JP4119106B2 - In-vehicle machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle license plate recognition system, and more particularly to a vehicle license plate recognition system that photographs a license plate of a host vehicle with a camera of an in-vehicle device and notifies an information collection center of the use of an unauthorized license plate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional vehicle license plate recognition system, there is a system called “N system” installed on an expressway toll gate or a main highway. In this system, a fixed camera is installed above and to the side of the road to photograph the vehicle's license plate. The vehicle number is recognized by the character recognition device, the vehicle registration data is searched by the database device, and the vehicle is specified.
[0003]
As a system for checking the validity of a license plate attached to a vehicle, there is an automatic vehicle identification device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-201097. This device first adds license plate information unique to the contract vehicle to a part of the identification number written on the identification number plate. Next, the vehicle numbers obtained from the identification units of both the identification number reader and the vehicle number reader are compared and collated. Since it can be verified in real time whether or not it is properly attached, unauthorized use of the identification number plate can be prevented.
[0004]
The vehicle number recognition system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-296785 is a device that reads a vehicle number while traveling and searches and displays registration data of the vehicle. In this apparatus, an in-vehicle camera, a character recognition device, a database device, a display device, and a camera control device are provided in a vehicle such as a police car. A vehicle equipped with this device captures a license plate of a target vehicle ahead or behind with a vehicle-mounted camera while traveling. Next, the character recognition device performs image processing and character recognition to read the vehicle number on the license plate. Furthermore, based on the recognized vehicle number, the database registration data is searched by the database device. Finally, the search result is displayed on the display device, and at the same time, recorded together with the speed data. With this device, you can accurately read the number of vehicles ahead or behind while driving in a police car, and immediately search and display registration data, which can be helpful in finding stolen vehicles such as stolen vehicles. it can.
[0005]
A traffic monitoring system and a car with a vehicle number recognition device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-30892 are traffic monitoring systems that can grasp traffic conditions (road conditions) in every place. A plurality of automobiles are equipped with a TV camera and a vehicle number recognition device for recognizing the vehicle number of an oncoming vehicle or a preceding vehicle from images of the TV camera. And this vehicle number recognition apparatus, a time apparatus, and the navigation system which measures the absolute position coordinate of a motor vehicle are linked. Further, the vehicle number recognition data is transmitted to the base station in association with the time and the absolute position coordinates of the vehicle. In the base station, vehicle number recognition data, time data, and data related to absolute position coordinates sent from the automobile are totaled by a computer. In addition, the time required for traveling the vehicle between the different points is calculated from the time and absolute position coordinates for the same vehicle number recognition data detected at the different points. In this apparatus, a criminal or the like can be detected by collating the car registered in advance with the car number recognition data.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional vehicle license plate recognition device has a problem that an unauthorized number cannot be detected unless the vehicle passes in front of a license plate reader attached to the road. In addition, a device that recognizes a vehicle number plate with an in-vehicle camera mounted on a police car or the like has a problem that only the number of a vehicle approaching the vehicle can be detected.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, detect an unauthorized license plate in real time, and assist in tracking a stolen vehicle or an illegal vehicle.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention, the in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, comprising: storage means for storing the license plate number of the vehicle authorized, a photographing means for photographing a number plate of the vehicle, by analyzing the image capturing means has captured an image recognition means for recognizing a license plate number of the vehicle, the license plate number of the vehicle image recognizing means recognizes, regular number of the vehicle storage means storing comparing means for comparing the plate number, and a communication means for transmitting information based on the comparison result by the comparing means to the external, the communication means includes a license plate number of the vehicle image recognizing means recognizes, stores The vehicle license plate recognized by the image recognition means when the comparison means determines that the vehicle's regular license plate number stored by the means does not match. And configured to transmit to the outside No..
[0009]
By configuring in this way, the license plate that has been illegally replaced is detected, information on the unauthorized license plate vehicle is reported to the police from the information collection center, and in conjunction with the existing license plate recognition system, Useful for tracking vehicles.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
[0011]
In this embodiment, a regular license plate number is registered in the in-vehicle device, the number plate of the vehicle is recognized with the camera of the in-vehicle device, the number is recognized, and compared with the registered license plate number, If it is different, it is a vehicle license plate recognition system that transmits to the information collection center, searches the information collection center for a theft report, notifies the police, and interlocks with the existing license plate recognition system.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a vehicle license plate recognition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 is an automobile subject to license plate inspection. The in-vehicle device 2 is a license plate inspection device mounted on a vehicle. The small camera 3 is a camera that photographs a license plate. The license plate 4 is a vehicle registration number mark. The image analysis processing device 5 is a device that recognizes a number from a license plate photographed image. The control device 6 is an arithmetic device that controls the whole. The memory device 7 is a storage device that stores a vehicle number and the like. The number comparison processing device 8 is a device that compares a recognition result obtained by the image analysis processing device 5 with a registration number. The vehicle control processing device 9 is a device that stops the vehicle according to the received instruction. The communication device 10 is a device that performs wireless communication with the information collection center. The vehicle control device 11 is a device that performs control such as stopping the engine of the vehicle. The screwing detection device 12 is a device for inspecting the screw of the license plate. The screw 13 is a screw that stops the license plate. The impact detection device 14 is a device that detects a collision from acceleration. The current latitude / longitude detection device 15 is a device for obtaining a current position by a GPS device. The fraudulent plate use display device 16 is a device that displays that the vehicle has a fraudulent license plate. The worker authentication device 17 is a device that authenticates a person who performs vehicle repair work.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the information collection center of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, an information collection center 18 is a facility that collects information from the in-vehicle device. The control device 19 is a device that controls the whole. The illegal plate using vehicle database 20 is a database in which data of vehicles with illegal license plates is accumulated. The vehicle-mounted ID / body number-specific regular plate number database 21 is a database in which regular vehicle registration numbers are described. The voice synthesizer 22 is a device that reports by voice. Police-related agencies 23 are police and other investigative agencies. The FAX apparatus 24 is an apparatus that notifies by FAX. The information transfer device 25 is a device that transfers information to the police and related organizations. The external system communication device 26 is a device that communicates with other organizations. The unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27 is a device that recognizes an unauthorized license plate. The existing license plate reader 28 is a license plate recognition device provided near the road. The communication device 29 is a device that performs wireless communication with the in-vehicle device.
[0014]
The operation of the vehicle license plate recognition system according to the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described. The function of the vehicle-mounted device will be described with reference to FIG. The in-vehicle device 2 is mounted on the vehicle 1. The control device 6 performs control of the entire in-vehicle device 2 and the like. The small camera 3 photographs a license plate under the control of the control device 6. The image analysis processing device 5 analyzes the photographed image and recognizes the number. The number comparison processing device 8 compares the recognized number with the registered number. The vehicle control processing device 9 is connected to a vehicle control device 11 on the vehicle side.
[0015]
The communication device 10 wirelessly communicates with the information collection center by wireless communication using a public mobile phone network, a PHS network, or a dedicated network, and a vehicle body number, a currently attached plate number, an in-vehicle device ID, Vehicle latitude and longitude information and accident information are transmitted. Further, the vehicle control signal and the illegal display control signal sent from the center side are received. The screwing detection device 12 detects the unscrewing of the license plate attached to the vehicle by a pressure sensor or the like. The impact detection device 14 detects an impact due to an accident or the like using an impact sensor or the like. The unauthorized plate use display device 16 notifies the abnormality to the outside of the vehicle by a lamp or the like. The worker authentication device 17 recognizes the worker by inputting the authentication number of the worker who repairs the vehicle by using a keyboard or a non-contact IC card.
[0016]
The function of the information collection center 18 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 19 controls the entire information collection center side system. The communication device 29 communicates with the in-vehicle device according to the control of the control device 19. The communication device 29 receives information from the in-vehicle device 2 using a public mobile phone network and sends it to the control device 19. The unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27 connected to the control device 19 refers to the vehicle-mounted ID / body number-specific regular plate number database 21 and recognizes whether the plate number attached to the vehicle is correct. When fraud is recognized, the fraudulent plate number for each vehicle body number is stored in the fraudulent plate using vehicle database 20.
[0017]
The voice synthesizer 22 connected to the control device 19 notifies the police-related organization 23 of the illegal plate using vehicle by voice. The FAX apparatus notifies the police related agency 23 of the vehicle using the illegal plate by FAX. The information transfer device 25 transmits the digital data of the vehicle using the illegal plate to the police related organization 23. The external system communication device 26 transmits information data of the vehicle using the unauthorized plate to the existing license plate reader 28. The existing license plate reader 28 uses the data as reference data when the number of the passing vehicle is read.
[0018]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an information transmission operation of the in-vehicle device of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the in-vehicle device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step A1, the license plate of the own vehicle is photographed by the small camera 3 under the control of the control device 6 of the in-vehicle device 2. The image analysis processing device 5 analyzes the photographed image and recognizes the number of the license plate currently attached to the vehicle.
[0019]
In step A2, the recognized plate number and the regular plate number are collated by the number comparison processing device 8. If the numbers are different, step A7 is executed. In step A3, collision detection is performed by the vehicle impact detection device 14. In step A4, it is determined whether or not there is a collision. If a collision is detected, step A7 is executed. In step A5, screwing detection is performed by the screw plate detection device 12 of the license plate. In step A6, if the license plate has not been removed, step A1 is executed. If it is detected that the license plate has been removed, step A7 is executed.
[0020]
In step A7, information to be transmitted to the information collection center (vehicle number, vehicle latitude / longitude, current plate number, accident information, vehicle equipment ID, worker authentication number) is collected. In step A8, the collected information is transmitted to the information collection center. In step A9, an instruction signal from the information collection center is waited for.
[0021]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the information reception operation of the information collection center of the vehicle license plate recognition system. The operation of the information collection center 18 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step B1, the communication device 29 waits for communication from the in-vehicle device 2. If communication from the in-vehicle device 2 is not received, Step B1 is executed again. In step B2, the control device 19 delivers the vehicle body number and the vehicle-mounted device ID received from the vehicle-mounted device 2 to the unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27, and collates vehicle information.
[0022]
In step B3, the unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27 extracts regular plate number information from the regular plate number database 21 by vehicle ID / vehicle number based on the vehicle number and vehicle unit ID, and compares it with the received plate number. If they match, step B5 is executed. If they do not match, it is determined in step B4 that the unauthorized number is used, and a vehicle control signal is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 2.
[0023]
In step B5, the control device 19 passes the worker authentication number received from the in-vehicle device 2 to the unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27, and checks the worker information. In step B6, the unauthorized plate recognition processing device 27 extracts regular worker information from the vehicle-mounted ID / body number specific plate number database 21 based on the worker authentication number, and compares it with the worker authentication number. If they do not match, step B7 is executed. If they match, step B8 is executed.
[0024]
In step B7, it is determined that the work is unauthorized, and a vehicle control signal is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 2. In step B8, the control device 19 notifies these collation results to the police-related organization 23 with the voice of the voice synthesizer 22. In step B9, notification is made by the FAX apparatus 24. In step B10, information is notified by the information transfer device 25. In step B11, the external system communication device 26 notifies the existing license plate reader of information.
[0025]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the in-vehicle device side instruction signal receiving operation of the vehicle license plate recognition system. The operation of the vehicle-mounted device after data transmission will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step C1, the in-vehicle device 2 waits for an instruction signal from the information collection center 18. When the instruction signal from the information collection center 18 is received, it is checked in step C2 whether a vehicle control signal has been received. If the vehicle control signal is not received, step C4 is executed. When the vehicle control signal is received, the control device 6 controls the vehicle functions such as engine stop and door lock using the vehicle control device 11 in step C3.
[0026]
In step C4, it is checked whether an illegal display control signal is received. If no vehicle control signal has been received, the process ends and returns. When the unauthorized display control signal is received, in step C5, the control device 6 controls the unauthorized plate use display outside the vehicle using the vehicle control device 11, and indicates that the vehicle is an unauthorized vehicle. Show clearly to people near the vehicle.
[0027]
As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle license plate recognition system registers the regular license plate number in the in-vehicle device, photographs the license plate of the host vehicle with the camera of the in-vehicle device, and obtains the number. Recognize it, compare it with the registered license plate number, send it to the information collection center if it is different, search for theft report at the information collection center, notify the police, and link with the existing license plate recognition system Therefore, by detecting the illegally replaced license plate, confirming the unauthorized vehicle, reporting the unauthorized number information from the information collection center to the police, and linking with the existing license plate recognition system, the stolen vehicle and illegal vehicle Can be used for tracking.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, the illegally replaced license plate is detected, the information of the unauthorized license plate vehicle is notified to the police from the information collection center, and linked with the existing license plate recognition system. The effect that it can be used for tracking stolen vehicles and illegal vehicles is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an in-vehicle device of a vehicle license plate recognition system in an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an information collection center of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an information transmission operation of the in-vehicle device of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing information reception operation of the information collection center of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an in-vehicle device side instruction signal receiving operation of the vehicle license plate recognition system in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Car-mounted machine 3 Small camera 4 License plate 5 Image analysis processing device 6 Control device 7 Memory device 8 Number comparison processing device 9 Vehicle control processing device
10 Communication equipment
11 Vehicle control device
12 Screwing detection device
13 Screw
14 Shock detection device
15 Current latitude and longitude detector
16 Incorrect plate display
17 Worker authentication device
18 Information collection center
19 Control unit
20 Vehicle database using illegal plates
21 In-vehicle ID / regular plate number database by body number
22 Speech synthesizer
23 Police related organizations
24 FAX machine
25 Information transfer device
26 External system communication device
27 Unauthorized plate recognition processor
28 Existing license plate reader
29 Communication equipment

Claims (6)

In the in-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle,
Storage means for storing a regular license plate number of the own vehicle;
Photographing means for photographing the license plate of the own vehicle;
Image recognition means for recognizing the license plate number of the vehicle by analyzing the image taken by the photographing means;
Comparison means for comparing the license plate number of the host vehicle recognized by the image recognition means with the regular license plate number of the host vehicle stored by the storage means;
Communication means for transmitting information to the outside based on the comparison result by the comparison means,
When the comparison means determines that the communication plate recognizes that the license plate number of the host vehicle recognized by the image recognition unit and the regular license plate number of the host vehicle stored by the storage unit do not match, An in-vehicle device that transmits the license plate number of the host vehicle recognized by the recognition means to the outside. The storage means further stores a vehicle body number of the own vehicle and an in-vehicle device registration number of the in-vehicle device,
The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit further transmits the vehicle body number of the host vehicle and the in-vehicle device registration number of the in-vehicle device stored in the storage unit to the outside. Screwing detecting means for detecting whether or not the number plate of the own vehicle is screwed;
And an input means for inputting the worker authentication number,
The storage means further stores an operator authentication number input from the input means,
The communication means transmits the worker authentication number stored in the storage means to the outside when the screw detection means detects that the number plate of the host vehicle has been removed. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1. It further comprises current latitude / longitude detection means for detecting the latitude / longitude of the current position of the host vehicle,
The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit further transmits the latitude / longitude of the current position of the host vehicle detected by the current latitude / longitude detection unit to the outside. Vehicle control means for controlling the function of the host vehicle,
The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control unit controls the host vehicle when the communication unit receives a control signal of a vehicle function from the outside. It further comprises display means for displaying that the license plate of the host vehicle is an unauthorized license plate,
2. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein when the communication unit receives an unauthorized license plate display control signal from the outside, the display unit displays that the license plate of the host vehicle is an unauthorized license plate. In-vehicle device.

Images