JPH06180794A - Traveling vehicle photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the traveling vehicle photographing device which can monitor a speeder's vehicle in real time although the constitution is inexpensive. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with a TV camera 1 with a shutter function which photographs the license plate of a traveling vehicle and its driver, image memories 4-1-4-n which stores plural photographed pictures, and an output part 5 which outputs a proper number of images succeeding with time from the image memories 4-1-4-n when the traveling speed of the vehicle exceeds a specific value.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is installed on a road,
The present invention relates to a traveling vehicle image capturing device that captures an image of a license plate of a traveling vehicle and the driver's face, and outputs the image when necessary.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in order to crack down on a speeding vehicle,
A traveling vehicle imaging device may be used on a highway or the like. This traveling vehicle photographing device has conventionally been configured using a film still camera or a TV camera with an ultra-high resolution shutter function. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the license plate and the face of the driving vehicle are shown in one image, and data such as the traveling speed of the vehicle is added to the upper right portion.

[0003]

However, in the case of a device using a still camera, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time and labor to exchange the film up to the place where the film is installed. Moreover, since the collected film has to be developed, there is also a problem that the speeding vehicle cannot be monitored in real time.

On the other hand, in the case of an apparatus using a TV camera with a shutter function, the above-mentioned problems are not caused, but an ultra-high resolution TV camera is required, so that the entire apparatus becomes very expensive. There was a problem. The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a traveling vehicle photographing apparatus that is capable of monitoring a speeding vehicle or the like in real time while having an inexpensive configuration.

[0005]

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems]

[Travel vehicle photographing device according to claim 1] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a traveling vehicle photographing device according to a first aspect is a photographing means for photographing a plurality of moving vehicles from the front, and a plurality of photographed plural images. It is characteristically provided with storage means for storing images and output means for outputting a suitable number of images from the storage means when the traveling speed of the photographed vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

[0006] The photographing means corresponds to, for example, a TV camera with a shutter function, but it does not have to have particularly high performance and may have a resolution that allows a driver or a license plate to be identified. . The storage means is, for example, a semiconductor memory. The output means operates, for example, based on a signal from another speed measuring device, and outputs a series of images of an appropriate number stored in the storage means.

The output image is arbitrary, but since it can include an image showing the license plate and the driver's face, this image can be used as evidence of a speeding vehicle. [Travel vehicle photographing device according to claim 2] A traveling vehicle photographing device according to a second aspect includes a photographing means for photographing a plurality of traveling vehicles from the front side, and a storage means for storing a plurality of photographed images. A measuring unit that measures the traveling speed of the vehicle based on a series of captured images, a determining unit that determines whether or not the measurement result is greater than a predetermined value, and if it is determined that the measurement result is greater than the predetermined value. Characteristically, output means is provided for outputting a suitable number of images from the storage means.

The measuring means measures the traveling speed of the vehicle on the basis of a series of temporally continuous images taken.
Although the specific method is not particularly limited, for example, the license plate portion may be specified and the speed of the vehicle may be calculated based on the movement of this portion. When the measured traveling speed is higher than the predetermined value, the output means operates,
An appropriate number of series of images are output from the storage means. This image can be used, for example, as evidence for a speeding vehicle.

[Travel Vehicle Imaging Apparatus According to Claim 3] A traveling vehicle imaging apparatus according to claim 3 is an imaging means for imaging a plurality of traveling vehicles from the front, and a memory for storing the captured plurality of images. Means, output means for outputting a series of images of a suitable number from the storage means when the traveling speed of the photographed vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and license plate information of the vehicle based on the photographed images. Recognition means for recognizing, comparison means for comparing the recognized license plate information with license plate information given from another device, and output for controlling the output means to output a necessary image when both information match And part control means.

Here, the license plate information means, for example, information of characters or numbers written on the license plate or a part of the information. Further, the license plate information given from another device corresponds to, for example, the vehicle number of the stolen vehicle. In the case of the present invention, not only an image of a speeding vehicle but also an image of a stolen vehicle can be obtained in real time.

[0011]

The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This device includes a TV camera 1 with a shutter function for taking a bird's-eye view of a moving vehicle, and an auxiliary light 2 for night-time shooting and the like.
And an A / D converter 3 for converting an image captured from the TV camera 1 into digital data, image memories 4 _-1 to 4 _-n for storing a plurality of image data, and a selection signal from the outside. And an output unit 5 for outputting the required number of image data from the image memory 4. This TV
The camera 1 is a general inexpensive TV camera with a shutter function (hereinafter referred to as a shutter TV camera) that does not have high resolution.
Is.

FIG. 2 shows the installation position of this device and the traveling vehicle 6.
Is a diagram illustrating the relationship with. Shutter TV camera 1
The auxiliary lighting 2 is installed at a position several meters above the road so as to continuously capture images in a narrow field of view so that the license plate and the driver's face can be sufficiently identified. Further, the image memory 4 and the output unit 5 are installed on the support unit 7 or the like.

Next, the operation contents of the apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described.
When the vehicle runs toward the shutter TV camera 1, the shutter TV camera 1 captures an image as shown in FIG. 3 at regular time intervals. Then, this image information is converted into digital data by the A / D conversion unit 3 and stored while sequentially switching the image memories 4 _-1 to 4- _-n .

On the other hand, a speed measuring device (not shown) measures the traveling speed of the vehicle based on the output of the speed sensor or the like. Then, when the traveling speed exceeds the speed limit, a selection signal is output to the output unit 5. Output part 5
Operates when it receives this selection signal, and outputs the set number of image data from the image memories 4 _-1 to 4 _-n . It should be noted that this image data is stored in a storage device such as an optical disk or is transmitted to a central device at another place via a transmission line. As described above, in this traveling vehicle photographing device, since a plurality of image data of the speeding vehicle is output in real time, the image data can be used as information for the automatic speed control device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the shutter TV camera 1, the auxiliary lighting 2, the A / D conversion unit 3, the image memories 4 _-1 to 4 _-n , and the output unit 5, this device includes
A license plate detection unit 8 that receives data from the A / D conversion unit 3 to detect the license plate unit, and a speed measurement unit 9 that measures the traveling speed of the vehicle based on the detected plate unit are provided. . In the case of the device of FIG. 1, while the selection signal was obtained from another speed measuring device, this device measures the vehicle traveling speed based on the data from the shutter TV camera 1, and the device itself selects the signal. It is characterized by outputting.

Only the characteristic contents of the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 will be described below. The license plate detection unit 8 detects the license plate unit based on the image obtained from the shutter TV camera 1 according to, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-297866. And the speed measuring unit 9
Measures the moving distance of the license plate portion in two or more images, and calculates the traveling speed of the vehicle while also considering the depression angle of the shutter TV camera 1. A method of calculating the traveling speed of the vehicle based on the moving distance of the plate is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-65753.

As described above, in the case of the device shown in FIG.
This device has the advantage of being able to take a proof image of a speeding vehicle without installing a speed sensor separately. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing device according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the shutter TV camera 1, the auxiliary illumination 2, the A / D conversion unit 3, the image memories 4 _-1 to 4 _-n , and the output unit 5, this device has an A / D converter.
The license plate character recognition unit 10 that receives the data from the D conversion unit 3 and recognizes the characters on the license plate unit is compared with the recognized characters on the license plate unit and the license plate of the vehicle arranged by the central unit. The number collating unit 11 is provided.

Only the characteristic parts of the operation contents of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 will be described below. The license plate character recognition unit 10 recognizes the plate number written on the plate of the traveling vehicle based on the data from the A / D conversion unit 3. Then, the number matching unit 11 sequentially matches the plate number of the traveling vehicle with the plate number arranged by the central unit, and if both match, outputs a selection signal to the output unit 5. . The vehicle arranged by the central device corresponds to, for example, a stolen vehicle.

Upon receiving the selection signal from the number collation unit 11, the output unit 5 outputs the necessary number of image data among the image data stored in the image memory 4. This image data can also be transmitted to the central unit via the transmission line, so that the central unit can confirm in real time that a stolen vehicle or the like has passed the point along with the image. Since a selection signal from a speed measuring device (not shown) is also applied to the output unit 5, it goes without saying that the image data of the speeding vehicle is output as in the case of the device of FIG.

[0020]

As described above, the traveling vehicle photographing apparatus according to the present invention sequentially stores a series of temporally continuous images photographed by the photographing means, and the output means, if necessary. I am trying to output this. Since there are a plurality of images to be stored that include originally necessary parts, it is not necessary to have a particularly high resolution for each image, and therefore the device can be inexpensively constructed by using an ordinary inexpensive TV camera or the like. can do.

Since the image output from the output means can be transmitted to a central device distant from the site, the central device can verify the image in real time. In addition, a series of temporally continuous images of the same vehicle can be obtained, so that the image can be used to verify the vehicle speed. Further, in the case of the traveling vehicle photographing device according to the second aspect, it is not necessary to use an external speed sensor or the like, and an automatic speed control device can be configured.

Further, in the case of the traveling vehicle photographing apparatus according to the third aspect, the license plate can be read, so that the arranged vehicle can be verified in real time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an installed state of the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 illustrates a series of images taken by a shutter TV camera.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a traveling vehicle photographing device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a conventional traveling vehicle photographing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 TV camera with shutter function 2 Auxiliary lighting 3 A / D converter 4 _-1 to 4- _n Image memory 5 Output unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photographing means for photographing a plurality of traveling vehicles from the front side, a storage means for storing a plurality of photographed images, and a storage means for storing a plurality of photographed images when the traveling speed of the photographed vehicle is a predetermined value or more. An output device for outputting a series of images of an appropriate number from a storage device, and a traveling vehicle image pickup device. 2. A photographing means for photographing a plurality of traveling vehicles from the front, a storage means for storing the plurality of photographed images, and a traveling speed of the vehicle on the basis of a series of photographed images. A measuring means, a judging means for judging whether or not the measurement result is larger than a predetermined value, and an output means for outputting a suitable number of series of images from the storage means when it is judged to be larger than the predetermined value. A traveling vehicle imaging device, comprising: 3. A photographing means for photographing a plurality of moving vehicles from the front, a storage means for storing a plurality of photographed images, and a traveling speed of the photographed vehicles when the traveling speed is a predetermined value or more. Output means for outputting a suitable number of series of images from the storage means, recognition means for recognizing license plate information of the vehicle based on the photographed images, and license plate for giving the recognized license plate information from another device. A traveling vehicle photographing apparatus comprising: a comparison unit that compares information with the output unit; and an output unit control unit that controls the output unit to output a required image when the two pieces of information match.