In-vehicle imaging device

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted image-capture apparatus (1) is provided with: a receiving unit (13) for receiving a signal indicating entry / exit gates (201, 202) of a parking lot (200); an image-capture unit (10A) capable of switching an image-capture direction between a first state for capturing an image of a road surface and a second state for capturing an image above the road surface; an image code determining unit (24) for determining an image code from image data captured by the image-capture unit (10A) in the second state; an image code reading unit (22) for reading, from the image code determined by the image code determining unit (24), information allocated to the image code; and a control unit (20). The control unit (20), if the receiving unit (13) fails to receive the signal, puts the image-capture unit (10A) in the first state, and switches the image-capture unit (10A) from the first state to the second state upon reception of the signal by the receiving unit (13).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle imaging device, and more particularly to an in-vehicle imaging device capable of reading image codes. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in certain facilities such as parking lots, image codes such as QR codes (registered trademark of Denso Wave Inc.) are sometimes provided at entrance / exit gates to keep track of vehicles entering and exiting the facility. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below describes a method in which an image code is provided on the road surface near the exit gate of an indoor parking lot, and a camera is mounted on the vehicle with an imaging direction fixed to face rearward and downward, and the camera captures an image of the image code on the road surface, thereby keeping track of vehicles passing through the exit gate.

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-145118 Summary of the Invention

[0004] However, when an image code is provided on a road surface as described in Patent Document 1, the image code wears and becomes dirty, for example, every time a vehicle passes through. To prevent such wear and dirt, there is a demand for providing an image code on the vehicle-facing surface of a ticket dispenser or the like at an entrance / exit gate. When an image code is provided on the surface of a ticket dispenser in accordance with this demand, the image code is positioned above the road surface. However, with the vehicle-mounted image capture device described in Patent Document 1, the imaging direction of the camera is fixed downward and rearward as described above, so there is a concern that the image code positioned above the road surface may not be read.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle imaging device that can easily read image codes that are provided above the road surface.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle-mounted imaging device of the present invention comprises a receiving unit that receives a signal indicating an entrance / exit gate of a specified facility; an imaging unit that can be switched between a first state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which the road surface is imaged and a second state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which an image is imaged above the road surface; an image code discrimination unit that discriminates a specified image code from image data captured by the imaging unit in the second state; an image code reading unit that reads information assigned to the image code from the image code discriminated by the image code discrimination unit; and a control unit, wherein the control unit sets the imaging unit to the first state when the receiving unit does not receive the signal, and switches the imaging unit from the first state to the second state when the receiving unit receives the signal.

[0007] In addition, to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle-mounted imaging device of the present invention comprises a receiving unit that receives a signal indicating an entrance / exit gate of a specified facility; an imaging unit that is switchable between a first state in which the field of view angle is adjusted so that the road surface is imaged and a second state in which the field of view angle is wider than the first state; an image code discrimination unit that discriminates a specified image code from image data captured by the imaging unit in the second state; an image code reading unit that reads information assigned to the image code from the image code discriminated by the image code discrimination unit; and a control unit, wherein the control unit sets the imaging unit to the first state when the receiving unit does not receive the signal, and switches the imaging unit from the first state to the second state when the receiving unit receives the signal.

[0008] Here, the image code refers to a predetermined identification information expressed as an image, and examples of such image codes include QR codes, bar codes, etc. Furthermore, the entrance / exit gate refers to a gate that regulates at least one of the entry of vehicles into a facility and the exit of vehicles from a facility.

[0009] In this vehicle-mounted imaging device, if the receiving unit does not receive a signal indicating the entrance / exit gate, the imaging unit switches to a first state. When the imaging unit switches to the first state, the imaging direction of the imaging unit switches to a direction to image the road surface, and the field of view of the imaging unit is adjusted to image the road surface. Therefore, this vehicle-mounted imaging device can capture an image of the road surface around the vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted imaging device. Furthermore, when an entrance / exit gate is not detected, the vehicle equipped with this vehicle-mounted imaging device can use road surface data captured by the vehicle-mounted imaging device as part of data for lane departure prevention and autonomous driving. Furthermore, in this vehicle-mounted imaging device, if the vehicle approaches the entrance / exit gate to a range where the receiving unit receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gate, the imaging unit switches to a second state. When the imaging unit switches to the second state, the imaging direction of the imaging unit switches to a direction to image an area above the road surface, and the field of view of the imaging unit becomes wider than in the first state, so that the imaging unit images an area above the road surface. Therefore, with this vehicle-mounted imaging device 1, it is possible to more effectively read image codes that are provided above the road surface than when the imaging direction of the camera is fixed to face downward and rearward.

[0010] In addition, if the imaging unit is switchable between a first state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which the road surface is imaged and a second state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which an image is captured above the road surface, the imaging unit may have one camera, and the first state may be a state in which the imaging direction of the camera is facing the road surface, and the second state may be a state in which the imaging direction of the camera is facing above the road surface.

[0011] In this case, one camera can capture an image of the road surface and read the image code provided above the road surface, thereby reducing the number of cameras that make up the vehicle-mounted imaging device.

[0012] Alternatively, if the imaging unit is switchable between a first state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which the road surface is imaged and a second state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which an image is imaged above the road surface, the imaging unit may have a first camera whose imaging direction faces the road surface and a second camera whose imaging direction faces above the road surface, and the first state may be a state in which the first camera is on and the second camera is off, and the second state may be a state in which the first camera is off and the second camera is on.

[0013] In this case, the camera that captures the road surface and the camera that reads the image code installed above the road surface are installed independently, so there is no need to change the orientation of the camera to capture the road surface and read the image code, and therefore a drive mechanism for changing the orientation of the camera can be omitted.

[0014] It is also preferable that the field of view of the imaging unit is located on the left or right side of the vehicle on which the in-vehicle imaging device is mounted.

[0015] Equipment that manages vehicle entry and exit into a facility, such as ticket issuing machines installed at entrance and exit gates, tends to be generally placed on the left or right side of the vehicle. It is expected that the image code will be provided on the vehicle-facing surface of such equipment. Therefore, by positioning the field of view of the imaging unit on the left or right side of the vehicle, it may be easier to read the image code when it is provided on the vehicle-facing surface of the equipment.

[0016] The control unit may alternately switch the imaging unit between the first state and the second state while the receiving unit is receiving the signal.

[0017] According to the above configuration, the in-vehicle image capturing device can capture an image of the road surface around the entrance / exit gate even when the receiving unit is close enough to the entrance / exit gate to receive the signal. Therefore, the in-vehicle image capturing device can read the image code and operate the vehicle with the lane departure prevention function activated or in autonomous driving mode.

[0018] In addition, the in-vehicle imaging device may further include an in-vehicle monitor capable of displaying an image captured by the imaging unit, and the control unit may cause the in-vehicle monitor to display the image when the imaging unit is in the second state, and may not cause the in-vehicle monitor to display the image when the imaging unit is in the first state.

[0019] When the imaging unit is in the second state, the imaging unit captures an image above the road surface. Here, at the entrance / exit gates of a specific facility, equipment for managing entry and exit is often placed close to the vehicle. Therefore, by displaying an image captured by the imaging unit on an in-vehicle monitor when the imaging unit is in the second state, the driver of the vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle imaging device can not only visually recognize the equipment placed close to the vehicle but also understand it through the in-vehicle monitor. This can prevent the vehicle from coming into contact with the equipment. On the other hand, by turning off the in-vehicle monitor in the first state, the image captured by the imaging unit is not constantly displayed on the in-vehicle monitor, which can reduce annoyance felt by vehicle occupants. Furthermore, by displaying an image on the in-vehicle monitor only when the vehicle is close to the entrance / exit gate, it is possible to further draw attention to the risk of coming into contact with the equipment.

[0020] In addition, this in-vehicle imaging device may further include an illuminance sensor that detects the illuminance outside the vehicle and a light source that emits light toward the imaging target of the imaging unit in the second state, and the control unit may cause the light source to emit light when a signal indicating that the illuminance is below a predetermined threshold is input from the illuminance sensor.

[0021] With this configuration, the image capture target of the image capture unit in the second state can be illuminated with light emitted from the light source, so that the image code can be read effectively even when the vehicle is located in a dark area.

[0022] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle imaging device that can easily read an image code that is provided above the road surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of an in-vehicle imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from inside the vehicle. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged view mainly showing an imaging unit of the vehicle-mounted imaging device shown in FIG. 1 and a right side mirror of the vehicle. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram mainly showing the configuration of an in-vehicle imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a bird's-eye view of an example of a parking lot, which is a facility where a vehicle equipped with the on-board imaging device shown in FIG. 1 is expected to enter and exit. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view showing an example of an entrance gate to the parking lot shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a control flow by a control unit of the vehicle-mounted imaging device shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a view showing mainly the imaging section of an in-vehicle imaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same perspective as FIG. 2. [Figure 8] 10 is a view showing mainly the imaging section of an in-vehicle imaging device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same perspective as FIG. 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the in-vehicle imaging device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments exemplified below are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified or improved from the following embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, in this specification, the dimensions of each component may be exaggerated to facilitate understanding.

[0025] (First embodiment) The in-vehicle imaging device of this embodiment, which will be described in detail later, is capable of reading image codes provided on ticket machines at entrance / exit gates of a predetermined facility such as a parking lot. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing part of the configuration of the in-vehicle imaging device of this embodiment, as seen from inside a vehicle in which the in-vehicle imaging device is installed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the in-vehicle imaging device shown in Fig. 1, mainly showing the imaging unit and the right side mirror of the vehicle. Fig. 3 is a block diagram mainly showing the configuration of the in-vehicle imaging device of this embodiment.

[0026] 1 and 2, an in-vehicle image capturing device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the vehicle 100 is a right-hand drive vehicle. The in-vehicle image capturing device 1 includes an image capturing unit 10A attached to a right side mirror 101A of the vehicle 100, an image capturing unit 10B attached to a left side mirror 101B, a light source 11A fixed to the image capturing unit 10A, a light source 11B fixed to the image capturing unit 10B, an in-vehicle monitor 12A attached to the right end of an upper surface of a dashboard 102 of the vehicle 100, an in-vehicle monitor 12B attached to the left end of an upper surface of the dashboard 102, and a receiving unit 13 and an illuminance sensor 14 attached to predetermined positions on the upper surface of the dashboard 102. Here, right and left refer to right and left with respect to the forward direction of the vehicle 100.

[0027] 1 and 2 show an example in which the imaging units 10A and 10B are attached to the side mirrors 101A and 101B, but the attachment positions of the imaging units 10A and 10B are not limited to the side mirrors. The imaging units 10A and 10B may be attached to, for example, a side door, a front bumper, or a rear bumper of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the imaging units 10A and 10B may be configured as part of a rearview camera.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3 , the vehicle-mounted imaging device 1 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 20, an image processing unit 21, an image code reading unit 22, an image code discrimination unit 24, and a memory 23. The control unit 20, the image processing unit 21, the image code reading unit 22, and the image code discrimination unit 24 are configured by, for example, an integrated circuit such as a microcontroller, an integrated circuit (IC), a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or an NC (numerical control) device. Furthermore, when an NC device is used, it may or may not use a machine learning device. Furthermore, at least a portion of the control unit 20, the image processing unit 21, the image code reading unit 22, and the image code discrimination unit 24 may be configured as part of an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle 100. Alternatively, at least a portion of these may be configured as part of a navigation device if the vehicle 100 is equipped with a navigation device.

[0029] The memory 23 is configured to store information and to be able to read the stored information. The memory 23 is, for example, a non-transitory recording medium, and examples thereof include semiconductor recording media such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and the memory 23 may also include any type of recording media, such as optical recording media and magnetic recording media. Note that "non-transitory" recording media include recording media capable of reading all computer signals, except for transient, propagating signals, and do not exclude volatile recording media.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the imaging unit 10A includes one camera 15 and a drive mechanism 16. In this embodiment, the camera 15 is positioned so that its field of view is located on the right side of the vehicle 100. The camera 15 is connected to the control unit 20. The camera 15 also includes an imaging element (not shown). Examples of this imaging element include a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The imaging element is connected to the image processing unit 21 and converts an image formed on the imaging element through a lens (not shown) of the camera 15 into an analog electrical signal, and outputs the analog electrical signal as an image signal to the image processing unit 21. The drive mechanism 16 is connected to the camera 15 and can move the camera 15 by a predetermined angle around a predetermined axis. In FIG. 2 , the solid line shows the state of the camera 15 during normal driving on a road, and the dashed line shows the state of the camera 15 when approaching an entrance / exit gate of a parking lot, which is a predetermined facility described below.

[0031] The imaging direction LA of camera 15, indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 2, is directed downward and to the right during normal driving. For example, when camera 15 is tilted downward by approximately 45° relative to the horizontal, the imaging direction LA is tilted, for example, by approximately 45° relative to the up-down direction. Note that this tilt angle is not limited to 45°. By tilting the imaging direction LA of camera 15 downward and to the right in this manner, imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the road surface located to the lower right of vehicle 100. Thus, during normal driving, imaging unit 10A is in a first state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which the road surface is captured. On the other hand, when camera 15 is moved upward by approximately 45° relative to the horizontal by drive mechanism 16, the imaging direction LA of camera 15 is moved upward by approximately 45° relative to the first state and directed to the right. Note that the angle by which the imaging direction LA of the camera moves is not limited to 45°. By directing the imaging direction LA to the right in this way, the imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the area above the road surface on the right side. In this way, the imaging unit 10A switches to the second state in which the imaging direction is a direction in which an image is captured above the road surface.

[0032] Note that the imaging unit 10B has the same configuration as the imaging unit 10A, except that it is attached to the left side of the vehicle 100 and its field of view and imaging direction are directed leftward. Therefore, detailed description of the imaging unit 10B will be omitted.

[0033] 3, the drive mechanisms 16 of the imaging units 10A and 10B are connected to the control unit 20. The drive mechanisms 16 are driven based on control signals from the control unit 20, thereby enabling the imaging units 10A and 10B to switch from one of a first state and a second state to the other. Note that FIG. 1 shows the imaging unit 10A in which the imaging direction LA is oriented to the right and has switched to the second state, and the imaging unit 10B in which the imaging direction LA is oriented downward and left and has switched to the first state.

[0034] Light source 11A is a light-emitting element that emits light, and may be, for example, a surface-mounted LED (Light Emitting Diode). As described above, light source 11A is fixed to imaging unit 10A, and the optical axis of light source 11A faces the same direction as imaging direction LA of camera 15. Therefore, light source 11A can move together with movement of camera 15 and emit light toward the imaging target of imaging unit 10A. Note that light source 11B has a similar configuration to light source 11A except that it is attached to the left side of the vehicle, and therefore a detailed description of light source 11B will be omitted.

[0035] Each of the light sources 11A and 11B is connected to the control unit 20 and emits light based on a control signal from the control unit 20.

[0036] The in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B have the same configuration and may be, for example, liquid crystal displays. The in-vehicle monitor 12A is connected to the imaging unit 10A via the control unit 20, and the in-vehicle monitor 12B is connected to the imaging unit 10B via the control unit 20. The in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B display images based on image signals input from the imaging units 10A and 10B via the control unit 20. The locations of the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B are not limited to those described above, and may be included in, for example, a monitor built into an instrument panel or a monitor of a navigation device.

[0037] The receiving unit 13 includes a receiver for receiving predetermined electromagnetic waves, and receives electromagnetic waves transmitted by a signal transmitting unit installed at the entrance / exit gate of a predetermined facility. This electromagnetic wave is a signal indicating the entrance / exit gate of the predetermined facility, and examples of such electromagnetic waves include radio waves in the 5.8 GHz band or 2.4 GHz band, or infrared rays. If the electromagnetic waves received by the receiving unit 13 are radio waves, the receiver may be composed of an antenna, and if the electromagnetic waves received by the receiving unit 13 are infrared rays, the receiver may be composed of a photodiode. The receiving unit 13 is connected to the control unit 20, and upon receiving a signal indicating the entrance / exit gate of the predetermined facility, it outputs the signal to the control unit 20.

[0038] The illuminance sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the illuminance outside the vehicle. Examples of such an illuminance sensor 14 include a photodiode, an element in which an amplifier circuit is added to a photodiode, or a phototransistor. The illuminance sensor 14 is connected to the control unit 20, detects the illuminance of light irradiating the upper surface of the dashboard 102 of the vehicle 100, and outputs a signal indicating the illuminance to the control unit 20.

[0039] The image processing unit 21 is connected to the imaging units 10A and 10B, the image code discrimination unit 24, and the memory 23. When an analog electrical signal relating to an image captured by the camera 15 is input from the imaging unit 10A, the image processing unit 21 converts the analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal. Based on the digital electrical signal, the image processing unit 21 performs various processes such as color determination, white balance processing, contour processing, and noise removal, and stores the processed image data in the memory 23. The image processing unit 21 also outputs the image data to the image code discrimination unit 24.

[0040] The image code discrimination unit 24 is connected to the image code reading unit 22. The image code discrimination unit 24 determines whether or not a predetermined image code is included in the image data input from the image processing unit 21. If an image code is included in the image data of the image captured by the camera 15, the image code discrimination unit 24 outputs data of the discriminated image code to the image code reading unit 22.

[0041] When image code data is input from the image code discrimination unit 24, the image code reading unit 22 performs a decoding process on the data. This allows the image code reading unit 22 to read information attached to the image code included in the image captured by the imaging unit 10A or the imaging unit 10B. Examples of information attached to this image code include data identifying a specific facility and data on the time of entry and exit to the specific facility. In this embodiment, the image code reading unit 22 is connected to the navigation device 105 of the vehicle 100, and outputs the information attached to the image code to the navigation device 105.

[0042] In this embodiment, the navigation device 105 is wirelessly connected to a terminal 2, such as a mobile phone or smartphone, carried by the driver of the vehicle 100. An example of this wireless communication is Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication. Therefore, information attached to the image code transmitted to the navigation device 105 is transmitted to the terminal 2 via this wireless communication. In this embodiment, the terminal 2 stores data identifying the vehicle 100, such as the license plate number of the vehicle 100. The terminal 2 also has installed thereon an application for online settlement of parking fees with a company that manages a parking lot, which is a predetermined facility. The application is configured to transmit data identifying the vehicle 100, data identifying the parking lot, and data on entry and exit times to the parking lot, to a server 230 of the company, and to receive settlement data from the server 230 to enable online settlement. The server 230 calculates the fee to be charged to the vehicle 100 based on the data identifying the vehicle 100, data identifying the parking lot, and data on entry and exit times to the parking lot, and transmits the settlement data to the terminal 2.

[0043] The memory 23 is connected to the control unit 20 and the image processing unit 21. The memory 23 temporarily stores image data transmitted from the image processing unit 21. Furthermore, each time image data is sequentially input from the image processing unit 21, the memory 23 erases the oldest image data and stores the latest image data. Furthermore, the control unit 20 reads out this image data from the memory 23 and outputs an image signal representing the image data to the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B.

[0044] Next, a description will be given of an example of a parking lot, which is a predetermined facility where the vehicle 100 equipped with the in-vehicle imaging device 1 is expected to enter and exit. Note that the form of the predetermined facility is not limited to the following description.

[0045] Fig. 4 is a bird's-eye view of parking lot 200. As shown in Fig. 4, parking lot 200 is connected to road Ro. Parking lot 200 includes parking area 203, entrance gate 201 among the entrance / exit gates that provide a passage from road Ro to parking area 203, and exit gate 202 among the entrance / exit gates that provide a passage from parking area 203 to road Ro.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view showing the entrance gate 201. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the entrance gate 201 has an entrance road 210 connecting the road Ro and the parking area 203, a gate main body 211 erected across the entrance road 210, a pair of ticket dispensers 212 provided on either side of the entrance road 210, and an entrance bar 213. In this embodiment, the gate main body 211 is located close to the road Ro, the entrance bar 213 is located close to the parking area 203, and the ticket dispenser 212 is located between the gate main body 211 and the entrance bar 213. Note that the positional relationship between the gate main body 211, the ticket dispensers 212, and the entrance bar 213 is not limited to this.

[0047] A signal transmitter 215 is provided in a portion of the gate main body 211 facing the entrance path 210. A predetermined electromagnetic wave is transmitted from the signal transmitter 215 toward the entrance path 210. In FIG. 4 , a propagation range TA1 of the electromagnetic wave is indicated by a dashed line. In this embodiment, the propagation range TA1 extends circularly from the signal transmitter 215 in a top view, covering substantially the entire entrance gate 201 but not substantially reaching the road Ro or the parking area 203. When the vehicle 100 enters the propagation range TA1, the receiver 13 receives the electromagnetic wave and outputs a signal indicating the entrance gate 201 of the parking lot 200 to the control unit 20. The ticket dispenser 212 is provided with a ticket dispenser 212D that issues parking tickets. The ticket dispenser 212D is provided with a display that displays a predetermined image code. The image code is a visual representation of predetermined identification information, and may be, for example, a QR code or a barcode. In this embodiment, this image code is provided with information that identifies the parking lot 200 and information about the current time. In this embodiment, 1,440 image codes (24 (hours) x 60 (minutes)), each with a different time portion, are displayed sequentially every minute on the display of the ticket issuing unit 212D. In this way, the image code displayed on the ticket issuing unit 212D is changed over time, allowing the time corresponding to the image code to be read. The entrance bar 213 is connected via a communication network to a server 230 (see FIG. 3) of the business operator that manages the parking lot 200.

[0048] Alternatively, only information identifying the parking lot 200 may be added to the image code, and the image code may not be changed. In this case, for example, the ECU of the vehicle 100 may generate information linking the image code with the time at which it was read. This also applies to the image code displayed on the ticket issuing unit 222D of the exit gate 202, which will be described later.

[0049] 4, the exit gate 202 includes an exit path 220 connecting the parking area 203 and road Ro, a gate main body 221 erected across the exit path 220, a pair of ticket dispensers 222 provided on either side of the exit path 220, and an exit bar 223. In this embodiment, the gate main body 221 is located near the parking area 203, the exit bar 223 is located near road Ro, and the ticket dispenser 222 is located between the gate main body 221 and the exit bar 223. Note that the positional relationship between the gate main body 221, the ticket dispensers 222, and the exit bar 223 is not limited to this.

[0050] A signal transmitting unit 225, similar to the signal transmitting unit 215 of the gate main body 211, is provided in a portion of the gate main body 221 facing the lead-out path 220. This signal transmitting unit 225 transmits a predetermined electromagnetic wave toward the lead-out path 220. In FIG. 4 , a propagation range TA2 of this electromagnetic wave is indicated by a dashed line. In this embodiment, the propagation range TA2 extends circularly from the signal transmitting unit 225 in a top view, covering substantially the entire area of ​​the exit gate 202 but not substantially reaching the road Ro or the parking area 203. When the vehicle 100 enters the propagation range TA2, the receiving unit 13 receives the electromagnetic wave and outputs a signal indicating the exit gate 202 of the parking lot 200 to the control unit 20. Similar to the ticket issuing machine 212 described above, the ticket issuing machine 222 is provided with a ticket issuing unit 222D that issues parking tickets. The ticket issuing unit 222D is provided with a display on which a predetermined image code is displayed. This image code may be, for example, a QR code or a barcode. In this embodiment, this image code is provided with information that identifies the parking lot 200 and information about the time when the vehicle 100 will pass through the exit gate 202. In this embodiment, 1,440 image codes (24 (hours) x 60 (minutes)), each with a different time portion, are displayed sequentially every minute on the display of the ticket issuing unit 222D. This allows the time corresponding to the image code to be read. The exit bar 223 is connected via a communication network to a server 230 (see FIG. 3) of the business operator that manages the parking lot 200.

[0051] Next, the operation of the in-vehicle imaging device 1 and the like will be described when the vehicle 100 equipped with the in-vehicle imaging device 1 enters and exits the parking lot 200. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a control flow by the control unit 20 of the in-vehicle imaging device 1. Note that the control flow by the control unit 20 is not limited to this.

[0052] 6, the control flow of the control unit 20 in this embodiment includes steps SP1 to SP7. This control by the control unit 20 starts when the ignition power of the vehicle 100 is turned on. At this start stage, the image capturing units 10A and 10B are in the first state, the light sources 11A and 11B are in the off state, and the illuminance sensor 14 outputs a signal indicating illuminance to the control unit 20.

[0053] (Step SP1) When the ignition power is turned on, the control unit 20 maintains the first state of the imaging units 10A and 10B and maintains the off state of the light sources 11A and 11B. At the stage of step SP1, the vehicle 100 is located away from the parking lot 200, and the receiving unit 13 does not receive electromagnetic waves from the signal transmitting units 215 and 225. Then, the control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP2.

[0054] Furthermore, when the control unit 20 returns the control flow from step SP2 to this step as described below, it sets the imaging units 10A and 10B to the first state and the light sources 11A and 11B to the off state, and then advances the control flow to step SP2.

[0055] (Step SP2) After step SP1, while the vehicle 100 is traveling, for example, away from the parking lot 200, electromagnetic waves from the signal transmitters 215 and 225 do not reach the vehicle 100. Therefore, the receiver 13 does not receive the electromagnetic waves from the signal transmitters 215 and 225. If the receiver 13 does not receive the electromagnetic waves, no signal is input from the receiver 13 to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 returns the control flow to step SP1. In this way, the first state of the image capture units 10A and 10B is maintained. Image data of the road surface captured by the image capture units 10A and 10B is sent to the image processor 21, where it is processed, and is repeatedly stored in the memory 23 and updated. In this way, while the vehicle 100 is traveling away from the parking lot 200, the vehicle 100 can travel with its lane departure prevention function activated or in autonomous driving mode based on this image data of the road surface.

[0056] The control unit 20 may or may not display the images of the road surface captured by the imaging units 10A and 10B on the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B. In the present embodiment, the control unit 20 does not display the images of the road surface captured by the imaging units 10A and 10B on the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B when the imaging units 10A and 10B are in the first state. However, the control unit 20 may display alert information that contributes to driving assistance on the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B when the imaging units 10A and 10B are in the first state. For example, if the vehicle 100 is equipped with a forward radar (not shown) and the forward radar detects the presence of a moving object or the like in a blind spot ahead of the vehicle 100, the control unit 20 may display alert information indicating the presence of the moving object on the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B.

[0057] 4, when vehicle 100 enters entrance gate 201 of parking lot 200 from road Ro, vehicle 100 enters within propagation range TA1 of the electromagnetic waves from signal transmitter 215, and receiver 13 receives the electromagnetic waves. Upon receiving the electromagnetic waves, receiver 13 outputs a signal indicating entrance gate 201 of parking lot 200 to control unit 20. Upon receiving this signal, control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP3.

[0058] (Step SP3) In this step, the control unit 20 outputs a control signal to the imaging unit 10A because the vehicle 100 is a right-hand drive vehicle. When the control signal is input to the imaging unit 10A, the drive mechanism 16 operates, and the imaging unit 10A switches from the first state to the second state. In this way, the imaging direction LA of the camera 15 of the imaging unit 10A is directed upward from the road surface, and the imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the right side of the vehicle 100, which is above the road surface of the vehicle 100. As a result, the imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the image code displayed on the ticket dispenser 212D of the ticket dispenser 212 located on the right side of the vehicle 100. Note that in this embodiment, the control unit 20 does not switch the imaging unit 10B located on the left side to the second state. This is because, as described above, the vehicle 100 is a right-hand drive vehicle, and therefore, the driver can easily bring the vehicle 100 close to the ticket dispenser 212 on the right side, making it easier to capture the image code displayed on the ticket dispenser 212 on the right side in the camera 15 of the imaging unit 10A. From this perspective, if the vehicle 100 is a left-hand drive vehicle, the control unit 20 may switch only the imaging unit 10B to the second state. However, the control unit 20 may switch both the imaging units 10A and 10B to the second state. After switching the imaging unit 10A to the second state, the control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP4.

[0059] (Step SP4) In this step, if the signal input from illuminance sensor 14 indicates an illuminance equal to or less than the predetermined threshold, control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP5. On the other hand, if the signal input from illuminance sensor 14 indicates an illuminance greater than the predetermined threshold, control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP6.

[0060] (Step SP5) In this step, the control unit 20 outputs a control signal to the light source 11A fixed to the imaging unit 10A, turning on the light source 11A and causing the light source 11A to emit light. In this way, light is emitted from the light source 11A toward the imaging target of the imaging unit 10A in the second state. As a result, even when the vehicle 100 is located in a dark area, the light illuminates, for example, the ticket issuing unit 212D of the ticket vending machine 212. Therefore, the imaging unit 10A can more clearly image the image code provided on the ticket issuing unit 212D than when the light source 11A does not emit light. After outputting the control signal to the light source 11A, the control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP6.

[0061] (Step SP6) In this step, the control unit 20 outputs a control signal to the imaging unit 10A. As a result, the imaging unit 10A captures an image of the external view to the right of the vehicle 100. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ticket issuing unit 212D of the ticket issuing machine 212 is disposed on the right side of the vehicle 100, and as described above, an image code is displayed on this ticket issuing unit 212D. Therefore, the imaging unit 10A can capture an image including the image code. After outputting the control signal to the imaging unit 10A, the control unit 20 advances the control flow to step SP7.

[0062] Incidentally, the image data captured by the imaging unit 10A in the second state is input to the image processing unit 21 as described above, and is subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 21. This image-processed data is stored in the memory 23.

[0063] Furthermore, during the image processing, the image processing unit 21 extracts an image code, and the data of the extracted image code is input to the image code reading unit 22. The image code data is decoded in the image code reading unit 22, and information attached to the image code is extracted. As described above, this information is data identifying the parking lot 200 and data on the time when the vehicle 100 passes through the entrance gate 201. Then, as shown in FIG. 3 , this data is sent from the image processing unit 21 to the navigation device 105 and then to the terminal device 2 carried by the driver via wireless communication. This causes the above-described application in the terminal device 2 to operate, and the data identifying the parking lot 200, data on the time when the vehicle 100 passed through the entrance gate 201, and data identifying the vehicle 100 are transmitted to the server 230 of the business operator. When the data identifying the parking lot 200, data on the time when the vehicle 100 passed through the entrance gate 201, and data identifying the vehicle 100 are input to the server 230, the server 230 determines that the process of the vehicle 100 entering the parking lot 200 has been completed. The server 230 then outputs a control signal to the entrance bar 213 of the entrance gate 201, and the entrance bar 213 opens based on this control signal, thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to enter the parking area 203. The server 230 also stores data identifying the parking lot 200, data on the time when the vehicle 100 passed through the entrance gate 201, and data identifying the vehicle 100 in a memory connected to the server 230.

[0064] (Step SP7) In this step, the control unit 20 reads out the image data captured in step SP6 from the memory 23 and displays an image related to this image data on the in-vehicle monitor 12A. This allows the driver of the vehicle 100 to recognize the ticket vending machine 212 and other devices located on the right side of the vehicle 100 on the in-vehicle monitor 12A, thereby preventing the vehicle 100 from coming into contact with the ticket vending machine 212 and other devices. After this step, the control unit 20 returns the control flow to step SP2.

[0065] As described above, when the entrance bar 213 opens and the vehicle 100 reaches the parking area 203, the vehicle 100 is located outside the propagation ranges TA1 and TA2. Therefore, the receiving unit 13 does not receive the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the signal transmitting units 215 and 225. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 reaches the parking area 203, the control flow returns from step SP7 to step SP2, and if the receiving unit 13 does not receive the electromagnetic waves, the control unit 20 returns the control flow to step SP1. When the vehicle 100 stops in the parking area 203 and the ignition power is turned off, the control flow from step SP1 to step SP7 is temporarily interrupted.

[0066] When the ignition power of the vehicle 100 is turned on to exit the parking lot 200 after parking in the parking area 203 for a predetermined time, the control flow of steps SP1 to SP7 is started again. Therefore, when the vehicle 100 approaches the exit gate 202 to exit the parking lot 200 and enters the propagation range TA2, a signal is input from the receiving unit 13 to the control unit 20. Based on this signal, the control unit 20 switches the imaging unit 10A from the first state to the second state. Then, the imaging unit 10A captures an image code displayed on the ticket issuing unit 222D of the ticket issuing machine 222 at the exit gate 202. This captured image code is subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 21 as described above, and then decoded by the image code reading unit 22, and data identifying the parking lot 200 and data on the time when the vehicle 100 will pass through the exit gate 202 are read.

[0067] These data are sent from the image code reader 22 to the navigation device 105 and then to the terminal 2 carried by the driver via wireless communication. As a result, the above-mentioned application on the terminal 2 is operated again, and data identifying the parking lot 200, data on the time when the vehicle 100 passed through the exit gate 202, and data identifying the vehicle 100 are transmitted to the operator's server 230. The server 230 then reads out the data transmitted when the vehicle 100 passed through the entrance gate 201 from the memory connected to the server 230. The server 230 then calculates the parking time of the vehicle 100 in the parking lot 200 and calculates the parking fee based on the read data and the data transmitted when the vehicle 100 passed through the exit gate 202. After calculating the parking fee, the server 230 transmits a control signal to the exit bar 223. This control signal opens the exit bar 223, allowing the vehicle 100 to leave the parking lot 200. When the vehicle 100 reaches the road Ro and moves out of the propagation range TA2, the control unit 20 switches the imaging unit 10A from the second state to the first state.

[0068] After the server 230 has finished calculating the parking fee, it transmits the parking fee data to the terminal 2. This causes the above-mentioned application on the terminal 2 to operate, and the parking fee is settled online.

[0069] As described above, the vehicle-mounted image capture device 1 of this embodiment includes the receiving unit 13 that receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201, 202, the image capture unit 10A that can be switched between a first state and a second state, the image code discrimination unit 24 that discriminates a predetermined image code from image data captured by the image capture unit 10A in the second state, the image code reading unit 22 that reads information assigned to the image code from the image code discriminated by the image code discrimination unit 24, and the control unit 20. The control unit 20 sets the image capture unit 10A to the first state when the receiving unit 13 does not receive the signal, and switches the image capture unit 10A from the first state to the second state when the receiving unit 13 receives the signal.

[0070] In this in-vehicle image capture device 1, when the receiving unit 13 does not receive a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201, 202, the image capture unit 10A switches to the first state. When the image capture unit 10A switches to the first state, the image capture direction of the image capture unit 10A switches to a direction in which the image capture unit 10A captures an image of the road surface. Therefore, this in-vehicle image capture device 1 can capture an image of the road surface around the vehicle 100 equipped with the in-vehicle image capture device 1. Furthermore, when the entrance / exit gates 201, 202 are not detected, the vehicle 100 can use the road surface data captured by the in-vehicle image capture device 1 as data for lane departure prevention and autonomous driving. Furthermore, in this in-vehicle image capture device 1, when the vehicle 100 approaches the entrance / exit gates 201, 202 to a range in which the receiving unit 13 receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201, 202, the image capture unit 10A switches to the second state. When the imaging unit 10A switches to the second state, the imaging direction of the imaging unit 10A switches to a direction in which the imaging unit 10A captures an image above the road surface. Therefore, with this in-vehicle imaging device 1, it is possible to more effectively read an image code provided above the road surface than when, for example, the imaging direction of the camera 15 is fixed to face downward and rearward.

[0071] As described above, in the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment, the image capture unit 10A has one camera 15, and in the first state, the image capture direction of the camera 15 faces the road surface, and in the second state, the image capture direction of the camera 15 faces above the road surface. With this configuration, the image capture of the road surface and the reading of the image code provided above the road surface can be performed by one camera. Therefore, the number of cameras constituting the in-vehicle image capture device 1 can be reduced.

[0072] Furthermore, as described above, in the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment, the field of view of the image capture unit 10A is located on the right side of the vehicle 100, and the field of view of the image capture unit 10B is located on the left side of the vehicle 100. Equipment that manages the entry and exit of the vehicle 100 into a facility, such as the ticket dispensers 212 and 222 installed at the entrance and exit gates 201 and 202, generally tends to be located on the left or right side of the vehicle 100. It is assumed that the image code will be provided on the vehicle-facing surface of such equipment. Therefore, by positioning the field of view of the image capture unit on the left or right side of the vehicle 100, when the image code is provided on the vehicle-facing surface of the equipment, it may be easier to read the image code.

[0073] As described above, the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment further includes an in-vehicle monitor 12A capable of displaying an image captured by the image capture unit 10A. The control unit 20 controls the in-vehicle monitor 12A to display an image when the image capture unit 10A is in the second state, and controls the in-vehicle monitor 12A not to display an image when the image capture unit 10A is in the first state. As described above, by displaying an image on the in-vehicle monitor 12A when the image capture unit 10A is in the second state, the driver of the vehicle 100 can not only visually recognize the ticket vending machines 212, 222, etc., but also understand them via the in-vehicle monitor 12A. This can prevent the driver from coming into contact with the ticket vending machines 212, 222, etc. of the vehicle. On the other hand, if the in-vehicle monitor 12A is turned off in the first state, the image captured by the image capture unit 10A is not constantly displayed on the in-vehicle monitor 12A, which can reduce the annoyance felt by passengers of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, by displaying an image on the in-car monitor 12A only when approaching the entrance / exit gates 201, 202, caution can be further drawn to avoid contact with the ticket issuing machines 212, 222, etc.

[0074] Furthermore, in the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment, the control unit 20 causes the light source 11A to emit light when a signal indicating that the illuminance is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold is input from the illuminance sensor 14. With this configuration, the object to be captured by the image capture unit 10A in the second state can be illuminated with light emitted from the light source 11A. Therefore, the in-vehicle image capture device 1 can effectively read the image code even when the vehicle 100 is located in a dark area.

[0075] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. Components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described again unless otherwise specified.

[0076] 7 is a diagram showing mainly the imaging unit 10A of the in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to this embodiment from the same viewpoint as FIG. 2. The imaging unit 10B of this embodiment has the same configuration as the imaging unit 10A of this embodiment, except that it is attached to the left side of the vehicle 100 and its field of view and imaging direction face leftward. The in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the configurations of the imaging units 10A and 10B are different. Therefore, the configuration of the imaging unit 10A will be mainly described below.

[0077] 7, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 10A has two cameras, a first camera 15a and a second camera 15b, and a switch circuit 17. In this respect, the imaging unit 10A of this embodiment differs from the imaging unit 10A of the first embodiment, which is composed of a single camera 15. Both the first camera 15a and the second camera 15b are cameras with fixed focal lengths.

[0078] In this embodiment, the imaging direction LAa of the first camera 15a is directed downward and to the right, and is tilted at, for example, approximately 45° with respect to the up-down direction. Note that this tilt angle is not limited to 45°. By positioning the first camera 15a so that the imaging direction LAa is tilted downward and to the right in this manner, the imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the road surface located to the lower right of the vehicle 100. On the other hand, the imaging direction LAb of the second camera 15b is directed to the right along a substantially horizontal direction. By positioning the second camera 15b so that the imaging direction LAb is directed to the right in this manner, the imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the area above the road surface on the right side.

[0079] Switch circuit 17 is connected to first camera 15a, second camera 15b, and control unit 20. Control unit 20 outputs a first control signal to switch circuit 17 in step SP1. This first control signal may be, for example, a voltage lower than a predetermined threshold. While the first control signal is being input, switch circuit 17 turns on first camera 15a and turns off second camera 15b. Thus, during normal driving, image capture unit 10A is in the first state, in which the imaging direction is a direction in which the road surface is imaged. Furthermore, when a signal indicating the entrance / exit gate of parking lot 200 is input from receiver 13 in step SP2, control unit 20 inputs a second control signal to switch circuit 17 in step SP3. This second control signal may be, for example, a voltage equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. While the second control signal is being input, switch circuit 17 turns off first camera 15a and turns on second camera 15b. As a result, when vehicle 100 approaches entrance / exit gates 201, 202 of parking lot 200, imaging unit 10A can capture an image of the area above the road surface on the right side, and can capture an image of an image code or the like provided on ticket issuing unit 212D of ticket issuing machine 212. In this way, in this embodiment, when vehicle 100 approaches entrance / exit gates 201, 202 of parking lot 200, imaging unit 10A switches to the second state in which the imaging direction is set to a direction in which an image is captured above the road surface.

[0080] In this embodiment, the light source 11A is fixed to the second camera 15b. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the control unit 20 can effectively read the image code even when the vehicle 100 is located in a dark area by executing steps SP4 and SP5. The light source 11A may also be attached to the first camera 15a.

[0081] As described above, in the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment, the image capture unit 10A includes a first camera 15a whose image capture direction LAa faces the road surface and a second camera 15b whose image capture direction LAb faces above the road surface. The first state is a state in which the first camera 15a is on and the second camera 15b is off, and the second state is a state in which the first camera 15a is off and the second camera 15b is on. With this configuration, the camera that captures the road surface and the camera that reads the image code located above the road surface are provided independently, so there is no need to change the orientation of the camera to capture the road surface and read the image code. Therefore, a drive mechanism for changing the orientation of the camera can be omitted.

[0082] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment will be described. Components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted unless otherwise specified.

[0083] 8 is a diagram showing mainly the imaging unit 10A of the in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to this embodiment from the same viewpoint as FIG. 2. The imaging unit 10B according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the imaging unit 10A according to this embodiment, except that it is attached to the left side of the vehicle 100 and its field of view and imaging direction face leftward. The in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the in-vehicle imaging device 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the configurations of the imaging units 10A and 10B are different. Therefore, the configuration of the imaging unit 10A will be mainly described below.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 10A includes one camera 15c. This camera 15c has a wide-angle lens with a variable focal length. Therefore, by relatively increasing the focal length of the wide-angle lens, the viewing angle of the camera 15c becomes narrower, and the imaging unit 10A enters a first state having a narrow field of view FA1, indicated by a solid line in FIG. 8. On the other hand, by relatively decreasing the focal length of the wide-angle lens of this camera 15c, the viewing angle of the camera 15c becomes wider, and the imaging unit 10A enters a second state having a field of view FA2 wider than the field of view FA1. In FIG. 8, this field of view FA2 is indicated by a dashed line. Note that the field of view FA1 is included in the field of view FA2, and in this embodiment, the field of view FA1 is approximately in the center of the field of view FA2. In the first state, the narrow field of view FA1 is used, and the road surface located to the lower right of the vehicle 100 is mainly captured. As such, in the first state of this embodiment, the viewing angle is adjusted so that the road surface is captured. In the second state, the field of view is set to FA2, which is wider than the field of view FA1, so that an image of the area on the right side above the road surface is captured.

[0085] In this embodiment, the control unit 20 is connected to the imaging unit 10A. The control unit 20 sets the imaging unit 10A to the first state in the above-mentioned step SP1. Furthermore, when a signal indicating the entrance gate 201 of the parking lot 200 is input from the receiving unit 13 in the above-mentioned step SP2, the control unit 20 switches the imaging unit 10A to the second state in the above-mentioned step SP3. This widens the field of view of the camera 15c, allowing the imaging unit 10A to capture an image of the area on the right side above the road surface, and to capture an image of an image code or the like provided on the ticket issuing unit 212D of the ticket issuing machine 212.

[0086] In this embodiment, the light source 11A is attached with its optical axis facing rightward above the position of the right side mirror 101A where the image capturing unit 10A is attached. By attaching the light source 11A in this manner, the light source 11A can emit light toward the image code, which is the image capturing target of the image capturing unit 10A in the second state. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment, the control unit 20 can effectively read the image code by executing steps SP4 and SP5 even when the vehicle 100 is located in a dark area. The light source 11A may be attached to the first camera 15a.

[0087] As described above, the in-vehicle image capture device 1 of this embodiment includes an image capture unit 10A that can be switched between a first state in which the viewing angle is adjusted so that the road surface is captured and a second state in which the viewing angle is wider than that of the first state. With this configuration, when the entrance / exit gates 201, 202 are not detected, the in-vehicle image capture device 1 can cause the vehicle 100 to travel with a lane departure prevention function activated or to travel in autonomous driving mode based on road surface data captured by the in-vehicle image capture device 1. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 approaches the entrance / exit gates 201, 202 to a range where the receiving unit 13 receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201, 202, the image capture unit 10A switches to the second state. When the image capture unit 10A switches to the second state, the viewing angle of the image capture unit 10A becomes wider than that of the first state, and the image capture unit 10A captures an image above the road surface. Therefore, in this vehicle-mounted imaging device 1, image codes provided above the road surface can be read more effectively than when the imaging direction of the camera 15 is fixed to face downward and rearward, for example.

[0088] Although the present invention has been described above using the above-mentioned embodiments as examples, the present invention is not limited to these.

[0089] For example, the control unit 20 may alternately switch the imaging unit 10A between the first state and the second state while the receiving unit 13 receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201 and 202 of a predetermined facility. In this case, for example, in step SP3, the control unit 20 may switch the imaging unit 10A to the second state, then switch the imaging unit 10A to the first state after a predetermined time has elapsed, and then switch it back to the second state after another predetermined time has elapsed. In this manner, the control unit 20 alternately switches between the first state and the second state while the receiving unit 13 receives a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201 and 202. This allows the in-vehicle image capture device 1 to capture an image of the road surface around the entrance / exit gates 201 and 202 even when the receiving unit 13 is close enough to receive the signal. Therefore, the in-vehicle image capture device 1 may be able to drive the vehicle 100 with a lane departure prevention function activated or in autonomous driving mode while reading the image code.

[0090] For example, in the case where only an image in the second state is displayed on the in-vehicle monitor 12A as described above, if the receiving unit 13 switches between the second state and the first state while receiving a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201 and 202, the image in the second state will be intermittently displayed on the in-vehicle monitor 12A. However, it is assumed that the vehicle 100 has decelerated to a nearly stopped state within the range in which the receiving unit 13 receives the signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201 and 202. During such low-speed travel, even if images captured in the second state are intermittent with periods in the first state sandwiched between them, it is considered that the error over time between the image data in the second state before switching from the second state to the first state and the image data in the second state after switching from the first state to the second state is negligible.

[0091] Furthermore, when the receiving unit 13 alternately switches between the first state of the imaging unit 10A and the second state of the imaging unit 10A while receiving a signal indicating the entrance / exit gates 201, 202 of a predetermined facility, the predetermined time may be, for example, 1 / 30 seconds. When images are displayed on a monitor at time intervals shorter than the temporal resolution of human vision, humans may perceive the images as being displayed continuously due to the afterimage effect. Since the temporal resolution of human vision is approximately 1 / 30 seconds, setting the predetermined time to 1 / 30 seconds can further enhance the continuous appearance of the images in the second state.

[0092] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the light source 11A emits light when the imaging unit 10A is in the second state, but does not emit light when the imaging unit 10A is in the first state. The reason why the light source 11A emits light in the second state is that, in order to accurately read the image code, which is the imaged object in the second state, in a dark area, it is effective to illuminate the image code with the light source 11A to clearly display the image code. The reason why the light source 11A does not emit light in the first state is that, even if the road surface, which is the imaged object in the first state, does not display as clearly as the image code, it is possible to capture an image that allows for the identification of lanes, etc. Furthermore, by not emitting light from the light source 11A in the first state, power consumption can be reduced. However, the light source 11A may emit light when the imaging unit 10A is in the first state.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the vehicle-mounted imaging device 1 is provided with the light sources 11A and 11B, but the light sources 11A and 11B are not essential components. If the light sources 11A and 11B are not provided, the illuminance sensor 14 may be omitted. Furthermore, by not providing the light sources 11A and 11B, steps SP4 and SP5 can be omitted, simplifying the control.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle image capturing device 1 is provided with the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B, but the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B are not essential components. If the in-vehicle monitors 12A and 12B are not provided, step SP7 can be omitted to simplify the control.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the settlement process was executed via the terminal device 2, but the settlement process may also be executed using the communication function of the vehicle 100 without the terminal device 2 being used.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the field of view of the imaging unit is located on the right or left side, but this is not essential. For example, the imaging unit may be provided on the front bumper of the vehicle so that the field of view of the imaging unit is forward, or the imaging unit may be provided on the rear bumper of the vehicle so that the field of view of the imaging unit is rearward.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the in-vehicle image capture device 1 is equipped with the image capture unit 10A and the image capture unit 10B, but it may also be equipped with only one of the image capture unit 10A and the image capture unit 10B. However, if only one of the image capture unit 10A and the image capture unit 10B is used, it is preferable to install the image capture unit 10A located on the right side when the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle, and to install the image capture unit 10B located on the left side when the vehicle is a left-hand drive vehicle.

[0098] According to the present invention, an in-vehicle imaging device that can easily read an image code provided above the road surface is provided, and can be used in the field of automobiles, for example.

Claims

1. a receiving unit that receives a signal indicating an entrance / exit gate of a predetermined facility; an imaging unit that is switchable between a first state in which an imaging direction is a direction in which an image of a road surface is captured and a second state in which an imaging direction is a direction in which an image of an area above the road surface is captured; an image code discriminator that discriminates a predetermined image code from image data captured by the imaging unit in the second state; an image code reading unit that reads information assigned to the image code from the image code identified by the image code identification unit; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit sets the imaging unit to the first state when the receiving unit does not receive the signal, and switches the imaging unit from the first state to the second state when the receiving unit receives the signal.

1. A vehicle-mounted imaging device comprising:

2. the imaging unit has one camera, The first state is a state in which the imaging direction of the camera faces the road surface, and the second state is a state in which the imaging direction of the camera faces upward from the road surface.

2. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1.

3. the imaging unit has a first camera whose imaging direction faces the road surface and a second camera whose imaging direction faces upward above the road surface, The first state is a state in which the first camera is on and the second camera is off, and the second state is a state in which the first camera is off and the second camera is on.

2. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1.

4. a receiving unit that receives a signal indicating an entrance / exit gate of a predetermined facility; an imaging unit that is switchable between a first state in which a viewing angle is adjusted so that an image of a road surface is captured and a second state in which the viewing angle is wider than that in the first state; an image code discriminator that discriminates a predetermined image code from image data captured by the imaging unit in the second state; an image code reading unit that reads information assigned to the image code from the image code identified by the image code identification unit; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit sets the imaging unit to the first state when the receiving unit does not receive the signal, and switches the imaging unit from the first state to the second state when the receiving unit receives the signal.

1. A vehicle-mounted imaging device comprising:

5. The field of view of the imaging unit is located on the left or right side of the vehicle on which the in-vehicle imaging device is mounted.

5. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a vehicle-mounted imaging device.

6. The control unit alternately switches the imaging unit between the first state and the second state while the receiving unit receives the signal.

6. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1,

7. further comprising an in-vehicle monitor capable of displaying the image captured by the imaging unit, The control unit causes the in-vehicle monitor to display the image when the imaging unit is in the second state, and does not cause the in-vehicle monitor to display the image when the imaging unit is in the first state.

7. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a vehicle-mounted imaging device.

8. an illuminance sensor that detects the illuminance outside the vehicle; a light source that emits light toward an imaging target of the imaging unit in the second state; Furthermore, The control unit causes the light source to emit light when a signal indicating that the illuminance is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold is input from the illuminance sensor.

8. The vehicle-mounted imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a vehicle-mounted imaging device.

Images