JP6871005B2 - Vehicle detector, vehicle detection method and toll collection equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle detector, a vehicle detection method, and a toll collection facility.

As a detection technology for vehicles passing through a lane, a light emitting / receiving device located at the end of the lane emits light in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lane axis and in a direction corresponding to a side portion of a vehicle moving along the lane axis. However, there is a light emitting / receiving device that detects the reception of light reflected from the vehicle and detects the passage of the vehicle (diffuse reflection type vehicle detector). As another example of a vehicle detector, a light emitting device located at the end of a lane emits light in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lane axis and in a direction corresponding to a side portion of a vehicle moving along the lane axis. Some light receiving devices provided at opposite positions detect the passage of a vehicle due to the interruption of light reception due to the passage of the vehicle (transmission type vehicle detector). The technology of the vehicle detector is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-147592

By the way, the vehicle detector is intended to detect a vehicle and often does not have any other function. The vehicle detector is a sensor that detects a vehicle depending on whether or not the light emitted toward the vehicle can be received. On the other hand, various information (specification, number of axes, etc.) is required to determine the vehicle type of the vehicle passing through the tollhouse, etc., and a unique device for acquiring such information (what is a vehicle detector? Separately) multiple installations are required. However, in a tollhouse with a small site, there are restrictions on placing various devices due to the problem of the installation space. Further, if a device for detecting a vehicle and various devices for discriminating the vehicle type are installed, there is a problem that the installation cost increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle detector, a vehicle detection method, and a toll collection facility that solve the above-mentioned problems.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle detector for detecting a vehicle passing in a lane includes a light emitting unit provided on one side in the width direction of the lane and emitting inspection light toward the other side, and the lane. The first light receiving portion provided in relation to the light emitting portion on the other side in the width direction of the lane and capable of receiving the inspection light, and the inspection light provided in relation to the light emitting portion on one side in the width direction of the lane. A second light receiving unit capable of receiving the reflected light of the above, and a plurality of light receiving and emitting units configured in the height direction, and the light emitting unit and the first light receiving unit constituting at least one first light receiving and emitting unit. The positional relationship between the position and the position of the second light receiving unit that constitutes the first light receiving and emitting unit, and the light emitting unit and the first light receiving unit that form the other second light receiving and emitting unit. The positional relationship between the position of the above and the position of the second light receiving unit constituting the second light receiving / receiving unit is reversed across the lane.
With such a configuration, both the detection of the distance from the vehicle detector used for determining the vehicle type to the vehicle and the detection of the passage of the vehicle can be performed without adding a new device to the narrow area of the toll collection facility. Can be done with one device. Furthermore, since both the detection of the distance from the vehicle detector to the vehicle and the detection of the passage of the vehicle can be performed with one device, the number of parts can be reduced, the size of the vehicle detector can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. it can.

In the vehicle detector described above, the first light receiving / emitting unit and the second light receiving / emitting unit may be provided alternately in the height direction. With such a configuration, the vehicle detector can detect the distance between the vehicle detector and the vehicle from both sides of the vehicle passing through the lane, and can detect the vehicle width with high accuracy.

In the vehicle detector described above, the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit are shared by the first light receiving and emitting unit and the second light receiving and emitting unit provided adjacent to each other in the height direction. It's okay.
With such a configuration, the vehicle detector can share the first light receiving unit R1 and the second light receiving unit R2 with the two light receiving and emitting units U, reducing the number of parts and reducing the size of the vehicle detector 10. It is possible to reduce costs.

The vehicle detector described above is a second light receiving unit that constitutes the specific light receiving and emitting unit when the first light receiving unit that constitutes the specific light receiving and emitting unit of the light receiving and emitting unit does not receive the inspection light. When it is determined that the unit does not receive the reflected light of the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit of the light receiving / emitting unit, the light receiving sensitivity control for increasing the light receiving sensitivity in the second light receiving unit of the specific light receiving / emitting unit. It may be equipped with a part. With such a configuration, even if the vehicle detector cannot receive the reflected light of the inspection light even if the vehicle passes through, the light receiving sensitivity can be increased and the distance to the vehicle can be measured when the vehicle passes through. ..

The vehicle detector described above emits light from the light emitting unit of the light receiving and emitting unit when the first light receiving unit of any specific light receiving and emitting unit of the light receiving and emitting unit does not receive the inspection light. A vehicle width measuring unit that measures the width of the vehicle based on the inspection light and the reflected light of the inspection light received by the second light receiving unit may be provided.
According to this configuration, instead of estimating the vehicle width based on the tread length detected by providing the tread plate, the vehicle width can be measured by the above-mentioned vehicle detector.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of light emitting / receiving units composed of a light emitting unit, a first light receiving unit, and a second light receiving unit are provided in the height direction, and the light emitting unit constituting at least one light receiving unit. And the position of the first light receiving unit and the position of the second light receiving unit constituting the light receiving unit, and the positional relationship across the lane, and the light emitting unit constituting another light receiving unit and the first light receiving unit. The lane in the vehicle detector configured so that the positional relationship between the position of the unit and the position of the second light receiving unit constituting the light receiving / receiving unit is opposite to each other across the width direction of the lane. In the vehicle detection method for detecting a passing vehicle, a light emitting unit provided on one side in the width direction of the lane emits inspection light toward the other side, and is related to the light emitting unit on the other side in the width direction of the lane. The first light receiving portion provided is received the inspection light, and the second light receiving portion provided in relation to the light emitting portion on one side in the width direction of the lane receives the reflected light of the inspection light. It is characterized by that.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the toll collection facility includes the above-mentioned vehicle detector and an automatic toll collection device.

According to the present invention, the distance from the vehicle detector used for determining the vehicle type to the vehicle and the passage of the vehicle can be detected by one device without adding a new device to a narrow area of the toll collection facility. It can be carried out. In addition, since both the detection of the distance from the vehicle detector to the vehicle and the detection of the passage of the vehicle can be performed with one device, the number of parts can be reduced, the size of the vehicle detector can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. it can.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the toll collection equipment provided with the vehicle detector by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the vehicle detector by one Embodiment of this invention. It is the first figure which shows the outline of the vehicle detector by one Embodiment of this invention. It is the first figure which shows another example of the light receiving / receiving tower by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a second figure which shows another example of the light receiving / receiving tower by one Embodiment of this invention. It is the first figure which shows the positional relationship between the vehicle detector and the vehicle by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a second figure which shows the positional relationship between the vehicle detector and the vehicle by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of the vehicle detector by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the processing flow of the vehicle detector by one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, a vehicle detector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a toll collection facility provided with a vehicle detector according to the present embodiment.
The toll collection facility 1 is provided at a tollhouse such as an expressway, which is a toll road, and is used to collect tolls from a user of the expressway, etc., according to the vehicle type classification of the vehicle A on which the user rides. Equipment. The toll collection facility 1 includes a vehicle detector 10.
In the example shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle A on which an expressway user rides is traveling in a lane L leading from the expressway side to the general road side at the toll collection facility 1 provided at the exit tollhouse. Shown. Island I1 and I2 (first travel prohibited zone, second travel prohibited zone), which are prohibited zones, are laid on both sides of the lane L, and various devices constituting the toll collection facility 1 are installed.
Hereinafter, the direction in which the lane L extends (± X direction in FIG. 1) is described as the “lane direction”, and the expressway side (+ X direction side in FIG. 1) in the lane direction of the lane L is referred to as the “upstream side”. Or, it is also described as "the front side in the traveling direction" of the vehicle A. Further, the general road side (-X direction side in FIG. 1) in the lane direction of the lane L is also described as the "downstream side" or the "back side in the traveling direction" of the vehicle A.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toll collection facility 1 includes a vehicle detection system 100 including a vehicle detector 10 (10A, 10B, 10D), a tread plate 60, an automatic toll collection machine 20, a start controller 40, and a start. It includes a detector 50.
The vehicle detector 10 (10A, 10B, 10D) detects the entry of the vehicle A traveling in the lane L into the exit tollhouse. The vehicle detector 10 is provided on the upstream side of the lane L and has various sensors (light receiving / emitting tower 10A, light receiving / receiving tower 10B) provided on the islands I1 and I2. The vehicle detector 10 is provided with a control device 10D. The control device 10D performs vehicle detection and vehicle type determination based on the vehicle width.
The tread plate 60 is buried in the road surface of the lane L.

The automatic toll collection machine 20 is a machine that presents the charge amount and the like to the driver and the like (user) of the vehicle A traveling in the lane L and performs the toll collection process. On the front surface of the automatic charge collection machine 20 (the surface facing the L side of the lane), a display for presenting the charge amount, a reception port for accepting bills, coins, credit cards, and the like are provided.
The automatic toll collection machine 20 is provided in the island I1 (first travel prohibited zone) on the downstream side of the vehicle detector 10 in the toll collection facility 1, and is a vehicle type of the vehicle A based on the vehicle width determined by the control device 10D or the like. Charge the amount according to the category.

The start controller 40 is a device provided on the downstream side of the automatic toll collector 20 and controls the start of the vehicle A traveling in the lane L. For example, the start controller 40 closes the lane L so that the driver or the like of the vehicle A who has entered the lane L does not start the vehicle A until the driver or the like of the vehicle A has completed the payment of the required amount through the automatic toll collector 20. Further, when the payment is completed, the lane L is opened in order to leave the vehicle A.
The start detector 50 is provided on the most downstream side of the lane L and detects the exit of the vehicle A from the toll collection facility 1.

The light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B are provided so as to face the islands I1 and I2 laid across the lane L, respectively. The vehicle detector 10 uses signals received from the light receiving / receiving towers 10A and the light receiving / receiving towers 10B facing each other with the lane L in the lane width direction (± Y direction), and the vehicle detector 10 of the vehicle A (vehicle body) traveling in the lane L. The presence or absence of the vehicle is determined, the passage (entry) of one vehicle A is detected, and the vehicle type is determined.

The tread plate 60 is arranged so as to extend in the lane width direction on the road surface of the lane L, and detects the stepping by the wheels of the vehicle A traveling through the energization sensor installed inside. The positions of the vehicle detector 10 and the tread 60 in the lane direction (± X direction) are the same. As a result, the number of axles of the vehicle A can be detected with high accuracy by acquiring the number of times the tread plate 60 is stepped on while the vehicle A is being detected by the vehicle detector 10.

A control device 10D may be provided inside the light receiving / receiving tower 10B. In the present embodiment, the control device 10D is illustrated in a mode incorporated in the light receiving / receiving tower 10B of the vehicle detector 10, but the control device 10D is not limited to this mode in other embodiments. For example, in another embodiment, even if the control device 10D is built in another device provided in the island I1 (I2) and is connected to the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B via a communication network or the like. Good. Further, for example, in another embodiment, the control device 10D is built in a device installed at a remote location other than the islands I1 (I2), and is connected to the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B via a communication network or the like. There may be.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle detector according to the present embodiment.
As described with reference to FIG. 1, the vehicle detector 10 includes a light receiving / receiving tower 10A and a light receiving / emitting tower 10B installed so as to face each other across the lane L. As described above, the light receiving / receiving tower 10B includes the control device 10D inside.

Each of the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / light receiving tower 10B is provided with a plurality of light emitting units E. Each light emitting unit E emits inspection light P (for example, infrared light) having a predetermined wavelength under the control of the control device 10D. Specifically, the light emitting unit E is a semiconductor laser diode (LD) that emits light having a predetermined directivity (degree of spread of light from a light source). Each light emitting unit E emits light one by one while shifting the timing according to a predetermined light emitting control signal input to each of the control device 10D. As an example, in the light emitting / receiving tower 10A and the light emitting / receiving tower 10B, a plurality of light emitting units E are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the height direction on the surface facing the other light receiving / emitting tower.

The light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / light receiving tower 10B have a plurality of first light receiving units R1 capable of directly receiving the inspection light P emitted from the light emitting unit E. As an example, a plurality of first light receiving units R1 are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the height direction on a surface facing the other light receiving and emitting tower in the light receiving and emitting tower 10A and the light receiving and emitting tower 10B. Each of the first light receiving units R1 is provided at the same height as the corresponding light emitting unit E arranged in the light receiving / receiving towers facing each other. Each first light receiving unit R1 detects the presence or absence of light reception in accordance with a predetermined light receiving control signal input from the control device 10D to each of the first light receiving units R1 at the timing when each light emitting unit E emits light. Each first light receiving unit R1 outputs a first light receiving detection signal when it receives the inspection light P. The first light receiving detection signal output by the first light receiving unit R1 is received by the control device 10D. The control device 10D uses the first light receiving detection signal to determine whether or not the inspection light P has been received by the first light receiving unit R1.

The light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / light receiving tower 10B further have a plurality of second light receiving units R2 that receive the reflected light of the inspection light P reflected by the vehicle due to the passage of the vehicle. As an example, the second light receiving unit R2 and the light emitting unit E are arranged alternately side by side in the height direction. The second light receiving unit R2 may be provided at a position where it can receive the reflected light of the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit E. The orientation of the second light receiving unit R2 that receives the reflected light of the inspection light emitted by a certain light emitting unit E is adjusted so as to be a specific second light receiving unit R2 corresponding to the light emitting unit E that emits the light. Have been placed.

Each light emitting unit E and each first light receiving unit R1 are arranged in the height direction in the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B, for example, at intervals of about 15 mm to 30 mm. Further, in the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / light receiving tower 10B, as an example, a second light receiving unit R2 is provided between the light emitting units E. The arrangement intervals of the light emitting units E, the first light receiving units R1 and the second light receiving units R2 do not necessarily have to be equal.

FIG. 3 is a first diagram showing an outline of a vehicle detector according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of the vehicle detector 10 when the general road side (downstream side) is viewed from the highway side (upstream side) of the lane L. The group of the light emitting unit E, the first light receiving unit R1 that receives the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit E, and the second light receiving unit R2 that receives the reflected light of the inspection light is hereinafter referred to as a light emitting / receiving unit U. And. In the vehicle detector 10 shown in FIG. 3, the tower provided with the light emitting units E and the second light receiving unit R2 of the light emitting and receiving units U adjacent to each other in the height direction is different from the tower provided with the first light receiving unit R1. That is, in one light receiving / receiving unit U, the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit R2 are provided in one of the two towers provided with the lane L separated from each other, and the first light receiving unit R1 is provided in the other. Further, in the other light receiving / emitting unit U adjacent to the light receiving / emitting unit U, the first light receiving unit R1 is provided in one of the two towers provided with the lane L separated, and the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit E are provided in the other. A portion R2 is provided. More specifically, FIG. 3 shows four light receiving / receiving units U1, U2, U3, and U4. The light receiving / receiving unit U1 is composed of a light emitting unit E and a second light receiving unit R2 provided in the light receiving / emitting tower 10A, and a first light receiving unit R1 provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10B. The light receiving / receiving unit U2 is composed of a light emitting unit E and a second light receiving unit R2 provided in the light receiving / emitting tower 10B, and a first light receiving unit R1 provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10A. The light receiving / receiving unit U3 is composed of a light emitting unit E and a second light receiving unit R2 provided in the light receiving / emitting tower 10A, and a first light receiving unit R1 provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10B. The light receiving / receiving unit U4 is composed of a light emitting unit E and a second light receiving unit R2 provided in the light receiving / emitting tower 10B, and a first light receiving unit R1 provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10A.

FIG. 4 is a first diagram showing another example of the light receiving / receiving tower.
In the example of FIG. 4, the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit R2 are provided in the light emitting / receiving towers 10A and 10B side by side in the horizontal direction. Even if the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit R2 are arranged in the horizontal direction in this way, the reflected light reflected by the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit E on the side surface of the vehicle is received by the second light receiving unit R2. Can be done.

FIG. 5 is a second diagram showing another example of the light receiving / receiving tower.
As shown in FIG. 5, the first light receiving unit R1 and the second light receiving unit R2 in a certain light receiving / emitting unit U may be shared with another light receiving / emitting unit U.
In FIG. 5, in the light receiving / emitting tower 10A and the light receiving / emitting tower 10B, the light emitting / receiving unit U1 constituting the light emitting unit Ea, the first light receiving unit R1a, and the second light receiving unit R2a, the light emitting unit Eb, the first light receiving unit R1b, and the first light receiving unit R1b. (2) The light receiving / receiving unit U2 constituting the light receiving unit R2b, the light emitting unit Ec, the first light receiving unit R1c, the light receiving / receiving unit U3 forming the second light receiving unit R2c, the light emitting unit Ed, the first light receiving unit R1d, and the second light receiving unit R2c. The case where the light emitting / receiving unit U4 constituting the part R2d is arranged in order from the top to the bottom is shown.
In this case, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the first light receiving unit R1a constituting the light receiving / receiving unit U1 and the second light receiving unit R2b constituting the light receiving / receiving unit U2 are shared by one light receiving unit.
Further, the first light receiving unit R1b constituting the light receiving / emitting unit U1 and the second light receiving unit R2a constituting the light receiving / receiving unit U2 are shared by one light receiving unit.
Further, the first light receiving unit R1c constituting the light receiving / emitting unit U3 and the second light receiving unit R2d forming the light receiving / receiving unit U4 are shared by one light receiving unit.
Further, the first light receiving unit R1d constituting the light receiving / emitting unit U4 and the second light receiving unit R2c forming the light receiving / receiving unit U3 are shared by one light receiving unit.

By configuring the vehicle detector 10 in this way, the first light receiving unit R1 and the second light receiving unit R2 can be shared by the two adjacent upper and lower light receiving and emitting units U, which reduces the number of parts and detects the vehicle. The vessel 10 can be downsized and the cost can be reduced.

The vehicle detector 10 shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 has the positions of the light emitting unit E and the first light receiving unit R1 constituting at least one first light receiving / emitting unit U, and the first light emitting unit U. The positional relationship with the position of the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the second light receiving unit R2 across the lane L, the positions of the light emitting unit E and the first light receiving unit R1 constituting the other second light receiving / emitting unit U, and the second light emitting This is one aspect of an example in which the positional relationship with the position of the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the unit U across the lane L is opposite to the position across the lane L.

FIG. 6 is a first diagram showing the positional relationship between the vehicle detector and the vehicle.
FIG. 7 is a second diagram showing the positional relationship between the vehicle detector and the vehicle.
FIG. 6 shows a view when the toll collection facility (downstream side) is viewed from behind (upstream side) of the vehicle when the vehicle A passes through the position of the vehicle detector 10 installed along the lane L. There is. As shown in this figure, when the tower in which the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit R2 of the light receiving and emitting units U adjacent to each other in the height direction are provided and the tower in which the first light receiving unit R1 is provided are configured to be different. , The light emitting units E emit the inspection light P to the vehicle from both sides of the vehicle. FIG. 7 shows a bird's-eye view of the toll collection facility.
As shown in FIG. 6, for example, when the vehicle A passes through the position of the vehicle detector 10 installed along the lane L, the light emitting unit is located at a position higher than the height of the vehicle A among the plurality of light receiving / receiving units U. In the light emitting / receiving units U1 and U2 provided with E, the first light receiving unit R1 directly receives the inspection light P emitted by the light emitting unit E, and the second light receiving unit R2 does not receive the reflected light of the inspection light P. On the other hand, in the light receiving / receiving units U3 and U4, the first light receiving unit R1 does not receive the inspection light P, and the second light receiving unit R2 receives the reflected light of the inspection light P. When the vehicle detector 10 cannot receive the inspection light P at the first light receiving unit R1 of the light emitting / receiving units U3 and U4, the control device 10D detects the passage of the vehicle. When the second light receiving unit R2 of the light receiving / receiving units U3 and U4 receives the reflected light of the inspection light P, the control device 10D determines the emission timing of the light emitting unit E that emits the inspection light P and the reflected light of the inspection light P. The distances w1 and w3 from the light emitting unit E to each side surface of the vehicle A are calculated based on the light receiving timing. As a result, the control device 10D can detect the distance w1 and the distance w3. Further, the control device 10D can calculate the vehicle width w2 by subtracting the distance w1 and the distance w3 from the light emitting unit distance wS of each light emitting unit E provided in the light receiving / emitting tower 10A and the light emitting / receiving tower 10B, respectively. According to such a vehicle detector 10, the distance from the vehicle detector used for determining the vehicle type to the vehicle and the passage of the vehicle can be detected without adding a new device to a narrow area of the toll collection facility. Can be done with one device. Further, according to such a vehicle detector 10, the vehicle width w2 of the vehicle can be calculated without estimating the vehicle width based on the detected tread length by providing the tread plate 60 capable of detecting the stepping position of the wheel. ..

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of the vehicle detector.
As shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle detector 10 includes a light receiving / receiving tower 10A, a light receiving / receiving tower 10B, and a control device 10D. The control device 10D may be a computer, and the CPU executes the vehicle detection program to execute the vehicle detection unit 11, the distance measuring unit 12, the vehicle width measuring unit 13, the light receiving / receiving control unit 14, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15, and the vehicle type determination. Each function of the unit 16 is provided.
The vehicle detection unit 11 is a processing unit that detects that a vehicle has passed at a position where the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B are installed in the direction along the lane L.
The distance measuring unit 12 is a processing unit that calculates the distance from the light emitting unit E to the side surface of the vehicle.
The vehicle width measuring unit 13 performs a process of measuring the vehicle width of a vehicle passing through the positions where the light receiving / receiving tower 10A and the light receiving / receiving tower 10B are installed.
The light emitting / receiving control unit 14 controls the light emitting / emitting unit E included in each light receiving / emitting unit U so as to sequentially shift the light emitting timing. Further, the light emitting / receiving control unit 14 sets the light receiving units R1 and R2 so that the first light receiving unit R1 and the second light receiving unit R2 related to the light emitting unit E can receive light at the light receiving timing after the light emitting timing of the light emitting unit E. Control.
When the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 does not receive the inspection light P in the first light receiving unit R1 constituting any unit of the light receiving / emitting unit U, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 receives the inspection light P in the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the unit U. It is determined whether or not the reflected light of the inspection light P emitted from the light emitting unit E of the U is received. When the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 determines in this determination that the reflected light is not received, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 controls to increase the light receiving sensitivity of the second light receiving unit R2 that does not receive the reflected light.
The vehicle type determination unit 16 determines the vehicle type based on the vehicle width calculated by the vehicle width measurement unit 13.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the vehicle detector.
Next, the processing flow of the vehicle detector 10 will be described step by step.
The light receiving / emitting control unit 14 controls the light emitting unit E of each light receiving / emitting unit U in order (step S101). This is one aspect of the process of controlling the light emission timing of the light emitting unit E constituting the light emitting / receiving unit U adjacent to each other in the height direction so as to be shifted. As a result, each light emitting unit E of the first light receiving / emitting unit U1 to the fourth light receiving / emitting unit U4 sequentially emits the inspection light P toward the first light receiving unit R1. The light emitting / receiving control unit 14 repeatedly controls the light emitting unit E to emit light in order per unit time. In this control, the light emitting / receiving control unit 14 causes each light emitting unit E to emit light in order, for example, several hundred times per second. The light receiving / emitting control unit 14 sequentially controls the light receiving units R1 and the second light receiving unit R2 related to the light emitting unit E that emits light at the light emitting timing of the light emitting unit E (step S102).

When the first light receiving unit R1 receives the inspection light P, the first light receiving unit R1 outputs the first light receiving signal to the control device 10D. When the inspection light P receives the reflected light reflected by the vehicle, the second light receiving unit R2 outputs a second light receiving signal (distance detection signal) to the control device 10D.

The vehicle detection unit 11 determines whether or not the first light receiving signal has been received from the first light receiving unit R1 (step S103). When the vehicle detection unit 11 receives the first light receiving signal, the vehicle is not passing. When the vehicle detection unit 11 receives the first light receiving signal, the vehicle detection unit 11 repeats the reception determination of the first light receiving signal. When the vehicle detection unit 11 cannot receive the first light receiving signal, the vehicle detection unit 11 determines whether or not the second light receiving signal has been received (step S104). When the vehicle detection unit 11 does not receive the second light receiving signal, the vehicle detection unit 11 receives the processing start signal including the identification information of the light receiving / receiving unit U which has received the first light receiving signal but has not received the second light receiving signal. Output to the control unit 15. The identification information of the light receiving / emitting unit U is a unit number that identifies any of the light receiving / receiving units U1 to U4 in the present embodiment. When the light-receiving sensitivity control unit 15 receives the processing start signal, it acquires the identification information of the light-receiving / light-receiving unit U included in the signal, and identifies the light-receiving / light-receiving unit U indicated by the identification information. The light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 controls to increase the light receiving sensitivity of the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the specified light receiving / emitting unit U (step S105).

When the vehicle is passing along the lane L where the vehicle detector 10 is installed, the second light receiving unit R2 receives the reflected light reflected by the inspection light P in the vehicle. The reflected light reflected by the vehicle is scattered light. Normally, the second light receiving unit R2 can detect the light reception of a part of the scattered light. However, when the inspection light enters the side surface of the vehicle and the reflected light is emitted, if the side surface of the vehicle is polished like a mirror surface, the reflected light is reflected more in the emission angle direction where the angle is equal to the incident angle. The degree of scattering may be lower than that of normal reflected light. In such a case, the light receiving intensity of the reflected light in the second light receiving unit R2 is weak, and as a result, there is a concern that an event may occur in which it is not possible to detect that the light is received by the second light receiving unit R2 in the determination in step S104. Therefore, in such a case, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 needs to increase the light receiving sensitivity of the second light receiving unit R2. Specifically, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 outputs an instruction signal for increasing the gain of the amplifier to the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the light receiving / receiving unit U specified in the control for increasing the light receiving sensitivity in step S105. The second light receiving unit R2 that has received the instruction signal increases the gain of the amplifier. Alternatively, the light receiving sensitivity control unit 15 may output an instruction signal for lowering the threshold value of the light receiving intensity used by the second light receiving unit R2 for determining the presence or absence of light reception. Upon receiving this instruction signal, the second light receiving unit R2 lowers the threshold value of the light receiving intensity to a predetermined value and stores it.

The second light receiving unit R2 receives the reflected light of the inspection light P a plurality of times when the vehicle is passing. The second light receiving unit R2 outputs a second light receiving signal when the light receiving intensity becomes higher than the threshold value by increasing the gain of the amplifier or lowering the threshold value of the light receiving intensity used for determining the presence or absence of light receiving. ..

By the above processing, the control device 10D can increase the light receiving sensitivity of the second light receiving unit R2. Then, by polishing the side surface of the vehicle like a mirror surface, a large amount of reflected light is reflected on the side surface of the vehicle in the emission angle direction equal to the incident angle, and the degree of scattering is lower than that of normal reflected light scattering. In this case as well, the second light receiving unit R2 can receive the reflected light from the side surface of the vehicle. As a result, the reflected light can be detected by the second light receiving unit R2 without any detection omission, and the distance to the side surface of the vehicle can be detected.
Further, the control device 10D repeats the process of step S105 at the frequency at which the light emitting unit E emits light. As a result, when the vehicle passes through the position along the lane L where the vehicle detector 10 is laid, the first light receiving unit R1 cannot receive the inspection light P, and the vehicle is the same even though the vehicle is passing. When the second light receiving unit R2 included in the light receiving / receiving unit U does not receive the reflected light of the inspection light, the light receiving sensitivity can be increased before the vehicle passes.
In addition, it has the advantages of both the function of measuring the distance from the surface of the light receiving / receiving tower provided with the light emitting unit E and the second light receiving unit R2 to the side surface of the vehicle by the reflected light, and the function of transmitting and highly reliable vehicle detection. You can get the vehicle detector that you have incorporated. Then, since it becomes possible to detect the vehicle and discriminate the vehicle type with one vehicle detector, it is possible to reduce the installation cost of the equipment for performing those processes.

The process of the light receiving / sensitivity control unit 15 described above is a case where the first light receiving unit R1 constituting any of the light receiving / emitting unit U of the plurality of light receiving / emitting units U does not receive the inspection light, and the light receiving / receiving light is received. When it is determined that the second light receiving unit R2 constituting the unit U does not receive the reflected light of the inspection light P emitted from the light emitting unit E of the light receiving and emitting unit U, the second light receiving and emitting unit U of the light receiving and emitting unit U This is an aspect of control for increasing the light receiving sensitivity in the light receiving unit R2.

When the vehicle detection unit 11 does not receive the first light receiving signal from the first light receiving unit R1 and receives the second light receiving signal from the second light receiving unit R2, it detects that the vehicle A has passed (step S106). .. When the vehicle detection unit 11 detects the passage of the vehicle A, the distance measuring unit 12 transmits a second light receiving signal from the vehicle detection unit 11 when the vehicle A passes through the positions of the light receiving / emitting tower 10A and the light emitting / receiving tower 10B in the lane L. input. The second light receiving signal includes the light receiving time of the reflected light in the second light receiving unit R2, the identification information (for example, the unit number) of the light receiving / receiving unit U including the second light receiving unit R2 that has received the reflected light of the inspection light P, and the like. You can.

The ranging unit 12 acquires the light receiving time included in the second light receiving signal and the unit number. Based on the unit number, the distance measuring unit 12 acquires the light emitting time of the light emitting unit E included in the light receiving / emitting unit U indicated by the number. The light emission control unit 14 may store the light emission time. The distance measuring unit 12 calculates the distance to the side surface of the vehicle by a known distance calculation formula using the light emission time, the light reception time, and the light speed (step S107). As shown in FIG. 7, when the vehicle A passes, for example, the distance measuring unit 12 is provided with the first coordinates provided in the light emitting unit E of the light emitting / receiving tower 10A based on the light received by the second light receiving unit R2 of the light receiving / receiving unit U3. The distance w3 between the vehicle A and the left side surface of the vehicle A is calculated. Further, the distance measuring unit 12 calculates the distance w1 between the second coordinates provided in the light emitting unit E of the light emitting / receiving tower 10B and the right side surface of the vehicle A. Based on the above process, the distance measuring unit 12 outputs the distances w1 and w3 to each side surface of the vehicle to the vehicle width measuring unit 13.

The vehicle detection unit 11 determines which of the signal lines connected to the control device 10D the unit number specified in the processing of the distance measuring unit 12 is received, and the vehicle detection unit 11 determines which signal line the signal is received through. The unit number of the light receiving / receiving unit U to which 11 corresponds may be notified to the distance measuring unit 12.

The vehicle width measuring unit 13 acquires the distances w1 and w3. The vehicle width measuring unit 13 calculates the vehicle width w2 of the vehicle A by subtracting the values of w1 and w3 from the light emitting unit distance wS between the light emitting unit E of the light emitting / receiving tower 10A and the light emitting unit E provided in the light emitting / receiving tower 10B. (Step S108). The vehicle type determination unit 16 determines the vehicle type based on the vehicle width w2 (step S109). For example, the vehicle type determination unit 16 determines the vehicle type corresponding to the calculated vehicle width w2 based on the correspondence relationship between the stored vehicle width value and the vehicle type information. The vehicle type determination unit 16 outputs the vehicle type information, which is the result of the vehicle type determination, to the toll automatic toll collector 20 (step S110). The control device 10D determines whether the processing is completed (step S111). If the control device 10D does not end the process, the control device 10D repeats the processes of steps S101 to S111.

According to the above processing, the control device 10D has a second light receiving signal indicating that the second light receiving unit R2 provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10A has received the reflected light from the vehicle, and a second light receiving signal provided in the light receiving / receiving tower 10B. The distance w3 and the distance w1 can be detected by using the second light receiving signal indicating that the unit R2 has received the reflected light from the vehicle. Further, the vehicle width w2 can be calculated by subtracting the distance w3 and the distance w1 from the light emitting portion interval wS. According to such a vehicle detector 10, the distance from the vehicle detector used for determining the vehicle type to the vehicle and the passage of the vehicle can be detected without adding a new device to a narrow area of the toll collection facility. Can be done with one device. In addition, since both the detection of the distance from the vehicle detector to the vehicle and the detection of the passage of the vehicle can be performed with one device, the number of parts can be reduced, the size of the vehicle detector can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. it can.

Further, according to the vehicle detector 10 described above, a plurality of light emitting / receiving units U are provided in the height direction, and the light receiving / emitting tower provided with the light emitting unit E in the light receiving / emitting unit U adjacent to the height direction is reversed in the width of the lane L. It is configured to be.
With such a configuration, the vehicle detector 10 can detect the distance between the vehicle detector 10 and the vehicle from both sides of the vehicle passing through the lane L at many positions on the side surface of the vehicle. Vehicle width can be detected with high accuracy. According to this configuration, instead of estimating the vehicle width based on the tread length detected by providing the tread plate, the vehicle width can be measured by the above-mentioned vehicle detector.

Further, the vehicle detector 10 described above increases the light receiving sensitivity of the second light receiving unit R2 to detect the passing of the vehicle without omission even when the vehicle detector cannot receive the reflected light of the inspection light even if the vehicle passes through. Can be done.

Each of the above devices has a computer system inside. The process of each process described above is stored in a computer-readable recording medium in the form of a program, and the process is performed by the computer reading and executing this program. Here, the computer-readable recording medium refers to a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, or the like. Further, this computer program may be distributed to a computer via a communication line, and the computer receiving the distribution may execute the program.

Further, the above program may be for realizing a part of the above-mentioned functions. Further, a so-called difference file (difference program) may be used, which can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

1 ... Toll collection equipment 10 ... Vehicle detector 10A ... Light receiving and emitting tower 10B ... Light receiving and emitting tower 10D ... Control device 20 ... Automatic toll collecting machine 60 ... Tread plate 100 ...・ Vehicle detection system A ・ ・ ・ Vehicle L ・ ・ ・ Lanes I1, I2 ・ ・ ・ Island

Claims (7)

A vehicle detector that detects vehicles passing in the lane.
A light emitting unit provided on one side in the width direction of the lane and emitting inspection light toward the other side.
A first light receiving part provided in relation to the light emitting part on the other side in the width direction of the lane and capable of receiving the inspection light, and a first light receiving part.
A second light receiving portion provided on one side in the width direction of the lane in relation to the light emitting portion and capable of receiving the reflected light of the inspection light, and a second light receiving portion.
A plurality of light receiving and emitting units configured by the above are provided in the height direction, and the positions of the light emitting unit and the second light receiving unit constituting at least one first light receiving and emitting unit and the light receiving and emitting unit constituting the first light receiving and emitting unit are formed. The positional relationship with the position of the first light receiving unit across the lane, the positions of the light emitting unit and the second light receiving unit constituting the other second light receiving and emitting unit, and the second light receiving and emitting unit are configured. A vehicle detector configured such that the positional relationship between the position of the first light receiving portion and the position of the first light receiving unit and the position of the first light receiving unit is opposite to that of the position of the first light receiving unit across the lane. The vehicle detector according to claim 1, wherein the first light receiving and emitting unit and the second light receiving and emitting unit are alternately provided in the height direction. Claim 1 or claim in which the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit are shared by the first light receiving and emitting unit and the second light receiving and emitting unit provided adjacent to each other in the height direction. 2. The vehicle detector according to 2. When the inspection light is not received by the first light receiving unit constituting the specific light receiving and emitting unit of the specific light receiving and emitting unit, the second light receiving unit constituting the specific light receiving and emitting unit of the light receiving and emitting unit When it is determined that the reflected light of the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit is not received, a light receiving sensitivity control unit for increasing the light receiving sensitivity in the second light receiving unit of the specific light receiving and emitting unit, and a light receiving sensitivity control unit.
The vehicle detector according to any one of claims 1 to 3. When the inspection light is not received by the first light receiving unit of any specific light receiving / emitting unit of the light receiving / emitting unit, the inspection light emitted from the light emitting unit in the light receiving / emitting unit and the second light receiving unit. A vehicle width measuring unit that measures the width of the vehicle based on the reflected light of the inspection light received by the light receiving unit, and a vehicle width measuring unit.
The vehicle detector according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A plurality of light emitting / receiving units composed of a light emitting unit, a first light receiving unit, and a second light receiving unit are provided in the height direction, and the positions of the light emitting unit, the second light receiving unit, and the light emitting unit constituting at least one light receiving unit are provided. The positional relationship with the position of the first light receiving unit constituting the light receiving / receiving unit across the lane, the positions of the light emitting unit and the second light receiving unit constituting the other light receiving / emitting unit, and the light receiving / receiving unit are configured. A vehicle detection method for detecting a vehicle passing through a lane in a vehicle detector configured so that the positional relationship with the position of the first light receiving portion across the lane is opposite to the position of the first light receiving unit. And
A light emitting unit provided on one side in the width direction of the lane emits inspection light toward the other side.
The first light receiving unit provided in relation to the light emitting unit on the other side in the width direction of the lane receives the inspection light.
A vehicle detection method in which a second light receiving unit provided in relation to the light emitting unit on one side in the width direction of the lane receives the reflected light of the inspection light. A toll collection facility including the vehicle detector according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and an automatic toll collector.

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