JP5025274B2 - Vehicle length discrimination device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for discriminating vehicle length capable of simplifying the device, and having few restrictions on the installation conditions, even at a location that have a narrow vehicle road. <P>SOLUTION: This vehicle length discrimination device 10 is equipped with a scanning sensor 12 for scanning a prescribed range on the front and back in the vehicle traveling direction on the vehicle road 1, and a processing device 14 for discriminating the vehicle 3 length passing along the vehicle road 1 based on scan data from the scanning sensor 12. In a scan area of the scanning sensor, a specified area B having a specified length b for discriminating the vehicle length in the vehicle traveling direction and a front area A and a rear area C adjoining the front and the rear of the specified area B are set beforehand. The processing device 14 discriminates whether the vehicle 3 is shorter than the specified length b, based on the fact whether a period, when the vehicle 3 does not exist in the front area A and the rear area C but does exist only in the specified area B exists. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle length determination device that determines whether or not the length of a vehicle is within a predetermined dimension.

  In a mechanical multistory parking lot, the size of vehicles that can be stored is limited, and the size varies depending on the type of vehicle (sedan type, high roof type, small size), etc. It is necessary to judge. For this reason, conventionally, various devices for detecting the length, width, height, and the like of a vehicle to determine whether classification or warehousing is possible have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below). Of these vehicle outer diameter dimensions, the vehicle length has a great influence on the classification and the determination of whether entry is possible, but it must be determined whether it is within the specified length compared to the detection of vehicle height and width. Is difficult.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a means for discriminating the vehicle length (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle length discriminating device”) among the vehicle type discriminating devices disclosed in Patent Document 1. The vehicle length determination device includes a plurality of area sensors 20 a to 20 d arranged at intervals in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1. Each of the area sensors 20a to 20d includes a light emitter that horizontally emits a light beam that traverses the path of the vehicle 1 and a light receiver that receives light from the light emitter. The presence of the vehicle 1 is detected.
Each of the area sensors 20a to 20d emits a plurality of light beams at appropriate intervals in the vertical direction. In the vehicle length discriminating apparatus configured in this way, the range of the length of the vehicle 1 is determined by checking the ON / OFF state of the other area sensors 20b to 20d at the moment when the vehicle 1 crosses the area sensor 20a. Since it can be determined whether there is, classification is performed based on this.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-62982 JP 2000-298007 A

  In the vehicle length discriminating device of Patent Document 1 described above, since the plurality of area sensors 20a to 20d are arranged in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1, there is a problem that the device becomes complicated. Further, since the area sensors 20a to 20d are arranged on both sides of the roadway, there is a problem that there is a restriction that the device cannot be installed in a narrow place on the roadway.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle length discriminating apparatus that can simplify the apparatus and have few restrictions on installation conditions even in a narrow roadway.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle length determination device of the present invention employs the following means.
(1) According to the present invention, a scanning sensor that scans a predetermined range before and after the vehicle traveling direction on a roadway through which the vehicle passes, and a length of the vehicle that passes through the roadway are determined based on scan data from the scanning sensor. A scanning area of the scanning sensor includes a specified area having a specified length for determining the vehicle length in the vehicle traveling direction, and a front area and a rear area adjacent to the front and rear of the specified area, The scanning sensor transmits the scan data obtained by detecting the presence / absence of a vehicle in each scan area every time to the processing device, and the processing device is based on the scan data on the coordinates of the processing device itself. in understanding the presence and location of the vehicle of the vehicle, a vehicle passing through the vehicle path is defined area absent before the area and the rear area The vehicle depending on whether there is a period in which there is determined whether or not within the prescribed length, characterized in that.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not a vehicle is within a specified length by detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in each area with a single scanning sensor and looking at each time. it can. It is not necessary to provide a plurality of scanning sensors in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and it is not necessary to provide the scanning sensors on both sides of the roadway. Therefore, the apparatus can be simplified and installation conditions are less restricted even in a narrow roadway area.

(2) In the vehicle length determination device, a plurality of specified lengths of the specified area are set, and the processing device passes through the roadway for each of a plurality of specified areas having different specified lengths. The vehicle length is classified by determining whether or not the vehicle is shorter than the specified length.

  In this way, by setting a plurality of specified lengths, a plurality of area patterns for determining the vehicle length are set, so that it can be classified into three or more types of vehicle lengths. Therefore, fine classification can be performed corresponding to the storage space.

(3) In the vehicle length determination device, the scanning sensor is a laser radar.

  By using a laser radar as a scanning sensor, the vehicle length can be determined with high accuracy.

(4) In the vehicle length determination device, the scanning sensor is provided on a side of the roadway.

  In this way, by providing the scanning sensor on the side of the roadway, large equipment such as a gantry is not required, and installation is facilitated.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to simplify the apparatus and to obtain an excellent effect that there are few restrictions on installation conditions even in a narrow roadway.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the common part in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle length determination device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This vehicle length discriminating device 10 is installed on a roadway 1 provided in front of the garage entrance in the mechanical multilevel parking lot, and discriminates the vehicle length of the vehicle 3 passing through the roadway 1. In addition, a device for measuring or discriminating other vehicle dimensions such as a vehicle width and a vehicle height is installed on the roadway 1 as necessary.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle length determination device 10 includes a scanning sensor 12 and a processing device 14.
The scanning sensor 12 scans a predetermined range on the road 1 before and after the vehicle traveling direction. In the present embodiment, the scanning sensor 12 is a laser radar, and is installed on a column 16 disposed on the side of the roadway 1, and the laser beam 13 has a predetermined angle range θ before and after the vehicle traveling direction on the roadway 1. Are scanned in the horizontal direction. When the laser beam 13 is scanned, the predetermined angle θ is preferably set to 180 ° as shown in FIG. The scanning height is preferably set to a height at which the vehicle length can be properly determined. As shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined height h corresponding to the front and rear bumpers of the vehicle 3 (e.g. It is good to set to about 40-50cm from a floor surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scanning area of the scanning sensor 12 includes a specified area B having a specified length b for determining the vehicle length in the vehicle traveling direction, a front area A adjacent to the front and rear of the specified area B, and It consists of rear area C. That is, in the scan area, the areas A, B, and C are set with a horizontal line perpendicular to the vehicle traveling direction as a boundary line.
By scanning the road 1 with the scanning sensor 12 described above, scan data including information on the angle and distance to the object can be obtained from the irradiation angle of the laser beam 13 and the reflection time thereof. This scan data is transmitted to the processing device 14. The processing device 14 can grasp the presence and position of the vehicle 3 passing through the roadway 1 based on the scan data.

  The processing device 14 determines the length of the vehicle 3 passing through the road 1 based on the scan data. The processing device 14 grasps each of the above-mentioned areas A, B, and C on its own coordinates, and the vehicle 3 passing through the road 1 is moved to the front area A and the rear based on the scan data from the scanning sensor 12. It is determined whether or not the vehicle 3 is within the specified length b depending on whether or not there is a period that exists only in the specified area B but not in the area B.

  A specific example in the case where the vehicle 3 is within the specified length will be described with reference to Table 1 below. In Table 1, the time advances in the right direction, and the column indicating the area passing state indicates in which area (A to C) the vehicle 3 exists for each time. In the case of Table 1, when viewed from time to time, a period existing only in the rear area C, a period overlapping with the specified area B and the rear area C, a period existing only in the specified area B, the previous area A There are periods that overlap in the prescribed area B and periods that exist only in the previous area A. Therefore, since there is a period that exists only in the prescribed area B, it is determined that the size of the vehicle 3 is within the prescribed length b.

  With reference to the following Table 2, a specific example in the case where the vehicle 3 is longer than the specified length will be described. The way of viewing Table 2 is the same as Table 1. In the case of Table 2, when looking at each time, a period that exists only in the rear area C, a period that overlaps the specified area B and the rear area C, and overlaps the previous area A, the specified area B, and the rear area C In other words, there are a period that exists in the previous area A and the prescribed area B, and a period that exists only in the previous area A. Unlike Table 1, since there is no period that exists only in the prescribed area B, it is determined that the size of the vehicle 3 is greater than or equal to the prescribed length b.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the presence or absence of the vehicle 3 in each of the areas A, B, and C is detected by the single scanning sensor 12, and the vehicle 3 is set to the specified length by looking at each time. It is possible to determine whether or not it is within the range. It is not necessary to provide a plurality of the scanning sensors 12 in the traveling direction of the vehicle 3 and it is not necessary to provide the scanning sensors 12 on both sides of the roadway 1, so that the apparatus can be simplified and the installation conditions can be reduced even in a narrow place on the roadway 1. There are few restrictions.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, by using a laser radar as the scanning sensor 12, scan data can be obtained with an accuracy of several millimeters order, so that the vehicle length can be determined with high accuracy. By providing the scanning sensor 12 on the side of the roadway 1, a large facility such as a gantry is not necessary, and installation is facilitated.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which vehicle length determination is performed by the vehicle length determination device 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The device configuration of the vehicle length determination device 10 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but in the second embodiment, a plurality of specified lengths of specified areas are set. In the present embodiment, a defined area B having a defined length b and a defined area B ′ having a defined length b ′ are set.

  The processing device 14 has an area pattern (FIG. 3 (A)) composed of the areas A, B, and C described above and an area pattern (FIG. 3 (B) composed of the areas A ′, B ′, and C ′. )) Based on the scan data from the scanning sensor 12, the vehicle 3 passing through the road 1 for each of a plurality of prescribed areas B and B ′ having different prescribed lengths is provided with the prescribed lengths b and b. 'Classification of the commander is performed by determining whether or not it is below. In this case, the processing device 14 determines whether or not the vehicle 3 is the specified length b or less and the vehicle 3 is the specified length b ′ or less by the same method as described in the first embodiment. Whether or not is determined in parallel.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the determination regarding the specified area B having the specified length b, the vehicle 3 is determined to be equal to or shorter than the specified length b. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the determination regarding the specified area B ′ having the specified length b ′, the vehicle 3 is determined to be equal to or longer than the specified length b ′. Therefore, in this case, the processing device 14 classifies the size of the vehicle 3 into classes of b ′ or more and b or less.
Further, when it is determined that the vehicle length of another vehicle is equal to or less than b ′, the vehicle is classified into classes corresponding thereto. If it is determined that it is greater than or equal to b, classify it into a class that cannot be received.
The specified length is not limited to two types, and may be set to three or more types.

  According to the present embodiment, since a plurality of area patterns for determining the vehicle length are set by setting a plurality of specified lengths, the vehicle can be classified into three or more types of vehicle lengths. Therefore, fine classification can be performed corresponding to the storage space.

[Third Embodiment]
The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the vehicle length determination device 10 according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the scanning sensor 12 is installed above the roadway 1. The scanning sensor 12 is attached to a support member 18 such as a gantry disposed above the roadway 1 and scans a predetermined range before and after the vehicle traveling direction on the roadway 1. The scanning sensor 12 of this embodiment is a laser radar as in the first embodiment, and scans the laser beam 13 in a predetermined angular range θ on the road 1 toward the floor surface of the road 1 before and after the vehicle traveling direction. (Scanning). As shown in FIG. 4, the scanning area of the scanning sensor 12 includes a defined area B having a defined length b for determining the vehicle length in the vehicle traveling direction, a front area A adjacent to the front and rear of the defined area B, and It consists of rear area C.

  The processing device 14 determines the length of the vehicle 3 passing through the road 1 based on the scan data from the scanning sensor 12. The processing device 14 grasps each of the above-mentioned areas A, B, and C on its own coordinates, and the vehicle 3 passing through the road 1 is moved to the front area A and the rear based on the scan data from the scanning sensor 12. It is determined whether or not the vehicle 3 is within the specified length b depending on whether or not there is a period that exists only in the specified area B but not in the area B. This vehicle length discrimination can be performed by the same method as described in the first embodiment.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the vehicle 3 is within the specified length as in the first embodiment, and the scanning sensor 12 is installed on the side of the roadway 1. The same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained except for the portion related to.
In the present embodiment, as in the second embodiment, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of specified lengths are set to classify into three or more types of vehicle lengths.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the description of the scope of claims, and further includes meanings equivalent to the description of the scope of claims and all modifications within the scope.

It is a lineblock diagram of the vehicle length discriminating device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the scanning height by a scanning sensor in relation to FIG. It is a figure which shows the implementation state of the vehicle length discrimination | determination by the vehicle length discrimination | determination apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the vehicle length discrimination | determination apparatus concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the conventional vehicle length discrimination device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Roadway 3 Vehicle 10 Vehicle length discrimination device 12 Scanning sensor 13 Laser beam 14 Processing device 16 Support | pillar 18 Support member

Claims (4)

A scanning sensor that scans a predetermined range before and after the vehicle traveling direction on the roadway through which the vehicle passes;
A processing device for determining the length of a vehicle passing through the roadway based on scan data from the scanning sensor,
The scanning area of the scanning sensor comprises a specified area having a specified length for determining the vehicle length in the vehicle traveling direction, and a front area and a rear area adjacent to the front and rear of the specified area,
The scanning sensor transmits the scan data obtained by detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in each scan area every time to the processing device,
The processing device grasps the existence of the vehicle and the position of the vehicle on the coordinates of the processing device itself based on the scan data, and the vehicle passing through the roadway does not exist in the front area and the rear area but only in the specified area. A vehicle length determination device that determines whether or not the vehicle is within the specified length depending on whether or not there exists a period.   A plurality of prescribed lengths of the prescribed area are set, and the processing device determines, for each of a plurality of prescribed areas having different prescribed lengths, whether or not a vehicle passing the roadway is equal to or shorter than the prescribed length. The vehicle length discriminating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle lengths are classified by doing so.   The vehicle length determination device according to claim 1, wherein the scanning sensor is a laser radar.   The vehicle length determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the scanning sensor is provided on a side of the roadway.

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