Signal lamp control device, signal lamp control method, and signal lamp control system

Abstract

The invention relates to a signal lamp control device, a signal lamp control method and a signal lamp control system. The signal lamp control device includes: at least one memory; and at least one processor configured to be capable of communicating with the memory and configured to be capable of executing a command stored in the memory, the command including: acquiring a detection result of detecting a moving body with respect to a plurality of regions of detection objects around the pedestrian crossing including the pedestrian crossing; and identifying the presence or absence of a combination of moving bodies in each of the plurality of regions on the basis of the acquired detection result, and controlling the pedestrian traffic light and the vehicle traffic light on the basis of the combination.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a signal light control device, a signal light control method and a signal light control system. Background Art

[0002] In the past, a pedestrian crossing signal system has been proposed that detects pedestrians waiting to cross a pedestrian crossing, and controls pedestrian signal lights and vehicle signal lights through a call-back control based on the detection of the pedestrians waiting to cross the pedestrian crossing (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-208141). According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-208141, an image including a pedestrian standing in front of a pedestrian crossing is captured by a camera, and a predetermined image analysis is performed on the captured image to determine whether the pedestrian is a pedestrian waiting to cross the pedestrian crossing. In this image analysis, processes such as extracting a person reflected in an image portion corresponding to the waiting area in the captured image, tracking the extracted person, and determining the line of sight direction of the extracted person are included. Summary of the invention

[0003] In the conventional control method of the signal lights at the pedestrian crossing, complex image processing is performed to predict the pedestrian's intention to cross, so the judgment sometimes deviates. In addition, it is sometimes difficult to determine the direction of the pedestrian's line of sight, etc., depending on the weather and brightness conditions. That is, because the prior art requires advanced image recognition, the robustness of image recognition is insufficient, which may cause problems in stable operation.

[0004] The present invention discloses a technique for improving signal light control at a crosswalk.

[0005] A signal light control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: at least one memory; and at least one processor configured to communicate with the memory and to execute the following commands stored in the memory. The commands include:

[0006] With respect to a plurality of areas as detection objects around a crosswalk including a crosswalk, detection results of a detected moving body are obtained; based on the obtained detection results, a combination of whether or not the moving body exists in each area included in the plurality of areas is identified; and based on the combination, pedestrian signal lights and vehicle signal lights are controlled.

[0007] In the signal light control device of one aspect of the present disclosure, the command may further include: when there is no moving object in any of the plurality of areas, controlling the pedestrian signal light so as to display that pedestrians can pass.

[0008] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the multiple areas may also include: a first area which is an area on the crosswalk; a second area which is an area where pedestrians pass near the crosswalk; and a third area which is an area where vehicles pass toward the crosswalk.

[0009] In addition, in a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition between a first state and a second state based on a combination of the presence or absence of moving bodies in the first area, the second area, and the third area, wherein the first state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light allows pedestrians to pass and the vehicle signal light prevents vehicles from passing, and the second state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light prevents pedestrians from passing and the vehicle signal light allows vehicles to pass.

[0010] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving object in the first area and the second area, and there is a moving object in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state.

[0011] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving body in the second area, and there is a moving body in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state after a first time from the time when there is no moving body in the first area.

[0012] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and there is a moving body in the third area, when the state in which there is no moving body in the first area continues for more than the second time and the state in which there is a moving body in the second area continues for more than the third time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state.

[0013] In the signal light control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the second area includes a fourth area adjacent to the crosswalk and a fifth area located farther from the crosswalk than the fourth area.

[0014] In the signal light control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the third time may be different when a moving object is present in the fourth area and when a moving object is present in the fifth area and no moving object is present in the fourth area.

[0015] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and a moving body exists in the third area for a fourth time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled to be changed to the second state.

[0016] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the second state and there is no moving body in the first area and the third area for a fifth time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled to be changed to the first state.

[0017] In a signal light control device of one embodiment of the present invention, the command may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the second state and the second state lasts for a sixth time, controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition to the first state.

[0018] In a signal light control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the moving objects may include different moving objects of multiple types including pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. In addition, in a signal light control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the command may not distinguish the types of the moving objects.

[0019] In the signal light control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the command may further include: acquiring the detection result from a camera having a function of recognizing a moving object from a captured image.

[0020] In addition, a signal light control method of one scheme of the present invention is executed by at least one processor in a signal light control device, wherein the signal light control method includes: obtaining detection results of a moving body with respect to a plurality of areas as detection objects that are around a crosswalk including a crosswalk; based on the detection results, identifying a combination of whether or not the moving body exists in each area included in the plurality of areas; and controlling pedestrian signal lights and vehicle signal lights based on the combination.

[0021] The signal light control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure may further include: when no moving object exists in any of the plurality of areas, controlling the pedestrian signal light so as to display that pedestrians can pass.

[0022] In a signal light control method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of areas may include: a first area being an area on the crosswalk; a second area being an area on the sidewalk adjacent to the crosswalk; and a third area being an area through which vehicles passing toward the crosswalk. The signal light control method may also include: controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition between a first state and a second state based on a combination of the presence or absence of moving bodies in the first area, the second area, and the third area, wherein the first state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light allows pedestrians to pass and the vehicle signal light blocks vehicles from passing, and the second state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light blocks pedestrians from passing and the vehicle signal light allows vehicles to pass.

[0023] In one embodiment of the signal light control method of the present invention, it may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving body in the first area and the second area, and there is a moving body in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state.

[0024] In a signal light control method of one embodiment of the present invention, it may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving body in the second area, and there is a moving body in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state after a first time from the absence of the moving body in the first area.

[0025] In a signal light control method of one embodiment of the present invention, it may also include: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and there is a moving body in the third area, when the state in which there is no moving body in the first area continues for more than the second time and the state in which there is a moving body in the second area continues for more than the third time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in a manner so as to be changed to the second state.

[0026] In the traffic light control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the second area may include a fourth area adjacent to the crosswalk and a fifth area located farther from the crosswalk than the fourth area.

[0027] In the signal light control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the third time may be different when a moving object is present in the fourth area and when a moving object is present in the fifth area and no moving object is present in the fourth area.

[0028] In addition, a signal light control system of one scheme of the present invention comprises: a pedestrian signal light and a vehicle signal light, which are configured to control the passage of a crosswalk; a detector, which detects a moving body with respect to multiple areas of a detection object including the crosswalk and the periphery of the crosswalk; and a signal light control device, which comprises at least one processor, and the at least one processor is configured to execute a command, the command comprising: obtaining a detection result of a moving body detected from the detector; and based on the detection result, identifying a combination of whether or not the moving body exists in each area included in the multiple areas, and controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light based on the combination.

[0029] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the technology of controlling traffic lights on pedestrian crossings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols represent like elements, and in which:

[0031] Figure 1 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a signal light control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 2 Yes Description Figure 1 A plan view of an example of the arrangement of components of a signal light control system and areas of detection targets.

[0033] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 A diagram showing an example of a signal display phase diagram of a pedestrian signal light and a vehicle signal light.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of a signal light control process performed by the signal light control device.

[0035] Figure 5 It shows judgment Figure 4 A flowchart of an example of a process of switching a signal light.

[0036] Figure 6 2 is a diagram showing an example of a transition condition from the first state to the second state.

[0037] Figure 72 is a diagram showing an example of the transition condition from the second state to the first state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the drawings used in the following description are schematic. The dimensions and ratios on the drawings may not necessarily match the actual situation.

[0039] (Structure of traffic light control system)

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, a signal light control system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a signal light control device 10, one or more detectors 20, a pedestrian signal light 31, and a vehicle signal light 32. The signal light control device 10 and the detectors 20, the pedestrian signal light 31, and the vehicle signal light 32 are communicatively connected to each other using a wired communication unit and / or a wireless communication unit.

[0041] The signal light control device 10 is a computer that controls the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. The signal light control device 10 may be arranged adjacent to the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. At least a part of the functions of the signal light control device 10 may be arranged at a remote location away from the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. The signal light control device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, and a storage unit 13.

[0042] The communication unit 11 includes a communication interface for communicating with a device external to the signal light control device 10. The external device includes the detector 20, the pedestrian signal light 31, and the vehicle signal light 32. The communication unit 11 supports wired communication and / or wireless communication.

[0043] The control unit 12 is configured to include a single or multiple processors and memories. The processor includes a general-purpose processor that executes functions programmed by reading a specific program and a dedicated processor that performs specific processing. The control unit 12 reads a program for signal light control and controls the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. The control unit 12 performs various operations for controlling the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32.

[0044] The storage unit 13 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of them. The storage unit 13 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 13 stores programs and data used for the operation of the signal light control device 10 and data obtained by the operation of the signal light control device 10. The information stored in the storage unit 13 can also be updated using information obtained from the communication unit 11, for example.

[0045] The signal light control device 10 may include an input unit and a display unit in addition to the communication unit 11, the control unit 12, and the storage unit 13. The input unit includes a button switch and a touch panel for direct operation by the manager of the signal light control system 1. The display unit includes a display such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) for displaying information corresponding to the manager's operation.

[0046] The detector 20 is located at a location including a pedestrian crossing 41 (refer to Figure 2 ) in the surrounding area of ​​the crosswalk 41. In the present disclosure, a moving body is meant to include people and objects that can move. The moving body may also stop at a certain moment. The moving body may include multiple types of people or objects such as pedestrians 42, vehicles 43, bicycles, and personal mobility vehicles (PMV: Personal Mobility Vehicle). The moving body can be renamed as a traffic participant. The detector 20 may not distinguish the type of the moving body. The detector 20 detects moving bodies in a predetermined surrounding area, so more than two may be configured. The detector 20 is configured to send the detection result to the signal light control device 10. The detection result of the detector 20 is used to identify whether there is a moving body in each of the multiple areas included in the surrounding area of ​​the crosswalk 41 including the crosswalk 41.

[0047] The detector 20 is, for example, a camera fixed to a structure such as a signal light or a utility pole adjacent to the crosswalk 41, and photographs the surrounding area of ​​the crosswalk 41. The camera is not limited to a camera that photographs images of visible light, and may include an infrared camera that photographs light of infrared wavelengths. In the case where the detector 20 is a camera, in the present disclosure, "detecting a moving object" is used to mean both photographing an image containing the moving object and recognizing the moving object from the photographed image.

[0048] As the detector 20, for example, an edge AI (artificial intelligence) camera can be used. The edge AI camera is a camera equipped with an AI processing function. The edge AI camera can perform AI processing on the captured image inside the camera and send the processing result to the signal light control device 10. The edge AI camera can recognize a moving object from the captured image and send the information of the recognized moving object together with the captured image to the signal light control device 10.

[0049] The detector 20 may not be an edge AI camera but a common camera. In this case, the detector 20 may send the captured image to the signal light control device 10 as a detection result. The control unit 12 detects the moving object in each area from the image captured by 1. In this case, the control unit 12 may have a function of performing AI image analysis processing.

[0050] The detector 20 is not limited to a camera. The detector 20 may be any sensor that can be used to detect the presence of a moving object in a specific area. The detector 20 may include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor and / or an infrared sensor fixed to a structure on the pedestrian road 44 and / or the vehicle road 45. In addition, the detector 20 may also be a sensor buried in the vehicle road 45 such as a loop coil detector. The detector 20 may also be configured with these sensors at the end of a specific area to detect the presence of a moving object entering or leaving the specific area.

[0051] The pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are arranged to control the passage of the crosswalk 41 .

[0052] The pedestrian signal light 31 is a signal light disposed on both sides of the vehicle road 45 across the crosswalk 41. The pedestrian signal light 31 is disposed so that the light emitting portion faces the direction facing the pedestrian 42 crossing the crosswalk 41. The pedestrian signal light 31 indicates to the pedestrian 42 that the pedestrian 42 can pass through the crosswalk 41 or that the pedestrian 42 cannot pass through. For example, the pedestrian signal light 31 includes a green light emitting portion and a red light emitting portion. The green light emitting portion being lit indicates that the pedestrian 42 can pass through. The red light emitting portion being lit indicates that the pedestrian 42 cannot pass through. In addition, before switching from the green light emitting portion being lit to the red light emitting portion being lit, the green light emitting portion flashes to notify that the signal switching is imminent. The pedestrian signal light 31 is controlled by the signal light control device 10.

[0053] The vehicle signal light 32 is a signal light arranged to face the driver of the vehicle 43 on the vehicle road 45 across the crosswalk 41. The vehicle signal light 32 indicates to the driver of the vehicle 43 whether the vehicle 43 can pass through the crosswalk 41 or cannot pass through. For example, the vehicle signal light 32 has green, red, and yellow light emitting parts. The green light emitting part indicates that the vehicle 43 can pass through the crosswalk 41. The red light emitting part indicates that the vehicle 43 cannot pass through the crosswalk 41 and indicates that the vehicle 43 cannot pass through. In addition, the green signal is switched to red after the yellow signal. The vehicle signal light 32 is controlled by the signal light control device 10.

[0054] The pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are not limited to indicating whether the road is passable or not passable by the color of the light emitting portion as described above. For example, the pedestrian signal light 31 and / or the vehicle signal light 32 may also display an arrow to indicate that the road is passable. In addition, the color of the light emitting portion indicating that the road is passable may be blue instead of green. In the following, in order to simplify the description, the green, red, and yellow colors displayed by the signal light are sometimes used to explain the state displayed by the signal light.

[0055] (Example of the area around the pedestrian crossing and the arrangement of equipment)

[0056] Figure 2 An example of the arrangement of the crosswalk 41 at the intersection of the pedestrian road 44 and the vehicle road 45 , a plurality of detection target areas, and the components of the signal light control system 1 is shown.

[0057] The pedestrian road 44 is a road on which bicycles and PMVs pass in addition to pedestrians 42. Pedestrians 42, bicycles, and PMVs are included in mobile objects. Mobile objects passing through the pedestrian road 44 pass through the crosswalk 41 according to the pedestrian signal light 31. The signal light control system 1 does not recognize the type of mobile object, so the mobile object passing through the pedestrian road 44 is substantially treated as a pedestrian 42.

[0058] The vehicle road 45 is a road on which bicycles and PMVs pass in addition to the vehicles 43. The vehicles 43, bicycles, and PMVs are included in the mobile bodies. The mobile bodies passing on the vehicle road 45 pass on the vehicle road 45 according to the vehicle signal lights 32. The signal light control system 1 does not recognize the type of the mobile body, so the mobile bodies passing on the vehicle road 45 are substantially treated as vehicles 43.

[0059] The detection area of ​​the pedestrian crossing 41 and its surroundings includes, for example, the first area 51, the second area 52, and the third area 53. The first area 51 is an area on the pedestrian crossing 41. The second area 52 is an area near the pedestrian crossing 41 where pedestrians 42 pass. The third area 53 is an area where vehicles 43 passing toward the pedestrian crossing 41. The third area 53 can be an area on the lane of the vehicle road 45 facing the pedestrian crossing 41 from a predetermined distance in front of the pedestrian crossing 41 to immediately before the pedestrian crossing 41. The predetermined distance is, for example, 30m, 50m, or 100m, and can be set arbitrarily according to the road environment. Hereinafter, the first area 51, the second area 52, and the third area 53 are sometimes also referred to as the crossing area, the pedestrian side vicinity area, and the vehicle approach area, respectively. The second area 52 exists one on each side of the vehicle road 45. The third area 53 exists one on each of the left and right sides across the center line 46 of the vehicle road 45 .

[0060] The second area 52 may further include a fourth area 54 and a fifth area 55. The fourth area 54 is an area adjacent to the crosswalk 41 where pedestrians 42 wait for the signal. The fifth area 55 is an area adjacent to the fourth area 54 and located farther from the crosswalk 41 than the fourth area 54, and is an area where pedestrians 42 passing toward the crosswalk 41 pass. The depths of the fourth area 54 and the fifth area 55 can be arbitrarily set according to the road environment and the like. For example, the fourth area 54 may be an area on the pedestrian road 44 with a width of 1m to 2m wider than the width of the crosswalk 41 and a depth of 2m, 3m, or 5m. In addition, the fifth area 55 may be an area on the pedestrian road 44 with a depth of 10m, 20m, or 30m. Here, the depth means the length in the direction in which the pedestrian road 44 extends. Hereinafter, the fourth area 54 and the fifth area 55 are sometimes also referred to as a pedestrian crossing waiting area and a crossing pedestrian approach area, respectively.

[0061] exist Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , two detectors 20A and 20B are respectively arranged on both sides of the road across the crosswalk 41 as the detector 20. In one embodiment, the detectors 20A and 20B can each be equipped with one or more edge AI cameras. For example, the detector 20A can be configured to capture the first area 51, the detector 20A side located at the center line 46 of the vehicle road 45 (at Figure 2 The detector 20B may be configured to capture the first area 51, the detector 20B side located on the center line 46 of the vehicle road 45 (on the left side) and the third area 53. Figure 2 The second area 52 and the third area 53 (center right).

[0062] Detectors 20A and 20B, which are edge AI cameras, respectively detect whether there is a moving body in the area as the detection object. Detectors 20A and 20B only need to detect the presence and location (area) of the moving body, and do not need to analyze the type, orientation, direction of travel, speed, etc. of the moving body. Therefore, detectors 20A and 20B do not need to perform complex image processing. The number of detectors 20 is not limited to two. Detector 20 may include a sufficient number of edge AI cameras to cover the first area 51 to the fifth area 55 around the crosswalk 41 as the photographed area. The edge AI cameras can be connected to each other for communication, and are configured to integrate the detection information of the moving body around the crosswalk 41 as a whole. The information on the presence and location of the moving body in the first area 51 to the fifth area 55 detected by the detector 20A is sent to the signal light control device 10.

[0063] The control unit 12 of the signal light control device 10 integrates the information of the detection results obtained from each detector 20A and 20B via the communication unit 11, and judges the presence or absence of the moving body in each of the first area 51 to the fifth area 55 as a whole. This existence judgment is performed by integrating the detection results of all the detectors 20. The control unit 12 prevents the judgment fluctuation (floating) caused by the detection fluctuation (floating), so when the detection of the moving body in the area continues for a certain time (for example, 0.3 seconds, etc.) or more, it is judged that the moving body exists in the area. In addition, the same is true when the judgment of the presence or absence of the moving body is changed from existence to non-existence.

[0064] The control unit 12 recognizes whether there is a combination of moving bodies, that is, traffic participants such as pedestrians 42 and vehicles 43, in each area included in the first area 51 to the fifth area 55. The control unit 12 determines the conditions of traffic participants such as pedestrians 42 and vehicles 43 on the crosswalk 41 and its surroundings based on the combination. The control unit 12 determines, for example, whether there are pedestrians 42 crossing the crosswalk 41, whether there are pedestrians 42 waiting to cross the crosswalk 41, and whether there are vehicles 43 approaching the crosswalk 41 in front of the crosswalk 41 or vehicles 43 waiting at the signal. The control unit 12 controls the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 based on the combination of moving bodies in each area of ​​the first area 51 to the fifth area 55.

[0065] In the signal light control system 1 of the present disclosure, the time taken for the moving body to reach the crosswalk 41 is not calculated to control the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. In the signal light control system 1 of the present disclosure, the approach and waiting state of the moving body to the crosswalk 41 are determined by the combination of the configuration and shape of the area of ​​each detection object and the presence or absence of the moving body.

[0066] In one embodiment, the control unit 12 may control the pedestrian signal light 31 in a manner that indicates that the pedestrian 42 is allowed to pass when there is no moving object in any of the first area 51 to the third area 53. That is, the control unit 12 may control the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 in a manner that the pedestrian signal light 31 turns red and the vehicle signal light 32 turns green, with the pedestrian signal light 31 being the basic state and only when a predetermined transition condition is satisfied, the pedestrian signal light 31 turns red and the vehicle signal light 32 turns green. By doing so, the time that the pedestrian 42 who arrives at the crosswalk 41 waits for the pedestrian signal light 31 to switch from red to green can be reduced. In addition, since the pedestrian signal light 31 is basically turned green, it is not necessary to analyze whether the pedestrian 42 intends to pass through the crosswalk 41 based on the image of the pedestrian 42 approaching the crosswalk 41.

[0067] (Signal display stage diagram)

[0068] The control unit 12 is, for example, Figure 3 The signal display phase diagram controls the signal switching of the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32.

[0069] Phase 1 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 is green and the vehicle signal light 32 is red. The state of Phase 1 is the first state. Phase 1 can be set as the basic state of the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 in the signal light control system 1. The arrow indicated by the dotted line in the frame of the series of flowcharts from Phase 1 to Phase 3 indicates the moving direction of the pedestrian 42 indicated by "1P". In Phase 1, when the conditions described below are satisfied, Figure 6 When the determination condition shown in the example is met, the control unit 12 instructs the transition to the stage 2.

[0070] Phase 2 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 is a green flashing signal and the vehicle signal light 32 is a red signal. The control unit 12 continues Phase 2 for a predetermined number of safety seconds and then changes to Phase 3. Figure 3 In the example above, the number of safe seconds for phase 2 is 8 seconds.

[0071] Phase 3 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are red. The control unit 12 changes to phase 4 after a predetermined number of safety seconds have passed in phase 3. Figure 3 In the example, the predetermined number of safety seconds is 2 seconds.

[0072] Phase 4 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 is red and the vehicle signal light 32 is green. The state of Phase 4 is the second state. In Phase 4, pedestrians 42 are not allowed to pass through the crosswalk 41. In addition, in Phase 4, vehicles 43 are allowed to pass through the crosswalk 41 of the vehicle road 45. The arrow indicated by a solid line in the frame of the flowchart of the series of Phases 4 to 6 indicates the moving direction of the vehicle 43 indicated by "2G". In Phase 4, when the condition is satisfied, Figure 7 When the determination condition shown as an example is met, the control unit 12 instructs the transition to the stage 5.

[0073] Phase 5 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 is red and the vehicle signal light 32 is yellow. The control unit 12 continues Phase 5 for a predetermined number of safety seconds and then changes to Phase 6. Figure 5 In the example above, the number of safe seconds for phase 6 is 6 seconds.

[0074] Phase 6 is a phase in which the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are red. The control unit 12 changes to phase 1 after a predetermined number of safety seconds have passed in phase 6. Figure 5 In the example, the predetermined number of safety seconds is 2 seconds.

[0075] Figure 3 The safety seconds shown are just an example, and the safety seconds can be set to an appropriate value according to the traffic environment, traffic volume, etc.

[0076] like Figure 3 As shown, in the traffic light control system 1, in stage 1 as the first state and stage 4 as the second state, the predetermined judgment conditions are satisfied, thereby starting the transition to the next stage. The first state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light 31 allows pedestrians 42 to pass and the vehicle signal light 32 prevents vehicles 43 from passing. The second state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light 31 prevents pedestrians 42 from passing and the vehicle signal light 32 allows vehicles 43 to pass. Stage 2, stage 3, stage 5, and stage 6 transition to the next stage after a predetermined number of safety seconds have passed. That is, the control unit 12 repeats the process of switching the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 between the first state and the second state in sequence. Stage 2, stage 3, stage 5, and stage 6 can be regarded as transition states between the first state and the second state.

[0077] (Processing of signal light control device)

[0078] Reference Figure 4The flowchart of the signal light control method performed by the signal light control device 10 is described. The method disclosed in this specification can be executed by a processor included in the control unit 12 according to a program. Such a program can be stored in a non-temporary computer-readable medium. Examples of non-temporary computer-readable media include hard disks, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read only memory), etc. Non-temporary computer-readable media are not limited to these.

[0079] First, the detector 20 detects a moving object in a detection target area. The control unit 12 of the signal light control device 10 acquires the detection result detected by the detector 20 via the communication unit 11 (S11).

[0080] Next, the control unit 12 integrates the information of the detection results acquired from the detector 20 as an edge AI camera, for example, and recognizes whether there is a moving object in each detection target area ( S12 ).

[0081] The control unit 12 determines whether to switch between the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 based on the combination of the presence or absence of a moving object in each area of ​​the recognition result in S12 (S13). Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are judged to be switched between the first state and the second state. Figure 5 Signal switching judgment processing.

[0082] First, when the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 are in the process of transitioning between the first state and the second state (S21: Yes), the control unit 12 waits until the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 are in the first state or the second state (S21: Yes). Figure 3 When the signal indicates the state of stage 2 or stage 3 of the stage diagram, the control unit 12 waits until the transition to stage 4 is completed. Figure 3 When the signal shows the status of stage 5 or stage 6 of the stage diagram, wait until the transition to stage 1 is completed.

[0083] Next, when the current state of the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 is the first state (stage 1) (S22: Yes), the control unit 12 determines whether the transition condition to the second state (stage 4) is satisfied (S23). The control unit 12 determines whether the combination of the presence or absence of the moving object in each area obtained from the detector 20 satisfies Figure 6 The transition conditions to the second state are shown.

[0084] When the transition condition to the second state is satisfied in S23 (S23: Yes), the control unit 12 determines to execute the signal switching to the second state (S24). When the transition condition to the second state is not satisfied in S23 (S23: No), the control unit 12 repeats the determination of S23 until the transition condition to the second state is satisfied. As a result, when the transition condition to the second state is finally satisfied, the control unit 12 determines to switch to the second state (S24).

[0085] In addition, when the current state of the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 is the second state (stage 4) in S22 (S22: No), the control unit 12 determines whether the transition condition to the first state (stage 1) is satisfied (S25). The control unit 12 determines whether the combination of the presence or absence of the moving object in each area obtained from the detector 20 satisfies Figure 7 The transition conditions to the first state are shown.

[0086] When the transition condition to the first state is satisfied in S25 (S25: Yes), the control unit 12 determines that the signal switching to the first state is executed (S26). When the transition condition to the first state is not satisfied in S25 (S25: No), the control unit 12 repeats the determination of S25 until the transition condition to the first state is satisfied. As a result, when the transition condition to the first state is finally satisfied, the control unit 12 determines that the switching to the first state is executed (S26).

[0087] Return to Figure 4 Based on the judgment result of S13 (S24 and S26), the control unit 12 instructs the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 to switch between the first state and the second state (S14). When switching from the first state to the second state, the control unit 12 follows Figure 3 The signal display stage diagram of the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 are sequentially changed from stage 1 to stage 4. When switching from the second state to the first state, the control unit 12 follows Figure 3 The signal display stage diagram makes the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 sequentially change from stage 4 to stage 1. As described above, the control unit 12 can sequentially switch the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 to make the pedestrian 42 and the vehicle 43 pass through the crosswalk 41 sequentially.

[0088] (Conditions for transition from the first state to the second state)

[0089] Next, based on Figure 6 , an example of a transition condition from the first state to the second state is described. In addition, Figure 6 The numerical values ​​indicating the time included are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0090] The control unit 12 starts the transition of the pedestrian signal lamp 31 and the vehicle signal lamp 32 to the second state when the following conditions (1) and any one of the conditions (2) to (5) are satisfied at the same time. Condition (1) is the condition that the presence of a moving object continues for more than 1 second in the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area). That is, condition (1) indicates that there is a vehicle 43 waiting in front of the stop line or the like in order to pass on the crosswalk 41 or a vehicle 43 moving toward the crosswalk 41 in the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area).

[0091] On the other hand, condition (2) indicates that there are no pedestrians 42 in the first area 51 (crossing area) and the second area 52 (pedestrian side vicinity area). The situation where conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied at the same time means that there are no pedestrians 42 crossing the crosswalk 41 or about to cross the crosswalk 41, but there are vehicles 43 waiting to cross the crosswalk 41 or heading for the crosswalk 41. In such a situation, the control unit 12 changes the phase by quickly turning the vehicle signal lamp 32 green.

[0092] Condition (3) indicates that the state in which no moving object exists in the first area 51 (crossing area) continues for more than the first time, and no moving object exists in the fourth area 54 (pedestrian crossing waiting area). The first time under condition (3) is, for example, 3 seconds. When conditions (1) and (3) are satisfied at the same time, the state is changed so that after the pedestrian 42 has completed crossing the crosswalk 41, the unnecessary waiting time of the vehicle 43 can be reduced and the vehicle 43 can pass through the crosswalk 41.

[0093] Condition (4) indicates that the state in which no moving object exists in the first area 51 (crossing area) continues for more than the second time, and the moving object exists in the fourth area 54 (pedestrian crossing waiting area) for more than the third time. The second time under condition (4) is, for example, 5 seconds, and the third time is, for example, 10 seconds. The condition that conditions (1) and (4) are satisfied at the same time is a condition that prevents the state in which the vehicle 43 cannot pass on the crosswalk 41 from continuing when the pedestrian 42 who is not waiting to cross the crosswalk 41 stays in the fourth area 54 (pedestrian crossing waiting area).

[0094] Condition (5) indicates that the state in which no moving object exists in the first area 51 (crossing area) continues for more than the second time, and the moving object exists in the fifth area 55 (crossing pedestrian approach area) for more than the third time. The second time under condition (5) is, for example, 5 seconds, and the third time is, for example, 30 seconds. The third time is different when there is a moving object in the fourth area 54 and when there is a moving object in the fifth area 55 and there is no moving object in the fourth area 54. The condition that conditions (1) and (5) are satisfied at the same time is a condition that prevents the vehicle 43 from being unable to pass on the crosswalk 41 when the state in which a pedestrian 42 who is not waiting to cross the crosswalk 41 continues in the fifth area 55 (crossing pedestrian approach area).

[0095] The control unit 12 then starts the transition of the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 to the second state when the following condition (6) is satisfied. Condition (6) indicates that there is a moving object in the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area) and the first state continues for more than the fourth time. The fourth time under condition (6) is, for example, 3 minutes. According to this condition, in a case where there are many pedestrians 42 passing through the crosswalk 41 and the queue of pedestrians 42 is not interrupted, the control unit 12 starts the transition to the second state after the fourth time has passed since the vehicle 43 was detected in the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area). Thus, the control unit 12 ensures that the vehicle 43 can pass through the crosswalk 41.

[0096] (Conditions for transition from the second state to the first state)

[0097] Figure 7 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the transition condition from the second state to the first state. When the condition (7) or (8) is satisfied, the control unit 12 transitions the state of the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 from the second state to the first state. Figure 7 The numerical values ​​indicating the time included are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0098] Condition (7) indicates that the state in which there is no moving object in the first area 51 (crossing area) and the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area) continues for more than the fifth time. The fifth time under condition (7) is, for example, 1 second. With respect to this condition, when the vehicle 43 passes through the crosswalk 41 with the vehicle signal lamp 32 allowing the vehicle 43 to pass, and there is no subsequent vehicle 43 on the crosswalk 41 and on the vehicle road 45 facing the crosswalk 41, the pedestrian 42 can pass quickly on the crosswalk 41.

[0099] Condition (8) indicates that when the second state continues for more than the sixth time, the transition to the first state begins. Under condition (8), the sixth time is, for example, 2 minutes. This condition indicates that the pedestrian signal light 31 is turned green when a large number of vehicles 43 are traveling on the vehicle road 45 and the queue of vehicles 43 is not interrupted, and / or when the transition from the second state to the first state based on condition (7) is not started due to an unexpected situation. An example of an unexpected situation is a situation where there is a vehicle 43 parked for a long time on the side of the road in the third area 53 (vehicle approach area). The transition to the first state is performed according to condition (8), thereby ensuring that pedestrians 42 can pass on the crosswalk 41.

[0100] As described above, according to the signal light control system 1 of the present invention, the signal light control device 10 determines the signal switching based on the combination of the presence or absence of a moving body in each of the multiple areas, and controls the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32. This method essentially assumes the type and direction of movement of the moving body based on the configuration and shape of the area where the moving body is determined, so there is no need for processing such as identification of the type of the moving body and prediction of the direction of movement. In addition, no complex image processing is performed, so it is not easily affected by the weather and / or the brightness of the surrounding area. Therefore, compared with the existing technology using a high-function prediction model based on AI image processing, the signal light control system 1 of the present invention is cheap and can operate stably.

[0101] In particular, in the signal light control system 1 of the present disclosure, the fourth area 54 (pedestrian crossing waiting area) and the fifth area 55 (crossing pedestrian approaching area) are provided, so that the determination of the crossing intention of the pedestrian 42 at the crosswalk 41 can be performed taking into account. Furthermore, in the signal light control system 1, when the state of the moving body existing in any area continues for a time longer than a predetermined time, the state is switched, so that the locked state in which the pedestrian signal light 31 and the vehicle signal light 32 are not switched can be prevented.

[0102] In addition, in the signal light control system 1 of the present invention, the pedestrian signal light 31 is in the green state as the basic state. Therefore, in the signal light control system 1 of the present invention, the pedestrian 42 crossing the crosswalk 41 does not have to wait for the signal unnecessarily. In the conventional signal lights of the timed switching method, the pedestrian 42 is sometimes forced to wait for the signal even when there is no vehicle 43 passing on the crosswalk 41 on the vehicle road 45, and sometimes feels frustrated by the unnecessary waiting time. In addition, sometimes even the induction signal lights that detect the presence of pedestrians 42 and switch the signal lights still generate unnecessary waiting time until the signal is switched. The signal light control system 1 of the present invention improves the problems of these prior arts.

[0103] Furthermore, in the signal light control system 1 of the present disclosure, a moving body existing in the third area 53 (vehicle approaching area) which is an area where the vehicle 43 is heading toward the crosswalk 41 is detected. Thus, not only the vehicle 43 stopped at the stop line in front of the crosswalk 41 but also the existence of the vehicle 43 moving toward the crosswalk 41 can be detected. Therefore, in the case where there are no pedestrians 42 walking or intending to walk on the crosswalk 41, the vehicle signal light 32 is quickly switched to green, so that the vehicle 43 can pass without stopping in front of the crosswalk 41.

[0104] In the signal light control system 1 of the present disclosure, since the detector 20 , particularly the camera, provided as road infrastructure is used to detect the moving object, there is no need to install a special device on the moving object side in order to detect the moving object including the pedestrian 42 .

[0105] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and many modifications or changes can be made. For example, the functions included in each unit, each step, etc. can be reconfigured in a logically consistent manner, and multiple units or steps can be combined into one or divided.

Claims

1. A signal light control device, characterized in that: The signal light control device comprises: at least one memory; and at least one processor configured to communicate with the memory and to execute the following commands stored in the memory, the commands comprising: acquiring detection results of the moving object being detected with respect to a plurality of areas as detection targets around the crosswalk including the crosswalk; Based on the acquired detection results, identifying a combination of whether or not the moving object exists in each area included in the plurality of areas; and Based on this combination, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled.

2. The signal light control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The command further includes controlling the pedestrian signal so as to display that pedestrians can pass when no moving object exists in any of the plurality of areas.

3. The signal light control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of areas include: a first area being an area on the crosswalk; a second area being an area where pedestrians near the crosswalk pass; and a third area being an area where vehicles passing toward the crosswalk pass, and The command also includes: controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition between a first state and a second state based on a combination of the presence or absence of moving bodies in the first area, the second area, and the third area, wherein the first state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light allows pedestrians to pass and the vehicle signal light prevents vehicles from passing, and the second state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light prevents pedestrians from passing and the vehicle signal light allows vehicles to pass.

4. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command also includes: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving object in the first area and the second area, and there is a moving object in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled to change to the second state.

5. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command also includes: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving object in the second area, and there is a moving object in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state after a first time has passed since there is no moving object in the first area.

6. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command also includes: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and there is a moving body in the third area, when the state in which there is no moving body in the first area continues for more than the second time and the state in which there is a moving body in the second area continues for more than the third time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state.

7. The signal light control device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second area includes a fourth area adjacent to the crosswalk and a fifth area located farther from the crosswalk than the fourth area. The third time is different when a moving object exists in the fourth area and when a moving object exists in the fifth area but not in the fourth area.

8. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command also includes controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition to the second state when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and a moving object exists in the third area for a fourth period of time.

9. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command also includes: when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the second state and there is no moving object in the first area and the third area for a fifth time, controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to change to the first state.

10. The signal light control device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The command further includes controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition to the first state when the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the second state and the second state continues for a sixth period of time.

11. The signal light control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving objects include a plurality of different moving objects including pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles, and The command does not distinguish the type of the moving object.

12. The signal light control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The command further includes: acquiring the detection result from a camera having a function of recognizing a moving object from a captured image.

13. A signal light control method, executed by at least one processor in a signal light control device, characterized in that: The signal light control method comprises: acquiring detection results of the moving object being detected with respect to a plurality of areas as detection targets around the crosswalk including the crosswalk; Based on the detection result, identifying a combination of whether or not the moving object exists in each area included in the plurality of areas; and The pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled based on the above combination.

14. The signal light control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: Also includes: When there is no moving object in any of the plurality of areas, the pedestrian signal light is controlled so as to display that pedestrians can pass.

15. The signal light control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The plurality of areas include: a first area being an area on the crosswalk; a second area being an area of ​​a sidewalk adjacent to the crosswalk; and a third area being an area where vehicles passing toward the crosswalk pass, and The signal light control method also includes: controlling the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light to transition between a first state and a second state based on a combination of the presence or absence of moving bodies in the first area, the second area, and the third area, wherein the first state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light allows pedestrians to pass and the vehicle signal light prevents vehicles from passing, and the second state is a state in which the pedestrian signal light prevents pedestrians from passing and the vehicle signal light allows vehicles to pass.

16. The signal light control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: Also includes: When the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving object in the first area and the second area, and there is a moving object in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled to transition to the second state.

17. The signal light control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: Also includes: When the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state, there is no moving body in the second area, and there is a moving body in the third area, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state after a first time has passed since there is no moving body in the first area.

18. The signal light control method according to claim 15, characterized in that: Also includes: When the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are in the first state and there is a moving body in the third area, when the state in which there is no moving body in the first area continues for more than the second time and the state in which there is a moving body in the second area continues for more than the third time, the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled in such a manner that they are changed to the second state.

19. The signal light control method according to claim 18, characterized in that: The second area includes a fourth area adjacent to the crosswalk and a fifth area located farther from the crosswalk than the fourth area; The third time is different when a moving object is present in the fourth area and when a moving object is present in the fifth area but not in the fourth area.

20. A signal light control system, characterized in that: include: a pedestrian signal light and a vehicle signal light configured to control the passage of pedestrians at a crosswalk; a detector for detecting a moving body with respect to a plurality of regions of a detection object around the crosswalk including the crosswalk; as well as A signal light control device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute a command, wherein the command includes: obtaining a detection result of a moving object detected by the detector; And based on the detection result, a combination of the presence or absence of the moving object in each area included in the plurality of areas is identified, and the pedestrian signal light and the vehicle signal light are controlled based on the combination.

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