Traffic safety system

Abstract

To attain improvement in reliability of an attention call to a driver of a vehicle which travels toward a crosswalk.SOLUTION: In a traffic safety system, all electric components such as a light-emitting device 13, a control device 12, coils 62 and 32 for wireless power transmission and coils 11 and 36 for wireless power reception are covered by waterproof members and incorporated in unit plates 10, 30, 50 and 60 in a waterproofed state. When a pedestrian on a crosswalk 8 is detected by a pedestrian detection unit 50, the traffic safety system supplies power from a commercial power source 72 to a road surface light-emitting unit 10 via a power transmission unit 60 and a branch unit 30 by utilizing wireless power supply and turns on the light-emitting device 13, such that a driver of a vehicle is notified of the presence of the pedestrian on the crosswalk 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a traffic safety system, and more particularly to a system for alerting drivers of vehicles approaching a crosswalk where pedestrians are present. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a traffic safety system has been proposed that illuminates the area around a pedestrian crossing to draw attention to the existence of the pedestrian crossing at night, particularly at pedestrian crossings that are not equipped with traffic lights.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a traffic safety system in which, when a pedestrian presses a push button on the sidewalk or is detected by a pedestrian detection sensor, a control signal is sent wirelessly to stand-alone self-luminous road studs (equipped with solar panels and storage batteries) installed along the crosswalk, and the road studs that receive the control signal emit light toward vehicles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-209929 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-265989 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-90599 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In such a traffic safety system, the light emitting means can emit light to alert drivers of vehicles approaching a crosswalk where pedestrians are present. Therefore, for example, if there are consecutive days of cloudy or rainy weather that prevent solar power generation and the remaining charge of the storage battery becomes zero, the light emitting means cannot emit light.

[0006] Simply configuring a system to receive power from a commercial power source generally requires wiring such as power lines, which can cause electrical leakage or short circuits if the wiring is damaged during installation or maintenance, or short circuits caused by rainwater or condensation if the wiring is not properly waterproofed when connecting the wires, which can cause the system to malfunction.

[0007] The present invention aims to improve the reliability of warning drivers of vehicles approaching a pedestrian crossing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The traffic safety system of the present invention is characterized by having a road surface light-emitting unit that incorporates, in a waterproof state, light-emitting means that is arranged corresponding to the position of the crosswalk to be formed and power receiving means that receives power transmitted using wireless power supply; a power transmitting unit that incorporates, in a waterproof state, power transmitting means that transmits power from a commercial power source using wireless power supply; pedestrian detection means that detects pedestrians crossing the crosswalk; and control means that, when a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk is detected by the pedestrian detection means, causes the power receiving means to receive power from the power transmitting unit and controls the light-emitting means to emit light.

[0009] In addition, when a plurality of the power receiving means are provided, the power from the commercial power source is supplied to each of the power receiving means in parallel.

[0010] The vehicle is also characterized by having a branching unit that forms part of the road surface and incorporates, in a waterproof state, branching means that uses wireless power supply to branch and transmit power transmitted from the power transmitting unit to each of the power receiving means.

[0011] The pedestrian detection means is characterized in that it is formed as a pedestrian detection unit that forms part of the road surface and incorporates, in a waterproof state, a power receiving means that receives power transmitted from the power transmitting unit using wireless power supply.

[0012] The entire outer surface of each unit is waterproofed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the inventions set forth in claims 1, 3, 4 and 5, it is possible to improve the reliability of alerting drivers of vehicles traveling toward a pedestrian crossing.

[0014] According to the invention as set forth in claim 2, it is possible to improve the reliability of the system from the viewpoint of power supply. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a basic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a traffic safety system according to the present invention, viewed from above. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the unit flat plates forming the crosswalk in this embodiment, as viewed from the side (sidewalk side). [Figure 3] 1 is a three-view diagram of a road surface light emitting unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are three-view diagrams of a branching unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are three-view diagrams of a pedestrian detection unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram of the traffic safety system shown in FIG. 8A when viewed from the side (sidewalk side). [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] (Basic configuration of traffic safety systems) Fig. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a traffic safety system according to the present invention as viewed from above, and Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of unit flat plates 10, 20, 30, 40 (hereinafter, the unit flat plates will also be referred to as "10-40") forming a crosswalk in the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the side (sidewalk side). In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the system is applied to a road consisting of a single roadway 2 and sidewalks 6 formed on both sides of the roadway 2 and separated from the roadway 2 by curbs 4.

[0018] In the traffic safety system of this embodiment, what actually appears on the road are the surface layers of the unit flat plates 10-50 and the unit flat plate 60 disposed at the position of the curb 4, as well as the crosswalk 8 and the light-emitting device 13. In Fig. 1, the crosswalk 8 and the light-emitting device 13 are indicated by thick lines. Note that if all components that do not actually appear on the road were illustrated by dashed lines, the shape of each component would become difficult to understand. Therefore, in Fig. 1, only the portion above line AA' on the drawing is illustrated by dashed lines, and the rest is illustrated by solid lines. Furthermore, in Figs. 1 and 2, the internal structure of the unit flat plates 10-60 is omitted as appropriate, and the internal structure is illustrated in Figs. 3-5.

[0019] The traffic safety system in this embodiment is configured by combining a plurality of unit flat plates 10 to 60, and of the unit flat plates 10 to 60, Fig. 3 shows a three-view drawing of the road surface light emitting unit 10, Fig. 4 shows a three-view drawing of the branch unit 30, and Fig. 5 shows a three-view drawing of the pedestrian detection unit 50. The structure of the traffic safety system in this embodiment will be described using Figs. 1 to 5.

[0020] The main portion of the crosswalk 8 formed by the traffic safety system in this embodiment is formed by laying multiple unit plates 10-40 on an asphalt-paved road. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , multiple unit plates 10-40 are lined up and fixed on the road surface of the roadway 2 to form a portion of the road surface of the roadway 2, thereby forming the crosswalk 8. In this embodiment, the unit plates 10-40 installed on the road surface of the existing roadway 2 are, for example, rubber humps called Flexitec (registered trademark) manufactured by Nippon Liner Co., Ltd., and fixed with anchor bolts (not shown). By placing the unit plates 10-40 on the road surface of the roadway 2, the crosswalk 8 is higher than the road surface of the roadway 2, which makes it easier for vehicle drivers to see the luminous display on the crosswalk 8, i.e., the lit light-emitting devices 13. Furthermore, the crosswalk 8 is formed by lining up unit plates 10, 20, each with a white line drawn on it, and a sloped unit plate 40 is installed to eliminate the step between the crosswalk 8 and the portion of the roadway where the unit plates 10, 20 forming the crosswalk are not installed. As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, a slope is also formed in part of the surface of the branch unit 30 located between the unit plates 10 and 40, flattening the space between the road surface of the roadway 2 and the surface on which the crosswalk 8 is formed.

[0021] The unit plates 10, 20, and 40 placed on the roadway 2 are formed in rectangular shapes of the same size. In this embodiment, the surfaces are square, but this is not limiting. The pedestrian detection unit 50 is also formed in the same shape. The power transmission unit 60 may also be formed in the same shape, but in this embodiment, it is formed in a size that takes into account the case where the power transmission unit 60 is installed next to the curbstone 4. A small curbstone 4a may be used to prevent a gap from forming between the power transmission unit 60 and the curbstone 4. The power transmission unit 60 may be arranged to match the power transmission destination using wireless power supply. Specifically, the power transmission unit 60 may be arranged on the ground together with the branching unit 30 installed on the road surface, or may be buried underground together with the pedestrian detection unit 50 buried underground.

[0022] For the sake of convenience in explaining the internal structure, the drawings show the height (thickness) of the unit flat plates 10-60, but when the unit flat plates 10-40 are actually installed, especially when vehicles pass over them, they will not have a steep slope like that shown in Figure 2. The dimensions of the unit flat plates 10-60 may be set appropriately taking into consideration the road conditions on which they are installed, manufacturing, etc.

[0023] Furthermore, the unit slabs 10-40 are not limited to being made of rubber, and may be, for example, precast concrete slabs, as long as they are manufactured in advance in a factory. Furthermore, the unit slabs 10-40 may be fixed onto asphalt pavement, or may be installed on the roadbed after the asphalt pavement has been removed. In this case, the crosswalk 8 may not be higher than the road surface, but may be at the same height as the roadway surface.

[0024] Unit plates 10, 20, 30, and 40 are installed on the roadway 2, of which the road surface light-emitting unit 10 and the branching unit 30 are formed as functional units that incorporate electrical components. In addition, a pedestrian detection unit 50 and a power transmission unit 60, which will be described later, are installed as functional units outside the roadway 2. In contrast to the functional units, the unit plates 20 and 40 that do not incorporate electrical components are referred to as "structural units."

[0025] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, unit flat plates 10, 30, and 40 are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the unit flat plates 20 in the direction across the roadway 2 (road width direction). The unit flat plates 10, 30, and 40 are formed identically, although oriented in opposite directions. Therefore, the road surface light-emitting unit 10 (Fig. 3) and the branch unit 30 (Fig. 4) only show the unit flat plates on one side.

[0026] The road surface light emitting unit 10 is a unit plate that incorporates a light emitting device 13, which is a light emitting means that uses light to alert drivers of approaching vehicles to the presence of pedestrians on the crosswalk 8. As shown in Fig. 1, a portion of a single white line 8a that forms the crosswalk 8 is painted on the top surface of each of the unit plate 20, which does not incorporate any electrical components, and the road surface light emitting units 10 that are disposed on both ends of the unit plate 20, and the crosswalk 8 is formed by arranging multiple sets of three unit plate 10, 20, 10 (five sets in Fig. 1). For convenience, Fig. 1 illustrates the crosswalk 8 formed by five white lines.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 , the road surface light-emitting unit 10 incorporates, as electrical components, a wireless power receiving coil 11, a control device 12, a light-emitting device 13, and a power line 14. The wireless power receiving coil 11 is a power receiving means that receives power from a commercial power source 72 transmitted via a branching unit 30 using wireless power feeding. The control device 12 is a control means that controls the light emission of the light-emitting device 13. More specifically, the control device 12 incorporates an antenna that receives a wireless signal from the pedestrian detection unit 50. The pedestrian detection unit 50 wirelessly transmits a control signal upon detecting a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk 8. Upon receiving the control signal, the control device 12 supplies power received by the wireless power receiving coil 11 from the power transmitting unit 60 to the light-emitting device 13, thereby controlling the light-emitting device 13 to emit light. The power line 14 electrically connects the wireless power receiving coil 11, the control device 12, and the light-emitting device 13.

[0028] The wireless power receiving coil 11 and the control device 12 are covered with a waterproof member 15 made of an electrically non-conductive material such as resin, and are thereby electrically insulated from the outside and built into the road surface light emitting unit 10 in a waterproof state. In this embodiment, the waterproof member 15 is illustrated by a dashed line for convenience. The same applies to Figures 4 and 5.

[0029] The light emitting devices 13 are disposed at the positions of the white lines 8a of the crosswalk 8, or in this embodiment, at the positions of both ends of the white lines 8a of the crosswalk 8 as shown in Fig. 3(b). Of course, in this embodiment, it is sufficient to make vehicle drivers aware of the presence of pedestrians on the crosswalk 8, so the position where the light emitting devices 13 are disposed does not have to be limited to above the white lines 8a.

[0030] The light emitting device 13 has a metal housing 131 that is resistant to damage when run over by a vehicle and to damage caused by heat generated by light emission. The LEDs 132 and waterproofing member 133 are housed in the housing 131, and the housing 131 is sealed with a diffuser plate 134 as a lid. The LEDs 132 are light emitting components that emit light using power transmitted via the power line 14. The waterproofing member 133 covers the LEDs 132 to waterproof them inside the housing 131. At least the top surface of the waterproofing member 133 is made of a material such as a transparent resin (e.g., epoxy or silicone) to allow light from the LEDs 132 to be emitted to the outside. The remaining portions of the waterproofing member 133 may be made of a resin mixed with metal powder to increase thermal conductivity to metal components such as the housing 131.

[0031] The diffusion plate 134 forms part of the road surface, and is strong enough to withstand being run over by a vehicle, similar to the housing 131. In this embodiment, the diffusion plate 134 is made of translucent resin to diffuse the light from the LEDs 132 into the surrounding area, but instead of translucent resin, the surface of transparent polycarbonate or acrylic resin may be roughened with a file or the like to make it easier to diffuse the light. The LEDs 132 are sealed with the waterproof member 133, and are further sealed with the housing 131 and the diffusion plate 134.

[0032] In this way, the electrical components of the road surface light emitting unit 10, that is, the wireless power receiving coil 11, the control device 12, the light emitting device 13 and the power line 14, are built into the road surface light emitting unit 10 in a waterproof state.

[0033] The branching unit 30 is a flat unit for transmitting power from a commercial power source 72 to the road surface light emitting units 10 using wireless power supply, and as shown in FIG. 4 , has built-in electrical components such as a wireless power receiving coil 36, a wireless power transmitting coil 32, and a power line 34. The branching unit 30 connects the wireless power receiving coils 11 of each road surface light emitting unit 10 in parallel to transmit power evenly to the multiple road surface light emitting units 10. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , the branching unit 30 has multiple wireless power transmitting coils 32 disposed in positions facing the multiple wireless power receiving coils 11, respectively. The wireless power receiving coil 36 is a means for receiving power transmitted from the power transmitting unit 60 using wireless power supply. The power line 34 connects the wireless power receiving coil 36 to the multiple wireless power transmitting coils 32 in parallel. In other words, the branching unit 30 has branching means that branches the power of the commercial power source 72 transmitted from the power transmitting unit 60 using wireless power feeding to each of the wireless power receiving coils 11 and transmits the power using wireless power feeding. The electrical components that form the branching means are covered with a waterproof member 35, just like the electrical components in the road surface light emitting unit 10.

[0034] In this manner, the electrical components of the branching unit 30, namely the wireless power receiving coil 36, the wireless power transmitting coil 32, and the power line 34, that is, the branching means, are built into the branching unit 30 in a waterproof state.

[0035] The pedestrian detection unit 50 is installed on the sidewalk 6 near the boundary with the roadway 2 where the crosswalk 8 is located. The pedestrian detection unit 50 forms part of the road surface of the sidewalk 6, and is therefore buried in the sidewalk 6 so as not to create a step with the road surface. The pedestrian detection unit 50 is a flat unit plate that transmits a wireless signal to light up the light-emitting device 13 in the road surface light-emitting unit 10 when it detects the weight of a pedestrian, and has built-in electrical components such as a wireless power receiving coil 51, a control device 52, a pedestrian detection member 53, and a power line 54, as shown in FIG. 5 .

[0036] The wireless power receiving coil 51 is a power receiving unit that receives power from a commercial power source 72 via the power transmitting unit 60 using wireless power supply. The control device 52 incorporates an antenna that transmits a wireless signal to the road surface light emitting unit 10 and controls the pedestrian detection member 53 to transmit a wireless signal when it detects a pedestrian. The pedestrian detection member 53 is sandwiched between a base member 57 and a cover member 58 inside the pedestrian detection unit 50. The pedestrian detection member 53 is covered with a waterproof member 56 and is built into the pedestrian detection unit 50 in a waterproof state. The pedestrian detection member 53 is formed of a pressure sensor, a load sensor, or a sheet-like switch, and detects the load of a pedestrian. The cover member 58 forms the top surface of the pedestrian detection unit 50. The cover member 58 is made of a deformable material such as rubber. When a person stands on the pedestrian detection unit 50, it deforms and transmits the person's load to the pedestrian detection member 53. The control device 52 detects a change in the electrical signal of the pedestrian detection member 53 due to the load of a person, and transmits a control signal to the road surface light emitting unit 10. A power line 54 electrically connects the wireless power receiving coil 51, the control device 52, and the pedestrian detection member 53. The wireless power receiving coil 51, the control device 52, and the power line 54 are covered with a waterproof member 55 made of resin, and are thereby electrically insulated from the outside and are built into the pedestrian detection unit 50 in a waterproof state.

[0037] As described above, the electrical components of the pedestrian detection unit 50, that is, the wireless power receiving coil 51, the control device 52, the pedestrian detection member 53, and the power line 54, are built into the pedestrian detection unit 50 in a waterproof state.

[0038] 1, the power transmission unit 60 is a flat unit that is electrically connected to a commercial power source 72 via a power line 74 and transmits power from the commercial power source 72 using wireless power supply. In this embodiment, by using the commercial power source 72 installed on the sidewalk 6 or outside the road, it is possible to avoid a state where the stored power amount becomes zero, i.e., no output power, which can occur when using solar power generation, thereby improving the reliability of the system. The power line 74 is placed in a protective tube made of plastic or metal and buried underground.

[0039] Although a detailed view of the structure is omitted, the power transmitting unit 60 incorporates, as electrical components, a wireless power transmitting coil 62 and a power line 64 connected by wire to a power line 74 from a commercial power source 72, as shown in Fig. 1. The wireless power transmitting coil 62 is a power transmitting means that transmits power transmitted from the power transmitting unit 60 using wireless power feeding to a wireless power receiving coil located opposite it, in this embodiment, to the wireless power receiving coil 31 in the branching unit 30 or the wireless power receiving coil 51 in the pedestrian detection unit 50. The electrical components in the power transmitting unit 60, like the electrical components in the other functional units 10, 30, and 50, are covered with a waterproof member (not shown).

[0040] In this way, the wireless power transmission coil 62 and the power line 64, which are electrical components in the power transmission unit 60, are built into the power transmission unit 60 in a waterproof state.

[0041] Here, the wireless power supply used in this embodiment will be described.

[0042] This embodiment is characterized by the use of wireless power supply for power transmission and reception between functional units 10, 30, 50, and 60. "Wireless power supply" can be defined as a technology for transmitting power without using electric wires. Wireless power supply includes various types, such as electromagnetic induction, electric field coupling, and electromagnetic wave. This embodiment assumes the use of an electromagnetic induction method other than magnetic field resonance. Therefore, wireless power transmission coils 32 and 62 transmit power to the opposing wireless power reception coils 11, 36, and 51 via magnetic flux. Of course, other methods may also be used. The mechanism for transmitting and receiving power using wireless power supply in this embodiment can be realized, for example, by the same mechanism as that described in a patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-201812) filed by the same applicant as the present application. Therefore, a detailed description of the mechanism for transmitting and receiving power using wireless power supply between the wireless power transmission coil and the wireless power reception coil in the traffic safety system shown in FIG. 1 will be omitted.

[0043] (Operation of traffic safety systems) The pedestrian detection unit 50 receives power from a commercial power source 72 via a power transmission unit 60 and operates constantly in order to detect pedestrians attempting to enter the crosswalk 8.

[0044] When a pedestrian stands on the pedestrian detection unit 50 and the pedestrian detection member 53 detects the weight of the person, the control device 52 wirelessly transmits a control signal to start light emission.

[0045] The control device 12 in each road surface light emitting unit 10 receives power from the commercial power source 72 via the power transmission unit 60 and the branching unit 30 and operates constantly to wait for a control signal from the pedestrian detection unit 50. When a control signal is transmitted, the control device 12 starts supplying the power received by the wireless power receiving coil 11 to the light emitting device 13, thereby turning it on. The light emitting device 13 turns on in response to an instruction from the control device 12.

[0046] As a result, the multiple light-emitting devices 13 lined up along the crosswalk 8 (in FIG. 1, a total of 10 light-emitting devices 13 on both ends of the crosswalk 8) emit light. The light alerts the driver of a vehicle approaching the crosswalk 8 to the existence of the crosswalk 8 in the direction of travel, and makes the driver aware of the presence of pedestrians crossing the crosswalk 8. In particular, even at night, at crosswalks 8 that are not equipped with traffic lights, the light can reliably alert the driver of the vehicle to the existence of the crosswalk 8, and ultimately the presence of pedestrians.

[0047] Regarding the lighting control of the light emitting device 13, there are options such as constant lighting, flashing, and cooperation with other light emitting devices 13, but since these are not features of this embodiment, a description of the lighting control in the control device 12 will be omitted.

[0048] As described above, the traffic safety system of this embodiment is configured to use wireless power supply to directly or indirectly supply power from commercial power supply 72 to unit plates 10 and 50 that require it, so that light emitting device 13 does not go off due to a power shortage. Furthermore, by using wireless power supply to send and receive power between unit plates, a structure is achieved in which no wired power lines are used, and all electrical components included in the traffic safety system are built into each functional unit 10, 30, 50, and 60 in a waterproof state, so that leakage and short circuits can be reliably avoided. According to this embodiment, the system can be operated normally at all times in this way, thereby improving the reliability of the system.

[0049] The control device 12 may control the light emitting device 13 to stop lighting when a predetermined time has elapsed since the pedestrian detection unit 50 stopped detecting a pedestrian.

[0050] (Variation) Various modifications are possible to the typical traffic safety system configuration in this embodiment shown in Fig. 1, which will be described below. Note that in the following modifications, although not shown in the figures, a waterproof member that covers the electrical components is provided in the same way as in the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1.

[0051] First, as described above, pedestrian detection unit 50, which is provided as pedestrian detection means, is installed on sidewalk 6 to detect pedestrians attempting to cross crosswalk 8. However, if a person whose weight is detected by pedestrian detection unit 50 is recognized as a pedestrian on crosswalk 8, even a pedestrian simply passing by the position of crosswalk 8 will be detected as a pedestrian crossing 8. Therefore, various modifications of the pedestrian detection means are conceivable.

[0052] For example, in FIG. 1, three pedestrian detection units 50 are installed side by side to match the width of the crosswalk 8. Of course, the number of pedestrian detection units to be installed need not be three, but may be one or more. The control devices 52 in the three pedestrian detection units 50 shown in FIG. 1 may work together to determine whether the pedestrian is simply a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk 6 or a user of the crosswalk 8 based on the transition of the position of the load on the pedestrian detection member 53 (i.e., the direction of movement of the pedestrian), and may be controlled to transmit a control signal if it is determined that the pedestrian is a user of the crosswalk 8. In FIG. 1, three pedestrian detection units 50 are installed side by side, but a pedestrian detection unit combining the three pedestrian detection units 50, i.e., a single pedestrian detection unit incorporating a pedestrian detection member 53 with a width equivalent to the width of the crosswalk 8, may be installed on the sidewalk 6 as pedestrian detection means.

[0053] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 1. To make the components easier to understand, components that do not appear on the road surface are also shown with solid lines. The same applies to the following figures.

[0054] In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 6, the pedestrian detection unit 50 is placed at the entrance to the crosswalk 8. This avoids detecting mere pedestrians on the sidewalk 6, in other words, pedestrians who are not using the crosswalk 8. This is particularly effective when it is not possible to install a pedestrian detection unit 50 on the sidewalk 6, such as on a narrow road where the roadway 2 and the sidewalk 6 cannot be separated, or when the sidewalk 6 is not wide enough to accommodate the pedestrian detection unit 50.

[0055] 6, for convenience, the pedestrian detection unit 50 is installed at the entrance to the crosswalk 8, specifically in place of the unit plate 20 located at the entrance to the crosswalk 8. However, the road surface light emitting unit 10 located at the entrance to the crosswalk 8 may also be made to function as a pedestrian detection means for detecting pedestrians crossing the crosswalk 8.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to FIG. 1. In the traffic safety system shown in FIG. 7, a road surface light-emitting unit 80 having the function of pedestrian detection means is installed in place of the set of unit flat plates 10, 20, 10 arranged at the entrance to the crosswalk 8. That is, the road surface light-emitting unit 80 has a built-in pedestrian detection member 86 and detects pedestrians entering the crosswalk 8. In this case, the power receiving means of the pedestrian detection member 86 uses the power receiving means of the road surface light-emitting unit 80, i.e., the wireless power receiving coil 11. As a result, the control device 12 supplies the power received by the wireless power receiving coil 11 to the light-emitting device 13, as well as to the other light-emitting device 83 via the power line 87, and also to the pedestrian detection member 86 via the power line 88.

[0057] 7 shows an example in which road surface light emitting units 80 having the function of pedestrian detection means are placed only at the approach portion to the crosswalk 8, but all sets of unit flat plates 10, 20, 10 may be replaced with road surface light emitting units 80. As a result, whereas in the traffic safety system shown in FIG. 1, detection of a pedestrian by pedestrian detection member 53 triggers light emitting device 13 to be lit for a predetermined period of time that allows it to be assumed that the pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 8, control device 12 can control light emitting devices 13, 83 to be lit while a pedestrian is detected by any of pedestrian detection members 86.

[0058] As explained above, the size and arrangement of the unit plates can be selected flexibly according to the road conditions around the crosswalk 8, making it possible to introduce a traffic safety system suited to the situation.

[0059] Fig. 8A is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 1. Fig. 8B is a schematic diagram showing the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 8A when viewed from the side (sidewalk side).

[0060] In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1, the pedestrian detection means is formed by the unit flat plate 50, but it does not necessarily have to be formed by the unit flat plate 50. For example, as shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, it may be configured to detect pedestrians using an infrared sensor 91. In the traffic safety system shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, the pedestrian detection means 90 is configured as follows.

[0061] That is, the pedestrian detection means 90 has a pedestrian detection unit 92 as its main body, which is shaped to fit the curbstone 4, like the power transmission unit 60. A pole 93 is erected on the pedestrian detection unit 92, and an infrared sensor 91 is attached to the top of the pole 93. The infrared sensor 91 is installed so that the entrance to the crosswalk 8 is its pedestrian detection range R, as indicated by the dashed-dotted line in FIGS. 8A and 8B . The infrared sensor 91 operates when supplied with power, and the pedestrian detection unit 92 receives power from the commercial power source 72 via the adjacent power transmission unit 60a. To this end, the power transmission unit 60a further has a wireless power transmission coil 66. When it is necessary to transmit power to the branch unit 30, as with the power transmission unit 60a at the top of FIG. 8A , the power line 64 branches off and is connected in parallel to the wireless power transmission coil 62.

[0062] A wireless power receiving coil 94 is disposed in the pedestrian detection unit 92 at a position opposite the wireless power transmitting coil 66. The control device 95 has a built-in antenna and the like that transmits a wireless signal to the road surface light emitting unit 10. The control device 95 also supplies power from the commercial power source 72, which is received by the wireless power receiving coil 94 via the power transmitting unit 60a using wireless power feeding, to the infrared sensor 91 via the power line 96. This allows the infrared sensor 91 to operate at all times, but when a pedestrian is detected by the infrared sensor 91, the control device 95 controls the infrared sensor 91 to transmit a wireless signal to the road surface light emitting unit 10.

[0063] 8A and 8B, pedestrians are detected by infrared sensor 91, but detection means other than infrared sensor 91, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which pedestrians are detected by analyzing images captured by a camera or the like.

[0064] As explained above, the pedestrian detection means 90 does not have to be formed by the unit plate 50, and it is possible to select whether to use the unit plate 50 or the infrared sensor 91 shown in Figure 8, etc., depending on the road conditions around the crosswalk 8.

[0065] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 1. In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1, a branching unit 30 is provided, and a plurality of wireless power transmission coils 32 are provided in the branching unit 30, so that the road surface light emitting units 10 are connected in parallel.

[0066] In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 9, road surface light emitting units 100a are connected in a cascade configuration. For this purpose, each road surface light emitting unit 100a has a wireless power transmission coil 16 for supplying power to the road surface light emitting units 100a, 100b that are located downstream and far from the commercial power source 72. However, the wireless power transmission coil 16 is not required for the road surface light emitting unit 100b that is located at the end of the cascade connection.

[0067] In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 9, the road surface light emitting unit 100a supplies power to the other road surface light emitting units 100a and 100b, so the branching unit 30, which is a functional unit, is not required. Therefore, a structural unit 110, which includes a slope on its upper surface similar to the branching unit 30, is disposed at the location of the branching unit 30 shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the structural unit 110 has a square upper surface similar to the road surface light emitting unit 100a, etc., but it may also have a shape formed by connecting five unit flat plates, like the branching unit 30 shown in Fig. 1.

[0068] 9 does not require the branching unit 30, but if a failure occurs in the power supply mechanism of any of the road surface light emitting units 100a, it will be impossible to supply power to the road surface light emitting units 100a, 100b located downstream. Therefore, when multiple power receiving means (wireless power receiving coils 11) are provided, connecting the power receiving means in parallel and supplying power from the commercial power source 72 to each power receiving means in parallel will increase reliability from the perspective of power supply if the road surface light emitting unit 10 does not have a power transmission function.

[0069] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, and corresponds to Fig. 1. In the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1, each road surface light emitting unit 10 is provided with a control device 12 as a receiving means for a control signal transmitted from the control device 52 of the pedestrian detection unit 50, but in the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 10, a control device 37 as a receiving means is provided in each branch unit 30 rather than in each road surface light emitting unit 10. The control device 37 is disposed downstream of the wireless power receiving coil 36, similar to the road surface light emitting unit 10 of the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 1.

[0070] The control device 37 is constantly operating by being supplied with commercial power 72, and when it receives a control signal transmitted from the control device 52 of the pedestrian detection unit 50, it starts supplying power to each road surface light-emitting unit 10, thereby turning on the light-emitting device 13.

[0071] In the traffic safety system shown in FIG. 10, the number of antennas for receiving control signals can be reduced.

[0072] In Figure 10, the control device 12 has been removed from each road surface light-emitting unit 10 to show the difference from Figure 1, but the control device 12 may remain if it is necessary to not only simply turn on the light-emitting device 13 but also to control its flashing and flashing cycle.

[0073] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another modified example of the traffic safety system according to the present embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 1. In the traffic safety system illustrated in FIG. 1, branching units 30 are provided at both ends of the crosswalk 8, and power is transmitted in parallel to a plurality of road surface light-emitting units 10, each of which has a pair of light-emitting devices 13 disposed at both ends of the white line 8a. However, a plurality of branching units may be provided corresponding to each road surface light-emitting unit 10, and the plurality of branching units may be cascaded, as in the case of road surface light-emitting units 100a and 100b illustrated in FIG. 9. Conversely, the road surface light-emitting unit on one side of the crosswalk 8 may be formed as a single unit, as in the case of the single branching unit 30 illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 11 illustrates a configuration in which the road surface light-emitting unit 120 is formed from a single flat unit plate that crosses the roadway 2 and incorporates a plurality of light-emitting devices 13. In this case, the road surface light-emitting unit 120 is provided with a single wireless power-receiving coil 11, and the control device 12 supplies power to each light-emitting device 13 in parallel.

[0074] 11, there is no need to use the branching unit 30 shown in Fig. 1 to branch power from the commercial power supply 72 to the road surface light-emitting unit, and therefore a functional unit (hereinafter referred to as "relay unit") 140 that simply relays power from the commercial power supply 72 and transmits it to the road surface light-emitting unit 120 by connecting a wireless power receiving coil 141 and a wireless power transmitting coil 142 with a power line 143 is disposed between the power transmitting unit 60 and the road surface light-emitting unit 120. Of the positions where the branching unit 30 was installed, structural units 110 are disposed in positions other than where the relay unit 140 is installed, as in the traffic safety system shown in Fig. 9.

[0075] Figure 12 is a diagram showing another modified example of the traffic safety system in this embodiment, and is a diagram corresponding to Figure 1. In the traffic safety system shown in Figure 1, power is supplied to all of the road surface light emitting units 10 from one commercial power source 72 shown in the upper part of Figure 1 via branching unit 30. When multiple commercial power sources 72 (two in Figure 12) are available as shown in Figures 1 and 12, branching units 150, 160 corresponding to each of the multiple commercial power sources 72 may be provided, and power may be supplied to all of the road surface light emitting units 10 from each of the multiple commercial power sources 72 via the multiple branching units 150, 160.

[0076] As described above, in this embodiment, other modified examples of various traffic safety systems are shown using drawings, but further modified examples such as those described below can be applied to each of the traffic safety systems shown in Figures 1 to 12.

[0077] For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the pedestrian detection means transmits a control signal wirelessly when it detects a pedestrian on the crosswalk 8, but other methods may be used to notify the detection of a pedestrian. For example, when transmitting power using wireless power supply, a method may be used in which the frequency of the voltage from the commercial power source 72 or the amplitude of the voltage is changed to cause a change in the magnetic flux between the coils for wireless power transmission and reception, and the control signal is identified by the control device 12, 37 on the receiving side. With this configuration, there is no need for a wireless communication means required for transmitting and receiving a control signal wirelessly.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electrical components built into functional units such as the road surface light emitting unit 10 are made waterproof using waterproofing material 15. However, the occurrence of electric leakage and short circuits may be avoided by forming the functional unit using waterproofing treatment such as covering the entire outer surface of the functional unit with a resin material rather than just the electrical components, or in addition to the electrical components.

[0079] Furthermore, since the electrical components in the functional units are buried in a waterproofed state at the factory, the waterproofing of the functional units can be guaranteed by undergoing a process of verifying electrical functionality in a submerged environment before shipping to the site. Furthermore, during on-site construction, only minimal wiring work (wiring between the commercial power source 72 and the power transmission unit 60) and on-site waterproofing are performed, and the rest is done by simply installing the unit plate, allowing the system to be operated while reliably preventing leakage and short circuits caused by rainwater and condensation. This makes the system more reliable than conventional systems, which require wiring work for all electrical components.

[0080] Furthermore, because there are no wires between each functional unit, there is no risk of accidentally damaging the wires when installing the units, making it more reliable than conventional methods that require a lot of wiring work. Furthermore, power is supplied to the road surface lighting units 10 not by repeatedly transmitting wireless power between the road surface lighting units 10 in a cascaded manner (Fig. 9), but by using the branching unit 30 shown in Fig. 1, the number of times power is transmitted to each of the road surface lighting units 10 can be equalized, thereby improving reliability in terms of power supply as well.

[0081] [Configuration of the present invention] Configuration 1: a road surface light-emitting unit that incorporates, in a waterproof state, light-emitting means that is disposed in correspondence with the position of the crosswalk to be formed and power-receiving means that receives power transmitted using wireless power supply; a power transmission unit incorporating a waterproof power transmission means for transmitting power from a commercial power source using wireless power supply; a pedestrian detection means for detecting a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a control means for controlling the power receiving means to receive power from the power transmitting unit and the light emitting means to emit light when the pedestrian detecting means detects a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; A traffic safety system comprising: Configuration 2: 2. The traffic safety system according to configuration 1, wherein when a plurality of the power receiving means are provided, the power from the commercial power source is supplied to each of the power receiving means in parallel. Configuration 3: The traffic safety system described in configuration 2 is characterized in that it has a branching unit that forms part of the road surface and has built-in branching means in a waterproof state that branches and transmits power transmitted from the power transmitting unit to each of the power receiving means using wireless power supply. Configuration 4: The traffic safety system according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the pedestrian detection means is formed as a pedestrian detection unit that forms part of a road surface and incorporates, in a waterproof state, power receiving means that receives power transmitted from the power transmitting unit using wireless power supply. Configuration 5: 5. The traffic safety system according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein each of the units is formed with its entire outer surface waterproofed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 2 Roadway, 4, 4a Curbstone, 6 Sidewalk, 8 Crosswalk, 8a White line, 10, 80, 100a, 100b, 120 Road surface light emitting unit, 11, 31, 36, 51, 94, 141 Wireless power receiving coil, 12, 37, 52, 95 Control device, 13, 83 Light emitting device, 14, 33, 34, 54, 64, 74, 87, 88, 96, 143 Power line, 15, 35, 55, 56, 133 Waterproofing member, 16, 32, 62, 66, 142 Wireless power transmitting coil, 20, 40, 60, 110 Structural unit (unit plate), 30, 150, 160 Branch unit, 50, 92 Pedestrian detection unit, 53, 86 Pedestrian detection member, 57 Base member, 58 Cover member, 60, 60a power transmission unit, 72 commercial power supply, 90 pedestrian detection means, 91 infrared sensor, 93 pole, 131 housing, 132 LED, 134 diffusion plate, 140 relay unit, R detection range.

Claims

1. a road surface light-emitting unit that incorporates, in a waterproof state, light-emitting means that is disposed in correspondence with the position of the crosswalk to be formed and power-receiving means that receives power transmitted using wireless power supply; a power transmission unit incorporating a waterproof power transmission means for transmitting power from a commercial power source using wireless power supply; a pedestrian detection means for detecting a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a control means for controlling the power receiving means to receive power from the power transmitting unit and the light emitting means to emit light when the pedestrian detecting means detects a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; A traffic safety system comprising:

2. 2. The traffic safety system according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of said power receiving means are provided, the power from said commercial power source is supplied to each of said power receiving means in parallel.

3. The traffic safety system according to claim 2, further comprising a branching unit that forms part of the road surface and incorporates, in a waterproof state, branching means that uses wireless power supply to branch and transmit power transmitted from the power transmitting unit to each of the power receiving means.

4. The traffic safety system according to claim 1, wherein the pedestrian detection means is formed as a pedestrian detection unit that forms part of a road surface and incorporates, in a waterproof state, power receiving means that receives power transmitted from the power transmitting unit using wireless power supply.

5. 5. The traffic safety system according to claim 1, wherein each of the units is formed with an outer surface entirely waterproofed.

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