JP2774391B2 - Snow rising monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a snow rising monitoring device which is installed along a track of a train such as a Shinkansen and monitors the state of snow rising when a train passes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows an image diagram of a conventional visibility measuring device disclosed in, for example, JP-A-63-188741. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a television camera installed on a pole standing on the shoulder of a road or the like, reference numeral 12 denotes a dedicated sign disposed at a position separated from the television camera 11 by a predetermined distance D,
The top and bottom are painted black and white. Reference numeral 13 denotes an image processing device that processes image information from the television camera 11.

FIG. 5 shows an image processing apparatus 13 shown in FIG.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the television camera 1;
An A / D converter for converting the image information from 1 into a digital signal from an analog signal, an image memory 15 for storing the image information converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 14, and a reference numeral 16 for the image processing device 13. A central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a CPU) for controlling the processing, 17 is a memory connected to the CPU 16, and 18 is an output unit for outputting the processing result of the CPU 16.

Next, the operation will be described. The television camera 11 captures an image of the dedicated sign 12 whose surface is painted white and black, and sends the image information to the image processing device 13. The image processing device 13 converts the transmitted image information into a digital signal by the A / D converter 14 and stores the digital signal in the image memory 15. In the digital signal stored in the image memory 15, a portion painted in black and a portion painted in white of the exclusive sign 12 are cut out, and data Bt and Bb of respective brightnesses are read and viewed at a distance D. Then, the light-dark contrast Cd of the exclusive sign 12 at the time of the occurrence is obtained by the following equation. Cd = (Bt−Bb) / Bb

Next, the exclusive sign 12 at this distance D
The visibility V is determined by the following equation based on the contrast Cd of the dark spot and the contrast Co of the dedicated sign 12 as viewed from the nearest, and is output from the output unit 18. V = D ｛{ln (E) / ln (Cd / Co)} Here, D is the distance between the television camera 11 and the dedicated sign 12, and E is the identification threshold (constant).

[0006]

The conventional visibility measuring device is constructed as described above, and measures the visibility that changes greatly depending on the external environment such as the weather. It measures the snow rising caused by the running of the train. The situation could not be detected. In general, snow that has risen due to the running of a train may adhere to under the floor of the vehicle and hinder the operation of the train, so there has been a problem that a device that can easily monitor the state of the soaring snow has been required. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a snow rising monitoring apparatus which can easily monitor a snow rising caused by running of a train through a television camera. With the goal.

[0008]

A snow rising monitor according to the present invention is provided with a dedicated sign provided along a railroad track of a train and having a plurality of targets arranged by LEDs, and a predetermined distance from the dedicated sign. A TV camera that is installed at a distant position and inputs image information obtained by capturing the dedicated sign, and a target that can be recognized among the targets from the image information before and immediately after the train input from the TV camera. An image processing unit is provided for obtaining and outputting a snow sowing situation caused by the passage of a train according to the difference in the numbers.

[0009]

The snow rising monitoring device according to the present invention uses a television camera to photograph a dedicated sign, which is installed along the train track and on which a plurality of targets by LEDs are arranged, before and immediately after the train passes. The information is input to an image processing unit, and from these pieces of image information, the state of the soaring snow caused by the passage of the train is obtained and output based on the difference in the number of targets recognized among the targets.

[0010]

【Example】

Embodiment 1 FIG. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a train such as a bullet train, 21 denotes a television camera installed along the track of the train 20, 22
Is a dedicated sign installed at a position separated from the television camera 21 by a predetermined distance, and as shown in FIG. 3, a target 2 having a plurality of white LEDs arranged on a black painted surface.
a is provided. In the case of FIG. 3, two rows L
The EDs 2a are staggered at equal intervals.
Reference numeral 23 denotes an image processing unit for processing image information from the TV camera 21; 24, a monitor unit for displaying the image from the TV camera 21 and the snow soaring state obtained by the image processing unit 23; Light emitters 32a and 32b are installed on the other side of the track of the train 20 and emit light of infrared light. Light receivers 32a and 32b are installed on the near side of the track of the train 20 and receive infrared light from the light emitters 31a and 31b.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing unit 23 shown in FIG.
An A / D converter for converting the image information from the analog signal into a digital signal from an analog signal; 26, an image memory for storing the image information converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 25;
Reference numeral 27 denotes a central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a CPU) for controlling the processing of the image processing unit 23, reference numeral 28 denotes a memory connected to the CPU 27, reference numeral 29 denotes an output unit for outputting the processing result of the CPU 27 to the monitor unit 24, and reference numeral 30 denotes This is a train detection unit that detects passage of the train 20 by signals from the light receivers 32a and 32b.

Next, the operation will be described. The television camera 21 takes an image of the dedicated sign 22 and sends the image information to the image processing unit 23. Since the target 2a arranged on the dedicated sign 22 is an LED, other lighting is not required even at night. When the train 20 passes through the place where the dedicated sign 22 is installed, the infrared light from the light emitters 31a and 31b is blocked by the train 20 and cannot be received by the light receivers 32a and 32b. Receiving the signals from the light receivers 32a and 32b, the train detection unit 30 detects the passage of the train 20. The light emitters 31a and 31b and the light receiver 3
Two sets of 2a and 32b are provided for the train 20
Is also detected by the train detection unit 30. When the passage of the train 20 is detected by the train detection unit 30, the image processing unit 23 converts the image information before and after the passage of the train 20 from the image information sent from the television camera 21 into an A / D signal. The data is converted into a digital signal by the converter 25 and stored in the image memory 26. The two types of image information stored in the image memory 26 are image-processed by the CPU 27, and the difference between the light and dark levels of the black of the dedicated sign 22 and the white target 2a by the LED can be recognized as a predetermined value or more. The number of targets 2a is determined. Since the targets 2a are arranged in a zigzag pattern, the intervals between the targets 2a are wide, so that the targets 2a are accurate and easy to recognize. Where train 2
Target 2a obtained from image information before passing 0
Let P be the number of targets and Q be the number of targets 2a determined from the image information immediately after the passage of the train 20, the number R of targets 2a that can no longer be recognized due to the snow soaring due to the passage of the train 20 is , R = P−Q. The value of R is output from the output unit 29 as a numerical value indicating the state of snow soaring, and is displayed on the monitor unit 24. here,
Although not particularly shown, the apparatus is provided at a plurality of locations along the track, and the monitor unit 24 is provided at a central monitoring center or the like.
An appropriate instruction is given to the driver of the vehicle to prevent the snow from rising, such as slowing down the speed of the train 20.

Embodiment 2 FIG. It should be noted that in the first embodiment. In the above description, the dedicated sign 22 is black, and the targets 2a of square white LEDs are arranged in two rows in the vertical direction in a plurality of staggered shapes. However, the shape of the targets may be round or triangular. May be in any number such as three or more rows in the vertical direction, and may be any combination of colors as long as the color is not white and black but can be clearly distinguished. Embodiment 1 FIG. It has the same effect as.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, a snow rising monitor is photographed by a television camera before and after passing a train on a dedicated sign on which a plurality of targets are arranged. By processing this image information in the image processing unit, it is possible to numerically monitor and monitor the state of snow rising due to the passage of the train. In addition to being able to easily monitor the ascending condition, the use of an LED as a target has the effect of eliminating the need for illumination for a television camera even at night.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing a snow rising monitoring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing unit of the snow rising monitoring device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the present invention; It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the exclusive sign of the snow rising monitoring device by No.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a conventional visibility measurement device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing device of a conventional visibility measuring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 train 21 television camera 22 dedicated sign 2a target 23 image processing unit 24 monitor unit 26 image memory 27 central processing unit (CPU) 30 train detection unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masaru Mori 2-2-13-301, Seiryodai, Tarumizu-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo (56) References JP-A-63-188741 (JP, A) JP-A-3- 268111 (JP, A) JP-A-5-15001 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01W 1/14 B61L 23/00 B60L 3/00 G01N 21/84 G01V 9/04

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A dedicated sign provided along a train track along which a plurality of LEDs are arranged, and image information obtained by photographing the dedicated sign installed at a predetermined distance from the dedicated sign. A TV camera to input, from the image information before and immediately after the train input from this TV camera, the snow rising caused by the train passing by the difference in the number of targets that can be recognized among the above targets A snow-floor monitoring device equipped with an image processing unit for obtaining and outputting.