Pest control device

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and method which can safely exterminate a noxious animal such as a wild boar and deer.SOLUTION: A noxious animal extermination apparatus includes: an imaging device; a laser irradiator; object animal determination means which is connected to the imaging device; laser beam irradiation means which irradiates an object animal with a laser beam from the laser irradiator when the animal is determined as the object animal by the object animal determination means; an aim which determines the center of an image frame of the imaging device as an aiming point; determination means which determines the eyes of the object animal on the basis of an image of the imaging device; control means which aligns the positions of the eyes of the object animal with the aim; and irradiation execution means which performs laser irradiation when the eyes of the object animal are aligned with the aim by the control means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pest control device and a pest control method that integrate an image capturing device and a laser irradiator, align the center of the image of the image capturing device coaxially with the laser beam, aim the laser at pests, and perform pest control by performing laser irradiation.

Background Art

[0002] Mammalian pests typified by wild boars and deer pose a threat to the safety of the livestock industry, agriculture, forestry, and neighboring residents. As methods for controlling pests, there are shooting by hunters and trapping with snares. However, in shooting, in addition to accidents such as gun explosions and misfires, there are also risks such as hunters falling, slipping, and being attacked by animals. Also, in trapping with snares, it usually takes a long time to capture. This is because wild animals are highly vigilant. In addition, there are problems such as animals becoming more difficult to capture because they learn after seeing their companions being caught in snares.

[0003] Utility Model Registration No. 3199518 introduces a pest repellent device that repels pests by flashing a high-intensity flash at regular intervals. However, in this device, laser light is projected randomly, and the projection direction also changes intermittently up and down and left and right to intimidate, and it is not possible to effectively direct the laser light at the eyes of pests for extermination. Also, although it is described that the device is activated when a pest is detected, there is no disclosure of a safety device that does not operate on organisms other than pests.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] This invention is a device that uses image processing to identify the target vermin and the position of its eyes and then emits a laser, making it possible to safely exterminate vermin while reducing the risk of accidents caused by hunting with guns and the time and effort required for capturing them by trapping. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A pest control device comprising an imaging device, a laser irradiator, a target animal discrimination means connected to the imaging device, and a laser light irradiation means for irradiating a target animal with a laser light from the laser irradiator when the target animal is discriminated as a target animal by the target animal discrimination means, Aiming point setting means for setting the center of the video frame of the imaging device as the aiming point a discrimination means for discriminating the eyes of a target animal based on the image of the imaging device; and a discrimination means for discriminating the positions of the eyes of the target animal. The aiming point a control means for adjusting the eyes of the target animal by the control means; The aiming point and an irradiation execution means for irradiating a laser when the laser coincides with the target. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention is to make it possible to exterminate harmful animals by blinding them by steadily irradiating their eyes with a laser when it is determined that the harmful animals have entered. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

[0009] Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the pest control device of the present invention. The pest control device includes an imaging device 1 composed of a CCD camera, a laser irradiator 2 composed of a semiconductor laser oscillator, a spectroscope 3 equipped with a half mirror 8, a pan-tilt 4 for integrally fixing the imaging device 1, the laser irradiator 2, and the spectroscope 3, and a drive unit 5 composed of a pan-tilt that can move the pan-tilt 4 up, down, left, and right with an electric motor, and a controller 6 that inputs the video signal of the imaging device and outputs a drive signal for operating the drive unit.

[0010] Further, the controller 6 consists of a control unit 6-1, an external terminal 6-2, and a wireless LAN 6-3. From the control unit 6-1, the video signal captured by the imaging device 1 is sent to the external terminal 6-2 provided in an external base station through the wireless LAN 6-3. The external terminal 6-2 is provided with an image recognition function for discriminating safe animals such as pests and humans using an image analysis function.

[0011] The external terminal 6-2 transmits the discrimination information regarding the pests and humans discriminated by the image recognition function to the control unit 6-1 via the wireless LAN 6-3. The control unit 6-1 uses the discrimination information to control the execution and prohibition of laser irradiation on the laser irradiator 2.

[0012] The center of the video frame captured by the imaging device 1 is defined as the aiming point, and the optical axis of the laser irradiator 2 is aligned so as to be coaxial with the position corresponding to the frame center of the half mirror 8 provided in the spectroscope 3. The imaging device 1, the laser irradiator 2, and the spectroscope 3 are integrally fixed to the pan-tilt.

[0013] Since these pest control devices are powered by a portable power source 7, the pest control devices have a portable structure.

[0014] The laser irradiator 2 has a heat quantity capable of instantaneously burning the cornea and retina of the eyes of pests, and the irradiation is controlled by a signal from the controller.

[0015] The spectroscope 3 is an optical device that splits a light beam into two. The spectroscope 3 has the property that part of the light that enters it is reflected and part is transmitted. By utilizing this property, the imaging device captures the transmitted light, and the laser irradiator 2 is installed so that it irradiates a laser in a way that traces the trajectory of the reflected light in reverse, thereby aligning the imaging device's image and the irradiation point of the laser irradiator coaxially.

[0016] The control unit 6-1 transmits the video signal sent from the imaging device 1 to the external terminal 6-2 via wireless LAN 6-3, and the external terminal 6-2 performs image recognition processing using deep learning with AI (artificial intelligence) to recognize pests, recognize the eyes of pests, and recognize safe animals such as humans and livestock, and sends the results of each recognition processing from the external terminal 6-2 to the control unit 6-1.

[0017] The control unit 6-1 detects the position of the eyes of the vermin by image recognition processing based on the above-mentioned video signal. Aiming point and move the drive unit 5 so that it coincides with the Aiming point When the laser signal coincides with the target, the laser emitter is activated to exterminate the pests. This control process is explained in Figure 2.

[0018] This pest control device is portable and powered by a portable power source 7, so it can be installed in various locations. In addition, by scattering bait at the installation location, pests are attracted, and while they are feeding, their movements become slow, increasing the possibility of exterminating them with this device. Figure 2 is explained step by step below.

[0019] (Step S1) The control unit 6-1 acquires the image captured by the imaging device 1 and transmits it to the external terminal 6-2 via the wireless LAN 6-3, and the image recognition function provided in the external terminal 6-2 identifies whether or not a target animal, such as a deer or wild boar, is present in the image frame captured this time.

[0020] (Step S2) If the image recognition result obtained in step S1 indicates that a vermin is present, proceed to step S4. If no vermin is present, proceed to step S3.

[0021] (Step S3) In step S2, since no vermin were found in the image frame captured this time, the control unit 6-1 moves the drive unit 5 up, down, left, and right, causing the imaging device 1 to capture images of the adjacent area, and the process returns to step S1. Steps S1 to S3 are repeated until a vermin is recognized, thereby enabling the pest control device's extermination area to be thoroughly scanned.

[0022] (Step S4) The image recognition function provided in the external terminal 6-2 determines whether or not the eyes of the pest, which is the target animal, can be identified from the image that was recognized in step S1 as the presence of the target animal. The imaging device uses a CCD camera, which obtains near-infrared images, making it relatively easy to recognize the position of the eyes. The external terminal 6-2 sends to the control unit 6-1 whether or not the pest has eyes, and if so, the position coordinate information of the eyes.

[0023] Although not shown in this embodiment, when the eyes of the pest cannot be identified, a process of waiting for the pest to move until the eyes of the pest can be identified is performed. When the presence of eyes cannot be confirmed, for example, by waiting for 0.2 seconds, an image is acquired again from the imaging device 1 in step S4, and the presence of eyes is confirmed by the external terminal 6-2. This is repeated until the presence of the eyes of the pest can be recognized, and step S4 is executed.

[0024] (Step S5, Step S6) If it is determined in step S4 that the eyes of the vermin are present, the process proceeds to step S5, and the coordinate signal of the eye position sent from the external terminal 7 is Aiming point The deviation is calculated as difference information, and the eye position is adjusted by moving the driving unit 5 based on the difference information. Aiming point After controlling the driving unit 5, in step S6 Aiming point If they do not match, the process returns to step S5 and the eye position is Aiming point Repeatedly adjust the drive unit 5 until it matches the desired setting.

[0025] (Step S7) In step S6, when the eyes of the pest and the aim point of the laser irradiator 2 coincide with each other, In step S8, the video of the imaging device 1 read is sent to the external terminal 6-2The control unit 6-1 receives information indicating whether or not there is a safe animal, which is an animal that must be protected such as a human or livestock, in the image through image recognition processing using deep learning by the AI (artificial intelligence) provided in the external terminal 6-2.

[0026] (Step S8) If it is confirmed in step S8 that there is no safe animal, the process proceeds to step S9. If a safe animal exists in step S8 and it cannot be confirmed as safe, all processes are terminated and the start time of the pest control device is waited for again to resume. This can prevent adverse effects on the eyes of safe animals by seeing the reflection of light even if the laser light is not directly irradiated when there is a safe animal near the pest.

[0027] (Step S9) In step S9, when it can be identified that no organisms such as people or livestock other than the target pest are present in the image with the eyes of the pest and the aiming point of the laser irradiator 2 coinciding, the control unit 6-1 causes the laser irradiator 2 to fire and ends the control. Thereby, the eyes of the pest can be blinded.

[0028] Fig. 3 shows a part of the steps in Fig. 2 with actual image examples. Fig. 3 will be described below. Fig. 3(a): An image is acquired to check for the presence of pests. When no pest is present, the punch router is moved up, down, left, and right to detect the pest as shown in the right figure. Fig. 3(b): Even if a pest is detected, when it is recognized by the size and shape of the eyes that the eye orientation is not suitable for laser irradiation as shown in the left figure, re-recognition is repeated at regular intervals to wait until the eye orientation is in a good state for laser irradiation as shown in the right figure. Fig. 3(c): Since the aiming point of the laser irradiation is set at the center (+) of the screen, the position information of the eyes is obtained in coordinates, and the aiming point is adjusted to the position of the eyes based on the difference information from the position of the eyes.

[0029] As described above, in the present invention, the pest can be exterminated by accurately irradiating the eyes of the pest with laser light arranged coaxially with the aiming. In addition, a pest control device is provided that suppresses damage to humans, livestock, etc. during laser irradiation and enhances safety.

Claims

1. A pest control device comprising an imaging device, a laser irradiator, target animal discrimination means connected to the imaging device, and laser light irradiation means for irradiating laser light from the laser irradiator onto a target animal when the target animal is discriminated by the target animal discrimination means, further comprising aiming point setting means for setting the center of the video frame of the imaging device as the aiming point, discrimination means for discriminating the eyes of the target animal based on the video of the imaging device, control means for aligning the position of the eyes of the target animal with the aiming point, and irradiation execution means for performing laser irradiation when the eyes of the target animal coincide with the aiming point by the control means.

2. The pest control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser irradiator and the imaging device are integrally fixed so that the optical axis of the laser irradiator and the aiming point of the imaging device are coaxial.

3. The pest control device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising safe animal determination means for excluding a safe animal from the target animal based on the video of the imaging device, and prohibition means for prohibiting the irradiation of laser light when it is determined by the safe animal determination means that the animal to be excluded is present in the video of the imaging device.

Images