JPH0973596A - Vehicle detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) An object of the present invention is to detect a vehicle approaching with high accuracy in a vehicle detection device, to make maintenance almost unnecessary and to save power consumption. SOLUTION: Based on a thermosensitive sensor 1 that detects the presence or absence of a moving body that moves across a detection area by a pyroelectric element, and based on a detection signal from the thermosensitive sensor 1, whether or not the moving body is a vehicle is determined. , A microcomputer control unit 2 that determines whether or not the vehicle is approaching when it is determined to be a vehicle, and based on the detection signal when the vehicle is determined to be approaching by the microcomputer control unit 2. By configuring with the signal output unit 3 that outputs the control output, maintenance is not required when it becomes dirty unlike the conventional photoelectric type, power consumption can be saved, and it can be further improved by using the Doppler radar type or ultrasonic type. In addition, there are few malfunctions in a low speed person or in a strong wind, and a vehicle approaching with high accuracy can be detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle detection device installed at a side edge of a road or in front of an intersection and capable of detecting an approaching vehicle and outputting the detected signal. By the control output of the sensing device, for example, a self-luminous line-of-sight guidance device, a self-luminous marker, or the like can be turned on or blinked to call attention to an approaching vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a vehicle sensing device capable of detecting an approaching vehicle and outputting a detected signal,
Conventionally, a photoelectric type that emits a light beam to a vehicle and detects it by reflection or blocking, a Doppler radar type that emits a radio wave to the vehicle and detects it by the frequency displacement or displacement amount of the reflected radio wave by the vehicle, There is an ultrasonic type that emits an ultrasonic wave and detects it by the difference in the return time of reflected waves from the vehicle.

[0003]

However, in the photoelectric type, the contamination of the light emitting portion and the deviation of the optical axis greatly affect the detection accuracy, so that extremely fine maintenance is required and the photoelectric element is always turned on. Therefore, the power consumption is large, and the Doppler radar type has a problem that malfunctions are likely to occur especially in a low-speed vehicle, and the ultrasonic type has a problem in that the accuracy is deteriorated at a wind speed of 20 m or more.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle detection device which detects an approaching vehicle with high accuracy, requires almost no maintenance, and saves power consumption.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, the vehicle detection device according to the present invention is a vehicle detection device that detects an approaching vehicle and outputs the detected signal, and detects the presence or absence of a moving body that moves across the detection area by using a pyroelectric element. A microcomputer control for determining whether or not the moving body is a vehicle based on a heat-sensitive sensor for detection and a detection signal from the heat-sensitive sensor, and determining whether or not the vehicle approaches when the vehicle is determined to be a vehicle. And a signal output unit that outputs a control output based on the detection signal when the vehicle is determined to be approaching by the microcomputer control unit.

[0006]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of FIG.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 is a thermosensitive sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a moving body that moves across a detection area by a pyroelectric element, and 2 is a vehicle based on the detection signal from the thermosensitive sensor 1. While determining whether or not
A microcomputer control unit that determines whether or not the vehicle approaches when the vehicle is determined to be a vehicle, and 3 is based on the detection signal when the vehicle is determined to be approaching by the microcomputer control unit 2. Is a signal output unit that outputs a control output by 4 based on the detection signal of the microcomputer control unit 2.
A vehicle integrated counting unit for integrating and counting approaching vehicles, and a count display unit 5 for displaying the count number.

As shown in the operation flowchart of FIG. 3, first, when the thermal sensor 1 detects the presence / absence of a moving body that moves across the detection area S, the microcomputer control unit 2 moves the moving body to the vehicle. If it is determined that the vehicle is approaching, it is determined whether the vehicle is approaching. If it is determined that the vehicle is approaching, the signal output unit is based on the detection signal. 3 outputs a control output, and based on the detection signal, the number of approaching vehicles is cumulatively counted by the vehicle cumulative counting section 4, and the counted number is displayed on the count display section 5.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the detection area S
Since the presence / absence of a moving body that moves across the inside is detected by the thermosensitive sensor 1 using a pyroelectric element, there is almost no need for maintenance when it becomes dirty as in the conventional photoelectric type.
In addition, it is possible to save power consumption and to detect a vehicle approaching with high accuracy with less malfunction like a Doppler radar type or an ultrasonic type in a low speed person or in a strong wind.

Further, since the microcomputer control unit 2 determines whether or not the vehicle is a vehicle and also determines whether the vehicle is approaching or distant from the vehicle, only the vehicle approaching surely is detected. You can Therefore, if a control output that is output based on this detection signal causes other self-luminous line-of-sight guidance devices, self-luminous markers, etc. to light or blink, an approaching vehicle can be alerted. it can. In this case, the other self-luminous line-of-sight guidance device or the self-luminous indicator can be turned on or blinked only when the vehicle is approaching. Power consumption is also saved, and the number of passing vehicles approaching is integrated by the detection signal, so that the traffic volume can be evaluated.

In the pyroelectric element that constitutes the thermal sensor 1, the temperature of the element changes due to infrared rays incident from the moving body, and charges are generated in the element according to the degree of the change. The presence / absence of a moving object can be detected by the pyroelectric current due to. By using the pyroelectric element as described above, the pyroelectric element operates for the first time when infrared rays are incident from the moving body, so that power consumption of the thermal sensor 1 itself is almost unnecessary. The pyroelectric element is generally formed of a pyroelectric material such as lithium tantalate, lead titanate, and glycine sulfate, and an electrode is attached to the pyroelectric element, and an infrared ray-transmissive material such as silicon is attached to the front surface. A thermal sensor is constructed by mounting good window materials and packaging them. In this embodiment, in order to detect the moving direction of the moving body, for example, a plurality of the pyroelectric elements are arranged one-dimensionally in the packaging, and the pyroelectric currents generated in the pyroelectric elements are controlled by a microcomputer. It is adapted to be input to the section 2. By providing a Fresnel lens or the like on the front surface of the thermal sensor 1, the detection area of the moving body can be set freely.

Then, in the microcomputer control 2, it is judged from the magnitude of the pyroelectric current generated in the thermal sensor 1 whether or not the moving body is a vehicle. That is, when the moving body is a vehicle, the heat of the engine part of the vehicle has a higher heat than other moving bodies, such as people, animals, and bicycles that do not have an engine, and thus emits strong infrared rays. And
Since the generated pyroelectric current also becomes large, whether or not the moving body is a vehicle is determined from the magnitude of this pyroelectric current.

When it is determined that the vehicle is a vehicle, the microcomputer control 2 compares the magnitudes of the pyroelectric currents input from the plurality of pyroelectric elements, and the vehicle approaches the thermal sensor 1 by the comparison. It is designed to determine whether it is coming or moving away. In the microcomputer control 2 in the present embodiment, it is first determined whether or not the vehicle is a vehicle, and then, when it is determined that the vehicle is a vehicle, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is approaching. The determination may be performed simultaneously.

The vehicle integrated counting section 4 for integrating and counting the number of approaching vehicles based on the detection signal of the microcomputer control 2 and the count display section 5 for displaying the counted number are known digital counters. Etc. are used.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, unlike the conventional photoelectric system, there is almost no need for maintenance when it becomes dirty, and power consumption can be saved. Furthermore, like the Doppler radar system and the ultrasonic system, It is possible to detect an approaching vehicle with high accuracy and with little malfunction in a low-speed person or in a strong wind.

Further, if the other self-luminous gaze guidance device, the self-luminous marker, etc. are lit or blinked by the control output outputted based on the detection signal of the microcomputer control unit, the approaching vehicle is approached. It can call attention. Also, if the number of passing vehicles approaching is integrated by the detection signal, the traffic volume can be evaluated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of FIG.

3 is an operation flowchart of FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermal sensor 2 Microcomputer control unit 3 Signal output unit 4 Vehicle integrated counting unit 5 Count display unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle sensing device for detecting an approaching vehicle and outputting the detected signal, wherein the thermosensitive sensor detects the presence or absence of a moving body moving across a detection area by a pyroelectric element. A microcomputer control unit that determines whether the moving body is a vehicle based on a detection signal from the heat-sensitive sensor, and determines whether the vehicle approaches when the vehicle is determined to be a vehicle; A vehicle detection device comprising: a signal output unit that outputs a control output based on a detection signal of a vehicle approaching when the control unit determines that the vehicle is approaching. 2. Based on the detection signal of the microcomputer controller,
2. The vehicle detection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a vehicle integrated counting unit that cumulatively counts approaching vehicles and a count display unit that displays the count number.