Surveillance system

Abstract

To monitor surroundings of a vehicle when receiving a charging service by an automatic charging robot.SOLUTION: A monitoring system for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle when the vehicle performs automatic charging using a charging facility including a charger to which a charging cable having a charging connector is connected, and an automatic charging robot having a robot arm for automatically inserting and removing the charging connector into and from a charging port of the vehicle, the monitoring system comprising: a camera for imaging the surroundings of the vehicle between a charging preparation state in which the robot arm starts operating from a state in which the vehicle stops at a predetermined stop position to receive automatic charging by the charging facility, and a charging completion state in which the automatic charging is completed and the operation of the robot arm is completed; a display device owned by a user of the vehicle; and a control device for displaying an image captured by the camera on the display device in real time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a surveillance system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic charging system that includes a charger connected to a charging cable including a charging connector, and an automatic charging robot that grasps the charging connector and automatically inserts it into a charging port of a vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-079759 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When comparing the appearance of the vehicle before and after receiving charging service by an automatic charging robot, compensation will be required if there are obvious scratches or damage to the vehicle body after the charging service.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a monitoring system that can monitor the surroundings of a vehicle when receiving charging service from an automatic charging robot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a monitoring system that monitors the surroundings of a vehicle when the vehicle is automatically charged using charging equipment that includes a charger connected to a charging cable having a charging connector, and an automatic charging robot that has a robotic arm that automatically inserts and removes the charging connector from the vehicle's charging port, and is characterized by comprising a camera that captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle between a charging preparation state from when the vehicle is parked at a predetermined stopping position to be automatically charged at the charging equipment until the robot arm starts to operate, and a charging completion state until automatic charging is completed and operation of the robot arm is completed, a display device owned by the user of the vehicle, and a control device that displays images captured by the camera on the display device in real time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the present invention, the surroundings of the vehicle can be monitored when receiving charging service from an automatic charging robot. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a monitoring system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a monitoring system according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below.

[0010] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a monitoring system according to an embodiment. The monitoring system 1 is a system that monitors the surroundings of the vehicle 2 during automatic charging when the vehicle 2 receives a charging service from an automatic charging robot 5 using a charger 4 of a charging facility 3. In the monitoring system 1, a camera 11 installed in the vehicle 2 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 2, including the automatic charging robot 5, and displays the images on a display device 12 installed in the vehicle 2.

[0011] The vehicle 2 is an electric vehicle that can be externally charged. The vehicle 2 includes a camera 11, a display device 12, a charging port 13, a control device 14, and a communication device 15.

[0012] The camera 11 is an on-board camera mounted on the vehicle 2, and captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 2. The camera 11 includes multiple cameras, and is capable of capturing an image in a 360° range around the vehicle 2. Image data captured by the camera 11 is output to the control device 14.

[0013] Display device 12 displays the image captured by camera 11. Display device 12 is a monitor provided in the cabin of vehicle 2, and is configured by, for example, a car navigation device. Display device 12 displays image data input from control device 14.

[0014] Charging port 13 is an inlet to which charging connector 22 of charger 4 is connected during external charging. When vehicle 2 is stopped, charging connector 22 is connected to charging port 13, allowing vehicle 2 to receive power supplied from an external power source. Vehicle 2 is equipped with a battery that stores the power supplied from the external power source.

[0015] The control device 14 is an electronic control device that controls the vehicle 2. The control device 14 controls the camera 11, the display device 12, and the communication device 15. Image data captured by the camera 11 is input to the control device 14. The control device 14 processes the image data captured by the multiple cameras 11 to generate image data of an imaging range that includes 360° around the vehicle 2. The control device 14 outputs the generated image data of an imaging range that includes 360° around the vehicle 2 to the display device 12.

[0016] The communication device 15 communicates wirelessly with devices outside the vehicle. The communication device 15 is capable of communicating with a mobile terminal carried by the user of the vehicle 2. The communication device 15 is capable of wirelessly communicating with the charger 4.

[0017] The charging facility 3 includes a charger 4 and an automatic charging robot 5.

[0018] The charger 4 has a charging cable 21 and a charging connector 22. The charging cable 21 is a cable connected to the charger 4. The charging connector 22 is connected to the charging cable 21. The charger 4 and the charging connector 22 are connected via the charging cable 21.

[0019] The automatic charging robot 5 has a robot arm 31 and a robot hand 32. The automatic charging robot 5 is installed near the charger 4 and automatically inserts the charging connector 22 into the charging port 13 of the vehicle 2 to charge the vehicle.

[0020] The robot arm 31 automatically inserts and removes the charging connector 22 into the charging port 13 of the vehicle 2. A robot hand 32 is provided at the tip of the robot arm 31. The robot hand 32 grasps the charging connector 22. The robot arm 31 operates to displace the position of the robot hand 32 to a desired position.

[0021] The monitoring system 1 uses the camera 11 to capture images of the operating range of the robot arm 31 and the moving range of the charging cable 21 as the robot arm 31 of the automatic charging robot 5 operates, and makes the images available to the user of the vehicle 2.

[0022] Specifically, the monitoring system 1 monitors the period from the charging preparation state to the charging completion state. The charging preparation state is the state from when the vehicle 2 stops at a predetermined stopping position to receive automatic charging at the charging facility 3 until the robot arm 31 starts operating. The charging preparation state is the state before the robot arm 31 and the robot hand 32 start operating, and before charging starts. The charging completion state is the state from when automatic charging by the charger 4 is completed until the operation of the robot arm 31 is completed.

[0023] Camera 11 captures images of the surroundings of vehicle 2 from the charging preparation state to the charging completion state. At that time, camera 11 captures images so as to include the operating range of robot arm 31 and the movement range of charging cable 21 that moves as robot arm 31 moves charging connector 22. The imaging range of camera 11 includes the range in which robot arm 31 may come into contact with the vehicle body and the range in which charging cable 21 may come into contact with the vehicle body. Camera 11 outputs the image data to control device 14.

[0024] The control device 14 executes display control to display images captured by the camera 11 in real time on the display device 12. During automatic charging, for example, while the user is in the vehicle 2, an image of the surroundings is displayed in real time on the display device 12. Furthermore, the control device 14 can make the images captured by the camera 11 public in response to a predetermined viewing request for a predetermined period after charging is completed.

[0025] As described above, according to the embodiment, while the vehicle is receiving a charging service at the charging facility 3, the movement of the robot arm 31 and the movement of the charging cable 21 around the vehicle 2 can be captured by the camera 11. This makes it possible to monitor whether the vehicle body is damaged or broken while the vehicle is receiving a charging service at the charging facility 3. This makes it possible to check the situation during the charging service after the fact using image data, and to identify the cause of the damage or breakage.

[0026] The device that displays the image captured by the camera 11 may be a display device owned by the user of the vehicle 2, and is not limited to the display device 12 of the vehicle 2. A user terminal such as a smartphone or a personal computer owned by the user may also be the display device. In this case, the communication device 15 and the user terminal communicate wirelessly to send and receive image data.

[0027] Furthermore, when using the panoramic view from the camera 11 mounted on the vehicle 2, the user may be outside the vehicle 2, not just inside the vehicle 2. In this case, image data of the panoramic view may be transmitted from the vehicle 2 to the user terminal.

[0028] Furthermore, the cameras included in the monitoring system 1 are not limited to the cameras 11 mounted on the vehicles 2. As a modified example, as shown in Fig. 2, it is possible to configure the monitoring system 1 to monitor the vehicles 2 during charging service using cameras 41 provided on infrastructure equipment 6. The monitoring system 1 of the modified example is a monitoring system that uses the cameras 41 on the infrastructure equipment 6 instead of the in-vehicle cameras.

[0029] The infrastructure facility 6 includes a camera 41, a control device 42, and a communication device 43. The camera 41 is an infrastructure camera installed in a parking lot where the charging facility 3 is installed. The camera 41 includes multiple infrastructure cameras. The control device 42 is an electronic control device that controls the camera 41 and the communication device 43. Image data captured by the camera 41 is input to the control device 42. The control device 42 provides image data to the user terminal 8 based on the image data input from the camera 41. The control device 42 provides image data to the user of the vehicle 2 that appears in the image data captured by the camera 41. The control device 42 has previously identified the vehicle 2 to be captured by the camera 41 and the user terminal 8 carried by the user of the vehicle 2. Therefore, the control device 42 transmits image data to the identified user terminal 8. The communication device 43 communicates with the vehicle 2 and the user terminal 8 via the network 7.

[0030] The vehicle 2 can automatically drive to a predetermined stopping position using images captured by the camera 41 of the infrastructure facility 6.

[0031] The user terminal 8 is a portable terminal carried by the user of the vehicle 2. The user terminal 8 is, for example, a terminal such as a smartphone or a personal computer. The user terminal 8 has a communication device 51, a control device 52, and a display device 53. The communication device 51 communicates with the infrastructure equipment 6 via the network 7. The control device 52 controls the communication device 51 and the display device 53. The display device 53 displays images captured by the camera 41 of the infrastructure equipment 6.

[0032] According to a variant, the surroundings of the vehicle 2 during automatic charging can be monitored using existing cameras 41 installed in the infrastructure facility 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Surveillance System 2 vehicles 3 Charging equipment 4 charger 5. Automatic charging robot 6. Infrastructure 8 User terminal 11 Camera 12 Display device 21 Charging cable 22 Charging connector 31 Robot Arm 32 Robot Hand 41 Camera

Claims

[Claim 1] A monitoring system that monitors the surroundings of a vehicle when the vehicle is automatically charged using charging equipment including: a charger to which a charging cable having a charging connector is connected; and an automatic charging robot having a robot arm that automatically inserts and removes the charging connector into a charging port of the vehicle, a camera that captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle during a charging preparation state from a state in which the vehicle is stopped at a predetermined stop position for automatic charging at the charging facility until the robot arm starts operating, and a charging completion state from a state in which automatic charging is completed and the operation of the robot arm is completed; a display device owned by a user of the vehicle; a control device that displays the image captured by the camera on the display device in real time; A monitoring system comprising:

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