JP3537737B2 - Usage status judgment system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a usage status determination system, and more particularly to a usage status determination system for determining the usage status of a facility having a plurality of usage areas based on an image of the usage area captured by an imaging means such as a monitoring camera. It relates to a judgment system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a service area of an expressway, the fullness of a parking lot is automatically determined and displayed on an information board installed in front of the service area entrance to notify the user in advance and guide the user. Some services are being improved, while overuse of service areas is being mitigated. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional usage status determination system that determines the usage status of a parking lot installed in a service area. The parking area 11 of this service area is provided with four use areas A to D (11A to 11D), and vehicles entering from the entrance 12 are parked in any of the use areas A to D. After using facilities such as a shop / restaurant 14 and a resting place / toilet 15, the person exits from the exit 13.

In this use situation determination system, surveillance cameras 9A and 9B and a pedestal (not shown) for individually rotating them are arranged at a high place, and images of each use area are taken.
The usage status is determined by performing image processing on the image. Here, the use areas A and B are alternately imaged by rotating the monitoring camera 9A at regular intervals, and the utilization areas C and D are alternately imaged by rotating the monitoring camera 9B at regular intervals. I have. Then, the parking ratio is derived from the images of the respective use areas and totalized, and the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined.

[0004]

In such a conventional use situation judging system, a plurality of use areas are imaged by rotating the monitoring cameras 9A and 9B.
The number of surveillance cameras can be reduced compared to the number of usage areas,
The cost of the entire system can be reduced. However, since these surveillance cameras are rotated at regular intervals by the pedestal to obtain the latest images, the usable period is limited to several years due to the life of movable parts such as motors incorporated in the pedestal. As a result, there is a problem that maintenance work and cost burden are required. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a use situation determination system that can significantly reduce maintenance work and cost burden.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a use situation judging system according to the present invention detects a use situation of a use area based on an image of the use area picked up by an image pickup means. determining the area detecting means, the switching necessity of the use area to be imaged by the imaging means based on availability of the detected available area in the area detecting means
A control unit for issuing a command to switch the use area when it is determined that the switch is necessary; and an area switch unit, wherein the area switch unit determines the use area to be imaged by the image pickup unit in response to the switch command from the control unit. Switching is performed.

[0006] The switching of the use area to be imaged is performed by the control means only when it is detected by the area detection means that the first use area of each use area is used more than a predetermined switching condition. Alternatively, a switching instruction may be issued to switch the usage area imaged by the imaging unit to a second usage area different from the first usage area.
At this time, the use area to be imaged by the imaging means is switched to the second use area by the switching instruction, and after the image of the second use area is captured by the imaging means, an instruction to switch to the first use area is immediately issued. It may be.

[0007] As another method of switching the use area to be imaged, the use area to be imaged by the image pickup means is switched to the second use area in accordance with a switching instruction, and then the image of the second use area imaged by the image pickup means is changed. The use state of the second use area is detected by the area detection means on the basis of the use area, and the use area to be imaged by the image pickup means is determined only when it is detected that the second use area is used more than the predetermined re-switching condition. A re-switch instruction to switch to the first use area may be issued. Regarding the allocation of these use areas, a use area which is least likely to be full among the use areas may be allocated as the first use area, and the first and second use areas may be used as the first and second use areas. Two use areas that are most unlikely to be full may be allocated.

In the case where the use area to be imaged is switched, a switch instruction may be issued when the use state of the entire equipment cannot be determined to be empty due to only the use state of the first use area. If it is not possible to judge that the usage status of the entire facility is empty due to only the usage status of, the re-switching instruction may be issued. When determining the usage status of the entire equipment, it is possible to determine whether the usage status of the entire equipment is empty based on only the usage status of the first usage area and determine that the usage status of the entire equipment is empty. Only if not
The usage status of the entire facility may be determined based on the total usage status combining the usage statuses of the first and second usage areas. As the area switching unit, the use area to be imaged by the imaging unit may be switched by adjusting the direction, the position, or the photographing magnification of the imaging unit for each use area.

[0009]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a usage status determination system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, a case will be described as an example in which the usage status of the entire parking lot having a plurality of usage areas is estimated from the usage status of a part of the usage areas. The usage status determination system includes a monitoring camera 1 that captures an image of a usage area, an area detection unit 2 that performs image processing on an image 1A obtained by the monitoring camera 1 and detects a usage status in the usage area, The control unit 3 that issues a use area switching instruction 3A to be imaged by the monitoring camera 1 based on the detection result 2A indicating the use state of the predetermined use area output from the area detection unit 2.
Are provided.

Further, an area switching unit 4 for switching the use area for imaging by adjusting the direction, the position, or the photographing magnification (zoom up / pan down) of the surveillance camera 1 in response to a switching instruction 3A from the control unit 3. Is provided. Further, the control unit 3 estimates and determines the usage status of the entire parking lot according to the usage status of the usage area A detected by the area detection unit 2 or the total usage status of the usage areas A and B, and determines the display information. 5 is output. The display information 5 from the control unit 3 is displayed on a display device (not shown) such as an information board installed just before the entrance of the service area, and the user is notified of the use status of the parking lot.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a service area to which the use situation judging system of FIG. 1 is applied. There are four use areas A to D (1
1A to 11D) are provided, and a vehicle entering from the entrance 12 is parked in any of the use areas A to D. After using facilities such as a shop / restaurant 14 and a resting place / toilet 15, the person exits from the exit 13. here,
At an intermediate position between the two use areas A and B far from the entrance 12, the surveillance camera 1 that captures images of both use areas A and B is arranged. The surveillance camera 1 is mounted on a use area switching unit 4 including a pedestal or the like that rotates in a predetermined angle direction,
It is rotatably supported.

Next, the operation of the usage status judging system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control processing of the surveillance camera in the control unit 3 in the use situation determination system of FIG. The control unit 3 outputs a switching instruction 3A to the use area A as an initial setting (step 100). In response to this, the area switching unit 4 rotates the monitoring camera 1 in the direction of the use area A. As a result, the monitoring camera 1 captures an image 1A indicating the situation of the use area A (step 1).
01), and is output to the area detector 2.

The area detecting section 2 processes the image 1A from the surveillance camera 1 and counts the number of parked or vacant cars in the use area A to detect the use state of the use area A (step 102). ). As a method of recognizing whether or not a vehicle is parked in each parking space by image processing, for example, Yoshihiro Toyama et al., “PA
RKED VEHICLES COUNTING SYSTEM EMPLOYING IMAGE PROC
ESSING '', 6th World Congress on Intelligent Transpo
rt Systems, Toronto, Canada, November 8-12, 1999 (ITSA
-003072. A general technique disclosed in PDF / Official CD-ROM) may be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the usage of the parking area 11 is determined based on the monitoring area of the monitoring camera 1, that is, the usage rate of the parking space including the usage areas A and B. Judgment is made by estimating the overall usage situation. Here, the usage rate of the monitoring target area is 90%
If the condition is less than, ie, the empty rate (= 100% −use rate) is 10% or more, the state is defined as empty, and the use rate is 90% or more, ie, the empty rate is less than 10%, and the state is defined as the full state. Based on the rate, that is, the vacancy rate, the usage state of the entire parking lot 11 is estimated and determined.

Here, based on only the detection result 2A of the use area A output as the use state from the area detection unit 2,
When the condition indicating the empty state of the entire parking lot 11 is satisfied (step 103: YES), the usage status of the other usage area, here, the usage area B is monitored in determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11. Since it is determined that it is not necessary, the direction of the monitoring camera 1 is not changed, and the process returns to step 101 to continue monitoring the use status of the use area A. In the control unit 3,
Parking lot 11 according to the detection result 2A from the area detection unit 2
Determine the overall usage status. FIG. 5 shows an example of the overall judgment standard. Here, the monitoring target area, that is, the use area A,
By calculating the vacancy rate in the monitoring target area based on the number of vacant vehicles in B, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined.

When the number of empty vehicles in the use area A is XA, the number of empty vehicles in the use area B is XB, and the total number of parking spaces in the monitored area is X, the vacancy rate Y in the monitored area is assumed. Y = (XA + XB) / X × 100 (%) (1) Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the condition that the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty is Y ≧ 10 (%), so that XA ≧ X × 0.1 (2) , XB, whatever the value, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty.

Thus, the other use areas B to D are 10
Even if it is assumed that 0% is used, if the number XA of vacant vehicles in the use area A satisfies the condition of Expression (2), the parking lot 11
It is determined that the entirety is empty, display information 5 indicating that fact is output, and the direction of monitoring camera 1 is not changed. In other words, the condition in which the use area to be imaged by the surveillance camera 1 needs to be switched, that is, the switching condition, can be expressed by the inverse logic of the above equation (2), and XA <X × 0.1 (3) If the use area A is used more than the switching condition, the switching instruction 3A may be output.

Therefore, when the use state of the entire parking lot 11 cannot be determined to be empty by only the detection result 2A of the use area A output from the area detection section 2, that is, the switching condition of the above equation (3) is satisfied. (Step 10
3: NO), in determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11, it is determined that it is necessary to monitor the usage status of another usage area, here, usage area B, and the direction of the monitoring camera 1 is determined. A switching instruction 3A is output to change the direction (step 104). In response to the switching instruction 3A, the area switching unit 4 rotates the monitoring camera 1 from the use area A to the use area B. Thereby, the surveillance camera 1
Then, an image 1A indicating the situation of the use area B is captured (Step 105) and output to the area detection unit 2.

After the monitoring camera 1 captures an image of the use area B, the control unit 3 returns to step 100 and outputs a switching instruction 3A to the use area A. In response, the area switching unit 4 moves the surveillance camera 1 in the direction of the use area A.
Is rotated. In the initial state described above, use area A
Is monitored. In the area detection unit 2, the monitoring camera 1
The use status of the use area B is detected by performing image processing on the image 1A of the use area B obtained in the step (1), and the detection result 2A is output.

In the control unit 3, the above equation (1) is used according to the use situation of the use area B outputted as the detection result 2A from the area detection unit 2 and the use situation of the use area A already obtained. The usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined on the basis of. Here, the vacancy rate Y of the monitoring target area is calculated from the total XA + XB of the number of vacant vehicles in the monitoring target area, that is, the use areas A and B, and the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is estimated and determined based on the comprehensive determination criterion in FIG. Display information 5 indicating that fact is output.

As described above, the area detecting unit 2 which determines the use status of the use area based on the image 1A of the use area captured by the surveillance camera 1, and the surveillance camera based on the detection result 2A from the area detection unit 2. And a control unit 3 that issues a switching instruction 3A for a use area to be imaged at 1. The area switching unit 4 switches the use area to be imaged by the monitoring camera 1 in response to the switching instruction 3A from the control unit 3. Therefore, unnecessary switching for comprehensive judgment of the entire parking lot 11 can be reliably omitted. Therefore, compared to a conventional case where the surveillance camera is rotated at regular intervals by the pedestal even when the use area is not full, it is possible to extend the life of the movable part such as the motor incorporated in the pedestal. Maintenance work and cost burden can be greatly reduced.

Only when the area detection unit 2 detects that the use area A (first use area) is used under a predetermined switching condition or more, the use area to be imaged by the monitoring camera 1 is used. Use area B different from A (second
Is switched, the surveillance camera 1 can be rotated more efficiently. Furthermore, since an instruction to switch to the use area A is issued immediately after the image of the use area B is captured by the monitoring camera 1, the entire parking lot 11 can be accurately and comprehensively determined based on the use area A.

In the above description, a case has been described as an example in which the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is estimated and determined based on the usage rate or the vacancy rate of the monitoring target area. The overall usage rate or empty rate may be calculated, and the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 may be determined based on that value. Further, even when the entire parking lot 11 is the monitoring target area, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 can be similarly determined.

The general criterion for the control unit 3 is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 5, the present invention is not limited to the one using the two values of the empty state / full state. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, three values of empty state / mixed state / full state (two or more values)
Alternatively, the determination may be made. As shown in FIG. 6 (b), for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the usage rate of the monitoring target area is less than 70%, that is, when the vacancy rate is 30% or more, the usage rate is 70% to 95%. A state in which the vacancy rate is 30% to 5% is defined as a mixed state, and a usage rate of 95% or more, that is, a vacancy rate of less than 5% is defined as a full state. Then, based on the use situation of the use areas A and B, the parking lot 11
What is necessary is just to determine the overall usage status.

When the number of vacant vehicles is used as the usage status, the vacancy rate Y in the monitoring target area can be calculated by equation (1) in the same manner as described above. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, since the condition that the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty is Y ≧ 30 (%), XA ≧ X × 0.3 (4) , XB, whatever the value, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty.

Therefore, the other use areas BD are 10
Even if it is assumed that 0% is used, if the number of empty vehicles XA in the use area A satisfies the condition of the expression (4), the parking lot 11
It is determined that the entirety is empty, display information 5 indicating that fact is output, and the direction of monitoring camera 1 is not changed. In other words, the condition in which the use area to be imaged by the surveillance camera 1 needs to be switched, that is, the switching condition, can be expressed by the inverse logic of the above equation (4). XA <X × 0.3 (5) If the use area A is used more than the switching condition, the switching instruction 3A may be output.

In the above description, the surveillance camera 1 is used as an example in which the number of vacant vehicles is used as the usage status of each usage area.
Although the switching control of the use area to be imaged has been described,
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of parked vehicles may be used as the usage status, and the switching control can be performed in the same manner as described above, even if the vacancy rate or the usage rate is used as the switching condition instead of the number of vehicles. By using the number of vacant vehicles and the vacancy rate as the usage status, it is not necessary to consider the usage status of other usage areas in the determination of the necessity of switching, and the complexity of the determination process can be reduced.

Next, a use state determination system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. For the hardware configuration of the present embodiment,
This is the same as the usage status determination system of FIG. 1, and a description thereof will be omitted. In the first embodiment, the surveillance camera 1 is switched to the use area B only to capture an image only when it is not possible to determine that the entire parking lot 11 is empty only based on the use state of the use area A, and then use the image. The case of returning to the area A has been described. In the present invention, when it is not possible to determine that the entire parking lot 11 is empty only based on the usage status of one of the monitored use areas, the monitoring camera 1 is switched to the other use area.

The control unit 3 outputs a switching instruction 3A to the use area A as an initial setting (step 110).
In response to this, the area switching unit 4 rotates the monitoring camera 1 in the direction of the use area A. As a result, the monitoring camera 1 captures an image 1A indicating the situation of the use area A (step 111) and outputs the image 1A to the area detection unit 2. The area detection unit 2 detects the use status of the use area A by processing the image 1A from the monitoring camera 1 and counting the number of parked or vacant cars in the use area A (step 112).

Here, only the detection result 2A of the use area A output as the use state from the area detection unit 2 is used.
When the condition indicating the empty state of the entire parking lot 11 is satisfied (step 113: YES), the usage status of another usage area, here, the usage area B is monitored in determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11. Since it is determined that it is not necessary, the direction of the monitoring camera 1 is not changed, and the process returns to step 101 to continue monitoring the use status of the use area A. In the control unit 3,
Based on the above-described comprehensive determination criteria shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined according to the detection result 2A from the area detection unit 2. In this case, the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty from the usage status of the usage area A, and the display information 5 indicating that is output.

On the other hand, if it is not possible to determine that the entire parking lot 11 is empty only by the usage status of the usage area A (step 113: NO), the other determinations are made in determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11. Use area here is use area B
It is determined that it is necessary to monitor the use status of the camera, and the switching instruction 3 is made to change the direction of the monitoring camera 1 to the direction of the use area B.
A is output (step 114). In response to the switching instruction 3A, the area switching unit 4 rotates the monitoring camera 1 from the use area A to the use area B. This allows
The monitoring camera 1 captures an image 1A indicating the situation of the use area B (step 115), and outputs it to the area detection unit 2.

The area detector 2 detects the use state of the use area B by performing image processing on the image 1A of the use area B obtained by the monitoring camera 1, and outputs a detection result 2A. (Step 116). Here, use area B
When the condition indicating the empty state of the entire parking lot 11 is satisfied only by the detection result 2A of (Step 117: YE)
S) In determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11, it is determined that there is no need to monitor the usage status of another usage area, here usage area B, and the direction of the monitoring camera 1 is not changed, and the process proceeds to step 115. Return to continue monitoring the usage status of the usage area A. In addition, the control unit 3 detects the detection result 2A from the area detection unit 2 based on the above-described comprehensive judgment criteria shown in FIGS.
Then, the usage status of the entire parking lot 11 is determined. In this case, the entire parking lot 11 is determined to be empty from the usage status of the usage area B, and the display information 5 indicating that is output.

On the other hand, if it is not possible to determine that the entire parking lot 11 is empty only from the usage status of the usage area B (step 117: NO), other determinations are made in determining the usage status of the entire parking lot 11. Use area here is use area A
It is determined that it is necessary to monitor the usage of
Returning to 10, the switching instruction 3A is output to change the direction of the monitoring camera 1 to the direction of the use area A. In response to the switching instruction 3A, the area switching unit 4 rotates the monitoring camera 1 from the use area B to the use area A. Thus, the above-described initial state is established, and the monitoring of the use area A is performed. Thereafter, each time one of the use areas A and B is determined to be full, the monitoring camera 1 is switched to the other use area.

As described above, the surveillance camera 1 only uses the one use area (second use area) captured by the surveillance camera 1 when it cannot be determined that the entire parking lot 11 is empty. Since the switching instruction to switch the usage area to be imaged to the other usage area (first usage area) is issued, the number of times of area switching can be reduced compared to the first embodiment, and the monitoring camera 1 can be more efficiently rotated. can do.

In each of the embodiments described above, the use area A is selected as the use area monitored by the monitoring camera 1 in the initial state. As shown in FIG. 2, the use area A is far from the entrance 12 to the parking lot 11 and far from facilities such as the shop / restaurant 14, rest area / toilet 15, and so is compared with the other use areas B to D. Therefore, it is the most difficult to use area. Based on the use area that is most unlikely to be full, the other use area (second use area) is determined only when the use state of the reference use area (first use area) is determined to be full. By switching the surveillance camera 1 to the area (area), the probability that the surveillance camera 1 will be in the full state is lower than in the case where another use area is used as a reference, so that the number of times of switching can be reduced.

In each embodiment, when the reference use area (first use area) is full, the monitoring camera 1
Area B as the switching destination area
Is selected. This use area B is close to facilities such as a shop / restaurant 14, a rest area / toilet 15, but is far from the entrance 12, so the use areas C and D close to the entrance 12
This is the second most difficult to use area compared to. In this way, by assigning two use areas in the order of least likely to be full as the use areas monitored by the surveillance camera 1, the probability of the full state compared to the case where other use areas are monitored is reduced. Since both areas are low, the number of times of switching can be reduced.

In the above, the pedestal for switching the use area to be imaged by rotating the monitoring camera 1 has been described as an example of the area switching unit 4, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG.
May be used for moving the camera horizontally. As a specific example of the moving means, a rack and pinion structure may be used to convert the rotation of the shaft whose moving direction of the monitoring camera 1 is the axial direction into the moving motion of the pedestal. The pedestal fixed to the wire may be horizontally moved by rotating the reel. Alternatively, the pedestal may run on a guide extending in the moving direction.

As a result, the surveillance camera 1 can be largely moved, and it is not necessary to install the surveillance camera 1 at a higher place than when the surveillance camera 1 is rotated.
Therefore, the moving means can be provided by using the covered passage or the roof of the building, and it is not necessary to install a pole or the like that impairs the scenery of the parking lot. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the use area where the surveillance camera 1 captures an image may be switched by adjusting the shooting magnification (angle of view) of the surveillance camera 1. Further, the above-described area switching configurations may be combined as necessary, and an image optimal for each use area can be obtained.

In each of the embodiments described above, the parking lot in the service area provided on the expressway has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other general parking lots, department stores, The present invention can be applied to a parking lot of a facility such as a hotel in the same manner as described above, and a similar effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the parking lot, and can be applied in the same manner as described above, provided that a large number of use spaces are used individually, such as a bicycle parking lot and the use status of seats. The operation and effect of the invention can be obtained.

[0040]

As described in the foregoing use, the present invention includes an area detection means for detecting usage of the available area on the basis of the image of the usage area taken by the imaging unit, which is detected in this area detection means determination result preparative switching necessity of the use area to be imaged by the imaging means based on usage area
In addition , a control means for instructing switching of a use area when it is determined that switching is necessary, and an area switching means are provided, and the area switching means uses a use area to be imaged by an imaging means in response to a switching instruction from the control means. Is switched, it is possible to reliably eliminate unnecessary switching for comprehensive judgment of the entire equipment having a plurality of use areas. Therefore,
Compared to the conventional case where the surveillance camera is rotated at regular intervals by the pedestal even if the use area is not full,
The life of movable parts such as a motor built into the pedestal can be extended, and maintenance work and cost burden can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a usage status determination system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a service area to which the use situation determination system of FIG. 1 is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the usage status determination system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a use situation and a use rate / vacancy rate.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an overall judgment criterion.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the overall judgment criterion.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the usage status determination system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a use area switching method.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a use area switching method.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a service area to which a conventional use situation determination system is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Surveillance camera (imaging means), 1A ... Image, 2 ... Area detection part, 2A ... Judgment result, 3 ... Control part, 3A ... Switching instruction, 4 ... Area switching part, 5 ... Display output, 11 ... Parking lot,
11A ... Use area A, 11B ... Use area B, 11C
… Use area C, 11D… Use area D, 12… Entrance,
13 ... Exit, 14 ... Stand / Restaurant, 15 ... Rest area /
toilet.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-9-270096 (JP, A) JP-A-9-46693 (JP, A) JP-A-4-15800 (JP, A) JP-A-6-124400 (JP) JP-A-2-285499 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-137896 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08G 1/00-9/02 G06F 17 / 60 134 G06T 1/00 330

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A usage status determination system for determining the usage status of a facility having a plurality of usage areas based on an image of a usage area captured by an imaging unit, wherein the usage status determination system determines a usage status of the facility based on an image of the usage area captured by the imaging unit. an area detection means for detecting usage of the available area, use of the available area detected by the area detecting means
With determining the switching necessity of the use area to be imaged by the imaging means based on the situation, and a control means for performing a switching instruction of the usage area if it is determined that switching is needed, the imaging in response to the switching instruction from the control unit A use state determination system, comprising: an area switching unit that switches a use area to be imaged by the unit. 2. The use status determination system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that the first use area among the use areas is used by a predetermined switching condition or more by the area detection unit. Only when detected, a use instruction is issued to switch a use area to be imaged by the imaging means to a second use area different from the first use area among the use areas. system. 3. The use status determination system according to claim 2, wherein said control means switches a use area to be imaged by said image pickup means to said second use area in response to said switching instruction, and causes said image pickup means to execute said second use area. Immediately after the image of the use area is captured, a re-switching instruction to the first use area is issued. 4. The usage status determination system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit switches the use area to be imaged by the imaging unit to the second use area in accordance with the switching instruction, and then performs imaging by the imaging unit. A case where the area detecting means detects a use state of the second use area based on the image of the second use area, and it is detected that the second use area is used more than a predetermined re-switching condition; And a re-switching instruction for switching a use area to be imaged by the image pickup means to the first use area is issued only to the first use area. 5. The use status determination system according to claim 2, wherein a use area that is least likely to be in a full state among the use areas is assigned as the first use area. 6. The use status determination system according to claim 2, wherein two of the use areas which are least likely to be full are assigned as the first and second use areas. Situation determination system. 7. The usage status determination system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit issues the switching instruction when the usage status of the entire facility cannot be determined to be empty due to only the usage status of the first usage area. A usage status determination system characterized by performing. 8. The usage status determination system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit issues the re-switching instruction when the usage status of the entire facility cannot be determined to be empty by only the usage status of the second usage area. And a usage status determination system. 9. The usage status determination system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the usage status of the entire facility is empty based only on the usage status of the first usage area, Only when it is not possible to determine that the usage status of the entire facility is empty, the usage status of the entire facility is determined based on the total usage status combining the usage statuses of the first and second usage areas. A use status determination system, characterized in that: 10. The use area determination system according to claim 1, wherein the area switching unit adjusts a direction, a position, or a photographing magnification of the imaging unit for each of the use areas, and the imaging area is imaged by the imaging unit. The usage status determination system characterized by switching.