Vehicle detection sensor

Abstract

This invention provides a vehicle detection sensor that prevents a decrease in detection accuracy due to water droplet adhesion and also prevents damage. [Solution] The vehicle detection sensor 2 comprises a housing, a radar sensor disposed inside the housing, and an illumination unit 25 that illuminates the radar emitted from the radar sensor upward toward the outside from the housing. The illumination unit 25 is arranged on an inclined portion 21 of the housing that is inclined toward the mounting surface and is formed in an upward convex shape.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle detection sensor that detects a vehicle by radiating radar. [[Background Art]]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a vehicle detection device in which a magnetic sensor is installed on a parking surface (ground) in a parking space of a parking lot, and a change in geomagnetism caused by the presence or absence of a vehicle is detected to determine the presence or absence of a vehicle in the parking space (see Patent Document 1). [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-164145 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] A sensor used in a vehicle detection device is disposed, for example, on a top surface of a sensor housing. In this case, if water droplets such as rainwater adhere to the top surface, the radar emitted from the sensor is attenuated by the water droplets, which causes a problem that the vehicle detection accuracy decreases. It is also conceivable to form the top surface in a convex shape so that water droplets do not accumulate, but in this case, there arises a problem that the sensor is damaged when a vehicle tire runs onto the top surface of the sensor.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle detection sensor that can prevent a decrease in detection accuracy due to adhesion of water droplets and also prevent damage. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0006] A vehicle detection sensor according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a sensor that detects a vehicle by irradiating radar upward from the installation surface. The vehicle detection sensor comprises a housing, a radar sensor disposed within the housing, and an irradiating unit that irradiates the radar emitted from the radar sensor upward from the housing toward the outside. The irradiating unit is disposed on an inclined portion of the housing that is inclined toward the installation surface, and is formed in an upwardly convex shape. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a vehicle detection sensor that can prevent a decrease in detection accuracy due to the adhesion of water droplets and also prevent damage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the application of the vehicle detection system according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle detection system according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of vehicle detection in a parking space using a vehicle detection system according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a graph showing the changes in the Earth's magnetic field when a vehicle is detected in a parking space in the vehicle detection system according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for vehicle detection processing performed in the vehicle detection system according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a top view (plan view) of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a front view of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9]Figure 9 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a partially enlarged view of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a partially enlarged view of a vehicle detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the embodiments of this disclosure and do not limit the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an application example of a vehicle detection system 10 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The vehicle detection system 10 includes a vehicle detection device 1 and a vehicle detection sensor 2. The vehicle detection system 10 is applied to a parking lot Ps where vehicles are parked, and determines the presence or absence of a vehicle in a parking space Pa (vehicle compartment) of the parking lot Ps. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the parking lot Ps is provided with multiple parking spaces Pa, and it is possible to park one vehicle in one parking space Pa. The vehicle detection system 10 determines the presence or absence of a vehicle in each parking space Pa and manages whether the parking lot Ps is full or empty. Furthermore, if the vehicle detection system 10 is applied to a parking lot Ps where parking fees are charged, the vehicle detection system 10 calculates the parking time of a vehicle in a parking space Pa and manages the parking fee.

[0011] A vehicle detection sensor 2 capable of detecting vehicles is installed on the parking surface (ground) within each parking space Pa in the parking lot Ps. The vehicle detection sensor 2 is fixed to the ground near the center of the parking space Pa. The location where the vehicle detection sensor 2 is installed is not limited to the center of the parking space Pa, but may also be at the rear or front of the parking space Pa. The number of vehicle detection sensors 2 installed corresponds to the number of parking spaces Pa in the parking lot Ps.

[0012] [Overview of Vehicle Detection Sensor 2] The vehicle detection sensor 2 includes a sensor module 20 containing two sensors with different detection methods. Specifically, the sensor module 20 includes a magnetism-detectable magnetic sensor and a ranging sensor using millimeter-wave radar or infrared rays. The vehicle detection sensor 2 is electrically connected to the vehicle detection device 1 via a network N1.

[0013] The magnetic sensor uses a magnetic sensor element such as a coil, a Hall element, a magnetoresistive element (MR element), or a magneto-impedance element (MI element) to detect the intensity (magnetic flux density) of a magnetic field including geomagnetism near the installation position. Specifically, the magnetic sensor detects a scalar quantity that is the magnitude component of a detected magnetic field vector (magnetic field vector), and outputs the scalar quantity as a detection value to the vehicle detection device 1. In addition to the magnetic sensor element, the magnetic sensor includes an amplifier circuit, an AD conversion circuit, and the like. When the magnetic sensor is of a three-axis (3D) type, the magnetic sensor outputs, as a detection value, the scalar quantity of the component force on the XYZ plane including the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis among the detected magnetic field vectors to the vehicle detection device 1. The magnetic sensor has a characteristic of lower power consumption compared to the ranging sensor.

[0014] The ranging sensor using millimeter-wave radar is a radar sensor that measures the distance, speed, and angle to a target object using radio waves in the millimeter-wave band (for example, the 60 GHz band). Detection methods include FMCW, pulse, CW Doppler, dual-frequency CW, pulse compression, and other methods, and in the present embodiment, for example, the FMCW method is adopted. The ranging sensor outputs the distance, speed, and angle to the target object as detection values to the vehicle detection device 1. The ranging sensor has a characteristic of excellent straightness compared to the magnetic sensor.

[0015] In the present embodiment, the magnetic sensor and the ranging sensor are housed in a single housing and configured as an integrated vehicle detection sensor 2. The vehicle detection sensor 2 performs detection operations in accordance with instructions from the control unit 11 of the vehicle detection device 1. In addition, the magnetic sensor and the ranging sensor are each driven by power from a built-in battery. The specific configuration of the vehicle detection sensor 2 will be described later.

[0016] [Vehicle detection device 1] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle detection device 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an operation display unit 13, a communication unit 14, and the like. The vehicle detection device 1 is not limited to a single computer, and may be a computer system in which a plurality of computers operate cooperatively, or may be configured by a cloud server. Further, various processes executed by the vehicle detection device 1 may be distributed and executed by one or more processors.

[0017] The communication unit 14 is a communication interface for connecting the vehicle detection device 1 to the network N1 via a wired or wireless connection, and performing data communication in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol with the vehicle detection sensor 2 via the network N1.

[0018] The storage unit 12 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory that stores various types of information. The storage unit 12 stores a control program for causing the control unit 11 to execute various processes such as vehicle detection processing described later (see FIG. 5). For example, the control program is non-transitorily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or a DVD, read by a reading device (not shown) such as a CD drive or a DVD drive included in the vehicle detection device 1, and stored in the storage unit 12. The control program may also be distributed from a cloud server and stored in the storage unit 12.

[0019] Further, in the storage unit 12, for each parking space Pa, information corresponding to the determination result by the control unit 11, such as information of a vehicle that has entered (parked in) the parking space, entry time, and exit time, is stored.

[0020] The control unit 11 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and OS are pre-stored to cause the CPU to perform various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 11 controls the vehicle detection device 1 by executing various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or storage unit 12 using the CPU.

[0021] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the control unit 11 includes various processing units such as an acquisition processing unit 111, an operation processing unit 112, a determination processing unit 113, and an output processing unit 114. The control unit 11 functions as these various processing units by executing various processes according to the control program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 11 may be composed of electronic circuits. The control program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as these various processing units.

[0022] The acquisition processing unit 111 acquires detected values ​​from the vehicle detection sensor 2. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the magnetic flux density value (geomagnetism), which indicates the strength of the magnetic field, from the magnetic sensor. For example, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the detected values ​​from the magnetic sensor at predetermined intervals (for example, every 5 seconds).

[0023] In this case, when the magnetic sensor is installed in the parking space Pa, it may detect not only vehicles approaching the parking space Pa or vehicles parked in the parking space Pa, but also ferromagnetic materials such as reinforcing bars used in surrounding structures and vehicles traveling nearby. For this reason, the acquisition processing unit 111 also acquires the detected value from the magnetic sensor when the magnetic sensor detects a ferromagnetic material other than a vehicle.

[0024] Figures 3 and 4 show the process from when a vehicle enters the parking lot Ps until it stops in a parking space Pa. Figure 4 shows the change in the detected value (geomagnetic field) by the magnetic sensor over time. For example, when a vehicle enters the parking lot Ps and approaches a parking space Pa, the magnetic sensor installed in the parking space Pa detects the vehicle at time t1 and outputs a detected value. Subsequently, as the vehicle enters the parking space Pa and approaches the magnetic sensor, the geomagnetic field value increases (times T1 to T2). After that, when the vehicle stops in the parking space Pa, the geomagnetic field value reaches its maximum (time t2), and thereafter the geomagnetic field value becomes constant (from time t2 onward).

[0025] Furthermore, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires detected values ​​from the distance measuring sensor. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 111 acquires the distance, speed, and angle values ​​from the distance measuring sensor to the object.

[0026] The operation processing unit 112 controls the detection operation of the vehicle detection sensor 2. Specifically, the operation processing unit 112 controls the detection operation of the vehicle detection sensor 2 by outputting commands such as start and stop commands to the vehicle detection sensor 2.

[0027] For example, the operation processing unit 112 outputs a command to the magnetic sensor to perform a detection operation at a predetermined interval (for example, every 5 seconds). The magnetic sensor performs a detection operation according to the command from the operation processing unit 112 and outputs a detected value. In this case, the magnetic sensor performs a detection operation once every 5 seconds and outputs the detected value to the vehicle detection device 1.

[0028] For example, the operation processing unit 112 outputs a command to the distance measuring sensor to perform a detection operation. The distance measuring sensor irradiates millimeter-wave radar (electromagnetic waves) in a preset frequency band according to the command from the operation processing unit 112 and detects the electromagnetic waves that are reflected back from the target object. For example, the distance measuring sensor performs a detection operation using a 60GHz band radar and outputs the detected value to the vehicle detection device 1.

[0029] Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor detects an object, the operation processing unit 112 outputs a command to the distance measuring sensor to perform a detection operation. In other words, the distance measuring sensor starts its detection operation only when the magnetic sensor detects an object. This reduces the frequency of operation of the distance measuring sensor, thereby reducing power consumption and preventing unnecessary consumption of the distance measuring sensor's battery capacity.

[0030] Furthermore, the operation processing unit 112 may be configured to execute a detection operation by the distance measuring sensor if the detection state continues for a predetermined time after the magnetic sensor detects the target object. Alternatively, the operation processing unit 112 may be configured not to execute a detection operation by the distance measuring sensor if the detection state does not continue for a predetermined time after the magnetic sensor detects the target object. In other words, the operation processing unit 112 may initiate a detection operation by the distance measuring sensor on the condition that the magnetic sensor has detected the target object for a predetermined time.

[0031] Specifically, the operation processing unit 112 may be configured such that, if the detection state continues for a predetermined time after the magnetic sensor detects the target, it determines that the target is a vehicle and executes a detection operation using the distance measuring sensor. If the detection state does not continue for a predetermined time after the magnetic sensor detects the target, it determines that the target is not a vehicle and does not execute a detection operation using the distance measuring sensor.

[0032] For example, in the detection value of the magnetic sensor shown in Figure 4, if the time during which the Earth's magnetic field is above a predetermined value continues for a predetermined period of time, the operation processing unit 112 may determine that the object being detected is a vehicle and cause the distance measuring sensor to perform a detection operation. If the time during which the Earth's magnetic field is above a predetermined value does not continue for the predetermined period of time, the operation processing unit 112 may determine that the object being detected is not a vehicle, for example, a railway running on an elevated structure above the parking lot Ps, and may cause the distance measuring sensor to wait without performing a detection operation.

[0033] With the above configuration, the detection operation of the distance measuring sensor can be stopped when the target to be detected is not a vehicle, thereby reducing power consumption due to unnecessary detection operations in the distance measuring sensor.

[0034] The determination processing unit 113 determines whether or not a vehicle is present in the parking space Pa. Specifically, the determination processing unit 113 determines whether or not a vehicle has stopped in the parking space Pa based on the detection results of the magnetic sensor and the detection results of the distance measuring sensor. Specifically, the determination processing unit 113 determines that a vehicle has stopped in the parking space Pa if the distance measuring sensor detects the target. In the example shown in Figure 1, the distance measuring sensor installed in parking space Pa of vehicle space number 6 detects the target, so the determination processing unit 113 determines that a vehicle has stopped in parking space Pa of vehicle space number 6.

[0035] The output processing unit 114 outputs the result of determining whether a vehicle is present or absent. For example, the output processing unit 114 outputs information such as information about the parked vehicle, the time of entry, and the time of exit. The output processing unit 114 also stores this information in the storage unit 12. The control unit 11 manages the presence or absence of vehicles in each parking space Pa of the parking lot Ps based on this information. Note that the method of detecting vehicles is not limited to the method described above and may be other methods.

[0036] [Vehicle detection process] The following describes an example of the procedure for the vehicle detection process performed in the vehicle detection system 10, with reference to Figure 5. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 11 of the vehicle detection device 1 works together to execute the vehicle detection process.

[0037] This disclosure may also describe a vehicle detection method that performs one or more steps included in the vehicle detection process, and the one or more steps included in the vehicle detection process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the execution order of each step in the vehicle detection process may differ to the extent that similar effects are produced. In addition, although this description uses the case in which each control unit performs each step in the vehicle detection process as an example, a vehicle detection method in which one or more processors distribute and execute each step in the vehicle detection process can also be considered as another embodiment.

[0038] The control unit 11 executes the following vehicle detection processes in parallel for each parking space Pa (vehicle detection sensor 2) in the parking lot Ps.

[0039] <Step S1> First, in step S1, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has acquired a detected value (geomagnetic change) from the magnetic sensor. For example, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has acquired a change in the geomagnetic field (detected value) relative to the detection target (ferromagnetic material) from the magnetic sensor, which performs detection operations at 5-second intervals. If the control unit 11 acquires a detected value from the magnetic sensor (S1:Yes), it moves the process to step S2. The control unit 11 waits until it acquires a detected value from the magnetic sensor (S1:No).

[0040] <Step S2> In step S2, the control unit 11 causes the distance measuring sensor to perform a detection operation. That is, the control unit 11 starts the detection operation by the distance measuring sensor. The distance measuring sensor, for example, emits a 60GHz band radar to the outside and outputs the electromagnetic waves reflected by the object to be detected as a detection value to the vehicle detection device 1.

[0041] <Step S3> In step S3, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a vehicle has been detected. For example, if the distance measuring sensor detects the target (vehicle), the control unit 11 determines that a vehicle has been detected (S3: Yes) and proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the distance measuring sensor does not detect the target (vehicle), the control unit 11 determines that no vehicle has been detected (S3: No) and proceeds to step S5. For example, the control unit 11 determines that a vehicle has been detected if the detected value (electromagnetic wave) obtained from the distance measuring sensor exceeds a threshold, and determines that no vehicle has been detected if the detected value (electromagnetic wave) is below the threshold.

[0042] <Step S4> In step S4, the control unit 11 determines that a vehicle has parked (is present) in the parking space Pa. The control unit 11 outputs the determination result (parking time, vehicle information, etc.).

[0043] As described above, the control unit 11 executes the vehicle detection process in parallel for each parking space Pa (vehicle detection sensor 2) and determines whether or not there is a vehicle for each parking space Pa.

[0044] As described above, the vehicle detection system 10 according to this embodiment determines whether or not there is a vehicle in the parking space Pa. Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor installed in the parking space Pa detects an object, the vehicle detection system 10 performs a detection operation using a distance measuring sensor installed in the parking space Pa, and determines whether or not a vehicle has stopped in the parking space Pa based on the detection result of the magnetic sensor and the detection result of the distance measuring sensor.

[0045] According to the above configuration, it is possible to accurately determine that a vehicle has stopped in the parking space Pa. The specific configuration (structure) of the vehicle detection sensor 2 used in the above-mentioned vehicle detection system 10 is described below.

[0046] [Specific configuration of vehicle detection sensor 2] Figure 6 is an external perspective view of the vehicle detection sensor 2. Figure 7 is a top view of the vehicle detection sensor 2, Figure 8 is a front view of the vehicle detection sensor 2, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 7 at points A and B. In Figure 7, the downward direction is the "forward direction," the upward direction is the "backward direction," the rightward direction is the "rightward direction," and the leftward direction is the "leftward direction." In Figures 8 and 9, the upward direction is the "upward direction," the downward direction is the "downward direction," the rightward direction is the "rightward direction," and the leftward direction is the "leftward direction."

[0047] The vehicle detection sensor 2 detects vehicles by emitting radar upwards. Specifically, the vehicle detection sensor 2 comprises a housing, a sensor module 20 (magnetic sensor and distance measuring sensor) located inside the housing, and a battery 26 (see Figure 9).

[0048] The vehicle detection sensor 2 has an external shape that is circular when viewed from above (in plan view) (see Figure 7) and hemispherical when viewed from the side (see Figure 8). A flat, circular top surface 22 is formed at the upper end of the vehicle detection sensor 2, and an inclined portion 21 is formed on the side of the vehicle detection sensor 2 that slopes downward from the top surface 22 toward the bottom surface (installation surface) (see Figure 8). The top surface 22 is located at the center of the vehicle detection sensor 2 in plan view. The inclined portion 21 has a predetermined radius of curvature and is formed in an arc shape. In other embodiments, the inclined portion 21 may be formed in a flat shape. Thus, the housing of the vehicle detection sensor 2 has an inclined surface so that the load does not concentrate even if a vehicle tire drives over it, and so that the tire can pass over it smoothly.

[0049] The inclined section 21 is provided with multiple mounting points 23 for attaching fasteners (such as bolts) to secure the vehicle detection sensor 2 to the ground. For example, as shown in Figure 6, three mounting points 23 are arranged at equal intervals on the inclined section 21. The vehicle detection sensor 2 can be firmly fixed to the ground by the three fasteners.

[0050] Furthermore, the inclined section 21 is equipped with an illumination section 25 that projects radar emitted from the sensor module 20 (distance measuring sensor) upwards toward the outside from the housing. The illumination section 25 is formed in an upwardly convex shape on the inclined section 21.

[0051] Furthermore, the irradiation unit 25 is received by a receiving unit 24 formed on the inclined unit 21. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the irradiation unit 25 is positioned on a center line passing through the center of the mounting unit 23 and the center of the top surface 22. Note that the position of the irradiation unit 25 is not limited to the position shown in Figure 7, but can be any position within the range of the inclined unit 21.

[0052] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of portion A1, which includes the receiving portion 24 and the irradiation portion 25 in Figure 9. Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the receiving portion 24 and the irradiation portion 25.

[0053] As shown in Figure 10, the illumination unit 25 has an external shape that is circular in plan view (see Figure 7) and hemispherical when viewed from the side (see Figure 10). The illumination unit 25 also has a predetermined radius of curvature and is formed in an arc shape. Furthermore, the illumination unit 25 is positioned above the sensor module 20 (distance measuring sensor). Specifically, the illumination unit 25 is positioned so that its left-right center coincides with the left-right center of the sensor module 20. As a result, as shown in Figure 10, the illumination unit 25 can concentrate the radar emitted from the sensor module 20 in the target direction through a lens effect, thereby enabling high-precision vehicle detection.

[0054] Furthermore, the receiving portion 24 is formed in a concave shape extending downward from the inclined portion 21, and the irradiation portion 25 is formed within the concave portion. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the bottom surface of the receiving portion 24 is inclined downward toward the inclined portion 21, and the irradiation portion 25 is provided on the bottom surface (inclined surface) of the receiving portion 24. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the bottom surface of the receiving portion 24 includes the top surface 26a, the left and right side surfaces 26b, and the bottom surface 26c, and the top surface 26a, the left and right side surfaces 26b, and the bottom surface 26c form a continuous inclined surface extending downward from above.

[0055] The upper surface 26a, left and right side surfaces 26b, and lower surface 26c surround the irradiating section 25. In other words, the irradiating section 25 is surrounded by inclined surfaces that slope downward within the receiving section 24.

[0056] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the inclined surface (bottom surface of the receiving portion 24) composed of the top surface 26a, left and right side surfaces 26b, and bottom surface 26c is smaller than the inclination angle of the inclined portion 21. In other words, the inclined surface (bottom surface of the receiving portion 24) composed of the top surface 26a, left and right side surfaces 26b, and bottom surface 26c is more gently inclined than the inclined portion 21. The line L1 shown in Figure 10 represents the inclination direction of the bottom surface of the receiving portion 24.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, when viewing the vehicle detection sensor 2 from the side, the upper end of the illumination section 25 is located below the inclined section 21. In other words, the illumination section 25 is positioned within the receiving section 24 so as not to protrude upward above the inclined section 21. This prevents the tire from coming into contact with the illumination section 25, even if, for example, a vehicle's tire drives over the vehicle detection sensor 2.

[0058] According to the above configuration, for example, when rainwater falls on the vehicle detection sensor 2, the water droplets flow into the receiving section 24 due to the inclination of the inclined section 21. Also, when water droplets fall on the illumination section 25, the water droplets flow into the receiving section 24 due to the inclination of the illumination section 25. The water droplets that flow into the receiving section 24 do not accumulate in the receiving section 24, but flow downwards along the top surface 26a, left and right sides 26b, and bottom surface 26c due to the inclination of the inclined section 21, as shown in Figure 11. The dotted line shown in Figure 11 indicates the state in which the water droplets are discharged from the receiving section 24.

[0059] In this manner, water droplets adhering to the vehicle detection sensor 2 are discharged downward by the receiving portion 24 and the inclined portion 21. This prevents water droplets from adhering to the upper surface of the irradiation portion 25, and the radar emitted from the sensor module 20 (distance measuring sensor) is not attenuated by water droplets, thus preventing a decrease in detection accuracy due to water droplet adhesion. Furthermore, since the irradiation portion 25 is formed in the inclined portion 21 and positioned within the receiving portion 24, damage caused by vehicle tires driving over it can be prevented.

[0060] [Disclosure Note] The following is an overview of the disclosures extracted from the above-described embodiments. Note that each configuration and processing function described below can be selected and combined as desired.

[0061] <Note 1> A vehicle detection sensor that detects vehicles by emitting radar upwards from the mounting surface, The casing and A radar sensor is placed inside the aforementioned housing, An illumination unit that illuminates the radar emitted from the radar sensor upward toward the outside from the housing, Equipped with, The irradiation unit is positioned on an inclined portion of the housing that slopes toward the mounting surface, and is formed in an upward convex shape. Vehicle detection sensor.

[0062] <Note 2> The irradiation unit is positioned above the radar sensor. Vehicle detection sensor as described in Appendix 1.

[0063] <Note 3> The irradiation section is formed in a hemispherical shape. Vehicle detection sensor as described in Appendix 1 or 2.

[0064] <Note 4> The housing has a flat top surface, and the inclined portion is inclined downward from the top surface. A vehicle detection sensor as described in any of the appendices 1 to 3.

[0065] <Note 5> When the vehicle detection sensor is viewed from the side, the upper end of the illumination portion is located below the inclined portion. A vehicle detection sensor as described in any of the appendices 1 to 4.

[0066] <Note 6> A receiving portion for receiving the irradiation portion is formed in the inclined portion. The bottom surface of the receiving portion is inclined downward toward the inclined portion. A vehicle detection sensor as described in any of the appendices 1 to 5.

[0067] <Note 7> The inclination angle of the bottom surface of the receiving portion is smaller than the inclination angle of the inclined portion. Vehicle detection sensor as described in Appendix 6.

[0068] <Note 8> The area around the inclined portion is surrounded by the inclined surface of the bottom surface of the receiving portion. Vehicle detection sensor as described in Appendix 6 or 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1: Vehicle detection device 2: Vehicle detection sensor 10: Vehicle detection system 11: Control Unit 12: Storage section 13: Operation display section 14: Communications Department 20: Sensor Module 21: Inclined part 22: Top surface 23: Mounting part 24: Receptor part 25: Irradiation area 26:Battery 26a:Top surface 26b: Left and right sides 26c: Bottom surface 111: Acquisition Processing Unit 112: Operation Processing Unit 113: Determination Processing Unit 114: Output Processing Unit N1: Network Pa: Parking space Ps: Parking lot

Claims

1. A vehicle detection sensor that detects vehicles by emitting radar upwards from the mounting surface, The casing and A radar sensor is placed inside the aforementioned housing, An illumination unit that illuminates the radar emitted from the radar sensor upward toward the outside from the housing, Equipped with, The irradiation unit is positioned on an inclined portion of the housing that slopes toward the mounting surface, and is formed in an upward convex shape. Vehicle detection sensor.

2. The irradiation unit is positioned above the radar sensor. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 1.

3. The irradiation section is formed in a hemispherical shape. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 1.

4. The housing has a flat top surface, and the inclined portion is inclined downward from the top surface. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 1.

5. When the vehicle detection sensor is viewed from the side, the upper end of the illumination portion is located below the inclined portion. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 1.

6. A receiving portion for receiving the irradiation portion is formed in the inclined portion. The bottom surface of the receiving portion is inclined downward toward the inclined portion. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 1.

7. The inclination angle of the bottom surface of the receiving portion is smaller than the inclination angle of the inclined portion. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 6.

8. The area around the inclined portion is surrounded by the inclined surface of the bottom surface of the receiving portion. The vehicle detection sensor according to claim 6.

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