JP2018128949A - Car number recognition system for parking vehicle at individual parking space-type parking lot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide car number recognition that can be performed at an individual parking space-type parking lot in an economical manner, since a car number recognition device that instantaneously reads the car number from the number plate of a vehicle is used at a gate-type pay parking lot, but commercially-available car number recognition software is expensive, and a license fee occurs for each camera that images the vehicle, which requires considerable cost for placing cameras in many parking spaces as in an individual parking space-type parking lot to perform car number recognition, and cannot be applied economically.SOLUTION: Entered vehicles A to D are imaged with a monitoring camera 12 provided for each individual parking space 11, and those images are input to a car number recognition device 14 sequentially at fixed time intervals with an image switching device 13 for recognition of the car number, and then, an information sorting device 15 synchronized with switching timing of the car number recognition device is caused to store the output in a data file 16 for each individual parking space. Accordingly, an economical system for enabling the car numbers of vehicles in many parking spaces to be recognized using an inexpensive monitoring camera is constructed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle number recognition system using a camera of a parked vehicle in an individual compartment type parking lot.

In paid individual compartment parking lots that exist in various parts of the country, vehicles that have entered the compartment are detected, the inventory time until the parking fee is settled, and the parking fee is charged. For this reason, the facility which can detect a parked vehicle reliably is provided.

As a conventional parking detection method, a method is often used in which a loop coil is embedded under a passenger compartment and a change in the inductance of the coil when the vehicle enters the vehicle is detected to determine that the vehicle has been received. Although this method is highly reliable and has a proven track record, it is necessary to embed a coil in the lower part of the passenger compartment and to pull out the output wiring of the sensor. In addition, there is a drawback that the loop coil must be removed when the parking lot is removed.

In recent years, the number of cases where parking lots are opened and removed only for a relatively short period of time on idle land has increased, but a method of paving the vehicle compartment with asphalt or concrete and embedding a vehicle detection loop coil therein Has the problem of increasing costs. Therefore, a parked vehicle detection method that does not involve installation work is desired.

As a vehicle detection method that replaces the loop coil, a method of detecting a reflected wave by irradiating a laser beam, an ultrasonic wave, a microwave, or the like has been put into practical use. In addition, in gate-type parking lots, a car number recognition device that puts a camera at the doorway, shoots the license plate of the car entering and leaving the car, and recognizes the car number is put to practical use. It is considered that parked vehicles can be recognized even in a room type parking lot.

There are many examples of known techniques related to vehicle number recognition in Patent Documents 1 to 14. In other words, at the gated parking lot, the license plate is photographed with the camera at the time of warehousing, the car number is recognized by image processing, and if it matches the car number of the car registered in advance, services such as discounts are offered and the goods are delivered Sometimes, the car number is recognized again in front of the gate, the vehicle is identified, the time from warehousing is calculated, the parking fee is credited, the gate is automatically opened, and the car can be delivered smoothly.

In Patent Documents 15 and 16, a conventional loop coil sensor is used for vehicle detection, and the parking fee is calculated based on the elapsed time from the time of warehousing to the time of payment. A method of charging (credit settlement) to the account of the owner of the car number recognized by image processing is shown.

However, if a small number of cameras are sufficient for a large number of parked vehicles such as a gated parking lot, expensive high-performance cameras and car number recognition devices can be used. If you want to identify a parked vehicle with a camera or car number recognition device for each room, or if you want to use the car number recognition result for parking detection instead of the loop coil sensor, use the camera or car number recognition device. Therefore, it becomes expensive and difficult to implement economically.

JP2015-187897 JP 2014-71607 A JP2013-88979A JP2013-83814A JP 2010-198172 A JP 2008-269213 A JP2005-232005 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-2800215 JP2000-251101A Hei 11-45358 Hei 10-283516 4-98482 10-275257 7-14098 JP2014-48964 JP2007-18819

As mentioned above, a vehicle that has recently entered and exited a parking lot is photographed with a camera to recognize the car number, and the car number recognition result is used to automatically transfer the parking fee, automatically open and close the gate when entering and leaving the car, A convenient system for providing various services to registrants has been put into practical use, but such a car number recognition system has a small number of cameras and car numbers for a large number of incoming and outgoing vehicles such as gated parking lots. This is very effective when using a recognition device, but when applied to an individual car park type parking lot, an IP camera and a car number recognition device must be installed for each vehicle compartment, making it an expensive system. There was a drawback of becoming.

The present invention eliminates the need for a parking vehicle detection device such as a loop coil that can economically recognize a vehicle number even if a camera is installed in each individual compartment type vehicle compartment and that requires construction to be embedded in the vehicle compartment basement. The purpose is to provide a checkout system for parking lots.

In the present invention, in an individual compartment type parking lot that detects parking of a vehicle for each compartment, specifies a parking time and charges a parking fee, a camera for photographing a license plate of the vehicle behind each compartment, An image switching device that switches camera images at regular intervals, a vehicle number recognition device that recognizes a vehicle number from the video of the camera, and information that distributes the vehicle number recognition results and captured images to data corresponding to each vehicle compartment A vehicle number recognition system comprising a distribution device and a data file for storing and storing the distributed data for each vehicle compartment is provided, and the information distribution device transmits vehicle number recognition results for each vehicle compartment in synchronization with the image switching device. A car number recognition system that sorts and records data files. (Claim 1).

Furthermore, in an individual compartment parking lot that detects vehicle parking for each compartment, specifies the parking time, and charges a parking fee, a camera that takes a license plate of the vehicle behind each compartment, Display device for displaying images in order at regular intervals, IP camera for capturing images displayed on display device, vehicle number recognition device for recognizing vehicle number from video of IP camera, and vehicle number recognition An information distribution device that distributes results and captured images into data corresponding to each vehicle compartment, and a vehicle number recognition system that includes a data file that stores and stores the distributed data for each vehicle compartment. The vehicle number recognition system is configured such that the vehicle number recognition result is distributed and recorded in the data file for each passenger compartment in synchronization with the switching device.
(Claim 2).

Further, the vehicle number recognition device is provided with an attached output contact device and an output contact device corresponding to each vehicle compartment, and when the vehicle number recognition device recognizes the vehicle number of the parked vehicle, the state of the attached contact device is turned off. With the method of switching from ON to ON, using a programmable relay device and synchronizing the switching timing of the image switching device, the state of the output contact for each passenger compartment is also switched from OFF to ON, The vehicle number recognition system is characterized in that at least the image switching device keeps the state during one cycle. (Claim 3)

The output of the output contact device for each passenger compartment that operates when the vehicle number is recognized is compatible with the contact output that operates when the loop coil detects parking in a conventional settlement machine. The system. (Claim 3)

In the above vehicle number recognition system, vehicle number recognition is characterized in that at least two surveillance cameras are provided for each vehicle compartment, and the vehicle parked in each vehicle compartment is photographed by changing the photographing conditions from two directions. system. (Claim 4).

According to the present invention, a highly reliable and economical surveillance camera system is used, images of a plurality of surveillance cameras installed in an individual compartment type vehicle compartment are sequentially displayed on the display, and the images are recognized by the vehicle number. A number of expensive car number recognition devices are used by recognizing the car number by taking a picture with a camera for use, and synchronizing the car number recognition result with the display interval of the display to correspond to the individual passenger compartment. Thus, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a revolutionary low cost system for an individual compartment type parking lot that can recognize vehicle numbers of vehicles in individual compartments.

These are figures which show the structure of the parking lot of the method of detecting a vehicle with the conventional loop coil. These are figures which show the structure of the parking lot which installed the vehicle number recognition apparatus by a camera. Installs a surveillance camera in each passenger compartment, transmits images captured by each camera to the vehicle number recognition device in turn using an image switching device, recognizes the vehicle number, and then uses the information distribution device for each vehicle compartment. It is the figure which showed the system which stores a result in the data file of. These are the figures which showed the flow of the information by the system of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which two cameras with different shooting conditions are installed in each vehicle compartment in order to increase the reliability of the system of the present invention. These are the figures which showed the flow of the information in the Example which installed two cameras in each compartment of this invention. These are the figures of the example which shows the position of the camera at the time of image | photographing each compartment of this invention with two monitoring cameras. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which an image of a monitoring camera installed in each passenger compartment is displayed on one display device using an image switching device, and the image is used for vehicle number recognition. It is the figure which showed the system which image | photographs with an IP camera, recognizes a vehicle number, and stores the result in the file for every vehicle compartment by the information distribution device for every vehicle compartment. In the vehicle number recognition method of the present invention, when the vehicle number is recognized, the attached output contact is changed to ON or OFF, and the state of the output contact is changed by the programmable relay device of the corresponding vehicle compartment. It is the figure which showed the method of allocating to an output contact. These are the figures which showed the operation logic of the programmable relay apparatus as said programmable relay apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a conventional individual compartment type parking lot. In a compartment 1, a vehicle detection loop coil 2, a flap device 3 for preventing unintended unloading, and a control device 4 thereof are installed. And the control device are connected by a signal communication line 5. When the parked vehicle enters the vehicle compartment 1, the loop coil 2 detects the change in inductance and determines that the vehicle has entered the vehicle compartment. The result is that the contact point of the vehicle detection device in the control device 4 is detected. It is turned on and the state is adjusted through the communication line 5 to the checkout machine 6
It is a mechanism to tell to.

The checkout machine sends a signal to the control device 4 via the signal communication line 5 so as to activate the flap device 3 that detects the state change to ON of the contact and prevents unauthorized unloading. In addition, the parking time is determined and the parking fee is calculated based on the duration of the ON state of the contact.

In such a conventional individual compartment parking lot, the loop coil 2 is installed, the flap device 3 for preventing unauthorized removal, and the control device 4 are installed by a method such as embedding in a concrete or asphalt compartment. Therefore, in addition to the cost of the equipment, maintenance costs and construction costs for the equipment are required. In the case of removal, there was a drawback that construction costs were incurred.

The present invention aims to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional individual-type parking lots as described above, and provides a parking lot that does not require concrete or asphalt construction, a flap device and its control device, In addition, by recognizing the vehicle number, the user who has registered the vehicle in advance can make a credit card payment for the parking fee.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle compartment 1 is not provided with any flap device, control device, loop coil, etc., and a vehicle license plate (not shown) is photographed in a pole 7 provided at the rear of the vehicle compartment. The camera 7 is placed and the image is sent to the car number recognition device in the checkout machine 6 via the communication line 8. While the same car number is recognized, it is determined that the car is parked and the parking time is obtained. calculate.

The present invention uses a general-purpose surveillance camera as a camera installed in a passenger compartment. In FIG. 3, images taken by the monitoring camera 12 installed in the passenger compartment 11 are imaged for a certain period of time to the vehicle number recognition device for each passenger compartment by the image switching device 13 installed in the settlement machine 6. Recognize the vehicle number. When the video capture time for a certain passenger compartment has passed, switching to video capture for the next passenger compartment is performed. In this way, the image of all the cabins where the camera is installed is taken into the vehicle number recognition device and the vehicle number is recognized. Then switch back to the first car in the cabin. By repeating such a cycle, the vehicle number recognition device recognizes the vehicle number of the vehicle in each compartment one after another.

When using a camera that does not have an IP address, such as a surveillance camera, the vehicle number recognition device cannot distinguish which vehicle compartment has recognized the vehicle number, so the information distribution device 15 is used in the present invention. This device 15 is configured to store the result recognized by the vehicle number recognition device in the information file of each passenger compartment in a method synchronized with the switching timing of the video image switching device 13 of the surveillance camera.

FIG. 4 shows the flow of vehicle number recognition according to the present invention for four passenger compartments. W showed the parking situation of compartment A-D. The horizontal axis shows one cycle from A to D, and displays the 11th cycle. In the example shown here, the passenger compartment A is parked from the beginning until the middle of the fourth cycle. Once empty, another car parked in the middle of the eighth cycle and parked until the first half of the eleventh cycle. Cab B is parked from the beginning until the middle of the 5th cycle, and then empty until the 11th cycle. In the C compartment, there was parking from the second half of the second cycle to the first half of the fifth cycle. Once it was empty, another car was parked in the first half of the sixth cycle and became empty in the second half of the ninth cycle. The D compartment was parked from the 7th cycle to the end of the 9th cycle.

As described above, assuming that there are parking in four passenger compartments, in the present invention, the image of the monitoring camera 12 is displayed by the image switching device of FIG. An image of the vehicle in the compartment is sent to the vehicle number recognition device 14, and the vehicle number of the vehicle in the compartment A is instantly recognized. Y indicates that the vehicle number recognition device has recognized the vehicle number. In the time zone B of the first cycle, the image of the vehicle compartment B is sent to the vehicle number recognition device, and the vehicle number of the vehicle in the vehicle compartment B is recognized. At this time, Y indicates that the car number was recognized. In time zone C of the first cycle, the image of the C compartment is sent to the car number recognition device, but since the C compartment is an empty car, there is no car number recognition result. The fact that no bar is displayed in the Y car number recognition means that the car number could not be recognized. Similarly, in the time zone D of the first cycle, the image of the D compartment is sent to the vehicle number recognition device, but there is no parked vehicle, so there is no vehicle number recognition result as indicated by Y.

When the D compartment is over, the image capture begins in the second cycle. That is, in time zone A of the second cycle, the image of vehicle A is sent again to the vehicle number recognition device, and the vehicle number of a vehicle parked in vehicle A is recognized. In this way, only one vehicle number recognition device can be used to recognize the vehicle numbers of vehicles parked in a plurality (four in this example) of passenger compartments.

The vehicle number recognition result of Y indicates that the vehicle number of the vehicle parked in the passenger compartments A, B, C, and D is entered in the time zones A, B, C, and D of each cycle, respectively. Since there is only one, the information distribution device 15 in FIG. 3 is used to store the car number recognition result in time zone A of each cycle in file A. This is because the vehicle number recognized in the time zone A is that of the vehicle parked in the passenger compartment A, so that the distribution timing of the information distribution device is synchronized with the timing of image capture to the vehicle number recognition device. , Z, the file number of the vehicle in the A compartment is recorded in the file A.

The vehicle numbers of the vehicles in the passenger compartments B, C, and D are also recognized in this way and recorded in the files B, C, and D, respectively. The image switching speed for vehicle number recognition is sufficient to be one cycle in a few minutes.

If the vehicle number recognition result is continuously parked, the same vehicle number is recognized every time. If the checkout button of the checkout machine is pushed when the vehicle leaves, the parking fee may be charged with the time from the time when the car number of the corresponding passenger compartment is first recorded until the time when the checkout button is pressed is set as the parking time. After leaving the car, the car number in the passenger compartment is saved as data along with the parking time, so if you leave the car without paying the parking fee, notify the owner of the vehicle recognized later or request payment of the parking fee. Also good. In addition, if it is registered in advance with such a parking lot management organization, it becomes possible to pay the parking fee with credit.

In the car number recognition method of the present invention, since an inexpensive surveillance camera can be used, two cameras may be installed in each passenger compartment as shown in FIG. 5 by changing the shooting range and shooting conditions. When using multiple cameras per vehicle compartment, even if the camera breaks down, there is another camera, so vehicle number recognition can be continued and reliability is improved.

FIG. 6 shows how to capture an image when two cameras are installed in each passenger compartment. For the A compartment, the vehicle A is photographed with the camera A1 during the time zone A1 and with the camera A2 during the time zone A2. The advantage of being able to shoot a license plate with a camera with a different field of view, such as when the license plate is in a position different from the center of the vehicle, etc. There is.

In addition, when photographing one vehicle compartment with two cameras, two cameras may be placed behind the center of the vehicle compartment, but as shown in FIG. The vehicle license plate may be photographed from both sides of the passenger compartment. In this case, it is possible to avoid a case where the license plate becomes a figure and becomes temporarily invisible compared with the case where the camera is placed behind the center of the passenger compartment.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Also in this case, there are four passenger compartments 11 from A to D, and each of the passenger compartments is photographed from the rear with four surveillance cameras 12. The image being photographed is switched from A to D at regular intervals by the image switching device 13. The switched image is displayed on one display 31. Such a monitoring method is generally used in general-purpose surveillance cameras.

In the present invention, images sequentially displayed on the display 13 are taken by the IP camera 32 having a vehicle number recognition device, and the vehicle number recognition device 33 recognizes the vehicle number of the vehicle from the images. At this time, since the vehicle number recognition result recognizes the vehicle number of a different vehicle every fixed time, it is necessary to determine which vehicle compartment in which the vehicle number has been recognized. For this purpose, the files are stored in A to D of the file 35 corresponding to each vehicle compartment by the next information distribution device 34.

The information distribution device 34 stores the vehicle number recognized by the vehicle number recognition device in the corresponding compartment file by synchronizing with the switching timing of the monitoring camera 12 as in the first embodiment. The distribution method is the same as that in the first embodiment and is as shown in FIG.

The advantage of the second embodiment is that a system that sequentially monitors a plurality of locations using a plurality of monitoring cameras can use a general-purpose monitoring system as it is, and is extremely inexpensive and highly reliable. Car number recognition uses only the camera 32 with one IP address. For this reason, when using a plurality of IP cameras to recognize the vehicle number, there is an advantage that the system can be configured economically compared to the case where a license fee is charged in proportion to the number of vehicles.

The vehicle number recognition device 33 linked with the IP camera writes the normally recognized vehicle number in a file, but can also record a still image of the vehicle when the vehicle number is recognized at the same time.

Further, when the vehicle is parked in the passenger compartment and the vehicle number is recognized, it is possible to change the state of the output contact provided in the vehicle number recognition device from OFF to ON, although not shown. The output contact is information indicating that the vehicle number can be recognized, that is, that the vehicle is parked in the passenger compartment. Conventionally, in the vehicle detection by the loop coil embedded under the passenger compartment, the contact is made when the vehicle is parked. Is the same as switching from off to on.

However, in the case of parking detection using a conventional loop coil, the loop coil is embedded in each vehicle compartment, and there are as many output contacts as the number of vehicle compartments. In the present invention, only one vehicle number recognition device 33 is used. Since it does not have, there is only one output contact. Therefore, when the settlement is performed with a conventional settlement machine, it is necessary to assign the state of the output contact of the vehicle number recognition device to the state of the output contact for each vehicle compartment.

In the present invention, a method as shown in FIG. 9 is used as a method of distributing the contact state to each vehicle compartment. That is, the vehicle number recognition device 41 has only one output contact device 42, but the contact state is connected to the input terminal 44 of the programmable relay device 43 to synchronize with the image switching timing of the monitoring camera in FIG. In this way, the state of the contact that enters the input terminal is output as ON / OFF of the contact of the output terminal A to D corresponding to each passenger compartment.

Also, in the distribution, the contact state corresponding to each vehicle compartment is intermittently turned on and off as it is, so one cycle of the monitoring camera switching from the instant of distribution to the original monitoring camera. In the meantime, a programmable relay program is set up to maintain the assigned contact state.

In a general parking lot, when the loop coil embedded under the passenger compartment detects the vehicle, the contact of the output device is switched from OFF to ON, and the state is transmitted to the settlement machine. While the output contact is on, the checkout machine determines that the vehicle is parked in the corresponding passenger compartment, calculates the parking time during checkout, and displays the parking fee.

In the case of the present invention, when the IP camera recognizes the vehicle number of the parked vehicle, the output contact of the corresponding compartment in FIG. 9 is turned on from off, so the parking time is the duration of the on-state of the output contact of the loop coil. There is an advantage that the conventional settlement machine system for measuring the parking fee can be used as it is. That is, there is a feature that compatibility with a conventional system for determining parking with a loop coil is maintained.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a method for distributing one contact output to contact outputs for a plurality of passenger compartments using a programmable relay device. Contact information intermittently output from the vehicle number recognition device 51 is synchronized with the image switching device, and each vehicle compartment is bypassed by a software timer that bypasses the contact information during the image capturing time ta to td of each vehicle compartment. The output corresponding to is assigned, and after the transfer, a contact output for each passenger compartment is output via a relay that keeps the output for one cycle of image switching.

Therefore, in the present invention, as a result of the recognition of the vehicle number, when the vehicle number can be recognized, the current payment is calculated by measuring the parking time based on the duration of the contact state turned on as the vehicle is parked. A machine system is available. That is, the present invention can ensure compatibility with the current settlement machine settlement system.

The present invention enables parking detection by car number recognition that does not require embedding work, instead of the conventional loop coil type detection method that requires embedding work in the basement for parking detection in an individual car park type parking lot. In addition, it provides an individual vehicle parking method in which the number of a parked vehicle and an image can be stored in a file, and can be used for industrial purposes.

1 Car compartment, 2 Loop coil, 3 Flap device 4 Control box 5 Communication line 6 Settlement machine 7 Camera 8 Image transmission line
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Car compartment 12 Surveillance camera 13 Image switching device 14 Car number recognition device 15 Information distribution device 16 Information file

12-1, 12-2 Monitoring camera
A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2, D-1, D-2 surveillance camera

31 Display 32 IP Camera 33 Car Number Recognition Device 34 Information Sorting Device 35 Information File

41 Car number recognition device 42 Output contact 43 Programmable relay device 44 Input terminal 45 Logic circuit 46 Output terminal

51 Contact output 52 Clock synchronized with image switching device 53 Software timer 54 Keep relay 55 Contact output
56 Communication line with image switching device

Claims (4)

In an individual compartment type parking lot that detects parking of a vehicle for each compartment, specifies the parking time and charges a parking fee, a camera that shoots a license plate of the vehicle behind each compartment, and an image of the camera An image switching device that switches at regular intervals, a vehicle number recognition device that recognizes a vehicle number from the video of the camera, and an information distribution device that distributes the vehicle number recognition result and the captured image or shape to data corresponding to each vehicle compartment And a vehicle number recognition system comprising data files for storing and storing the sorted data for each vehicle compartment, and the information distribution device sends vehicle number recognition results to the data file for each vehicle compartment in synchronization with the image switching device. Car number recognition system characterized by sorting and recording
In an individual compartment type parking lot that detects parking of a vehicle for each compartment, specifies the parking time and charges a parking fee, a camera that shoots a license plate of the vehicle behind each compartment, and an image of the camera A display device that displays in order at regular intervals, an IP camera that captures an image displayed on the display device, a vehicle number recognition device that recognizes a vehicle number from the video of the IP camera, a vehicle number recognition result, An information distribution device that distributes photographed images or shapes into data corresponding to each passenger compartment and a vehicle number recognition system that includes data files that store and store the distributed data for each passenger compartment are provided. A vehicle number recognition system characterized in that vehicle number recognition results are distributed and recorded in a data file for each passenger compartment in synchronization with the switching device.
The vehicle number recognition system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vehicle number recognition device is provided with an attached output contact device and an output contact device corresponding to each vehicle compartment, and the vehicle number recognition device recognizes the vehicle number of the parked vehicle. The state of the attached contact device is switched from off to on (and vice versa), and the state of the attached contact device is synchronized with the switching timing of the image switching device using a programmable relay device. A vehicle number recognition system characterized in that the state of each output contact is also switched from off to on (and vice versa) so that at least the image switching device keeps the state during one cycle.
In the vehicle number recognition system, at least two monitoring cameras are provided for each passenger compartment, and the vehicle parked in each passenger compartment is photographed by changing photographing conditions from two directions, respectively. Recognition system

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