JP2013228343A - Object detection apparatus, object detection method and parking lot management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an object detecting apparatus capable of dynamically changing a monitoring area in accordance with a monitoring object to be dynamically changed.SOLUTION: An object detection apparatus D includes: a range-finding part A for measuring and outputting a distance up to an object existing in a preset reference area; a monitoring area setting part B for setting a monitoring unnecessary area in the reference area on the basis of an output from the range-finding part A and setting a monitoring area in an area excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area; an object determination part C which after the monitoring area is set by the monitoring area setting part B, determines whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area on the basis of the output from the range-finding part.

Description

  The present invention relates to an object detection device, an object detection method, and a parking lot management system.

  For example, in a parking lot equipped with a transport mechanism that automatically transports a vehicle parked in the warehousing area to the parking area, it is transported when there are people or objects around the vehicle from the viewpoint of ensuring safety. A safety mechanism that protects the mechanism from being activated is required. Such a safety mechanism is indispensable especially in unmanned parking lots where no manager is stationed.

  As such a safety mechanism, an object detection device incorporating a distance measuring device is preferably used. In the object detection device, based on the output of the distance measuring device, it is determined whether or not a human body or an object exists around the vehicle parked in the warehousing area.

  In addition, in various manufacturing factories and research facilities, when it is detected that a person has entered a specific area in order to ensure safety or keep secret, it may be necessary to sound an alarm or shut down the device. Even in such a case, an object detection device incorporating a distance measuring device is preferably used.

  As a specific example of such an object detection device, Patent Document 1 discloses a non-contact type that measures a distance to a detection object for each predetermined angle range that is attached to an automatic guided vehicle and radially divides the periphery thereof. A distance measuring device, a detection area registration means for registering a plurality of detection areas defined by lines connecting a plurality of specified boundary points in the measurement range of the distance measuring device, and a detection area for each traveling section of the automatic guided vehicle Measurement pattern setting means that selects and sets a pattern to be used from a plurality of detection area patterns registered in the registration means, and is measured for each predetermined angle range while the automatic guided vehicle is running. An obstacle detection sensor for an automatic guided vehicle having a determination unit that generates an obstacle detection output when the distance to the detected object is within the detection area set in the current travel section is disclosed. To have.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a photoelectric sensor that detects an object in a measurement region and outputs either an operation permission signal that permits the operation of the target device based on the detection result or an operation non-permission signal that does not permit the operation. A sensor is disclosed.

  The photoelectric sensor includes a light emitting unit that generates irradiation light, a scanning unit that scans the measurement region by repeatedly changing the irradiation direction of the irradiation light, a light receiving unit that receives reflected light from an object in the measurement region, Position information calculation means for calculating the position information of the object based on the irradiation direction of the irradiation light and the light reception signal in the light receiving means, and the first area in the measurement area and the first in the measurement area based on the position information. An object detection means for detecting an object in a second area different from the area, and an operation permission signal is output when no object is detected in the first area and an object is detected in the second area. When an object is detected in the first area, or when no object is detected in the second area, signal output means for outputting an operation non-permission signal is provided.

  The obstacle detection sensor disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the photoelectric sensor disclosed in Patent Document 2 are all based on a storage unit in which a single or a plurality of monitoring areas are set in advance and a measurement result by a distance measuring device. And an arithmetic unit that determines whether or not an object is present in the monitoring area.

JP 2002-215238 A JP 2008-298646 A

  However, in any of the above-described conventional techniques, there is a problem that it is not possible to cope with a case where a monitoring area that is a determination target area for determining whether or not an object exists is set in advance, and the monitoring area dynamically changes. there were.

  For example, in the parking lot described above, it is not necessary to monitor the area corresponding to the vehicle stopped in the warehousing area in order to determine whether or not there are people or objects around the vehicle parked in the warehousing area as the reference area It is necessary to set the area excluded from the receipt area as the monitoring area.

  The relative stop position of the vehicle that stops in the warehousing area is not always constant, and because it varies depending on the driving operation for stopping and also depending on the vehicle type, it is very difficult to set an appropriate monitoring area in advance, When a part of the stopped vehicle is located in a preset monitoring area, the vehicle may be erroneously determined as a person or an object.

  Therefore, if a large area including the stop position of any vehicle is set as a monitoring unnecessary area and an area excluding the monitoring unnecessary area is set as a monitoring area, the stopped vehicle is erroneously determined as a person or an object. However, there is a problem that a blind spot is generated because it is impossible to detect a person or an object existing in an area other than the actual vehicle stop area in the monitoring unnecessary area.

  Such a problem is not limited to parking lots, and it is necessary to detect that a person has entered a specific area to ensure safety or maintain confidentiality. Occur.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an object detection device, an object detection method, and a parking lot management system capable of dynamically changing a monitoring area according to a dynamically changing monitoring unnecessary area. The point is to provide.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first characteristic configuration of the object detection device according to the present invention is the distance to an object existing in a preset reference area, as described in claim 1 of the claims. A distance measuring unit that measures and outputs the output, and a monitoring unnecessary area is set in the reference area based on the output from the distance measuring section, and a monitoring area is provided in an area excluding the unnecessary monitoring area from the reference area. An area setting unit that executes an area setting process to be set, and whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area based on an output from the distance measuring unit after the monitoring area is set by the area setting unit An object determination unit for determining whether or not
It is in the point including.

  That is, the area setting unit specifies the position of an object existing in a reference area set in advance based on the output from the distance measuring unit, and sets the position of the object as a monitoring unnecessary area. Further, an area excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area is set as the monitoring area. When the monitoring region is set by the region setting unit, the object determination unit determines whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region based on the subsequent output from the distance measuring unit.

  In the second feature configuration, as described in claim 2, in addition to the first feature configuration described above, the region setting unit executes the region setting process each time a region setting signal is input. The object determination unit determines whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area based on an output from the distance measuring unit every time the monitoring area is set by the area setting unit. It is in.

  When it is necessary to update the monitoring area, a new monitoring area is set by the area setting section by inputting the area setting signal to the area setting section. Every time the monitoring area is set, the object determination section It is determined whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area.

  As described in claim 3, the third feature configuration is a region setting signal that outputs the region setting signal to the region setting unit based on a predetermined trigger signal in addition to the second feature configuration described above. The output unit is provided.

  According to the above configuration, when a predetermined trigger signal is input to the region setting signal output unit, the region setting signal is input from the region setting signal output unit to the region setting unit, and each time an appropriate setting corresponding to the monitoring unnecessary region is performed. A monitoring area is set. The trigger signal may be generated when the movement of an arbitrary object existing in the monitoring unnecessary area is automatically detected, or the trigger signal may be generated by manual operation.

  In the fourth feature configuration, as described in claim 4, in addition to any of the first to third feature configurations described above, the region setting unit is based on an output from the distance measurement unit. An area obtained by expanding the outline of a tangible object existing in the partitioned reference area is set as the monitoring unnecessary area.

  When the outline of the tangible object partitioned in the reference area based on the output from the distance measuring unit is set as the monitoring unnecessary area as it is by the area setting unit, due to a slight measurement error caused at the time of measurement by the distance measuring unit, There is a possibility that the object determination unit erroneously determines that the tangible object is another person or object existing outside the monitoring unnecessary area. However, according to the above-described configuration, since the area where the contour of the tangible object partitioned in the reference area is expanded is set as the monitoring unnecessary area, even if a slight measurement error occurs during the subsequent measurement by the distance measuring unit. It is avoided that the object determining unit erroneously determines that the tangible object is another person or object existing outside the monitoring unnecessary area.

  In the fifth feature configuration, as described in claim 5, in addition to the fourth feature configuration described above, the region setting unit sets a region excluding the monitoring unnecessary region from the reference region as the monitoring region. There is a point to set.

  According to the above-described configuration, since all the reference areas can be set as the monitoring area except the monitoring unnecessary area, it is possible to accurately detect a tangible object such as a person or an object existing in the monitoring area.

  In addition to any of the first to fourth feature configurations described above, the sixth feature configuration further includes a storage unit in which a plurality of monitoring region candidates are stored, The area setting unit is configured to set a single or a plurality of monitoring area candidates selected from the plurality of monitoring area candidates as the monitoring area.

  According to the configuration described above, a single or a plurality of monitoring region candidates are monitored by the region setting unit so as to cover a region excluding the monitoring unnecessary region from the reference region from the plurality of monitoring region candidates stored in the storage unit. Therefore, only the area that is essential as the monitoring area in the reference area can be set as the monitoring area.

  In the seventh feature configuration, in addition to any one of the first to sixth feature configurations described above, the area setting unit is based on an output from the distance measurement unit. The monitoring area is set only when it is determined that no object exists near the scanning mechanism provided in the distance measuring unit.

  If a person or an object is located in the vicinity of the scanning mechanism, there is a possibility that the monitoring unnecessary area partitioned by the reference area cannot be detected properly. Therefore, if the monitoring region is set only when the region setting unit determines that there is no object in the vicinity of the scanning mechanism, subsequent erroneous determination can be avoided. When it is determined by the area setting unit that an object exists in the vicinity of the distance measuring unit, it is preferable that some signal notifying the determination is output.

  In the eighth feature configuration, in addition to any one of the first to seventh feature configurations described above, the object determination unit is configured such that the monitoring region is set by the region setting unit. If it is determined that an object including a human body is present in the monitoring area based on the output from the distance measuring unit, an extended monitoring area in which the size of the monitoring area is adjusted to a predetermined size is set, and the extended monitoring is performed. The point is to determine whether or not an object including a human body exists in the region.

  When it is determined by the object determination unit that an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area, and then the retreat of the object including the human body is determined from the monitoring area, an output from the distance measurement unit for an object moving on the boundary of the monitoring area There is a risk of chattering. Even in such a case, an extended monitoring area in which the size of the monitoring area is adjusted to a predetermined size is set, and when an object including a human body exists in the extended monitoring area, an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area. By determining that, chattering can be avoided. Even if chattering occurs at the boundary of the extended monitoring area, it can be determined that the object including the human body has left the monitoring area, so when it is determined that the object including the human body has moved away from the extended monitoring area, It is only necessary to maintain the determination that an object including a human body has left the monitoring area.

  In the ninth feature configuration, as described in claim 9, in addition to the eighth feature configuration described above, when the object determination unit determines that no object including a human body exists in the extended monitoring region, An area for determining whether or not an object including a human body exists is to be returned to the monitoring area.

  After determining that there is no object including a human body in the extended monitoring area, it is necessary to determine whether there is an object including a new human body entering the monitoring area. In such a case, there is a risk of erroneous determination if the entry determination is performed based on the extended monitoring area. However, the entry into the monitoring area can be reliably determined by returning the size of the monitoring area to the original size. If it is determined that an object including a human body has entered the monitoring area even at a short distance, the presence / absence determination is performed based on the extended monitoring area in which the size of the monitoring area is adjusted by a predetermined size. Chattering when a person or the like enters the previous monitoring area can also be eliminated.

  In the tenth feature configuration, as described in claim 10, in addition to any of the first to ninth feature configurations described above, the reference region is a parking lot entry region, and the monitoring unnecessary region Is an area corresponding to the area occupied by the stopped vehicle.

  By setting the parking area as the reference area and setting the monitoring unnecessary area as the area corresponding to the parked vehicle occupancy area, people and objects that got off from the vehicles parked in the parking area can be Whether or not the vehicle has left the monitoring area can be appropriately determined regardless of the stop position and the vehicle type of the vehicle.

  A first characteristic configuration of the object detection method according to the present invention is, as described in claim 11, a distance measurement step that is executed by a distance measurement unit and measures and outputs a distance to an object existing in space, and a region Based on the output from the ranging step, which is executed by the setting calculation unit, a monitoring unnecessary area is set in a preset reference area, and a monitoring area is set in an area excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area A region setting step to be performed and whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region based on an output from the distance measuring step after the monitoring region is set by the region setting step. And an object determination step for determining whether or not.

  In the second feature configuration, as described in claim 12, in addition to the first feature configuration described above, the region setting step is executed each time a region setting signal is input to the region setting calculation unit. The object determination step is performed each time the monitoring region is set by the region setting step.

  In addition to the second feature configuration described above, the third feature configuration is a region setting signal that outputs the region setting signal to the region setting calculation unit based on a predetermined trigger signal. It has an output step.

  In the fourth feature configuration, in addition to any of the first to third feature configurations described above, the region setting step is based on an output from the distance measurement step. The monitoring area is set only when it is determined that no object exists near the scanning mechanism provided in the distance measuring unit.

  The characteristic configuration of the parking lot management system according to the present invention is described in any one of claims 1 to 10, and a transport mechanism that transports a vehicle parked in the warehousing area to the parking area. A parking lot management system comprising an object detection device, wherein the warehousing area is set as the reference area, and an area corresponding to an occupied area of a vehicle parked in the warehousing area by the area setting unit is not required to be monitored And a system control unit that operates the transport mechanism when the object determination unit determines that no object including a human body exists in the monitoring region.

  According to the above-described configuration, the parking area is set in the parking area by setting the parking area as the reference area and installing the object detection device in which the monitoring unnecessary area is set in the area corresponding to the parked vehicle occupation area. Whether the person or object that got off from the parked vehicle has left the surrounding surveillance area can be properly determined regardless of the vehicle's parked position or model, and the system control unit has made it safe. The conveyance mechanism can be controlled in the state.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an object detection device, an object detection method, and a parking lot management system capable of dynamically changing a monitoring area corresponding to a dynamically changing monitoring target are provided. I was able to do it.

(A) is explanatory drawing of the storage area of a multistory parking lot, (b) is a functional block diagram of an object detection apparatus (A) is an explanatory view of a fixed monitoring area, (b) is an explanatory view of a blind spot caused by a change in the stop position of the vehicle. (A) is explanatory drawing of the reference | standard area | region set to the warehousing area | region, (b) is explanatory drawing of the monitoring area | region set to the reference | standard area | region (A) is explanatory drawing of expansion processing etc., (b) is explanatory drawing of obstacles, such as a person who exists in the vicinity of an object detection apparatus. (A) is explanatory drawing of the monitoring area | region when an object detection apparatus is installed in the diagonal of a storage area, (b) is the monitoring area | region set when an object detection apparatus is installed below the bottom part of a vehicle body Illustration of (A) shows another embodiment, and is an explanatory diagram of a monitoring area candidate, (b) is an explanatory diagram of a monitoring area set by the selected monitoring area candidate Explanatory drawing of distance measuring part A Circuit block diagram of object detection device (ranging unit A) Functional block diagram of the signal processing unit of the object detection device Flow chart of area setting process Flow chart of object determination processing

Hereinafter, an object detection device, an object detection method, and a parking lot management system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1A shows a schematic plan view of the vicinity of the storage area Ri of the multi-story parking lot P. When the vehicle 1 entering from the entrance of the parking lot P stops at the stop position set in the warehousing area Ri (arrow S1), the management system opens the door (not shown) in the storage area S and opens the horizontal transfer mechanism HC. Is activated to transport the vehicle to the storage area S (arrow S2). Thereafter, the door is closed, the vehicle 1 is automatically conveyed to a predetermined storage position, and a reception slip is issued.

  The stop position is set in advance so that the front and rear wheels of the vehicle 1 are placed on the pair of front and rear transfer belts BL provided in the horizontal transport mechanism HC. In the figure, symbol b indicates a fence that partitions the warehousing area Ri, and w indicates a side wall. At the time of delivery, the stored vehicle 1 is transported by the management system to a position facing the exit area having the same structure as the entrance area Ri, and is carried out to the exit area by the horizontal transport mechanism HC.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the object detection device D is incorporated in the management system for the parking lot P, and includes a distance measuring unit A, an area setting unit B, and an object determination unit C. The object detection device D is provided in the vicinity of the vehicle 1 so that the horizontal transport mechanism HC does not operate in a state where a person or an object getting off from the vehicle 1 stopped in the storage area Ri is positioned in the vicinity of the vehicle 1. It is an apparatus that determines whether or not an object including a person exists and notifies the management system of the result.

  The distance measuring unit A scans the measurement light and detects the reflected light, and the direction and distance to the object existing in the preset reference area based on the delay time of the reflected light with respect to the measurement light. A signal processing unit that functions as a distance measurement calculation unit A2 that measures and outputs the signal is composed of a scanning distance measuring device housed in a casing.

  The distance measuring unit A is arranged so as to scan the height of the body of the vehicle 1 on a plane parallel to the floor surface of the warehousing area Ri.

  The signal processing unit includes a microcomputer and a peripheral circuit including a storage unit. The control program stored in the storage unit is executed by the microcomputer, so that the signal processing unit functions as the distance measurement calculation unit A2. Furthermore, it also functions as an area setting unit B and an object determination unit C described later. In the following description, the function of the region setting unit B included in the signal processing unit will be described as the region setting calculation unit B, and the function of the object determination unit C will be described as the object determination calculation unit C. To do.

  The distance measurement unit A is not limited to the configuration in which the scanning mechanism A1 and the distance measurement calculation unit A2 are accommodated in the same casing. Only the scanning mechanism A1 is accommodated in the casing, and the signal processing unit is accommodated in another casing. Further, a configuration in which they are connected by a signal line may be employed. In addition, the area setting unit B and the object determination unit C of the signal processing unit may be configured by a separate substrate physically separated from the distance measurement calculation unit A, and may be connected to each other by a signal line.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, while the object detection device D determines that the person H is present in the substantially L-shaped monitoring area M set in the warehousing area Ri, the management system performs horizontal conveyance. The system waits without operating the mechanism HC, and when the object detection device D determines that the person H is not present in the monitoring area M, the management system operates the horizontal transport mechanism HC.

  However, as shown in FIG. 2B, if the stop position of the vehicle 1 in the warehousing area Ri is separated from the preset monitoring area M, the blind spot area Z ( A hatched area in FIG. 2B occurs, and even if there is a person H in this area Z, it is not detected by the object detection device D.

  Therefore, the area setting unit B provided in the object detection device D is configured to generate the monitoring area M every time the vehicle 1 stops in the warehousing area Ri. That is, based on the output from the distance measuring unit A, that is, the direction data and the distance data, the monitoring unnecessary area Rn is set in the reference area Rb corresponding to the warehousing area Ri, and at least the monitoring unnecessary area Rn is excluded from the reference area Rb. The monitoring area M is set in

  Then, after the monitoring area M is set by the area setting section B, the object determination section C determines whether an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area M based on the output from the distance measuring section A.

  Coordinate data defining the reference region Rb is input from a terminal such as a personal computer connected in advance to the object detection device D and stored in the memory of the signal processing unit. In addition, you may comprise so that the initialization process which optimizes the coordinate data which divides the reference | standard area | region Rb based on the data of the ranging part A may be performed before the vehicle 1 stops into the warehousing area | region Ri. For example, in the initialization process, the position of the fence b or the side wall w that partitions the warehousing area Ri is detected, and an area that is a predetermined distance from the position is reset as the reference area Rb. Such initialization processing avoids erroneous determination of the fence b and the side wall w as a person or an object.

  FIG. 3A shows a state in which the vehicle 1 enters and stops in the reference region Rb set in this way. When a region setting signal is input to the object detection device D in this state, an angle φ indicated by a one-dot chain line in the figure is scanned by the distance measuring unit A, and direction data and distance data for the vehicle 1 and the like are obtained. These are the contour of the vehicle 1 viewed from the distance measuring unit A, that is, the boundary between the vehicle 1 detected by the distance measuring unit A and the space.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the region setting unit B sets, as the monitoring unnecessary region Rn, a region in which the contour of the vehicle 1 is inflated at least by the “predetermined length” toward the object detection device D side. The area excluding the unnecessary monitoring area Rn is set as the monitoring area M.

  When the object determination unit C determines the presence of an object such as a person located in the vicinity of the vehicle 1, the monitoring unnecessary area Rn is not erroneously determined to be an object such as a person such as the vehicle 1 or the side wall w. This is an area for removing the vehicle 1 and the like that are different from the determination target from the output of the distance measuring section A, is an area corresponding to the stopped vehicle occupation area, and is an area that can be detected by the distance measuring section A.

  Since the measurement error may occur in the distance to the vehicle 1 or the like detected by the distance measuring unit A, the above-described expansion process is performed. For example, the distance measuring unit A may vibrate slightly to detect the edge of the vehicle 1 outside the monitoring unnecessary area Rn. The vehicle may vibrate when people get on and off. Even in such a case, erroneous detection can be avoided by performing expansion processing.

  FIG. 4A shows an example of expansion processing executed by the area setting unit B. In this example, the distance from the distance to the vehicle 1 detected by the object detection device D (ranging unit A) to Δd2 closer to the object detection device D is set as the distance to the vehicle 1, and the object detection device D (measurement) The distance from the distance to the side wall w detected by the distance portion A) is set closer to the object detection device D by Δd1 as the distance to the side wall w. In this embodiment, Δd2 <Δd1 is set.

  Further, the position of the edge E of the vehicle 1 detected by the object detection device D (ranging unit A) is shifted in a direction away from the vehicle 1 by a predetermined angle Δφ. The specific method of the expansion process is not limited to this, and various known expansions such as, for example, expanding the contour of the vehicle 1 detected by the object detection device D (ranging unit A) by Δd2 in the normal direction. It is also possible to apply processing. The monitoring area M shown in FIG. 3B is set through such processing.

  If the “predetermined length” indicating the degree of the expansion process is too large, there is a possibility that a person or an object located between the vehicle and the monitoring area cannot be appropriately detected. Δd2≈10 cm is set. The specific value of “predetermined length” is a value that is appropriately set according to the purpose of use, such as whether or not a human body is to be detected and what kind of object needs to be detected. The value is not limited to.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the management region M is set by the region setting unit B, if a person H or the like is present in the vicinity of the object detection device D (scanning mechanism of the distance measuring unit A), this is a failure. It becomes impossible to set an appropriate monitoring unnecessary area Rn. In FIG. 4B, there is no problem in the range of the scan angles φ2 and φ3, but an appropriate monitoring unnecessary region Rn cannot be set in the range of the scan angle φ1.

  Therefore, the area setting unit B is configured to set the monitoring area M only when it is determined that there is no object near the scanning mechanism of the distance measuring unit A based on the output from the distance measuring unit A. If there is an object in the vicinity of the scanning mechanism of the distance measuring unit A, a signal to that effect is output to the parking lot management system, and a message to the effect that the management system leaves the vicinity of the area setting unit B in the field. It is comprised so that it may alert | report.

  FIG. 5 (a) shows an example in which object detection devices D1 and D2 are respectively installed at the diagonals of the rectangular warehousing area Ri, and the monitoring areas M1 and M2 are respectively monitored.

  In FIG. 5B, when the distance measuring unit A is arranged so as to scan a height below the bottom of the vehicle body of the vehicle 1 on a plane parallel to the floor surface of the warehousing region Ri, the region A monitoring area M set by the setting unit B is shown. The shadows of the front and rear wheels wh become the monitoring unnecessary area, and the area excluding the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area becomes the monitoring area M. In this case, even a person lying on the floor or a child who has sunk under the vehicle can be appropriately detected.

  6A and 6B show another setting process of the monitoring area M by the area setting unit B. FIG. In this example, a terminal is connected to the object detection device D, and a plurality of rectangular monitoring area candidates M1, M2, M3, M4 (M1 < M2 <M3 <M4) and M5, M6, M7, and M8 (M5 <M6 <M7 <M8) are stored.

  After the vehicle 1 stops in the warehousing area Ri, the area setting unit B sets a monitoring unnecessary area based on the output from the distance measuring section A, and the maximum that does not overlap with the monitoring unnecessary area from the monitoring area candidates. The monitoring area candidate is set as the monitoring area M.

  FIG. 6B shows a state where M2 and M6 are selected as the monitoring area M. In this example, the case where the monitoring area candidate is rectangular has been described, but a plurality of L-shaped band-like areas having different sizes may be prepared as monitoring area candidates.

  The object detection device D does not have to be installed at the corner of the warehousing area Ri as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, and the vehicle moves between the warehousing area Ri and the storage area S by the horizontal transport mechanism HC. It is only necessary to be installed at a position where the presence or absence of an object including a human body can be detected in the moving direction.

  That is, the region setting unit B performs region setting processing for setting a monitoring unnecessary region in the reference region based on the output from the distance measuring unit A and setting a monitoring region in a region excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary region from the reference region. Run.

  Then, after the monitoring area M is set by the area setting unit B, the object determination unit C repeatedly determines whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area M based on the output from the distance measurement unit A. The result is output to the parking lot management system.

  More specifically, when the object determination unit C determines that there is an object including a human body in the monitoring area M, the object determination unit C sets an extended monitoring area in which the size of the monitoring area M is adjusted by a predetermined size, and the object including the human body in the extended monitoring area If it is determined that there is no object including a human body in the extended monitoring area, the area for determining whether an object including a human body exists is returned to the monitoring area M. The degree of expansion may be a value smaller than the above-described expansion processing value Δd2≈10 cm and larger than the accuracy of distance measurement.

  That is, if the object determination unit C determines that an object including a human body already exists in the monitoring area M, then an object including a human body exists in the extended monitoring area in which the size of the monitoring area M is increased. It is determined whether or not an object including a human body has moved away from the monitoring area M when it is detected that the object does not exist, and the determination area is returned to the monitoring area M. Further, when it is detected that an object including a human body has entered the monitoring area M, the determination area is then expanded to the extended monitoring area. Thereby, it is configured so that it can be determined on the safe side whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region M.

  A management system control unit is configured by a computer in which a parking lot management application program is installed, and at least between the management unit that manages the incoming vehicle information and issues a slip, and the storage region S between the vehicle 1 stopped in the incoming region Ri For storage between a horizontal transport control unit that controls the horizontal transport mechanism HC that transports the vehicle 1 and a storage section of a plurality of storage sections that are three-dimensionally arranged in the storage area S. A storage conveyance control unit for controlling the conveyance mechanism is provided.

  The management system control unit controls the horizontal transport mechanism HC by opening the door based on the determination result that the object including the human body does not exist in the monitoring area M input from the object determination unit C during the warehousing process. The vehicle 1 is transported to the storage area S and the door is closed.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a scanning distance measuring device constituting the distance measuring unit A. The ranging unit A includes a substrate 17 on which a signal processing unit 23 including a scanning mechanism A1 and a ranging calculation unit A2 is configured.

  The scanning mechanism A1 includes a cylindrical casing 2 that houses the pair of light projecting units 3 and the light receiving unit 5, and an arc-shaped optical window 2a that is disposed along the circumferential direction of the casing 2, and outputs from the light projecting unit 3. A first deflection mirror 9 that deflects and reflects the measured light in a direction perpendicular to the axis P of the cylindrical casing, and a second deflection mirror that deflects and reflects the reflected light from the object T to be measured toward the light receiving unit 5 A deflection optical system 4 is provided that rotates 10 around the axis P and rotationally scans the measurement light on a plane orthogonal to the axis P. That is, the deflecting optical system 4 is disposed between the light projecting unit 3 and the light receiving unit 5 that are disposed to face each other along the axis P.

  The light projecting unit 3 includes a light emitting element formed of an infrared semiconductor laser and an optical lens that forms a light beam output from the light emitting element into parallel light, and is fixed to the inside of the upper wall of the casing 2.

  The light receiving unit 5 includes a light receiving element made of an avalanche photodiode that detects reflected light, and is fixed on a support plate on a hollow shaft 13 fixed to the casing 2.

  The deflection optical system 4 includes a top surface 8b to which the first deflection mirror 9 and the second deflection mirror 10 are attached, and a cylinder having a peripheral wall portion 8a to which a light receiving lens 14 for condensing reflected light by the light receiving portion 5 is attached. And a motor 11 that rotationally drives the rotating body 8 in one direction.

  The rotating body 8 whose lower end portion is reduced in diameter is rotatably supported by the hollow shaft 13 via a bearing 12 provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof, and a magnet 11b serving as a rotor of the motor 11 on the outer peripheral surface of the reduced diameter portion. Is attached. The motor 11 is composed of the rotor and a stator composed of a coil 11 a disposed so as to face the rotor, and a cover of the stator is attached to a hollow shaft 13 fixed to the casing 2.

  The measurement light emitted from the light projecting unit 3 along the optical axis L1 is deflected by the first deflection mirror 9 to the optical axis L2 orthogonal to the optical axis L1, passes through the optical window 2a, and toward the measurement target space. Irradiated. The reflected light from the measurement object T existing in the measurement target space passes through the optical window 2a along the optical axis L3 parallel to the optical axis L2 and enters the light receiving lens 14, and is reflected by the second deflection mirror 10. The light is deflected to an optical axis L4 orthogonal to the axis L3 and condensed on the light receiving unit 5.

  The measurement light is scanned into the measurement object space via the optical window 2a by the deflection optical system 4 that is rotationally driven by the motor 11, and the measurement light deflected by the first deflection mirror 9 passes through the upper region of the optical window 2a. The reflected light from the object T passes through the lower region of the optical window 2b.

  A disc-shaped slit plate 15a having a plurality of slits formed in the circumferential direction is attached to the peripheral wall portion 8a of the rotating body 8, and a photo interrupter 15b for detecting the slit is attached to the inner wall of the casing 2 and deflected by these. A scanning angle detector 15 that detects the scanning angle of the optical system 4 is configured.

  The slits formed in the slit plate 15a are formed at equal intervals except for the reference position, and the slit interval is formed at an interval narrower than other intervals at the reference position. Accordingly, the rotation angle position of the deflection optical system 4 can be grasped from the reference position based on the pulse width of the pulse output from the scanning angle detector 15 as the deflection optical system 4 rotates.

  A prism 16 as a distance correction reference optical system is provided at the reference position, and a correction reference distance is obtained based on reflected light detected by the light receiving unit 5 via the prism 16.

  In the bottom part of the casing 2, a substrate 17 including a distance calculation unit A2 that calculates the distance to the object T to be measured and the signal processing unit 23 that constitutes the region setting unit B and the object determination unit C described above is accommodated.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the distance measuring unit A includes a drive circuit 3b for driving the light emitting element 3a, an amplifier circuit 5b for amplifying a reflected signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the reflected light by the light receiving element 5a, and an output of the amplifier circuit 5b. An A / D converter 22 that performs A / D conversion, a motor control circuit 21, and a signal processor 23 are provided. The light emitting element 3a, the drive circuit 3b, the light receiving element 5a, the motor control circuit 21 and the like are included in the scanning mechanism A1.

  The signal processing unit 23 is provided with a microcomputer, a digital signal processor, and the like that operate based on a predetermined control program. The signal processing unit 23 controls the motor control circuit 21 so that the measurement light is periodically scanned into the measurement target space by the scanning mechanism A1, and based on the encoder pulse input from the scanning angle detection unit 15, the scanning angle That is, the irradiation direction of the measurement light is detected, and a distance measurement calculation is performed based on the measurement light and its reflected light. Based on the result, it is determined whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region M. Output to the outside.

  In synchronization with the encoder pulse input from the scanning angle detector 15, the infrared semiconductor laser 3a is pulse-driven by the drive pulse signal S1 output from the signal processor 23 to the drive circuit 3b, and measured via the scanning mechanism A1. The target space is irradiated with pulsed measurement light S2.

  The measurement light S2 is applied to the object T, the reflected light S3 from the object T is incident through the scanning mechanism A1, and the reflected signal S4 amplified by the amplifier circuit 5b after photoelectric conversion by the avalanche photodiode 5a. Is input to the A / D converter 22.

The digital reflection signal A / D converted by the A / D conversion unit 22 is input to the signal processing unit 23, and the signal processing unit 23 obtains the time difference Δt between the drive pulse signal S1 and the reflection signal, based on the following equation: A temporary distance DT1 to the device under test T is calculated.
DT1 = Δt · C / 2 (where C is the speed of light)

  Here, the time difference Δt refers to the delay time of the reflected light with respect to the measurement light. In the above example, the irradiation timing of the measurement light is substituted by the rising timing of the drive pulse signal S1, but the rising timing of the measuring light itself may be detected using a photoelectric sensor that detects the measuring light.

On the other hand, when the encoder pulse input from the scanning angle detector 15 indicates the reference position, the measurement light is applied to the prism 16, and the time difference Δt ′ based on the reflected light S3 from the prism 16 detected by the avalanche photodiode 5a. Is calculated based on the following equation.
DT2 = Δt ′ · C / 2 (where C is the speed of light)

  A distance DT to the object to be measured is calculated by DT1-DT2. The reference distance DT2 absorbs variations in characteristics of the infrared semiconductor laser 3a, the drive circuit 3b, the avalanche photodiode 5a and the like incorporated in the scanning distance measuring device 1, and variations in measurement distance due to machine differences in the optical system. A correction value for calculating an accurate distance to the object to be measured.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the signal processing unit 23 includes a distance calculation unit 230, an object detection unit 231 that determines the presence or absence of a person or an object in the monitoring area based on the distance information calculated by the distance calculation unit 230, A pulse signal generation unit 232 that generates a clock signal for driving the drive circuit 3b, the distance calculation unit 230, and the like is provided.

  The distance calculation unit 230 becomes the main signal processing unit of the distance measurement unit A, and the object detection unit 231 becomes the region setting unit B and the main signal processing unit of the object determination unit C.

  The distance calculation unit 230 includes a distance measurement calculation unit 23a that calculates the above-described distances DT1 and DT2, a correction data storage unit 23c that stores the calculated correction distance DT2, and a correction processing unit 23b that performs the above-described distance correction calculation. I have.

  The distance data and the direction data (scanning angle) corrected by the correction processing unit 23 b are stored in the scanning angle / distance storage unit 23 d of the object detection unit 231.

  The object detection unit 231 receives a region setting signal and a monitoring end signal from the parking lot management system, and outputs a human body detection signal, a region setting completion signal, a short-range detection error signal, and a failure signal to the parking lot management system. . It should be noted that the failure signal may be a failure in the distance measuring unit A in a distance measuring step to be described later, for example, a pulse signal is not output from the scanning angle detecting unit 15 even though the motor 11 is driven. It is a signal that is output when it is detected.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the area setting unit B determines whether or not the reference area is set in the area storage unit 23e. If the reference area is not set (SA1, N), the reference area is set. If the reference area is set (SA1, Y), an input of an area setting signal from the parking lot management system is awaited (SA2).

  As already described, the object detection apparatus D is provided with an interface that can be connected to a terminal, and coordinate data that defines a reference area is input from the terminal and can be stored in the area storage unit 23e. The reference area is preferably set corresponding to the warehousing area Ri, but an area surrounded by an infinite point may be set as the reference area. However, in the latter case, when the periphery of the warehousing area Ri is not covered with a wall or the like, the monitoring area M may include a point at infinity, and a vehicle traveling outside the warehousing area Ri is erroneously detected. There is a risk of being.

  The parking lot management system includes an area setting signal output unit that outputs an area setting signal to the area setting unit B based on a predetermined trigger signal. The region setting signal output unit is a signal processing circuit that outputs a region setting signal to the region setting unit B based on a sensor that detects that the vehicle has stopped in the warehousing region Ri and a trigger signal that is output from the sensor that has detected that the vehicle has stopped. Can be configured.

  For example, when the distance measuring unit A is also used as the sensor and a vehicle that has stopped in the warehousing area is accommodated in the parking area, an object is not detected in the current monitoring unnecessary area. A signal processing circuit that outputs a trigger signal to the region setting signal output unit when it is detected continuously for a certain time, preferably when a stationary state is detected, may be provided. A transmissive or reflective photoelectric sensor other than the distance measuring unit A may be installed and configured in the same manner as described above based on the output of the photoelectric sensor.

  Instead of the sensor, the parking area manager detects that the vehicle has stopped in the warehousing area Ri and uses a contact signal of a switch that is manually operated as a trigger signal, and the area setting signal is sent to the area setting section B in response to the contact signal. The signal processing circuit may output the signal.

  By such an area setting signal output unit, an area setting signal output step for outputting the area setting signal to the area setting calculation unit based on a predetermined trigger signal is executed. Note that the area detection signal output unit may be provided in the object detection device D.

  The region setting signal output unit outputs the region setting signal repeatedly at a predetermined interval longer than the time required for region setting after the region setting signal is output to the region setting unit B until the region setting completion signal is detected. It is preferable that it is comprised. Such a configuration can be realized by a known timer circuit and logic circuit.

  When the area setting signal is input (SA2, Y), the distance measuring unit A is activated to wait for output of direction and distance data by scanning for setting the monitoring area (SA3). During this time, as described with reference to FIG. 4B, when the presence of an obstacle such as a person is detected near the scanning mechanism A1 of the distance measuring unit A (SA4, Y), a short-range error signal is output to the management system. (SA8) and wait for this state to be resolved.

  When there is no obstacle such as a person in the vicinity of the scanning mechanism A1 of the distance measuring unit A (SA4, N), the scanning is set to a predetermined number of times (in this embodiment, 10 times, but this value is It is determined whether or not the process has been completed (SA5). If the predetermined number of times has not been reached, the process returns to step SA3 and the same process is repeated. When the predetermined number of scans is completed, the area setting process is started (SA6).

  In the area setting process in step SA6, the monitoring area M is set based on the following criteria. A monitoring area is set based on 10 data in each direction obtained by 10 scans. In the case where all of the ten pieces of data are error data, preset reference area data is adopted. Error data included in the 10 data is ignored. The minimum value (shortest distance) of normal data among the 10 data is set as an effective value. If the value of normal data is outside the reference area, the data in the reference area is adopted. When the region setting signal is turned on from off during 10 scans, 10 scans are performed again.

  In this way, data other than the data in the reference area among the effective values in each direction obtained by the 10 scans corresponds to the monitoring unnecessary area, and the expansion processing described above is performed on the data and monitoring is performed. Unnecessary areas are identified. Further, a monitoring area M is set based on the monitoring unnecessary area, stored in the area storage unit 23e, and an area setting completion signal indicating completion of preparation is output to the parking lot management system. Although the example in which the number of repetitions of scanning is set to 10 has been described, this number may be appropriately increased or decreased according to the measurement accuracy and installation environment.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the monitoring area M is set (SB1), the object determination unit C activates the distance measurement unit A and waits for output of direction and distance data by scanning for object determination (SB2). ). Based on the direction and distance data stored in the storage unit 23d, it is determined whether or not an object including a person is present in the monitoring area M, and when it is determined that an object is present in the monitoring area M (SB3, Y). An on-state human body detection signal is output to the parking lot management system (SB4). If it is determined that no object is present in the monitoring area M (SB3, N), an off-state human body detection signal is output to the parking lot. Output to the management system (SB6).

  Until the monitoring end signal is input from the parking lot management system, the processes from step SB2 to SB5 are repeated. When the monitoring end signal is input (SB5), the determination process is ended. Note that an area setting signal may be used in place of the monitoring end signal. That is, when the area setting signal in the on state is input to the area setting unit B, the area setting process is started. When the area setting signal is turned off after the area setting completion signal is output from the area setting unit B, the object determination is performed. Part C may be configured to end the determination process.

  That is, the object detection method according to the present invention is executed by the distance measuring unit A, and is executed by the distance measuring step for measuring and outputting the distance to the object existing in the space, and the area setting calculating unit B. This is executed by an object setting calculation unit C, an area setting step for setting a monitoring unnecessary area in a reference area set in advance based on the output of the above, and setting a monitoring area in an area excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area. And an object determination step of determining whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area based on an output from the ranging step after the monitoring area is set by the area setting step.

  The area setting step is executed every time an area setting signal is input to the area setting calculation unit B, and the object determination step is executed every time the monitoring area is set by the area setting step. Each time the monitoring unnecessary area changes, an area setting signal is input to the area setting calculation unit, and an area setting step is executed. Further, the region setting step sets the monitoring region only when it is determined that no object exists in the vicinity of the scanning mechanism of the distance measuring unit A based on the output from the distance measuring step.

  The scanning angle and distance data output from the distance measuring unit A to the object detecting unit 231 and stored in the storage unit 23d are true objects such as a person to be detected or noise objects such as minute dust and insects. It is preferable to provide an evaluation unit for determining whether or not the object determination process is performed based on data evaluated by the evaluation unit as an object such as a person to be truly detected.

  For example, when the distance in the monitoring region M is calculated continuously N times (N is an integer of 2 or more) in a specific scanning angle direction, it is determined that an object exists in the specific scanning angle direction, and N scanning is performed. If the number of times is less than the number of times, the evaluation unit can be configured to determine that it is noise.

  Further, when the distance in the monitoring area M is calculated in a specific scanning angle direction, the scanning area M is simultaneously scanned in a predetermined number of scanning angle directions adjacent to the specific scanning angle direction along the scanning direction during the scanning. The evaluation unit can be configured to determine that an object is present when the distance is calculated, and to determine that the object is noise when the distance in the monitoring region M is not calculated simultaneously in a predetermined number of scanning angle directions.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the distance measuring unit A is configured by the scanning distance measuring apparatus using the laser diode as the light source and adopting the TOF method has been described. However, the scanning distance measuring device adopting the AM method instead of the TOF method. It may be composed of a distance device. Moreover, LED may be employ | adopted for a light source and a polygon mirror and a MEMS mirror may be employ | adopted for a scanning mechanism. Furthermore, the distance measuring unit A may be configured by a mechanism that measures the distance using the principle of triangulation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the object detection device is installed in the parking area of the parking lot has been described. However, the object detection device according to the present invention is installed in any facility that needs to have a different monitoring area. Can do.

  The specific configuration of the object detection device and the parking lot management system according to the present invention, the specific circuit configuration of the signal processing unit, the specific procedure of the software for realizing the object detection method according to the present invention, and the like are the functions of the present invention. Needless to say, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described examples.

1: Vehicle 23: Signal processing unit A: Distance measuring unit A1: Scanning mechanism A2: Distance measuring unit B: Area setting unit (area setting calculating unit)
C: Object determination unit (object determination calculation unit)
D: object detection device M: monitoring area Rb: reference area Ri: warehousing area Rn: monitoring unnecessary area

Claims (15)

A distance measuring unit that measures and outputs a distance to an object existing in a preset reference area;
An area setting unit that executes an area setting process for setting a monitoring unnecessary area in the reference area based on an output from the distance measuring unit and setting a monitoring area in an area excluding at least the monitoring unnecessary area from the reference area When,
An object determination unit that determines whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region based on an output from the distance measuring unit after the monitoring region is set by the region setting unit;
An object detection apparatus including: The region setting unit executes the region setting process every time a region setting signal is input,
The said object determination part determines whether the object which contains a human body exists in the said monitoring area | region based on the output from the said ranging part, whenever the said monitoring area | region is set by the said area setting part. The object detection apparatus according to 1.   The object detection device according to claim 2, further comprising a region setting signal output unit that outputs the region setting signal to the region setting unit based on a predetermined trigger signal.   The area setting unit sets an area obtained by inflating a contour of a tangible object existing in the reference area divided based on an output from the distance measuring unit as the monitoring unnecessary area. The object detection apparatus described.   The object detection device according to claim 4, wherein the region setting unit sets a region excluding the monitoring unnecessary region from the reference region as the monitoring region. A storage unit that stores a plurality of monitoring area candidates;
5. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the region setting unit sets a single or a plurality of monitoring region candidates selected from the plurality of monitoring region candidates as the monitoring region.   The area setting unit sets the monitoring area only when it is determined that there is no object in the vicinity of a scanning mechanism provided in the distance measuring unit based on an output from the distance measuring unit. The object detection device according to any one of the above.   When the object determination unit determines that an object including a human body exists in the monitoring region based on an output from the distance measuring unit after the monitoring region is set by the region setting unit, the size of the monitoring region The object detection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an extended monitoring area in which is adjusted by a predetermined size is set, and it is determined whether or not an object including a human body exists in the extended monitoring area.   9. The object detection device according to claim 8, wherein when the object determination unit determines that an object including a human body does not exist in the extended monitoring region, the object determination unit returns a region for determining whether or not an object including a human body exists to the monitoring region. .   The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the reference area is a parking area, and the monitoring unnecessary area is an area corresponding to a stop vehicle occupation area. A distance measuring step executed by the distance measuring unit and measuring and outputting a distance to an object existing in the space;
Based on the output from the ranging step, executed by the area setting calculation unit, a monitoring unnecessary area is set in a preset reference area, and at least the monitoring unnecessary area is excluded from the reference area. An area setting step to be set;
Object determination executed by the object determination calculation unit and determining whether or not an object including a human body exists in the monitoring area based on an output from the ranging step after the monitoring area is set by the area setting step Steps,
An object detection method including: The region setting step is executed every time a region setting signal is input to the region setting calculation unit,
The object detection method according to claim 11, wherein the object determination step is executed each time a monitoring region is set by the region setting step.   The object detection method according to claim 12, further comprising a region setting signal output step of outputting the region setting signal to the region setting calculation unit based on a predetermined trigger signal.   The monitoring area is set only when the area setting step determines that no object is present in the vicinity of a scanning mechanism provided in the distance measuring section based on an output from the distance measuring step. The object detection method according to any one of the above. A parking lot management system comprising a transport mechanism for transporting a vehicle parked in a storage area to a parking area, and the object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The warehousing area is set as the reference area, and the area corresponding to the occupation area of the vehicle parked in the warehousing area is set as the monitoring unnecessary area by the area setting unit.
A parking lot management system comprising a system control unit for operating the transport mechanism when an object determination unit determines that an object including a human body does not exist in the monitoring area.

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