JP7220530B2 - Parking lot management system, parking lot management device, parking lot management method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a parking lot management system, a parking lot management device, a parking lot management method, and a program.

In the parking lot management system described in Patent Document 1, when it is detected that a vehicle enters or exits the parking lot, a camera captures an image of the entering vehicle, and the captured image is stored together with the entry time. Also, based on the photographed image, the vehicle number of the entered vehicle is read. In the parking fee settlement flow, the user inputs the vehicle number or the parking time, and based on the input information, the vehicle to be the settlement target is searched. The searched vehicles are displayed on the display unit, and the user selects the own vehicle. When the own vehicle is selected, the parking time is determined and the parking fee is calculated. As a result, the initial capital investment is reduced and user usability is improved (paragraphs [0007] [0030] to [0038] FIGS. 4 and 5 of Patent Document 1).

In the parking lot management system described in Patent Document 2, a parking ticket with an entry time written is issued according to the entry of a vehicle. Further, when it is detected that the vehicle has entered the compartment based on the photographed image of the vehicle photographed by the camera, the entry time is stored. When the user searches for the parking position of his/her own vehicle, the parking ticket is inserted into the search terminal. Based on the entry time read from the parking ticket, the search terminal displays the current photographed image of the compartment in which the vehicle entered at a time close to the entry time. By checking the displayed photographed image, the user can grasp the parking position of the own vehicle (specification paragraphs [0029] to [0036] of Patent Document 2, FIGS. 5 and 6, etc.).

JP 2018-22366 A JP 2009-104441 A

Thus, there is a demand for a technique that can improve the convenience of users who use parking lots, and that can reduce costs such as capital investment.

In view of the circumstances as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a parking lot management system, a parking lot management device, a parking lot management method, and a program that can improve user convenience and reduce costs. That's what it is.

To achieve the above object, a parking lot management system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an imaging unit, a detection unit, and a calculation unit.
The imaging unit captures a moving image of a parking lot area including a parking space.
The detection unit detects an entering moving object that enters the parking space and stops based on the captured moving image, and assigns identification information to the moving object.
The calculation unit calculates a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space, based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the identification information.

The parking management system may further include a reception section and a display section.
The receiving unit includes a receiving unit that receives an operation by a user;
The display unit can display a current image of the parking lot area based on the captured moving image.
In this case, when an operation to select a vehicle included in the displayed current image is received, the calculation unit assigns The parking fee may be calculated according to the difference between the shooting time of the moving image in which the corresponding moving object was detected and the shooting time of the current image, based on the identification information stored in the parking lot.

The detection unit may detect movement of the entering moving body stopped in the parking space from the parking space based on the captured moving image. In this case, the calculation unit calculates the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body is detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the moving of the entering moving body is detected from the parking space. may be used to calculate the parking fee.

The detection unit may detect movement of the entering moving body stopped in the parking space from the parking area based on the captured moving image. In this case, the calculation unit calculates the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving object was detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the movement of the entering moving object from the parking area was detected. The parking fee may be calculated accordingly.

The parking lot management system may further include a display control unit that displays a selection image for selecting the entering moving object detected by the detection unit, superimposed on the current image.

The detection unit may be capable of detecting an outer shape of the entering moving object. In this case, the display control unit may display an image surrounding the entering moving object as the selection image based on the detected outer shape of the entering moving object.

When the current image includes a plurality of entering moving bodies, the display control unit may display a plurality of selection images having mutually different forms for selecting each of the plurality of entering moving bodies. good.

The display control unit may display the plurality of selection images having different colors.

The receiving unit and the display unit may include a touch panel capable of displaying the current image and receiving the user's touch operation.

The reception unit may receive an operation of selecting the vehicle based on a touch operation on the vehicle included in the current image displayed on the touch panel.

The imaging unit may include a plurality of imaging devices having overlapping imaging regions.

The display unit may simultaneously or switchably display a plurality of current images captured by each of the plurality of imaging devices, based on a moving image captured by each of the plurality of imaging devices. .

A parking management apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition unit, a detection unit, and a calculation unit.
The acquisition unit acquires a moving image of a parking lot area including a parking space.
The detection unit detects an entering moving object that enters the parking space and stops based on the acquired moving image, and assigns identification information to the moving object.
The calculation unit calculates a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space, based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the identification information.

A parking lot management method according to one aspect of the present invention is a parking lot management method executed by a computer, and includes obtaining a moving image of a parking lot area including a parking space.
Based on the acquired moving image, an entering moving object entering and stopping in the parking space is detected and given identification information.
A parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space is calculated based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the identification information.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute the following steps.
Acquiring a moving image of a parking lot area including parking spaces.
A step of detecting an entering moving body entering and stopping in the parking space based on the acquired moving image and assigning identification information.
A step of calculating a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space based on the photographing time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the identification information.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve user convenience and reduce costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the parking lot which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a photographed image photographed by a camera; It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of an advance payment machine. It is a block diagram which shows the software structural example of an advance payment machine. It is a flow chart which shows an example of processing of a payment machine in advance. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of stop information. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the settlement start screen P1 displayed on a touch panel. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the settlement start screen P1 displayed on a touch panel. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the settlement operation screen P2 displayed on a touch panel. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of settlement information. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the parking lot which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a photographed image photographed by a camera;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
[Parking management system]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a parking lot according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

A parking lot 100 according to the present embodiment is an unmanned parking lot where a janitor or the like is not stationed. The parking lot 100 is a so-called flapless parking lot that does not include a gate device for restricting entry/exit of vehicles, a flap device (locking device) for restricting exit without payment, and the like. As a result, management costs and equipment costs are sufficiently suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a parking lot 100 is provided adjacent to a road R and has an entrance/exit 10 and a plurality of parking spaces (vehicles) 15 . An entry/exit gate 10 is provided at the boundary with the road R. Entry of the vehicle 5 into the parking lot 100 and exit of the vehicle 5 from the parking lot 100 are performed through the same entrance/exit 10 .

A plurality of parking spaces 15 are provided within the premises of the parking lot 100 . In this embodiment, when the premises of the parking lot 100 are viewed from the entrance/exit 10, six parking spaces 15 are provided on the right hand side so as to line up toward the far side of the premises. It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, notations such as parking space numbers for identifying each parking space 15 are unnecessary. Also in this respect, it is possible to reduce the equipment cost.

A parking lot management system 20 according to this embodiment is constructed to manage the parking lot 100 . In this embodiment, the parking lot management system 20 has a camera 25 and a pre-payment machine 30 .

As shown in FIG. 1, camera 25 is positioned near entry/exit gate 10 . The camera 25 is arranged so as to photograph an area including the six parking spaces 15 arranged in one direction from above. That is, the camera 25 is set such that the photographing area (angle of view) 26 includes the six parking spaces 15 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a photographed image IM1 photographed by the camera 25. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to photograph all six parking spaces 15 from the front side (entrance/exit gate 10 side) toward the back side. Therefore, when vehicles 5 are parked in six parking spaces 15, it is possible to photograph these parked vehicles 5 as well.

Note that in the present disclosure, the area including the parking space 15 is not necessarily limited to an area including the entire parking space 15, but also includes an area including a part of the parking space 15. For example, if it is possible to detect a state in which an object enters the parking space 15 and stops, the present technology can be applied even if part of the parking space 15 is not included in the imaging area 26 .

The area including the six parking spaces 15 photographed by the camera 25 is hereinafter referred to as a parking area 60 . The parking lot area 60 can also be said to be an area corresponding to the photographing area 26 of the camera 25 .

In this embodiment, the camera 25 captures a moving image (live image) of the parking area 60 . The frame rate of moving images is not limited and may be set arbitrarily. For example, it is possible to normally shoot at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, and shoot at a lower frame rate at night or the like. It is also possible to shoot at a low frame rate until a moving object, which is a moving object, is detected, and shoot at a high frame rate until the moving object stops after the moving object is detected.

As the camera 25, for example, a digital camera having an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor is used. Other types of cameras may be used. In this embodiment, the camera 25 functions as an imaging device and an imaging unit.

The advance payment machine 30 is placed near the entrance/exit gate 10 . The surface of the advance payment machine 30 on the road R side is configured as an operation surface 31, and is provided with a touch panel, an insertion port for banknotes and coins, and the like. A user of the parking lot 100 can pay in advance by operating the advance payment machine 30 via a touch panel or the like.

The advance payment machine 30 and the camera 25 are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other, and the moving image (moving image data) captured by the camera 25 is transmitted to the advance payment machine 30 .

A connection method between the advance payment machine 30 and the camera 25 is not limited. For example, the advance payment machine 30 and the camera 25 are connected using a cable or the like. Alternatively, wireless LAN communication such as WiFi or short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used. Further, the advance payment machine 30 and the camera 25 may be connected via a local LAN built in the parking lot 100 .

Alternatively, the camera 25 may be built inside the advance payment machine 30 . That is, advance payment machine 30 and camera 25 may be configured integrally. In this embodiment, the advance payment machine 30 functions as a parking lot management device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the advance payment machine 30. As shown in FIG. The advance payment machine 30 has a CPU 32 , a memory 33 , and an interface 35 connected to these via a bus 34 . The memory 33 is composed of, for example, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, etc., and stores various programs, various parking data, captured images (moving images) captured by the camera 25, and the like. Also, a large-scale data storage device such as an HDD may be used for storing captured images.

Connected to the interface 35 are a card reader/writer 36 , a bill/coin management unit 37 , a receipt printer 38 , a touch panel 39 , a speaker 40 , an interphone 41 , a communication unit 42 , and an image acquisition unit 43 . The operation of each block is controlled by the CPU 32 that operates according to the program according to the present technology.

A card reader/writer 36 reads/writes information from/to various cards inserted into a card slot (not shown) formed on the operation surface 31 . In this embodiment, the card reader/writer 36 is used for settlement of parking fees by credit card, reading of service tickets, and the like.

In this embodiment, parking tickets are not issued. This makes it possible to reduce the management cost of parking tickets. In addition, the user can use the parking lot without worrying about the loss or damage of the parking ticket, which is highly convenient.

The banknote/coin management unit 37 receives banknotes and the like inserted into the banknote/coin slot and counts them to calculate the amount of money inserted. Also, it counts the amount of change required for settlement, and pays it out to the banknote/coin return port. In the case of operation limited to payment by electronic money, an electronic money reader is installed in place of the banknote/coin management unit 37 . Of course, these may be used together.

The receipt printer 38 prints the settlement amount, date and time, etc. on receipt paper and issues it as a receipt.

The communication unit 42 is a communication module for communicating with an external device or the like via the network 1. For example, a wireless LAN module such as WiFi or a module compatible with mobile communication systems such as so-called 3G or 4G is used.

Note that the network 1 is constructed by, for example, the Internet, a wide area communication network, or the like. In addition, any WAN (Wide Area Network), LAN (Local Area Network), or the like may be used, and the protocol for constructing the network 1 is not limited.

In this embodiment, a terminal used by an operator of a management company that provides parking lot management services and the advance payment machine 30 are communicably connected via the communication unit 42 . For example, the user can use the intercom 41 to talk to the operator of the management company.

The image acquisition unit 43 acquires a moving image of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 . For example, an I/F (interface) to which a cable or the like connected to the camera 25 is connected, a wireless communication module used for wireless communication with the camera 25, or the like can function as the image acquisition unit 43. Note that when a network camera (IP camera) is used, the function of the communication unit 42 may realize the image acquisition unit 43 .

The touch panel 39 has display and input functions, and is capable of displaying various images, various GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces), and the like. In this embodiment, it is possible to display an image (including both a moving image and a still image) of the parking lot area 60 based on the moving image of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 . For example, a current image of the parking lot area 60 is displayed on the touch panel 39 in real time. Alternatively, it is also possible to display a past image of the parking lot area 60 .

A user can input various touch operations to the touch panel 39 . The touch panel 39 receives a touch operation input by the user and transmits an operation signal corresponding to the touch operation to the CPU 32 . In this embodiment, the touch panel 39 functions as a display section and a reception section.

The speaker 40 functions as an audio output section when providing guidance for settlement operations and the like. Also, an alarm sound or the like may be output from the speaker 40 .

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a software configuration example of the advance payment machine 30. As shown in FIG. The pre-payment machine 30 includes a mobile body detection unit 45, a mobile body tracking unit 46, a mobile body ID control unit 47, a selection image generation unit 48, a display control unit 49, a payment target determination unit 50, and a parking fee calculation unit 51. have.

These blocks are configured by the CPU 32 of the advance payment machine 30 executing the program according to the present technology, and the parking lot management method according to the present technology is executed. Dedicated hardware such as an IC (integrated circuit) may be used to implement each block.

The moving body detection unit 45 can detect a moving body, which is a moving object, based on the moving image of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 . The moving object detection unit 45 can also detect the outer shape of the detected moving object.

The detection accuracy of the outer shape of the moving body is not limited, and it may be possible to detect the shape of the correct outer shape, or it may be possible to detect the shape of the outer shape to some extent. This technology can be applied if the approximate center point (center of gravity) of the detected moving body and the approximate outline shape surrounding it can be detected.

The moving body tracking unit 46 can track the moving body detected by the moving body detection unit 45 . With the moving body detection unit 45 and the moving body tracking unit 46, it is possible to detect, for example, a moving body entering the parking lot area 60 and track how the moving body moves thereafter. As a matter of course, it is also possible to detect the stop of a moving object, the start of movement of a stationary object, and the like.

In this embodiment, it is possible to detect a moving body entering the parking space 15 and stopping by the moving body detection unit 45 and the moving body tracking unit 46 . That is, it is possible to detect a moving body corresponding to the vehicle 5 that has entered the parking space 15 . In the following description, the moving body that enters the parking space 15 and stops is referred to as an entering moving body.

It may or may not be possible to determine which of the six parking spaces 15 the entering moving body has entered and stopped. For example, it is possible to regard the entire area of six parking spaces 15 as one parking space. A moving body that has entered and stopped within the entire area of the six parking spaces 15 is detected as an entering moving body.

The method of detecting a moving object, the method of detecting the outline of a moving object, and the method of tracking a moving object are not limited, and any algorithm or the like may be used. For example, by executing arbitrary image analysis techniques such as feature amount detection, edge detection, and matching on moving images, it is possible to detect moving objects, detect outlines, and track moving objects.

The mobile body ID control unit 47 is capable of assigning or deleting an ID, which is identification information, to the detected mobile body. For example, the moving body ID control unit 47 gives an ID to an entering moving body that enters the parking space 15 and stops. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to assign an ID to any mobile object detected by the mobile object detection unit 45 and the mobile object tracking unit 46 .

For example, a multi-digit number is used as the ID. For example, a number such as the number of vehicles using the parking lot 100 for one month may be sequentially and repeatedly given. As an example, numbers from 00001 to 99999 are used, and ID00001 is assigned first. The ID numbers are managed on a monthly basis. For example, when the month changes, ID00001 is used again. Of course, the identification information is not limited to this, and arbitrary information may be used as the identification information.

The selection image generation unit 48 generates a selection image IM4 (see FIG. 7) for selecting the incoming moving object detected by the moving object detection unit 45 and the moving object tracking unit 46 . The selection image is an image for selecting an entering moving object included in the current image of the parking lot area 60 displayed on the touch panel 39 . The generated selection image is stored in association with the ID assigned to the entering moving body. That is, the selection image is stored in association with the entering moving object to be selected.

The display control unit 49 can control image display by the touch panel 39 . For example, the display control unit 49 displays the current image of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 . At that time, the display control unit 49 can display the selection image generated by the selection image generation unit 48 by superimposing it on the current image. In addition, arbitrary image display may be realized.

The settlement object determination unit 50 determines a target for executing settlement processing. In the present embodiment, the parking fee for the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 15 is calculated by detecting an entering moving body and assigning an ID to it. That is, the settlement process proceeds assuming that the moving object is the vehicle 5 . The object of payment determined by the object-of-payment determination unit 50 is an entering moving object to which an ID is assigned, and this corresponds to determining the vehicle 5 to be the object of payment.

The parking fee calculation unit 51 calculates the parking fee for the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 15 , which is the object to be entered determined by the payment object determining unit 50 . In this embodiment, the parking fee for the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 15 is calculated based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the ID given to the entering moving body.

In this embodiment, the mobile detection unit 45, the mobile tracking unit 46, and the mobile ID control unit 47 function as detection units. Further, the settlement object determination unit 50 and the parking fee calculation unit 51 function as a calculation unit.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a processing example of the advance payment machine 30. As shown in FIG. First, an example of processing when the vehicle 5 enters the parking lot 100 will be described.

The moving body detection unit 45 monitors whether or not a moving body is detected (step 101). If a moving object is detected (YES in step 101), it is determined whether or not it is a new moving object (step 102).

The determination of step 102 is executed based on whether or not an ID has already been assigned to the detected moving body. If the detected moving object has already been assigned an ID, it is determined that the detected moving object is not a new moving object. If the detected moving object is not given an ID, it is determined to be a new moving object.

For example, assume that the vehicle 5 already parked in the parking space 15 of the parking lot 100 has moved. In this case, at step 101, the vehicle 5 is detected as a mobile object. Since the vehicle 5 has already been given an ID when it is parked in the parking space 15, it does not correspond to a new moving body.

On the other hand, when the vehicle 5 enters from the entry/exit gate 10, the entered vehicle 5 is detected as a moving object based on the moving image captured by the camera 25. FIG. Since the vehicle has not been given an ID, it is determined as a new moving object.

When the vehicle 5 enters the parking lot 100, step 102 becomes YES, and an ID is assigned to the detected mobile body by the mobile body ID control unit 47 (step 103). Then, the mobile body tracking unit 46 tracks the new mobile body to which the ID has been assigned (step 104).

It is determined whether or not the tracked moving object has disappeared (step 105). In this embodiment, when the moving object disappears from the moving image captured by the camera 25, it is determined that the moving object has entered. For example, the user may enter the parking lot 100 but exit from the parking lot 100 without parking the vehicle 5 due to a reason such as the parking lot being full.

If the moving object has disappeared (YES in step 105), the ID assigned in step 103 is reset (step 106). The reset ID will be used the next time a new mobile is detected.

If the moving body has not disappeared (NO in step 105), it is determined whether or not the moving body has stopped (step 107). If the moving object has not stopped (NO in step 107), the process returns to step 105. If the mobile has stopped, stop information is generated and stored (step 108).

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of stop information. For example, the stop information 55 is stored in the stop information DB constructed in the memory 33 .

In this embodiment, when the moving body stops without disappearing from the parking area 60, it is assumed that the vehicle 5 is parked in the parking space 15, and stop information is generated. That is, when the moving body stops without disappearing from the parking area 60, the moving body is detected as an entering moving body that enters the parking space 15 and stops.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the stop information 55 includes the "ID" given in step 103 and the "stop time" at which the moving object stopped. The ID corresponds to an ID given to the detected incoming moving object. In this embodiment, an ID is given when a new moving object is detected. Alternatively, an ID may be given at the timing when the vehicle stops in the parking space, that is, at the timing when it is detected as an entering moving object.

The stop time is calculated based on the shooting time of the moving image (frame image) at which the stop of the moving object is detected. For example, the shooting time of a frame image in which the stopped state is shot is calculated as the stop time. The stop time of the moving body corresponds to the time when the entering moving body is detected. That is, the stop time of the moving body can be said to be the time calculated based on the shooting time of the moving image (frame image) at which the entering moving body was detected. Of course, the shooting time of the moving image at which the stop of the approaching moving body is detected may be used as the stop time.

As shown in FIG. 6B, "entrance time", "stop position", etc. may be stored as the stop information. The entry time is calculated, for example, based on the timing at which the vehicle 5 appears in the moving image of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 (capture time at that time).

The stop position can be determined based on the position of the entering moving body in the moving image (frame image). For example, identification information identifying six parking spaces 15 may be stored as stop positions. Alternatively, information indicating that the vehicle is stopped in an area different from the parking space 15 may be stored. In this case, since there is a possibility of unauthorized use, an unauthorized flag, warning flag, etc. may also be stored.

7 and 8 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the settlement start screen P1 displayed on the touch panel 39. FIG. For example, when the user approaches the advance payment machine 30 and operates a payment start button (not shown) or a vehicle selection key on the touch panel 39 , the payment start screen P1 is displayed on the touch panel 39 .

The settlement start screen P1 includes a vehicle determination image IM2. The vehicle determination image IM2 is an image in which the selection image IM4 is superimposed on the current image IM3 of the parking lot area 60 captured by the camera 25 . In this embodiment, the display control unit 49 displays a selection image IM4 for selecting an approaching moving object, superimposed on the current image IM3.

The current image IM3 of the parking lot area 60 contains the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 15 . These vehicles 5 correspond to incoming moving bodies 56 detected by the moving body detection unit 45 and the moving body tracking unit 46 .

As shown in FIG. 7A, in the present embodiment, an outer frame image 57 surrounding an approaching moving body 56 is displayed as the selection image IM4. The outer frame image 57 is generated based on the outer shape of the entering moving body 56 detected by the moving body detection section 45 . The display control unit 49 reads the selection image IM4 from the memory 33 based on the ID assigned to the entering moving body 56 . Then, the outer frame image 57 is superimposed on the current image IM3 and displayed so as to surround the entering moving body 56 .

The settlement start screen P1 also includes a "next" key and characters "Please touch the frame of the car to be settled." Separately, the voice may be output from the speaker 40 .

The user can select the vehicle 5 surrounded by the outer frame image 57 by performing a touch operation on either the frame portion of the outer frame image 57 or the inside of the frame. By superimposing the selection image IM4 in this manner, the user can easily select his/her own vehicle 5, thereby exhibiting high convenience.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 7A, a plurality of outer frame images 57 may be displayed so as to overlap each other. In this case, for example, touch operations on overlapping areas within the frame are invalidated, and touch operations on non-overlapping portions are prompted. Alternatively, the closer vehicle 5 may be selected based on the touch position of the overlapping area within the frame. In addition, arbitrary settings may be adopted.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when a plurality of vehicles 5 (entering moving bodies 56) are included in the current image IM3, a selection image IM4 for selecting each of the plurality of vehicles 5 (entering moving bodies 56) is displayed. (Outer frame image 57) may be displayed in different colors. As a result, even when a plurality of outer frame images 57 are displayed in an overlapping manner, each outer frame image 57 can be easily identified, and one's own vehicle 5 can be easily identified. This improves convenience.

In this way, when a plurality of vehicles 5 (entering moving bodies 56) are included in the current image IM3, a plurality of images of different forms are used to select each of the plurality of vehicles 5 (entering moving bodies 56). image IM4 for selection may be displayed. Examples of forms that are different from each other include configurations that differ in color, shape, size, display mode (blinking, etc.), and the like. Of course, the configuration is not limited to this, and any configuration may be adopted.

In addition, the specific configuration of the selection image IM4 is not limited and may be set arbitrarily. For example, as the selection image IM4, an image including characters such as numbers and alphabets is displayed in the vicinity of the frame line image 57 in the form of a balloon. Then, the vehicle 5 (entering moving body 56) may be selected by pressing a button such as a numeric keypad instead of the touch operation.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, when a touch operation is performed on the outer frame image 57, the outer frame image 57 is highlighted. This enables the user to easily grasp which vehicle 5 has been selected, thereby improving convenience.

Note that the method of highlighting the outer frame image 57 is not limited. Arbitrary highlighting may be performed, such as displaying in a predetermined color, blinking, displaying only the selected outer frame image 57 and erasing the other outer frame images.

Further, when a touch operation is performed on the outer frame image 57, a "settle this car" key and a "return" key are displayed below the settlement start screen P1. Selection of the vehicle 5 is completed when the "settle this car" key is selected.

In this embodiment, a touch operation on the outer frame image 57 corresponds to a touch operation on the vehicle 5 associated with the outer frame image 57 . Then, based on the touch operation on vehicle 5, an operation to select vehicle 5 included in current image IM3 is accepted. Of course, the operation for final confirmation such as selection of the "settle this car" key may be omitted.

When an operation to select a vehicle 5 (entering moving body 56) included in current image IM3 displayed on touch panel 39 is accepted, settlement object determination unit 50 determines the entering moving body to be settled. Then, the parking fee calculation unit 51 calculates the parking fee.

In this embodiment, the parking fee is calculated according to the difference between the stop time included in the stop information 55 illustrated in FIG. 6 and the current time. As described above, the stop time can also be said to be the time calculated based on the shooting time of the moving image (frame image) in which the entering moving body 56 was detected. As the stop time, the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body 56 was detected may be used as it is. Further, as the current time, it is possible to use the current time when the image IM3 was captured when the selection operation of the vehicle 5 was accepted.

That is, in this embodiment, based on the ID assigned to the entering moving body 56 corresponding to the selected vehicle 5, the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body 56 was detected and the current image IM3 are captured. It is possible to calculate the parking fee according to the difference from the time. The entering moving body 56 corresponding to the selected vehicle 5 corresponds to the corresponding moving body.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the settlement operation screen P2 displayed on the touch panel 39. As shown in FIG. When the "settle this car" key in the settlement start screen P1 shown in FIG. 8 is selected and the selection of the vehicle 5 to be settled is completed, the screen is switched to the settlement operation screen P2. When the user completes the payment while viewing the settlement operation screen P2, the advance settlement processing ends.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of settlement information. For example, the settlement information 58 is stored in the settlement information DB constructed in the memory 33 .

In this embodiment, the settlement information 58 includes "ID", "entering time", "completion of settlement flag", "illegal flag", "settlement amount", and "departure time". The settlement information 58 is generated, for example, at the timing when the vehicle 5 is parked in the parking space 15, that is, at the timing when the stop information 55 shown in FIG. 6 is generated when the entering moving body 56 is detected. Of course, information that has not been finalized at that timing is blank.

The warehousing time is the same time as the "stop time" shown in FIG. When the user performs pre-settlement processing, a settlement completion flag is given, and the settlement amount and settlement time are stored. Information stored as settlement information is not limited, and information such as payment type (cash, credit card, electronic money) may be stored.

Information comprehensively including the stop information 55 shown in FIG. 6 and the settlement information 58 shown in FIG. 10 may be generated in association with the ID.

Returning to FIG. 5, an example of processing when the vehicle 5 exits from the parking lot 100 will be described.

When the vehicle 5 stopped in the parking space 15 is moved from the parking space 15, a moving body is detected in step 101. FIG. A moving body moving out of the parking space 15 has already been detected as an entering moving body 56 and given an ID. Therefore, since it is not a new moving body, step 102 becomes NO, and it is determined whether or not the parking fee has been settled (step 109).

In this embodiment, the settlement information 58 shown in FIG. Then, it is possible to determine whether or not the parking fee has been settled based on whether or not the settlement completion flag is attached.

If pre-payment has been completed (YES in step 109), the incoming moving body is tracked based on the moving image (step 104). When the vehicle 5 (entering moving object 56 ) disappears from the parking lot area 60 , it is determined that the vehicle 5 has exited from the parking lot 100 , and the exit time is stored in the settlement information 58 . Also, the ID is reset (step 106). Since this ID is used for managing the settlement information 58, it will not be reused for the next new mobile unit.

Note that when the moving image (frame image) in which the movement of the vehicle 5 (entering moving body 56) from the parking space 15 is detected has passed a predetermined time from the settlement time included in the settlement information 58, may incur additional charges. The parking fee corresponding to the time when the movement from the parking space 15 is detected is calculated as the additional charge from the settlement time. Then, the additional charge is stored in the settlement information 58 together with the fraud flag.

Further, when the vehicle 5 (entering moving body 56) stops again within the parking area 60, the stop information 55 is generated again. At this time, a process of generating stop information 55 may be executed when a stop for a predetermined time or longer is detected.

If the payment of the parking fee has not been completed (NO in step 109), it is determined that the parking lot 100 is used illegally without payment, and an illegality flag is added to the payment information 58 (step 110). Then, the unpaid fee is calculated by the parking fee calculation unit 51 and stored in the payment information 58 .

In this embodiment, the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body 56 was detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the moving of the entering moving body 56 with the illegality flag was detected from the parking space 15 is The parking fee is calculated accordingly. That is, the unpaid charge is calculated based on the difference between the time when the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 15 and the time when the vehicle 5 moved from the parking space 15 .

In addition, depending on the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body 56 was detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the moving of the entering moving body 56 with the illegality flag was detected from the parking lot area 60 , the parking fee may be calculated. The unpaid charge may be calculated based on the difference between the time when the vehicle 5 is parked in the parking space 15 and the time when the vehicle 5 moves out of the parking area 60 .

The settlement information 58 is transmitted, for example, via the communication unit 42 to a management center of a management company that provides parking management services, and is managed. For example, an image of the vehicle 5 corresponding to the entering moving body 56 to which the fraud flag is assigned is also transmitted together.

Based on the received image, the management center reads the vehicle number (land transportation branch name, classification number, hiragana, 4-digit serial number, etc.) to identify the vehicle 5 . Based on the specific information, the billing process for additional charges and unpaid charges is executed. For example, when a vehicle with the same license plate enters another parking lot or the main parking lot again, an additional fee may be charged.

As described above, in the parking lot management system 20 according to the present embodiment, the parking fee is calculated by detecting a moving object that is a moving object. Specifically, a moving body that enters the parking space 15 and stops is detected as an entering moving body 56 corresponding to the parked vehicle 5, and an ID is assigned. At the time of payment, the user is made to select his own vehicle 5 from the current image IM3. Based on this selection operation, the approaching moving body 56 to be accounted for is determined. Then, the parking fee is calculated based on the ID of the entering moving body 56 and the photographing time of the moving image at which the entering moving body 56 was detected. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the convenience of the users who use the parking lot 100, and to reduce the cost such as equipment investment.

In the parking lot management system described in Patent Literature 1 described above, it is necessary to input the vehicle number of the own vehicle at the time of pre-payment to make the payment. Therefore, if the user forgets his or her own vehicle number or is unfamiliar with complicated operations, other users will not be able to pay their bills and will have to wait. could be.

In the parking lot management system described in Patent Document 2, a parking ticket is issued at the entrance of the parking lot, the parking situation is imaged by a surveillance camera inside the parking lot, and the parking position is searched by a pre-payment machine. There are a wide variety of equipment required for this, and the installation cost is soaring, and it is difficult to reduce the running cost.

In the parking lot management system 20 according to the present technology, since it is not necessary to image the vehicle number and read the characters, image processing is easy, the resolution of the camera 25 can be low, and a single camera can capture a wide range of images. so installation costs are reduced. In addition, the user does not need to enter the cabin number or the vehicle number, and the adjustment can be processed by a simple operation of selecting the own vehicle. Therefore, it is very convenient for the user. Also, since it is possible to omit the ten-key input device for inputting the vehicle number, the installation cost can be reduced.

<Second embodiment>
A parking lot management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the description of the same parts as the configuration and operation of the parking lot management system 20 described in the above embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a parking lot according to this embodiment.

In the parking lot 200 according to this embodiment, a parking lot management system 220 is provided with four cameras 225a to 225d and a pre-payment machine 230. FIG. The cameras 225a to 225d are arranged such that the photographing areas 226a to 226d overlap each other. In this embodiment, the four cameras 225a to 225d correspond to multiple imaging devices and imaging units.

As shown in FIG. 11 , in the premises of the parking lot 200 , seven parking spaces 215 are lined up on the left and right sides when viewed from the entrance/exit 210 . Four cameras 225 a - 225 d are capable of capturing moving images of a parking area 260 containing a total of 14 parking spaces 215 .

The moving images captured by the four cameras 225 a to 225 d are acquired by the image acquiring section of the advance payment machine 230 . Then, the processes described in the above embodiments, such as detection of a moving object and tracking of a moving object, are performed on each moving image.

FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a captured image IM1a captured by the camera 225a. FIG. 12B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a captured image IM1b captured by the camera 225b. It should be noted that the grid-like dotted lines in the drawing represent virtual two-dimensional coordinates (XY coordinates) set in the parking lot area 260, and are actually displayed in the captured image. isn't it.

When a plurality of cameras are used, if the same object photographed by different cameras can be recognized as the same object, the technology described in the above embodiments can be applied. .

For example, assume that the vehicle 5 enters the parking lot 200 and proceeds to the back side of the premises. In this case, it may appear in both the captured image IM1a shown in FIG. 12A and the captured image IM1b shown in FIG. 12B. At this time, by recognizing that the vehicle 5 shown in both the captured image IM1a and the captured image IM1b is the same moving object, the vehicle 5 (moving object) can be properly tracked. It becomes possible. As a result, it becomes possible to detect the vehicle 5 parked in the parking space 215 as an entering moving object, and to calculate the parking fee based on the shooting times of the moving images shot by the cameras 225a to 225d.

For example, a virtual coordinate system is set for the parking area 260 . The virtual coordinate system is applied to the images captured by the cameras 225a to 225d. That is, the virtually set three-dimensional coordinate system and the coordinate system in the two-dimensional photographed image are mutually transformed. This coordinate transformation can be executed by using projective transformation or the like based on the positions, heights, shooting directions (gazing points) of the cameras 225a to 225d, the layout of the parking lot 200, and the like.

When a moving object is detected in each moving image of the cameras 225a to 225d, the position in the virtual three-dimensional coordinate system is calculated based on the reference position (for example, the position of the center of gravity) of the moving object in the image. In a virtual three-dimensional coordinate system, if the reference position of the moving object detected in different captured images moves on the same or very close XY coordinates when converted to two-dimensional coordinates, Those moving bodies are recognized as the same moving body. For example, such techniques can be used.

Of course, any other technique that makes it possible to recognize identical objects photographed by different cameras as identical objects may be used.

In this way, if it is possible to seamlessly transfer the tracking data of a moving object between a plurality of cameras, that is, even if a moving object is reflected in one of the cameras and disappears from one image, the other , it is possible to constantly monitor the movement and stoppage of the moving object even if the size of the parking lot 200 increases.

In the settlement start screen illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, a plurality of current images IM3 captured by the cameras 225a to 225d are displayed simultaneously. Alternatively, the current image IM3 may be switchably displayed. Of course, four vehicle determination images IM2 in which the selection image IM4 is superimposed on the current image IM3 may be displayed simultaneously or switchably.

Thumbnail images or the like of the four current images IM3 (vehicle determination images IM2) may be displayed as images for camera selection. When one thumbnail image is selected by the user, the current image IM3 (vehicle determination image IM2) corresponding to the thumbnail image is displayed on the touch panel. In addition, any display method for determining the own vehicle may be adopted.

As described above, according to the parking lot management system 220 according to the present embodiment, even in a relatively large-scale parking lot 200, it is possible to improve the convenience of users who use the parking lot 200. cost can be reduced.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various other embodiments.

For example, the advance payment machine 30 may be able to read the vehicle number based on the moving image captured by the camera 25 . For example, it is possible to read the vehicle number by image processing for extracting the license plate portion, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) processing, or the like. Of course any other technique may be used.

The vehicle number read by the advance payment machine 30 is stored, for example, in the payment information 58 and transmitted to an external management center or the like. As a result, it becomes possible to identify the vehicle 5 to which the fraud flag is assigned, and to execute the billing process for additional fees and unsettled fees.

In the above description, the fraud flag is assigned to the vehicle 5 that participates without payment. On the other hand, if the operation is such that the parking fee is settled collectively at the end of the month, it may be calculated and stored as a normal parking fee. That is, according to the difference between the shooting time of the moving image when the entering moving body 56 was detected and the shooting time of the moving image when the moving of the entering moving body 56 from the parking space 15 (parking area 60) was detected, A non-standard parking fee may be calculated. As a result, the user can park the vehicle 5 in the parking lot 100 without performing a special operation or the like, thereby exhibiting high convenience.

Outer frame images 57 for selecting each vehicle 5 may be displayed in turn on the settlement start screen P1 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 . Then, the user can select the vehicle 5 by pressing a determination button or the like at the timing when the outer frame image 57 is displayed on the vehicle 5 that the user wants to select. That is, a physical button or the like may be installed as the reception unit instead of or in addition to the touch panel 39 .

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present technology can be used to manage vehicles such as ordinary automobiles and large automobiles, as well as two-wheeled vehicles. For example, a part of the parking space in a parking lot is a space for two-wheeled vehicles, and the user selects his/her own two-wheeled vehicle from the image of the camera that captures the area, and from the difference between the stop time and the current time, the parking time is calculated. may be calculated to calculate the parking fee.

That is, in the present disclosure, vehicles are not limited to automobiles, but also include bicycles, two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles), and the like. A parking lot is a concept that includes a bicycle parking lot for parking bicycles, two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles), and the like. That is, the present technology is not limited to parking lots where automobiles can be parked, and can be applied to bicycle parking lots and the like.

In addition, the monitoring of moving objects is not limited to vehicles, and the movement of persons may be monitored by assigning IDs to each person. It is also possible to collect data on the number of passengers, analyze the behavior of users, monitor the behavior of suspicious persons, and automatically notify a security company.

In the above, the case where the parking space is defined by the frame line is taken as an example. The present technology is not limited to this, and can be applied even when parking spaces are not specified. For example, in a parking lot where large vehicles and light vehicles coexist, even if the frame is not painted in advance, there is no operation to enter the compartment number as in the past, so the concept of parking space itself is unnecessary. .

In addition, when using land that is normally vacant as a temporary parking lot for events, etc., or when using unpaved land as a parking lot, it is possible to lay out a parking space border. Even if it is impossible, by installing a camera and advance payment machine, the operation of the parking lot management device of this technology can be easily started.

In the above, the case where the advance payment machine functions as the parking lot management device according to the present technology is taken as an example. The present technology is not limited to this, and the parking lot management device according to the present technology may be arranged at another location and connected to each device arranged in the parking lot via the Internet or the like so as to be communicable. That is, the parking lot management system according to the present technology may be realized by a plurality of devices connected via the Internet or the like. Further, the display unit and the reception unit are not limited to being provided in the advance payment machine, and may be provided in other devices arranged in the parking lot.

Also, the parking lot management method and program according to the present technology may be executed by a single computer, or may be executed by a plurality of computers working together. That is, acquisition of the tracking image, detection of the entering moving object, calculation of the parking fee, etc. may be executed by a single computer, or may be executed by different computers. Execution of each process by a predetermined computer includes causing another computer to execute part or all of the process and obtaining the result. For example, the parking lot management method and program according to the present technology can also be applied to a cloud computing configuration.

The parking lot, advance payment machine, image, moving object detection/tracking flow, and the like described with reference to the drawings are merely one embodiment, and can be arbitrarily modified without departing from the scope of the present technology. That is, any other configuration, algorithm, or the like for implementing the present technology may be employed.

It is also possible to combine at least two characteristic portions among the characteristic portions according to the present invention described above. That is, various characteristic portions described in each embodiment may be combined arbitrarily without distinguishing between each embodiment. Moreover, the various effects described above are only examples and are not limited, and other effects may be exhibited.

In addition, the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope not contrary to the gist or idea of the invention that can be read from the scope of claims and the entire specification, and the vehicle garage management system that accompanies such modifications is also the technology of the present invention. included in thought.

The technology of the present invention can be suitably used in toll parking lots that aim to reduce installation costs and running costs, regardless of whether they are small or large, indoors or outdoors.

IM3...Current image IM4...Selection image 5...Vehicle 15, 215...Parking space 20, 220...Parking management system 25, 225a-225d...Camera 26, 226a-226d...Photography area 30, 230...Advance payment machine 43 Image acquisition unit 45 Moving body detection unit 46 Moving body tracking unit 47 Moving body ID control unit 48 Selection image generation unit 49 Display control unit 50 Accounting object determination unit 51 Parking fee calculation unit 56 Entering Mobile body 57 Outer frame image 60, 260 Parking lot area 100, 200 Parking lot

Claims (15)

an imaging unit that captures a moving image of a parking lot area including a parking space;
a detection unit that detects an entering moving object that enters and stops in the parking space based on the captured moving image and adds identification information to the moving object;
a calculation unit that calculates a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body is detected and the identification information;
a display unit capable of displaying a current image of the parking lot area based on the captured moving image;
a reception unit that receives a vehicle selection operation performed by a user to select a vehicle included in the displayed current image as an object of payment;
a display control unit for superimposing and displaying a selection image for selecting a vehicle included in the current image on the current image,
The display control unit causes the vehicle included in the current image to display the selection image having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the vehicle at a position corresponding to the position of the vehicle. The parking lot management system according to claim 1,
The display control unit causes a vehicle included in the current image to display an outer frame image surrounding the vehicle as the selection image. The parking lot management system according to claim 1 or 2,
The display control unit, when the current image includes a plurality of vehicles, displays a plurality of selection images having different forms for selecting each of the plurality of vehicles. The parking lot management system according to claim 3,
The display control unit displays the plurality of selection images having different colors from each other. Parking lot management system. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The display control unit, when the vehicle included in the current image is selected by the vehicle selection operation, highlights the selection image displayed for the selected vehicle. Parking management system. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The reception unit and the display unit include a touch panel capable of displaying the current image and receiving the user's touch operation. Parking lot management system. The parking lot management system according to claim 6,
The display control unit causes a vehicle included in the current image to display an outer frame image surrounding the vehicle as the selection image,
The reception unit receives the vehicle selection operation based on a touch operation on the outer frame image displayed on the touch panel or an inner region of the outer frame image. A parking lot management system according to claim 7,
The display control unit displays a plurality of outer frame images for selecting each of the plurality of vehicles when the current image includes a plurality of vehicles,
The reception unit disables a touch operation to an overlapping area where the inner area overlaps when an outer frame image whose inner area overlaps with another outer frame image exists among the plurality of outer frame images. , or a parking management system that determines a vehicle to be selected based on the position of the touch operation on the overlapping area. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
When the vehicle selection operation is received, the calculation unit determines that the corresponding moving body corresponding to the selected vehicle is the corresponding moving body based on the identification information given to the corresponding moving body that is the entering moving body. A parking lot management system, wherein the parking fee is calculated according to a difference between the detected shooting time of the moving image and the shooting time of the current image. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The detection unit detects movement of the entering moving body stopped in the parking space from the parking space based on the captured moving image,
The calculation unit calculates the parking space according to the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body is detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the moving of the entering moving body is detected from the parking space. A parking lot management system that calculates fees. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The detection unit detects movement of the entering moving body stopped in the parking space from the parking area based on the captured moving image,
The calculating unit performs the above-mentioned calculation according to the difference between the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the shooting time of the moving image at which the moving of the entering moving body was detected from the parking lot area. A parking lot management system that calculates parking fees. The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The imaging unit includes a plurality of imaging devices having overlapping imaging regions,
The display unit simultaneously or switchably displays a plurality of current images captured by each of the plurality of imaging devices based on the moving images captured by each of the plurality of imaging devices. system. an acquisition unit that acquires a moving image in which a parking lot area including a parking space is captured;
a detection unit that detects an entering moving object that enters and stops in the parking space based on the acquired moving image and adds identification information to the moving object;
a calculation unit that calculates a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body is detected and the identification information;
a display unit capable of displaying a current image of the parking lot area based on the captured moving image;
a reception unit that receives a vehicle selection operation performed by a user to select a vehicle included in the displayed current image as an object of payment;
a display control unit for superimposing and displaying a selection image for selecting a vehicle included in the current image on the current image,
The display control unit causes the vehicle included in the current image to display the selection image having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the vehicle at a position corresponding to the position of the vehicle. A computer-implemented parking lot management method comprising:
an obtaining step of obtaining a video image of a parking lot area including a parking space;
an adding step of detecting an entering moving body entering and stopping in the parking space based on the acquired moving image and adding identification information;
a calculation step of calculating a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving object was detected and the identification information;
a displaying step of displaying a current image of the parking lot area based on the captured moving image;
a receiving step of receiving a vehicle selection operation performed by a user to select a vehicle included in the displayed current image as an object of payment;
a display control step of superimposing and displaying a selection image for selecting a vehicle included in the current image on the current image,
The display control step causes the vehicle included in the current image to display the selection image having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the vehicle at a position corresponding to the position of the vehicle. A program for causing a computer to execute a parking lot management method,
The parking lot management method includes:
an obtaining step of obtaining a video image of a parking lot area including a parking space;
an adding step of detecting an entering moving body entering and stopping in the parking space based on the obtained moving image and adding identification information;
a calculation step of calculating a parking fee for a vehicle parked in the parking space based on the shooting time of the moving image at which the entering moving body was detected and the identification information;
a displaying step of displaying a current image of the parking lot area based on the captured moving image;
a receiving step of receiving a vehicle selection operation performed by a user to select a vehicle included in the displayed current image as an object of payment;
a display control step of superimposing and displaying a selection image for selecting a vehicle included in the current image on the current image,
The display control step causes the vehicle included in the current image to display the selection image having a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the vehicle at a position corresponding to the position of the vehicle.

Images