Entrance / exit management system and entrance / exit management program

Abstract

To provide an access control system for simple and reliable execution of cashless parking fee settlement processing and an access control at parking facilities.SOLUTION: An access control system has a detection unit, an acquisition unit, and a management unit. The detection unit detects a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit gate of a controlled area based on images taken of the area including the entrance / exit gate and the controlled area. The acquisition unit acquires identification information including at least one of unique information of an on-board unit installed in the detected vehicle, unique information of an ETC card inserted in the on-board unit, and a vehicle number. The management unit stores vehicle feature information indicating the characteristics of the detected vehicle in association with identification information of the vehicle. The detection unit identifies parking area information of a parking area in a controlled area where the vehicle concerned enters based on the image captured by a camera. The management unit further stores the identified parking area information in association with the vehicle feature information and the identification information of the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an entrance / exit management system and an entrance / exit management program. [Background technology]

[0002] Various methods for cashless payment of parking fees have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which parking fees are calculated based on data on the time a vehicle enters and leaves the parking lot, and are transmitted to a website server, where payment of the parking fee is accepted on the website. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-256995 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, when paying parking fees, the user confirms the parking booth they used, enters the number into a website, and executes the payment process. This requires the user to check the booth number and enter it into the website every time they pay parking fees, which is inconvenient for the user. Furthermore, if the user cannot confirm the booth number due to nighttime or bad weather, the vehicle cannot be properly removed, which can be a problem. Furthermore, if the user makes an error in confirming or entering the booth number, not only will the vehicle not be able to be removed, but further problems such as incorrect billing may occur.

[0005] In relation to the above-mentioned problems, in recent years, a technology has been proposed that recognizes the vehicle's license plate number information from images taken by a camera, identifies the vehicle using the license plate information, and performs settlement processing and entry / exit management.

[0006] However, when using such technology in outdoor environments, such as those often found in parking lots, if the license plate cannot be clearly photographed due to factors such as nighttime or bad weather, the accuracy of license plate information recognition decreases, resulting in the inability to properly identify vehicles. Even during the day or on a clear day, the position of the sun changes depending on the time of day and the season, making it difficult to clearly photograph the license plate due to the effects of reflections and shadows, resulting in a decrease in the accuracy of license plate information recognition. Furthermore, if a vehicle deviates from the designated entry direction and enters at an angle, the license plate cannot be clearly photographed, reducing the accuracy of license plate information recognition, resulting in the inability to properly process payments and manage entry and exit.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an entrance / exit management system and an entrance / exit management program for easily and reliably executing cashless payment processing of parking fees and entrance / exit management in a parking lot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above object can be achieved by the following means.

[0009] The entrance / exit management system includes a detection unit, an acquisition unit, and a management unit. The detection unit detects vehicles passing through entrances / exits of a controlled area based on images captured by a camera of the entrances / exits of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area. The acquisition unit acquires identification information including at least one of unique information of the onboard device installed in the vehicle detected by the detection unit, unique information of the ETC card inserted into the onboard device, and the vehicle number. The management unit associates and stores vehicle characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the vehicle detected by the detection unit with the identification information acquired from the vehicle. When the detection unit detects that a vehicle has passed through an entrance / exit in the direction of entering the controlled area, the detection unit detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on the image captured by the camera and identifies parking area information for identifying the parking area. The management unit further associates and stores the parking area information identified by the detection unit with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle.

[0010] The entrance / exit management program is configured to cause a computer to execute processing including a detection step, an acquisition step, and a management step. The detection step detects a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit of a controlled area based on images captured by a camera of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area. The acquisition step acquires identification information including at least one of unique information of the onboard device installed in the vehicle detected by the detection unit, unique information of the ETC card inserted in the onboard device, and the vehicle number. The management unit associates and stores vehicle characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the vehicle detected by the detection unit with the identification information acquired from the vehicle. When the detection step detects that a vehicle has passed through an entrance / exit in the direction of entering the controlled area, the detection step detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on the image captured by the camera and identifies parking area information for identifying the parking area. The management step further associates and stores the parking area information identified in the detection step with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the entrance / exit management system of the present invention, a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit of a controlled area is detected based on an image captured by a camera of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area, and identification information of the detected vehicle is obtained. The entrance / exit management system also associates and stores vehicle characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the detected vehicle with the identification information obtained from the vehicle. The entrance / exit management system detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on the image captured by the camera, and identifies parking area information for identifying the parking area. The entrance / exit management system further associates and stores the identified parking area information with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle. This makes it possible to register parking area information of the parking area into which a vehicle entered, associated with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle that passed through the entrance / exit of the controlled area. Therefore, based on information that is easy for users to understand, such as the parking area information of the parking area into which the vehicle has entered, it is possible to easily refer to and use identification information such as the unique information of the onboard unit, the unique information of the ETC card, and the vehicle number, thereby making it possible to easily and reliably carry out cashless settlement processing of parking fees and entry / exit management at the parking lot. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an acquisition device. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a detection device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information terminal. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a server. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control unit of the server. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a server. [Figure 7]1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ETC vehicle-mounted device. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a payment system. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of an entrance / exit management process executed by the server. [Figure 10] 10 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure of the entrance process shown in step S100 of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 10 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure of the settlement process shown in step S200 of FIG. 9. [Figure 12] 10 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure of the settlement process shown in step S300 of FIG. 9. [Figure 13] 11 is a diagram for explaining how the process of specifying parking area information and the process of registering association with identification information shown in steps S106 and S107 of FIG. 10 are performed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the dimensional proportions in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of convenience and may differ from the actual proportions.

[0014] (Overall system configuration) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the system 1 is composed of an in-park system 10, an information terminal 20, a server 30, an ETC vehicle-mounted unit 40, and a payment system 50. The in-park system 10, the information terminal 20, the server 30, and the payment system 50 are connected via a network, and each component can communicate using various wired or wireless communication methods. The ETC vehicle-mounted unit 40 can wirelessly communicate with the acquisition device 110 of the in-park system 10 using a predetermined communication standard such as DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication).

[0016] The on-site system 10 is installed in a controlled area such as a pay parking lot. The on-site system 10 includes an acquisition device 110 and a detection device 120.

[0017] The acquisition device 110 includes an ETC antenna and performs wireless communication using a communication standard such as DSRC with an ETC vehicle-mounted unit 40 mounted on a vehicle passing (or attempting to pass) through a gate line provided at the entrance / exit of the controlled area.

[0018] The detection device 120 is equipped with a camera whose imaging range includes the entrance and exit of the controlled area and the area within the controlled area, and detects when a vehicle passes through the entrance and exit of the controlled area or when a vehicle enters a designated parking area set up within the controlled area.

[0019] The information terminal 20 is a terminal for a user to register payment information, etc. The information terminal 20 is, for example, a terminal such as a smartphone used by a vehicle driver. The information terminal 20 communicates with the server 30, etc. via a network. Note that the information terminal 20 is not limited to a terminal owned by a user, and may also be an automatic fare adjustment machine installed in a controlled area.

[0020] The server 30 transmits and receives various information to and from each component of the on-site system 10, the information terminal 20, the payment system 50, and the like.

[0021] The ETC vehicle-mounted device 40 is attached to a vehicle and communicates wirelessly with the acquisition device 110 located within a predetermined distance. The ETC vehicle-mounted device 40 acquires various information from the inserted ETC card and transmits it to the acquisition device 110.

[0022] The settlement system 50 is a system installed in a settlement institution (financial institution) such as a bank or credit card company, or in a settlement agent that handles various operations for making settlements at such settlement institutions.

[0023] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the server 30 constitutes an entrance / exit management system. Note that the processing executed by the server 30 may be executed by other components such as the acquisition device 110 and the detection device 120. In this case, the other components constitute the entrance / exit management system. Furthermore, the server 30 and the other components may operate in cooperation with each other, and the server 30 and the other components may constitute the entrance / exit management system.

[0024] Each component will be described in detail below.

[0025] (Acquisition device 110) FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the acquisition device.

[0026] 2A, the acquisition device 110 includes a control unit 111, a storage unit 112, a communication unit 113, and an ETC antenna 114. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. Alternatively, the components may be connected to the server 30 directly via a network without using a bus.

[0027] The control unit 111 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and controls the above-mentioned components as well as the components of the in-venue system 10 and executes various types of arithmetic processing in accordance with a program.

[0028] The storage unit 112 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores various programs and data in advance, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores programs and data as a working area, and a hard disk that stores various programs and data.

[0029] The communication unit 113 includes an interface for communicating with other terminals and devices via a network, and transmits and receives various data to and from the server 30, for example.

[0030] The ETC antenna 114 is configured to perform wireless communication with the ETC on-board unit 40 according to a predetermined communication standard. The acquisition device 110 acquires an on-board unit ID, represented by a Wireless Call Number (WCN), which is unique information for identifying the ETC on-board unit 40, from the ETC on-board unit 40 via the ETC antenna 114. The acquisition device 110 also acquires an ETC card number, which is unique information for identifying the ETC card inserted into the ETC on-board unit 40, from the ETC on-board unit 40 via the ETC antenna 114. The ETC card number is acquired in an encrypted state and can be decrypted before being transmitted to, for example, the upper server 30.

[0031] (Detection device 120) FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the detection device.

[0032] 2B, the detection device 120 includes a control unit 121, a storage unit 122, a communication unit 123, and a camera 124. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. In addition, if the detection device 120 is a device that does not include the control unit 121, the storage unit 122, etc., the camera 124 may be configured to be connected to the control unit 111 of the acquisition device 110.

[0033] The control unit 121, storage unit 122, and communication unit 123 of the detection device 120 are similar to the corresponding components of the acquisition device 110, and therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0034] The camera 124 is configured to capture an area including the entrance and exit of the controlled area. Parking areas (also referred to as parking stalls, vehicle compartments, etc.) for parking vehicles are provided within the controlled area. Parking area information, such as a stall number, is set for each parking area to identify it. Images (video) continuously captured by the camera 124 are analyzed using known image analysis techniques to detect whether a vehicle is entering or exiting the controlled area. Image (video) analysis can be performed using known techniques, such as background subtraction or AI image recognition using machine learning. Furthermore, by analyzing the images captured by the camera 124, vehicle feature information indicating the vehicle's characteristics can be extracted, and the extracted vehicle feature information can be used to track the moving vehicle. By tracking vehicles moving within the controlled area, it can also be detected which parking area a vehicle entering the controlled area entered as it moves within the controlled area. Furthermore, by tracking vehicles that exit parking areas, it may be possible to identify in which parking area a vehicle that exited a controlled area was parked.

[0035] (Information terminal 20) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the information terminal.

[0036] 3, the information terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, a display unit 24, and an operation reception unit 25. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. The control unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the communication unit 23 of the information terminal 20 are similar to the corresponding components of the acquisition device 110, and therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0037] Display unit 24 includes an LCD (liquid crystal display), an organic EL display, etc., and displays various information. Operation reception unit 25 includes a touch sensor, a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, etc., and receives various operations from the user. Display unit 24 and operation reception unit 25 may form a touch panel by superimposing a touch sensor serving as operation reception unit 25 on the display surface serving as display unit 24.

[0038] (Server 30) Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the server, Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control unit of the server, and Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the server.

[0039] 4, the server 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a communication unit 33. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. The control unit 31, storage unit 32, and communication unit 33 of the server 30 are similar to the corresponding components of the acquisition device 110, and therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0040] 5, the control unit 31 of the server 30 loads a program and executes processing, thereby functioning as a detection unit 311, an acquisition unit 312, a management unit 313, and a reception unit 314. The control unit 31 may also be configured to distribute some of its functions to the control units in each component of the on-site system 10.

[0041] The detection unit 311 detects vehicles passing through the entrance / exit of a controlled area based on an image taken by a camera of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area.

[0042] The acquisition unit 312 acquires identification information including at least one of the unique information of the ETC on-board unit 40 (on-board unit 40) installed in the vehicle detected by the detection unit 311, the unique information of the ETC card inserted into the on-board unit 40, and the vehicle number.

[0043] The management unit 313 stores vehicle feature information indicating the features of the vehicle detected by the detection unit 311 in association with the identification information acquired from the vehicle.

[0044] When the detection unit 311 detects that a vehicle has passed through an entrance / exit (gate line) in the direction of entering a controlled area, it detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on an image taken by the camera 124, and specifies parking area information to identify the parking area.

[0045] The management unit 313 stores the parking area information identified by the detection unit 311 in association with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle.

[0046] The reception unit 314 receives input of parking area information for the parking area from the vehicle user, and also receives input of payment method information from the user to identify the payment method selected by the vehicle or the person who will pay the fee charged to the vehicle user.

[0047] If the parking area information accepted by the accepting unit 314 matches the parking area information registered in the managing unit 313, the managing unit 313 executes the payment settlement process using the accepted payment method information.

[0048] When the detection unit 311 detects that a vehicle is passing through an entrance / exit in the direction of exiting the controlled area, the management unit 313 determines whether the settlement process for the vehicle fee corresponding to the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 312 has been carried out, and if it has been carried out, records that the vehicle has exited normally, and if it has not been carried out, records fraudulent vehicle information indicating that the vehicle has exited fraudulently, in association with the identification information of the vehicle.

[0049] When it is recorded that a vehicle has illegally exited, the management unit 313 extracts an image of the vehicle from the parking area to the entrance / exit from the images taken by the camera 124, and stores information showing the extracted image in association with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information.

[0050] When the detection unit 311 detects that a vehicle is passing through an entrance / exit in the direction of entering a controlled area, the management unit 313 determines whether at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and identification information obtained from the vehicle matches at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and identification information stored as fraudulent vehicle information, and if there is a match, outputs a warning to the administrator.

[0051] The reception unit 314 receives input of payment method information from the user and can also receive instructions to automatically pay the price. When such instructions are received, the management unit 313 stores the automatic payment registration information and payment method information in association with the identification information.

[0052] When the detection unit 311 detects that a vehicle is passing through an entrance / exit in the direction of entering a controlled area, the management unit 313 determines whether automatic payment registration information and payment method information are stored in association with the identification information obtained from the vehicle, and if they are stored, when the detection unit 311 detects that the vehicle is passing through an entrance / exit in the direction of exiting the controlled area, the management unit 313 records that the vehicle has exited normally and performs payment settlement processing using the payment method information.

[0053] For example, server 30, as reception unit 314, provides a dedicated web page that users can access using information terminal 20 in order to accept and register input of various pieces of information based on instructions from the user. The dedicated web page is provided, for example, using a different URL for each parking lot. For example, when the user's information terminal 20 connects to a wireless LAN network installed in the parking lot, the web page of that URL is set to be displayed on information terminal 20. This allows users who use the parking lot to easily access the web page and register the necessary information.

[0054] Next, the information stored in the storage unit 32 of the server 30 will be described.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, identification information, payment information, and user information are stored in association with each other in the memory unit 32 of the server 30. The identification information is information for identifying the vehicle, the vehicle user, etc. The payment information and user information are information related to the vehicle user and the payment method. The payment information and user information constitute customer information.

[0056] The identification information includes the vehicle-mounted unit ID, ETC card number, and vehicle number.

[0057] Payment information includes credit card information, bank account information, and other payment scheme information. Payment information is used to provide information about the payment method selected by the person responsible for the fees levied on the vehicle or the vehicle user. Payment information also includes automatic payment registration information, which indicates that the user has authorized the vehicle to automatically pay the fees by a predetermined method when the vehicle leaves the area.

[0058] User information includes user identification information for identifying a user, contact information, authentication information, etc. User identification information includes, for example, name, address, date of birth, gender, nickname, driver's license number, etc. Contact information includes, for example, phone number, email address, ID for social media and various messaging services, etc. Authentication information stores IDs, passwords, etc. for accessing member-only websites, etc.

[0059] The storage unit 32 of the server 30 also stores vehicle feature information for each vehicle extracted by the detection unit 311 using images captured by the camera 124, in association with the vehicle's identification information, etc. The vehicle feature information includes information on the vehicle's shape, manufacturer's logo, body color, model, size, and vehicle movement. The vehicle feature information may also include information such as feature points and feature quantities extracted by machine learning models or the like to track vehicles using various image recognition technologies. For example, if a vehicle enters a controlled area multiple times, the vehicle feature information extracted from each of the multiple times may be accumulated and stored like history information in association with the vehicle's identification information, etc. Alternatively, only the differences among the vehicle feature information extracted from each of the multiple times may be accumulated and stored like a change history. The latest vehicle feature information or the vehicle feature information from the most recent several times may also be stored.

[0060] In addition, the storage unit 32 of the server 30 also stores illegal vehicle information that is registered in association with the identification information of the vehicle when the vehicle enters the race illegally.

[0061] The above information described as being stored in the memory unit 32 may be stored in external storage that can be connected to the server 30 via a network, and may be configured to be accessed and retrieved from the server 30 as needed.

[0062] (ETC onboard device 40) FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ETC vehicle-mounted unit.

[0063] 7, the ETC on-board unit 40 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, a communication unit 43, a card acceptance unit 44, and an output unit 45. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. The control unit 41, the memory unit 42, and the communication unit 43 of the ETC on-board unit 40 are similar to the corresponding components of the acquisition device 110, and therefore, redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0064] The card acceptance unit 44 accepts the insertion of an ETC card. The card acceptance unit 44 acquires various information, including the ETC card number, from the inserted ETC card. The control unit 41 transmits the information acquired by the card acceptance unit 44 to the acquisition device 110 via the communication unit 43.

[0065] The output unit 45 is configured to output light and sound, and is configured, for example, by an indicator lamp that indicates the reading status of the ETC card, a speaker that outputs voice guidance, etc.

[0066] The storage unit 42 stores an on-board device ID, typically a WCN (Wireless Call Number), which is unique information for identifying the ETC on-board device 40 as a wireless base station. Therefore, the acquisition device 110 can acquire the on-board device ID of the ETC on-board device 40 when wirelessly communicating with the ETC on-board device 40 via the ETC antenna 114.

[0067] (Payment System 50) FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the payment system.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 8, payment system 50 includes control unit 51, storage unit 52, and communication unit 53. The components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other. Control unit 51, storage unit 52, and communication unit 53 of payment system 50 are similar to the corresponding components of acquisition device 110, so redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0069] The payment system 50 is a system installed in, for example, a payment institution (financial institution) such as a bank or credit card company, a payment institution that provides various code payment services, or a payment agent that handles various operations for making payments at such payment institutions. By sending and receiving information to and from the payment system 50, the server 30 can execute payment of parking fees by credit card payment, bank transfer, etc.

[0070] The payment system 50 may also store information about the credit card associated with the user's ETC card and information indicating whether the user's ETC card has been rejected (invalidated) by the ETC card issuer. The above information is stored in the storage unit 52 of the payment system 50. The payment system 50 does not need to store rejection information associated with the ETC card number. In this case, for example, the ETC card number may be converted into credit card information, and the payment system 50 may check with the credit card company each time whether the credit card has been rejected.

[0071] Note that the system 1 may include configurations other than those described above. Furthermore, each of the above configurations may include components other than those described above, or may not include some of the above-described components. Furthermore, each of the above configurations may be configured by multiple devices, or may be configured as an integrated unit. Furthermore, a function described as being performed by a certain configuration may be performed by another configuration instead.

[0072] An overview of the processing in the system will be explained.

[0073] (Processing overview) FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the entrance / exit management process executed by the server. FIG. 10 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure for the entrance process shown in step S100 of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure for the payment process shown in step S200 of FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a subroutine flowchart showing the procedure for the payment process shown in step S300 of FIG. 9. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining how the process for specifying parking area information and the process for registering association with identification information shown in steps S106 and S107 of FIG. 10 are executed. The processes shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 to 12 are stored as programs in memory unit 32 of server 30, and are executed by control of each unit by control unit 31.

[0074] (Overall processing flow) 9, the server 30 executes an entry process when a vehicle enters a controlled area (step S100). Details of the entry process will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0075] Next, the server 30 executes a settlement process for the fee required for the vehicle to exit the controlled area (step S200). Details of the settlement process will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0076] Next, the server 30 executes an exit process when the vehicle exits the controlled area (step S300). Details of the exit process will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0077] The processing in Figure 9 shows the sequence of processing executed by the server 30 from the time a vehicle enters the controlled area until it exits, and if there are multiple vehicles, the necessary processing is executed for each vehicle at the appropriate timing.

[0078] (Admission processing) As shown in FIG. 10, the server 30 determines whether or not it has detected a vehicle entering a controlled area (step S101). Specifically, the server 30 analyzes the image captured by the camera 124 to determine whether or not the vehicle has passed the entrance gate line in the direction of entering the controlled area. The server 30 also acquires vehicle characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the vehicle by analyzing the image captured by the camera 124. Note that the timing for acquiring the vehicle characteristic information is not limited to the processing of step S101, and the information can be acquired at any timing or time interval as long as the camera 124 can capture an image of the vehicle.

[0079] If the entry of a vehicle is not detected (step S101: NO), the server 30 waits until the entry is detected.

[0080] If the entry of a vehicle is detected (step S101: YES), the server 30 acquires identification information for the vehicle detected in the processing of step S101 (step S102). For example, the server 30 acquires the on-board unit ID and ETC card number acquired from the ETC on-board unit 40 of the vehicle via the acquisition device 110, and acquires the vehicle number based on the image captured by the camera 124. The server 30 associates the identification information acquired in the processing of step S102 with the vehicle characteristic information acquired in the processing of step S101, etc., and stores them in the database of the storage unit 32.

[0081] The server 30 determines whether the vehicle is registered as a fraudulent vehicle (step S103). Specifically, the server 30 refers to the database in the storage unit 32 and determines whether fraudulent vehicle information is registered in association with the vehicle characteristic information acquired in the process of step S101 or the identification information acquired in the process of step S102.

[0082] If the fraudulent vehicle information is associated and registered (step S103: YES), the server 30 sends a warning to the administrator of the controlled area or the administrator of the entry / exit management system, etc., that a fraudulent vehicle has entered (step S104).

[0083] If the fraudulent vehicle information is not registered in association with the vehicle (step S103: NO), the server 30 determines whether an instruction to permit automatic payment has been registered for the vehicle (step S105). Specifically, the server 30 refers to the database in the storage unit 32 and determines whether automatic payment registration information has been registered in association with the vehicle's identification information, etc.

[0084] If the automatic payment registration information is registered (step S105: YES), the server 30 ends the admission process (return).

[0085] If automatic payment registration information is not registered (step S105: NO), server 30 detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on images captured by camera 124 and identifies parking area information for identifying the parking area (step S106). As shown in FIG. 13, server 30 uses vehicle feature information extracted from images acquired by camera 124 to track the vehicle from the time it passes through the gate line at the entrance / exit of the controlled area in the direction of entry until it enters the parking area, and identifies which parking area the vehicle entered and stopped (parked). In the example of FIG. 13, ten parking areas are provided within the controlled area, and parking area information ranging from "1" to "10" is set for each parking area. The parking area information for each parking area may be pre-stored in association with the coordinates corresponding to each parking area on the image captured by camera 124, or may be recognized by analyzing the image captured by camera 124. In the example of FIG. 13, the vehicle has entered and parked in parking area "4", so the server 30 identifies "4" as the parking area information of the parking area into which the vehicle has entered.

[0086] The server 30 stores the parking area information identified in step S106 in association with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle (step S107), and terminates the entry process (return). In the example of FIG. 13, the vehicle is tracked by analyzing images captured by the camera 124 of the vehicle's movement after entering the controlled area, and the vehicle's identification information (WCN) acquired by the antenna 114 (DSRC antenna) is displayed in association with the vehicle. The server 30 associates the identified parking area information "4" with the vehicle's WCN and the extracted vehicle characteristic information and stores the information.

[0087] (Settlement processing) After the entry process is executed, when the user finishes parking and leaves the controlled area, the server 30 executes the settlement process shown in Fig. 11. The settlement process may be executed when the user leaves the controlled area, or may be executed in advance at an earlier timing. The following describes an example in which the settlement process is executed shortly before the user leaves the controlled area (for example, when the user returns to the vehicle parked in the parking area and is about to head toward the exit of the controlled area).

[0088] As shown in FIG. 11 , server 30 determines whether it has received input of parking area information, such as the section number of the parking area used by the vehicle, from the vehicle user (step S201). For example, the user uses information terminal 20 to read a two-dimensional barcode for payment located within the controlled area, access a dedicated webpage provided by server 30, etc., and enter parking area information, such as the section number of the parking area where the vehicle was parked. This allows server 30 to accept input of parking area information from the user. Alternatively, the user may enter the parking area information into a payment machine located in the controlled area. In this case, the parking area information is transmitted from the payment machine to server 30, and server 30 then accepts input of parking area information from the user.

[0089] If the input of the parking area information has not been received (step S201: NO), the server 30 waits until the input of the parking area information is received.

[0090] When the server 30 receives input of parking area information (step S201: YES), the server 30 determines whether the received input of parking area information is stored in the database of the memory unit 32 as parking area information of a parking area currently in use (step S202).

[0091] If the parking area information is not stored as the parking area information of the parking area currently in use (step S202: NO), there is nothing to settle, so the server 30 returns to the processing of step S201 and accepts input of parking area information from the user again.

[0092] If the parking area information for the parking area currently in use is stored (step S202: YES), the server 30 accepts input of payment method information, such as credit card information, from the user (step S203). For example, the user uses the information terminal 20 to input payment method information on a dedicated webpage. This allows the server 30 to accept input of payment method information from the user. Alternatively, the user may input payment method information by reading a payment method, such as a credit card, at a payment machine installed in the controlled area. In this case, the payment method information is transmitted from the payment machine to the server 30, and the server 30 then accepts input of payment method information from the user.

[0093] The server 30 executes the settlement process for the fee for use of the parking area using the payment method information received in the process of step S203 (step S204). The fee for use of the parking area can be calculated, for example, by acquiring the time from when use of the parking area begins until the settlement process is executed as the usage time, based on the preset hourly parking fee rate or fee table and the usage time.

[0094] The server 30 stores information indicating that the payment process has been executed in association with the identification information associated with the parking area information in the database of the storage unit 32 (step S205).

[0095] The server 30 can receive an instruction from the user to automatically pay the fee from the next time onward, and determines whether the instruction has been received (step S206). The method of receiving the instruction from the user can be executed using the user's information terminal 20 or the payment machine, similar to the process of step S201 and the process of step S203.

[0096] If an instruction to automatically pay the price has not been received (step S206: NO), the server 30 ends the settlement process (return).

[0097] If an instruction to automatically pay the fee is received (step S206: YES), the server 30 stores the automatic payment instruction (automatic payment registration information) and payment method information in association with the identification information associated with the parking area information (step S207), and terminates the settlement process (return).

[0098] (Participation processing) After the settlement process has been executed, when the user actually causes the vehicle to exit the controlled area, the server 30 executes the exit process shown in FIG.

[0099] 12, the server 30 determines whether or not it has detected a vehicle exiting a controlled area (step S301). The method for detecting the exit is the same as the method for detecting the entry in the process of step S101 in FIG.

[0100] If the exit of the vehicle is not detected (step S301: NO), the server 30 waits until the exit is detected.

[0101] When the exit of a vehicle is detected (step S301: YES), the server 30 determines whether the settlement process has been completed for that vehicle (step S302). Specifically, the server 30 determines whether information indicating that the settlement process has been executed is stored in association with the identification information acquired by the acquisition device 110 from the vehicle exiting the controlled area in the database of the storage unit 32. If information indicating that the settlement process has been executed is stored, it is determined that the settlement process has been completed, and if the information is not stored, it is determined that the settlement process has not been completed.

[0102] If the settlement process is completed (step S302: YES), the server 30 ends the exit process (return).

[0103] If the settlement process is not completed (step S302: NO), the server 30 determines whether an automatic payment instruction (automatic payment registration information) has been registered (step S303). Specifically, the server 30 determines whether the automatic payment registration information is associated with the identification information acquired by the acquisition device 110 from the vehicle exiting the controlled area and stored in the database of the storage unit 32.

[0104] If an automatic payment instruction (automatic payment registration information) is registered (step S303: YES), the server 30 automatically executes the payment settlement process using the payment method information stored in association with the identification information in the database of the memory unit 32 (step S304), and ends the exit process (return).

[0105] If an automatic payment instruction (automatic payment registration information) is not registered (step S303: NO), the server 30 registers fraudulent vehicle information indicating that the vehicle entered the race fraudulently in association with the vehicle's identification information in the database of the memory unit 32 (step S305).

[0106] In addition, the server 30 extracts an image of the vehicle from the parking area to passing through the entrance / exit from the images taken by the camera 124, and registers information indicating the extracted image in association with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle (step S306), and ends the exit processing (return).

[0107] According to the above embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0108] The entrance / exit management system 1 detects vehicles passing through the entrance / exit of a controlled area based on images captured by a camera 124 of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area. The entrance / exit management system 1 acquires identification information including at least one of the following: unique information about the onboard device installed in the detected vehicle, unique information about the ETC card inserted in the onboard device, and the vehicle number. The entrance / exit management system 1 associates and stores vehicle characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the detected vehicle with the identification information acquired from the vehicle. When the entrance / exit management system 1 detects that a vehicle has passed through the entrance / exit in the direction of entering the controlled area, it detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on the image captured by the camera 124 and identifies parking area information for identifying the parking area. The entrance / exit management system 1 further associates and stores the identified parking area information with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle as parking area information indicating a parking area in use.

[0109] This makes it possible to register the parking area information of the parking area into which a vehicle entered, in association with the vehicle characteristic information and identification information of the vehicle that passed through the entrance / exit of the managed area. Therefore, based on the parking area information of the parking area into which the vehicle entered, which is information that is easy for the user to understand, it is possible to easily refer to and use identification information such as the unique information of the on-board unit, the unique information of the ETC card, and the vehicle number, making it possible to simply and reliably carry out cashless settlement processing of parking fees and entrance / exit management at the parking lot.

[0110] Previously, technologies have been proposed that recognize vehicle license plate information from camera-captured images, identify vehicles based on the license plate information, and perform payment processing and entry / exit management. Such technologies appear to facilitate cashless parking fee payment. However, when recognizing vehicle license plate information from camera-captured images, there is a problem: for example, during snowfall or rain, the license plate may be obscured by snow or mud, making cashless payment impossible. Furthermore, even during the daytime or on sunny days, the position of the sun changes depending on the time of day and the season, making it difficult to clearly capture the license plate due to the effects of sunlight reflection and shadows, reducing the accuracy of license plate recognition and making cashless payment impossible. Furthermore, if a vehicle deviates from the designated entry direction and enters at an angle, the license plate may not be clearly captured, reducing the accuracy of license plate recognition, resulting in inappropriate payment processing and entry / exit management. In response, the present invention solves these problems by combining camera-based recognition technology with ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) technology, which is a wireless communication technology.

[0111] Furthermore, the present invention can detect vehicles entering and exiting a parking area using a camera, eliminating the need for vehicle detection sensors such as loop coils currently installed in each parking area in locking plate-type parking lots and lockless parking lots where entry and exit are managed individually. Furthermore, in gated parking lots where gates are installed at the entrances and exits of managed areas to control entry and exit for the entire managed area, gates are no longer necessary, making it possible to develop gateless parking lots. Devices that restrict vehicle movement, such as locking plates and gates, can malfunction due to malfunctions or other reasons, preventing users from exiting their vehicles when needed, significantly impacting user convenience. For this reason, there has been a growing trend toward lockless and gateless parking lots in recent years. The present invention can easily and inexpensively realize lockless and gateless parking lots while preventing fraudulent practices that are often associated with lockless and gateless systems.

[0112] The entrance / exit management system 1 also accepts input from the vehicle user of parking area information for the parking area used by the user. If the accepted parking area information matches the parking area information stored in the management unit indicating the parking area in use, the entrance / exit management system 1 accepts input from the user of payment method information to identify the payment method selected by the person paying the fee to be charged to the vehicle or the vehicle user. The entrance / exit management system 1 uses the accepted payment method information to process the payment for use of the parking area, and stores the fact that the payment process has been completed in association with the identification information associated with the parking area information. This makes it possible to easily and reliably process cashless parking fee settlements and manage entrance / exit management at the parking lot by simply accepting parking area information and payment method information from the user.

[0113] Furthermore, when the entrance / exit management system 1 detects a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit gate in the direction of exiting a controlled area, it determines whether or not the settlement process has been performed for the acquired identification information. If the settlement process has been performed, it records that the vehicle has exited normally. If the settlement process has not been performed, it records fraudulent vehicle information indicating that the vehicle has entered fraudulently, in association with the vehicle's identification information. This allows fraudulent vehicle information to be recorded in association with the identification information of vehicles that exited a controlled area without performing the settlement process. This allows fraudulent vehicles to be reliably identified, leading to appropriate responses. As a result, fraudulent activities can be deterred.

[0114] Furthermore, when the entry / exit management system 1 records a vehicle's unauthorized exit, it extracts an image of the vehicle from the parking area through the entrance / exit gate from the images captured by the camera 124, and stores information indicating the extracted image in association with the vehicle's characteristic information and identification information. This allows the system to record an image of the vehicle from the parking area through the entrance / exit gate, associated with the identification information of the vehicle that exited the controlled area without executing the settlement process. This allows the system to reliably identify the unauthorized vehicle and record an image of the vehicle's unauthorized exit, leading to appropriate responses. As a result, unauthorized behavior can be deterred.

[0115] Furthermore, when the entrance / exit management system 1 detects a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit gate in the direction of entering a controlled area, it determines whether at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and identification information acquired from the vehicle matches at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and identification information stored as fraudulent vehicle information, and if they match, it outputs a warning to the administrator. This allows a warning to be output to the administrator if a vehicle that has previously entered fraudulently attempts to re-enter, leading to appropriate action being taken. As a result, further fraudulent acts can be deterred.

[0116] The entrance / exit management system 1 can also accept payment method information from the user and instructions to automatically pay the parking fee. When this instruction is accepted, the management unit stores the automatic payment registration information and payment method information in association with the identification information. When the entrance / exit management system 1 detects a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit gate in the direction of entering a controlled area, it determines whether the automatic payment registration information and payment method information are stored in association with the identification information acquired from the vehicle. If they are stored, when the detection unit detects the vehicle passing through an entrance / exit gate in the direction of exiting the controlled area, it records that the vehicle has successfully exited and executes a payment settlement process using the payment method information. This eliminates the need for payment settlement every time the user uses a parking lot; users simply enter their vehicle into the parking area in the controlled area, park it, and then exit the parking area when they are finished, and the payment process is automatically executed. This dramatically improves user convenience.

[0117] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0118] For example, in the above embodiment, the information terminal 20 has been described as a terminal that is owned by the user. However, the information terminal 20 may be a shared terminal installed in a parking lot or the like. In this case, even if the user does not own the information terminal, operations such as registering necessary information can be performed.

[0119] Furthermore, the processing of the system according to the above-described embodiment may include steps other than those in the flowchart described above, or may not include some of the steps described above. The order of the steps is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, each step may be combined with other steps and executed as a single step, may be included in other steps, or may be divided into multiple steps and executed. For example, in the flowchart of FIG. 10, an example has been described in which the detection processing in step S101 is performed before the identification information acquisition processing in step S102. However, this is not limited to this, and the processing in step S102 may be performed first.

[0120] The means and methods for performing various processes in each device of the system according to the above-described embodiments can be realized by either a dedicated hardware circuit or a programmed computer. The above programs may be provided, for example, on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), or online via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the programs recorded on the computer-readable recording medium are typically transferred to and stored in a storage unit such as a hard disk. The above programs may also be provided as standalone application software, or may be incorporated into the software of each device in the system as a function of that device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Entrance and exit management system, 10 In-house system, 110 Acquisition device; 111 control section, 112 Memory section, 113 Communications Department, 114 ETC antenna, 120 detection devices, 121 control section, 122 Memory section, 123 Communications Department, 20 information terminals, 21 control section, 22 Memory section, 23 Communications Department, 24 Display section, 25 Operation reception unit, 30 servers, 31 control section, 311 detection unit, 312 Acquisition Department; 313 Management Department; 314 Reception Department, 32 storage section, 33 Communications Department, 40 ETC on-board device, 41 control section, 42 Memory section, 43 Communications Department, 44 Card acceptance section, 45 output section, 50 payment systems, 51 control section, 52 Memory section, 53 Communications Department.

Claims

1. a detection unit that detects vehicles passing through the entrance / exit of the controlled area based on an image captured by a camera of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area; an acquisition unit that acquires identification information including at least one of unique information of the vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle detected by the detection unit, unique information of the ETC card inserted into the vehicle-mounted device, and a vehicle number; a management unit that stores vehicle feature information indicating features of the vehicle detected by the detection unit and the identification information acquired from the vehicle in association with each other, When the detection unit detects that the vehicle has passed through the entrance / exit in the direction of entering the controlled area, it detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on the image taken by the camera, and specifies parking area information for identifying the parking area; the management unit stores the parking area information identified by the detection unit as parking area information indicating a parking area in use, further associated with the vehicle characteristic information and the identification information of the vehicle; a reception unit that receives, from a user of the vehicle, input of the parking area information of the parking area used by the user; If the received parking area information matches the parking area information stored in the management unit that indicates a parking area in use, the reception unit receives from the user input of payment method information for identifying a payment method selected by the vehicle or the person who will pay the fee charged to the user of the vehicle; The management unit uses the payment method information accepted by the reception unit to execute a settlement process for the fee for use of the parking area, and stores the fact that the settlement process has been executed in association with the identification information associated with the parking area information.

2. 2. The entry / exit management system of claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects that the vehicle is passing through the entrance / exit gate in the direction of exiting the controlled area, the management unit determines whether the settlement process is being executed for the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit, and if it is being executed, records that the vehicle has exited normally, and if it is not being executed, records fraudulent vehicle information indicating that the vehicle has exited fraudulently, associated with the identification information of the vehicle.

3. 3. The entry / exit management system of claim 2, wherein when it is recorded that the vehicle has entered illegally, the management unit extracts an image of the vehicle from the parking area to the entrance / exit gate from the images taken by the camera, and stores information indicating the extracted image in association with the vehicle characteristic information and the identification information.

4. The entry / exit management system described in claim 2, wherein when the detection unit detects that the vehicle is passing through the entrance / exit gate in the direction of entering the controlled area, the management unit determines whether at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and the identification information obtained from the vehicle matches at least one of the vehicle characteristic information and the identification information stored as the unauthorized vehicle information, and if there is a match, outputs a warning to the administrator.

5. The entry / exit management system described in claim 1, wherein the reception unit receives input of the payment method information from the user and is further capable of receiving an instruction to automatically pay the fee, and when the instruction is received, the management unit stores the automatic payment registration information and the payment method information in association with the identification information.

6. 6. The entry / exit management system of claim 5, wherein when the detection unit detects that the vehicle is passing through the entrance / exit in the direction of entering the controlled area, the management unit determines whether the automatic payment registration information and the payment method information are stored in association with the identification information obtained from the vehicle, and if they are stored, when the detection unit detects that the vehicle is passing through the entrance / exit in the direction of exiting the controlled area, it records that the vehicle has exited normally and performs the settlement process for the fee using the payment method information.

7. a detection step of detecting a vehicle passing through an entrance / exit of the controlled area based on an image captured by a camera of the entrance / exit of the controlled area and an area including the controlled area; an acquisition step of acquiring identification information including at least one of unique information of the vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle detected in the detection step, unique information of the ETC card inserted into the vehicle-mounted device, and a vehicle number; a management step of storing vehicle feature information indicating features of the vehicle detected in the detection step and the identification information acquired from the vehicle in association with each other, In the detection step, when it is detected that the vehicle has passed through the entrance / exit in a direction to enter the controlled area, it detects that the vehicle is entering a parking area within the controlled area based on an image taken by the camera, and specifies parking area information for identifying the parking area; The management step further associates the parking area information identified in the detection step with the vehicle characteristic information and the identification information of the vehicle, and stores the information; The method further includes a receiving step of receiving, from a user of the vehicle, input of the parking area information of the parking area used by the user, In the receiving step, if the received parking area information matches the parking area information indicating the parking area in use stored in the management step, the receiving step receives input of payment means information from the user to identify a payment means selected by the vehicle or a person who bears the fee charged to the user of the vehicle; The management step is an entry / exit management program that causes a computer to execute a process for settling the fee for use of the parking area using the payment method information accepted in the acceptance step, and to store the fact that the settlement process has been executed in association with the identification information associated with the parking area information.

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