JPH0585361A - Congestion discriminating device for vehicle and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide simple structure without requiring the installation of sensors vehicle by vehicle. CONSTITUTION:There are provided an image pickup means 1 and a background plate 2 disposed opposedly on both sides of a passage where a vehicle 3 passes, and an image data processing part 5 receiving the image data of the image pickup means during the passage of the vehicle so as to perform operation on the number or ratio of picture elements provided with the images of the background plate 2 and included in the image data, and the congestion of the vehicle 3 is computed from the number or ratio of the picture elements.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus and method, and more particularly, this vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus and method examines the congestion degree of each vehicle in a commuter train or the like, and determines the congestion degree. By notifying passengers waiting for a commuter train at the next station, the congestion level of the entire train can be averaged.

Generally, the degree of congestion of each car of a train can be determined only when the train actually arrives at a station, and the stop time of the train at each station is selected by passengers when the train is vacant. Since it is extremely short to get on board, it is difficult to average the congestion degree of each train car.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a congestion degree identifying device for a vehicle,
In order to detect the degree of congestion of passengers for each vehicle, a technology for mounting a weight sensor for each vehicle or a sensor for detecting a change in the air spring pressure of the vehicle and detecting the degree of congestion of the vehicle by the loaded weight of each vehicle It has been known. In addition, the information regarding the congestion degree thus detected for each vehicle is transmitted to the next station through the train radio and is transmitted to the passengers via the broadcast or the display at the station.

[0004]

In the conventional congestion degree identifying device for a vehicle, in order to detect the congestion degree, a sensor for detecting the congestion degree is provided for all the vehicles of all trains. There is a need. Therefore, there is a problem in that the number of sensors and their attached means is extremely large and the equipment becomes large.

Further, the communication means for transmitting information from a moving vehicle to the next station is usually limited to wireless communication means, but since wireless communication is frequently used between the station and the vehicle, There is also a problem that signals interfere with wireless communication used for other purposes.

In view of the above-mentioned problems relating to the conventional congestion degree identifying device for a vehicle, the present invention can detect the congestion degree of a vehicle without providing a sensor for each vehicle, and is not limited to wireless communication means. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus and method capable of transmitting information regarding a detected vehicle congestion degree.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is an elevational view schematically illustrating the structure of a vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an imaging means, 2 is a background plate, 3 is a vehicle, 4 is a passageway of the vehicle, 5 is an image data processing unit, and a and b are windows of the vehicle, respectively.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus of the present invention is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an image pickup means arranged so as to face each other with a passageway (4) of the vehicle interposed therebetween. (1) and the background board (2), and the number of pixels having the image of the background board (2) included in the image data, to which the image data of the image pickup means (1) while the vehicle (3) is passing are input. Alternatively, an image data processing unit (5) that performs a calculation related to a ratio
And the degree of congestion of the vehicle is calculated from the number or ratio of the pixels.

Further, the vehicle congestion degree identifying method of the present invention is
The image pickup means (1) and the background plate (2) are arranged so as to face each other across the passage (4) of the vehicle, and from the image data of the image pickup means (1) while the vehicle (3) is passing, It is characterized in that a calculation regarding the number or ratio of pixels having an image of the background plate (2) is performed, and the congestion degree of the vehicle is calculated from the number or ratio of the pixels.

[0010]

According to the vehicle congestion degree identifying apparatus and method of the present invention, the image pickup means obtains image data of the passenger inside the vehicle and the background plate behind the passenger through the window of the passing vehicle, and outputs the image data. Since the image data processing unit performs an operation related to the number or ratio of pixels having the image of the background plate from the output of the image pickup unit and outputs this, the number of pixels having the image of the background plate is output at the output of the image data processing unit. Alternatively, when the ratio is high, it can be recognized that the number of passengers is small and the vehicle is vacant, and when the number or ratio of the pixels having the image of the background plate is low, the number of passengers is large and the vehicle is crowded.

[0011]

The present invention will be further described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
In, the image pickup means 1 and the background plate 2 are arranged to face each other with the vehicle track 4 interposed therebetween. The image pickup means 1 is an image pickup means for color images, and is provided at a height position where an image of the passenger in the vehicle 3 and the background plate 2 behind it can be projected through the windows a and b of the vehicle 3. The background plate 2 is entirely coated with a coating color that is complementary to the external coating color of the vehicle 3. The image pickup means 1 and the background board 2 are installed in a place where the speed of the vehicle is relatively low, just before the tip of the platform of the station.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a signal processing circuit in the congestion degree identifying apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. In the figure, the signal processing circuit in this embodiment receives the output from the image pickup means 1 for generating image data, the image data processing unit 5 for processing the image data, and the image data processing unit 5, and visually confirms this. The display unit 6 is configured by a congestion degree display unit 6 that displays the information. The congestion degree display unit 6 is provided at a station next to the place where the image pickup unit 1 and the background plate 2 are provided.

The image data processing section 5 receives the output of the image pickup means 1 and identifies a gradation (brightness) for each pixel, and a vehicle paint color for extracting a pixel having a vehicle paint color from each pixel. Extraction unit 52, background color extraction unit 53 for extracting pixels having a background color from each pixel, background color storage unit 54 for storing pixels having a background color on a memory map, and detection of operation timing from pixels having a vehicle painting color And outputs it, a calculation timing control unit 55, a feature point counter 56 that counts the number of pixels having a background color, a count storage unit 57 that sequentially stores a plurality of count values counted by the feature point counter 56, a count Storage unit 5
The calculation inference processing unit 58 calculates the congestion degree of each vehicle from each count value in No. 7, and the output unit 59.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing how a vehicle enters between the image pickup means 1 and the background board 2 of the congestion degree identifying apparatus for a vehicle of the above embodiment. In the figure, when the vehicle 3 enters and the painting color outside the vehicle appears in the image data where only the color of the background board 2 was projected until then, and this color is detected by the vehicle painting color extraction unit 52, Calculation timing control unit 5
In 5, the time from the detection of the vehicle paint color to the first window is measured, and the passing speed of the vehicle 3 is calculated. Since the color of the background plate 2 and the exterior coating color of the vehicle have a complementary color relationship, it is extremely easy to identify the entry of the vehicle 3.

The calculation timing control unit 55 outputs a first calculation timing signal at a predetermined timing in the frontmost vehicle according to the passing speed of the train 3, and when the next vehicle passes, the first calculation timing signal is output. The second operation timing signal is output at the same window position as the window position. Each calculation timing signal is output according to the speed that is sequentially measured so that it is output at the position of the window arranged at the same position of the vehicle for each passage of each vehicle. The background color storage unit 54 stores the output of the background color extraction unit 53 at each address starting from a predetermined address each time the calculation timing signal is generated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the image output of the image pickup means 1 when the signal from the background color extracting section 53 is stored in the background color storing section 54 in accordance with the operation timing signal. In the figure, A is a video part of the vehicle body, B is a window a,
An image portion of a background color visible through b, C is an image portion of a passenger inside the vehicle, and D1 and D2 are image portions inside the vehicle above and below a window b of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 4, the congestion degree of the vehicle depends on whether the E portion surrounded by the image portions D1 and D2 inside the vehicle is the image portion B of the background color or the image portion C of the passenger. Can be determined. This determination is performed by determining the color difference.

After the vehicle has passed, the calculation timing control unit 55 issues a count command to the characteristic point counter 56, and the characteristic point counter 56 indicates the number of pixels having a background color image for each vehicle. Are counted and sequentially output to the count storage unit 57. In the count storage unit 57, the count value for each vehicle of one train is sequentially stored at each address starting from a predetermined address.

The arithmetic inference processing unit 58 calculates the congestion degree of the vehicle from the ratio of the count value of each vehicle and the number of pixels of the entire image pickup means 1, and further compares the congestion degree between the vehicles. Identify free and crowded vehicles. This output is input to the congestion degree display unit 6 via the output unit 59 of the image processing unit 5.

In the congestion degree display unit 6, passengers on the platform are visually informed of the congestion degree of each vehicle by, for example, a congestion degree mark or occupancy rate display of each vehicle. Depending on the case, a means such as voice can be used together. Therefore, the passengers can move in the direction of the vacant vehicle before the train arrives, and the congestion degree of each vehicle can be averaged.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the congestion degree identification device provided with the image pickup means and the background plate has been described, but instead of these, the light receiving device in which the photosensors are arranged in a line in the horizontal direction (one-dimensionally) or two-dimensionally Means and a light projecting means arranged to face the light receiving means across the vehicle track, and by examining the ratio of the light from the light projecting means reaching the optical sensor, the congestion of the vehicle as in the above embodiment A congestion degree identification device for identifying the degree can be used.

The image pickup means is, for example, 60 per second.
The image data can be sent successively at a speed of about the number of times, and instead of the method shown in the above embodiment, in which the image pickup means and the background board are installed in the immediate vicinity of the station where the train speed is relatively low, It is also possible to adopt a method of installing near the intermediate position where the speed is relatively high. However, in this case, it is necessary to notify the congestion degree at the earliest possible time so that passengers can move to the next station before the train arrives.

Further, although the example in which the feature point counter counts the number of pixels having the background color signal is shown, conversely, the number of pixels having the color signal other than the background color can be counted.

Further, in the above embodiment, a train car is exemplified as a car, but the present invention can be applied not only to a train but also to a bus or the like.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is not necessary to provide a sensor for each vehicle, and since signal transmission from the image pickup means forming the fixing means does not presuppose use of wireless in signal transmission, congestion of vehicles that is unlikely to cause interference with other wireless signals The remarkable effect that the degree discriminating apparatus and method can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a vehicle congestion degree identification device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an image pickup means and a background plate in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a signal processing unit of the vehicle congestion degree identification device according to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of image data output from an image pickup unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Imaging means 2: Background board 3: Vehicle 4: Vehicle passage (track) 5: Image data processing unit 6: Congestion degree display unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means (1) and a background plate (2) which are arranged to face each other with a passage (4) of the vehicle interposed therebetween, and the image pickup means (1) while the vehicle (3) is passing. Image data is input, and an image data processing unit (5) that performs an operation regarding the number or ratio of pixels having an image of the background plate (2) included in the image data is provided. A congestion degree identification device for a vehicle, which calculates a congestion degree of a vehicle. 2. The image data processing section (5) receives at least a part of the image data as an input and outputs a timing signal for outputting a timing signal for extracting image data necessary for calculating the number or ratio of the pixels. Control means (5
5. The vehicle congestion degree identification device according to claim 1, further comprising 5). 3. The timing control means (55) outputs the timing signal a plurality of times during the passage of one train, and the congestion degrees of a plurality of vehicles of the one train are calculated respectively. The congestion degree identification device for a vehicle according to claim 2. 4. The congestion degree identification device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the color of the background plate (2) forms a complementary color to the external paint color of the vehicle. 5. The image pickup means (1) and the background plate (2)
In place of the above, a light receiving means including photosensors arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally and a light projecting means for supplying light received by the light receiving means are provided, respectively.
3. The vehicle congestion degree identification device according to any one of 1 to 3. 6. An image pickup means (1) and a background plate (2) are arranged so as to face each other with a passage (4) of the vehicle interposed therebetween, and the image pickup means (1) of the image pickup means (1) while passing through the vehicle (3) is provided. A method for identifying a congestion degree of a vehicle, which comprises performing a calculation regarding a number or a ratio of pixels having an image of the background plate (2) from image data and calculating a congestion degree of the vehicle from the number or the ratio of the pixels.