JPH10320527A - Type discrimination device and vehicle driver leading and guiding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically discriminate the type of a tire with no application of a visual method by recognizing a tread pattern based on the image of the tire and discriminating the type of the tire based on the features of the tread pattern. SOLUTION: Receiving a vehicle detection signal, an image processing/ deciding part 30 outputs an image input command and actuates an image pickup part to acquire the image information. An image segmentation block 31 specifies the horizontal direction of a tire based on the continuity of color tones, etc., and segments the image of a tire part. A tread pattern generation block 32 specifies the recessing and projecting surfaces of the tire to recognize a tread pattern based on the color tone difference of the segmented image of the tire part. Based on the recognized tread pattern, a recessing/projecting surface area ratio calculation block 33, a translot area ratio calculation block 34 and a translot line length ratio calculation block 35 calculate a recessing/projecting surface area ratio, a translot area ratio and a translot line length ratio respectively. Then, a tire type discrimination block 36 discriminates the type of the tire based on those calculated ratios.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tire type discriminating apparatus for automatically discriminating the type of a tire. In addition, the present invention automatically determines the type of tire, and provides guidance and guidance to the vehicle driver based on the determination result.
Related to guidance devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a problem in terms of safety when a vehicle wearing ordinary vehicle tires travels on a road in a snowfall area or on uneven ground. Therefore, at the entrance of roads and irregular ground, etc. in snowfall areas, vehicles with normal tires,
It is necessary to provide guidance, warning or guidance for mounting the chain. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the type of tires worn by a vehicle has been visually determined to provide guidance and guidance to a vehicle driver.

[0003]

The places where traffic is restricted by recognizing the types of tires are generally inconvenient for traffic, and there is a problem that it is difficult to arrange personnel. In addition, when it is necessary to determine the type of tires, it is a severe natural phenomenon during the day and night, and the deterioration of working conditions such as night work in cold weather becomes a problem, and it becomes difficult to secure personnel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tire type discriminating apparatus for automatically discriminating the type of a tire without visual observation. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle driver guidance / guidance device that determines the type of tire and provides guidance / guidance to the vehicle driver.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is formed as follows. (1) A tire type determination device of the present invention includes an image input unit that captures an image including a tire of a vehicle, a tread pattern recognition unit that recognizes a tread pattern from the captured image of the tire, and a tread pattern recognition unit that recognizes the tread pattern. And a type determining unit that determines the type of the tire from the characteristic. (2) The vehicle guidance / guidance device of the present invention includes a guidance / guidance unit that provides guidance / guidance to the vehicle driver according to the determination result of the tire type determination device described in (1). It is characterized by the following.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle driver guidance / guidance device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 also shows the vehicle 100 together with the vehicle driver guidance / guidance device 10. Vehicle 100
The image capturing unit 20 that captures an image of the tire 101 is an image input unit 1
1 through an image processing / determination unit 30 that recognizes the tread pattern of the tire 101 and determines the type of the tire 101
It is connected to the. The imaging unit 20 includes an image input camera 21 and a light 22 as shown in FIG. Further, a vehicle detection unit 12 that determines that the tire 101 of the vehicle 100 has entered the detection surface is connected to the image processing / determination unit 30.

The image processing / discriminating unit 30 includes a discriminating signal output unit 4
Connected to 0. Further, the discrimination signal output unit 40 is connected to the visual display unit 41, the sound generation unit 42, and the vehicle guidance unit 43, respectively.

The image input camera 21 is adjusted so that the contact surface of the tire 101 is located at the center in the vertical direction of the image to be picked up. Next, the operation will be described. First, when the tire 101 of the vehicle 100 comes to the detection surface, the vehicle detection unit 12 outputs a vehicle detection signal to the image processing / determination unit 30. Upon receiving the vehicle detection signal, the image processing / determination unit 30 outputs an image input command to the image input unit 11. The image input unit 11 receives the image input command, and
The image input camera 21 and the illumination 22 are operated to output image information to the image processing / determination unit 30 together with an image acquisition signal.

The image processing / determining section 30 determines the type of the tire 101 from the image. A more specific determination operation of the image processing / determination unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG. First,
Image information is input to the image cutout block 31. Since the image information includes not only the tire but also its peripheral image, the image cutout block 31 specifies the lateral direction of the tire from the continuity of the color tone. Then, after specifying the tire in the horizontal direction, the image cutout block 31 specifies the vertical direction of the tire by cutting out a necessary and sufficient portion from the center in the vertical direction of the image, and cuts out the image of the tire portion.

Then, the tire pattern generation block 32 specifies the uneven surface of the tire 101 from the cut-out tire portion image and recognizes the tread pattern. Since the tire 101 is illuminated at the time of shooting, an appropriate color tone difference appears in the tire portion image at a portion corresponding to the concave surface and the convex surface of the tire 101. Then, the tread pattern generation block 32 recognizes the tread pattern by specifying the concave and convex surfaces of the tire based on the color tone difference of the cut-out tire portion image, and calculates the uneven surface area ratio calculation block 33 and the lateral groove area ratio calculation. Output to the block 34 and the horizontal groove line length ratio calculation block 35.

From the recognized tread pattern, the uneven surface area ratio calculating block 33 calculates the uneven surface area ratio, the lateral groove area ratio calculating block 34 calculates the horizontal groove area ratio, and the horizontal groove line length ratio calculating block 35 calculates the horizontal groove line length ratio. Asked,
The results are output to the tire type determination block 36. The tire type determination block 36 includes an uneven surface area ratio,
The type of the tire is determined from the lateral groove area ratio and the lateral groove line length ratio.

In general, a tire for normal running has a large convex surface area ratio, and a tire having a large gripping force such as a snow tire or a rough road tire has a small convex surface area ratio. Therefore, the type of tire can be determined from the uneven surface area ratio, the lateral groove area ratio, and the lateral groove line length ratio.

Each block of the image processing / discriminating unit 30 is performed by a single programmable operation device or a plurality of programmable operation devices due to the restriction of operation time.

Then, the image processing / determination unit 30 outputs a tire determination signal corresponding to the type of the tire to the tire type determination signal output unit 40. Tire type signal output unit 40
Outputs, to the visual display unit 41 and the sound generation unit 42, whether or not traffic is possible, instructions for attaching / detaching a chain or the like, selection of a safety message to the driver, etc., according to the type of tire. If necessary, the vehicle 100 is forcibly guided by a vehicle guidance device 43 such as a circuit breaker.

The vehicle driver guidance / guidance device of the present embodiment can discriminate the type of tire from the tread pattern and automatically provide guidance / guidance to the vehicle driver based on the discrimination result. In addition, the type of tire is visually determined,
In addition, since there is no need for the operator to provide guidance and guidance to the vehicle driver, it is possible to improve working conditions and save labor. In addition, this vehicle driver guidance / guidance device allows unmanned or small number of tires to be used for tire discrimination and guidance /
Guidance can be provided around the clock. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, by recognizing the tread pattern of the tire, the type of the tire can be automatically determined without visual observation. Also,
It is possible to automatically provide guidance and guidance to the vehicle driver based on the determination result of the tire type.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a tire type determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an imaging unit and a tread pattern image input unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a tire tread pattern image processing / determination unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 vehicle driver guidance / guidance device 11 image input unit 12 vehicle detection unit 20 imaging unit 21 image input camera 22 lighting 30 image processing / determination unit (tread pattern recognition unit, type determination unit) 31 image cutout block 32 tread pattern generation Block 33 Irregular surface area ratio calculation block 34 Horizontal groove area ratio calculation block 35 Horizontal groove line length ratio calculation block 36 Tire type determination block 40 Tire type determination signal output unit (guidance / guide unit) 41 Visual display unit (guidance / guide unit) 42 Voice generating unit (guidance / guidance unit) 43 Vehicle guidance unit (guidance / guidance unit) 100 Vehicle 101 Tire

Claims (2)

[Claims] An image input unit for capturing an image including a tire of a vehicle, a tread pattern recognition unit for recognizing a tread pattern from the captured image of the tire, and a type for determining a type of the tire from the recognized tread pattern A tire type determination device, comprising: a determination unit. 2. A vehicle driver, comprising: a guidance / guidance unit that provides guidance / guidance to a vehicle driver according to the determination result of the tire type determination device according to claim 1. Guidance and guidance equipment.