JP2024009088A - Vehicle type determination device, vehicle type determination method, and vehicle type determination program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain traffic volume data in which the type of a vehicle is a type classified by size and shape.

SOLUTION: A detected data input unit receives, from a vehicle detection device, input of vehicle detection data including the positions of vehicles detected by scanning, with a survey wave, in a target area set with respect to a track on which the vehicles travel. An image input unit receives input of a frame image picked up, from the downstream side of the track, by an imaging apparatus installed in a direction to pick up an image of the front of the vehicles. A type determination unit, when a vehicle is located at a type determination position set onto the track, based on the vehicle detection data input to the detected data input unit, processes the frame image picked up by the imaging apparatus to determine the type of the vehicle located at the type determination position. The type of vehicle is a type classified by the size and contour of the vehicle.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for measuring traffic volume by type of vehicle on a road on which vehicles travel.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been a device that uses a millimeter wave sensor to identify a vehicle type (see Patent Document 1). The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to measure the vehicle length and determine the vehicle type based on the measured vehicle length.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-248893

However, there are various types of vehicles classified by size and shape. The types of vehicles mentioned here include light cars, light trucks, compact cars, one-box cars, sedans, station wagons, buses, small trucks, large trucks, cranes, motorcycles (two-wheeled vehicles), and the like. Further, even if the types of vehicles are different, there are many vehicles that have the same length.

As described above, the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to discriminate the vehicle type based on the length of the vehicle, and therefore discriminates the vehicle type into two types: large and small. Therefore, the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 was unable to determine the types of vehicles classified by size and shape.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for determining the type of vehicle classified by size and shape.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as shown below.

The detection data input section receives vehicle detection data including the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle detection device by scanning a target area set for a travel path on which the vehicle travels with a search wave. Further, a frame image captured by the imaging device is input to the image input unit. The imaging device is installed in such a direction that it images the front of the vehicle from the downstream side of the travel path.

The type determination unit processes a frame image captured by the imaging device when the vehicle is located at a type determination position set on the driving route based on the vehicle detection data input to the detection data input unit. The type of vehicle located at the type determination position is determined. The vehicle types are classified based on vehicle size and external shape.

According to this configuration, since the vehicle whose type is to be determined is imaged by the imaging device when it is located at the type determination position a certain distance away from the imaging device, the size on the frame image is approximately constant. The size will be reduced by the ratio. Therefore, in determining the type of vehicle imaged in a frame image, it is possible to suppress the influence of changes in the distance between the imaging device and the vehicle when the frame image is imaged, and to determine the type of vehicle imaged. Can be done.

Additionally, if the type determination position is set within the depth of field of the imaging device, the frame image that is focused on the vehicle being photographed will be processed to determine the type of vehicle being photographed. be able to. In other words, it is possible to prevent the type of vehicle being imaged from being determined by processing a frame image in which the vehicle being photographed is not in focus and the vehicle being photographed is blurred.

Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the type of vehicle classified by size and external shape.

The system also includes a detection unit that detects the type determination timing at which the vehicle was located at the type determination position based on the vehicle detection data input to the detection data input unit, and the type determination unit detects the frame that is input to the image input unit. A configuration may be adopted in which the type of vehicle is determined by processing a frame image whose imaging timing corresponds to the type determination timing.

In this configuration, a video camera capable of capturing moving images may be used as the imaging device. As a result, the type of vehicle classified by size and shape can be determined not only in real-time processing but also in batch processing.

The system also includes a determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is located at the type determination position based on the vehicle detection data input to the detection data input unit, and a determination unit that determines whether the vehicle is located at the type determination position. and an imaging instruction section that instructs the imaging device to take an image when the determination is made, and the type determination section processes the captured frame image in accordance with the imaging instruction from the imaging instruction section to determine the type of vehicle. It may be configured to make a determination. With this configuration, a digital still camera that captures still images can be used as the imaging device, and the imaging device can capture frame images at the necessary timing.

Further, the vehicle may be configured to include a traffic data generation unit that generates traffic volume data that is aggregation of traffic volume for each type of vehicle determined by the type determination unit.

With this configuration, it is possible to appropriately estimate the condition of the road surface (such as the degree of damage) on the basis of the generated traffic volume data.

Further, the type determination unit may also be configured to determine the name given to the vehicle.

According to this invention, it is possible to determine the type of vehicle classified by size and external shape.

FIG. 1(A) is a plan view of a vehicle running on a running road viewed in the width direction, and FIG. 1(B) is a plan view of the running road on which a vehicle is running viewed in a direction perpendicular to the road surface. It is. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing connections between a vehicle type determination device, a radio wave radar device, and an imaging device according to this example. It is a figure which shows the frame image in which the determination target vehicle is imaged. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of main parts of the vehicle type determination device according to this example. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating data registered in a feature amount DB. It is a figure which shows the example of the traffic volume data which a traffic volume data generation part generates. It is a flowchart showing the operation of the radio wave radar device. It is a figure explaining tracking data. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle type determination device according to this example. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of main parts of a vehicle type determination device according to a modification. It is a flowchart which shows the operation of the vehicle type determination device concerning a modification.

Hereinafter, a vehicle type determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

<1. Application example>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a travel path on which a vehicle whose vehicle type is to be determined is driven by a vehicle type determining apparatus according to this example. FIG. 1(A) is a plan view of a vehicle running on a running road viewed in the width direction, and FIG. 1(B) is a plan view of the running road on which a vehicle is running viewed in a direction perpendicular to the road surface. It is. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing connections among the vehicle type determination device, radio wave radar device, and imaging device according to this example.

As shown in FIG. 2, a radio wave radar device 5 and an imaging device 6 are connected to the vehicle type determination device 1 according to this example. The vehicle type determination device 1 may be connected to the radio wave radar device 5 and the imaging device 6 by wire, or may be connected wirelessly. Further, as will be described later, the radio wave radar device 5 is installed at a position where it can scan a target area set for the travel route with radio waves, which are search waves. Further, the imaging device 6 is installed to focus on the subject located at the vehicle type determination position 101 set within the target area. In this way, the radio wave radar device 5 and the imaging device 6 are installed near the target area 100, but the vehicle type determination device 1 may be installed near the target area 100, or the vehicle type determination device 1 may be installed near the target area 100. It may also be installed at a control center, data collection center, etc. that is remote from the site.

FIG. 1 shows a three-lane road. The radio wave radar device 5 and the imaging device 6 are attached to, for example, a pole installed on the roadside of a running road, or an arm that is attached to this pole and extends in the width direction (vehicle width direction) of a vehicle 110 running on the running road. There is. Moreover, the radio wave radar device 5 and the imaging device 6 may be attached to a gantry installed so as to straddle the travel path.

The radio wave radar device 5 scans the target area 100 shown in FIG. 1 with radio waves (corresponding to exploration waves in the present invention), and detects the position, speed, and size of the traveling vehicle 110. The radio wave radar device 5 repeatedly scans the target area 100 using radio waves at set time intervals (for example, at 100 msec intervals).

Furthermore, the radio wave radar device 5 may be configured to generate tracking data indicating the travel trajectory of the vehicle 110 within the target area 100. In this example, the radio wave radar device 5 will be described as having a configuration for generating this tracking data, but the vehicle type determining device 1 may also be provided with a configuration for generating this tracking data. The configuration for generating this tracking data is such that the vehicle 110 detected during the previous scan of the target area 100 by the radio wave radar device 5 is associated with the vehicle 110 detected during the current scan of the target area 100 by radio waves. . Every time the radio radar device 5 scans the target area 100, it outputs vehicle detection data that associates the ID, position, speed, and size of the vehicle 110 detected in the current scan.

The imaging device 6 is a known video camera. The frame rate of the imaging device 6 is several tens of frames/sec (for example, 30 frames/sec). The imaging device 6 focuses on the subject located at the vehicle type determination position 101 as described above. This vehicle type determination position 101 corresponds to the type determination position in the present invention. This vehicle type determination position 101 is several tens of meters (approximately 10 m to 30 m) away from the installation position of the imaging device 6. The imaging device 6 is attached at an angle to image the front of the vehicle 110a located at the vehicle type determination position 101. The imaging device 6 outputs the captured moving image.

Note that the vehicle 110a indicates the vehicle 110 located at the vehicle type determination position 101 (distinguished from the vehicle 110 not located at the vehicle type determination position 101).

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle type determination device 1 according to this example receives the above-mentioned vehicle detection data from the radio wave radar device 5, and also receives a moving image from the imaging device 6.

The vehicle type determination device 1 detects the type determination timing at which the vehicle 110 is located at the vehicle type determination position 101 based on the input vehicle detection data. The vehicle type determination device 1 processes a frame image whose imaging timing corresponds to the type determination timing detected here, and determines the type of the vehicle 110a located at the vehicle type determination position 101. The imaging timing corresponding to the type determination timing is the imaging timing of the imaging device 6 that is temporally closest to the type determination timing. The types of vehicles 110a determined here are classified according to size and shape, such as light cars, light trucks, compact cars, one-box cars, sedans, station wagons, buses, small trucks, large trucks, These include cranes, motorcycles (two-wheeled vehicles), etc.

As described above, the imaging device 6 focuses on the subject located at the vehicle type determination position 101. Therefore, the frame image captured by the imaging device 6 at the imaging timing corresponding to the type determination timing includes the vehicle 110a whose type is to be determined (hereinafter, the vehicle 110a may be referred to as the determination target vehicle 110a). This is a frame image captured when the camera is located within the depth of field. Therefore, in the frame image captured by the imaging device 6 at the imaging timing corresponding to the type determination timing, the determination target vehicle 110a has no blur due to out-of-focus, and the front side of the vehicle 110a is sharply captured. Furthermore, since the determination target vehicle 110a is imaged by the imaging device 6 when it is located at the vehicle type determination position 101 a certain distance away from the imaging device 6, the size on the frame image is reduced at a substantially constant ratio. It is the size that was given. Therefore, in determining the type of the determination target vehicle 110a captured in a frame image, the influence of the variation in the distance between the imaging device 6 and the determination target vehicle 110a when the frame image is captured is suppressed, and the image is captured. The type of the determination target vehicle 110a can be determined. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a frame image in which a vehicle to be determined is imaged.

The vehicle type determination device 1 processes the frame image to extract the feature amount of the vehicle 110a to be determined, and uses the extracted feature amount to determine the type of the vehicle 110a to be determined, which is classified by size and shape. . To determine the type of the vehicle 110a to be determined, the type of vehicle 110 and the feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle 110 are registered in the feature amount DB in association with each other, and the frame image is processed and extracted. The configuration may be such that the type of vehicle 110 is determined by comparing the feature amount of vehicle 110a. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the type of vehicle 110 is determined using AI (Artificial Intelligence) (a configuration in which AI recognizes the vehicle type using a recognition model).

This vehicle type determination device 1 determines the type of vehicle 110 classified by size and shape. Further, by using the vehicle detection data input from the radio wave radar device 5, it is possible to generate traffic volume data in which the traffic volume is aggregated for each type of vehicle 110 classified by size and shape.

<2. Configuration example>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the vehicle type determination device according to this example. The vehicle type determination device 1 according to this example includes a control unit 11 , a detection data input section 12 , an image input section 13 , a feature database 14 (feature DB 14 ), and an output section 15 .

The control unit 11 controls the operation of each part of the vehicle type determination device 1 main body. The control unit 11 also includes a detection section 21, a type determination section 22, and a traffic data generation section 23. The detection unit 21, type determination unit 22, and traffic data generation unit 23 included in the control unit 11 will be described later.

A radio radar device 5 is connected to the detected data input section 12 . Vehicle detection data is input to the detection data input section 12 from the radio wave radar device 5 . The vehicle detection data is data that associates the position, speed, and size of the detected vehicle 110. Every time the radio wave radar device 5 scans the target area 100 with radio waves, it outputs vehicle detection data of each vehicle 110 detected during the scan to the vehicle type determination device 1.

An imaging device 6 is connected to the image input section 13 . A moving image captured by the imaging device 6 is input to the image input unit 13 .

As shown in FIG. 5, the feature amount DB 14 is a database in which the name of the vehicle 110, the type of the vehicle 110, and the feature amount of the vehicle 110 are registered in association with each other for each vehicle 110. The feature amount of each vehicle 110 registered in this feature amount DB 14 is the feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle 110.

Note that the feature amount DB 14 may be a database in which the type of vehicle 110 and the feature amount of the vehicle 110 are registered in association with each other (the name of the vehicle 110 may not be associated with each other). Further, the name of the vehicle 110 mentioned here is a name given by an automobile manufacturer to distinguish it from other vehicles 110.

The output unit 15 outputs traffic volume data, etc., which will be described later, to a higher-level device (not shown) such as a control center.

Next, the detection section 21, type determination section 22, and traffic data generation section 23 included in the control unit 11 will be explained.

The detection unit 21 determines whether the vehicle 110 is located at the vehicle type determination position 101 based on the vehicle detection data input to the detection data input unit 12 . The detection unit 21 detects the vehicle 110 located at the vehicle type determination position 101 as the determination target vehicle 110a.

The type determination unit 22 selects a frame image whose imaging timing corresponds to the type determination timing from among the frame images captured by the imaging device 6.

The type determination timing may be, for example, the timing at which the radio wave radar device 5 starts scanning the target area 100 or the timing at which the scanning ends, or the detection unit 21 detects a vehicle (determination target vehicle 110a) at the vehicle type determination position 101. The timing may be set at the time when it is determined that the is located. Furthermore, a frame image whose imaging timing corresponds to the type determination timing is a frame image whose imaging timing is temporally closest to the type determination timing.

The type determination unit 22 processes the selected frame image and extracts the feature amount of the front surface of the imaged determination target vehicle 110a. The type determination unit 22 compares the extracted feature amount of the determination target vehicle 110a with the feature amount of each vehicle 110 registered in the feature amount DB 14, and determines the vehicle type of the determination target vehicle 110a. Further, in this example, the type determining unit 22 can also determine the name of the vehicle to be determined 110a.

The traffic data generation unit 23 generates traffic data in the target area 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the traffic data generated by the traffic data generation unit 23 is generated during a certain period (in FIG. 6, one hour from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. on January 15, 2019). , is data in which the number and average speed of vehicles 110 that have traveled in the target area 100 are associated with each type of vehicle. The traffic data generated by the traffic data generation unit 23 is outputted to a host device by the output unit 15.

The traffic volume data generated by the traffic volume data generation unit 23 may be in a format that does not include the above-mentioned average speed, as long as the traffic volume for each type of vehicle 110 can be obtained. Other items such as the average distance value may also be included.

The control unit 11 of the vehicle type determination device 1 includes a hardware CPU, memory, and other electronic circuits. When the hardware CPU executes the vehicle type determination program according to the present invention, it operates as a detection section 21, a type determination section 22, and a traffic data generation section 23. The memory also has an area for expanding the vehicle type determination program according to the present invention, and an area for temporarily storing data generated during execution of the vehicle type determination program. The control unit 11 may be an LSI integrated with a hardware CPU, memory, and the like. Further, the hardware CPU is a computer that executes the vehicle type determination method according to the present invention.

<3. Operation example>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the radio wave radar device. At the scanning timing of the target area 100 (s1), the radio wave radar device 5 scans the target area 100 with radio waves, which are search waves, and detects the reflected waves, thereby detecting vehicles located within the target area 100. A detection process for detecting 110 is performed (s2). In s2, the radio wave radar device 5 detects the time until detecting the reflected wave (radio wave flight time) and the frequency of the reflected wave for each radio wave irradiation direction, and detects objects that reflected the radio wave (vehicle 110, road surface). etc.), the size of this object, and the speed of this object.

When the detection process in s2 is completed, the radio wave radar device 5 performs an association process to associate the vehicle 110 detected in the previous scan of the target area 100 with the vehicle 110 detected in the current scan of the target area 100. Do it (s3). The matching process in s3 is performed using the size, position, and speed of the vehicle 110. The radio wave radar device 5 assigns the ID assigned to the vehicle 110 that has been associated with the vehicle 110 that has been associated with the vehicle 110 detected in the previous scan (vehicle 110 that has been detected in the current scan). On the other hand, the radio wave radar device 5 generates and assigns a new ID to a vehicle 110 that could not be associated with the vehicle 110 detected in the previous scan (vehicle 110 detected in the current scan).

The radio wave radar device 5 generates vehicle detection data that associates ID, position, speed, and size for each vehicle 110 detected in the current scan, and sends the generated vehicle detection data to the vehicle type determination device 1. Output (s4) and return to s1.

In this example, the radio wave radar device 5 scans the target area 100 with radio waves at intervals of 100 msec, and outputs vehicle detection data regarding the detected vehicle 110 to the vehicle type determination device 1. That is, vehicle detection data is input to the vehicle type determination device 1 at intervals of 100 msec.

Further, by performing the above processing, the radio wave radar device 5 can obtain tracking data shown in FIG. 8 for each vehicle 110 that has traveled in the target area 100. This tracking data is data that associates the ID for identifying the vehicle 110, the size of the vehicle 110, and the speed and position of the vehicle 110 for each detection time. In this example, the position of the vehicle 110 is a distance from the first reference position in the traveling direction of the vehicle 110, and a distance from the second reference position in the width direction of the traveling path.

Further, the vehicle type determination device 1 can also obtain the tracking data shown in FIG. 8 by classifying and totaling the vehicle detection data input from the radio wave radar device 5 by ID.

Furthermore, the radio wave radar device 5 may be configured not to generate tracking data. In this case, the radio wave radar device 5 does not perform the process related to s3 described above, and generates vehicle detection data in which position, speed, and size are associated (vehicle detection data with no ID associated with it) in s4. , is output to the vehicle type determination device 1. The vehicle type determination device 1 performs the same process as in s3 described above to generate tracking data.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing tracking data of a certain vehicle. As shown in FIG. 8, the tracking data is data that associates the ID for identifying the vehicle 110, the size of the vehicle 110, and the speed and position of the vehicle 110 for each detection time. In this example, the position of the vehicle 110 is determined by the distance from the first reference position in the traveling direction of the vehicle 110 (for example, the distance from the installation position of the radio wave radar device 5 in the traveling direction) and the second distance in the width direction of the traveling path. The distance from the reference position (for example, the distance from the center position in the width direction of the running path, where the right side is a positive value and the left side is a negative value).

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle type determination device according to this example. When the vehicle detection data is input to the detection data input unit 12 (s11), the vehicle type determination device 1 determines whether or not there is a target vehicle 110a located at the vehicle type determination position 101 (s12). The process related to s12 is executed by the detection unit 21. When the vehicle type determining device 1 determines in s12 that there is no vehicle 110a to be determined, the process returns to s11.

When determining in s12 that there is a vehicle 110a to be determined, the vehicle type determining device 1 selects a frame image used for determining the vehicle type of the target vehicle 110a from among the moving images of the imaging device 6 input to the image input unit 13. is selected (s13).

In s13, a frame image is selected according to the type determination timing. This type determination timing may be the timing at which scanning of the target area 100 related to the vehicle detection data determined to include the determination target vehicle 110a in s12 is started, or the timing at which the scanning of this target area 100 is completed. It may be the timing, or even the timing when the detection unit 21 determines that the vehicle (determination target vehicle 110a) is located at the vehicle type determination position 101. That is, the type determination timing may be the timing when the vehicle 110 (determination target vehicle 110a) is located near the vehicle type determination position 101.

Further, in s13, a frame image captured at an imaging timing corresponding to the type determination timing is selected. The imaging timing corresponding to the type determination timing is the imaging timing temporally closest to this type determination timing. Therefore, the frame image selected in s13 is a frame image captured when the vehicle 110 (determination target vehicle 110a) is located near the vehicle type determination position 101. As described above, the imaging device 6 focuses on the subject located at the vehicle type determination position 101, so in the frame image selected in s13, the determination target vehicle 110a is not blurred due to out-of-focus, and the front surface is sharp. The image was taken in The frame image selected in s13 is a frame image captured when the determination target vehicle 110a is located within the depth of field.

The vehicle type determination device 1 extracts the feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle 110a to be determined captured in the frame image selected in s13 (s14), and uses the feature amount extracted here as the feature amount of the vehicle 110 registered in the feature amount DB 14. (s15). The vehicle type determining device 1 determines the vehicle type of the vehicle to be determined 110a based on the feature value collation result in s15 (s16). In s16, the 110 types of vehicles with the highest degree of similarity in feature amounts are determined to be the type of the determination target vehicle 110a. At this time, the vehicle type determination device 1 also determines the name of the vehicle 110a to be determined. The type determination unit 22 executes the processing related to s13 to s16.

The vehicle type determination device 1 generates a determination result that associates the vehicle type, speed (velocity at the vehicle type determination position 101), and passage time (passing time at the vehicle type determination position 101), and stores this determination result in a memory and hard disk (not shown). , the data is stored in a storage medium such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) (s17), and the process returns to s11.

The traffic data generation unit 23 generates the traffic data shown in FIG. 6 by totaling the determination results generated in s17.

In this manner, the vehicle type determination device 1 according to this example can determine the type of vehicle classified based on the size and external shape of the vehicle 110. Therefore, it is possible to obtain traffic volume data that aggregates the number of vehicles 110 that have traveled on the road, classified by vehicle type based on size and external shape, and can be usefully used for maintenance management of the road surface, etc. .

In the above description, the radio wave radar device 5 outputs vehicle detection data to the vehicle type determination device 1 almost in real time, and the imaging device 6 outputs captured moving images to the vehicle type determination device 1 almost in real time. As explained above, the vehicle detection data output from the radio wave radar device 5 and the moving image output from the imaging device 6 are stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk or an SSD (Solid State Drive), as shown in FIG. The configuration may be such that the processing is performed in batch processing. In this case, in order to correlate the vehicle detection data that is the output of the radio wave radar device 5 and the moving image that is the output of the imaging device 6, these data are It is sufficient to add a timestamp etc.

Furthermore, the vehicle type determination device 1 may have a configuration that does not include the traffic volume data generation section 23. In this case, the determination result stored in s17 may be transmitted to the higher-level device via the output unit 15, and the higher-level device may generate traffic data.

<4. Modified example>
Next, a modification of this invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the vehicle type determination device according to this modification. In FIG. 10, the same components as those shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. In a vehicle type determination device 1A according to this modification, a control unit 11A includes a release signal generation section 24 in addition to the detection section 21, type determination section 22, and traffic data generation section described in the above example. They differ in some respects.

Further, the vehicle type determination device 1A according to this modification includes a release signal output section 16 in addition to the detection data input section 12, image input section 13, feature amount DB 14, and output section 15 described in the above example. They differ in some respects.

The release signal generation unit 24 generates a release signal that instructs the imaging device 6 to capture a still image. The release signal output section 16 outputs the release signal generated by the release signal generation section 24 to the imaging device 6.

In this modification, the imaging device 6 may be a digital still camera that does not have the function of capturing moving images. Further, the imaging device 6 only needs to take a still image using the input of the release signal from the vehicle type determination device 1A as a trigger, and does not need to take still images periodically.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle type determination device according to this modification. In FIG. 11, processes similar to those shown in FIG. 9 are given the same step numbers.

The vehicle type determination device 1A according to this modification performs the processing related to s11 and s12 described above. When the vehicle type determination device 1A determines in s12 that the determination target vehicle 110a exists, the release signal generation unit 24 generates a release signal (s21). In the vehicle type determination device 1A, the release signal output unit 16 outputs the release signal generated in s21 to the imaging device 6 (s22). The vehicle type determination device 1A waits for input of the frame image (still image) captured by the imaging device 6 in response to the release signal output in s22 (s23), and when the frame image is input, the vehicle type determination device 1A waits for input of the frame image (still image) captured by the imaging device 6 in response to the release signal outputted in s22. - Execute the processing of s17.

In this example as well, the imaging device 6 focuses on the subject located at the vehicle type determination position 101. Therefore, in the frame image captured by the imaging device 6 in response to the release signal input from the vehicle type determination device 1A, the front surface of the vehicle 110a to be determined is sharply captured without blurring due to out-of-focus.

Therefore, the vehicle type determination device 1A according to this modification can also determine the type of vehicle classified based on the size and external shape of the vehicle 110, similarly to the above example. Therefore, it is possible to obtain traffic volume data that aggregates the number of vehicles 110 that have traveled on the road, classified by vehicle type based on size and external shape, and can be usefully used for maintenance management of the road surface, etc. .

Furthermore, the radio wave radar device 5 described in the above example may be replaced with a laser radar device that uses laser light as a search wave.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, but can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements within the scope of the invention at the implementation stage. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the plurality of components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

Furthermore, the correspondence between the configuration according to the present invention and the configuration according to the above-described embodiments can be described as in the following supplementary notes.
<Additional notes>
Vehicle detection data including the position of the vehicle (110) detected by scanning the target area (100) set for the travel path on which the vehicle (110) runs with a search wave is sent from the vehicle detection device (5). a detection data input section (12) to be input;
an image input unit (13) into which a frame image captured by an imaging device (6) installed in a direction to capture an image of the front surface of the vehicle (110) from the downstream side of the traveling path is input;
Based on the vehicle detection data input to the detection data input section (12), when the vehicle (110) is located at a type determination position (101) set on the traveling route, the imaging device ( 6) a type determination unit (22) that processes the captured frame image to determine the type of the vehicle (110) located at the type determination position (101);
The vehicle type determination device (1) classifies the vehicle (110) based on vehicle size and external shape.

1, 1A...Vehicle type determination device 5...Radio wave radar device 6...Imaging device 11, 11A...Control unit 12...Detected data input section 13...Image input section 14...Feature database (feature database)
15... Output unit 16... Release signal output unit 21... Detection unit 22... Type determination unit 23... Traffic volume data generation unit 24... Release signal generation unit 100... Target area 101... Vehicle type determination position 110... Vehicle 110a... Judgment target vehicle

Claims (12)

A frame image in which the front of a vehicle to be determined located at a type determination position set on a driving route is captured is processed to extract a feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle to be determined, and the extracted feature amount is converted into a feature amount. A vehicle type determination device, comprising a type determination unit that determines the type of the vehicle to be determined by comparing the front face feature amount for each type of vehicle registered in a database. The vehicle type determining device according to claim 1, wherein the frame image is input from an imaging device connected to the vehicle type determining device and installed in a direction to image the front side of the vehicle to be determined. comprising a determination unit that determines whether the determination target vehicle is located at the type determination position based on vehicle detection data including the position of the determination target vehicle;
The type determination unit processes the frame image captured when the determination unit determines that the determination target vehicle is located at the type determination position to determine the type of the determination target vehicle. , The vehicle type determination device according to claim 1 or 2. comprising a detection unit that detects a type determination timing at which the determination target vehicle is located at the type determination position, based on vehicle detection data including the position of the determination target vehicle;
The vehicle type determining device according to claim 1, wherein the type determining unit determines the type of the vehicle to be determined by processing the frame image captured at a timing corresponding to the type determining timing. 5. The vehicle type determination device according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle detection data is input from a vehicle detection device that is connected to the vehicle type determination device and scans a target area of the travel path with a search wave. The type determining unit determines, as a result of the verification, the type of vehicle with the highest degree of feature similarity among the vehicles registered in the feature database as the type of the vehicle to be determined. 5. The vehicle type determination device according to any one of 5. 7. The vehicle type determination device according to claim 1, further comprising a traffic data generation unit that generates traffic volume data that aggregates traffic volume for each type of vehicle determined by the type determination unit. 8. The vehicle type determination device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle type is classified by size and shape. The vehicle type according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle type includes a light car, a light truck, a compact car, a one-box car, a sedan, a station wagon, a bus, a light truck, a large truck, a crane, and a motorcycle. Judgment device. The feature database is registered with vehicle types, names for each type of vehicle, and front feature values for each type of vehicle;
The vehicle type determining device according to claim 1, wherein the type determining unit processes the frame image to determine a name given to the vehicle to be determined. The computer is
an extraction step of processing a frame image in which a front surface of a vehicle to be determined located at a type determination position set on a driving route is captured to extract a feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle to be determined;
a matching step of comparing the extracted feature amount with a front feature amount for each type of vehicle registered in a feature amount database;
A determination step of determining the type of vehicle for which the degree of similarity of feature values is maximum in the matching step as the type of the vehicle to be determined. to the computer,
an extraction step of processing a frame image in which a front surface of a vehicle to be determined located at a type determination position set on a driving route is captured to extract a feature amount of the front surface of the vehicle to be determined;
a matching step of comparing the extracted feature amount with a front feature amount for each type of vehicle registered in a feature amount database;
A vehicle type determination program that executes a determination step of determining the type of vehicle for which the degree of similarity of feature values is maximum in the matching step as the type of the vehicle to be determined.

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