JP7550463B2 - Travel support system, travel support system auxiliary device, and travel support system program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a patrol support system that assists in patrolling to check whether children have been left behind in parked vehicles in parking lots of commercial facilities such as amusement parks, department stores, and malls, an auxiliary device for the patrol support system that assists the patrol work performed by the patrol support system, and a program for the patrol support system that realizes the patrol support system on an information processing terminal device.

Parents may bring their children to amusement parks by car, leaving the children in the car while they go to play at the arcade. In such cases, the temperature inside the car can rise in the summer, and there have been reported tragic accidents in which children have suffered heatstroke and died.

Operators of amusement facilities and other facilities need to take some kind of measures to prevent such accidents from happening. One example of such a measure is a monitoring device for monitoring parking lots proposed in Patent Document 1 (JP 2008-83944 A).

Patent document 1 discloses a monitoring device in which a child-accompanying flag setting unit 228 sets a child-accompanying flag indicating whether a person entering the parking lot is accompanied by a child, a vehicle information registration unit 225 registers the child-accompanying flag in a vehicle information database, and a deposit flag setting unit 231a sets a deposit flag indicating whether a person in a vehicle entering the parking lot has left their child at a daycare center in the vehicle information database, by associating it with a facial image of the person who has left the child.
JP 2008-83944 A

However, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 requires the installation of cameras 38-1 to 38-m for capturing facial images of players on the gaming machine peripheral terminals 37-1 to 37-m (multiple inter-machine machines) that are provided in correspondence with each gaming machine 36-1 to 36-m in the hall, or the management of a biometric information management database 3, which entails a significant cost.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems. The patrol support system of the present invention is a patrol support system that supports patrols to check for the presence of people in vehicles parked in a parking lot using an information processing terminal device having an imaging unit that captures images and acquires imaging data, a display unit that receives display data and displays based on the display data, a control unit that receives imaging data captured by the imaging unit, generates display data based on the imaging data, and transmits the generated display data to the display unit, and a storage unit that stores data transmitted from the control unit and transmits the stored data to the control unit. The control unit performs image analysis on the received imaging data, reads information on the license plate of the vehicle reflected in the imaging data as text data, acquires read data, stores the read data in the storage unit, and verifies whether the read data is already present in the storage unit, and generates display data in which the imaging data and the read data are superimposed depending on the result of the verification.

The patrol support system according to the present invention is also characterized in that when generating display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed, the color of the frame surrounding the read data in the display data is changed depending on the result of the comparison.

The patrol support system according to the present invention is also characterized in that when generating display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed, the symbols displayed in the display data are changed depending on the result of the comparison.

The patrol support system according to the present invention is characterized in that the information processing terminal device has a speaker that receives a sound command from the control unit and produces a sound, and the control unit varies the sound produced by the sound command depending on the result of the comparison.

The auxiliary device for a patrol support system according to the present invention is used in patrol work by any of the patrol support systems described above and assists in the work, and is characterized by including at least a base, three or more wheels attached to the lower side of the base, a handle member extending from the base, and a holder member for removably holding the information processing terminal device on the upper side of the base.

The auxiliary device for the travel support system according to the present invention is also characterized in that the holder member is provided inside a box body that does not have a ceiling.

The auxiliary device for the patrol support system according to the present invention is also characterized in that it is provided with two of the holder members.

The auxiliary device for a travel support system according to the present invention is also characterized in that the handle member is provided with a brake lever that is used to operate the brakes that stop the rotation of the wheels.

A program for a patrol support system according to the present invention is a program for a patrol support system that causes an information processing terminal device to execute a process for supporting patrol to check for the presence of occupants in vehicles parked in a parking lot, the information processing terminal device including a processor for executing data processing, a storage unit for storing data, and
The system has an imaging unit that acquires imaging data and a display unit that performs display based on display data, and is characterized in that the processor executes the following steps: a step of acquiring read data by performing image analysis on the imaging data and reading the information written on the vehicle license plate reflected in the imaging data as text data; a step of storing the read data in the memory unit and checking whether the read data is already present in the memory unit; and a step of generating display data in which the imaging data and the read data are superimposed depending on the result of the checking.

The patrol support system of the present invention uses information processing terminal devices such as smartphones as hardware, making it possible to build the system at very low cost.

In addition, in the patrol support system according to the present invention, when display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed is generated, the data is changed according to the result of checking whether the read data already exists in the memory unit, allowing the patrol personnel to intuitively know whether the vehicle has already been checked.

In addition, the auxiliary device for the patrol support system according to the present invention can improve the work efficiency of patrol personnel by assisting the patrol work performed by the patrol support system according to the present invention.

The program for the patrol support system of the present invention can also cause an information processing terminal device such as a smartphone to execute an operation that allows the patrol personnel to intuitively determine whether a vehicle has already been checked.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a patrol is being performed using the patrol support system according to the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a smartphone 10 which is an example of an information processing terminal device used in a travel support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a tour support process by the tour support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a database 18 in the tour support system according to the embodiment of the present invention 1 is a diagram showing a display example of a touch panel unit 30 of a patrol support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of background processing by the tour support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of a display on a touch panel unit 30 of a tour support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of a display on a touch panel unit 30 of a tour support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing an auxiliary device 70 for a travel support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an auxiliary device 100 for a travel assistance system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view of an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a box 130 in an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a smartphone 10 is held by a first holder member 133 inside a case 130 in an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The patrol support system of the present invention is characterized by being a system that supports manual patrol of parking lots. More specifically, the object of the invention is to reduce the workload of people (hereinafter referred to as "patrol personnel") who patrol and check each parked vehicle (mainly the back seats) to see if there are people (mainly children or infants) inside the vehicles in the parking lots of commercial facilities such as amusement parks, department stores, and malls.

When driving around a parking lot and checking each and every parked vehicle for children, a particularly time-consuming task is to go to the rear of the vehicle and peer into the back seat to check for children.

In order to avoid the above-mentioned work, the operation of checking the back seats again for vehicles that have already been patrolled and confirmed can be omitted, thereby shortening the patrol work time. The patrol support system of the present invention is designed to support patrol personnel so that they can perform patrols efficiently by notifying them whether or not a vehicle has already been patrolled and confirmed.

In the patrol support system according to the present invention, for example, a situation is assumed in which patrol personnel make rounds of vehicles parked in a parking lot approximately once an hour during the business hours of a commercial facility to check whether any children have been left behind in the vehicles. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that patrol personnel P will carry an information processing terminal device such as a currently widely used smartphone 10 and check each vehicle V while taking an image of the information written on the license plate N of each vehicle V. The smartphone 10 reads the information written on the license plate N and, based on the read information, notifies patrol personnel P whether the vehicle V has already been checked in the past.

The configuration of a smartphone 10 that can be used in the patrol support system according to the present invention is described below. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a smartphone 10, which is an example of an information processing terminal device used in the patrol support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that in this embodiment, a smartphone is used as an information processing terminal device, but other devices such as a tablet terminal device can also be used as the information processing terminal device in the patrol support system according to the present invention.

The control unit 11 is a component that corresponds to an arithmetic processing unit (processor, Central Processing Unit) and various programs executed on the arithmetic processing unit. The basic operating system 16 that runs on the arithmetic processing unit also includes a program that realizes basic timekeeping functions such as a calendar and a clock.

The memory unit 15 is a storage such as a volatile memory (DRAM, SRAM, etc.) or a non-volatile memory (ROM, flash memory, etc.) that stores data. In this memory unit 15, the data written by the control unit 11 can be held, the written data can be referenced by the control unit 11, and the control unit 11 can erase data that is no longer necessary.

The storage unit 15 stores a basic operating system 16, a travel support system application program 17 of the present invention that runs on the basic operating system 16, and a database 18 to which data is written, to which data is referenced, or from which data is deleted by the travel support system application program 17. Each program stored in the storage unit 15 is executed by the control unit 11.

The patrol support system according to the present invention is designed to realize various functions by the control unit 11 executing various processes based on the patrol support system application program 17, which is application software installed in the memory unit 15.

In the diagram, the control unit 11 can issue various control commands to the block configuration (e.g., touch panel unit 30) connected to it, transfer various data, and receive data acquired by the block configuration.

The communication unit 20 realizes data communication and voice calls with external devices via wireless communication. Based on instructions from the control unit 11, the communication unit 20 can, for example, transmit data written in the memory unit 15 to an external device, or transfer data received from an external device to the control unit 11.

The GPS receiver 23 is configured to receive GPS (Global Positioning System) signals from multiple satellites to determine its own latitude and longitude. The latitude and longitude determined by the GPS receiver 23 are transmitted to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 works in conjunction with map data and an application (not shown) stored in the memory unit 15 to determine the location of the smartphone 10 itself on the map, and ultimately the location of the user who is assumed to be carrying the smartphone 10.

The imaging unit 25 is configured to acquire still image capture data and video capture data. The still image capture data and video capture data acquired by the imaging unit 25 are image-processed by the control unit 11 and displayed on the touch panel unit 30, and stored in the storage unit 15 as necessary. The still image capture data and video capture data stored in the storage unit 15 can be configured to be usable by the patrol support system. Note that the patrol support system according to the present invention is basically intended to utilize video capture data.

The touch panel unit 30 provided on the smartphone 10 is used as a user interface. The touch panel unit 30 is an integrated unit consisting of an input unit 31 that detects the touch of the user's finger to allow the user to input information, and a display unit 32 that displays information to the user. In the touch panel unit 30, the display unit 32 and the input unit 31 are provided so as to overlap, and the input unit 31 is transparent, so that the user can make input based on the display by touching the display of the display unit 32 with his or her finger. For user input operations based on such a touch panel unit 30, conventionally known techniques are applied to the present invention.

The input unit 31 of the touch panel unit 30 may be, for example, a capacitive type. The display unit 32 of the touch panel unit 30 may be, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electroluminescence).

The input operations commonly known on the touch panel unit 30 of the smartphone 10, such as "tap," "double tap," "long tap," "drag," "move," "flick," "swipe," "pinch," and "pinch out," are also employed in the navigation support system according to the present invention.

The audio processing unit 35 modulates and demodulates audio signals. The audio processing unit 35 modulates the signal provided from the microphone 36 and provides the modulated signal to the control unit 11. The audio processing unit 35 also provides the audio signal to the speaker 37. The audio processing unit 35 is realized, for example, by a processor for audio processing. The microphone 36 functions as an audio input unit that receives input of an audio signal and outputs it to the control unit 11. The speaker 37 functions as an audio output unit that outputs the audio signal to the outside of the smartphone 10.

The acceleration sensor 41 is an inertial sensor that measures the acceleration applied to the smartphone 10, and can be, for example, a MEMS acceleration sensor that applies MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology as a method for detecting acceleration.

The geomagnetic sensor 42 is a sensor that measures the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field. The geomagnetic sensor 42 may be a Hall element sensor that uses the Hall effect of a Hall element, or an MR sensor that uses a magnetoresistance element.

The gyro sensor 43 is an angular velocity sensor that measures the rotational angular velocity of the smartphone 10. As such a gyro sensor 43, a vibration-type gyro sensor using MEMS technology can be suitably used.

Now, the processing of the travel support system according to the present invention, which is executed by the smartphone 10 configured as described above, will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of the travel support processing by the travel support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. Such a flowchart is executed by the control unit 11. Moreover, such a flowchart is merely an example, and the travel support system according to the present invention can be realized by other flowcharts. Moreover, the flowchart in FIG. 3 is executed every time an image of the vehicle V is captured.

In FIG. 3, the patrol support process is started in step S100, and then the process proceeds to step S101, where image data is acquired from the imaging unit. Next, in step S102, the license plate location is extracted from the image of the vehicle in the image data, and next, in step S103, the information written on the license plate is read as text data to acquire the read data.

Here, any image recognition technology can be used for extracting the license plate location in step S102 and reading the information on the license plate as text data in step S103. In order to improve the accuracy of image recognition, machine learning using a learning model based on a neural network model or machine learning using a learning model based on deep learning can be adopted. Furthermore, as long as the correlation between the image data and the read data in the above embodiment is learned by machine learning from the learning data, other learning methods may be adopted without being limited to the above examples. For example, the learning model may use a recurrent neural network (RNN) or ensemble learning. Furthermore, when treating it as a regression problem, the learning model may use a statistical learning method, for example, a statistical model such as an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model or Bayesian estimation.

In step S104, the read data is compared with read data already registered in database 18 stored in storage unit 15. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of database 18 in a patrol support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Database 18 stores read data of license plate N of vehicle V that has been read in the past. The comparison is a process in which, for example, when read data "Kawaguchi 300 wa 17-77" as shown in FIG. 5 is acquired, it is compared with each of the read dates registered in database 18 to verify whether a match exists.

The data structure of database 18 can broadly be categorized into the following data stored in database 18: "ID number," "license plate read data," and "read time data."

The "ID number" is a unique piece of data that is assigned when license plate read data is first stored in database 18. In this embodiment, the "ID number" is described as being assigned a four-digit natural number, but the method of assigning the "ID number" is not limited to this.

"License plate read data" is text data related to the information written on a vehicle's license plate. Under "License plate read data", the text data of the license plate's "place name section", text data of the "classification number section", text data of the "hiragana section", and text data of the "vehicle number section" are classified and stored.

In this embodiment, all information written on the license plate, such as the "place name section," "classification number section," "hiragana section," and "vehicle number section," is treated as license plate read data; however, in cases where the control unit 11 of the smartphone 10 has poor processing power, the information treated as license plate read data can be limited to numeric text data such as the "classification number section" and "vehicle number section." By only handling the text data of the "classification number section" and "vehicle number section," the accuracy of vehicle identification decreases, but this does not pose a major practical problem.

The "read time data" stored in database 18 is data related to the time when the "number plate read data" was obtained. In the case of a vehicle that has been parked in a parking lot for a long time, the "number plate read data" is accumulated with each patrol, but a "read time data" item is provided to know from what time a particular vehicle has been parked there.

Returning to the flowchart, in step S105, it is determined whether or not the result of the comparison indicates that registered license plate read data already exists in the database 18 as described above. If the determination in step S105 is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S106, and if the determination is FALSE, the process proceeds to step S112.

In step S112, the read data acquired in step S103 and the read time when the read data was acquired are registered in the database 18 described above. Next, in step S113, display data is generated by superimposing the image data and the read data. Here, the text of the read data (read data display 63) is set to be displayed surrounded by a frame (frame display 60) as shown in FIG. 5, and the display data is generated and displayed on the touch panel unit 30 so that this frame display 60 is displayed in red. In this embodiment, the color of the frame display 60 displayed on the touch panel unit 30 is changed to resemble a traffic light. When a red frame is displayed, it notifies the patrol personnel that the vehicle is newly parked since the previous patrol, and it is assumed that the patrol personnel will check the back seat.

In this way, the patrol support system of the present invention compares the registered read data stored in the memory unit 15 with the read data read during the current patrol, and generates display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed based on the result of this comparison. This allows the patrol personnel to intuitively know whether the vehicle has already been checked, allowing for efficient patrols.

In this embodiment, the frame colors displayed on the touch panel unit 30 are red, yellow, and green to represent traffic lights, but the colors used for the frame display 60 are not limited to these.

Returning to the flowchart, if the determination in step S105 is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the difference between the first read time of the read data registered in database 18 and the current time is calculated.

In step S107, it is determined whether the calculated difference in time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. If the determination in step S107 is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S108, and if the determination is FALSE, the process proceeds to step S110.

In step S110, the current read time of the already registered read data is registered in the database 18. Next, in step S111, display data is generated by superimposing the image data and the read data, and the frame display 60 surrounding the text of the read data (read data display 63) is a yellow frame. When a yellow frame is displayed, it notifies the patrol personnel that the vehicle was seen on the previous patrol, but that it has not been parked for very long, and in this case, the patrol personnel is expected to give some warning.

If the determination in step S107 is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S108. In step S108, the current read time of the already registered read data is registered in the database 18. Next, in step S109, display data is generated in which the image data and the read data are superimposed, and the color of the frame display 60 surrounding the text of the read data (read data display 63) is a green frame. When a green frame is displayed, this notifies the patrol personnel that the vehicle has been confirmed as parked during a previous patrol and that sufficient time has passed since the initial read data was obtained, and therefore no work such as checking the back seat is required.

In step S114, the tour support process ends.

As described above, the patrol support system of the present invention uses an information processing terminal device such as a smartphone 10 as hardware, making it possible to build the system at a very low cost.

In addition, in the patrol support system according to the present invention, when display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed is generated, the data is changed according to the result of checking whether the read data already exists in the memory unit 15, allowing the patrol personnel to intuitively know whether the vehicle has already been checked.

In the patrol support system according to this embodiment, one standalone smartphone 10 is configured to be used in common for patrols approximately once an hour. However, if the database 18 is provided in an external device capable of data communication with the smartphone and multiple smartphones are configured to update and reference this database 18, multiple patrol personnel can make patrols simultaneously in parallel.

In the database 18 shown in FIG. 4, data increases with each patrol, placing a burden on the control unit 11 and memory unit 15 in data processing. Therefore, in the patrol support system according to the present invention, background processing is performed at appropriate times (for example, every 30 minutes) to organize the data stored in the database 18. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of background processing by the patrol support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This flowchart is executed by the control unit 11. Furthermore, this flowchart is merely an example, and background processing can be realized by other flowcharts as well.

In FIG. 6, when background processing is started in step S200, the process proceeds to step S201, where the variable n is set to 0001. Next, the process proceeds to step S202, where the difference between the latest read time of the registered read data of the vehicle with ID n=0001 in the database 18 and the current time is calculated.

Next, in step S203, it is determined whether the calculated difference in time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. If the determination in this step is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S204, where the registered read data is maintained without being discarded, and if the determination is FALSE, the process proceeds to step S205, where the registered read data is erased.

In step S206, it is determined whether n corresponds to the last ID registered in the database 18. If this determination is FALSE, it means that checking has not been completed for all vehicles, so the process proceeds to step S207, n is incremented by 1, and the process returns to step S202. On the other hand, if this determination is TRUE, the process proceeds to step S208, and the background process ends.

In the patrol support system according to the present invention, the above-mentioned background processing is performed in a timely manner, so that the read data of vehicles that have already left the parking lot can be deleted from the database 18, and the data processing load on the control unit 11 and memory unit 15 can be reduced.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The patrol support system according to the other embodiment differs from the previous embodiment only in the display on the touch panel unit 30. The rest of the configuration is the same, so the following description will focus on the differences in the display on the touch panel unit 30.

In the previous embodiment, the color of the frame display 60 surrounding the text of the read data (read data display 63) was changed to (a) notify the patrol personnel that the vehicle was newly parked after the previous patrol, (b) notify the patrol personnel that the vehicle was confirmed during the previous patrol but had not been parked for a long time, or (c) notify the patrol personnel that the vehicle was confirmed to be parked during a previous patrol and that a sufficient amount of time had passed since the initial acquisition of the read data. That is, in the case of (a), the frame display 60 was red, in the case of (b), the frame display 60 was green, and in the case of (c), the frame display 60 was green.

In contrast, in a patrol support system according to another embodiment, when generating display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed, the symbol displayed in the display data is changed depending on the result of the comparison, so that the patrol personnel is notified of information about the vehicle. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the display on the touch panel unit 30 of a patrol support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, in the patrol support system according to the other embodiment, a symbol display 65 is superimposed on the front part of the imaged vehicle. Here, as an example, in the case of (a) above, the symbol display 65 can be an "x", in the case of (b) a "△" symbol display 65, and in the case of (c) a "○" symbol display 65, but the type of symbol display 65 used is arbitrary.

The speaker 37 has the function of receiving and sounding a sound command from the control unit 11, but it can also be set so that the sound that the speaker 37 sounds in response to the sound command varies depending on the result of the comparison. For example, in the case of (a), when the frame display 60 is colored red or the symbol display 65 is an "x", a buzzer-like sound can be made to sound from the speaker 37 to better alert the patrol personnel. Here, it is up to the user to decide which sound to make sound from the speaker 37 in which pattern (a), (b), or (c).

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The difference between the patrol support system according to this other embodiment and the previous embodiments is that a "Need to Recheck" button B is provided on the display on the touch panel unit 30. Figure 8 shows an example of the display on the touch panel unit 30 on which the "Need to Recheck" button B is provided.

As shown in Figure 8, when a patrol officer makes a round, he or she may spot a person in a parked vehicle. In this case, it is unclear at the time of the patrol what the person in the vehicle will do afterwards. According to the patrol support system, the read data of the license plate of the vehicle in question will remain in the database 18, and at the next patrol, a green frame display 60 or a "circle" symbol display 65 may be displayed on the touch panel unit 30.

In view of this, in the patrol support system according to another embodiment, when it is determined that a person is present in a parked vehicle, by tapping the "need to check again" button B, the display on the touch panel unit 30 during the next patrol will be a red frame 60 or an "X" symbol 65.

For this purpose, for example, a "needs reconfirmation" flag is set in the database 18 for the target vehicle for which the "needs reconfirmation" button B has been tapped. At the next patrol, for vehicles for which such a flag has been set in the database 18, the touch panel unit 30 may display a red frame 60 or an "x" symbol 65, thereby realizing a patrol support system according to another embodiment.

According to the above embodiment, a record of vehicles that require attention during the next patrol can be easily saved by tapping button B, realizing more efficient and accurate patrols.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the patrol support system described so far, the license plate of the vehicle is attached at a relatively low position, which makes it difficult to capture an image while holding the smartphone 10 in the hand, which is a problem. Therefore, in the patrol support system according to this embodiment, such a problem is solved by using an auxiliary device 70 for the patrol support system. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an auxiliary device 70 for the patrol support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. When used together with the patrol support system according to the present invention, the auxiliary device for the patrol support system according to the present invention can improve the work efficiency of patrol personnel performing patrol work using the patrol support system.

The auxiliary device 70 for the patrol support system has a handle 73 that is gripped by the patrol personnel, a rod 71 extending from the handle 73, a first attachment 75 provided at the tip of the rod 71, and a second attachment 76 provided near the handle 73 of the rod 71.

The first mounting part 75 is fitted with a smartphone 10 for capturing an image of the vehicle's license plate, and the second mounting part 76 is fitted with a smartphone 10' for the patrol personnel to refer to the display on the touch panel part 30'. The smartphone 10 attached to the first mounting part 75 executes the patrol support system application program 17 described above, and the touch panel part 30' of the smartphone 10' attached to the second mounting part 76 is set to mirror the display on the touch panel part 30 of the smartphone 10.

The above-described configuration of the auxiliary device 70 for the patrol support system according to the present invention allows the patrol personnel to perform patrol work while holding the handle portion 73 and referring to the touch panel portion 30' of the smartphone 10' in hand, eliminating the need to expend effort in capturing images of vehicle license plates located in low positions, thereby improving the efficiency of patrol work.

In this embodiment, the smartphone 10' is used, but a device such as smart glasses worn by the patrol personnel may be used instead of the smartphone 10'. In this case, the display of the patrol support system application program 17 executed on the smartphone 10 is set to be displayed on the smart glasses.

The patrol support system according to the present invention described above can be provided in the form of a program, making it possible to execute the operations of the patrol support system on various information processing terminal devices such as smartphones.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view of the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The auxiliary device 70 for the patrol support system shown in FIG. 9 has a relatively long rod 71, and the patrol personnel must hold it while patrolling, which requires physical strength. In contrast, the auxiliary device 100 for the patrol support system according to another embodiment uses wheels to carry the smartphone 10 while capturing images. This saves labor for the patrol personnel, and since images are captured from the smartphone 10 that is kept at a roughly constant height, it is expected that the accuracy of image recognition will be improved.

The number of wheels used in the auxiliary device 100 for the travel support system is preferably three or more. If the auxiliary device 100 for the travel support system had one wheel (in the case of a unicycle) or two wheels (in the case of a bicycle), there would be variation in roll in the direction of travel, which could result in the height of the image captured by the smartphone 10 being distorted.

In the embodiment described below, the number of wheels is three, taking cost into consideration, but it is also possible to configure an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system with four or more wheels. In addition, the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to the embodiment described below will be explained based on an example in which there is one front wheel and two rear wheels, but it is also possible to configure an auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system with two front wheels and one rear wheel.

In addition, the auxiliary device 100 for the travel support system according to this embodiment employs two rear wheels with casters and one front wheel without casters, but conversely, one front wheel can be a caster wheel and the two rear wheels without casters.

The auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. In Figs. 10 and 11, the left direction on the paper is the direction of travel of the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system. The right direction with respect to this direction of travel is the "first direction", and the left direction with respect to this direction of travel is the "second direction". These "first" and "second" are used as prefixes indicating whether they are left or right when the left and right sides have the same configuration in this embodiment.

The auxiliary device 100 for the travel support system has a flat base 101. The layout is such that the wheels are arranged on the lower side of this base 101 and the smartphone 10 is arranged on the upper side.

On the lower side of the base 101 in the direction of travel, a U-shaped first frame member 103 is attached to the right side, and a similarly U-shaped second frame member 104 is attached to the left side. A front wheel 110 is provided between the first frame member 103 and the second frame member 104. The axle of the front wheel 110 is structured to be supported by both the first frame member 103 and the second frame member 104.

In addition, a downward extension member 107 is attached to the lower side of the base 101 that is not in the direction of travel. A first caster-type rear wheel 111 is provided on the right side of the lower end of the downward extension member 107, and a second caster-type rear wheel 112 is provided on the left side of the lower end of the downward extension member 107. Here, taking the second caster-type rear wheel 112 in FIG. 11 as an example, a caster-type wheel is configured to rotate freely around an axis X-X'. Therefore, unlike the front wheel 110 that is provided between the first frame member 103 and the second frame member 104 and cannot follow the turning direction, the first caster-type rear wheel 111 and the second caster-type rear wheel 112 are designed to be able to freely follow the turning direction.

A handle member 120 is provided extending from the base 101 above the side opposite the direction of travel of the base 101. It is expected that the patrol personnel will push the push portion 123 of this handle member 120 while moving the auxiliary device 100 for the patrol support system in the direction of travel.

The smartphone 10 is stored in a box 130 as described below. As the auxiliary device 100 for a patrol support system moves forward in the direction of travel, the smartphone 10 is expected to check each vehicle one by one while capturing an image of the information written on the license plate of each vehicle.

The handle member 120 is provided with a monitor 127 capable of displaying the display on the touch panel unit 30 of the smartphone 10. While pushing the auxiliary device 100 for the patrol support system in the direction of travel, the patrol personnel can use this monitor 127 to refer to the results of the comparison between the registered read data and the read data read during the current patrol by the patrol support system.

A brake lever 125 is provided on the hand-pushed portion 123 of the handle member 120. The brake lever 125 is configured to operate a brake (not shown) that suppresses the rotation of the front wheel 110. The operation of the brake enables the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system to be braked. The brake lever 125 used in the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system is preferably provided with a mechanism for locking the brake in an applied state or releasing the locked state.

For example, when a red frame is displayed in the frame shown in FIG. 5, the patrol personnel is notified that the vehicle is a newly parked vehicle after the previous patrol. At this time, the patrol personnel needs to check the back seat, but if a mechanism related to the above lock is provided, when the patrol personnel leaves the patrol support system auxiliary device 100 to check the back seat, the patrol support system auxiliary device 100 will not move and can be operated safely.

A box body 130 that houses the smartphone 10 is disposed above the base 101 on the traveling direction side. Vibration-proof materials 108 are provided at the four corners of the bottom of the box body 130 to prevent vibrations from the road surface from being transmitted to the smartphone 10 housed in the box body 130.

The box 130 does not have a ceiling, and the lid 140 fits into this ceiling, creating a closed space except for the opening described below. In this embodiment, the box 130 is designed so that the ceiling and the lid 140 can be attached and detached by fitting them together, but a structure in which the box 130 and the lid 140 are connected by a hinge structure can also be used as appropriate.

In the auxiliary device 100 for a patrol support system according to this embodiment, the box 130 has a structure without a ceiling, so that the smartphone 10 can be taken in and out of the box 130. On the other hand, the box 130 has a structure in which a lid 140 fits over it and can close the top, preventing the ingress of rain and making it possible to perform patrol work even in the rain. The inside of the box 130 can also be used as a storage section for a mobile battery (not shown) that can supply power to the smartphone 10.

Inside the box 130 as described above, a holder member is provided that can detachably hold a smartphone 10 on which an application for the travel support system runs. The layout of the inside of the box 130 will be described below. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the box 130 in the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing how the smartphone 10 is held by the first holder member 133 inside the box 130 in the auxiliary device 100 for a travel support system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The side of the box 130 facing the first direction is the first side 131, and the side of the box 130 facing the second direction is the second side 132. The first holder member 133 and the second holder member 134 that can detachably hold the smartphone 10 are provided on the inner wall surface of the first side 131 and the inner wall surface of the second side 132, respectively. In addition, a first image capture opening 135 and a second image capture opening 136, which are through holes in the side of the box 130, are provided at the positions where the optical lens (not shown) of the image capture unit 25 of the smartphone 10 is disposed when the smartphone 10 is attached to the first holder member 133 and the second holder member 134. In addition, each opening can be provided with a transparent material such as glass or plastic to prevent the intrusion of rainwater while enabling imaging by the optical lens.

The smartphone 10 is expected to be mounted on either the first holder member 133 or the second holder member 134 depending on the imaging direction. By mounting the smartphone 10 on the first holder member 133, patrol work can be performed while imaging the first direction side, and by mounting the smartphone 10 on the second holder member 134, patrol work can be performed while imaging the second direction side. In this way, the auxiliary device 100 for a patrol support system according to this embodiment can handle patrols of vehicles parked in either the first direction or the second direction.

As described above, the auxiliary device 100 for the patrol support system according to another embodiment of the present invention can significantly improve the work efficiency of patrol personnel.

As described above, the patrol support system of the present invention uses information processing terminal devices such as smartphones as hardware, making it possible to build the system at a very low cost.

In addition, in the patrol support system according to the present invention, when display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed is generated, the data is changed according to the result of checking whether the read data already exists in the memory unit, allowing the patrol personnel to intuitively know whether the vehicle has already been checked.

In addition, the auxiliary device for the patrol support system according to the present invention can improve the work efficiency of patrol personnel by assisting the patrol work performed by the patrol support system according to the present invention.

The program for the patrol support system of the present invention can also cause an information processing terminal device such as a smartphone to execute an operation that allows the patrol personnel to intuitively determine whether a vehicle has already been checked.

10, 10'... Smartphone (information processing terminal device)
11: Control unit 15: Memory unit 16: Basic operating system 17: Travel support system application program 18: Database 20: Communication unit 23: GPS receiving unit 25: Imaging unit 30, 30': Touch panel unit 31: Input unit 32: Display unit 35: Audio processing unit 36: Microphone 37: Speaker 41: Acceleration sensor 42: Geomagnetic sensor 43: Gyro sensor 60: Frame display 63: Read data display 65: Symbol display 70: Travel support system auxiliary tool 71: Rod part 73: Handle part 75: First mounting part 76: Second mounting part 100: Travel support system auxiliary tool 101: Base 103: First frame member 104: Second frame member 107: Downward extension member 108: Vibration-proof material 110: Front wheel (wheel)
111...First caster type rear wheel (wheel)
112: Second caster type rear wheel (wheel)
120: Handle member 123: Hand push portion 125: Brake lever 127: Monitor 130: Box body 131: First side surface 132: Second side surface 133: First holder member 134: Second holder member 135: First image capture opening 136: Second image capture opening 140: Cover body P: Patrolman V: Vehicle N: License plate B: Button

Claims (9)

an imaging unit that captures an image and acquires imaging data;
A display unit that receives the display data and performs display based on the display data;
a control unit that receives imaging data captured by the imaging unit, generates display data based on the imaging data, and transmits the generated display data to the display unit;
A patrol support system that supports patrols to check for the presence of people in vehicles parked in a parking lot, using an information processing terminal device having a storage unit that stores data transmitted from the control unit and transmits the stored data to the control unit,
The control unit performs image analysis on the received imaging data, and acquires read data by reading information on the license plate of the vehicle reflected in the imaging data as text data,
storing the read data in the storage unit and checking whether the read data already exists in the storage unit;
A patrol support system that generates display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed in accordance with the result of the comparison. When generating display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed,
2. The tour support system according to claim 1, wherein the color of a frame surrounding the read data in the display data is changed according to the result of the comparison. When generating display data in which the image data and the read data are superimposed,
2. The tour support system according to claim 1, wherein the symbols displayed in the display data are changed depending on the result of the comparison. the information processing terminal device has a speaker that receives a sound output command from the control unit and outputs a sound output;
2. The travel support system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the sound to be generated by the sound generation command depending on the result of the comparison. 5. An auxiliary tool for a travel support system, which is used in a travel operation by the travel support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and assists the operation,
The base and
Three or more wheels attached to the lower side of the base;
A handle member extending from the base;
a holder member for detachably holding the information processing terminal device on an upper side of the base, The auxiliary device for a travel support system according to claim 5, characterized in that the holder member is provided inside a box body without a ceiling. The auxiliary device for a travel support system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that two of the holder members are provided. The auxiliary device for a travel support system according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the handle member is provided with a brake lever used to operate a brake that stops the rotation of the wheels. A program for a patrol support system that causes an information processing terminal device to execute a process for supporting patrol to check whether or not there is a person in a vehicle parked in a parking lot,
The information processing terminal device
A processor for carrying out the data processing;
A storage unit for storing data;
An imaging unit that acquires imaging data;
A display unit that performs a display based on the display data,
The processor,
A step of performing image analysis on the captured image data and reading information on the license plate of the vehicle reflected in the captured image data as text data to obtain read data;
storing the read data in the storage unit and checking whether the read data already exists in the storage unit;
A program for a travel support system, comprising: a step of generating display data in which image data and read data are superimposed according to a result of the comparison;

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