Information processing apparatus and method
The system uses in-vehicle cameras to detect bird gatherings and sound horns on nearby vehicles to deter birds, addressing the issue of bird droppings and other events, reducing damage and enabling early intervention.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing systems fail to effectively mitigate damage caused by events such as bird droppings and animal intrusions around vehicles, particularly in areas where wild birds gather, leading to soiling and disruption.
An information processing apparatus and method that utilizes in-vehicle cameras to detect predetermined events, such as bird gatherings, and triggers nearby vehicles to sound their horns to deter the birds, adjusting horn volume based on distance and presence of people, and notifying relevant authorities for proactive measures.
Effectively reduces damage from bird droppings and other events by deterring birds and enabling early intervention, thereby minimizing environmental disruption and facilitating timely administrative responses.
Smart Images
Figure 0007878077000001 
Figure 0007878077000002 
Figure 0007878077000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to maintaining the environment around a vehicle.
Background Art
[0002] A vehicle anti-theft method has been disclosed that sounds the horn of a vehicle to notify an abnormality when the door of an automobile is opened (for example, Patent Document 1).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] One aspect of the disclosure is to provide an information processing apparatus and a method capable of reducing damage caused by a predetermined event occurring around a vehicle.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is to determine whether a predetermined event has occurred based on a captured image including a predetermined location captured by an in-vehicle camera of one or more first vehicles, to sound a horn to a second vehicle located around the predetermined location when it is determined that the predetermined event has occurred, and a control unit that executes is an information processing apparatus provided with.
[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a computer to determine whether a predetermined event has occurred based on a captured image including a predetermined location captured by an in-vehicle camera of one or more first vehicles, When it is determined that the aforementioned predetermined event has occurred, the system will cause a second vehicle located near the aforementioned predetermined location to sound its horn. This is how to do it. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to mitigate damage caused by a predetermined event occurring around a vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a fecal damage prevention system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration between the server and the vehicle. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the server's functional configuration. [Figure 4] This is an example of a flowchart for bird deterrence. [Figure 5] This is an example of a flowchart for processing reports of damage caused by animal droppings. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] For example, places where wild birds gather are often soiled with bird droppings, and the problem of bird droppings is a concern. This can become a problem. For example, at garbage dumps, crows and other birds coming to rummage through the trash can be a problem.
[0010] One aspect of this disclosure solves the above problem using a vehicle. More specifically, one aspect of this disclosure is an information processing device comprising a control unit. The control unit determines whether a predetermined event has occurred based on an image captured by an on-board camera of one or more first vehicles, which includes a predetermined location. If the control unit determines that the predetermined event has occurred, it causes a second vehicle located near the location to sound its horn.
[0011] An information processing device is, for example, a server or an in-vehicle device. An in-vehicle device is, for example, a drive recorder, a data communication device (DCM), and a car navigation system. The control unit is, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). A predetermined event is, for example, when a predetermined number of birds gather. This includes things like the vehicle being in a certain location, and a specified animal entering a specified location. However, the specified events are not limited to these. The specified events can be any events that can be detected from the image of the in-vehicle camera. If the information processing device is a server, the first vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle camera that captured the image and the second vehicle that sounds the horn may be the same vehicle or different vehicles. If the information processing device is an in-vehicle device, the first vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle camera that captured the image and the second vehicle that sounds the horn are the same vehicle equipped with the said in-vehicle device.
[0012] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a predetermined event can be resolved by having a second vehicle located near the location where the predetermined event is occurring honk its horn. This makes it possible to suppress damage caused by the occurrence of the predetermined event. More specifically, if the predetermined event is the gathering of a predetermined number or more wild birds, one aspect of this disclosure can be used to drive away the wild birds and suppress damage caused by bird droppings. Damage caused by the predetermined event may include, for example, damage from bird droppings, as well as crows rummaging through garbage dumps and damage caused by animal intrusions.
[0013] In one aspect of this disclosure, the control unit may determine the volume of the horn sounded by the second vehicle according to at least one of the distance between the predetermined location and the second vehicle, and the number of people around the second vehicle. Sound decreases as the distance from the source increases. Also, the volume of the horn should be loud enough, for example, to scare away birds, otherwise it is pointless to sound it. On the other hand, if the horn of the second vehicle is too loud, it may startle people around the second vehicle. The number of people around the second vehicle can be obtained, for example, from images captured by the onboard camera of the second vehicle. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the volume of the horn sounded by the second vehicle can be adjusted to an appropriate volume according to the distance to the location where the predetermined event is occurring or the number of people in the vicinity.
[0014] In one aspect of this disclosure, the control unit may determine whether a predetermined event has occurred based on images captured by one or more in-vehicle cameras of a first vehicle, including a predetermined location, collected over a predetermined period. For example, migratory birds come to a predetermined location during specific seasons, so the number of migratory birds detected per unit time at that location varies depending on the season. For example, when detecting the gathering of migratory birds as a predetermined event, it is more desirable to detect a continuous gathering of birds over a long period of time rather than a temporary gathering of birds. Therefore, according to one aspect of this disclosure, events that occur continuously over a long period of time can be efficiently detected. Efficient detection means that there is a high probability of excluding the detection of a predetermined event that occurs suddenly. As a result, for example, if a predetermined number of birds or more temporarily gather at a predetermined location, the occurrence of the predetermined event will not be determined, and the horns of surrounding vehicles will not be sounded.
[0015] In one aspect of the present disclosure, when the control unit determines that a predetermined event has occurred, it may notify the occurrence of the predetermined event to a predetermined notification destination. For example, when it is detected that migratory birds gather as a predetermined event, by notifying a responsible department of an administrative agency as a predetermined notification destination, the official of the responsible department can take measures before the fecal damage caused by migratory birds becomes chronic.
[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.
[0017] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a fecal damage prevention system 100 according to the first embodiment. The fecal damage prevention system 100 according to the first embodiment is a system that prevents fecal damage by birds using information collected from a plurality of vehicles.
[0018] The fecal damage prevention system 100 includes a server 1, a vehicle 2A that acquires a captured image by an in-vehicle camera, and a vehicle 2B that sounds a horn. When the vehicle 2A and the vehicle 2B are not distinguished, they are denoted as the vehicle 2. Note that there are a plurality of vehicles 2 included in the fecal damage prevention system 100 other than the vehicle 2A and the vehicle 2B, but for the sake of convenience, the vehicle 2A and the vehicle 2B are shown in FIG. 1.
[0019] The server 1, the vehicle 2A, and the vehicle 2B are each connected to a network N1 and can communicate through the network N1. The network N1 is, for example, a public line network such as the Internet.
[0020] Vehicle 2 is a connected car that can communicate with other devices by connecting to network N1. Vehicle 2 transmits vehicle driving information to server 1 at predetermined intervals. The vehicle driving information includes information from various sensors acquired while vehicle 2 is driving. More specifically, the vehicle driving information includes vehicle 2 identification information, timestamp, location information, driving speed, and images captured by onboard cameras. However, the information included in the vehicle driving information is not limited to these. The transmission interval for vehicle driving information can be arbitrarily set by the user of vehicle 2 or the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100, for example, between 1 second and 1 minute. Vehicle driving information may also be transmitted when predetermined events occur. Events that trigger the transmission of vehicle driving information include, for example, turning the ignition of vehicle 2 on and off, and when a collision is detected.
[0021] Server 1 monitors images captured by an onboard camera collected from vehicle 2 and monitors the number of birds in a predetermined geographical area. The area to be monitored may be set by, for example, the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100, or it may be accepted by the person in charge of bird droppings control at a local government office. If, for example, Server 1 detects from the images received from vehicle 2A that there are more than a predetermined number of birds in the area to be monitored, it identifies vehicle 2B located in the vicinity of the area to be monitored. The location information of vehicle 2B can be identified from the vehicle's driving information. Server 1 instructs vehicle 2B to sound its horn. Upon receiving this instruction, vehicle 2B sounds its horn. The horn of vehicle 2B can intimidate and drive away the birds present in the area to be monitored, thereby suppressing bird droppings. Note that vehicle 2A and vehicle 2B may be the same vehicle or different vehicles.
[0022] Furthermore, if the average number of birds detected per unit time over the most recent predetermined period in a specified range exceeds a predetermined threshold, the server 1 notifies, for example, the department in charge of bird droppings control at a local government office. This allows, for example, the person in charge of bird droppings control at the local government office to take measures against bird droppings when migratory birds begin to gather in the specified range. In the first embodiment, the server 1, This is an example of an "information processing device." Vehicle 2A is an example of the "first vehicle." Vehicle 2B is an example of the "second vehicle."
[0023] Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration between Server 1 and Vehicle 2. Server 1 includes a CPU 101, memory 102, auxiliary storage device 103, and communication unit 104 as its hardware configuration. The auxiliary storage device 103 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). And, SSDs (Solid State Drives), etc. The program is stored in the auxiliary storage device 103. RAM includes, for example, the OS (Operating System) and several other programs. Memory 102 includes, for example, semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). Memory 102 and auxiliary storage device 103 are examples of computer-readable recording media.
[0024] The CPU 101 performs various processes by loading the OS and various other programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 into memory 102 and executing them. There may be more than one 101; the CPU 101 is an example of a "control unit".
[0025] The communication unit 104 is a module that connects, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) card and network cables such as optical modules, and includes a signal processing circuit. The communication unit 104 is not limited to a circuit that can connect to a wired network, but may also be a wireless signal processing circuit that can process wireless signals from a wireless communication network such as WiFi.
[0026] Next, Figure 2 shows the components related to the processing of the droppings prevention system 100 from the configuration of vehicle 2, and the configuration of vehicle 2 is not limited to what is shown in Figure 2. Vehicle 2 includes an on-board device 210, a camera 220, a horn 230, and a location information acquisition unit 240. These components are connected by an on-board network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) network and an on-board Ethernet.
[0027] Camera 220 is, for example, a camera used in a drive recorder mounted on vehicle 2. Camera 220 is installed so that its imaging range covers the area around vehicle 2. More specifically, for example, camera 220 is installed near the top of the windshield so that the front of vehicle 2 is the imaging direction. Camera 220 is not limited to one, and multiple cameras may be provided. For example, camera 220 may include a rear camera installed so that the rear of vehicle 2 is the imaging direction, and a 360-degree camera that can simultaneously capture the front, rear, sides, and interior of vehicle 2.
[0028] The horn 230 emits a warning sound when the switch is pressed by the user, as well as when it receives a signal from the in-vehicle device 210. The location information acquisition unit 240 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The location information acquisition unit 240 is, The system acquires the location information of vehicle 2 at predetermined intervals. The interval at which the location information acquisition unit 240 acquires location information is set, for example, between 0.1 seconds and 1 second.
[0029] In the first embodiment, the in-vehicle device 210 acquires images captured by the camera 220 at predetermined intervals and transmits vehicle driving information to the server 1. The in-vehicle device 210 is, for example, a data communication device (DCM), a drive recorder with communication functions, or a car navigation system. In Figure 2, the in-vehicle device 210 is assumed to be a data communication device. The hardware configuration of the in-vehicle device 210 includes a CPU 211, memory 212, auxiliary storage device 213, communication unit 214, and interface 215. The CPU 211, memory 212, and auxiliary storage device 213 are the same as those of the CPU 101, memory 102, and auxiliary storage device 103, respectively.
[0030] The communication unit 214 communicates with external devices based on mobile communication systems such as 5G, 6G, and 4G, Wi-Fi, or wireless communication systems such as DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications). Interface 215 is an interface for connecting to the in-vehicle network. Note that the hardware configuration of server 1 and vehicle 2 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 2.
[0031] Figure 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of Server 1. Server 1 comprises a receiving unit 11, a monitoring unit 12, a control unit 13, a vehicle driving information DB 14, and a monitoring information DB 15. The functions of each of these functional components are achieved by executing a predetermined program.
[0032] The receiving unit 11 receives vehicle driving information from the vehicle 2 at predetermined intervals. The receiving unit 11 stores the received vehicle driving information in the vehicle driving information DB 14.
[0033] The monitoring unit 12 analyzes the images captured by the on-board cameras included in the vehicle driving information received from each vehicle 2 to monitor the number of birds within a specified range. More specifically, at predetermined intervals, the monitoring unit 12 extracts multiple vehicle driving information entries from the vehicle driving information DB 14 stored during the most recent period in which the location information is within the specified range. The monitoring unit 12 performs image recognition processing on each of the images captured by the on-board cameras included in the extracted multiple vehicle driving information entries. For example, the monitoring unit 12 obtains the average value of the number of birds detected from each image as the result of the image recognition processing, and uses this as the number of birds within the specified range. The interval in which the number of birds within the specified range is obtained can be arbitrarily set by the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100, for example, between 1 minute and 1 hour. The monitoring unit 12 outputs the number of birds within the specified range to the control unit 13. If there are multiple specified ranges, the monitoring unit 12 obtains the number of birds for each specified range.
[0034] The control unit 13 performs bird deterrence processing and droppings damage prediction notification processing for the specified range. In the bird deterrence processing, if the number of birds within the specified range notified by the monitoring unit 12 is greater than or equal to a threshold, the control unit 13 refers to the vehicle travel information DB 14 to identify vehicles 2B located within and around the specified range, and sends an instruction to the identified vehicles 2B to sound their horns. Therefore, the execution cycle of the bird deterrence processing is the cycle in which the monitoring unit 12 acquires the number of birds within the specified range. However, it is not limited to this, and the execution cycle of the bird deterrence processing only needs to be longer than the cycle in which the monitoring unit 12 acquires the number of birds within the specified range. The execution cycle of the bird deterrence processing may be arbitrarily set, for example, by the administrator of the droppings damage prevention system 100.
[0035] The threshold for the number of birds within a specified range may be a value specified, for example, by the administrator of the droppings prevention system 100 or a person in charge at a government office. Alternatively, the threshold for the number of birds within a specified range may be varied according to, for example, the season and the time of day (morning, noon, night, etc.). For example, the threshold value may be set higher during the season when migratory birds arrive than during other seasons. Alternatively, the threshold for the number of birds within a specified range may be set based on the average number of birds detected per unit time over a predetermined period.
[0036] Furthermore, the control unit 13 may control the volume of the horn sounded by vehicle 2B. For example, if the sound of vehicle 2B's horn is not loud enough to intimidate birds within a specified range, the control unit 13 may instruct vehicle 2B to increase the volume of the horn as the distance from the specified range to vehicle 2B increases. Alternatively, the control unit 13 may control the volume of the horn sounded by vehicle 2B according to the number of people present around vehicle 2B. The number of people present around vehicle 2B can be obtained, for example, by analyzing images captured by the vehicle's onboard camera. The control unit 13 may instruct vehicle 2B to increase the volume of the horn as the number of people increases. This is to prevent the horn of vehicle 2B from startling people in the vicinity.
[0037] Furthermore, the control unit 13 may determine the volume of the horn to be sounded by vehicle 2B by considering both the distance from the designated range to vehicle 2B and the number of people present around vehicle 2B. For example, the control unit 13 may first determine the volume according to the distance from the designated range to vehicle 2B, and if the determined volume is less than the upper limit of the volume according to the number of people around vehicle 2B, the control unit 13 may instruct vehicle 2B to sound the horn at the determined volume. Note that the method of controlling the volume of the horn to be sounded by vehicle 2B is not limited to the method described above.
[0038] Furthermore, the control unit 13 may identify the type of bird detected from the captured image and change the frequency of the horn sounded by the vehicle 2B according to the type of bird. For example, if a bat is detected, the control unit 13 may set the frequency of the horn sounded by the vehicle 2B outside the range of human hearing (20Hz to 20KHz) and instruct the vehicle 2B to do so.
[0039] Furthermore, the range for identifying vehicle 2B may be arbitrarily set by the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100, for example, within a range of 1m to 10m from the designated range. Alternatively, the range for identifying vehicle 2B may be set from the designated range to a range where the horn volume of vehicle 2B, when at its maximum, can reach a volume sufficient to intimidate birds. The method for setting the range for identifying vehicle 2B is not limited to the methods described above.
[0040] In the bird droppings damage prediction notification process, the control unit 13 obtains the average number of birds detected per unit time over the most recent predetermined period within a specified range, and if this average value exceeds a threshold, it notifies a designated recipient of the occurrence of a bird gathering within the specified range. The execution cycle of the bird droppings damage prediction notification process and the predetermined period for obtaining the average number of birds detected per unit time can be arbitrarily set by the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100 or a person in charge at the local government office, for example, between one day and one week.
[0041] The unit time for calculating the average number of birds detected within the designated area is, for example, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 1 day. The unit time for calculating the average number of birds detected within the designated area may also be a value specified by, for example, the administrator of the bird droppings prevention system 100 or a person in charge at the local government office.
[0042] The average number of birds detected per unit time in the most recent predetermined period may be obtained, for example, by acquiring images of a specified range captured during the most recent predetermined period from the vehicle driving information DB 14, performing image recognition processing on each image, and aggregating the number of birds contained in each image obtained as a result of the image recognition processing. Alternatively, the control unit 13 may record the average number of birds detected from each image during the execution cycle of the bird deterrent process, which is calculated by the bird deterrent process, and aggregate the recorded average value for each unit time within the most recent predetermined period to obtain the average number of birds detected per unit time in the most recent predetermined period.
[0043] The threshold for the average number of birds detected per unit time may be a value specified, for example, by the administrator of the droppings prevention system 100 or a government official. Alternatively, it may be set similarly to the threshold for the number of birds within a specified range for bird deterrence. The method for notifying of the occurrence of a bird gathering within the specified range may be, for example, email, push notification, or phone call to a designated terminal.
[0044] The vehicle driving information DB 14 and the monitoring information DB 15 are created in the storage area of the auxiliary storage device 103 of the server 1. The vehicle driving information DB 14 holds vehicle driving information received from each vehicle 2 at predetermined intervals. The monitoring information DB 15 contains information related to the monitoring of the number of birds. It stores monitoring information. This monitoring information includes, for example, the specified range of the target to be monitored, the threshold for bird deterrence processing, the threshold for droppings damage prediction notification processing, information of the source of the monitoring request, and information of the recipient of the droppings damage prediction notification processing. Note that the functional configuration of Server 1 is not limited to the example shown in Figure 3.
[0045] <Processing flow> Figure 4 is an example of a flowchart for bird deterrence processing. The process shown in Figure 4 is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals. The main entity executing the process shown in Figure 4 is the CPU 101 of Server 1, but for convenience, the functional components will be explained as the main focus. The same applies to flowcharts from Figure 4 onward. Note that the process in Figure 4 is executed for each of the specified ranges of monitoring targets, i.e., the monitoring information held in the monitoring information DB 15.
[0046] In OP101, the control unit 13 determines whether the number of birds within the specified range, as notified by the monitoring unit 12, is equal to or greater than a threshold. If the number of birds within the specified range is equal to or greater than the threshold (OP101: YES), the process proceeds to OP102. If the number of birds within the specified range is less than the threshold (OP101: NO), the process shown in Figure 4 ends.
[0047] In OP102, the control unit 13 refers to the vehicle driving information DB 14 to search for vehicles 2 that are present within and around the specified range. In OP103, the control unit 13 determines whether it has detected a vehicle 2B to sound its horn. For example, if there are multiple vehicles 2 within and around the specified range, the control unit 13 detects the vehicle 2B to sound its horn in the order of parked vehicles 2 > stopped vehicles 2 > moving vehicles 2. That is, if there is a parked vehicle 2, the control unit 13 detects that vehicle 2. If there is no parked vehicle 2, the control unit 13 detects a stopped vehicle 2 if there is one. If there are neither parked vehicles 2 nor stopped vehicles 2, the control unit 13 detects a moving vehicle 2.
[0048] If vehicle 2B that will sound its horn is detected (OP103:YES), the process proceeds to OP104. If vehicle 2B that will sound its horn is not detected (OP103:NO), the process proceeds to OP102. For example, if vehicle 2B that will sound its horn is not detected even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the process shown in Figure 4 ends.
[0049] In OP104, the control unit 13 sends an instruction to the vehicle 2B detected by OP103 to sound its horn. At this time, the control unit 13 may determine the volume of the horn depending on the distance between the specified range and the vehicle 2B, and / or the number of people present around the vehicle 2B. After receiving this instruction, the vehicle 2B can sound its horn and scare away the birds within the specified range. The process shown in Figure 4 then ends.
[0050] Figure 5 is an example of a flowchart for the bird droppings damage prediction and notification process. The process shown in Figure 5 is executed at predetermined intervals. In OP201, the control unit 13 obtains the average value of the number of birds detected per unit time during the most recent predetermined period. In OP202, it is determined whether the average value of the number of birds detected per unit time is above a threshold. If the average value of the number of birds detected per unit time is above the threshold (OP202: YES), the process proceeds to OP203. If the average value of the number of birds detected per unit time is below the threshold (OP202: NO), the process shown in Figure 5 ends.
[0051] In OP203, the control unit 13 notifies the notification destinations associated with the specified range in the monitoring information DB 15 that a bird gathering has occurred within the specified range. After that, the process shown in Figure 5 is completed.
[0052] <Effects of the First Embodiment> According to the first embodiment, if a predetermined number of birds are gathered within a designated area, this is detected from the image captured by vehicle 2A, and the horns of surrounding vehicles 2B are sounded to drive the birds away from the designated area. This suppresses the settlement of birds within the designated area and reduces damage caused by bird droppings.
[0053] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, if the average number of birds detected per unit time during a predetermined period exceeds a threshold, a designated recipient is notified that birds are gathering in the designated area. This allows for early detection, for example, when migratory birds arrive and begin to gather in the designated area, and the relevant department at the local government is notified, enabling the person in charge to take measures against droppings before migratory birds chronically stay in the designated area. The bird deterrence process and droppings damage prediction notification process by Server 1 in the first embodiment can also be applied to other events. For example, if a garbage dump is designated as the area and crows are detected in the garbage dump, Server 1 may cause nearby vehicles 2B to honk their horns to drive away the crows.
[0054] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, vehicle 2 performs the bird-scare process independently. In the second embodiment, explanations that overlap with the first embodiment are omitted. In the second embodiment, the hardware configuration of vehicle 2 is the same as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, if vehicle 2 detects a predetermined number of birds or more from the image captured by camera 220 when they are present in the vicinity of a designated area, it sounds its horn to scare the birds away.
[0055] Figure 6 shows an example of the functional configuration of vehicle 2 according to the second embodiment. Vehicle 2 includes a monitoring unit 21 and a control unit 22 as its functional configuration. The functions of these functional components are achieved by the CPU 211 of the in-vehicle device 210 executing a predetermined program.
[0056] The monitoring unit 21 performs image recognition processing on the image captured by the camera 220 when the vehicle 2 is within a specified range to detect the number of birds. The specified range is, for example, notified by the server 1 or set by the user of the vehicle 2. The camera 220 takes images at a predetermined interval, for example, and the monitoring unit 21 performs image recognition processing according to the imaging interval. The number of birds obtained from the image captured by the camera 220 is notified to the control unit 22.
[0057] The control unit 22 sounds the horn 230 if the number of birds notified by the monitoring unit 21 is above a threshold. Similar to the first embodiment, the volume of the horn 230 may be determined according to the distance from the specified range and / or the number of people in the vicinity. The period during which the control unit 22 performs the bird-scare process may be, for example, longer than the imaging period of the camera 220. In that case, the average value of the number of birds detected in the images captured during the execution period of the bird-scare process is used. The threshold for the number of birds detected from the images captured by the camera 220 to determine whether or not to sound the horn 230 may be, for example, notified by the server 1, set by the user of the vehicle 2, or determined by the control unit 22 based on a statistical value of the number of birds detected from the images captured within the specified range of the camera 220. The in-vehicle device 210 in the second embodiment is an example of an "information processing device".
[0058] According to the second embodiment, each vehicle 2 can perform bird deterrence processing on its own, thereby suppressing bird droppings damage within a designated area. Furthermore, the vehicle 2 may use the images captured by the camera 220 to perform droppings damage prediction and notification processing, similar to the first embodiment. The threshold value for the average number of birds detected per unit time, and the information for the notification destination, may be notified by the server 1 or set by the user of the vehicle 2.
[0059] The bird-scare process using vehicle 2 in the second embodiment can also be applied to other situations. It is possible. For example, by designating the user's home in vehicle 2 as the range and detecting people instead of birds, the system can be used to sound the horn 230 when it detects an intruder entering the home from the images captured by camera 220. In this case, the faces of family members may be registered, and the monitoring unit 21 may detect anyone other than family members as an intruder. For example, by designating the user's home in vehicle 2 as the range and detecting raindrops instead of birds, the system can be used to sound the horn 230 to notify the family when it detects that it has started raining from the images captured by camera 220.
[0060] <Other variations> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence.
[0061] The processes and methods described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented, provided that no technical inconsistencies arise.
[0062] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by a single device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Conversely, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is implemented can be flexibly changed.
[0063] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage mediums include, for example, any type of disk such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]
[0064] 1. Server 2. Vehicles 11. Receiving section 12, 21...Monitoring Department 13, 22... Control Unit 14. Vehicle Driving Information Database 15. Monitoring Information Database 100...Feces damage prevention system 101, 211...CPU 102,212...memory 103, 213... Auxiliary storage device 104, 214... Communications Department 210...In-vehicle equipment 220 Camera 230... Horn 240...Location information acquisition unit
Claims
1. Based on images captured by on-board cameras of one or more first vehicles, including a predetermined location, it is determined whether the number of wild birds per unit time within a predetermined location during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold, thereby determining whether a predetermined event, namely a gathering of wild birds, has occurred. When it is determined that the number of wild birds is above the predetermined threshold, and that the predetermined event has occurred, the horn of a second vehicle located near the predetermined location is to be sounded. The control unit that executes this is Information processing device.
2. The control unit determines the volume of the horn sounded by the second vehicle according to at least one of the distance between the predetermined location and the second vehicle, and the number of people around the second vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.
3. The control unit performs the determination based on the images captured by the one or more in-vehicle cameras of the first vehicle, including the predetermined location, which have been collected during the predetermined period. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.
4. When the control unit determines that the predetermined event has occurred, it notifies the department in charge of countermeasures against damage caused by wild birds at the local government office of the occurrence of the predetermined event, using the designated recipient. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.
5. Computers Based on images captured by on-board cameras of one or more first vehicles, including a predetermined location, it is determined whether the number of wild birds per unit time within a predetermined location during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold, thereby determining whether a predetermined event, namely a gathering of wild birds, has occurred. When it is determined that the number of wild birds is above the predetermined threshold, and that the predetermined event has occurred, the horn of a second vehicle located near the predetermined location will be activated. Making a sound and How to do it.