JP2019038526A - Crossing monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a crossing monitoring system monitoring and detecting a person and a vehicle in a crossing in that a detection range is wide even thought it has a simple structure and configuration, erroneous operation due to change in natural environment and the like can be suppressed, and high reliability can be secured by emitting a signal for notifying the malfunction of a monitoring camera.SOLUTION: A crossing monitoring system 1 includes a camera part 10 including one or a plurality of monitoring cameras 20 photographing a crossing and a control device part 100 for monitoring images of the monitoring camera 20 and outputting alarm signals. The monitoring camera 20 includes a thermal camera imaging a spatial state in the crossing by an infrared thermography and monitors and detects a person and a vehicle in the crossing based on the image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a railroad crossing monitoring system that can quickly detect a person or a vehicle entering a railroad crossing during operation of a breaker and prevent a collision accident with a train.

  The railroad crossing provided on the railway line monitors the movement of people or vehicles in transit to prevent collisions between people or vehicles entering the railroad crossing during breaker operation and the train. When a person or a vehicle is left behind in a crossing during the operation of the circuit breaker, it is desired to install a crossing monitoring system that promptly detects this and issues an alarm.

  As conventional techniques related to a level crossing monitoring system, for example, a level crossing monitoring system for detecting a person or a vehicle in a level crossing using an optical sensor or a loop coil, or a person or a vehicle using a laser sensor described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is detected. There is a level crossing monitoring system.

  A level crossing monitoring system using an optical sensor is configured to detect the presence of a person or a vehicle in a level crossing by arranging a projector and a light receiver across the level crossing and blocking an object from light emitted from the light projector. .

  A level crossing monitoring system using a loop coil has a loop coil installed in advance at a predetermined location of the level crossing, and detects the presence of a vehicle in the level crossing by a change in inductance caused by a metal object approaching the loop coil. To do.

  The railroad crossing monitoring system described in Patent Document 1 uses detection means that continuously emits laser light from a rotating distance sensor and collects azimuth information and distance information of a detection object by detecting the reflected light. It detects the presence of a person or vehicle in a level crossing. In the railroad crossing monitoring system described in Patent Document 1, by providing reflecting means made of aluminum plates or the like at the three corners outside the railroad crossing, the weather condition such as rainfall, snowfall, and heavy fog, and even in poor environmental conditions due to dirt, etc. The signal is reflected to the distance sensor. Further, the rotation direction and transmission / reception performance of the distance sensor are periodically checked by using the reflection means, thereby improving the reliability by performing failure diagnosis of the entire system.

  The crossing monitoring system described in Patent Document 2 emits laser light from a laser sensor including a laser oscillation unit and an emission unit including a reflecting mirror that rotates about a vertical axis, and receives the reflected light. Thus, the presence of a person or a vehicle is detected. In the railroad crossing monitoring system described in Patent Document 2, laser light is emitted so as to scan in a horizontal plane by the action of the rotating emission unit, and predetermined detection is performed by providing laser sensors at different heights. It is configured to ensure a range.

JP 2003-011824 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-203670

  In the level crossing monitoring system using the optical sensor, the light emitted from the projector to the light receiver is linear, so the detection range is narrow, and therefore it is structurally difficult to detect the entire level crossing comprehensively. There is a problem. In addition, regardless of the size, shape, and position of the object, the approaching object is detected by the phenomenon of blocking light, so the approaching object is a person or a vehicle, or other small animals, etc. It is difficult to distinguish between them. For this reason, there is a possibility of detecting an intruding object more than necessary and hindering smooth railway operation.

  The level crossing monitoring system using the loop coil also has the same problem as the level crossing monitoring system using the optical sensor. That is, since only a limited range around the laid loop coil is detected, the detection range is structurally narrow, so that it is difficult to comprehensively detect the entire level crossing. Furthermore, since the approaching object to the level crossing is detected by a phenomenon such as a change in impedance due to the approach of the metal object, regardless of the size, shape and position of the object, the approaching object is a person or a vehicle, or It is difficult to distinguish between small animals other than For this reason, there is a possibility of detecting an intruding object more than necessary and hindering smooth railway operation.

  On the other hand, the crossing monitoring system using the laser sensor described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 has a structure in which a predetermined plane is scanned, so that it is compared with the crossing monitoring system using the optical sensor or the loop coil. The detection range is wide. However, since it is not a structure that scans the entire space without any effort (due to the nature of laser light, it is difficult to scan the entire space even if the radiation part is rotated), and therefore the detection range is not always sufficient. Moreover, since the size and shape of the object itself are not directly detected (direction information and distance information are collected indirectly via reflected light), the detection capability and accuracy are not sufficient. There is also a method of judging the size by moving the polygon mirror etc. in the vertical direction and turning it into 3D, but it needs a moving device such as a motor for rotation, and it is affected by vibrations when passing through the train etc. The product life is also a concern. In addition, various techniques are necessary for noise countermeasures that cause malfunctions in specific natural environments (rain, snow, fog, etc.), such as irregular reflection during snowfall, and the mechanism becomes large. Here, in the railroad crossing monitoring system using the laser sensor described in Patent Document 1, measures are taken to prevent malfunction even in a poor environment by providing reflecting means made of an aluminum plate or the like at three corners outside the railroad crossing. However, it is difficult to completely prevent malfunction due to the nature of the laser beam, and it takes a lot of man-hours and costs to install ancillary equipment. Thus, the crossing monitoring system using the laser sensor described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 also has various problems.

  The present invention is a level crossing monitoring system created to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and has a simple structure and configuration, but has a wide detection range, and malfunctions due to changes in the natural environment and the like are suppressed. Therefore, the present invention provides a railroad crossing monitoring system in which a high level of reliability is ensured by issuing a signal to notify a high detection function / accuracy, and in addition, when a surveillance camera is malfunctioning.

The present invention relates to a level crossing monitoring system that detects the presence of a person or a vehicle in a level crossing when the circuit breaker is closed and outputs an alarm signal. And a control device that monitors an image of the camera and outputs an alarm signal. The monitoring camera is a thermal camera that detects a difference between an ambient temperature and a temperature of a person or a vehicle by infrared rays.
Since a thermal camera is used as the surveillance camera, the entire space within the railroad crossing can be monitored over a wide area by detecting the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature of the person or vehicle with infrared rays, while having a simple structure and configuration. It is possible to reliably detect whether a person or a vehicle is present in the vehicle. In addition, by imaging the space situation in the level crossing using infrared thermography, it is possible to accurately detect the size, shape and position of a person or vehicle left in the level crossing while the breaker is closed. . As a result, it is possible to distinguish whether the entry into the railroad crossing is a person or a vehicle, or other small animals, etc., and it can be accurately detected from a small child to a large vehicle. it can. In addition, people who are still or crouched can be detected reliably.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to changes in the surrounding natural environment where the surveillance camera is installed.

According to the present invention, the control device section detects a video signal from the monitoring camera to detect whether the camera is operating normally, and a video from the camera operation determination section. An image determination unit that receives a signal and determines whether a person or a vehicle is present in the image, a video disconnection signal from the camera operation determination unit, a detection signal from the image determination unit, and a circuit breaker And a control unit that receives an open / close signal, determines whether to issue an alarm, and outputs an alarm signal.
By providing the camera operation determination unit, it is possible to reliably detect a failure of the surveillance camera with a simple structure and configuration. For this reason, it is possible to provide a crossing monitoring system in which high reliability is ensured at a low cost.

Further, according to the present invention, when the image determination unit determines that a person or a vehicle is present in the image of the video signal, the detection signal is output to the control unit, and the image determination is disabled. In this case, an abnormal signal is also output as the detection signal.
This eliminates the need for the detection signal and the abnormal signal as separate signals, and prevents control from becoming complicated. In addition, since the camera operation control unit is installed in the present invention to separately detect whether or not the surveillance camera is operating normally, if the video from the surveillance camera is interrupted, the video break signal is detected. Only when the control unit receives both signals and receives both signals, it is determined that the surveillance camera is not operating normally. That is, it can be more reliably determined by the two signals that the surveillance camera is not operating normally. Note that a detection signal is output even when the image determination unit is out of order, but since a video break signal is not output at this time, it is processed as a normal detection signal, and an alarm signal P is output from the control unit. However, since many failures in this level crossing monitoring system occur in the monitoring camera or in the wiring from the monitoring camera to the control unit, this configuration is configured to preferentially detect this failure.

Further, according to the present invention, the control unit receives the closing signal of the circuit breaker and receives the detection signal from the image determination unit, and at the same time receives the video disconnection signal from the camera operation determination unit according to the image determination unit. The alarm signal is output only when it is not.
As a result, a more accurate alarm signal output can be obtained.

In the present invention, a plurality of surveillance cameras are provided, and a plurality of systems are formed by the plurality of surveillance cameras and a plurality of camera operation judgment units and image judgment units connected to the surveillance cameras on a one-to-one basis. The control unit outputs the alarm signal based only on a signal from a normal system that does not output the video break signal.
As a result, a more accurate alarm signal output can be obtained.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that a mechanical failure signal is output when the control unit receives the video break signal.
As a result, it is possible to quickly cope with a machine failure.

Further, in the present invention, the thermal camera is disposed below the overhead line and on the line side from the pair of blocking bars provided in the breaker or an extension line thereof, and the optical axis of the lens provided in the thermal camera is It is characterized by extending downward from the horizontal plane.
As a result, a clear image with few blind spots can be captured by the thermal camera while avoiding malfunctions caused by the incidence of sunlight such as the sun.

Further, according to the present invention, the thermal camera is disposed at a position where a columnar space area having a ground surface of a road interposed between the pair of blocking rods as a bottom surface is included in an angle of view, thereby the space area. It is characterized by imaging the entire image simultaneously (once).
As a result, it is possible to simultaneously (once) image a railroad crossing where a track and a road intersect as a three-dimensional space region, and to detect a person or vehicle existing in the space region in real time.

In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the height of the columnar space region is at least equal to the average height of an adult male.
As a result, it is possible to capture the whole image of a person and realize highly accurate detection.

  According to the present invention, although it has a simple structure and configuration, the detection range is wide, and malfunction due to changes in the natural environment or the like can be suppressed, and the detection function and accuracy can be maintained high.

It is a system block diagram of a level crossing monitoring system (one system) according to the present invention. It is a warning output logic figure of a level crossing monitoring system (1 system) concerning the present invention. It is a system block diagram of a level crossing monitoring system (two systems) according to the present invention. It is an alarm output logic diagram of a level crossing monitoring system (two systems) according to the present invention. It is a top view outline figure of a level crossing in which a level crossing monitoring system concerning the present invention was installed. It is a perspective schematic diagram of a level crossing in which a level crossing monitoring system according to the present invention is installed.

  First, a railroad crossing monitoring system 1 having one monitoring camera having the most basic configuration will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of a crossing monitoring system 1. The railroad crossing monitoring system 1 includes a camera unit 10 and a control device unit 100, and the camera unit 10 and the control device unit 100 are electrically connected by, for example, a cable.

  The camera unit 10 includes a monitoring camera 20 including a thermal camera, and images the spatial situation in the railroad crossing using infrared thermography. This image is output in the form of a video signal S toward a camera operation determination unit 110 provided in the control unit 100 described later.

  The control device unit 100 includes a camera operation determination unit 110, an image determination unit 120, and a control unit 130. The camera operation determination unit 110 and the image determination unit 120 are connected in series, and the control unit 130 is connected to the camera operation determination unit 110 and the image determination unit 120. The camera operation determination unit 110, the image determination unit 120, and the control unit 130 are provided, for example, on one or a plurality of circuit boards. The video signal S sent from the surveillance camera 20 to the control device 100 is also sent to and stored in an image recording unit such as a hard disk recorder via the camera operation judgment unit 110 and the image judgment unit 120. . In addition, a hub for configuring a network with external equipment via wire or wireless is also installed.

  The camera operation determination unit 110 and the image determination unit 120 together with the monitoring camera 20 constitute one system connected in series. In a railroad crossing monitoring system provided with a plurality of monitoring cameras, which will be described later, a plurality of systems are configured by each monitoring camera and a camera operation determination unit and an image determination unit that are connected to the monitoring camera one-on-one.

  As described above, the camera operation determination unit 110 is a part that receives the video signal S from the monitoring camera 20 that is a thermal camera and determines whether the monitoring camera 20 is operating correctly. When the video signal S is correctly received, the video signal S is output to the image determination unit 120. When the video signal S is not received from the monitoring camera 20, the video break signal T is output to the control unit 130.

  As described above, the image determination unit 120 is a part connected in series with the camera operation determination unit 110, and an image (infrared thermography) included in the video signal S transmitted through the camera operation determination unit 110. Analyze and determine whether a person or vehicle is present at the level crossing. The determination is made based on whether, for example, a portion having a temperature different from the ambient temperature is recognized as an outline in an image (infrared thermography) and exists in a range larger than a predetermined area. The predetermined area relating to the size is, for example, an area based on the average height of a one-year-old child, and the area of the portion partitioned by an outline of a temperature different from the ambient temperature in the image data (infrared thermography) is more than the area based on the height. If it can be confirmed within a large range, it is determined that a person or vehicle is present within the railroad crossing. As a result, it is possible to distinguish whether the approaching object in the railroad crossing is a person or a vehicle, or other small animals, etc., and as a result, the output of an excessive warning signal is suppressed, resulting in a serious accident involving human life. It is possible to achieve both the prevention of occurrence and the realization of smooth train operation at a high level. The determination may be performed based on the time (whether or not it is stationary) that the portions partitioned by the contour of the temperature different from the ambient temperature remain in the same place. If the image determination unit 120 determines that a person or vehicle is present within the railroad crossing, the image determination unit 120 outputs a detection signal V to the control unit 130. Further, when the image signal S is not received or the image judgment is impossible due to its own failure, the detection signal V is output as an abnormal signal (hereinafter referred to as basic specification). That is, the detection signal V when it is determined that a person or a vehicle is present at the railroad crossing and the detection signal V as an abnormal signal are transmitted to the control unit 130 as the same signal.

  Regarding the output mode of the detection signal V, the image determination unit 120 does not output the detection signal V when the video signal S is not received due to a failure of the monitoring camera 20, and other than the monitoring camera 20, such as when it fails. The specification may be such that the detection signal V is output when an image cannot be determined due to a failure of a device in the system (hereinafter referred to as a modified specification 1). Of course, when it is determined that a person or vehicle is present in the railroad crossing during normal operation, the detection signal V is output.

  In addition, regarding the output mode of the detection signal V, the image determination unit 120 outputs the detection signal V when the video signal S is not received due to the failure of the monitoring camera 20, and the system other than the monitoring camera 20, such as a failure of itself. A specification may be made such that the detection signal V is not output when an image cannot be determined due to a failure of the internal device (hereinafter referred to as modified specification 2). Of course, when it is determined that a person or vehicle is present in the railroad crossing during normal operation, the detection signal V is output.

  Further, regarding the output mode of the detection signal V, the image determination unit 120 is different from the detection signal V when the image determination unit 120 is in a state where the image determination is impossible due to a failure of a device in the system other than the surveillance camera 20 such as a failure of itself. The specification may be such that an abnormal signal is output to the control unit 130 (hereinafter referred to as modified specification 3). Of course, when it is determined that a person or vehicle is present in the railroad crossing during normal operation, the detection signal V is output.

  Next, as described above, the control unit 130 is electrically connected to the camera operation determination unit 110 and the image determination unit 120, and thereby the video break signal T and the image determination unit 120 from the camera operation determination unit 110. The detection signal V from is received. Moreover, the control part 130 is comprised so that the circuit breaker opening / closing signal C which notifies the operation state from a circuit breaker may be received. As described above, the control unit 130 receives the video disconnection signal T from the camera operation determination unit 110, the detection signal V from the image determination unit 120, and the circuit breaker open / close signal C from the circuit breaker. Based on the predetermined output logic, an alarm signal P is output for notifying that a person or a vehicle is present in the railroad crossing when the breaker is closed. In addition, the control unit 130 replaces the alarm signal P based on the video break signal T from the camera operation determination unit 110 and the predetermined output logic described below, and an equipment failure signal D that notifies that the monitoring camera 20 has failed. Is output. The alarm signal P and the equipment failure signal D are output to an external facility installed in, for example, a railway operation management center.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of output logic in the crossing monitoring system 1. The output logic is based on the following four principles. That is, in a state where the crossing breaker is open, in other words, in a state where the closing signal C is not received from the breaker, the alarm signal P is not output even if the detection signal V is received (in principle i). Even if the closing signal C is received from the circuit breaker, the alarm signal P is not output unless the detection signal V is received (principle ii). Further, when the closing signal C is received from the circuit breaker and the detection signal V is received from the image determination unit 120, and at the same time, the video disconnection signal T is not received from the camera operation determination unit 110 related to the image determination unit 120 The alarm signal P is output only in principle (iii). According to the basic specification, when the video break signal T is received, the detection signal V is also received at the same time (because the image determination unit 120 does not receive the video signal S, the detection signal V is output as an abnormal signal). In this case, however, the device failure signal D is output instead of the alarm signal P regardless of whether or not the closing signal C is received (in principle, iv).

  When the output form of the detection signal V in the image determination unit 120 is the modified specification 1, instead of the principle iv, if the control unit 130 receives only the video break signal T, the surveillance camera 20 has failed. If the control unit 130 receives the video break signal T and the detection signal V, the monitoring camera 20 and other devices in the system (that is, the image determination unit 120, etc.) are output. ) May also be applied to the output logic, such as outputting a device failure signal D indicating that there is a failure. By applying the principle v, it is possible to determine whether it is a single failure of the surveillance camera 20 or a failure of the entire system (a failure of the surveillance camera 20 and a failure of the image determination unit 120) and detect this. It becomes possible.

  Further, when the output mode of the detection signal V in the image determination unit 120 is the modified specification 2, when the control unit 130 receives the video break signal T and the detection signal V instead of the principle iv, the monitoring camera 20 Output a device failure signal D indicating that the device has failed, and the control unit 130 does not receive the video break signal T and the detection signal V for a predetermined period of time. The principle vi of outputting a device failure signal D indicating that a device (that is, the camera operation determination unit 110 or the image determination unit 120) has failed may be applied to the output logic. The predetermined time is a time that is considered to be unnatural due to an interval that a person or vehicle does not pass, and is the frequency of the person or vehicle passing through the railroad crossing, for example, one or one vehicle within the railroad crossing. It is calculated based on statistical data relating to the time required for the next person or vehicle to pass after passing. By applying the principle vi, it is individually determined whether it is a failure of the monitoring camera 20 or a failure of a system other than the monitoring camera 20 (failure of the camera operation determination unit 110 or the image determination unit 120). Can be detected.

  Further, when the output mode of the abnormal signal in the image determination unit 120 is the modified specification 3, and the control unit 130 receives the abnormal signal, the devices in the system other than the monitoring camera 20 (that is, the image determination unit 120 or the like) ) May be added to the output logic in principle, such as outputting a device failure signal D indicating that it is detected that the device has failed. By adding the principle vii, it is possible to determine individually and instantaneously whether a failure of the surveillance camera 20 alone or a device in the system other than the surveillance camera 20 is detected, and detect this. .

  Next, a multiple system (two systems) level crossing monitoring system 2 having two surveillance cameras will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a system block diagram of the crossing monitoring system 2. The level crossing monitoring system 2 includes a system A formed by the monitoring camera 20A, the camera operation determination unit 110A, and the image determination unit 120A, and a system B formed by the monitoring camera 20B, the camera operation determination unit 110B, and the image determination unit 120B. It consists of one system. Other configurations are the same as those of the crossing monitoring system 1 described above.

  Here, the configurations and functions of the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B, the camera operation determination units 110A and 110B, and the image determination units 120A and 120B are respectively the same as the monitoring camera 20 and the camera operation determination included in the one-line crossing monitoring system 1 described above. Unit 110 and image determination unit 120 are the same. Therefore, the description regarding the structure and function of these parts is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 130 of the level crossing monitoring system 2 including the system A and the system B includes the video disconnection signal TA and the detection signal VA from the camera operation determination unit 110A and the image determination unit 120A belonging to the system A. The video break signal TB and the detection signal VB from the camera operation determination unit 110B and the image determination unit 120B belonging to the system B are received, and the breaker opening / closing signal C output from the breaker is received. The control unit 130 receives the video break signals TA and TB, the detection signals VA and VB, and the circuit breaker closing signal C as input signals, and based on these input signals and a predetermined output logic described below, the alarm signals P and An equipment failure signal D is output.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of output logic in the level crossing monitoring system 2 that is multi-system (two systems). This output logic is based on the following five principles. Note that this output logic can be applied not only to two systems but also to three or more system crossing monitoring systems. For this reason, the reference numerals are written in parentheses.

  In the state where the circuit breaker is open, that is, the state where the circuit breaker closing signal (C) is not received, the alarm signal (P) regardless of whether the video break signal (TA, TB) and the detection signal (VA, VB) are received. ) Is not output (Principle 1).

  When the circuit breaker is operating, that is, when the circuit breaker closing signal (C) is received, an alarm signal (P) is output when at least one detection signal (VA or VB) is received, and these While receiving at least one of the two signals, the alarm signal (P) is continuously output (in principle 2).

  If a plurality of detection signals (VA and VB) are received and timings of receiving the plurality of detection signals (VA and VB) are different, all the detection signals (VA or VB) from when the preceding detection signal (VA or VB) is received It is assumed that the detection signal is output until the detection signals (VA and VB) are not received (Principle 3).

  When at least one video break signal (TA or TB) is received, the device failure signal (D) is output regardless of whether the detection signals (VA and VB) and the circuit breaker closing signal (C) are received (in principle). 4).

  When the video break signal (TA or TB) and the detection signal (VA or VB) from the same system (A or B) are received, the detection signal (VA or VB) from this system (A or B) is received. Ignoring and outputting the alarm signal (P) based only on the signal from the normally operating system (A or B) (Principle 5).

  The following principle may be added to the output logic shown in FIG. That is, in the state where only the detection signals VA and VB from the systems A and B are received (that is, the state where the video break signals TA and TB from the systems A and B are not received), the detection signals VA and VB When the reception timing is compared and the difference between the reception timings of the two detection signals is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the devices in the system other than the failure of the monitoring camera 20 (ie, the camera operation determination unit 110 or the image determination unit 120) It is determined that there is a failure, and a device failure signal D is output. The predetermined value is defined based on, for example, a shift in detection time between the systems A and B that may occur due to a difference in the installation positions of the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B.

  By adding the principle 6, it becomes possible to detect a failure of a device in the system other than the surveillance camera 20 (that is, the camera operation determination unit 110 or the image determination unit 120) at an early stage.

  Note that the modified specifications 1 to 3 and the principles v to vii described in the level crossing monitoring system 1 may be applied to the output logic.

  The configuration and specifications of the two-level crossing monitoring system 2 can be applied to a three-level or more multi-level crossing monitoring system. By increasing the number of surveillance cameras, it is possible to provide a highly safe level crossing monitoring system with better detection accuracy. In a crossing monitoring system that is organized in multiple systems, an AND circuit or an OR circuit may be appropriately mounted to obtain a more accurate alarm signal output.

  Next, an operation mode of the level crossing monitoring system 2 including the system A and the system B will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the railroad crossing 200 is provided with a traffic area 210 through which people and vehicles pass, and a pair of barriers 220 that block the traffic area 210 and a general road. Two monitoring cameras 20A and 20B composed of thermal cameras are installed on the diagonal line. As shown in FIG. 6, the two surveillance cameras 20A and 20B are installed at a high position where the entire traffic area 210 can be seen, and as a result, the traffic area 210 is simultaneously formed as a three-dimensional space area (once). It is configured to monitor in real time the presence of people and vehicles in the area while taking an image. A thermal camera with a wider detection range than a laser-type surveillance camera has a greater degree of freedom in the installation position. For example, both monitoring cameras 20A and 20B may be installed at locations other than diagonal lines, at different heights, or at the same position.

  The position where the two monitoring cameras 20A and 20B are installed will be described in more detail. These monitoring cameras are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 from an extension line J of the blocking bar 221 included in the railroad crossing 200 (breaker 220). Is slightly on the track area 230 side, and LA and LB (hereinafter referred to as “horizontal distances LA and LB”) from the railroad crossing end K (corresponding to a boundary line defining the width of a general road in the railroad crossing 200) as a horizontal distance. ) And at a height of HA and HB (hereinafter referred to as “height HA and HB”) at a vertical distance from the ground surface of the traffic area 210. The monitoring cameras 20A and 20B are arranged so that the optical axis of the lens extends downward from the horizontal plane (that is, the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B are arranged with a predetermined depression angle). .

Here, the surveillance cameras 20A and 20B are arranged on the track area 230 side of the extension line J of the blocking bar 221 because the person or vehicle outside the railroad crossing 200 (traffic area 210) becomes an obstacle. This is to avoid a situation in which accurate detection of a person or vehicle in the traffic area 210 is hindered. That is, when the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B are arranged outside the blocking bar 221 and the extension line J, these monitoring cameras and a space region Q (to be described later) A person or a vehicle outside the railroad crossing 200 (especially a person or a vehicle in the vicinity of the blocking bar 221) intervenes with the traffic area 210) monitored as a quadratic prism of length h. A situation may occur in which accurate detection of people or vehicles only in the traffic area 210 is prevented due to confusion with people or vehicles inside and outside. In order to avoid the situation, it is necessary to dispose the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B closer to the line area 230 than the extension line J of the blocking bar 221.
The reason why the optical axes of the lenses included in the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B extend downward from the horizontal plane is that malfunctions occur when sunlight such as the sun strikes the sensor of the thermocamera. This is to prevent this.

  The horizontal distances LA and LB and the heights HA and HB are determined so that the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B are arranged at positions where a space area Q described later is included in the angle of view. Further, the heights HA and HB are set lower than the overhead line Z so that the imaging area is not blocked by the overhead line Z.

  The space region Q is a ground surface G where the railroad crossing 200 and a general road intersect, more specifically, an intersection between a pair of blocking bars 221 provided in the railroad crossing 200 (breaker 220) or its extension line J and the railroad crossing end K. This is a three-dimensional space region including a quadrangular prism (region surrounded by points α1 to α8 in FIG. 6) as a traveling area 210 having a ground surface G surrounded by α1 to α4 as a bottom surface and a height of h.

  The ground surface G has, for example, a square of about 10 m square (the width W of the track area 230 and the width of the general road are both about 10 m), and the height h of the quadrangular column is, for example, approximately the average height of an adult male. When the angle of view of the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B is, for example, 60 ° (the focal length of the lenses included in the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B at this time is, for example, F5.3 mm) The horizontal distances LA and LB both of which geometrically requires 6 m or more, and in order to ensure that the passing area 210 is within the angle of view, both are preferably set to about 10 m.

  The heights HA and HB are preferably installed at a predetermined height, for example, at a position of 3 m or more in order to minimize the blind spots, but the imaging area is blocked by the overhead line Z as described above. It is necessary to make the height less than the height of the overhead line Z so that there is no. In order to obtain these given requests and a predetermined resolution, it is preferable to set the heights HA and HB to about 6 m.

  By disposing the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B at the positions, it becomes possible to simultaneously (at a time) image the spatial region Q including the traffic area 210 with a small number of blind spots. The person or vehicle existing in 210 can be detected in real time including the entire contents. In addition, it is possible to prevent as much as possible a malfunction caused by the incidence of sunlight such as the western sun, and the visibility is hindered by people and vehicles outside the level crossing 200 and obstacles such as overhead lines. A clear thermography can be taken.

  In the present embodiment, the two surveillance cameras 20A and 20B capture the entire space region Q simultaneously (once) because of the relationship for explaining the operation mode of the level crossing monitoring system 2 including the system A and the system B. However, in the crossing monitoring system 1 including one monitoring camera, the entire space region Q is imaged simultaneously (at once) by one monitoring camera (for example, only the monitoring camera 20A). It may be configured as follows.

  In addition, when the installation position is limited or a surveillance camera with a narrow angle of view is used, it is assumed that it is difficult to image the entire space region Q simultaneously (once) with one surveillance camera. The In this case, the entire space region Q may be imaged simultaneously (once) using a plurality of surveillance cameras. For example, instead of the monitoring camera 20A having an angle of view of 60 °, monitoring cameras 20A1 and 20A2 including thermal cameras having a smaller angle of view (for example, a thermal camera having an angle of view of 42 °) are arranged, and the monitoring cameras 20A1 and 20A1 are arranged. Each of 20A2 may be configured to image different portions of the spatial region Q, and superimpose these two imaging data so as to capture the entire spatial region Q at the same time.

  The two monitoring cameras 20A and 20B installed at the railroad crossing 200 are connected to the control device unit 100 through a cable 300, for example. The control unit 100 is installed in a controlled environment without being exposed to wind and rain, for example, in the immediate vicinity of the railroad crossing 200.

  When the circuit breaker 220 is open, many people and vehicles enter the traffic area 210 from the general road. Under such a situation, for example, the vehicle 240 becomes unable to travel in the traffic area 210, and even after the breaker 220 is closed, the vehicle 240 cannot leave the traffic area 210 and is left in the railroad crossing 200. Suppose.

  In such a situation, for example, the body surface 241 of the left vehicle 240 has a temperature different from the ambient temperature and a relatively large area. Then, the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B composed of thermal cameras generate image data including the vehicle 240 projected by infrared thermography. The image data is output to the camera operation determination units 110A and 110B in the control device unit 100 as video signals SA and SB.

  The camera operation determination units 110A and 110B in the control unit 100 that have received the video signals SA and SB determine that the surveillance camera is operating normally, and then the video signal SA and the image determination units 120A and 120B. SB is output.

  The image determination units 120A and 120B that have received the video signals SA and SB analyze the image data included in the video signals SA and SB. In this example, the circuit breaker 220 is closed because the temperature of the vehicle body surface 241 around the engine room of the vehicle 240 is different from the ambient temperature and larger than a predetermined size, for example, an area based on the average height of a one-year-old child. The image determination units 120A and 120B determine that a person or vehicle 240 is left behind in the railroad crossing 200, and detection signals VA and VB indicating the situation are sent from the image determination units 120A and 120B to the control unit. The output is directed to 130.

  The control unit 130 receives the detection signals VA and VB output from the image determination units 120A and 120B, and also receives the close signal C from the circuit breaker 220 at the same time. Thereby, the control part 130 outputs the warning signal P according to the output logic shown by the said FIG. 4, for example. This warning signal P is output toward an external facility installed at, for example, a railway operation management center.

  If the monitoring camera 20B of the monitoring cameras 20A and 20B breaks down, or the cable 300 that connects the monitoring camera 20B and the control device unit 100 is disconnected, the camera operation determination unit 110B in the control device unit 100 is disconnected. When the video signal SB cannot be received, a video break signal TB is output from the camera operation determination unit 110B. In this case, for example, according to the output logic shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 130 determines whether or not the alarm signal P is necessary based on only the signal from each part constituting the system A, and outputs this. Regarding the failure of the monitoring camera 20B, a device failure signal D is output. This equipment failure signal D is output, for example, toward an external facility installed in a railway operation management center or the like, and notifies that the monitoring camera 20B has failed.

  According to the present invention having the above configuration, the following excellent effects are brought about. In other words, by using a thermal camera as the surveillance camera, it is possible to detect the entire space that needs to be monitored over a wide range with a simple structure and configuration, and to increase the number of people or vehicles left in the crossing when the breaker is closed. Since it can be identified by its shape and position, it can be accurately detected from a small child to a large vehicle, and even a person who is stationary and crouched can be detected. Furthermore, since it is possible to distinguish between when a person or vehicle enters the railroad crossing and when a small animal enters, excessive warning signal output can be prevented, resulting in smooth train operation and the occurrence of a serious accident involving human life. It is possible to achieve both prevention and prevention at a high level. In addition, the railroad crossing monitoring systems 1 and 2 according to the present invention are less susceptible to changes in the surrounding natural environment where the surveillance camera is installed, so that malfunctions can be suppressed compared to when laser light is used. it can. Furthermore, by providing a camera operation determination unit in addition to the image determination unit, the malfunction of the camera is always monitored, and when a failure occurs, the reliability is improved by notifying the outside.

  Furthermore, since the abnormal signal is also used as the detection signal, it is not necessary to use the detection signal and the abnormal signal as separate signals, and the control can be prevented from becoming complicated. If the video from the surveillance camera is interrupted, the control unit receives both the video break signal and the detection signal, and it is determined that the surveillance camera is not operating normally only after receiving both signals. That is, it can be more reliably determined by the two signals that the surveillance camera is not operating normally. A detection signal is also output when the image determination unit itself is out of order, but since a video break signal is not output at this time, it is processed as a normal detection signal, and an alarm signal P is output from the control unit. However, since many failures in this level crossing monitoring system occur in the monitoring camera or in the wiring (cable) from the monitoring camera to the control unit, the configuration is such that accurate detection of this abnormality is preferentially performed.

  Note that, based on the output logic to which the principle 6 is added, failures of the surveillance camera 20 and other devices in the system (that is, the camera operation determination unit 110 and the image determination unit 120) are distinguished from each other. It becomes possible to discover the failure of This makes it possible to provide a crossing monitoring system with higher reliability at a low cost.

  Further, according to the railroad crossing monitoring system 2 including the output logic to which the principles v to vii are added, it is a failure of the surveillance camera 20 alone or a failure of the entire system (failure of the surveillance camera 20 and the image determination unit 120). Or whether it is a failure of the surveillance camera 20 alone or of a system other than the surveillance camera 20 (failure of the camera operation judgment unit 110 or the image judgment unit 120) is individually judged or monitored. It is possible to individually and instantaneously determine whether the camera 20 alone is a failure or a failure of a system other than the monitoring camera 20 (failure of the image determination unit 120). This makes it possible to provide a crossing monitoring system with higher reliability at a low cost.

  In the level crossing monitoring system 2, an alarm signal is generated when at least one detection signal (VA or VB) is received while the circuit breaker is operating, that is, while the circuit breaker closing signal (C) is being received. While outputting (P) and receiving at least one of these signals (except when the reception of the closed signal (C) is lost), the alarm signal (P) is continuously output. Instead, the alarm signal (P) is output only when all (two) detection signals (VA and VB) are received in a state where the circuit breaker closing signal (C) is received, and While all these signals (two) are being received (except when the reception of the closed signal (C) is not received), the alarm signal (P) may be continuously output. If comprised in this way, the alerting | reporting of an incorrect warning signal (P) can be reduced.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims and the specification and drawings. Is possible. It should be noted that any configuration not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention as long as the effects and advantages of the present invention are exhibited. Moreover, as long as there is no contradiction in the objective, a structure, etc., the embodiment shown by the said description and each figure can combine the description content of each other. In addition, the above description and the description of each drawing can be an independent embodiment even if it is a part of it, and the embodiment of the present invention is an embodiment in which the above description and each drawing are combined. It is not limited to.

1, 2 Crossing monitoring system 10 Camera unit 20 Monitoring camera 100 Control unit 110 (110A, B) Camera operation determination unit 120 (120A, B) Image determination unit 130 Control unit 200 Level crossing 210 Traffic area 220 Breaker 221 Blocking bar 230 Track area 240 Vehicle 241 Body surface 300 around engine room Serial cable (wiring cable)
J Extension line of breaker bar provided in breaker K Railroad crossing end Q Space area

Claims (9)

In a level crossing monitoring system that detects the presence of a person or vehicle in a level crossing when the breaker is closed and outputs an alarm signal,
One or more surveillance cameras that take pictures of the inside of a railroad crossing;
A control unit that monitors an image of the monitoring camera and outputs an alarm signal;
Comprising
The railroad crossing monitoring system, wherein the monitoring camera is a thermal camera that detects a difference between an ambient temperature and a temperature of a person or a vehicle by infrared rays. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to claim 1,
The control unit is configured to detect whether the camera is operating normally by detecting a video signal from the monitoring camera;
An image determination unit that receives a video signal from the camera operation determination unit and determines whether a person or a vehicle exists in the image;
A control unit that receives a video disconnection signal from the camera operation determination unit, a detection signal from the image determination unit, and an open / close signal of a circuit breaker, determines whether to alarm and outputs an alarm signal;
A crossing monitoring system characterized by comprising: A railroad crossing monitoring system according to claim 2,
When the image determination unit determines that a person or a vehicle is present in the image of the video signal, the image determination unit outputs the detection signal to the control unit, and an abnormal signal when the image determination becomes impossible A railroad crossing monitoring system that outputs the detection signal. A crossing monitoring system according to claim 2 or 3,
The control unit receives a closing signal of the circuit breaker and receives a detection signal from the image determination unit at the same time as long as it does not receive the video break signal from the camera operation determination unit according to the image determination unit. A railroad crossing monitoring system that outputs the warning signal. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
A plurality of the surveillance cameras are provided, and a plurality of systems are formed by the plurality of surveillance cameras, and the plurality of camera operation determination units and the image determination units that are connected to these one-to-one.
The crossing monitoring system, wherein the control unit outputs the warning signal based only on a signal from a normal system that does not output the video break signal. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
The control section outputs a device failure signal when receiving the video disconnection signal. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The thermal camera is disposed below the overhead line and on the line side from a pair of blocking bars provided in the breaker or an extension line thereof,
A railroad crossing monitoring system, wherein an optical axis of a lens included in the thermal camera extends downward from a horizontal plane. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to claim 7,
The thermal camera is disposed at a position where a columnar space area having a ground surface of a road interposed between the pair of blocking bars on the bottom surface is included in an angle of view, thereby simultaneously imaging the entire space area. A railroad crossing monitoring system. A railroad crossing monitoring system according to claim 8,
A level crossing monitoring system characterized in that the height of the columnar space region is at least equal to or greater than the average height of an adult male.

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