JP2013033426A - Snow removal support system and snow removal vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a snow removal support system which enables a user to easily and safely perform snow removal work by accurately recognizing positional relations between structures like obstacles and a snow removal vehicle through viewing and coordinate calculation on the basis of real video images acquired during the absence of accumulated snow.SOLUTION: The snow removal support system includes; video image recording means 1 which records real video images in all directions, which have been simultaneously acquired during the absence of accumulated snow by imaging means 1a, in association with vehicle coordinates in an absolute coordinate system, moving directions, etc. of a vehicle A at the time of video image acquisition; video image output means 4 which reads out a real video image corresponding to vehicle coordinates and a moving direction or the like derived from a desired line of sight, from the video image recording means 1 and outputs the real video image to a display frame F; and structure recording means 5 which reads out absolute coordinates of feature points included in the real video image read out from the video image recording means 1, from the video image recording means 1 to generate a three-dimensional model of the absolute coordinate system.

Description

  The present invention relates to a snow removal support system for performing snow removal while displaying an image when there is no snow, and a snow removal vehicle using the snow removal support system.

  As a conventional snow removal support apparatus or system thereof, a road snow removal navigation system that supports snow removal work by displaying a CG image of a road when there is no snow linked to GPS position data when a snow removal vehicle travels (for example, the following patent document) 1) is introduced.

In addition, the accuracy of snow removal work is related to the position information of structures such as grooves, curbs, guardrails, and the like that depend on high-accuracy position information, such as associating obstacle information on an electronic map. A method of using a digital map based on a CG image described on the basis (for example, see Patent Document 3 below) is introduced.
In addition, when removing snow, a technique is adopted that opens and closes the closing plate by selecting the release switch of the side shutter or detecting the marker so that the snow collected by the blade can be discharged to the side without being piled up at a branching point such as an intersection. (For example, refer to Patent Document 4 below).

JP 2002-333325 A Japanese Patent No. 3852779 JP 2008-224625 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-287715

  However, in any of the methods described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, a two-dimensional planar CG image and digital information are main, and a form in which the lacking information is supplemented with a live-action video is adopted. Therefore, the size and distance of structures and snowplows displayed in live-action images cannot be accepted as they are, and it is difficult to visually sense the safe distance from structures such as obstacles. There is a problem. Conventionally, as a measure for solving such a problem, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561, a measure such as setting a marker or the like in advance and guiding a relative distance from the vehicle to output an alarm or the like has been taken.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and accurately grasps the positional relationship between a structure such as an obstacle and a snowplow on the basis of a live-action image when there is no snow on the ground and in coordinate calculation. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a snow removal support system that can easily and safely perform snow removal work and a snow removal vehicle using the snow removal support system.

  The snow removal support system according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is a live-action image of all directions (images obtained from the field of view of the imaging means over 360 degrees in the front-rear and left-right directions) simultaneously acquired by the imaging means when there is no snow. Video recording means for recording the vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle at the time of video acquisition (vehicle coordinates in the three-dimensional coordinate system by global positioning), the moving direction, and the attitude information of the imaging means, and the current vehicle Vehicle coordinate detection means for obtaining vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system, movement direction detection means for deriving the movement direction in the absolute coordinate system of the current vehicle, vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the current vehicle, and a desired line of sight (usually (It may be set to the driver's line of sight, but the line of sight may be adjusted as necessary.) In other cases, a combination of a plurality of movement directions and posture information may be derived from a desired line of sight, and any of these combinations should be selected, and a similar live-action video should be derived from the video recording means. Video output means for outputting to a read display frame, and structure recording means for deriving and storing position coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of feature points included in the actual video read by the video output means from the video recording means And

As the structure recording means, for example, the length of a line segment connecting two arbitrary shooting points with respect to the feature point of the structure included in the live-action video is derived, and the feature is respectively detected from the line segment and each shooting point. It may be provided with a coordinate calculation means for deriving an angle with a line segment connecting points and deriving a position coordinate of a three-dimensional coordinate system by global positioning of a feature point by a calculation process in a forward intersection method, The vehicle coordinates at the time of capturing the acquisition frame including the feature point are used as the capturing points, and the angle includes the vehicle coordinates at the time of capturing the feature point, the moving direction, the posture information of the imaging unit, and the feature points. It can be calculated from the pixel coordinates of the acquisition frame.
There may be provided arrangement means for arranging the feature points in a three-dimensional coordinate system based on global positioning based on the position coordinates derived by the coordinate calculation means.
The pixel coordinates are coordinates that represent the display surface of the acquisition frame or display frame in a common two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as a relative coordinate system), and are the center or four corners of the acquisition frame or display frame. Either one is the origin (hereinafter referred to as relative coordinates).

  The video output unit may include a video editing unit that outputs a map video of a certain region including vehicle coordinates or designated coordinates, and in this case, the video editing unit includes a plurality of acquisition frames of the acquired live-action video. It is possible to have a configuration including coupling means for coupling the plane images included in the.

  The structure recording unit may include an image editing unit that outputs a map image for a certain region including vehicle coordinates or designated coordinates, and in that case, the image editing unit includes a plurality of captured real video images. It can be set as the structure provided with the arrangement | positioning means which arrange | positions the feature point contained in an acquisition frame on the two-dimensional horizontal surface (XY plane) in an absolute coordinate system.

  For example, a configuration may be provided that includes definition means for giving an attribute to the feature point, such as recording the position coordinate of the feature point in the absolute coordinate system in association with the attribute. In particular, an attribute (monitoring attribute) that identifies the object to be monitored can be given to the feature point to be monitored, and further, the distance between the feature point having the attribute of the vehicle and the feature point having the monitor attribute can be determined as absolute A distance calculation means derived from position coordinates in the coordinate system and a warning means for issuing an alarm output when the distance between the feature point having the vehicle attribute and the feature point having the monitoring attribute is within a predetermined distance. You can also.

  The method of issuing the alarm output is based on the current vehicle coordinates, for example, the distance to the IC tag fixed to the start point and the IC tag fixed to the end point of the snow removal prohibition section on the actual road, or to each IC tag A distance calculating means for guiding the direction and an alarm means for detecting an increase / decrease in the distance or a change in the direction and generating an alarm output in the snow removal prohibition section may be provided.

  The snowplow according to the present invention, which utilizes the alarm output and is made to solve the above problems, includes a snow removal support system having the alarm means, a snow removal board for scraping snow on the road, and the snow removal board. And a closing plate that can be opened and closed to stop the snow drainage of the snow flowing laterally along the snow surface, and an opening and closing control means that opens and closes the closing plate in response to an alarm output from the alarm means.

As described above, according to the snow removal support system and the snowplow according to the present invention, road facilities such as roadside scenery, signs, signboards and the like can be confirmed without any breaks, and an operation vehicle such as a snowplow is interposed in the display frame. In addition, the positional relationship between the road facility and the snowplow can be accurately grasped.
Thus, the snow removal operation can be performed safely by relying on the displayed live-action image without the driver having to determine the size of the structure such as an obstacle.

  By providing video editing means and image editing means and having a structure that can change the line of sight appropriately, even if the area is invisible from the travel position at the time of shooting by changing the coordinates and line of sight of the shooting point, In addition to being able to confirm with no image, if they are output as a plane image or a plane image, it becomes easy to devise a snow removal plan by associating the travel position with the landscape along the road as a map.

  In addition, since it has a structure recording means for deriving and storing the position coordinates of the feature points included in the live-action image in the absolute coordinate system, the feature points used for various controls and the live-action image are linked to each other, It is possible to easily grasp which part of the structure or the like shown in the image should be paid attention to.

  By providing a definition means that assigns attributes such as structures to the position coordinates of multiple feature points in a live-action video and connects them to each other and saves them, the accuracy of structure recognition in the snow removal support system increases and can be identified for each attribute If a means for assigning a simple pattern to a live-action image is provided, the visibility of boundaries and attributes of each structure and the like can be improved when the road condition of the running position is displayed on a display device or when it is output as a map. .

  In addition, in the definition means, an attribute of an obstacle or an intersection (including a road and an entrance / exit) is given to a feature point of the structure map, or an IC tag is fixed to an actual road and a predetermined position is determined from the position coordinates of the snowplow. By providing a warning means for issuing an alarm output when there is a feature point or IC tag having an obstacle attribute within a distance of, this also contributes to alerting the worker.

  Further, if the closing plate control means for closing the closing plate in response to the alarm output from the warning means is provided, it is possible to avoid a traffic obstacle caused by leaving the snow removed from snow regardless of where it is left.

It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process in the snow removal assistance system by this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the snow removal assistance system by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process of the coordinate calculation means in (A): Video output means of the snow removal assistance system by this invention, (B): Structure recording means. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of (A): Image which derives | leads-out attitude | position information required for the position coordinate calculation means in the snow removal assistance system by this invention, (B): The image of the process by a forward intersection method. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the arrangement | positioning state of (A): Equipment used for imaging | photography driving | running | working, (B): Snow removal board and closing board of the snow removal assistance system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the opening / closing state of the closing board in the snowplow by this invention. It is a photograph which shows an example of the output mode of the display frame of the snow removal assistance system by this invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a snow removal support system and a snowplow according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The snow removal support system shown in FIG.
Vehicle coordinate detection means 2 for acquiring the vehicle coordinates of a three-dimensional coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as an absolute coordinate system) based on the global positioning of the vehicle A as a snowplow and the time at detection;
A moving direction detecting means 3 for acquiring a moving direction in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle A at the present time;
The omnidirectional real-time image simultaneously acquired by the image pickup means 1a when there is no snow, the vehicle coordinate in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle A, the moving direction, and the posture information of the image pickup means 1a (the inclination of the image pickup means 1a with respect to the horizontal plane) Video recording means 1 for recording in association with information, etc.
Video output means 4 for reading out the actual video data corresponding to the current vehicle coordinates and the moving direction and posture information derived from the desired line of sight from the video recording means 1 and dividing it into a display frame F;
The video output means 4 includes structure recording means 5 for deriving and storing the absolute coordinates of the feature points included in the actual video read from the video recording means 1.

  Here, the desired line of sight is normally the line of sight set as the driver's line of sight, and may be one line of sight that may be generated when the driver looks outside the vehicle through the vehicle window. That's fine. In addition, regardless of the driver's line of sight, the vehicle coordinates and line of sight toward the location that the operator desires to view may be set as appropriate.

  The vehicle coordinate detection means 2 in this example is a GPS (Global Positioning System) that continuously acquires and outputs the vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle A and the time at the time of detection from a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting around the earth. is there.

  The vehicle coordinate detection means 2 in this example further includes an acceleration sensor 2a that detects acceleration vectors in three axial directions orthogonal to each other. A relative velocity vector and a movement vector are calculated from the relative acceleration vector obtained by the acceleration sensor 2a, and are included in the vehicle coordinate detection when the satellite is not detected by GPS or when traveling in a tunnel. It functions as the direction detection means 3.

  The video recording means 1 in this example reflects in the output a camera having a plurality of CCDs (imaging means) 1a capable of taking the latest video, an attachment that supports the camera on the vehicle A, and the support status such as the tilt of the camera. And a storage unit that records each frame (acquisition frame) of the captured image output by each CCD 1a and posture sensor 1b and posture information at that time in combination.

  The camera in this example includes six CCDs 1a for simultaneously capturing real-time images (including images of the vehicle A equipped with the camera) in all directions (six directions including up, down, front, back, left, and right in this example). The actual video data is output individually. The posture sensor 1b collectively detects the inclinations of the six CCDs 1a whose positional relationships are fixed with respect to the positional relationships of the CCDs 1a. In addition, about one CCD1a, it is good also as a structure which can acquire one panoramic image with one CCD1a using the optical system lens which can acquire the image | video of all directions.

  The posture sensor 1b in this example measures the azimuth angle and elevation angle in the photographing direction of the CCD 1a, and the azimuth angle from 0 ° to 360 ° ahead of the vehicle A and the elevation angle from −90 ° to 90 ° below the vehicle A. Then, a relative posture with respect to the reference posture of the camera (for example, a posture with an azimuth angle of 0 ° and an elevation angle of 0 °) is specified and output as posture information.

  In this example, the video recording means 1 uses the posture information output by the posture sensor 1b at the time of video acquisition, the moving direction of the vehicle A, and the vehicle coordinates acquired by the GPS for each acquisition frame of the actual video output from the CCD 1a. In addition, it is recorded in predetermined storage means such as a memory as video information correlated with time and the like.

  If the video recording means 1 having such a configuration is provided, the video information in the storage means can be appropriately updated in accordance with changes in the road and its roadside conditions. As described above, in the above example, the video recording unit 1 including the imaging unit 1a capable of appropriately capturing the latest road conditions is employed. However, the video information of the snow removal target area previously captured is appropriately input and used for snow removal. It may be a function that only functions. Note that the line of sight and field of view of the acquired and input video may be determined within a range determined by an appropriate azimuth and elevation depending on the snow removal target area.

The video output unit 4 in this example includes a line-of-sight analysis unit 4b, a coupling unit 4c, and a video editing unit 4a.
The video output means 4 derives the movement direction and posture information of the vehicle A corresponding to the combination from the vehicle coordinates and the set line of sight by the line-of-sight analysis means 4b, and the vehicle coordinates, the movement direction of the vehicle A, Then, a live-action video corresponding to the posture information is read from the video recording means 1 and is divided into display frames F and output to a display or the like (the real-time video of the vehicle A may be included in the display frame F in some cases).
In this example, it is assumed that the line of sight determined by the posture information is directed to the center of the output display frame F, and the visual field remains as it is at the time of acquisition of a live-action video in principle.

  When there is no video information corresponding to the vehicle coordinates derived from the set line of sight, the moving direction of the vehicle A, and the posture information in the video recording unit 1, the video output unit 4 includes the video editing unit 4a. Thus, the position coordinates (including the feature points) of the points (including the feature points) included in each acquisition frame are a plurality of live-action images that have the closest vehicle coordinates and line-of-sight (preferably, a part of the field of view also matches). (Hereinafter referred to as absolute coordinates), and is divided into display frames F for output.

  In addition, the video editing unit 4a in the example superimposes a ground surface portion that is not hidden by the vehicle A in a plurality of acquisition frames acquired as a live-action video for a certain area centered on the vehicle coordinates or specified coordinates (absolute coordinate system). The image output means 4 outputs a plane image obtained by the processing. The plane image can be used as a live-action map.

  On the other hand, the structure recording unit 5 in the example includes a coordinate calculation unit 5a, an arrangement unit 5d, a combination unit 5b, an image editing unit 5c, a feature point display unit 5f, and a definition unit 5e. The absolute coordinates of the feature points included in the actual video read from the video recording means 1 are derived and stored.

  The coordinate calculation means 5a in this example extracts points (feature points) to be subjected to coordinate calculation included in the live-action video from the video information recorded in the video recording means 1, and each acquired frame for each extracted feature point. The pixel coordinates above are derived, and the absolute coordinates of each feature point are derived from the video information (posture information at the time of acquisition, vehicle coordinates, and movement direction) related to the acquisition frame (FIGS. 3B and 4). reference).

  That is, the coordinate calculation means 5a is, for example, the length of a line segment connecting two arbitrary shooting points (vehicle coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1), (X2, Y2, Z2)) with respect to an arbitrary feature point in a live-action image. The length L is calculated from the vehicle coordinates at the time of capturing an acquisition frame including the feature point from each shooting point, and the angles θ1 and θ2 formed by the line segment and the line segment connecting the feature hand from the shooting point respectively. In an acquisition frame including vehicle coordinates, posture information ((azimuth angle, elevation angle): (θx1, θz1), (θx2, θz2)), and feature points at the time when the feature points were shot from each shooting point. The absolute coordinates of the feature points (see FIG. 4A) are derived from the relative coordinates (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) of the feature points, respectively, and are calculated by arithmetic processing in the forward intersection method (see FIG. 4B). X, Y, Z).

According to such a calculation process, a live-action image and each feature point included therein can be linked with a common absolute coordinate system.
It should be noted that these processes are not necessarily required to be performed for all the acquired frames stored in the video recording means 1, but only if at least the feature points included in the actual video data output to the display frame F are performed. good. For the vehicle coordinates in this example, if the ratio of the vertical coordinate ratio is negligible between an arbitrary acquisition frame and the immediately preceding and subsequent acquisition frames, The vertical coordinate can be calculated by ignoring the coordinate.

Further, if the arrangement means 5d for arranging each feature point in the absolute coordinate system based on the absolute coordinates is provided, one planar or three-dimensional structure map can be obtained.
At that time, according to the combining means 5b, the feature points included in the live-action image stored in a number of acquired frames can be handled as the same feature points as long as their absolute coordinates match. Even if the feature points are stored in the live-action video of multiple acquired frames with different lines of sight, they can be arranged in a common absolute coordinate system to form a single three-dimensional structure map with an accurate positional relationship. Can do.

In particular, the image editing means 5c outputs a map image for a certain region centered on or part of the vehicle coordinates or designated coordinates (absolute coordinates) appropriately input.
The arrangement means 5d uses the feature points included in the plurality of acquisition frames acquired as the live-action images, for example, the feature points included in the portions not hidden by the vehicle A in each acquisition frame, based on the plane components of their absolute coordinates, Place and output on a two-dimensional horizontal plane in the absolute coordinate system.

  The feature points can be arbitrarily extracted from points necessary for operation of the system, such as points specified by the user and points having a large difference in brightness or saturation.

  The definition means 5e gives an attribute to the feature point included in the live-action video. For example, a plurality of feature points that divide or enclose a certain area or space are defined as structures that constitute the surface of the structure, and each feature point is assigned by giving an attribute specific to each structure. The processing to clarify the structure to be performed is performed. In this example, the attribute codes specific to these attributes are stored in a form combined with the three-dimensional coordinates of each feature point for each acquired frame.

  An attribute code is, for example, a connection point for connecting a live-action video as a single feature point, and is identified as a road (shoulder, curbstone, doorway) etc. A code that can be given to multiple feature points surrounding a certain area or space, and is distinguished from various buildings and installations including vehicles (including the snowplow), signs, signboards, fire hydrants, etc. This is a possible code.

  There are a plurality of attributes that require monitoring (monitoring attributes). However, the snow removal support system in this example provides an alarm when a feature point having a monitoring attribute such as an obstacle exists within a predetermined distance from the vehicle A. The alarm means 6 which emits an output is provided.

The alarm means 6 in the example includes a distance calculation means 6a and a determination means 6b.
The distance calculation means 6a receives the absolute coordinates of the feature point having the attribute of the vehicle A and the absolute coordinates of the feature point having the monitoring attribute of each structure from the structure recording means 5, and the feature point having the attribute of the vehicle A And the minimum distance between the feature points having the monitoring attribute of each structure.
The determination unit 6b receives the distance output by the distance calculation unit 6a, determines whether the distance exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold value, and issues an alarm output at either of them.
By such processing by the alarm means 6, contact between the vehicle A and each structure in the up, down, front, back, left, and right directions and excessive proximity can be avoided.

  The feature point display means 5f obtains the feature points having absolute coordinates in the display frame F of the live-action video read from the video recording means 1 by the processing of the video output means 4 and obtained when the absolute coordinates are calculated. It arranges according to the pixel coordinates in the frame, and displays the absolute coordinates in the vicinity thereof (see FIG. 7).

  In the snow removal support system, for example, by inserting an outline or an image of the vehicle A into the display frame F, for example, the vehicle sense at the time of snow removal can be brought close to a sense by actual visual observation. By appropriately removing the contour or image from the display frame F, the road situation can be verified including the feature points of the part hidden in the vehicle A or the live-action image.

In the snow removal support system in this example, the combination unit 4c superimposes a portion that is not hidden by the vehicle A or other structure in a plurality of acquisition frames acquired as a live-action image for the region output to the display frame F. By arranging and connecting, a method of removing the vehicle A and other structures can be taken (see FIG. 7A).
In addition, it is possible to perform processing for inserting or removing a CG image in a region surrounded by feature points having specific attributes displayed by the feature point display means 5f (see FIG. 7B).

  The vehicle A in this example has a camera and a posture sensor 1b mounted on the roof, and a snow removal board B that collects snow on the road at the lower part of the vehicle A so as to be able to horizontally swing toward the front of the vehicle A as a snow removal vehicle. (See FIGS. 5B and 6).

The vehicle A includes a closing plate C that can be opened and closed on the left and right sides of the snow removal plate B.
This example includes a closing plate control means 7 for closing the closing plate C in conjunction with an alarm output generated by the warning means 6. The closing plate control means 7 in this example is to rotate the actuator forward or backward by the amount of the swing angle of the drive shaft D1 of the closing plate C using an alarm output as a trigger.

  In this example, a drive shaft D1 is rotatably supported along the upper edge of the snow removal plate B as the actuator, and a crank D2 extending laterally from the drive shaft D1 is swingable to the upper portion of the snow removal plate B. The drive shaft D1 is urged to rotate by advancing and retreating with the supported cylinder D3. A snow removing board is fixed by fixing a closing plate C to the tip of the driving shaft D1 and controlling the rotation of the driving shaft D1 so that the closing plate C swings from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction. The closing plate C at the end of B can be opened and closed.

  For example, if snow removed from a road intersection or road entrance is left undisturbed, traffic of people and vehicles at that location will be hindered, but detection of monitoring attribute data indicating the starting point of the doorway or intersection will be detected. If the control is performed by closing the closing plate C as a trigger and opening the closing plate C using the detection of monitoring attribute data indicating the end point as a trigger, it is possible to avoid leaving the snow removed at road intersections and road entrances. it can. At this time, it is also possible to perform a control in which a closing trigger is issued immediately after the start point is detected, and an opening trigger is issued after a predetermined delay time after the end point is detected.

Such alarm means 6 preliminarily stores monitoring attribute data indicating the start and end points of doorways and intersections for feature points having attributes (monitoring attributes) of structures adjacent to places where snow cannot be left, such as shoulders and curbs. It can be realized by giving.
At that time, the alarm means 6 obtains all the feature points having the attribute of the vehicle A in the display frame F from the structure recording means 5, the feature points having the monitoring attribute indicating the start point, and the monitoring attributes indicating the end point. Distance calculating means 6a for receiving the absolute coordinates of the feature points having and having the shortest distance and the direction between all the feature points having the attribute of the vehicle A and the feature points having the monitoring attribute indicating the start point and the end point; The determination means 6b determines whether or not the alarm output is necessary based on the increase / decrease of the shortest distance or the change of the direction, and the alarm output is output so that the closing plate C is reliably opened or closed at a position avoiding the snow removal prohibition section. To emit.

As for the alarm means 6, in order to further improve the accuracy when specifying a snow discharge location, an IC tag is embedded on an actual road, and an alarm output is generated by detecting and determining an increase or decrease in the distance or a change in direction. The means 6 may be adopted.
At that time, the warning means 6 uses the current vehicle coordinates as a reference to determine the distance or direction to the IC tag fixed at the start point and the IC tag fixed at the end point of the snow removal prohibition section (entrance / intersection or the like) on the actual road. A guiding distance calculating means 6a and a determining means 6b for determining whether or not an alarm output is necessary based on increase / decrease of the distance or a change in direction are provided, and the closing plate C is reliably opened or closed at a position avoiding the snow removal prohibition section. Alarm output.

  As specific determination criteria of the determination means 6b for opening the closing plate C at a position avoiding the snow-breaking prohibition section, for example, all the characteristic points having the attribute of the vehicle A and the monitoring attributes indicating the start point and the end point Both of the shortest distances between the feature points having the distances are reduced below the respective thresholds, or both the direction angles thereof are deeper than the respective thresholds, and the difference between the shortest distances is between the start and end points. If the distance is greater than the distance, or both the distance from the vehicle coordinates to the IC tags embedded in the two neighboring start and end points where the position coordinates are known, both decrease below the respective threshold values, or both the direction angles are the respective threshold values. If it is deeper than this and the difference between the shortest distances is greater than or equal to the distance between the start and end points, it can be assumed that the vehicle A has sufficiently approached the doorway or intersection, so the closing plate C is closed at this time. So that the alarm output It may be as to.

  Furthermore, for example, both of the shortest distances between all feature points having the attribute of the vehicle A and the feature points having the monitoring attribute indicating the start point and the end point are increased by more than the respective threshold values, or When both are shallower than their respective thresholds, or both the distances from the vehicle coordinates to each IC tag embedded in two neighboring start and end points whose position coordinates are known, both increase beyond the respective thresholds, or directions When both corners are shallower than the respective threshold values, it can be estimated that the vehicle A exists at a position avoiding the doorway or the intersection. Therefore, it is only necessary to issue an alarm output so that the closing plate C is opened only at this time. .

1 video recording means, 1a imaging means (CCD), 1b attitude sensor,
2 vehicle coordinate detection means, 2a acceleration sensor,
3 moving direction detection means,
4 video output means, 4a video editing means, 4b line-of-sight analysis means, 4c coupling means,
5 Structure recording means,
5a coordinate calculating means, 5b combining means, 5c image editing means, 5d arranging means,
5e definition means, 5f feature point display means,
6 alarm means, 6a distance calculation means, 6b determination means,
7 Closing plate control means,
A vehicle, B snow removal board, C closure board,
D1 drive shaft, D2 crank, D3 cylinder,
F display frame,
L length, θ1, θ2 angle

Claims (9)

The omnidirectional live action image simultaneously acquired by the image pickup means (1a) when there is no snow is combined with the vehicle coordinates, the moving direction, and the attitude information of the image pickup means (1a) in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle (A) at the time of image acquisition. Video recording means (1) for recording;
Vehicle coordinate detection means (2) for acquiring vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the current vehicle (A);
A moving direction detecting means (3) for deriving a moving direction in the absolute coordinate system of the current vehicle (A),
A video that is read out from the video recording means (1) and output to a display frame (F) corresponding to the vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the current vehicle (A) and the moving direction and posture information derived from the desired line of sight. Output means (4);
The video output means (4) comprises structure recording means (5) for deriving and storing the position coordinates of the feature points included in the actual video read from the video recording means (1) in the absolute coordinate system. Snow removal support system.   In the display frame (F) of the live-action video read out from the video recording means (1) by the video output means (4), the feature point that leads to the absolute coordinates is marked, and the feature point display that displays the absolute coordinates in the vicinity thereof The snow removal support system according to claim 1, further comprising means 5f. The structure recording means (5) derives the length (L) of the line segment connecting the two shooting points with respect to the feature points of the structure included in the live-action image, and the feature from the line segment and each shooting point. Coordinate calculation means (5a) for deriving angles (θ1, θ2) formed by line segments connecting the points and deriving position coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the feature points by calculation processing of the forward intersection method,
The coordinate calculation means (5a) uses the vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle (A) at the time of shooting the feature point as a shooting point,
The angles (θ1, θ2), vehicle coordinates in the absolute coordinate system of the vehicle (A) at the time of capturing the acquisition frame including the feature points, the moving direction, the posture information of the imaging means (1a), and the feature points The snow removal support system according to claim 1, wherein the snow removal support system is calculated from pixel coordinates of an acquisition frame including The video output means (4) includes video editing means (4a) for outputting a map video of a certain area including vehicle coordinates or designated coordinates,
The said video editing means (4a) is provided with the coupling | bonding means (4c) which connects the plane image contained in the some acquisition frame of the acquired real image | video, The said any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The snow removal support system described. The structure recording means (5) includes image editing means (5c) for outputting a map image for a certain region including vehicle coordinates or designated coordinates,
The said image editing means (5c) is provided with the arrangement | positioning means (5d) which arrange | positions the feature point contained in the several acquisition frame of the acquired real image | video on the two-dimensional horizontal surface in an absolute coordinate system, The said claim | item 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The snow removal support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   The snow removal support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising definition means (5e) for assigning an attribute to the feature point. Definition means (5e) for assigning a monitoring attribute to a feature point to be monitored;
Distance calculating means (6a) for deriving the distance between the feature point having the attribute of the vehicle (A) and the feature point having the monitoring attribute from the position coordinates in each absolute coordinate system;
The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising alarm means (6) for generating an alarm output when the distance between the feature point having the attribute of the vehicle (A) and the feature point having the monitoring attribute is within a predetermined distance. The snow removal support system described. Distance calculation means (6a) for guiding the distance to the IC tag fixed to the start point and the IC tag fixed to the end point of the snow removal prohibition section on the actual road with reference to the current vehicle coordinates, or the direction to each IC tag,
The snow removal support system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising alarm means (7) for detecting an increase or decrease in the distance or a change in direction and issuing an alarm output in a snow removal prohibition section. A snow removal support system according to any one of claims 7 and 8;
A snow removal board (B) that collects snow on the road;
An openable / closable closing plate (C) for stopping the snow drainage of the snow flowing sideways along the surface of the snow removal plate (B) against the snow;
A snowplow comprising an opening / closing plate control means (7) for opening and closing the closing plate (C) in response to an alarm output from the warning means (6).