Pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation device and pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation method

Abstract

A crosswalk traffic signal survival evaluation device is provided that evaluates whether or not existing pedestrian signal lights will survive. [Solution] The pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation device 1 is installed near an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal on a road, and is composed of a lighting color detection unit that detects the lighting color of pedestrian signal lamps, a pedestrian detection unit that detects pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing H, and a processing unit that is connected to the lighting color detection unit and the pedestrian detection unit and evaluates the continuity of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal. The processing unit counts a first number A of pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing who complied with the lighting color and a second number B of pedestrians who ignored the lighting color, and calculates a ratio P of the second number B to the total of the first and second numbers A and B. The continuity of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal is evaluated depending on whether this ratio P is equal to or greater than a threshold.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuation evaluation device and a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuation evaluation method for evaluating whether or not an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal installed at a pedestrian crossing should be continued. [Background technology]

[0002] FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1 discloses a pedestrian crossing traffic signal installed at a pedestrian crossing, which includes a traffic signal controller, a push button box, a vehicle signal light, and a pedestrian signal light.

[0003] When a pedestrian crosses the street, they press the button on the push button box, which changes the vehicle signal light from green to red and the pedestrian signal light from red to green. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-133585 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As mentioned above, on roads where pedestrian crossing signals are installed at crosswalks, there is a problem that pedestrians crossing the road may ignore the pedestrian signal lights that are lit red at night or other times when there is little traffic.

[0006] Especially during times of low traffic volume, many pedestrians ignore the red pedestrian crossing signal lights and cross the crosswalk. Also, vehicles passing through the crosswalk do not slow down because the vehicle signal lights are green, but there are cases where the vehicle collides with the pedestrian who ignored the signal, resulting in a serious accident. Such collision accidents are often more serious than at crosswalks without signal lights, because the vehicle does not slow down because the vehicle signal lights are green and collides with the pedestrian.

[0007] When pedestrian crossing signals were installed at crosswalks, there was sufficient vehicle traffic and turning the vehicle signal lights red when crossing the crosswalk was effective and safe for pedestrians. However, when traffic volume decreases due to the construction of a new motorway such as a bypass, the number of pedestrians ignoring traffic signals can increase, as mentioned above.

[0008] The object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuation evaluation device and a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuation evaluation method that evaluate whether existing pedestrian signal lights will continue to exist. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation device that is installed near an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal provided at a pedestrian crossing and includes a lighting color detection unit that detects the lighting color of a pedestrian signal lamp of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal, a pedestrian detection unit that detects pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing, and a processing unit that is connected to the lighting color detection unit and the pedestrian detection unit and performs a continuity evaluation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal, and the processing unit performs a continuity evaluation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrian. The method calculates a first number of pedestrians counted over a predetermined period when the pedestrian signal light detected by the lighting color detection unit is green or flashing green, and a second number of pedestrians counted over the predetermined period when the pedestrian signal light detected by the lighting color detection unit is red when the pedestrian is detected by the pedestrian detection unit, and if the ratio of the second number of pedestrians to the total of the first and second numbers of pedestrians calculated is equal to or greater than a threshold, an evaluation is made to remove the pedestrian signal light rather than keep it in place.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the method for evaluating the continuation of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal according to the present invention is a method for evaluating the continuation of an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal installed at a pedestrian crossing, and is characterized by comprising the steps of: detecting pedestrians crossing the crosswalk by a pedestrian detection unit; detecting the lighting color of the pedestrian signal light by a lighting color detection unit; counting, by a processing unit, as a first number of pedestrians over a predetermined period when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrian, the lighting color of the pedestrian signal light detected by the lighting color detection unit is lit green and flashing green; counting, by the processing unit, as a second number of pedestrians over the predetermined period when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrian, the lighting color of the pedestrian signal light detected by the lighting color detection unit is lit red; and evaluating, by the processing unit, to remove the pedestrian signal light rather than to preserve it if the ratio of the second number of people to the total of the first and second number of people is equal to or greater than a threshold value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The pedestrian crossing traffic signal survival evaluation device of the present invention makes it possible to evaluate whether an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal will survive, and by notifying the manager of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal of this survival evaluation, the manager can use it as a basis for deciding whether to maintain or remove the pedestrian crossing traffic signal.

[0012] Based on the assessment of whether or not pedestrian crossing traffic signals will remain in place using the pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity assessment device, administrators can remove pedestrian crossing traffic signals at crosswalks where pedestrians frequently ignore signals, thereby reducing collisions between vehicles passing through the crosswalk and pedestrians who ignore signals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a connection block diagram of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal at a pedestrian crossing and a pedestrian crossing traffic signal survival evaluation device. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of one cycle of lighting of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal during the day and at night. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the processing unit's evaluation of the continued existence of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment.

[0015] Figure 1 is a connection block diagram of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal and a pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation device. The existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal L consists of a vehicle signal light L1 that lights red and green for vehicles V traveling on road D, a pedestrian signal light L2 that lights green, flashes green, and lights red for pedestrians W crossing pedestrian crossing H, and a signal controller L3 that connects to the vehicle signal light L1 and the pedestrian signal light L2.

[0016] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the lighting cycles of one cycle of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal during the daytime and at night. These lighting cycles K are stored in the signal controller L3, and the signal controller L3 controls the lighting of the vehicle signal lights L1 and the pedestrian signal lights L2 in accordance with the lighting cycles K.

[0017] The lighting cycle K of L1D and L2D in the upper row of Figure 2 is the lighting cycle of vehicle signal lamp L1 and pedestrian signal lamp L2 during the daytime, and the lighting cycle K of L1N and L2N in the lower row is the lighting cycle of vehicle signal lamp L1 and pedestrian signal lamp L2 during the nighttime. Note that the first letter G shown in the lighting cycle K represents green light, Y represents yellow light, R represents red light, and F represents flashing green light.

[0018] At night, the pedestrian signal light L2 will only turn green when a push button box (not shown) connected to the signal controller L3 is operated. Therefore, if the push button box is not operated, the vehicle signal light L1 will remain green and the pedestrian signal light L2 will remain red, as shown in the figure.

[0019] The illustration does not show the lighting cycle for switching to green when the push button box is operated. It is also possible to use the lighting cycle K for L1N and L2N, which switches to green only when the push button box is operated during the day, or the lighting cycle K for L1D and L2D, which switches to green only when the push button box is operated, during the night.

[0020] The pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuity evaluation device 1 is installed near an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal L on a road D, and is composed of a lighting color detection unit 2 consisting of a photographing device or the like that detects the lighting color of the pedestrian signal light L2, a pedestrian detection unit 3 that detects pedestrians W crossing the pedestrian crossing H, and a processing unit 4 that is connected to the lighting color detection unit 2 and the pedestrian detection unit 3 and performs a continuity evaluation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L.

[0021] The pedestrian detection unit 3 can be an ultrasonic detection device that emits ultrasonic waves and detects pedestrians from reflected waves, or a well-known imaging device. It can also be used in combination with the imaging device used as the lighting color detection unit 2. This pedestrian detection unit 3 can detect when a pedestrian W enters the area of ​​a crosswalk H, which is made up of multiple parallel lines on the road.

[0022] 3 is a flowchart of the processing unit 4's evaluation of the existence of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal L. After startup, the processing unit 4 determines in step ST1 whether or not a pedestrian W entering the pedestrian crossing H has been detected via the pedestrian detection unit 3. If no pedestrian W is detected, step ST1 is repeated, and if a pedestrian W is detected in step ST1, the processing unit 4 proceeds to step ST2.

[0023] In step ST2, it is determined whether or not the pedestrian signal light L2 is lit in green via the lighting color detection unit 2. If the pedestrian signal light L2 is lit in green or flashing green, the process proceeds to step ST3, and if the pedestrian signal light L2 is not lit in green or flashing green, i.e., if it is lit in red, the process proceeds to step ST4.

[0024] The processing of step ST2 determines whether the pedestrian signal light L2 is green when the pedestrian W starts to cross the crosswalk H. If the processing proceeds to step ST3, it means that the pedestrian W has started to cross in accordance with the color of the pedestrian signal light L2. Conversely, if the processing proceeds to step ST4, it means that the pedestrian W has started to cross while ignoring the color of the pedestrian signal light L2.

[0025] In step ST3, a process is performed in which one person is added to the first number of people A who respect the lighting color, and in step ST4, a process is performed in which one person is added to the second number of people B who ignore the lighting color.

[0026] After the processing of steps ST3 and ST4, the process proceeds to step ST5, where it is determined whether a predetermined period, for example, one week has passed since the start of the processing. If the predetermined period has not passed, steps ST1 to ST5 are repeated to continue the processing of counting the first and second number of people A and B.

[0027] In addition, the counting process of the first and second number of people A and B is performed for each individual pedestrian W, even when multiple pedestrians W enter the crosswalk H area at the same time.

[0028] In step ST5, if the predetermined period has elapsed, the process proceeds to step ST6, where the ratio P of the second number of people B to the total number of people C of the first and second number of people A and B calculated over the predetermined period is calculated.

[0029] Instead of the lapse of a predetermined period of time in step ST5, it may be determined whether the total number of people C reaches a predetermined number, and for example, the process may proceed to step ST6 when the total number of people C reaches 1000. Furthermore, the processing unit 4 may start a timer as a separate process, and automatically proceed to step ST6 when a preset scheduled time is reached.

[0030] In step ST7 after calculating the ratio P in step ST6, the continuation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L is evaluated based on the ratio P. The continuation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L is evaluated depending on whether the ratio P exceeds a threshold value, for example, 0.3.

[0031] If the ratio P is less than the threshold, that is, if the number of people who ignored the traffic light is less than 30% of the total number of people C who crossed the crosswalk H, it is evaluated that the crosswalk traffic light L should be maintained.

[0032] Conversely, if the number of people who ignored the traffic signal is 30% or more of the total number of people C who crossed the crosswalk H, it is assessed that the crosswalk traffic signal L should be removed. This is because, as mentioned above, serious accidents are likely to occur when a vehicle V that passes through the crosswalk H without slowing down when the vehicle signal light L1 is green collides with a pedestrian W who crosses the crosswalk H ignoring the pedestrian signal light L2, so at crosswalks H where there are many pedestrians W who ignore the traffic signal, removing the crosswalk traffic signal L will make it less likely that a collision between a vehicle V and a pedestrian W will occur.

[0033] By removing the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L and leaving only the pedestrian crossing H, vehicles V passing through the pedestrian crossing H will proceed carefully, thereby reducing the number of collisions with pedestrians W.

[0034] Furthermore, if the average number of total people C during the daytime on weekdays is equal to or greater than a set value, the processing unit 4 determines to maintain the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L even if the ratio P is equal to or greater than a threshold value. This is because if there are a large number of pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing H on weekdays, it can be predicted that the crossing is a route for commuting to work or school, and it is necessary to maintain the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L to ensure the safety of the route for commuting to work or school.

[0035] Furthermore, the processing unit 4 proposes lighting control to flash the vehicle signal light L1 red and turn off the pedestrian signal light L2 only at night when the average number of the total number of people C during the daytime on weekdays is equal to or greater than a set value and the ratio P based on the first and second number of people A and B calculated only at night is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

[0036] In this way, by flashing the vehicle signal light L1 red and turning off the pedestrian signal light L2 only at night, vehicles V passing through the crosswalk H will pass through the crosswalk H carefully, thereby reducing the occurrence of collision accidents between the aforementioned vehicles V and pedestrians W.

[0037] The pedestrian crossing traffic signal survival evaluation device 1 of the present invention can evaluate whether an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal L should survive and propose lighting control. By notifying the manager of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L of the evaluation whether the existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal L should survive and the proposal for lighting control, the manager can use this information to decide whether to maintain or remove the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L and change the lighting cycle K of the signal controller L3.

[0038] Based on the evaluation of whether or not a pedestrian crossing traffic signal L should remain in place by the pedestrian crossing traffic signal continuing evaluation device 1 and the proposal for lighting control, the administrator can remove the pedestrian crossing traffic signal L at a crosswalk H where pedestrians W often ignore signals, or change the lighting cycle K of the signal controller L3, thereby reducing collision accidents between vehicles V passing through the crosswalk H and pedestrians W who ignore signals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1. Pedestrian crossing traffic signal survival assessment device 2 Light color detection section 3 Pedestrian detection section 4 Processing section A. Number of people B. Second number of people C Total number of people H Crosswalk L Pedestrian crossing traffic signal L1 Vehicle signal lamp L2 Pedestrian signal lights P ratio W Pedestrian

Claims

1. It is installed near an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal at a crosswalk, a lighting color detection unit that detects the lighting color of a pedestrian signal lamp of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal; a pedestrian detection unit that detects pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing; and a processing unit that is connected to the lighting color detection unit and the pedestrian detection unit and that performs a continuation evaluation of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal, the processing unit calculates a first number of people by counting the pedestrians over a predetermined period when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrian signal light device and the pedestrian signal light device detected by the lighting color detection unit is lit in green or flashing green, and a second number of people by counting the pedestrians over the predetermined period when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrian signal light device and the pedestrian signal light device detected by the lighting color detection unit is lit in red, A crosswalk traffic signal survival evaluation device characterized by evaluating whether to remove the pedestrian signal light device rather than retain it if the ratio of the second number of people to the total number of the first and second number of people calculated is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

2. The processing unit calculates an average number of the total number of people during the daytime on weekdays, and if the average number is equal to or greater than a set number of people, evaluates that the pedestrian signal light should be kept in operation even if the ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

3. 3. The device for evaluating the continued existence of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal according to claim 2, wherein, when the average number of the total number of people during the daytime on weekdays is equal to or greater than a set value and the ratio based on the first and second number of people counted only at night is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the processing unit proposes lighting control for the pedestrian crossing traffic signal by causing a vehicular signal lamp of the pedestrian crossing traffic signal to flash red and turning off the pedestrian crossing traffic signal at night.

4. 4. The device for evaluating the continuity of a pedestrian crossing traffic signal according to claim 1, wherein the lighting color detection unit and the pedestrian detection unit are a single image capture unit.

5. A method for evaluating the continued existence of an existing pedestrian crossing traffic signal installed at a pedestrian crossing, comprising: detecting a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk by a pedestrian detection unit; detecting a lighting color of the pedestrian signal light device by a lighting color detection unit; a step of counting, by a processing unit, the pedestrians detected by the pedestrian detection unit when the lighting color of the pedestrian signal lamp detected by the lighting color detection unit is green and flashing green, as a first number of people over a predetermined period of time; a step of counting, by the processing unit, the pedestrians whose lighting color is red as the second number of people over the predetermined period when the pedestrian detection unit detects the pedestrians; and when the ratio of the second number of people to the total number of the first and second number of people is equal to or greater than a threshold value, evaluating to remove the pedestrian signal light device rather than leaving it in place.

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