JPH11288496A - Vehicle shape measuring device and vehicle width measuring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce costs, and to simplify setting construction by simplifying the constitution. SOLUTION: One scanning type range means L for scanning in the width direction of a traveling road R from the upper part is set at the upper part of the side part of the traveling road R. Then, a data processing part 1 for obtaining vehicle width and vehicle height by processing range data obtained by the scanning type range means L obtains the vehicle width by executing an arithmetic operation for compensating data corresponding to the side face shape at the side opposite to a vehicle M based on data corresponding to the shape of the vehicle side face part at the side to be scanned. The arithmetic operation for obtaining the vehicle width can be independently executed differently from the measurement of the vehicle height.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle shape measuring device for measuring the width and height of a vehicle on a traveling road by using a distance measuring means such as a scanning laser sensor, and a measuring device for measuring the vehicle width. About the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At the entrance of a toll road or a parking facility, a vehicle shape measuring device for measuring a vehicle width and a vehicle height is installed for discriminating a type of an entering vehicle.

[0003] As this vehicle shape measuring device, there is a device which measures a vehicle width and a vehicle height by using a scanning distance measuring means such as a scanning laser sensor.

A scanning laser sensor is also called a laser radar, and irradiates a laser in each scanning direction to detect a reflection time for each irradiation direction, and obtains data indicating a distance to an object and distance measurement data. What you get.

[0005] In the vehicle shape measuring device, the laser sensor is installed above the traveling path of the vehicle, and scans the traveling path in the width direction from above. At this time, if there is a vehicle on the traveling path, the upper surface and the side surface of the vehicle are irradiated with laser, and distance measurement data to each of these surface portions is obtained. From this distance measurement data, the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle can be determined, and the vehicle width and height can be measured.

[0006]

However, when only one laser sensor as described above is installed above the traveling path, a shadowed portion and a portion not irradiated with the laser are formed.

[0007] For example, if the installation example of FIG. 6, if you look at the laser sensor L ₁ at the left end, but the laser is irradiated to the side surface portion of the upper surface portion and the left side of the vehicle M, the right side of the vehicle M The part is shaded and the laser is not irradiated.

As described above, in scanning by one laser sensor, at least one side surface of the vehicle M is shadowed.
Since the distance measurement data cannot be obtained for the side portion that becomes a shadow, the shape of the side portion cannot be determined, and the vehicle width cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in the conventional vehicle shape measuring device, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of laser sensors L ₁ , L ₂ , L ₃ are distributed and arranged in the width direction above the traveling path R. Vehicle M
The laser is irradiated not only on the upper surface but also on both side surfaces. In this way, there is no side portion that is shadowed by the laser irradiation, whereby an accurate cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M can be obtained, and the vehicle width can be measured.

[0010] However, the scanning laser sensor itself is expensive, and if a plurality of such sensors are installed, the cost increases.

In order to control a plurality of laser sensors collectively or to process distance measurement data from the plurality of laser sensors in a consistent manner, an advanced system is required, and the system configuration becomes complicated. Not only that, this also increases costs.

Furthermore, in order to disperse and arrange a plurality of laser sensors in the width direction, it is necessary to install a gantry 20 that straddles the traveling path as shown in the figure, which places restrictions on locations and makes installation work cumbersome. Costly.

The present invention is intended to address the above-mentioned conventional problems. However, when the present inventor re-examined a vehicle to be measured by the vehicle shape measuring device, a special work vehicle was found. With the exception of most vehicles, I came to the fact that the outer shape was symmetrical.

If it is symmetrical, there is no need to know the shape of both sides of the vehicle. If the shape of one side is known, the other side is assumed to have the same shape. It is. If it is sufficient that the shape of one side surface of the vehicle is determined by laser scanning, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of laser sensors, and one laser sensor is sufficient.

According to the present invention, the number of scanning distance measuring means, such as a scanning laser sensor, is reduced to one by utilizing the fact that the outer shape of the vehicle is bilaterally symmetric, based on the findings described above. It is another object of the present invention to simplify the configuration by reducing the cost by facilitating the installation work by compensating for the distance measurement data by calculation.

[0016]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a vehicle shape measuring device as follows.

That is, the position of the vehicle is measured from the irradiation angle of the light radiated toward the vehicle and the light propagation time required from the irradiation of the light to the reception of the light reflected by the vehicle. A vehicle shape measurement device that measures the shape of a vehicle based on the position measurement data corresponding to the shape of one side surface and the top surface of the vehicle, and performs an operation to supplement data corresponding to the shape of the opposite side of the vehicle. It has a feature of having a data processing unit for calculating the vehicle width.

Further, the present invention provides a scanning type distance measuring means for scanning in a width direction from above a traveling road of a vehicle to obtain distance measuring data for each scanning direction, and a measuring method obtained by the scanning type distance measuring means. A data processing unit for processing the distance data to obtain the vehicle width and the vehicle height, and a single scanning distance measuring means, at least a portion of the scanning distance measuring means is installed above one side of the traveling path, The data processing unit obtains data corresponding to the shape of the one side surface and the top surface of the vehicle to be scanned based on the distance measurement data, and uses this data to obtain data corresponding to the shape of the opposite side surface of the vehicle. The vehicle width is obtained by performing a supplementary calculation.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Is a front view showing an installation state of the vehicle shape measuring device according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the device, and FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram for explaining an operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle shape measuring apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a scanning laser sensor L as a scanning distance measuring means, and a data processing unit 1. The data processing unit 1 is installed in a place where it can be easily installed, such as the ground.

The scanning type laser sensor L irradiates a laser in each scanning direction and detects the reflection time for each irradiation direction.
This is for obtaining distance measurement data indicating a distance to an object. In the apparatus of the present invention, one vehicle is installed above one side of the traveling path R of the vehicle M, and a laser is emitted from above the traveling path R. Irradiation scans the traveling path R in the width direction. Reference numeral 2 denotes a column supporting the laser sensor L.

The configuration of the laser sensor L is as shown in FIG. 2, and the light emitting device 3, its driving circuit 4, the scanning mechanism 5,
It comprises a light receiver 6, a light receiving circuit 7, and a control circuit 8.

The light emitting device 3 is, for example, a laser diode, and emits laser light by pulse driving of the driving circuit 4.
The scanning mechanism 5 is, for example, a polygon mirror that is driven to rotate, and performs scanning with the laser while changing the irradiation direction of the laser from the light emitting device 3. The light receiver 6 is, for example, a photodiode and receives reflected light of a laser beam from an object via the scanning mechanism 5 and the half mirror 9. Light receiving circuit 7
Performs signal processing such as waveform shaping on the received light signal from the light receiver 6 and sends it to the control circuit 8. The control circuit 8 controls the operation of the drive circuit 4 and the scanning mechanism 5, generates distance measurement data based on an input signal from the light receiving circuit 7, and
To send to.

When the vehicle M on the travel path R is scanned by one laser sensor L, there is a portion that is not irradiated with the laser beam as described with reference to FIG. Therefore, the distance measurement data obtained by the single laser sensor L includes information on the shadow on one side surface.

The data processing unit 1 includes the laser sensor L
Is a part for processing the distance measurement data obtained in step (a) to measure the vehicle width and the vehicle height, and the configuration thereof is as shown in FIG. That is, the data processing unit 1 includes a cross-section forming unit 10,
Singularity detecting section 11, vehicle width calculating section 12, vehicle height detecting section 1
3

The processing operation of each of these components of the data processing unit 1 will be described in detail later, and will be briefly described here. First, the cross-section forming unit 10 generates shape data that approximates the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M on the traveling path R from the distance measurement data of the laser sensor L. In this case, the laser sensor L
Since the distance measurement data obtained in step (1) includes shadow information, the shape data generated from such distance measurement data does not accurately correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M, but includes shadows. It shows the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M.

The singular point detecting section 11 detects a singular point necessary for calculating the vehicle width, in particular, from the cross-sectional shape with the shadow obtained by the cross-section forming section 10. The singular points are simply three inflection points that determine the shape of the cross-sectional shape with a shadow.

The vehicle width calculating section 12 calculates the vehicle width based on the singular point detected by the singular point detecting section 11. The calculation here is, in short, a calculation of supplementing the shape data of the side portion on the shadow side with the shape data of the side portion on the laser irradiation side, of the both side portions of the vehicle M. Will be described in the description.

The vehicle height detecting section 13 obtains the vehicle height from the shape data obtained by the cross section forming section 10 or the data of the singular point detected by the singular point detecting section 11.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the laser sensor L and the data processing section 1 are separately provided, but the data processing section 1 corresponds to a single laser sensor L. , The data processing unit 1 can be incorporated in the laser sensor L. In this case, a required program is given to the control circuit 8 of the laser sensor L so that the control circuit 8 functions It may be operated as a component.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, the scanning type laser sensor L irradiates a laser beam from above one side of the traveling path R to scan the traveling path R in the width direction. As shown in FIG. , The maximum scanning angle from immediately below is θ, the width D of the scanning area
Is substantially as follows: D = Htan θ (unit m)... (A). The scanning area D is equally divided into many (N) sections, and the reflection time of the laser is measured for each section. The width d of each section is given by the following equation from the equation (a).

D = D / N = (H tan θ) / N (unit m) (b) The data obtained by the laser sensor L is directly the laser for each section d of the scanning area D. Since the reflection time corresponds to the distance to the object, the reflection time is also distance measurement data indicating the distance to the object.

The distance measurement data obtained by the laser sensor L is
It is provided to the cross section forming section 10 of the data processing section 1. The cross-section forming unit 10 generates data having a shape similar to the cross-section of the vehicle M based on the distance measurement data. The generation of the shape data is to draw a figure approximating the cross section of the vehicle M on the coordinates as shown in FIG.

The coordinates in FIG. 3 are obtained by plotting the laser reflection time on the vertical axis and the number N of the sections d of the scanning area D on the horizontal axis. The actual dimension in the vertical axis direction can be obtained by multiplying the value of the reflection time t by a half (C / 2) of the speed of light C. Is multiplied by the width d.

For each distance measurement data, the larger the scanning angle, the longer the laser reflection time and the longer the distance to the object. Therefore, after increasing or decreasing correction for each scanning angle, the entire scanning area D is displayed on the coordinates. Is displayed as a point sequence. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a shape similar to the cross section of the vehicle M on the traveling path R is drawn.

The shape formed here is the laser sensor L
The shape of the vehicle M as viewed from the side, and does not exactly correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M, but has a shape including the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle M and a shadow formed on the side opposite to the laser irradiation side. .

From this shape, the shape and height of the upper surface of the vehicle M are known, and as for the side surface, the shape of the side surface on the laser irradiation side is known. Therefore, the vehicle height can be obtained from the shape data obtained by the cross-section forming unit 10, although the vehicle width is not known.

The vehicle height detecting section 13 determines the vehicle height from the shape data obtained by the cross section forming section 10. Referring to FIG. 3, assuming that the reflection time on the road surface of the traveling road R is t ₁ and the reflection time on the vehicle upper surface portion is t ₂ , the time difference (t ₁ −
t ₂ ) corresponds to the vehicle height. And the actual dimension K of the vehicle height
Is obtained by the following equation (c).

K = (t ₁ −t ₂ ) × C / 2 (C) where the light speed C is 3 × 10 ⁸ (m / s).

The shape data obtained by the section forming section 10 is also inputted to the singular point detecting section 11. In the singularity detection unit 11,
From the cross-sectional shape with the shadow formed by the cross-section forming section 10, 3
Two singularities are detected. Here, the singular points are two end points P ₁ and P _{2 at} both ends in the width direction of the upper surface of the vehicle M, and an overhang end point P ₃ on the side surface on the laser irradiation side of both side surfaces of the vehicle M.

For a normal vehicle, three singular points P, ₁ P ₂ , P
_{Although 3} can be obtained, it may be difficult to find both end points P ₁ and P ₂ of the upper surface of a vehicle having a rounded upper surface. In consideration of such a case, both end points P ₁ and P ₂ of the upper surface may be obtained by the following processing.

[0042] That is, among the two end points P _1, P ₂ of the vehicle top portion, the end point P ₁ closer to the laser sensor L side is
A tangent parallel top portion and the road surface of the travel path R, and set the tangent to the side surface portion of the laser irradiation side, determine the end point P ₁ as the intersection of these two tangents. Further, the side farther from the laser sensor L, an end of the upper surface portion from appearing clearly as the bending point of the shape, to the point and the other end point P ₂ of the upper surface portion.

If the positions on the coordinates of the _three singular points P ₁ , P ₂ , and P ₃ are known, the width I ₁ of the upper surface of the vehicle M is the difference between the end points P ₁ and P ₂ of the upper surface ( I ₁ = P ₂ −P ₁ ), and the overhang amount I ₂ on the side surface near the laser sensor L is
One end point P ₁ of the projecting end point P ₃ and the upper surface portion of the same side surface portion
(I ₂ = P ₁ −P ₃ ), the upper surface width I
_1, but the amount of projection I ₂ of the side portions near the laser sensor L side is known, for side portion serving as a shadow relative to the laser irradiation, there is no data.

However, since most of the vehicles are symmetrical in outer shape, the side portions that are shadowed by the laser irradiation have the same shape as the side portions on the laser irradiation side, and are different from the side portions on the laser irradiation side. The same amount is considered overhanging.

[0045] Therefore, in the vehicle width calculating unit 12, and the overhanging quantity I ₂ at the side of the laser irradiation side doubled, which is be added to the width I ₁ of the upper surface portion in the vehicle width I is obtained .

I = I ₁ + 2 × I ₂ (d) Now, the data of the side part which becomes a shadow with respect to the laser irradiation is supplemented, and the vehicle width is obtained.

In the coordinates of FIG. 3, I, I ₁ , I _2, etc. are represented as the number of sections d of the scanning area D.
The actual dimension W of the vehicle width is obtained by the following equation (e).

W = I × d (unit m) (E) In the above-described embodiment, the data processing unit 1 measures the vehicle width and the vehicle height, but the vehicle width is measured. And the measurement of vehicle height
It is not always necessary to perform this as a set, and the method of obtaining the vehicle width by performing an operation to supplement the data of the side part that is shadowed by the laser irradiation with the shape data on the side to be irradiated with the laser may be performed alone. it can. In that case, the data processing unit
This is a configuration in which the vehicle height detection unit 13 is removed from the data processing unit 1 shown in FIG.

As described above, in the present invention, one scanning laser sensor L may be installed above one side of the traveling path R, and may be located on either the left or right side of the traveling path R. The installation as shown in FIG. 5 is also possible.

FIG. 4 shows another installation example of the vehicle shape measuring apparatus of the present invention. In this installation example, a column 2 is built on a separation band S between two adjacent traveling paths R ₁ and R ₂ , and a laser sensor having _one traveling path R ₁ as a scanning area is provided on the column 2. and L _1, another laser sensor L ₂ is attached to the other of the travel path R ₂ and the scan region.

As described above, since the two laser sensors L ₁ and L _{2 for} scanning the two traveling paths R ₁ and R ₂ are provided above the same separation zone S, the installation space is reduced. Since it is extremely small and is supported by a single column 2, installation work can be easily performed.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a column is provided above a separation zone S between _two adjacent traveling paths R ₁ and R _2. laser sensor L ₃ one is installed by 2. Laser sensor L ₃ here, two of the travel path R _1, R ₂ and intended to respectively scan region, the travel of the two areas containing the separated strip S as not scanned area T path R _1, R ₂ Are scanned in the width direction.

When two traveling paths R ₁ and R ₂ are scanned by _one laser sensor L ₃ as described above, the installation space for the laser sensor is further reduced, and the supporting member for the laser sensor is also required. Slight, making installation easier.

In each of the above embodiments, a scanning laser sensor is used as the scanning distance measuring means. However, any scanning means that scans with a radiation wave such as light and obtains distance measuring data for each scanning direction may be used. For example, a distance measuring unit that scans with a radio wave having a very short wavelength may be used.

[0055]

According to the present invention, even if one side of the vehicle is shadowed by scanning with a laser or the like, data indicating the shape of the side is supplemented by calculation. It is sufficient if the vehicle is located above one side of the travel path, and only one vehicle is required. Therefore, the cost can be reduced as compared with a conventional vehicle shape measuring device using a plurality of vehicles.

Further, since the distance measurement data of one scanning distance measuring means is processed, the configuration of the system is simplified.

Further, in the case of one scanning distance measuring means, it is only necessary to build a column on the road side for its installation, and as in a conventional apparatus using a plurality of scanning distance measuring means, it crosses the traveling path. There is no need to install a gantry, and the installation space is small and the installation work is easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an installation state of a vehicle shape measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a waveform chart for explaining the operation of the device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing another installation example of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an installation state of a vehicle shape measuring device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing an installation state of a conventional vehicle shape measuring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

L scanning laser sensor (scanning distance measuring means), 1
Data processing part, 2 pillars, R runway,
M vehicle,

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An irradiation angle of light for irradiating a vehicle,
A vehicle shape measuring device that measures a position of the vehicle from a light propagation time required from irradiation of the light to reception of light reflected by the vehicle, and measures a shape of the vehicle based on the position measurement data. A vehicle having a data processing unit for calculating a vehicle width by performing an operation of supplementing data corresponding to the shape of the side surface on the opposite side of the vehicle with the position measurement data corresponding to the shape of the one side surface and the top surface of the vehicle Shape measuring device. 2. A scanning type distance measuring means for scanning in a width direction from above a traveling path of a vehicle to obtain distance measuring data for each scanning direction, and processing the distance measuring data obtained by the scanning type distance measuring means. A data processing unit for determining the vehicle width and the vehicle height, and a single scanning distance measuring means, at least a portion of the scanning distance measuring means is installed above one side of the traveling road, and the data processing unit Obtaining data corresponding to the shape of one side portion and top surface portion of the vehicle on the side to be scanned based on the distance measurement data, and performing an operation of supplementing data corresponding to the shape of the opposite side surface of the vehicle with this data. A vehicle shape measuring device for determining a vehicle width. 3. The vehicle shape measuring device according to claim 2, wherein said scanning distance measuring means is a scanning laser sensor. 4. The vehicle shape measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the data processing unit calculates the vehicle width I by setting the width of the upper surface of the vehicle to I ₁ and the side of the scanning side. A vehicle shape measuring device which performs an operation of I = I ₁ + 2 × I ₂ with an overhang amount of I ₂ as I ₂ . 5. The vehicle shape measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the scanning distance measuring means having one traveling path as a scanning area is connected to another traveling path adjacent to the traveling path. The vehicle shape measuring device is mounted on the same column as another scanning distance measuring means having the other traveling path as a scanning area, above the separation zone between the two. 6. The vehicle shape measuring device according to claim 2, wherein said scanning distance measuring means is installed above a separation zone between two traveling paths adjacent to each other, and A vehicle shape measuring apparatus, wherein the two traveling paths are each a scanning area. 7. An irradiation angle of light for irradiating the vehicle,
A vehicle width measuring method for measuring a position of the vehicle from a light propagation time required from irradiation of the light to reception of light reflected by the vehicle, and measuring a shape of the vehicle based on the position measurement data. A method for calculating a vehicle width by performing an operation of supplementing data corresponding to a shape of a side surface on the opposite side of the vehicle with the position measurement data corresponding to a shape of one side surface portion and an upper surface portion of the vehicle.