JP4613601B2 - Vehicle monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle monitoring apparatus in which an imaging unit is provided in a vehicle and monitors the vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a vehicle monitoring apparatus that captures a theft by an imaging unit such as a camera, and is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. When the vehicle user leaves the vehicle for a long time and the perpetrator approaches the vehicle, the vehicle monitoring device senses the perpetrator by a proximity sensor and outputs a detection signal output from the proximity sensor. Based on the above, the image pickup means is operated to store the surrounding image including the perpetrator in a storage means such as a hard disk or a tape recorder, which is useful for identifying the perpetrator.
JP 2004-155354 A

  However, such a vehicle monitoring device stores not only the perpetrator but also the vehicle user or a person who has just approached the vehicle together with the surrounding image in the storage means, and therefore stores important surrounding images including the perpetrator. In addition, other surrounding images (hereinafter referred to as noise images) are often stored, and there is a problem that it takes time to identify the perpetrator by reading the image from the storage means. is doing.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of this problem, and provides a vehicle monitoring device that suppresses the process of writing a noise image to a storage unit and is excellent in convenience that does not require time to identify the perpetrator. Objective.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image pickup unit disposed in a vehicle, a contact sensor that detects contact with the vehicle, a storage unit that stores an image picked up by the image pickup unit, and the image pickup unit. Based on the imaging information obtained by the means, the camera shifts to a standby mode in which the surrounding image by the imaging means can be stored, and the surrounding image captured by the imaging means based on the input of the contact signal from the contact sensor Control means for storing in the storage means ,
The control means stores the captured surrounding image in another storage means different from the storage means when the standby mode is entered, and when the contact signal from the contact sensor is input, Storing the surrounding image stored in the other storage means in the storage means;
The storage means stores appearance information about the user, and the control means compares the human body information in the surrounding image to be stored in the other storage means and the appearance information when the control means shifts to the standby mode. If it is determined that the comparison result substantially matches the appearance information of the user stored in advance in the storage means, the standby mode is terminated .

The control means is characterized in that the standby mode is terminated when personal information is input from a user specifying means for specifying a user.

In addition, the control unit includes a transmission unit, and is capable of transmitting notification information for notifying that an object has contacted the vehicle to another device.

Further, the notification information is at least one of text data indicating the notification content or a surrounding image captured by the imaging unit.

In addition, the vehicle is provided with a notification means for notifying that the vehicle is in a stolen state or in a tampered state.

  Further, the image pickup means is an omnidirectional image pickup sensor.

  The present invention relates to a vehicle monitoring apparatus in which an imaging unit is provided in a vehicle and monitors the vehicle, and the vehicle that can suppress storing a noise image in a storage unit and does not require time to identify a perpetrator. A monitoring device is provided.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The vehicle monitoring apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The vehicle monitoring apparatus A includes an imaging unit 1, a contact sensor 2, a control unit 3, a storage unit 4, and an alarm device (notification unit) 5.

  The imaging unit 1 includes a 360-degree wide-angle lens, and includes an omnidirectional visual sensor that images a surrounding image incident from the wide-angle lens with a CCD camera, and outputs omnidirectional image data to the image processing apparatus 1b. To do. It is desirable that the image pickup means 1 be disposed at a location where the entire periphery of the vehicle 10 can be imaged (for example, the roof of the vehicle 10).

  The contact sensor 1 detects contact with the vehicle 10 and detects vibration of the vehicle 10.

  The control means 3 includes an image processing device 3a and a control unit 3b. The image processing device 3a inputs image data captured by the image capturing unit 11 and generates a surrounding image to be stored in the storage unit 4 which will be described in detail later. The control unit 3b includes a microcomputer and includes a ROM (another storage unit) 3b1, a RAM 3b2, a CPU 3b3, and the like, and a predetermined condition to be described later for the surrounding image generated by the image processing device 3a. When established, the information is stored in the storage means 4 and, based on the detection signal (contact signal) from the contact sensor 2, it is determined whether or not the perpetrator has contacted the vehicle 10.

  The storage unit 4 includes a storage medium such as a hard disk, a DVD, or a CD-ROM, and stores a surrounding image based on an instruction from the control unit 3. The storage means 4 has a first storage area for storing surrounding images and a second storage area for storing personal information regarding the user of the vehicle 10. The control unit 3b reads the personal information stored in the second storage area by the control unit 3b when personal information is input from a user specifying unit to be described later. It is determined whether or not it matches the stored personal information. The surrounding image stored in the storage means 4 can be displayed by the display means 6 comprising an external monitor.

  The alarm device 5 includes a speaker, a buzzer, a headlight control circuit for blinking the headlight of the vehicle 10, a horn control circuit for sounding the horn of the vehicle 10, and the like.

  On the other hand, a multiplex communication line S is connected to the control means 3, and for example, a keyless entry device 20 that is a user specifying means for specifying a user, a meter device 21, and the like are connected to the multiplex communication line S. The vehicle control device 22 is connected.

  The keyless entry device 20 includes a transmitter 20a and a receiver 20b, and the receiver 20b is connected to the multiplex communication line S. The keyless entry device 20 is registered with personal data (personal information) consisting of an identification number related to the user, and outputs the personal data to the control means 15 via the multiple communication line S, and will be described later with respect to the vehicle control device 22. Output a control signal.

  The meter device 21 includes a speedometer, a tachometer, a fuel meter, a water temperature gauge, and the like, and is a display unit that displays vehicle travel information.

  The vehicle control device 22 performs locking / unlocking control of the door of the vehicle A, opening / closing control of the window glass, and the like. The vehicle control device 22 performs locking and unlocking control of the door of the vehicle A based on personal information (identification information) from the keyless entry device 20.

  Next, the processing method in the control means 3 is demonstrated using FIG.2 and FIG.3.

  The control means 3 inputs a 360 ° ambient image centered on the vehicle 10 from the imaging means 1 (step S1). Note that the detection area B of the surrounding image by the control means 3 is preferably set to 1 m to 2 m from the vehicle 10.

  Next, the control means 3 detects whether or not the moving object (object including the perpetrator) P exists in the detection area B in the input surrounding image via the image processing device 3a (step S2). If it is determined that the object P exists, the process proceeds to the standby mode, which is a preparation process for storing the surrounding image in the storage unit 4 (step S3). In the standby mode, when the object P enters the detection area B, the control means 3 does not store the surrounding image in the storage means 4, but temporarily stores the surrounding image in the RAM 3b2 of the control unit 3b. (Preliminary storage).

  Next, the control means 3 determines whether or not the object P that has entered the detection area B is a user of the vehicle 10 after shifting to the standby mode (step S4). This process is detected by comparing the personal information input from the keyless entry device 20 via the multiple communication line S with the personal information stored in advance in the storage means 4 and determining whether or not they match. This is possible by determining whether or not the object P that has entered the area B is a user.

  When the control means 3 determines that the object P that has entered the detection area B is a user of the vehicle 10, the control means 3 cancels the standby mode (and deletes the surrounding image in the RAM 3b2) and returns to the initial step. Execute (Step S5). Further, when there is no input of personal information from the keyless entry device 20, the control means 3 determines whether or not a detection signal is input from the contact sensor 2 (step S6). That is, when the control means 3 enters the standby mode and the personal information of the user is not input and the detection signal from the contact sensor 2 is input, a person other than the user (object P) 10, an image storage process for storing the surrounding image stored in the RAM 3 b 2 and the surrounding image at the time when the detection signal from the contact sensor 2 is input into the storage unit 3 is executed (step S 7) and notification A notification process for operating the device 5 is executed (step S8).

  After the notification process, the control unit 3 receives a predetermined input from an operation unit such as a switch (not shown), cancels the image storage process and the notification process, and executes a process of returning to the initial step (step S9). .

  In addition, in the input confirmation process of the detection signal from the contact sensor 2 in step S6, the control means 3 determines that the object P that has entered the detection area B is a user even if there is no input after a predetermined time (step S10). It is determined that the object is a noise object that is neither the perpetrator nor the perpetrator, and the process of returning to the initial step is executed (step S11). Note that it is desirable that the time setting in step S10 can be changed every 10 minutes, for example.

  Further, in step S3, the control unit 3 stores the appearance information about the user in the storage unit 4 in advance, and stores the object P and the appearance information to be stored in the other storage unit when shifting to the standby mode. A comparison process may be performed, and the standby mode may be terminated when a result is obtained that the comparison result approximates the appearance information of the user stored in the storage unit 4 in advance. It becomes possible to improve the detection accuracy of the object P.

  By repeating the above processing, the stolen state or mischievous state of the vehicle 10 can be accurately stored in the storage unit 4.

  FIG. 4 shows a detection area C when the image pickup means 1 is arranged at two locations in the vicinity of the door mirror location of the vehicle 10 or at the location where the door mirror is provided, and the object P is detected in the same manner as the detection area B. It becomes possible.

  The vehicle monitoring apparatus A includes an imaging unit 1 disposed in the vehicle 10, a contact sensor 2 that detects contact with the vehicle 10, a storage unit 4 that stores an image captured by the imaging unit 1, and an imaging unit. 1 shifts to a standby mode that enables storage of surrounding images by the imaging unit 1 based on the imaging information obtained by 1, and the surrounding image captured by the imaging unit 1 based on the input of a signal from the contact sensor 2 And the control means 3 for storing the information in the storage means 4. Therefore, since the process of writing the surrounding image to the storage unit 4 is executed based on the input information from the imaging unit 1 and the contact sensor 2, the noise image writing process to the storage unit 4 can be suppressed. Further, even when the surrounding image stored in the storage unit 4 is displayed on the display unit 6 and the perpetrator is specified, no time is required and the convenience as the vehicle monitoring device A can be improved.

  Further, when the control unit 3 shifts to the standby mode, the captured surrounding image is temporarily stored in the RAM 3b2 of the control unit 3, and the signal from the contact sensor 2 is input within a predetermined time. In addition, the surrounding image stored in the RAM 3b2 is stored in the storage means 4. Therefore, since the image before the perpetrator contacts the vehicle can be stored in the storage unit 4, the behavior of the perpetrator can be accurately monitored.

  The control means 3 terminates the standby mode when personal information from the keyless entry device 20 for identifying the user is input. Even if the user enters the detection area B, the control means 3 The process which memorize | stores the surrounding image (noise image) in which a user is contained in the memory | storage means 4 can be prevented.

  Further, the control unit 3 includes a notification device 5 for notifying that the vehicle 10 is in a stolen state or a mischievous state, and the control unit 3 performs the notification unit 5 when the process of writing the surrounding image into the storage unit 4 is executed. It is possible to increase the crime prevention effect.

  Moreover, the imaging means 1 can be set from the omnidirectional imaging sensor to set a wide range of the vehicle 10 as the detection areas B and C, and can further enhance the crime prevention effect.

  In addition to the control unit 3 of the above-described embodiment, the control unit 3 adds a transmission unit capable of transmitting notification information for reporting the contact of the object P to the vehicle 10 to other devices. When the writing process is executed, the vehicle 10 can be monitored even when the user is away from the vehicle 10 by transmitting the notification information to the other device. The crime prevention effect can be further enhanced.

  In addition, the notification information is at least one of text data indicating the notification contents or a surrounding image captured by the imaging unit 1, so that an equivalent effect can be obtained when the user monitors the state of the vehicle 10 nearby. it can.

It is a block diagram which shows the vehicle monitoring apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the detection area of the vehicle monitoring apparatus of embodiment same as the above. It is a figure which shows the process in the control means of the vehicle monitoring apparatus of embodiment same as the above. It is a figure which shows the other detection area of the vehicle monitoring apparatus of embodiment same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

A vehicle monitoring device B, C detection area P object 1 imaging means 2 contact sensor 3 control means 3b control unit 3b1 ROM
3b2 RAM (other storage means)
3b3 CPU
4 Storage means 5 Alarm device

Claims (6)

Based on imaging means disposed in a vehicle, a contact sensor for detecting contact with the vehicle, storage means for storing an image taken by the imaging means, and imaging information obtained by the imaging means, A control unit that shifts to a standby mode in which a surrounding image by the imaging unit can be stored, and that stores a surrounding image captured by the imaging unit in the storage unit based on an input of a contact signal from the contact sensor; equipped with a,
The control means stores the captured surrounding image in another storage means different from the storage means when the standby mode is entered, and when the contact signal from the contact sensor is input, Storing the surrounding image stored in the other storage means in the storage means;
The storage means stores appearance information about the user, and the control means compares the human body information in the surrounding image to be stored in the other storage means and the appearance information when the control means shifts to the standby mode. When the comparison result is determined to be substantially coincident with the appearance information of the user stored in advance in the storage unit, the standby mode is terminated . The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit terminates the standby mode when personal information is input from a user specifying unit that specifies a user. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes a transmission unit, and is capable of transmitting notification information for notifying that an object has contacted the vehicle to another device. The vehicle monitoring device according to claim 3 , wherein the notification information is at least one of text data indicating notification contents or a surrounding image captured by the imaging unit. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying that the vehicle is in a stolen state or in a state of being tampered with. The vehicle monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit includes an omnidirectional imaging sensor.

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