In-vehicle monitoring system, safety status monitoring and control program

Abstract

The system monitors the congestion level in each section of the train car and guides passengers to the less crowded areas. [Solution] Based on image information captured by the surveillance camera 30, the positions of passengers inside the vehicle are estimated, the congestion level of passengers in each area (front area AF, area in front of the middle door AM, and rear area AR) is determined, and announcement information corresponding to the congestion level is selected and the announcement is executed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle monitoring device and a safety status monitoring control program.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle such as a bus where seated passengers and standing passengers are mixed, the crew has an obligation to monitor the interior of the vehicle so that a situation where passengers lose their balance does not occur. In the case of a bus, the driver, who is a crew member, monitors the interior while driving, so the burden is greater than when there is a dedicated monitor. For this reason, it has been proposed to automate the process of monitoring the interior situation.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, a boarding situation guidance management system has been proposed for managing and providing information on the number of passengers and the degree of congestion in vehicles such as bullet trains, passenger trains, and route buses to passengers in advance. In Patent Document 1, based on the number of passengers acquired by a passenger number detection and counting device provided at the boarding and alighting gates, etc., the interior situation is notified to passengers waiting to board at the previous station, and the number of vacant seats (the difference between the number of seats and the number of passengers), the passenger occupancy rate (the ratio of the number of passengers to the rated capacity), and the degree of congestion (the degree of congestion of the passenger situation) are expressed in an easy-to-understand manner. It is described that boarding information is depicted in an illustrated diagram.

[0004] In Patent Document 2, a bus passenger number grasping system has been proposed in which a display panel is installed at a bus stop and next bus information such as the destination, scheduled arrival time, congestion status, and number of passengers scheduled to get off is displayed on the display panel. In Patent Document 2, for example, it is described that a display panel is installed at a bus stop, the boarding section, etc. are read from the boarding tickets of passengers boarding and alighting the bus, and the information is displayed as "next bus information" on the display panel of the next bus stop where the bus is proceeding.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, the prior art including Citation Document 1 and Citation Document 2 has no concept of informing passengers in the vehicle of the situation inside the vehicle, nor a concept of prompting passengers in the vehicle to move or the like.

[0007] In addition, when the congestion situation changes every moment in a shared bus or the like, there is a problem that an area in the rear is likely to become vacant especially for passengers who try to be near the exit as much as possible. Furthermore, due to the large vibration transmitted from the engine and tires in the rear of the vehicle, the rear area tends to be shunned because of the poor riding comfort.

[0008] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an in-vehicle monitoring device and a safety situation monitoring control program that can grasp the congestion situation of each area obtained by dividing the inside of the vehicle and guide passengers to the vacant area.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The in-vehicle monitoring device according to the present invention includes an estimation unit that recognizes a standing passenger and estimates the passenger position in the vehicle where the passenger can move, and a grasping unit that grasps the congestion situation of each of a plurality of areas obtained by dividing the inside of the vehicle in advance based on the passenger position estimated by the estimation unit, and a selection unit that selects announcement information for prompting the movement of the passenger based on the congestion situation of each of the areas grasped by the grasping unit.

[0010] According to the present invention, in the grasping unit, the passenger position of the standing passenger estimated by the estimation unit is estimated. For example, a monitoring camera is installed inside the vehicle, and the passenger position inside the vehicle is estimated from the captured image captured by the monitoring camera. In the grasping unit, based on the passenger position estimated by the estimation unit, the congestion situation of each of the areas obtained by dividing the inside of the vehicle in advance is grasped.

[0011] The selection unit selects announcement information to encourage passengers to move based on the congestion status of each area as determined by the information gathering unit.

[0012] This allows passengers to be guided to available spaces.

[0013] The present invention is characterized in that the announcement information is at least one of announcement audio information received through hearing and announcement display information received through sight.

[0014] Announcement information can be provided in a way that is easy for passengers to understand.

[0015] The present invention is characterized in that the announcement information is information for averaging the degree of congestion in each area as determined by the sensing unit.

[0016] It can average out the varying levels of congestion in different areas. It can also help to balance the overall environment inside the vehicle.

[0017] More specifically, if a front area, a middle door area, and a rear area are designated, it is preferable to guide passengers to the rear area to address the challenges of actual operation. This is because passengers tend to concentrate in the front area and the middle door area. In short, the premise is to avoid congestion at the front entrance / exit area (front area) used for boarding and to average the number of passengers across each area. If the boarding and alighting patterns differ at the entrances / exits, the announcement information should be selected flexibly.

[0018] The present invention is characterized in that the announcement information is information for keeping the number of passengers in a predetermined area centered on the passenger doors below a predetermined threshold.

[0019] In other words, the announcement information is designed to ensure that the number of passengers within a radius R centered on the passenger doors is N or less. Since the area near the passenger doors is more dangerous than other areas due to the risk of getting caught in the doors, this helps to reduce the number of passengers loitering there.

[0020] In the present invention, it is characterized in that the announcement information is information for promoting the movement of passengers from the boarding and alighting opening to the area farthest from the boarding and alighting opening within the area.

[0021] It is conceivable that the announcement information is used when moving by designating the area to be guided, or when moving to another area without particularly designating the area to be guided. Specifically, when setting the front area, the area in front of the middle door, and the rear area, when the front area and the area in front of the middle door are congested, the passengers in the area in front of the middle door are guided to the rear.

[0022] In the present invention, it is characterized in that it includes an output unit that outputs the announcement information while the vehicle is stopped.

[0023] Since the vehicle is stopped, passengers can move safely.

[0024] In the present invention, it is characterized in that the area is set according to the position and number of the boarding and alighting doors.

[0025] In the target vehicle, it is set according to the position and number of the boarding and alighting openings. For example, when there are boarding and alighting openings in the front and rear, the area is set to two areas, the front and the rear, or when there are boarding and alighting openings in the front and the center, the area is set to three areas, the front, the area in front of the middle door, and the rear.

[0026] Thereby, by setting the number of areas according to the position and number of the boarding and alighting doors, it is possible to ensure the safety near the boarding and alighting doors.

[0027] The safety situation monitoring control program according to the present invention causes a computer to operate as the above-described in-vehicle monitoring device.

Effect of the Invention

[0028] As described above, in the present invention, there is an effect that the congestion situation of each area obtained by dividing the interior of the vehicle can be grasped, and passengers can be guided to the vacant area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a passenger bus equipped with the in-vehicle monitoring device according to this embodiment and the second embodiment. [Figure 2] (A) is a plan view of a passenger bus according to this embodiment, and (B) is a perspective view showing the interior of a passenger bus with a different seating arrangement than (A). [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the in-vehicle monitoring device according to this embodiment, installed in a passenger bus. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing the safety status monitoring and control routine according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 3 shows a chart illustrating the relationship between the congestion status of each area of ​​the bus as assessed by the congestion assessment unit and whether or not guidance announcements were made. (B) is a front view showing the interior of the bus, illustrating an example of pattern 3 in the chart in (A). [Figure 6] This is a plan view of a modified passenger bus. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Figure 1 is a side view of a passenger bus 12 equipped with the in-vehicle monitoring device 10 (see Figure 3) according to this embodiment. Note that the passenger bus 12 is just one example; the in-vehicle monitoring device 10 can be applied to any vehicle carrying passengers 14. However, a passenger bus is used as an example of a vehicle in which passengers 14 seated in seats 16 and passengers 14 standing are mixed.

[0031] The passenger bus 12 has a driver's seat 18 at the front of the vehicle, and seats 16 for passengers 14 are arranged behind the driver's seat 18. In this configuration, the passenger bus 12 is driven by a driver seated in the driver's seat 18, but it may also be a so-called autonomous bus in which the driver does not directly drive or does not require a driver. An autonomous bus performs various autonomous driving controls on its own, but it is preferable to build a system in which an operator remotely monitors the system.

[0032] The passenger bus 12 is equipped with an entrance / exit 20 at the front of the vehicle and an entrance / exit 21 in the middle of the vehicle. Passengers 14 mainly board through the entrance / exit 20 and alight through the entrance / exit 21, but there are no strict restrictions. In Figure 1, the entrance / exit 20 is shown at the front of the vehicle and the entrance / exit 21 is shown in the middle of the vehicle, but there are also passenger buses that have an entrance / exit at the rear of the vehicle, and the number of entrance / exits (combinations of front, middle, and rear of the vehicle) is not limited.

[0033] Although boarding and alighting are possible through entrances 20 and 21 due to their structure, the rules for the route bus 12 may specify that entrances 20 and 21 are for boarding only or alighting only, respectively. For example, route buses 12 with a uniform fare generally have a rule of boarding at the front (entrance 20) and alighting in the middle (entrance 21), while route buses 12 with non-uniform fares generally have a rule of boarding in the middle (entrance 21) and alighting at the front (entrance 20).

[0034] The floor surface 22 on which the seats 16 are located is stepped due to the vehicle's structure (for example, steps 22S), and the steps rise as you move towards the rear of the vehicle, making the safety of passengers 14 when moving less than that of a flat surface. The position and number of steps 22S are changed as appropriate depending on the structure of the passenger bus 12. Even if it were a flat surface (non-step bus), the driver 24 seated in the driver's seat 18 has an obligation to monitor the interior of the vehicle using rearview mirrors (not shown) etc., while driving, to prevent situations in which passengers 14 may lose their balance. If the floor surface 22 has steps, even more attention must be paid to the interior of the vehicle.

[0035] In general, from the standpoint of safety monitoring, passengers 14 seated in seat 16 can be considered "safe," while passengers 14 not seated can be considered "unsafe."

[0036] Here, the passenger bus 12 is equipped with support members such as hand straps 26, support bars 26A that support the hand straps 26, and handrails 28 to prevent standing passengers 14 from losing their balance. By holding onto the support members (by holding on), standing passengers 14 can maintain their posture against the swaying during the ride more effectively than passengers 14 who are not holding on, and in some cases, standing is considered safe. Support members also include assist grips provided at the upper corners of the seat backs.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, surveillance cameras 30, which constitute the in-vehicle monitoring system 10, are installed in each of the four corners (front right, front left, rear right, and rear left) of the passenger bus 12.

[0038] Note that Figures 2(A) and (B) each represent a passenger bus 12, but they illustrate different types of seating arrangements. In addition to these, there are various other seating arrangements, such as so-called face-to-face seating, folding seats, and tour bus-type seating. However, in this embodiment, regardless of the seating arrangement, surveillance cameras 30 are installed at least in all four corners to minimize blind spots.

[0039] The surveillance camera 30 is designed to capture the area in which passengers 14 can move within the vehicle without creating blind spots. The surveillance camera 30 may be an existing safety camera installed to monitor the safety situation inside the vehicle, or a new dedicated camera may be installed to determine whether the seats are full or empty. Using an existing safety camera reduces the number of devices, while using a dedicated camera improves the accuracy of the determination; therefore, both may be used in combination, depending on the situation.

[0040] The field of view of surveillance camera 30A on the front right of the vehicle shows that the area to the front right of the passenger bus 12 is being captured. Similarly, the field of view of surveillance camera 30B on the front left of the vehicle shows that the area to the front left of the passenger bus 12 is being captured.

[0041] On the other hand, it can be seen that the area captured by the surveillance camera 30C on the right rear of the vehicle is the right rear of the passenger bus 12. Also, it can be seen that the area captured by the surveillance camera 30D on the left rear of the vehicle is the left rear of the passenger bus 12.

[0042] In this embodiment, the captured image information from the four surveillance cameras 30 is aggregated and classified into three areas (front area AF, middle door area AM, and rear area AR) as shown in Figures 2(A) and (B). The number of passengers 14 located within each area AF, AM, and AR is calculated, and passengers 14 are guided according to a predetermined purpose through in-vehicle guidance announcements, etc. Note that the number of surveillance cameras 30 may be 1 to 3, or 5 or more, instead of 4.

[0043] An example of the definition of each area (front area AF, middle door area AM, and rear area AR) is shown below. (Front area AF) The area in the front of the vehicle beyond the entrance / exit 21 (middle door) in the center of the vehicle. (Middle door area AM) An area in the center of the vehicle that is roughly the same width as the opening of doorway 21 (middle door). (Rear area AR) This is the area behind the vehicle, beyond the entrance / exit door 21 (middle door) in the center of the vehicle, and in the case of a passenger bus 10 with a step (step), it is the area above the step. Each area can be configured as appropriate, depending on the structure of the passenger bus 10, the configuration of the seats 16, etc.

[0044] Here, the front area AF, the middle door area AM, and the rear area AR may have overlapping portions. In multiple areas that share overlapping portions, the number of passengers can be calculated for each separately. Counting a single passenger multiple times does not hinder the objective of avoiding passenger bias, and on the contrary, it is effective in reducing blind spots in photography.

[0045] The predetermined purpose should preferably be determined by the nature of the bus (age range of passengers, terrain, frequency of starts and stops, number of stops, etc.). For example, the following two types of purposes are conceivable. However, the purpose is not limited to these two types.

[0046] (Example Objective 1) The objective is to average the degree of congestion in each area (AF, AM, AR) through guidance announcements.

[0047] According to example objective 1, it is possible to average out the varying levels of congestion in each area. This allows for an overall balance within the vehicle.

[0048] (Example of objective 2) The objective is to ensure that the number of passengers near the entrance / exit AM (in front of the middle door) (within a radius R) is N or less, primarily through guidance announcements.

[0049] According to example objective 2, the area near the passenger doors is more dangerous than other areas due to the risk of getting caught in the doors, so it is possible to reduce the number of passengers lingering there.

[0050] The in-vehicle monitoring device 10 (see Figure 3) grasps the current passenger congestion status based on the predetermined purpose set as described above, selects a guidance announcement, and executes it.

[0051] (In-vehicle monitoring device 10) Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the in-vehicle monitoring device 10 according to this embodiment, which is installed in a passenger bus 12 (see Figure 1).

[0052] The in-vehicle monitoring device 10 includes n monitoring cameras 30 (where n is a positive integer, and in this embodiment, n=4) and a safety status monitoring control unit 32.

[0053] When installing multiple surveillance cameras 30, the cameras 30 do not need to be the same model or have the same specifications. Instead, the most suitable camera 30 should be used for each specific location, with the optimal specifications (magnification, zoom range, wide-angle range, aperture, shutter speed, pan / tilt angle, etc.).

[0054] Furthermore, the surveillance camera 30 only needs to be able to capture the outlines of the passengers 14, and is not limited to images based on density, but may also be images based on temperature differences using infrared light, etc.

[0055] The surveillance camera 30 is connected to the image acquisition unit 34 of the safety situation monitoring control unit 32.

[0056] The image acquisition unit 34 is connected to the passenger identification unit 36 ​​and sends the acquired image information to the passenger identification unit 36.

[0057] The passenger identification unit 36 ​​uses image recognition technology to identify the location of the passenger 14 and sends the information to the passenger location estimation unit 40.

[0058] The passenger position estimation unit 40 estimates the area where the passenger 14 is located. The area is stored in the area information storage unit 42. In this embodiment, the front area AF, the middle door area AM, and the rear area AR shown in Figure 2 are stored in advance. Note that the area settings are not limited to the three types in this embodiment, and two or more types may be set, and the information stored in the area information storage unit 42 may be fixed or changeable as appropriate.

[0059] For example, as an example of setting up two types of areas, as shown in Figure 6, the area may be divided into a front area (AF1) including the vicinity of the front entrance / exit 20 of the vehicle, and a rear area (AR1) behind the front area AF1. The boundary between the front area AF1 and the rear area AR1 may be a step (level) 22S. If the passenger bus 12 is a front-boarding type, the two-part division shown in Figure 6 is effective in primarily preventing congestion at the front of the vehicle.

[0060] The passenger position estimation unit 40 reads area information (coordinate information, etc.) for each area (front area AF, middle door area AM, and rear area AR) from the area information storage unit 42, compares it with the position information of the passenger 14, and classifies it into each area.

[0061] The passenger location estimation unit 40 is connected to the congestion status assessment unit 44 and sends the number of passengers 14 in each area (for each area) obtained through analysis to the congestion status assessment unit 44.

[0062] The congestion status assessment unit 44 assesses the congestion status for each area (see Figure 5(A)) and sends the assessed congestion status to the congestion status update storage unit 46. The congestion status update storage unit 46 updates and stores the latest congestion status received from the congestion status assessment unit 44, and notifies the passenger location estimation unit 40 of the update each time it is updated.

[0063] The passenger position estimation unit 40 analyzes the position of the passenger 14 each time it receives an update completion signal.

[0064] The congestion status update memory unit 46 is connected to the announcement information selection unit 48. The announcement information selection unit 48 is connected to the announcement execution instruction unit 50 and the announcement information storage unit 52.

[0065] When a trigger signal is input to the announcement execution instruction unit 50, the announcement execution instruction unit 50 instructs the announcement information selection unit 48 to select announcement information based on the current congestion status.

[0066] Examples of trigger signals include, but are not limited to, periodic (using a timer), before the vehicle starts moving (just before the doors close), and instructions to stop driving. Preferably, by making an announcement when the passenger bus 12 is stopped, passengers 14 can move around inside the vehicle while it is stopped.

[0067] The announcement information selection unit 48 selects predetermined announcement information from the announcement information storage unit 52 based on the current congestion status and sends it to the announcement execution unit 54.

[0068] More specifically, as shown in Figure 5(A), guidance announcements are selected using a table that shows the relationship between the combination of congestion levels in each area and the guidance announcements needed to achieve the predetermined objectives described above (for example, Objective Example 1 or Objective Example 2). Note that the settings of the table (area congestion levels and whether guidance announcements are implemented) are not limited to those in Figure 5(A) and can be changed as appropriate depending on the structure of the bus 12 (location and number of doors, etc.).

[0069] The announcement execution unit 54 controls output devices (speakers, monitors, etc.) pre-installed on the passenger bus 12 to output announcements (audio output, image display).

[0070] Figure 5(B) shows the situation inside the vehicle in the table of Figure 4(A) under pattern 3, where 14 passengers are concentrated at the front and there are no 14 passengers at the rear. In such cases, guidance announcements such as "The rear area is empty. Please move to the rear in order." are selected. The content of the guidance announcement is not limited to this.

[0071] The operation of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to the flowchart in Figure 4.

[0072] The program in the flowchart of Figure 4 is activated, for example, when the passenger bus 12 begins its service. However, the program may also be activated when the engine starts, when it leaves the depot, or by manual operation by the driver.

[0073] In step 100, images captured by the surveillance camera 30 are acquired, and then the process moves to step 102 to identify passenger 14. Using well-known image recognition technology, the location of passenger 14 is determined, and the process moves to step 106.

[0074] In step 106, the current position of passenger 14 is estimated, and then the process moves to step 108 to read out area information (forward area AF, area in front of the middle door AM, rear area AR).

[0075] In the next step 110, the number of passengers 14 in each area is calculated, and then the process moves to step 112 to understand the congestion level in each area. For example, a table like the one in Figure 5(A) is generated.

[0076] In the next step, 114, the congestion status for each area that has been identified is updated and stored. In other words, in step 114, the latest information is stored each time the congestion status for each area, which changes moment by moment, is identified in step 112.

[0077] In the next step, 116, it is determined whether or not an announcement instruction was given. Examples of announcement instructions include periodic announcements, announcements before the vehicle starts moving (just before the doors close), and driver instructions. In addition, announcement instructions may be set as needed, such as when passing through curves with a radius of curvature less than a specified radius, when turning right or left, or during sudden acceleration or deceleration.

[0078] If a negative result (no announcement instructions) is obtained in step 116, return to step 100 and repeat the above process.

[0079] Furthermore, if a positive result (announcement instruction given) is obtained in step 116, the process proceeds to step 118, where announcement information is selected from the announcement information storage unit 52 based on the latest congestion status stored in the updated memory (see Figure 5(A)). In the next step 120, a guidance announcement is made based on the selected announcement information.

[0080] In the next step, 122, it is determined whether the operational operation has finished (similar to the startup conditions of this program, this may also be determined by whether other conditions are met). If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 100 and the above steps are repeated. If the determination in step 122 is positive, this routine terminates.

[0081] As described above, in this embodiment, the position of passengers inside the vehicle is estimated based on image information captured by the surveillance camera 30, the congestion status of passengers in each area of ​​the vehicle (front area AF, area in front of the middle door AM, and rear area AR) is grasped, and announcement information corresponding to the congestion status is selected and the announcement is executed. This makes it possible to acquire the congestion status for each area of ​​the vehicle and guide passengers to less crowded areas.

[0082] (Variation 1) Modification 1 is a modification relating to the function of estimating congestion levels.

[0083] In this embodiment, image information captured by the surveillance camera 30 was used as basic information for estimating the congestion level inside the passenger bus 12. However, the image information may be video or still images in a time-lapse format. In addition to image information, audio information from inside the bus may also be used in combination.

[0084] Furthermore, the surveillance camera 30 may be a security camera that was previously installed on the passenger bus 12, or it may be newly installed.

[0085] Furthermore, instead of the surveillance camera 30, an infrared sensor, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, or the like may be used to estimate the congestion situation.

[0086] Alternatively, the floor inside the vehicle may be subdivided, and pressure sensors may be installed in each section to estimate the level of congestion based on the pressure distribution.

[0087] (Modification 2) Modification 2 is a modification concerning the purpose of selecting guidance announcements.

[0088] In this embodiment, we provide examples of two objectives: Objective 1, which aims to average the degree of congestion in each area AF, AM, and AR; and Objective 2, which aims to keep the number of passengers near the entrance / exit AM (in front of the middle door) within a radius R to N or less. The announcement information is selected accordingly. However, since the rear area AR experiences significant vibrations due to the engine and tires and is statistically likely to be avoided, the announcement information may always be dedicated to guiding passengers to the rear area AR.

[0089] Alternatively, the announcement could not specify an area to guide people to, but could simply say, "Please move to an available area instead of concentrating in a particular area."

[0090] (Variation 3) Modification 3 is a variation in which the occupancy status of seat 16 is taken into consideration when performing the ovance.

[0091] In this embodiment, an announcement is made to identify an area based on the location information of the passengers 14 inside the vehicle and guide them to move. However, it is also possible to determine whether a seat is empty or full based on the seating status of each seat 16 and make an announcement to guide passengers to an area with empty seats.

[0092] (Modification 4) Modification 4 is a modification concerning the reduction of the monitoring system.

[0093] In this embodiment, the surveillance camera 30 constantly captures images of the interior of the vehicle, and the location (area) of the passengers 14 is estimated based on the captured image information. However, the characteristics of the passenger bus 12 (consistency in congestion levels depending on the time of day) may be utilized to make announcements.

[0094] In this case, big data is required in advance. Specifically, past congestion data is compiled into a database (generating big data) for each environmental condition, including the route, date and time of travel, and time of day. Announcement information is then set according to the environmental conditions, and the announcement information is retrieved from the big data based on the environmental conditions.

[0095] For example, if the regular boarding and alighting sections are known, such as for students, the system can provide advance information on areas where congestion is less likely to occur.

[0096] According to Modification 4, even without constant monitoring by cameras, patterns can be created based on the route, date and time of travel, and time of day (environmental conditions). Therefore, if the database contains sufficient information, pre-set announcement information can be appropriately provided based on the environmental conditions.

[0097] This eliminates the need to install cameras on each bus; for example, only one bus equipped with a camera needs to be operated on the same route.

[0098] [Note] (Note 1) An estimation unit that recognizes standing passengers and estimates the passenger's position within the vehicle where they can move, Based on the passenger positions estimated by the estimation unit, the sensing unit grasps the congestion status of each of the areas into which the vehicle interior has been divided in advance. A selection unit selects announcement information to encourage passengers to move based on the congestion status of each area as determined by the aforementioned assessment unit, An in-vehicle monitoring device having the following features.

[0099] (Note 2) The in-vehicle monitoring device according to Appendix 1, wherein the announcement information is at least one of announcement audio information received through hearing and announcement display information received through sight.

[0100] (Note 3) The in-vehicle monitoring device described in Appendix 1, wherein the announcement information is information for averaging the degree of congestion in each area as determined by the sensing unit.

[0101] (Note 4) An in-vehicle monitoring device described in one of the appendices 1 to 3, where the announcement information is used to ensure that the number of passengers within a radius R centered on the passenger doors is N or less.

[0102] (Note 5) An in-vehicle monitoring device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned announcement information is intended to encourage passengers to move to the area furthest from the entrance / exit within the aforementioned area.

[0103] (Note 6) An in-vehicle monitoring device according to any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 5, comprising an output unit that outputs the aforementioned announcement information while the vehicle is stopped.

[0104] (Note 7) The aforementioned area is configured according to the location and number of passenger doors, and is an in-vehicle monitoring device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 6.

[0105] (Note 8) Computers, It will be operated as an in-vehicle monitoring device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 7. Safety status monitoring and control program. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 10 In-vehicle monitoring device, 12 Passenger bus, 14 Passenger, 16 Seat, 18 Driver's seat, 20 Entrance / exit, 21 Entrance / exit, 22 Floor surface, 22S Step (step), 24 Driver, 26 Handrail, 26A Support bar, 28 Handrail, 30 Surveillance camera 30 (A~D), 32 Safety situation monitoring control unit, 34 Image acquisition unit, 36 Passenger identification unit, 38 Passenger tracking unit, 40 Passenger position estimation unit (estimation unit), 42 Area information storage unit, AF Front area, AM Middle door area, AR Rear area, 44 Congestion situation understanding unit (understanding unit), 46 Congestion situation update storage unit, 48 Announcement information selection unit (selection unit), 50 Announcement execution instruction unit, 52 Announcement information storage unit

Claims

1. An estimation unit that recognizes standing passengers and estimates the passenger's position within the vehicle where they can move, Based on the passenger positions estimated by the estimation unit, the sensing unit grasps the congestion status of each of the areas into which the vehicle interior has been divided in advance. A selection unit selects announcement information to encourage passengers to move based on the congestion status of each area as determined by the aforementioned assessment unit, An in-vehicle monitoring device having the following features.

2. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the announcement information is at least one of announcement audio information received through hearing and announcement display information received through sight.

3. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the announcement information is information for averaging the degree of congestion in each of the areas as determined by the sensing unit.

4. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the announcement information is information for keeping the number of passengers in a predetermined area centered on the passenger doors below a predetermined threshold.

5. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the announcement information is information for prompting passengers to move to the area furthest from the entrance / exit within the area.

6. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit that outputs the announcement information while the vehicle is stopped.

7. The in-vehicle monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the area is set according to the position and number of passenger doors.

8. Computers, To be operated as an in-vehicle monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, Safety status monitoring and control program.

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