JPS5818147A - Discriminating device for state of road surface - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To grasp the state on road surface in a remote location easily and surely without line installation work, by performing the photodetection of reflected light corresponding to the state on the road surface with projection and transmission of infrared ray beam through the detected output by using solar batteries as the power supply. CONSTITUTION:Electric energy of a solar battery 21 provided to a pole 10 at a remote location is stored in a battery 22 controlled with a microcomputer 6 forming a control means and is used as a specified power supply. The computer 6 controls light emission from an LED 31, photodetection 32 of reflected light from a road surface 1 corresponding to the state on road surface, detection, optical modulation of the detected output and transmission of infrared ray beam from an optical transmitter 40 at each specified time. Through this constitution, without installation of lines for power supply and signal transmission, the state on road surface in a remote location can easily and surely be grasped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a road surface condition identification device that identifies the condition of a road surface, such as whether there is snow on the road or the like, and whether it is dry or wet, and transmits the road surface information to a remote location.

Generally, when the condition of a road surface changes due to snowfall, rainfall, etc., it is known that when light such as visible light or near-infrared light is projected onto the road surface, the light reflectance of the road surface will vary in magnitude. Therefore, it is theoretically possible to identify the road surface condition by detecting the amount of light reflected from the road surface. However, in order to turn this into a device and install it on roads in each region, it would require a power supply line.

Wiring work such as lines for signal transmission is required, and this is a major obstacle to the practical application of road surface condition identification devices.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses a solar cell as a power supply means and also uses a method of transmitting an identification signal indicating a change in road surface condition using an optical transmission means, thereby eliminating the need for wiring work. It is an object of the present invention to provide a road surface condition identification device that can reliably transmit road surface information to a remote location without the need for road surface information.

The present invention will be specifically described below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show a situation in which the present invention is implemented, in which a pole 11 of an appropriate height is installed vertically on a road surface 1, and a solar cell is attached to the upper end of the pole 11 to convert sunlight into electricity. 2
1, a light emitter 31 consisting of a light emitting diode that emits a constant light output toward the road surface 1, a light receiver 32 consisting of a photodiode that receives light input according to the reflectance of the road surface 1, and a relay station for transmitting the road surface identification signal. A light transmitter 40 that emits light toward the target is installed, respectively.

The reflectance of light on the road surface 1 varies depending on the condition of the road surface, and according to experiments, when the snow condition is assumed to be 1,
o, 33 in a dry state, and 0 to 0.1 in a wet state. Therefore, by understanding the amount of light received by the light receiver 32,
It is possible to determine the road surface condition.

The illustrated light transmitter 40 uses an infrared light emitting diode, and optically modulates an identification signal indicating a change in road surface condition and transmits it in the air using an infrared beam. , this is received by the optical receiver 5.

A control box 11 is attached to the center of the height of the pole IO, and within this control box 11 are a storage battery 22 that stores electrical energy obtained from the solar cell 21, and a control means that controls the operation of each of the above components. 6 are stored and arranged.

FIG. 3 shows the circuit configuration of the entire device including the control means 6.

The control means 6 includes a 1-chip microcomputer 60, and this microcomputer 60 is constantly supplied with power from a power supply section 2 consisting of a solar cell 21 and a storage battery 22. The detection section 3 excluding the microcomputer 60, the optical transmitting means 4 including the light transmitter 40, and other circuits are connected to the power supply section 2 via a switch 61.

This switch 61 is controlled to open and close by a microcomputer 60, and is closed for a certain period of time (for example, 1 minute) every certain period of time (for example, 1 hour) by a drive signal d issued by a microcomputer 66, thereby supplying power to each of the circuits described above.

Further, the microcomputer 60 drives the control circuit 33 of the light projector 31 to project light from the light projector 31, and also receives the digital signal i obtained through the light receiver 32 and the A/D converter 7 to determine the state of the road surface 1. and outputs a coded signal j corresponding to the road surface condition such as snow, dryness, or wetness to the transmission control circuit 41. The transmission control circuit 41 receives the coded signal j and sends out a signal output V whose voltage value varies depending on the road surface condition.
The frequency converter 42 converts the signal into an identification signal f indicating the road surface condition. Thus, the identification signal f takes values of different frequencies ('11'2+'3) when the road surface 1 is snowy, dry, and wet, respectively. f is transmitted to the light receiver 5 at the relay station on an infrared beam emitted by the light transmitter 40.

As described above, the present invention is configured to detect road surface conditions such as snow, dryness, and wetness, and transmit the identification signal, so it is possible to easily grasp the road surface conditions in various places even in remote locations, and it can also be used as a power supply source. Since solar cells are used and the road surface identification signal is transmitted using optical transmitting means, there is no need for wiring work such as power supply lines or signal transmission lines.

Therefore, even in areas where this type of construction is difficult, the road surface condition,
In addition, since solar energy is used and the transmission operation is performed at regular intervals, the present invention has excellent effects such as contributing to energy saving and achieving the purpose of the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a situation in which a road surface condition identification device according to the present invention is installed, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a signal transmission situation, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the road surface condition identification device. be.

Claims (1)

[Claims] ■ A power supply section consisting of a solar cell and a storage battery, a detection section including a projector installed toward the road surface and a light receiver that receives reflected light from the road surface, and an identification device that indicates a change in the state of the road surface. A road surface condition identification device comprising an optical transmission means for transmitting a signal, and a control means for time-controlling power supply to the detection section and the optical transmission means and outputting the identification signal according to the light reflectance of the road surface. (2) The road surface condition identification device according to claim 1, wherein the optical transmitting means is an infrared beam transmitter. (2) The road surface condition identification device according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer.