JPH10212838A - Retrieval device of car in mechanical parking equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a retrieval device of cars which reduces the waiting time of the delivery of user's car and also reduces the maintenance cost of the mechanical parking equipment. SOLUTION: This retrieval device 1 of cars is provided with. TV cameras 3a, 3b, 3c, an image input changeover device 5, a frame memory 7, and an image display 9. The TV cameras 3a, 3b send images within respective ranges 4a, 4b in accordance with driving-in of a car into the well bucket type parking equipment. The image of the car is stored in a frame memory 7 as standstill image data and reproduced and displayed by an image display 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car retrieval system for a mechanical parking facility, and more particularly to a car retrieval apparatus for a so-called multi-stage parking facility in which pallets on which vehicles are mounted are arranged in at least two stages. The present invention relates to a vehicle search device of a mechanical parking facility for searching.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a multi-stage parking facility will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C show an upper surface of a Turbey parking facility 1 which is one form of a multi-stage parking facility.
The front and side views are shown. FIG.
Referring to (b) and (c), a half block A provided with pallets A1 and A2 on which three vehicles can be mounted, respectively, and a half block B provided with similar pallets B1 and B2. . One block is formed by the half block A and the half block B.

[0003] Pallets A1, A2 and pallets B1, B2
Perform a lifting operation by an operation of an operator or the like. In particular, in the case of this embodiment, when the pallets A1 and A2 literally rise, the pallets B1 and B2
Falls, and conversely, when the pallets A1 and A2 descend, the pallets B1 and B2 rise. As shown by the arrow 34 from the entry surface 33, the vehicle enters and exits from the vehicle.
Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 13B, the vehicles are stored in the pallets A1 and B2, and the vehicles mounted on those pallets are discharged.

[0004] Since the pallet B1 is located in the underground pit 35 below the entry surface 33, the entry surface 3
No one can see the car from 3

Next, a specific description will be given of the entry and exit of vehicles in the multi-stage parking facility. First, pallet A
The positions of 1, 1, A2, B1, and B2 and the mounted vehicle are shown in FIG.
It is assumed that the state shown in FIG. Attempt to get one vehicle in from there. In this case, the vehicle enters the empty space of the pallet A1, and as shown in FIG.
The vehicle C1 is placed on the pallet A1. Next, one more vehicle is to be stored in this state. In the state shown in FIG. 15, since vehicles are all mounted on the pallets A1 and B2, a new vehicle cannot be mounted.

Therefore, the operator raises the pallets B1 and B2 of the half block B in order to store the vehicle in the empty space of the pallet B1 located in the underground pit 35. At the same time, pallet A of half block A
1, A2 descends to the state shown in FIG. In this state, the vehicle is stored, and a new vehicle C2 is placed on the pallet B1 as shown in FIG. The vehicle is stored as described above.

On the other hand, when the vehicle is to be taken out of the vehicle, a specific vehicle is taken out of the vehicle by placing the pallet on which the vehicle to be taken out is placed on the entry surface. In recent large-scale parking facilities, a plurality of blocks of the above-mentioned truve-type parking facilities are arranged and configured.

[0008]

However, the above-described truve-type parking facility has the following problems particularly when the vehicle is to be taken out of the parking lot.

[0009] In a large-scale parking lot having a plurality of blocks of a truve-type parking facility, if the user forgets the number of the block into which the vehicle has been stored, the user needs to find his or her vehicle. . At this time, the user had to find his or her vehicle directly in the large-scale parking facility.

However, for example, as shown in FIG.
When the vehicle is located in the underground pit 35 like the vehicle C1, the vehicle C1
Can not confirm. For this reason, it has been necessary to request the operator for each truve type parking facility to perform the pallet lifting operation and to search for and confirm the vehicle. In such a condition, the user often suffered a mental panic.

As a result, there is a case where useless time is spent until the vehicle leaves the vehicle. Further, in order to confirm the search for a vehicle, the number of operators may be increased, and the maintenance cost of the equipment, such as power consumption, may increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and particularly when a vehicle is taken out of a mechanical parking facility, a user's vehicle is immediately searched for, and the anxiety of the user is eliminated. An object of the present invention is to provide a car search device for a mechanical parking facility that shortens the time required for exiting a warehouse and reduces the maintenance cost of the mechanical parking facility.

[0013]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a car retrieval system for a mechanical parking facility, comprising: a plurality of pallets arranged at least in two or more stages on which a vehicle is placed at a vehicle entrance; Mechanical parking for retrieving vehicles stored in a mechanical parking facility having pallet driving means for giving a plurality of pallets a lifting operation or a lifting operation and a traversing operation, and pallet driving control means for controlling the pallet driving means A vehicle search device for equipment, comprising: a photographing unit; an image data control unit; and an image display unit. The photographing means sequentially photographs the vehicles entering the vehicle at the vehicle entrance, and converts the photographed still images of the vehicles into image data. The image data control means is connected to the photographing means and stores and controls still image data. The image display means is connected to the image data control means and reproduces and displays still image data.

According to this configuration, the vehicle entering the vehicle entrance is sequentially photographed by the photographing means, and the photographed image is converted into still image data. The still image data is sent to the image data control means and stored. The stored still image data is reproduced and displayed by the image display means. Thereby, the entered vehicle is easily confirmed. As a result, the anxiety of the user is resolved,
It is possible to greatly reduce the time that the user waits before leaving the vehicle. Further, since unnecessary operation of the mechanical parking facility is eliminated, it is possible to reduce maintenance costs, such as reducing the number of operators and suppressing power consumption.

[0015] Preferably, the image data control means is connected to the pallet drive control means, and the warehousing is photographed by the photographing means based on a predetermined signal output from the pallet drive control means when the vehicle is parked. The image data of the specified vehicle is input, and the image data of the specific vehicle is output to the image display means.

In this case, the image data of the vehicle is input to the image data control means when the vehicle is stored based on the signal of the pallet drive control means. Further, a still image of the specific vehicle is displayed by the image display means. This allows
The operation of the operator or the like can be simplified, can be managed with the minimum number of people, and the maintenance cost of the mechanical parking equipment can be reduced.

Preferably, a television camera, a frame shutter camera or a digital camera is used as the photographing means, and a frame memory, a video capture board or an IC card is used as the means for storing image data.

These are all commercially available, and can be easily used without requiring a large capital investment.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 A car search device (hereinafter, referred to as “car search device”) of a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, first, a Turbe-type parking facility 31 described in the section of the prior art is applied as a multi-stage parking facility. The car search device 1 includes television cameras 3a, 3b,
3c, an image input switching device 5, a frame memory 7, and an image display device 9.

The TV camera 3 a
In one half block A, an image is taken in a dotted range 4a near the vehicle entrance / exit opening located on the entry surface 33.
Similarly, the television camera 3b captures an image in the dotted range 4b near the vehicle entrance in half block B. In addition, the television camera 3c takes an image of the vicinity of a vehicle entrance / exit (not shown) of another half block. For example, TV camera 3
a sequentially scans the subject within the photographing range 4a and outputs it to the image input switching device 5 as an analog image signal. In the case of Japan, this analog signal is NTSC (National Te
levision System Committee).

The image signal input to the image input switching device 5 is converted into a digital signal. One image (still image) composed of 525 scanning lines called a frame is stored as image data in a frame memory 7 which is a dedicated storage means. The image data stored in the frame memory 7 is displayed as a still image on a CRT, for example, as the image display device 9. The image input switching device 5 is electrically connected to the operation panel 11 that controls pallet driving means (not shown) of the truve-type parking facility 31, and inputs a predetermined signal.

Next, the operation will be described based on the state of the truve type parking facility. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a series of flows when the vehicle enters the warehouse. FIG. 3 shows a truve-type parking facility 31.
1 shows an example of the arrangement of vehicles in FIG. In this state, it is assumed that the user has just put his / her vehicle C1 into the pallet A1. In addition, the pallet B1 of the half block B is hidden in the underground pit and cannot be seen from the entrance side.

In this state, another user tries to enter his or her vehicle. At this time, there is an empty space only in pallet B1. Then, the operator turns on a switch for raising the pallets B1 and B2 of the half block B on the operation panel 11 as shown by S1 in FIG. A signal to that effect is input to the image input switching device 5, and as shown in S2,
Switching to an image signal captured by the television camera 3a. That is, the vehicle C within the photographing range 4a of the half block A
The image signals are switched to the image signals of all vehicles including 1.

Next, the image signal photographed by the television camera 3a is converted into a digital signal as shown in S3 and stored in a frame memory as image data of a frame (still image).

When the storage of the image data shown in S4 is completed, the operation of raising the pallets B1, B2 of the half block B shown in FIG. At this time, the pallets A1 and A of the half block A
2 starts the lowering operation. As shown in S6, when the pallets B1 and B2 have been lifted, a series of flows upon entry of the vehicle is completed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle C2 of another user is stored in the empty space of the pallet B1. Thereafter, the first user attempts to leave his / her vehicle C1. In this state, since the vehicle C1 is hidden in the underground pit, it cannot be confirmed from the entrance surface. Therefore, the vehicle C1 stored in the frame memory as image data at the time of entry to the warehouse is confirmed as a still image on a CRT (not shown) or the like.

At this time, in a large-scale parking facility in which a large number of such parking facilities are installed, for example, a block number or the like of the parking facility in which the vehicle to be taken out is entered is input to the vehicle search device. It is desirable to identify specific vehicles hidden in underground pits. Even if the user forgets the block number, his vehicle can be easily found by sequentially checking the still images stored in the frame memory.

As a result, the user's anxiety is eliminated, and the time for which the user has to wait before leaving the vehicle can be greatly reduced. In addition, since unnecessary operation for vehicle confirmation is eliminated, power consumption is suppressed, management can be performed with a minimum number of operators, and maintenance costs for parking facilities can be reduced.

After the first user confirms that his vehicle C1 is located in the underground pit, the operator turns on the switches for raising the pallets A1 and A2 on the operation panel 11. Thereafter, in accordance with a flow similar to the flow shown in FIG. 2, data of a still image of the vehicle stored in the pallet B2 including the vehicle C2 is stored.

As shown in FIG. 5, the operation of lifting the pallets A1 and A2 is completed, and the user can leave the vehicle C1. Thereafter, when another user leaves the vehicle C2, the vehicle C2 is in the underground pit. Therefore, as in the case of the first user, the vehicle C2 can be confirmed as a still image on a CRT or the like, and the vehicle C2 can be left in a short time.

As described above, even when the user's vehicle is in the underground pit, the user can confirm the still image on a CRT or the like, so that the user can be freed from mental anxiety and can spend time waiting before leaving the vehicle. It can be greatly reduced. This also has the advantage that the user does not have to pay extra parking fees. On the other hand, in parking facilities, while minimizing the number of operators,
Wasted labor and power consumption can be suppressed, and maintenance costs for parking facilities can be reduced.

Second Embodiment A car retrieval device for a mechanical parking facility according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 6, the basic configuration is almost the same as that described in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the car search device 1 uses frame shutter type CCD cameras 13a, 13b, 13c, which are a kind of CCD camera, as photographing means. CC
D denotes a charge coupled device, which is an element for storing and transferring light captured by the light receiving unit as electric charges by photoelectric conversion. In addition, the vehicle search device 1 has an image input switching device 5 and an image display device 9.

In the case of a frame shutter type camera, an electronic shutter has a function of controlling the exposure time by electronically varying the charge accumulation time of the electric charge. Can be captured. Also, an IC card that stores the still image as image data can be used. As an example of such a frame shutter type camera, a TI-150A
A series (made by NEC) can be applied.

The capture of the still image data of the vehicle to be stored is performed according to the same flow as that described in the first embodiment. Therefore, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained when the vehicle search device is applied.

Third Embodiment A car retrieval device for a mechanical parking facility according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 7, the car search device 1 includes a television camera 3a, 3b, 3c, an image input switching device 5, a personal computer 15, and an image display device 9. The personal computer 15 is provided with a dedicated expansion card called a video capture board for storing still or moving image data. in this case,
Image signals captured by the television cameras 3a, 3b, 3c are stored as still image data.

In the present embodiment, still image data of a vehicle to be stored is taken in according to the same flow as that described in the first embodiment. as a result,
The same effect as the effect described in the first embodiment can be obtained.

Fourth Embodiment A vehicle retrieval device for a mechanical parking facility according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The vehicle search device 1 includes digital cameras 16a, 16b and 16c as photographing means, a personal computer 15 as image data control means, an image input switching device 5a, and an image display device 9. The image input switching device 5a includes a personal computer 15 and a digital camera 16
RS-23 that relays signals between a, 16b and 16c
It has a 2C interface.

Digital cameras 16a, 16b, 16c
Is a kind of CCD camera like the frame shutter type camera. It is cheaper than a frame shutter type camera, and is a camera that has recently become popular for general use. For this reason, it is also possible to suppress new capital investment when introducing the car search device. This digital camera can also use an IC card as a memory. As an example of a digital camera, a QV-100 series (manufactured by Casio) can be applied.

The RS-232C interface is an interface for performing data communication between a personal computer and a related device via a modem (not shown).
onicIndustries Association) Standard RS-232
It is standardized by In the case of this configuration, a photographing instruction to the digital camera, a storage instruction of still image data, etc.
It is controlled by the personal computer 15.

Also in the case of the present embodiment, the capture of the still image data of the vehicle to be parked is basically the same as the flow described in the first embodiment. In this case, when the parking facility is in the state shown in FIG. 3, a command signal for photographing the photographing range 4a of the digital camera 16a is output from the personal computer 15 based on a predetermined signal from the driving panel 11, and the still image data is 16a.

In order to search for the vehicle C1 from the state shown in FIG. 4, a block number or the like is input from the personal computer 15 and the digital camera 16a corresponding to the position of the block is input.
To send a still image data reproduction command signal to the CPU. The digital camera 16a that has received this sends predetermined still image data to the personal computer 15. The image data is generated by the image display device.

Thus, the search for the vehicle is easily performed, and the same effect as that described in the first embodiment can be obtained. Here, the case where the connection between the personal computer 15 and each digital camera is performed via the RS-232C interface has been described. Alternatively, the connection may be through a DV still image capture board that captures a digital image signal. Moreover, you may be via infrared communication (IrDA).

By the way, in the first to fourth embodiments, as the multi-stage parking facility, a truve-type parking facility in which three pallets on which three vehicles can be placed is arranged in two levels is taken as an example. As shown in (a) and (b), the vehicle search device can be similarly applied to a configuration in which only one pallet A1 and A2 are placed in two stages.

Further, as a multi-stage parking facility, there is a mode shown in FIGS. This is a type called a multi-stage lifting / lowering traversing pit system.

Fifth Embodiment Next, a description will be given of a vehicle search device applied to a multi-stage lifting / lowering pit type parking device as a vehicle search device for a mechanical parking device according to a fifth embodiment.

First, a description will be given of a parking facility of a three-stage vertical traverse pit type. Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, the lowermost row and the uppermost row each have three pallets P
1 to P3 and pallets P6 to P8 are provided. In the middle stage, two pallets P4 and P5 are provided. The pallets P4 and P5 can move only in the horizontal direction. Pallet P4, pallet P5
P3, P6 ~ P8 by the raising and lowering operation, the entry surface 33
Thus, the vehicle is moved into and out of each pallet.

Next, a description will be given of a car search device applied to parking equipment of a three-stage lifting / lowering transverse pit system with reference to the drawings. In this case, since the middle pallet performs a traversing operation, it is necessary to provide a photographing means for each pallet located on the entry surface.

That is, with reference to FIG.
Denotes the television cameras 3a, 3b, 3c, and the frame memory 7.
a, 7b, 7c, an image dividing device 17, an image display device 9, and a search scroll button 18. Each of the television cameras 3a, 3b, and 3c captures an image in the capturing range 4a, 4b, and 4c indicated by a dotted frame.

Next, the operation will be described based on the state of the parking facility. The basic flow is the same as the flow described in the first embodiment. 11 and 12
With reference to (a) and (b), the positions of the positions (individual fixed positions) T1 to T9 and the respective pallets (movements) P1 to P8 in the parking facility are taken as shown in FIG. That is, pallets P1 to P3 are located at lower positions T1 to T3,
The pallets P4 and P5 are located at ＴT6, and the pallets P6 and P8 are located at the upper positions T7 to T9. In addition, at the position T5,
Neither pallet is located.

In this state, the user attempts to enter his / her vehicle. Therefore, the operator lowers the pallet P7 at the position T8 to the position T5. And FIG.
As shown in (b), the vehicle C1 is stored on the pallet P7. Next, in this state, another user attempts to enter his / her vehicle. At this time, the pallet P
4, P7 and P5 are located, and the empty pallet P3 is located at the lower position T3. Therefore, the operator raises the pallet P7 and starts the operation of moving the pallet P5 to the left side of the drawing on the operation panel in order to raise the pallet P3 to the entry surface position T6.

The television camera 3b of the vehicle search device 1 photographs the vehicle C1 according to a predetermined signal from the operation panel. The captured image is stored in the frame memory 7b as still image data. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12C, the pallet P3 is located on the entry surface, and the vehicle C2 is stored.

Next, the first user attempts to leave his / her vehicle C1. At this time, the vehicle is confirmed by reproducing and displaying the still image data stored in the frame memory. In the case of the present parking facility, since the still image data of the vehicle is stored for each pallet on the entrance surface, it is desirable to collectively reproduce and display the vehicles at the same level among the stored still image data. That is, for example, FIG.
In the state shown in (c), the vehicles located at the uppermost stage including the vehicle C1 are displayed collectively.

As a result, the vehicle can be checked more quickly. In the case of a large-scale parking facility having a large number of steps, it is desirable to provide a search scroll button 18 for scrolling the screen in order to reproduce and display the vehicles at each step. If the number of steps is relatively small, the vehicles of all steps may be reproduced and displayed.

Also in the present embodiment, the vehicle search devices described in the second to fourth embodiments may be applied.

As described above, the user can easily confirm his / her vehicle and can leave the vehicle in a short time.
Needless to say, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained.

It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the range described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a car search device of a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation flow in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of vehicles in a state where parking facilities are provided in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an arrangement of vehicles in a state next to the state shown in FIG. 3 in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement of vehicles in a state next to the state shown in FIG. 4 in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a car search device for a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a car search device of a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a car search device for a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 9A is a front view showing another example of the mechanical parking facility, and FIG. 9B is a side view thereof.

FIG. 10A is a front view showing still another example of the mechanical parking facility, and FIG. 10B is a side view thereof.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle searching device for a mechanical parking facility according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

FIG. 12A is a diagram showing an arrangement of vehicles in a state where there is a mechanical parking facility in the embodiment;
(B) is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of the vehicle in the state following the state shown to (a), (c) is a figure which shows the arrangement | positioning of the vehicle in the state next to the state shown to (b).

13A is a top view illustrating an example of a multi-stage parking facility, FIG. 13B is a front view thereof, and FIG. 13C is a side view thereof.

FIG. 14 is a first diagram showing an arrangement of vehicles for explaining the operation of the multi-stage parking facility.

FIG. 15 is a second diagram showing the arrangement of vehicles for explaining the operation of the multi-stage parking facility.

FIG. 16 is a third diagram showing the arrangement of vehicles for explaining the operation of the multi-stage parking facility.

FIG. 17 is a fourth diagram showing the arrangement of vehicles for explaining the operation of the multi-stage parking facility.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 car search device 3a, 3b, 3c TV camera 4a, 4b, 4c shooting range 5 image input switching device 7, 7a, 7b, 7c frame memory 9 image display device 11 driving board 13a, 13b, 13c frame shutter type camera 15 personal computer 16a, 16b, 16c Digital camera 17 Image segmentation device 31 Truve parking system

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of pallets, at least two or more tiers, on which a vehicle is mounted at a vehicle entrance / exit, and a pallet driving means for performing an ascending / descending operation or an ascending / descending operation and a traverse operation on the plurality of pallets And a pallet drive control means for controlling the pallet drive means.A car retrieval device of a mechanical parking facility for retrieving a vehicle that has entered a mechanical parking facility, comprising: A photographing means for sequentially photographing the incoming vehicles and converting the photographed image of the vehicle into image data; an image data control means connected to the photographing means for storing and controlling the image data; and An image display unit connected to the data control unit and configured to reproduce and display the image data; 2. The image data control means is connected to the pallet drive control means, and based on a predetermined signal output from the pallet drive control means when the vehicle is parked, the image data control means is connected to the pallet drive control means. 2. The image data of a vehicle that has been taken and stored is input, and image data of a specific vehicle is output to the image display means.
A vehicle search device for the mechanical parking facility described in the above. 3. The apparatus for searching a car for a mechanical parking facility according to claim 1, wherein a television camera is used as said photographing means. 4. As means for storing the image data,
The vehicle search device for a mechanical parking facility according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle search device uses a frame memory. 5. As means for storing the image data,
The vehicle search device for a mechanical parking facility according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a video capture board is used. 6. The car search device of a mechanical parking facility according to claim 1, wherein a frame shutter camera is used as the photographing unit. 7. The car search device for a mechanical parking facility according to claim 1, wherein a digital camera is used as the photographing unit. 8. As means for storing the image data,
The vehicle search device for a mechanical parking facility according to claim 6, wherein an IC card is used.