JPH10105868A - Vehicle measuring device/method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle measuring device whose constitution is simple, whose installation is easy and which can simultaneously and precisely measure the respective demensions (vehicle height, vehicle breadth and vehicle length) of a vehicle and vehicle speed at a high speed and to provide a vehicle measuring method. SOLUTION: The vehicle measuring device is provided with a light projection means 1 and light reception means 2A and 2B, which are arranged on the road R, and light projection means 3A and 3B and light reception means 4A and 4B, which are arranged on both sides of the road R. Laser beams from the light projection means 1, 3A and 3B are radiated toward the road R and the vehicle 90. The reflected light beams are received by the light reception means 2A, 2B, 4A and 4B and the height and the breadth of the vehicle 90 are calculated based on the light reception signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle measuring device and a vehicle measuring method which are installed in a toll road, a toll parking lot, a multi-story parking facility, and measure the height, width, length and speed of passing vehicles. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, vehicle specifications (vehicle height, vehicle width, vehicle length)
There are the following devices for measuring vehicle speed and vehicle speed. There are an ultrasonic type installed on the road, a loop type embedded in the road, a photoelectric array type, and an image sensor (for example, a camera). this house,
The loop type can measure the vehicle width, the vehicle length, and the vehicle speed, and the other can measure the vehicle height, the vehicle width, the vehicle length, and the vehicle speed.

[0003]

However, the above apparatus generally has the following problems (1) to (7). (1) Large errors due to changes in temperature, rain, snow, wind, etc. (particularly, ultrasonic type and loop type). (2) Since the spread of the transmission signal is large, it is difficult to detect and separate the traveling vehicle (in particular, a loop type). (3) Maintenance and management are difficult and costly. (4) Since a plurality of sets of light emitters and light receivers are required, the cost is high. In particular, in the vehicle width measurement, if the road has a plurality of lanes, the number of required sets becomes enormous because the light receiving array must be arranged over the entire lane. (5) Responsiveness to high-speed vehicles is poor due to long processing time. (6) Lighting is required. (7) When installed above a road surface, the edge of the vehicle is blurred on the curved surface of the vehicle, and particularly, the measurement accuracy of the vehicle width is extremely reduced.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such problems (1) to (7), has a simple structure, is easy to install, and has high speed and high accuracy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle measuring device and a vehicle measuring method capable of simultaneously measuring vehicle height, vehicle width, vehicle length) and vehicle speed.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle detecting device disposed above a vehicle passing area, comprising: a laser light source; and a laser light from the laser light source. A light projecting means having a scanning mechanism for projecting a light beam on a road surface in a transverse direction thereof, and being disposed above a vehicle passage area, an optical axis included in the laser light scanning surface from the light projecting means and passing on the road surface. Lens to fit the ceiling of the vehicle
And a light receiving unit having a line sensor provided on the image forming surface of the lens in a direction transverse to the road surface, and electrically detecting an image obtained on the line sensor via the lens of the light receiving unit, And a specification calculating means for obtaining a vehicle height of the vehicle based on the calculated data.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle measuring method according to the first aspect, wherein a laser beam is projected from above the vehicle passage area onto the road surface in a transverse direction, and the reflected light is reflected. Traversing the road surface on the imaging surface of this lens via a lens arranged above the vehicle passage area so as to accommodate the ceiling of the vehicle passing on the road surface and the optical axis is included in the laser beam scanning surface Received by the line sensor arranged in the direction,
An image obtained on the line sensor is electrically detected, and the height of the vehicle is calculated based on the detection signal.

In the apparatus of the first aspect and the method of the seventeenth aspect, laser light is projected and scanned from above the vehicle passage area toward the road surface, and the reflected light is received above the vehicle passage area, and the light is received. The height of the vehicle is calculated based on the signal. On the other hand, the vehicle measuring device according to claim 2 is arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area, and has a laser light source and a pair of light projecting means having a scanning mechanism for projecting and scanning the laser light from the laser light source in a vertical direction. And a lens which is disposed on both sides of the vehicle passage area, the optical axis is included in the laser light scanning surface from the light projecting means, and which accommodates the side surface of the vehicle passing on the road surface, and the image forming surface of this lens. A pair of light receiving means having a line sensor provided in a direction perpendicular to the road surface, and an image obtained on a line sensor via a lens of the pair of light receiving means is electrically detected, and the vehicle is detected based on the detection signal. And a specification calculating means for calculating the vehicle width of the vehicle.

[0008] A vehicle measuring method according to claim 18 is the apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the laser beam is projected and scanned vertically from both sides of the vehicle passage area, and the reflected light is scanned on the road surface. Via lenses arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area so that the side surface of the passing vehicle is accommodated and the optical axis is included in the laser beam scanning plane, the lens is arranged in the vertical direction of the road surface on the imaging plane of this lens. An image received on the line sensor and an image obtained on the line sensor are electrically detected, and the width of the vehicle is calculated based on the detection signal.

In the apparatus according to the second aspect and the method according to the eighteenth aspect, the laser beam is projected and scanned from both sides of the vehicle passage area in the vertical direction, and the reflected light is received on both sides of the vehicle passage area. Is calculated based on the vehicle width. A vehicle measuring device according to a third aspect of the present invention has both the configurations of the devices of the first and second aspects, and calculates the height and width of the vehicle.

According to the vehicle measuring device and the vehicle measuring method configured as described above, the installation is easy with a simple configuration,
Moreover, the vehicle specifications (vehicle height, vehicle width, vehicle length) with high accuracy at high speed
And the vehicle speed can be measured simultaneously.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on embodiments. FIG. 1 (partially omitted perspective view), FIG. 2 (front view viewed from the traveling direction side), and FIG. 3 (internal configuration viewed from the traveling direction side) of the vehicle measuring device according to one embodiment (claim 3). Front view). In this vehicle measurement device,
One light emitting means 1 and two light receiving means 2A, 2B arranged above the vehicle passing area (road surface) R, and a pair of light emitting means 3A, 3B and a pair arranged respectively on both sides of the road surface R Light receiving means 4A, 4B and light receiving means 2A, 2B, 4
A specification calculation means (not shown) for obtaining the height and width of the vehicle 90 passing on the road surface R based on the light receiving signals from A and 4B is provided.

The light projecting means 1 and the light receiving means 2A, 2B disposed above the road surface R are provided in a housing 10 mounted on a support frame (gantry) 11 disposed on the road surface R. The light projecting means 3A, 3B and the light receiving means 4A, 4B respectively disposed on both sides of the road are columns 12, 1 serving also as housings respectively installed on both sides of the road surface R.
3 are provided.

The upper light projecting means 1 includes a laser diode (LD) 20 as a laser light source, a light projecting lens 21 for converting laser light from the LD 20 into parallel light, and a parallel light in a direction transverse to the road surface R. A scanning mechanism having a polygon mirror 22 for optical scanning. This light emitting means 1 is provided on a road surface R.
Are arranged so as to be located substantially at the center in the transverse direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The laser beams L1 and L2 are set so that the laser beams L1 and L2 are divided into a front beam and a rear beam in the traveling direction of the vehicle 90 and emit pulses alternately. I have.

The upper light receiving means 2A and 2B are respectively provided with a light receiving lens 30 for condensing light reflected from the road surface R and the vehicle 90.
And a one-dimensional CCD as a line sensor that receives light
31. The light receiving units 2A and 2B are arranged on both sides of the light projecting unit 1 with an interval larger than the width of the vehicle 90 across the laser beam scanning area. Each light receiving lens 3
0 is positioned so that its optical axis is included in the laser beam scanning surface from the light projecting means 1 and accommodates the ceiling of the vehicle 90;
Each one-dimensional CCD 31 is positioned on the imaging surface of the light receiving lens 30 in a direction transverse to the road surface R.

Similarly, the light projecting means 3B (same for 3A) on both sides includes an LD 40, a light projecting lens 41 for converting the laser beam from the LD 40 into parallel light, and a polygon mirror for projecting and scanning the parallel light in the vertical direction. And a scanning mechanism having a scanning mechanism 42 and the like. The light projecting means 3A, 3B are arranged below the columns 12, 13. Light receiving means 4B on both sides (same for 4A)
Similarly includes a light receiving lens 50 for collecting light reflected from the road surface R and the vehicle 90, and a one-dimensional CCD 51 as a line sensor for receiving light collected. The light receiving means 4A, 4B
Are arranged on the upper portions of the columns 12 and 13. Each light receiving lens 50 is positioned so that its optical axis is included in the laser light scanning surface from the corresponding light projecting means 3A, 3B, and accommodates the side surface of the vehicle 90. It is positioned on the image plane in a direction perpendicular to the road surface R.

As shown in FIG. 3, the trajectory of the laser beam is projected from the upper beam projecting means 1 at a scanning angle sufficient to cover the ceiling of the vehicle 90.
Light reflected from the road surface R and the vehicle 90 is received by the light receiving means 2A and 2B. The laser beams from the light projecting means 3A and 3B on both sides are projected and scanned at a scanning angle sufficient to cover the side surface of the vehicle 90, and the reflected light from the road surface R and the vehicle 90 is reflected by the light receiving means 4A and 4B. Received.

The specification calculating means electrically detects an image obtained on the one-dimensional CCD 31 of the light receiving means 2A, 2B, obtains the height of the vehicle 90 based on the detection signal,
An image obtained on the one-dimensional CCD 51 of the light receiving means 4A, 4B is electrically detected, and the vehicle 90 is detected based on the detection signal.
Find the car width. The principle of measuring the vehicle height, vehicle length and vehicle speed is as follows. 5 (schematic configuration front view) and FIG. 6
In (signal processing block diagram), two LDs 20a,
20b is controlled by the timing signal generation circuit 60, and emits pulses alternately. An encoder (not shown) is integrally attached to the polygon mirror 22, and the scanning angle of the polygon mirror 22 is detected by the encoder.
1 is input to the arithmetic circuit 64. Each one-dimensional CCD 31 is also connected to the timing signal generating circuit 60, and the light receiving signal is supplied to the amplifying circuit 62 and the waveform shaping circuit 63, respectively.
, And is input to the arithmetic circuit 64. The arithmetic circuit 64
Using these signals, the vehicle height is calculated based on the triangulation method. However, in this case, based on the signal of the one-dimensional CCD 31 disposed on the upper right side when the right side of the lane is being scanned, the upper left side is projected when the left side of the lane is being scanned. The vehicle height is calculated based on the signal of the one-dimensional CCD 31 arranged in the above.

Then, the vehicle speed is calculated from the signals of the one-dimensional CCDs 31 corresponding to the two preceding and succeeding laser beams, and the vehicle length is calculated from the time when the vehicle passes through the two laser beams. It is desirable that the vehicle speed and the vehicle length are determined by comprehensively determining both the transit time at the head of the vehicle and the transit time at the tail. For example, it is calculated from the average value of the transit time at the head of the vehicle and the transit time at the tail, or calculated from the shorter of the transit time at the head of the vehicle and the transit time at the tail.

The principle of measuring the width of a vehicle is as follows.
In FIG. 7 (schematic configuration top view), FIG. 8 (schematic configuration plan view), and FIG.
And the one-dimensional CCD 51 are both timing signal generating circuits 70.
Connected to. An encoder (not shown) is integrally attached to each polygon mirror 42, and the scanning angle of the polygon mirror 42 is detected by the encoder. A signal 71 is input to an arithmetic circuit 72, and further another arithmetic circuit 7
5 is input. The light receiving signal from the one-dimensional CCD 51 is
The signals are input to the arithmetic circuit 72 via the amplifier circuit 73 and the waveform shaping circuit 74, respectively. The arithmetic circuit 75 includes an arithmetic circuit 72
The distance from the light projecting / receiving means 3A, 4A and 3B, 4B to the side surface of the vehicle 90 calculated based on the triangulation method using the signals from
The vehicle width is calculated based on the difference from the interval of 4B. In this case, since one vehicle is irradiated with the scanning laser light a plurality of times, a histogram is created based on the vehicle width data for each scan, and the vehicle width is calculated from the vehicle width class having the maximum frequency in the histogram. decide. By doing so, accurate vehicle width measurement can be performed even when the vehicle width is widely measured by a protrusion on the side of the vehicle in a certain scan.

Here, the number of scans N of the laser beam is determined by the following equation. N = L ÷ (vT) L: vehicle length, v: vehicle speed, T: scanning cycle As an example, vehicle length L: 5 m, vehicle speed v: 100 km / h,
When the scanning cycle is 25 ms, the number of scans N is 7 for one vehicle according to the above equation.

For reference, in FIG. 10, when the width of the vehicle 90 is measured by the ordinary beam scanning device 80,
Particularly when the shape of the vehicle 90 is curved as shown, the vehicle width measured by the beam scanning device 80 is W ₂ of the upper side of the vehicle 90, the actual vehicle width (the true value) W ₁ is However, there is difficulty in terms of accuracy.

[0022]

As described above, the vehicle measuring device and the vehicle measuring method of the present invention have the following effects. (1) According to the apparatus of claim 1 and the method of claim 17,
The height of the vehicle can be accurately measured in real time, and the configuration is simple and the installation is easy. (2) According to the apparatus of claim 2 and the method of claim 18,
The width of the vehicle can be accurately measured in real time, and the configuration is simple and the installation is easy. (3) According to the device of the third aspect, the height and width of the vehicle can be accurately measured in real time, and the configuration is simple and the installation is easy. (4) According to the apparatus of claims 1 to 3, since the photoelectric system is adopted, the influence of changes in temperature, rain, snow, wind, etc. is reduced, and the laser beam can be narrowed. Good detection.

Further, in the apparatus according to claims 1 to 3, by adopting the structure according to claims 4 to 16, the following effects can be obtained. (5) The laser light source (LD) can achieve a long life, a high output, and a high S / N ratio by emitting a pulse of laser light. (6) Even in the case of full equipment (Claim 3), since only three light emitting means and four light receiving means are required for one lane, the cost is reduced. (7) The line sensor of the light emitting means is composed of two array sensors, and the two array sensors are arranged at an interval wider than the vehicle width of the vehicle, so that the vehicle travels in the lane deviating to the left or right. The vehicle height can be stably measured even for a vehicle that is running or a vehicle such as a motorcycle that has a narrow vehicle width. (8) Since high-speed processing is possible, vehicle specifications can be measured with high accuracy even for high-speed vehicles. (9) Since it is not necessary to bury it on the road, maintenance and management are easy. (10) The vehicle width can be measured with high accuracy even for a vehicle having a relatively large curved side surface. (11) In general, if the vehicle specifications (vehicle height, vehicle width, vehicle length) are known from the above, the vehicle type can be identified based on the specifications. It can be applied to various applications such as calculation of rates, automation of toll collection work on toll roads, more efficient parking lot operation, and control of speeding vehicles.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle measuring device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the device.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration inside the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration in which the laser beam from the light emitting means
It is a side view which shows the case where main scanning is performed.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a case where the height of the vehicle is measured by the device.

FIG. 6 is a signal processing block diagram when the vehicle height is measured in the device.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing the case where the width of the vehicle is measured in the device.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a case where the width of the vehicle is measured in the same device.

FIG. 9 is a signal processing block diagram when the vehicle width is measured in the same device.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a case where the width of a vehicle is measured using a normal beam scanning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 3A, 3B Light projecting means 2A, 2B, 4A, 4B Light receiving means 20, 40 Laser diode (laser light source) 22, 42 Polygon mirror 30, 50 Light receiving lens 31, 51 One-dimensional CCD (line sensor) 90 Vehicle R Road surface

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A light projecting means which is disposed above a vehicle passage area and has a laser light source and a scanning mechanism for projecting and scanning a laser beam from the laser light source on a road surface in a transverse direction thereof, and above the vehicle passage area. And a lens whose optical axis is included in the laser light scanning surface from the light projecting means and which accommodates the ceiling of the vehicle passing on the road surface, and provided on the imaging surface of this lens in a direction transverse to the road surface. A light receiving means having a line sensor; and a specification calculating means for electrically detecting an image obtained on the line sensor via a lens of the light receiving means and calculating a vehicle height of the vehicle based on the detection signal. A vehicle measuring device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of said vehicle passage areas is disposed on both sides thereof.
A pair of light emitting means having a laser light source, and a scanning mechanism for projecting and scanning the laser light from the laser light source in the vertical direction; and a laser light source arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area and having an optical axis from the light emitting means. A pair of light receiving means having a lens included in the light scanning surface and containing a side surface portion of a vehicle passing on a road surface, and a line sensor provided on the image forming surface of the lens in a direction perpendicular to the road surface; A vehicle measurement device for electrically detecting an image obtained on a line sensor via a lens of the means, and calculating a vehicle width of the vehicle based on the detection signal. 3. A light projecting means which is disposed above a vehicle passage area and has a laser light source, and a scanning mechanism for projecting and scanning a laser beam from the laser light source on a road surface in a transverse direction thereof, and above the vehicle passage area. A lens that has an optical axis included in the laser light scanning surface from the upper light projecting means and accommodates a ceiling of a vehicle passing on a road surface, and is provided on an image forming surface of the lens in a direction transverse to the road surface. Light receiving means having a line sensor, and a laser light source arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area,
And a pair of light emitting means having a scanning mechanism for projecting and scanning the laser light from the laser light source in the vertical direction; and laser light from the light emitting means on both sides arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area, respectively. A pair of light receiving means having a lens included in a scanning surface and for accommodating a side surface portion of the vehicle, and a line sensor provided in a direction perpendicular to a road surface on an image forming surface of the lens; and a lens of the upper light receiving means. The image obtained on the line sensor is electrically detected, and the vehicle height of the vehicle is obtained based on the detection signal, and the image obtained on the line sensor via the lens of the pair of light receiving means on both sides is obtained. A vehicle measurement device comprising: electrical detection means for calculating the vehicle width of the vehicle based on the detection signal; 4. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the upper light projecting means projects and scans a plurality of laser beams back and forth with respect to a traveling direction of the vehicle. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein there are two laser beams from the upper light projecting means, and each of the laser beams is divided into a front stage beam and a rear stage beam and emits pulses alternately. Vehicle measuring device. 6. A line sensor of said upper light receiving means, wherein:
5. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of array sensors, wherein the one array sensor receives the reflected light from the plurality of laser beams. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the line sensor of the upper light receiving means comprises a plurality of array sensors.
Or the vehicle measuring device according to claim 3. 8. A line sensor of said upper light receiving means,
And the two array sensors sandwich the laser light scanning area from the upper light projecting means,
The vehicle measuring device according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle measuring device is arranged at an interval larger than a vehicle width of the vehicle. 9. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the laser beams from the pair of light projecting means on both sides emit pulses in synchronization with emission timing. 10. A vehicle width is determined by comprehensively judging vehicle width data for the number of times of scanning of a vehicle calculated using a vehicle speed, a vehicle length and a scanning cycle. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specification calculating means creates a histogram based on the vehicle width data for each scan, and determines the vehicle width from the vehicle width class having the maximum frequency in the histogram. Item 11. The vehicle measuring device according to Item 10. 12. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 10, wherein said vehicle speed and vehicle length are obtained by said vehicle measuring device. 13. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said specification calculating means determines a vehicle speed and a vehicle length by comprehensively judging both a transit time at a head of the vehicle and a transit time at a rear end of the vehicle. Item 4. The vehicle measuring device according to Item 3. 14. The vehicle measuring apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said specification calculating means obtains a vehicle speed and a vehicle length from an average value of a passing time at a head of the vehicle and a passing time at a tail of the vehicle. 15. The vehicle measurement system according to claim 13, wherein said specification calculating means obtains the vehicle speed and the vehicle length from the shorter one of the transit time at the head of the vehicle and the transit time at the rear of the vehicle. apparatus. 16. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting means emits a pulse light, and a light emission cycle of said pulse light emission is changed based on a vehicle speed obtained by said vehicle measuring device. The vehicle measuring device according to claim 3. 17. A laser beam is projected and scanned from above the vehicle passage area on the road surface in the transverse direction, and the reflected light is scanned by the laser axis so as to accommodate the ceiling of the vehicle passing on the road surface. Through a lens arranged above the vehicle passage area so as to be included in the plane, light is received by a line sensor arranged in a direction transverse to the road surface on the image forming plane of this lens, and an image obtained on the line sensor is electrically transmitted. Detecting a vehicle height of the vehicle based on the detected signal. 18. A laser beam is projected and scanned from both sides of a vehicle passage area in the vertical direction, and the reflected light is applied to the side of the vehicle passing on the road surface and the optical axis is directed to the laser light scanning plane. Through the lenses arranged on both sides of the vehicle passage area so as to be included, light is received by a line sensor arranged in the direction perpendicular to the road surface on the imaging surface of this lens, and an image obtained on the line sensor is electrically detected. Calculating a vehicle width of the vehicle based on the detection signal.