.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic arrival order and time determination device that achieves both immediacy and accuracy in arrival order determination and time determination of a moving body.

  The object includes a line sensor camera that images a moving body and timer means that starts timing at the start of the moving body, and the timer means is provided on a monitor image plane of the moving body that is imaged by the line sensor camera. In the electronic arrival order and time determination device of the method of determining the arrival order and time of the moving body by displaying the image of the time scale timed by, when the moving body passes on the goal line, the movement Receiving means for acquiring data from an IC tag held on the body is provided, the moving body that has passed the goal line is identified based on the data acquired by the receiving means, and the monitor is based on the identification result of the moving body. This is accomplished by correcting the determination of the time by the image plane.

  According to the present invention, since an image of a moving object to be imaged and information unique to the moving object can be automatically recorded at the same time as passing through a determination place such as a goal line, it is possible to calculate the goal time immediately and accurately. As a result, it becomes possible to quickly search, measure, print, etc. the target image to be confirmed.

It is a block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the electronic arrival order and time determination apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the display image by embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the data structure of the information specific to a moving body by embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram of the display image recorded by embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the video monitor display image by embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows another example of the video monitor display image by embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the electronic arrival order and time determination apparatus by a prior art. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the display image by a prior art.

Hereinafter, an electronic arrival order and time determination apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an embodiment in which the color electronic arrival order and time determination device according to the present invention is applied to a track and field runner. In FIG. 1, first, 30 is an IC tag, and 31 is The information data receiver, and 32 is an information data processing apparatus, and the other blocks are the same as the prior art color electronic arrival order and time determination apparatus described with reference to FIG. From the configuration, in the color electronic arrival order and time determination device according to the prior art of FIG. 7, an information data receiver 31 and an information data processing device 32 are added, and the runner 2 holds the IC tag 30 thereon. It corresponds to a thing.

First, the IC tag 30 is an IC chip that can be used to identify itself. The IC tag 30 operates in response to a weak radio wave having a predetermined frequency (gigahertz band) and receives data. It has a function of storing or transmitting stored data in response to a call.
Then, the identification data corresponding to each of the runners 2 participating in the competition is stored in advance in the IC tag 30, and as described above, the runners 2 corresponding to the identification data are respectively held. is there.

Next, the information data receiver 31 includes an antenna installed in the vicinity of the goal line 1 (preferably at the same position), and transmits radio waves having the above-mentioned predetermined frequency during the competition. Is passed, the IC tag 30 held by the runner 2 is activated, and the identification data stored therein is transmitted, and the transmitted identification data is received. .
The received identification data is input to the CPU 14 via the interface unit 15.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
In the track and field events targeted by this embodiment, the purpose is to determine the rank of runners who have passed on the goal line 1 and to determine the time, and for this reason, they have passed on the goal line 1 as shown in the figure. Information of the rider, that is, the runner 2 image, and at this time the runner 2 holds the IC tag 30, and when the runner 2 passes the goal line 1, the rider-specific information obtained from the IC tag 30 From the identification information, it is possible to obtain the arrival order and time of the competitor who finished the goal.

For this reason, the reference timer start signal S is input from the reference timer start signal input means 19 as an external signal, as in the prior art described above, and the CPU 14 receives the memory take-in signal input means 20 via the interface unit 15. The memory take-in signal R is input from.
At this time, the timer start signal S is a signal for starting counting from time 0 seconds which is a reference for time measurement, and the memory capture signal R is an image of the color line sensor camera 3 while it is being input. This is a signal for recording.

Here, FIG. 2 shows the image data in the memory recorded as the judgment image as the image 22 in the image memory. As shown in the figure, each runner 2 passes the goal line with the horizontal axis as the time axis. The images are recorded in the order of time.
The symbols [A], [B], [C], [D], [E], and [F] illustrated here are for convenience to distinguish individual subjects (runners 2). Although not actually displayed, in the case of this embodiment, since there is identification data, it can be displayed.

In this embodiment, the determination image can be automatically recorded, and the target image to be confirmed can be searched and printed from the acquired determination image. This will be described below.
When a race (competition) is started, a reference timer start signal S is generated at the same time, and the reference timer start signal S is input to the image recording control unit 5 and the information data processing device 32, and the image recording control unit 5 and the information The timer of the data processing device 32 starts and starts counting from 0 seconds, which is the measurement reference.
At this time, each runner 2 holds an IC tag 30, in which a lane number, a bib number, a player name, etc. specific to each runner are registered (stored) as information data 23 in advance.

Therefore, if each runner 2 passes over the goal line 1, the information data 23 is read and acquired by the information data receiver 31 from the IC tag 30 held by the runner 2.
Then, the information data receiver 31 transfers the acquired information data 23 to the information data processing device 32, and the information data 23 is transmitted from the information data processing device 32 to the image recording control unit 5.
Therefore, the image recording control unit 5 starts to capture an image at the timing of this signal input, and records the information data 23 that is unique to the player (runner) at this time together with the image in the image memory unit 8. To start.

However, as described above, if the capturing of the image is started at the same time as the acquisition of the information data, there is a possibility that the capturing of the image is delayed and the leading image of the competitor may be lost.
For this reason, a temporary memory for sequentially storing images over a certain period is mounted in the image memory unit 8, and when information data is acquired, recording is started from the temporary memory portion, and images before that can also be recorded. It is like that.
At this time, an image before the goal may be captured by placing a sensor for detecting a runner in front of the goal line 1.

This automatic image recording method will be described in more detail.
Simultaneously with the start of the race, when a reference timer start signal S is input from the outside, the time generator 11 starts and starts counting from 0 seconds, which is a reference for time measurement. And when runner 2 which is a moving body passes over goal line 1 which is a reference line, when memory capture signal R is input, an image of color line sensor camera 3 is recorded.
As a recording method at this time, the runner 2 on the reference line (goal line 1) is imaged by the color line sensor camera 3 through the lens 4 to obtain a one-dimensional RGB video signal.

When the runner 2 passes the goal line 1, the information of the IC tag 30 is read by the information data receiver 31 installed on the goal line 1 and transferred to the information data processing device 32.
The received information data is transmitted from the information data processing device 32 to the image recording control unit 5, and under the control of the CPU 14, the RGB video signal of the color line sensor camera 3 is output to the image recording unit 5, and the RGB video signal is A It is converted into a digital RGB video signal by the / D conversion circuit 6, and is written and stored in the image memory unit 8 via the writing circuit 7.

At this time, as described above, writing of the image is started from the image in the temporary memory, and at the same time, the player-specific information data 23 input from the information data processing device 32 is simultaneously recorded.
The recording of the image starts from the time when the unique information data 23 is received from the runner who has passed on the goal line 1 and is recorded for a certain time until the runner passes.

For example, when the runner 2A shown in FIG. 4 passes the goal line 1, the information of the runner-specific information data 23A is recorded, and an image is recorded for a certain time, and the next runner 2B passes the goal line 1. The information of the runner specific information data 23B is recorded, and an image is recorded for a certain time.
Furthermore, when the runner continuously passes on the goal line 1, for example, as shown in the runner 2B and runner 2C of FIG. 4, the runner 2B is passing and the runner-specific information data 23C of the next runner 2C is displayed at that time. Recording is performed and images are continuously recorded.

The image memory unit 8 stores digital RGB video data from the color line sensor camera 3 and at the same time, a time generator 11 for superimposing and displaying internal data, for example, elapsed time data from the start, on the image. Data from the character generator 13 for superimposing characters such as names, symbols, and determination lines on the image is also stored.
Then, the digital RGB video signal and digital information signal stored in the image memory unit 8 are synthesized as two-dimensional image data as an image to be displayed on the color video monitor by a part necessary for arrival order and time determination. 9 is stored.

The read circuit 10 reads the composite image data stored in the display memory unit 9, scan-converts it into a desired television signal, and outputs it to the color video monitor 16. As a result, the color video monitor 16 receives the read circuit 9. From the two-dimensional video signal and information signal input from, an image necessary for determination of arrival order and time, that is, a determination image is displayed.
Therefore, the search and measurement of the designated image and the apparatus example display method will be described next.

First, an image recorded by the above-described recording method conceptually becomes an image shown as the image in-memory image 22 in FIG. 5, and an image actually displayed on the monitor is an image (shown as a monitor display image 24 in FIG. Determination image).
In the monitor display image 24, a measurement result display image 25 is displayed in a window, and the ranking 25a, number number 25b, goal time 25c, etc. of each runner 2 read from the IC tag 30 are included therein. ing.
This is because the runner-specific information data 23C can be read for each runner and the runner can be identified, so that the rank 25a and the bib number 25b for each runner are known, and from the timing when the runner-specific information data 23C is taken in, This is because the goal time 25c can be calculated once.

However, the goal time 25c at this time is not an accurate time if the information read from the IC tag 30 is displayed as it is. This is because the detection position of the IC tag 30 by the information data receiver 31 is wide and is not necessarily detected at the position of the goal line 1.
Therefore, after displaying the goal time 25c at the timing when the runner-specific information data 23C is taken in, the measurement is further corrected after measurement from the recorded determination image.

For this reason, a time measurement line 26 for measurement can be displayed in the monitor display image 24 by operating the operation device 21, and the time measurement line 26 is in the horizontal direction of the screen, that is, the running direction of the runner 2. It can be moved to the left and right along.
On the other hand, time data is recorded in each line image from the color line sensor camera 3 at this time, and an accurate elapsed time obtained from this time data is set as a time scale T in the monitor display image 24. It is displayed.

Therefore, the time measurement line 26 and the time scale T displayed on the monitor display image 24 can measure the exact goal time of each runner 2 and can display it as the goal time 25c.
The procedure of time measurement and arrival order determination of the runner 2 from [A] to [F] at this time will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. Here, all of the processes shown below represent processing by an operation instruction given to the CPU 14 by an artificial operation of the operation device 21, for example, an operation by a staff member.

Initially, the “measurement mode” is instructed. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, a time measurement line 26 for measurement and a measurement result display 25 are displayed on the monitor display image.
Next, when “number input” is instructed and the rank or bib number of the runner to be measured is selected, the time measurement line 26 moves to the position of the runner read from the IC tag 30. Here, the time measurement line 26 and the time scale are moved. The goal time can be measured by T.
For example, if the rank “1” is input from the operation device 21 and [A] in the runner 2 is selected, the time measurement line 26 is displayed at the position shown in FIG. Is done.

Then, next, “Measurement line movement” is instructed, and the time measurement line 26 is moved to match the runner [A]. At this time, in the track and field competition, the chest portion of the runner's torso coincided with the goal line. The time is defined as the goal time.
Therefore, at this time, the position of the time measurement line 26 is finely adjusted so as to match the top of the chest of [A] in the runner 2.
Then, when the time measurement line 26 is correct, “decision” is instructed, and from this time scale T scale (time scale indicating the elapsed time from the start time) at which the time measurement line 26 matches, an accurate goal is obtained. The time is calculated, and this accurate goal time is displayed in place of the goal time that has been displayed in the goal time display field 25c.

  Subsequently, when the rank “2” is input from the operating device 21 in the same manner, the time measurement line 26 moves to the position of the runner [B]. If the measurement is performed in the same manner, the accurate goal time of the runner [B] is calculated. If the runners of the next rank are selected sequentially, the accurate goal times for all the runners 2 are displayed in the goal time display field 25c.

At this time, in the case of a runner who is off the monitor display image 24 and is not displayed, for example, the runner [D], when the rank “4” is input from the operation unit 21, the monitor display image 24 moves automatically, and FIG. As shown, the runner [D] is displayed near the center of the image. Of course, this is because the runner-specific information data 23C can be read for each runner and the runner can be identified.
Therefore, the goal time can be calculated in the same manner, and an accurate goal time can be displayed.
This is the same for the other runners. Therefore, the accurate goal times can be displayed in the goal time display column 25c for all the runners 2.

The measurement result display 25 at this time can be arbitrarily switched between display and non-display by operating the operation device 21. The display position can also be arbitrarily set by operating the operation device 21. Can be changed.
Further, by operating the operation device 21 at this time, the image 22 in the image memory can be printed out by the video printer 18, and therefore, it can be distributed as a print of an image with a clear arrival order result.
Further, at this time, the measurement result display 25 can also be printed out by the video printer 18, and therefore, the competition result of each runner can be distributed as a print together with a clear image.

  In this embodiment, the rank, the race bib number and the goal time are selected as items displayed on the measurement result display image 25, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to these items, If it is stored as information in the IC tag 30, any information such as the name of the runner, the organization to which it belongs, the name of a boat or bicycle racer, the name of a horse racing jockey and the name of a horse or stable, etc. can be arbitrarily displayed. Can be printed out.

In the embodiment described above, the measurement method and procedure have been described with respect to the operation of the dedicated operation device 21. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be performed using a mouse or keyboard of a personal computer. Needless to say, the above embodiment is an example of the display method at this time, and the display position and the display format can be arbitrarily changed.
Here, as a matter of course, the order of arrival can be determined only by the determination image at the time of the goal, and is recorded in the image filing device 17 and stored or stored in the video printer 18 as necessary. It is also possible to print.

1 goal line 2 runner (moving body such as athlete, horse, bicycle, motor boat)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Color line sensor 4 Imaging lens 5 Image recording control part 6 A / D converter 7 Writing circuit 8 Image memory part 9 Display memory part 10 Reading circuit 11 1 Time generator 12 Address control part 13 Character generator 14 CPU (central processing) apparatus)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Interface circuit 16 Color video monitor 17 Image filing apparatus 18 Video printer 19 Reference | standard timer start signal input means 20 Memory acquisition signal input means 21 Controller 22 Image in image memory 23 Information data (runner specific information data)
24 monitor display image 25 measurement result display image 26 time measurement line 30 IC tag 31 information data receiver 32 information data processing device

Claims (1)

A line sensor camera that captures an image of the moving body; and a timer unit that starts timing at the start of the moving body. The timer unit measures the time on the monitor image plane of the moving body that is captured by the line sensor camera. In the electronic arrival order and time determination device of the method for determining the arrival order and time of the moving body by displaying an image of a time scale that is,
When the moving body passes on the goal line, a receiving means is provided for acquiring data from an IC tag held by the moving body,
The mobile unit that has passed the goal line is identified based on the data acquired by the receiving unit, and the determination of the time by the monitor image plane is corrected based on the identification result of the mobile unit. Color electronic arrival order and time determination device.