Obstacle-detecting apparatus

• US 5,331,312 A
• Filed: 08/07/1992
• Issued: 07/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Corporation)
• Sponsoring Entity: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Corporation)
• Inventors: Kudoh, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Time in patent office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/550, 340/555-557, 340/521-522, 340/937, 340/988, 358/105, 358/107-109, 367/93, 342/27, 364/516-517
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/00 Safety means for rail/road crossing traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/183 by interruption of a radiation beam or barrier industrial safety devices with photocells F16P3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/194 using image scanning and comparing systems

Abstract

This device can detect an obstacle in a railroad crossing or similar setting by way of image processing independently of a height and a width of an obstacle. The image data read from a video, camera 11 into a multi-valued image memory 13 is compared with background data stored in a background-data creating unit 15 in a data comparator 16. Based on the compared result, a still-object detector 17 detects if an obstacle exists. If it is detected that an obstacle exists and a rod of a crossing gate is down in a gate state detector 18, an alarm output unit 19 serves to output an alarm signal.

Claims

1. An obstacle-detecting apparatus comprising:

a video camera for producing images of a crossing zone;

image storing means having memory sufficient to store first image data based upon multiple images of said crossing zone produced by said video camera;

first means for setting dimensions of the crossing zone in which an object is to be detected;

second means for setting dimensions of a detection area within said crossing zone;

third means for setting background image data of said crossing zone based upon said first image data stored in said image storing means;

means for comparing said first image data with said background image data;

means, responsive to said first means for setting, for determining whether an object is located within said crossing zone based upon an output of said means for comparing;

fourth means for setting background data about the state of said crossing zone;

means for detecting whether a rod of a crossing gate associated with said crossing zone is up or down by comparing a portion of the first image data relating to said detection area and said background data set by said fourth means; and

means for outputting an alarm responsive to (a) a detection by said means for detecting that said rod is down and (b) a determination by said means for determining that an object is within said crossing zone.

2. An obstacle-detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for setting background image data of said crossing zone comprises means for designating a portion of the first image data as the background image data of said crossing zone.

3. An obstacle-detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the portion of the image data designated as the background data of said crossing zone corresponds to one of the multiple images.

4. An obstacle-detecting apparatus comprising:

a video camera for producing images of a crossing zone;

images storing means having memory sufficient to store first image data based upon multiple images of said crossing zone produced by said video camera;

first means for setting dimensions of the crossing zone in which an object is to be detected;

second means for setting background image data of said crossing zone based upon said first image data stored in said image storing means;

means for comparing said first image data with said background image data;

means, responsive to said first means for setting, for determining whether an object is located within said crossing zone based upon an output of said means for comparing;

means for detecting if a rod of a crossing gate associated with said crossing zone is up or down;

means for outputting an alarm responsive to (a) a detection by said means for detecting that said rod is down and (b) a determination by said means for determining that an object is within said crossing zone; and

means for recording the first image data accumulated in said image storing means when a still object is detected by said means for determining simultaneously with said alarm means outputting an alarm.

5. An obstacle-detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for setting background image data of said crossing zone comprises means for designating a portion of the first image data as the background image data of said crossing zone.

6. An obstacle-detecting apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the portion of the image data designated as the background image data of said crossing zone corresponds to one of the multiple images.