JPH028241B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an uneven portion detection device that detects a concave portion or a convex portion existing in a detection target region.

For example, when a blind person walks, it is extremely difficult to use a cane to sense the existence of dangerous concave areas such as depressions on the ground surface, which is the walking surface, or convex obstacles such as blocks of stones, using a cane. There is a risk of falling due to tripping on dangerous concavities or convex obstacles, and therefore it would be extremely effective if there was a device that could detect concave or convex portions that exist in detection areas such as the ground surface. However, such an unevenness detection device has not been developed at present. Furthermore, it is clear that if such an unevenness detection device is developed, it can be used not only for the blind but also in a wide variety of fields of detection devices.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting device having a plurality of light emitting elements movable relative to a detection target area, and an optical axis relative to the optical axis of the light emitting elements. A light-receiving device having a plurality of light-receiving elements that intersect on the detection area is installed, the plurality of light-emitting elements are set to generate light pulses in a predetermined order, and The setting is such that a predetermined light receiving element among the plurality of light emitting elements can receive the light reflected by the light pulse, and when the reflected light is received by a light receiving element in a stage preceding the predetermined light receiving element, the convex portion To provide an uneven part detection device that can reliably detect a depression or a protrusion existing in a detection area by detecting the light as a concave part and detecting it as a concave part when the light is received by a subsequent light receiving element. be.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 is a case of an uneven part detection device, in which the arrow 3 is
It is installed at an appropriate moving site (not shown) so that it can be moved in the direction. The inside of case 1 is configured as described below. That is, 4 is a light emitting diode array as a light emitting device,
This has _a plurality of light emitting diodes 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , . This is a light-emitting diode array, _which has a plurality of light- _receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , _... 5 ₁₉ as light-receiving elements, for example, arranged horizontally in parallel.
correspond to the light emitting diodes 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , . . . 4 ₁₉ in a one-to-one relationship, for example. 6 is a driving circuit, which is used to drive the light emitting diode 4.
Input pulses to ₁ , 4 ₂ , ...4 ₁₉ in this predetermined order.
S ₁ , S ₂ , ...S ₁₉ are repeatedly given, and these pulse inputs S ₁ , S ₂ , ...S ₁₉ are given as synchronization signals to the distance discrimination circuit 7 and the width discrimination circuit 8. ing. Light emitting diode 4 ₁ ,
4 ₂ , ... 4 ₁₉ sequentially generate optical pulses when pulse inputs S ₁ , S ₂ , ... S ₁₉ are given, but these optical pulses are converged by a lens 9 to form a narrow optical beam-shaped optical pulse P ₁ , P ₂ ,...P ₁₉ (the optical axis is shown in the figure) onto the detection site 2. In this case, the optical axes of the optical pulses P ₁ , P ₂ , ...P ₁₉ are set to always form a predetermined angle θ with the perpendicular line to the detected region 2, and therefore, the optical axes of the optical pulses P ₁ , P ₂ , ...
...P ₁₉ is always irradiated towards the moving reference position B on the detected part 2, which is a certain horizontal distance L ₀ from the moving installation position A of the case 1, and the moving reference position B
It is set to perform repeated optical scanning at high speed in the direction of arrow C, and furthermore, the optical pulse
Reflected lights P _{1 ′} , P _{2 ′} , ... P _{19 ′} from the movement reference position B due to _{P 1} , P ₂ , ...P ₁₉ (the optical axis is shown in the figure)
are set to be received by respective corresponding predetermined light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , . . . 5 ₁₉ via the lens 10 . As a result, as is clear from FIGS. 2, 4 _, and 5, the optical axes of the light emitting diodes _{4 1} , 4 ₂ , _.
...P ₁₉ ) is at the moving reference position B on the detected part 2 with respect to the optical axes of the light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , ... 5 ₁₉ (that is, the reflected lights P ₁ ′, P ₂ ′, ... P ₁₉ ′). They intersect and also intersect with each other at a plurality of locations other than the movement reference position B, forming a so-called net shape.
In addition, as case 1 moves in the direction of the arrow 3, the movement reference position B also moves in the direction of the arrow 3 while maintaining a constant horizontal distance L ₀ with respect to the movement and installation position A. Reflected lights P _{1 ′} , P ₂ ′, ... from the movement reference position B due to P ₁ , P ₂ , ...P ₁₉
P ₁₉ ' is always a predetermined photodiode 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ ,...5
₁₉ . Furthermore, the light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , ...5 ₁₉ receive reflected light P ₁ ′, P ₂ ′, ...
When P ₁₉ ' is received, the reference pulse outputs R ₁ , R ₂ ,...
R ₁₉ are sequentially generated, and these reference pulse _outputs R ₁ , R ₂ , . There is. In this case, the amplifier circuit 11 is provided for each of the light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , . . . 5 ₁₉ , but only one is shown in the figure for convenience of explanation. Thus, the distance discrimination circuit 7 receives a pulse input.
S ₁ , S ₂ ,...S ₁₉ and reference pulse output R ₁ , R ₂ ,...R ₁₉
The width discrimination circuit 8 generates a distance information signal K as described later by comparing the pulse inputs S ₁ and
S ₂ ,...S ₁₉ and reference pulse outputs R ₁ , R ₂ ,...R ₁₉ are compared to generate a width information signal H as described later, and these distance information signals K
and the width information signal H are supplied to a signal processing circuit 12, and the signal processing circuit 12 generates a recess detection signal, a protrusion detection signal, It is adapted to generate a distance detection signal and a width detection signal.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained.

Now, if the surface of the detection area 2 is substantially flat as shown in FIGS. ₁ and ₂ , the light emitting _diode is The optical pulses P ₁ , P ₂ , ... P _{19 in which 4 1 , 4 2 , ... 4 19 are sequentially generated} are all reflected at the moving reference position B, and the reflected lights P ₁ ′, P ₂ ′, ... P ₁₉ ′ are Predetermined light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , ₅ set in advance to correspond to the light emitting diodes 4 1 , 4 ₂ , ...4 ₁₉
The light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , . . . 5 ₁₉ generate reference pulse outputs _{R 1} , R ₂ , . . . R ₁₉ as _shown in FIG. These pulse inputs S ₁ , S ₂ , ...S ₁₉ and reference pulse outputs R ₁ , R ₂ , ...R ₁₉ are both given to the distance discrimination circuit 7 and width discrimination circuit 8, so that the distance discrimination circuit 7 and width discrimination The circuit 8, as shown in FIG.
In synchronization with the pulse inputs S ₁ , S ₂ , ...S ₁₉ , the light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , ... 5 ₁₉ output reference pulses R ₁ , R ₂ ,
...R ₁₉ was generated respectively, that is, the photodetector diode 5
₁ , 5 ₂ , ... 5 ₁₉ correspond to light emitting diodes 4 ₁ , 4
₂ ,... ₄ The reflected lights P1 _' , _P2 ',... _P19' from the moving reference position B based on the 19 optical pulses _P1 , _P2 ,... _P19 were received in a predetermined one-to-one relationship, respectively. At this time, the distance information signal K and the width information signal H are not generated.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a convex portion 13 having a width lx (also shown in FIG. 1 with a chain double-dashed line) at a distance Lx from the movement setting position A in the detected part 2, as shown in FIG. In this case, the light emitting diode 4 ₃ ,
The reflected lights P _{3 ′} , _{P 4 ′} , and P _{5 ′} from the moving reference position B based on the optical pulses P ₃ , P 4 , and P _{5 of 4 4 and 4 5 are} blocked by the convex portion 13 and sent to the light receiving diode 5. _{3,5 4}
and 5 ₅ is the reference pulse output as shown in Figure 7.
R ₃ , R ₄ and R ₅ are not generated, and instead the light pulses P ₆ , P 7 and P 8 of the light emitting diodes 4 ₆ , 4 ₇ and 4 ₈ reach the movement reference position B before the light pulses P 6 , P ₇ and P ₈ of the convex portion 13 are generated. _Reflected light _{is reflected at the detection position}
P ₇ x′ and P ₈ x′, and these are the photodetector diode 5.
₃ , ₅₄ and ₅₅ , and the light receiving diodes ₅₃ , ₅₄ and ₅₅ sequentially receive detection pulse outputs _R3x , _R4x and _R5x as shown in FIG. Occur. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the distance determination circuit 7, the light receiving diodes 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ and 5 ₅ are connected to corresponding predetermined light emitting diodes 4 ₃ , 4 ₄ and 4 respectively.
Light emitting diodes 4 ₆ , 4 ₇ and 4 ₈ which are later in the light emitting order than ₅ , that is, shifted in the direction of arrow C which is the optical scanning direction.
It is detected that the detection pulse outputs R ₃ x, R ₄ x and R ₅ x are generated based on the pulse inputs S ₆ , S ₇ and S ₈ of the light emitting diodes 4 ₆ , 4 ₇ and 4, respectively. Based on the optical pulses P ₆ , P ₇ and P ₈ of ₈ , the light receiving diodes 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ and 5 ₅ in the previous stage than the light receiving diodes 5 ₆ , 5 ₇ and 5 ₈ output detection pulses R ₃ x, R ₄ x
and R ₅ x are detected, first, the detected pulse outputs R _{3 x} , R ₄ x and R ₅
A "+" signal is generated by being shifted from R ₄ and R ₅ in the direction of arrow C, which is the optical scanning direction, and the detection pulse outputs R ₃ x, R ₄ x, and R ₅ x are also the reference pulse outputs R ₃ , A signal of "3" is generated by being shifted from R ₄ and R ₅ by three pulses, and as a result, a signal of "+3" is generated as the distance information signal K. Further, the width discrimination circuit 8, as shown in FIG.
Detects the number of detection pulse outputs that are generated with a deviation from the reference pulse output, that is, the detection pulse outputs R ₃ x, R ₄ x
and R ₅ x are three pulses in total, so a signal of "3" is generated as the width information signal H. In addition, the light receiving diodes 5 ₆ , 5 ₇ and 5 ₈ receive optical pulses P ₆ , P ₇ and
Since there are no reflected lights P _{6 ′} , P ₇ ′, and P ₈ ′ from the moving reference position B due to P 8 , the reference pulse output R ₆ ,
Does not generate R ₇ and R ₈ . On the other hand, signal processing circuit 1
2 is calculated based on the given distance information signal K "+3" and the width information signal H "3". First, it is determined from the signal "+" in the signal "+3" that the convex part 13 exists. The distance from the movement reference position B is calculated from the signal "3" of the signal "+3", the distance "Lx" from the movement setting position A is calculated from this result, and the distance "Lx" from the movement setting position A is calculated from the signal "3" of the width information signal H. ” and the above-mentioned calculated distance “Lx” to calculate the width “lx” of the convex portion 13, and as a result, detect that the convex portion 13 with the width lx exists at a distance Lx from the movement setting position A. Generate a signal.

Furthermore, if there is a recess 14 as shown in FIG. 5 in the detection area 2 (also indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1), the light emitting diodes 4 ₁₃ , 4 ₁₄ and 4 ₁₅ The optical pulses P ₁₃ , P ₁₄ and P ₁₅ are not reflected at the moving reference position B, and after passing through the moving reference position B, the optical axes of the light emitting diodes 4 ₁₃ , 4 ₁₄ and 4 ₁₅ which are the bottom surfaces of the recesses 14 Reflected at the detection position Y where the optical axes of the light receiving diodes 5 ₁₄ , 5 ₁₅ and 5 ₁₆ intersect, respectively, the reflected lights P ₁₃ y′, P ₁₄ ′y and
P ₁₅ y′. Therefore, the above-mentioned reflected lights P ₁₃ ′, P ₁₄ ′, and P ₁₅ ′ are not generated from the moving reference position B.
Corresponding photodiodes 5 ₁₃ , 5 ₁₄ and 5
₁₅ is the reference pulse output R ₁₃ , R ₁₄ as shown in Figure 8.
and _R15 will not occur. Also, light emitting diode 4 ₁₆
The light pulse P ₁₆ from 16 is irradiated onto the side of the recess 14 and no reflected light P ₁₆ ' is generated, and the corresponding light receiving diode 5 ₁₆ does not generate the reference pulse output R ₁₆ as shown in FIG. . On the other hand, as described above, the reflected light P ₁₃ y′ from the detection position Y on the bottom surface of the recess 14
P ₁₄ y′ and P ₁₅ y′ are reflected as reflected lights P ₁₄ ′, P ₁₅ ′ and P ₁₆ ′, and are transmitted to the light receiving diodes 5 ₁₄ , 5 ₁₆ and 5 _{16 .}
The light is now received by the light receiving diode 5.
₁₄ , ₅₁₅ and ₅₁₆ sequentially generate detection pulse outputs _R14y , _R15y and _R16y as shown in FIG. Therefore, the distance discrimination circuit 7, as shown in FIG.
The light-receiving diodes 5 ₁₄ , 5 ₁₅ and 5 ₁₆ are located earlier than the corresponding light-emitting diodes 4 ₁₄ , 4 ₁₅ and 4 ₁₆ in the light emitting order, that is, in the direction opposite to the light scanning direction, opposite to the arrow C
Light emitting diodes 4 ₁₃ , 4 ₁₄ and 4 ₁₅ shifted in direction
It is detected that the detection pulse outputs R ₁₄ y, R ₁₅ y and R ₁₆ y are generated based on the pulse inputs S ₁₃ , S ₁₄ and S ₁₅ of the light emitting diode 4 ₁₃ , respectively.
Based on the optical pulses P ₁₃ , P ₁₄ and P ₁₅ of 4 ₁₄ and 4 ₁₅ , the light receiving diodes 5 ₁₄ , 5 ₁₅ and 5 ₁₆ after the light receiving diodes 5 ₁₃ , 5 ₁₄ and 5 ₁₅ output detection pulses R ₁₄ y, detecting that R ₁₅ y and R ₁₆ y have occurred;
The detection pulse outputs R ₁₄ y, R ₁₅ y, and R ₁₆ y are deviated from the reference pulse outputs R ₁₄ , R ₁₅ , and R ₁₆ in the opposite direction of arrow C, which is the opposite side to the optical scanning direction. Generates a signal and outputs a detection pulse
R ₁₄ y, R ₁₅ y and R ₁₆ y are the reference pulse outputs R ₁₄ , R ₁₅
and _R16 by one pulse each, thereby generating a signal of "1", and as a result, a signal of "-1" is generated as the distance information signal K. or,
The width discrimination circuit 8 detects the detected pulse output R ₁₄ y, which is generated with a deviation from the reference pulse output, as described above.
Since R ₁₅ y and R ₁₆ y are three pulses in total, a signal of "3" is generated as the width information signal H. And the signal "-1" which is these distance information signal K
The signal "1" which is the width information signal H is the signal processing circuit 1.
2, but in this case, the signal processing circuit 12
does not calculate the distance and width at the time when the signal "-" out of the signals "-1" is detected, but simply generates a detection signal indicating that the recess 14 exists in the vicinity of the movement reference position B.

It should be noted that the notification by various detection signals from the signal processing circuit 12 can be variously considered, such as digital characters, numeric display, pointer display based on the deflection angle and direction of the pointer, and volume and tone display using a buzzer.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the distance discrimination circuit 7
The detected part 2 depends on whether it produces a “+” signal or a “-” signal as the distance information signal K.
It is possible to reliably detect whether a convex part or a concave part exists in the detection area 2. In particular, when a convex part exists in the detected part 2, the distance information signal K and the width information signal of the distance discrimination circuit 7 The distance from the moving installation position A of the convex part and the width of the convex part can be detected based on the light emitting diode 4 ₁ ,
_The light pulses _from the light _emitting diodes _{4 2 , .} ,...5 Since the reflected light is obtained from the surface of the convex portion at a large number of intersections intersecting with the optical axes of ₁₉ , the ability to detect and resolve the distance and width of the convex portion is extremely good.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the light emitting diodes 4 ₁ ,
Since optical pulses, that is, modulated light, are generated from the light receiving diodes _{5 1 ,} 5 ₂ , it is not affected by disturbance light, and false detection can be reliably _prevented . ,...5 ₁₉ only detects the presence or absence of reflected light, but does not detect the intensity of reflected light, so it is not affected by the reflectance of the detection area or the recesses or protrusions to be detected. , reliable detection can be performed.

In the above embodiment, the light receiving diodes 5 ₁ , 5
Although the light emitting diodes _{4 1} , 4 2 _{, 2} , .
... 4 ₁₉ may be configured to scan so that each light-receiving diode 5 ₁ , _{5 2} , . In this case, the number of light emitting diodes and light receiving diodes need not be the same in one-to-one correspondence.

Further, in the above embodiment, the distance and width of the convex portion are also detected, but this may be done as necessary.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case 1 is configured to move, but the detected part 2 may be moved, and the point is that the case 1 is movable relative to the detected part 2. Bye.

In addition, the present invention is not limited only to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the invention.

As described above, the present invention can provide an uneven portion detection device that can reliably detect the presence of a recess or a convex portion in a relatively moving detection target region.

Note that an example of the application of the present invention may be an alarm for blind people that detects and gives an alarm to irregularities existing on the ground surface, but is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the present invention can be widely applied as an uneven detection device in a certain field.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a side view for explaining the principle, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a light emitting diode array and an enlarged plan view of the light emitting diode array, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 for explaining the action, and FIGS. 6 to 8 are pulse waveform diagrams for explaining the action. In the drawings, 1 is a case, 2 is a detection site, 4 is a light emitting diode array (light emitting device), 4 ₁ to 4 ₁₉ are light emitting diodes (light emitting elements), 5 is a light emitting diode array (light receiving device), 5 ₁ to 5 ₁₉ is a light receiving diode (light receiving element), 6 is a drive circuit, 7 is a distance discrimination circuit, 8 is a width discrimination circuit, 12 is a signal processing circuit, 1
3 indicates a convex portion, and 14 indicates a concave portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light-emitting device having a plurality of light-emitting elements movable relative to the detection site, and a plurality of light-receiving elements whose optical axes intersect with the optical axis of the light-emitting elements on the detection site. A light receiving device is installed, and the plurality of light emitting elements are set to generate light pulses in a predetermined order, and the light reflected by the light pulses from the detection area is reflected by the plurality of light receiving elements. The reflected light is set so that a predetermined light-receiving element can receive the light, and when the reflected light is received by a light-receiving element in a stage preceding the predetermined light-receiving element, it is detected as a convex part, and when it is received by a light-receiving element in a subsequent stage, it is detected as a concave part. An uneven portion detection device characterized by: