APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING IMAGING OF CAMERA AND SYSTEM PROVIDED WITH THE APPARATUS

• US 20150262025A1
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: YASUI, Kunio
• Granted Patent: US 10,867,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

In a camera control apparatus, an imaging control unit controls imaging operations of a camera. This camera is able to capture an image of a license plate of a vehicle entering a premises from an entrance thereof. A detection area setting unit sets a planar detection area for detecting a position of the vehicle. A vehicle detecting unit detects the position of the vehicle based on the detection area. The camera is capable of changing the imaging direction thereof. The detection area setting unit sets detection area groups, each of which are composed of a plurality of detection areas aligned in a width direction of the entrance, in multiple stages from the entrance towards the inside of the premises. The imaging control unit performs imaging while changing the imaging direction of the camera based on the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle detecting unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling imaging operations of an optical camera, comprising:

an imaging control unit that controls the imaging operations of the camera, the camera being installed in a premises provided with an entrance and being capable of changing, in real space, an imaging direction thereof and being capable of capturing an optical image of a license plate of a vehicle entering the premises;

a detection area setting unit that virtually sets, in data, detection area groups each composed of a plurality of planar detection areas for detecting a position of the vehicle in the premises, the data positionally indicating the premises,

wherein the plurality of detection areas of each of the detection area groups are aligned in a width direction of the entrance and the plurality of detection areas of the detection area groups are aligned in multiple stages from the entrance towards inside the premises, and

the detection area groups include a first-stage detection area group positionally closest to the entrance and subsequent-stage detection area groups positionally subsequent from the first-stage detection area group, the first-stage detection area group being composed of two or more of the detection areas, the subsequent-stage detection area groups being composed of one or more detection area groups in which a subsequent-stage detection area group is larger in number of the detection areas than a preceding-stage detection area group; and

a vehicle detecting unit that detects the position of the vehicle based on the detection areas virtually set in the premises,

wherein the imaging control unit comprises

first determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the first-stage detection area group,

first changing means for changing the imaging direction of the camera towards a position of the first-stage detection area group virtually set in the premises when it is determined by the first determining means that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the first-stage detection area group,

second determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of a next-stage, but non-last-stage, detection area group among the detection area groups,

second changing means for changing the imaging direction of the camera towards a position of the next-stage detection area group virtually set in the premises when it is determined by the second determining means that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the next-stage, but non-final-stage, detection area group,

repeating means for repeatedly activating the second determining means and the second changing means until it is determined by the second determining means that that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the final-stage detection area group, and

imaging means for making the camera capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle in the imaging direction of the camera changed by the second changing means when it is determined by the second determining means that that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the final-stage detection area group.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle detecting unit includes first detection means for detecting the vehicle entering the premises by referring to the first-stage detection area group, and second detection means for detecting the vehicle by sequentially referring to the subsequent-stage detection area groups.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second detection means is configured to preferentially refer to a selected detection area of a currently determined detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the selected detection area being positionally closer in the width direction to a specific detection area of a preceding-stage detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the vehicle being detected in the last determination at the specific detection area of the preceding-stage detection area group.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second detection means is configured to refer to a selected detection area of a currently determined detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the selected detection area being positionally the same and adjacent, in the width direction, as and to a specific detection area of a preceding-stage detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the vehicle being detected in the last determination at the specific detection area of the preceding-stage detection area group.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

both the first and second detection means are configured to detect an approximate position in the detection areas, and

the detection area setting unit comprising

adjusting means for adjusting arrangement of the detection areas of the respective subsequent-stage detection area groups positionally subsequent to the first-stage detection area group,

wherein the adjusting means is configured to estimate a movement trajectory of the vehicle from the approximate position detected in the detection areas of a preceding-stage detection area group, and adjust the arrangement of the detection areas in the width direction such that the movement trajectory passes a center of each of the detection areas in the width direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the vehicle detecting unit is configured to detect, as the position of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle in a horizontal direction, and

the imaging means is configured to enable the camera to capture the still image of the vehicle in the changed imaging direction and at an angle of view that provides a predetermined angle margin to the detection area of the final-stage detection area group.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the camera is configured to optically capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle and the predetermined angle margin is set be larger than ½

of a lateral size of the license plate in the width direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the vehicle detecting unit is configured to detect, as the position of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle in a horizontal direction, and

the imaging means is configured to enable the camera to capture the still image of the vehicle in the changed imaging direction and at an angle of view that provides a predetermined angle margin to the detection area of the final-stage detection area group.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the camera is configured to optically capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle and the predetermined angle margin is set be larger than ½

of a lateral size of the license plate in the width direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the vehicle detecting unit is configured to detect, as the position of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle in a horizontal direction, and

the imaging means is configured to enable the camera to capture the still image of the vehicle in the changed imaging direction and at an angle of view that provides a predetermined angle margin to the detection area of the final-stage detection area group.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the camera is configured to optically capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle and the predetermined angle margin is set be larger than ½

of a lateral size of the license plate in the width direction.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the vehicle detecting unit is configured to detect, as the position of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle in a horizontal direction, and

the imaging means is configured to enable the camera to capture the still image of the vehicle in the changed imaging direction and at an angle of view that provides a predetermined angle margin to the detection area of the final-stage detection area group.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein

the camera is configured to optically capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle and the predetermined angle margin is set be larger than ½

of a lateral size of the license plate in the width direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the vehicle detecting unit is configured to detect, as the position of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle in a horizontal direction, and

the imaging means is configured to enable the camera to capture the still image of the vehicle in the changed imaging direction and at an angle of view that provides a predetermined angle margin to the detection area of the final-stage detection area group.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

the camera is configured to optically capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle and the predetermined angle margin is set be larger than ½

of a lateral size of the license plate in the width direction.

16. A system for recognizing a vehicle number of a license plate of a vehicle, comprising:

an optical camera installed in a premises provided with an entrance and formed to be capable of changing, in real space, an imaging direction thereof and being capable of capturing an optical image of a license plate of a vehicle entering the premises;

an imaging control unit controlling the imaging operations of the camera;

a detection area setting unit virtually setting, in data, detection area groups each composed of a plurality of planar detection areas for detecting a position of the vehicle in the premises, the data positionally indicating the premises,

wherein the plurality of detection areas of each of the detection area groups are aligned in a width direction of the entrance and the plurality of detection areas of the detection area groups are aligned in multiple stages from the entrance towards inside the premises, and

the detection area groups include a first-stage detection area group positionally closest to the entrance and subsequent-stage detection area groups positionally subsequent from the first-stage detection area group, the first-stage detection area group being composed of two or more of the detection areas, the subsequent-stage detection area groups being composed of one or more detection area groups in which a subsequent-stage detection area group is larger in number of the detection areas than a preceding-stage detection area group; and

a vehicle detecting unit that detects the position of the vehicle based on the detection areas virtually set in the premises,

wherein the imaging control unit comprises

first determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the first-stage detection area group,

first changing means for changing the imaging direction of the camera towards a position of the first-stage detection area group virtually set in the premises when it is determined by the first determining means that the vehicle detecting unit (3c) has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the first-stage detection area group,

second determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of a next-stage, but non-last-stage, detection area group among the detection area groups,

second changing means for changing the imaging direction of the camera towards a position of the next-stage detection area group virtually set in the premises when it is determined by the second determining means that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the next-stage, but non-final-stage, detection area group,

repeating means for repeatedly activating the second determining means and the second changing means until it is determined by the second determining means that that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the final-stage detection area group, and

imaging means for making the camera capture the image of the license plate of the vehicle in the imaging direction of the camera changed by the second changing means when it is determined by the second determining means that that the vehicle detecting unit has detected the vehicle in the detection areas of the final-stage detection area group.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein

the imaging control unit comprises outputting means for outputting the image captured by the camera,

the system comprising

recognizing means for recognizing the vehicle number of the vehicle from the image of the license plate of the vehicle, which is outputted by the outputting means.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle detecting unit includes first detection means for detecting the vehicle entering the premises by referring to the first-stage detection area group, and second detection means for detecting the vehicle by sequentially referring to the subsequent-stage detection area groups.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second detection means is configured to preferentially refer to a selected detection area of a currently determined detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the selected detection area being positionally closer in the width direction to a specific detection area of a preceding-stage detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the vehicle being detected in the last determination at the specific detection area of the preceding-stage detection area group.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second detection means is configured to refer to a selected detection area of a currently determined detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the selected detection area being positionally the same and adjacent, in the width direction, as and to a specific detection area of a preceding-stage detection area group among the subsequent-stage detection area groups, the vehicle being detected in the last determination at the specific detection area of the preceding-stage detection area group.