JP7538017B2 - Boarding availability display system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a boarding availability display system, for example, a boarding availability display system that displays whether it is possible to board a train arriving at a station platform.

A system that displays the congestion level of trains departing from a target station is shown, for example, in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 shows a system that predicts the congestion level of each car using various data stored in a server memory unit.

JP 2019-99068 A

The system shown in Patent Document 1 predicts congestion levels using various data stored in a server memory unit. However, since predictions are made using various data and do not reflect the actual conditions of trains and station platforms, there is an issue that the accuracy is low.

The boarding availability display system according to one embodiment described in this specification is as follows.

That is, the boarding availability display system includes a processing device to which vehicle information from cameras installed in each train car and platform information from cameras installed on the station platform where the train arrives are supplied, and a display device. The processing device determines the number of passengers on each train car from the car information, determines the number of passengers waiting on the station platform from the platform information, and, when the train arrives at the station platform, causes the display device to display boarding availability information indicating whether or not boarding is available for each car.

Other objects and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

According to one embodiment, a boarding availability display system that can improve accuracy can be provided.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a boarding availability display system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the boarding availability display system according to the embodiment. FIG.

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and any appropriate modifications that a person skilled in the art can easily conceive while maintaining the gist of the invention are naturally included within the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, in this specification and each figure, elements similar to those previously described with respect to the previous figures are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

(Embodiment)
<Configuration of boarding availability display system>
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a boarding availability display system according to an embodiment. In Fig. 1, a boarding availability display system 1 is provided with a plurality of vehicle cameras 10, a plurality of home cameras 20, a server (processing device) 30, and a display device 40.

A train is made up of multiple cars coupled together. Each car is equipped with one or more security (vehicle security) cameras for crime prevention purposes. In addition, station platforms where trains arrive and/or depart are equipped with one or more security (platform security) cameras for crime prevention purposes. In the boarding availability display system 1 according to the embodiment, the vehicle security cameras and platform security cameras are used as the vehicle cameras 10 and platform cameras 20 described above. As a result, a vehicle camera 10 is installed in each car, and one or more platform cameras 20 are installed on the station platform. In FIG. 1, only one vehicle camera 10 installed in one car is shown as a representative, and only one platform camera 20 installed on the station platform is shown as a representative.

The vehicle camera 10 and the home camera 20 are connected to the server 30 via a network 50_1, and the server 30 and the display device 40 are connected to each other via a network 50_2.

The vehicle camera 10 includes an imaging unit 11 that captures images of the interior of the vehicle in which it is installed, a memory unit 12 that stores the image data captured by the imaging unit 11, a communication unit 13 that transmits and receives information to and from the server 30 via the network 50_1, and a control unit 14.

The control unit 14 includes an image recognition unit 14_1 that recognizes passengers in the vehicle from the image data captured by the imaging unit 11, and a number of passengers calculation unit 14_2 that calculates the number of passengers (occupant count) recognized by the image recognition unit 14_1. The image recognition unit 14_1 described above recognizes the faces of passengers, for example. The number of passengers calculation unit 14_2 increases the number of passengers when the faces recognized by the image recognition unit 14_1 are different. This determines the number of passengers in the vehicle. The determined number of passengers is output to the network 50_1 by the communication unit 13 as vehicle information. Passengers are also sometimes called passengers.

The platform camera 20 includes a photographing unit 21 that photographs the station platform on which it is installed, a memory unit 22 that stores the photographed data photographed by the photographing unit 21, a communication unit 23 that transmits and receives information to and from the server 30 via the network 50_1, and a control unit 24.

The control unit 24 includes an image recognition unit 24_1 that recognizes people waiting on the station platform for the arrival or departure of a train from the photographed data captured by the photographing unit 21, and a number of people calculation unit 24_2 that calculates the number of people (number of waiting personnel) recognized by the image recognition unit 24_1. The image recognition unit 24_1 and the number of people calculation unit 24_2 are similar to the image recognition unit 14_1 and the number of people calculation unit 14_2 described above. The difference is that the image recognition unit 24_1 recognizes the faces of people waiting, and the number of people calculation unit 24_2 increases the number of people waiting if the faces recognized by the image recognition unit 24_1 are different. This determines the number of people waiting on the station platform. The determined number of people waiting is output to the network 50_1 by the communication unit 23 as platform information.

The server 30 is installed, for example, in a station building or a command center. This server 30 includes a memory unit 31, a control unit 32, and a communication unit 33. The communication unit 33 transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle camera 10 and the home camera 20 via the network 50_1, and transmits and receives information to and from the display device 40 via the network 50_2.

The memory unit 31 stores multiple databases (DBs), but FIG. 1 shows only the vehicle-specific occupancy rate/alighting rate information database 31_1, which is necessary for the explanation. The vehicle-specific occupancy rate/alighting rate information database 31_1 is a database of the occupancy rate and alighting rate for each vehicle, for example, for each train. That is, taking one train as an example, for each vehicle of the train, the ratio of passengers who board the vehicle among those waiting at the station platform at the time of arrival is stored in the database as the occupancy rate. In addition, the ratio of passengers who board the vehicle and alight at the station platform at the time of arrival is stored in the database as the alighting rate for the vehicle. This occupancy rate and alighting rate are acquired in advance and stored in the vehicle-specific occupancy rate/alighting rate information database 31_1.

The control unit 32 includes a vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1, a platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2, a vehicle congestion status calculation unit 32_3, a platform congestion status calculation unit 32_4, a vehicle-specific boarding/alighting calculation unit 32_5, and a vehicle-specific boarding availability prediction calculation unit 32_6.

The vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1 acquires vehicle information output from the vehicle camera 10 from the information supplied via the network 50_1 and the communication unit 33. The vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1 acquires (understands) information on the number of passengers on board the vehicle from the vehicle information for each vehicle that constitutes the train. In addition, the platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2 acquires platform information output from the platform camera 20 from the information supplied via the network 50_1 and the communication unit 33. The platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2 acquires (understands) information on the number of people waiting on the station platform from the platform information.

The vehicle congestion calculation unit 32_3 calculates the congestion status of each vehicle based on the information on the number of people acquired by the vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1. For example, the vehicle congestion calculation unit 32_3 calculates the ratio between the capacity of one vehicle and the number of people in each vehicle from the vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1, and determines the calculated ratio as the congestion status of each vehicle.

The platform congestion calculation unit 32_4 calculates the congestion state of the station platform based on the information on the number of waiting people acquired by the platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2. The platform congestion calculation unit 32_4 calculates, for example, the ratio between the capacity of the station platform and the number of waiting people acquired by the platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2, and determines the calculated ratio as the congestion state of the station platform.

The vehicle boarding/alighting calculation unit 32_5 calculates the number of passengers boarding and alighting at a station for each vehicle based on the number of passengers for each vehicle acquired by the vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1, the number of waiting passengers acquired by the platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2, and the vehicle boarding rate and alighting rate in the vehicle boarding rate/alighting rate information database 31_1 described above.

The vehicle-specific boarding availability prediction calculation unit 32_6 predicts whether passengers waiting on the station platform for each vehicle can board the vehicle based on the number of people boarding and alighting calculated by the vehicle-specific boarding/alighting calculation unit 32_5, the congestion status for each vehicle calculated by the vehicle congestion status calculation unit 32_3, and the congestion status of the station platform calculated by the platform congestion status calculation unit 32_4. The result of this prediction (boarding availability information) is output to the display device 40 via the communication unit 33 and the network 50_2.

The display device 40 includes a communication unit 41 that transmits and receives information to and from the server 30 via the network 50_2, a memory unit 42 that stores information from the server 30, a display unit 43 that displays the information stored in the memory unit 42, and a control unit 44 that controls the entire display device 40. The display unit 43 is provided, for example, on a platform door installed on the station platform. Of course, this is not limited to this. For example, the display unit 43 may be provided on a bulletin board on the station platform, etc.

The results of the prediction by the vehicle-specific boarding availability prediction calculation unit 32_6 are stored in the memory unit 42 via the network 50_2 and the communication unit 41, and are displayed by the display unit 43.

The vehicle-specific boarding prediction calculation unit 32_6 may make a prediction without using the congestion state calculated by the vehicle congestion state calculation unit 32_3 and the platform congestion state calculation unit 32_4. For example, the vehicle-specific boarding prediction calculation unit 32_6 may calculate the number of passengers in the vehicle after the number of passengers changes due to boarding and alighting based on the number of passengers in the vehicle acquired by the vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1 and the number of passengers boarding and alighting calculated by the vehicle-specific boarding/alighting calculation unit 32_5. This calculation is performed for each vehicle. Whether or not boarding is possible is predicted depending on whether or not the number of passengers in the vehicle acquired by this calculation exceeds, for example, the vehicle capacity. For example, if the calculated number of passengers exceeds the capacity, the vehicle-specific boarding prediction calculation unit 32_6 predicts that boarding is not possible. Of course, the threshold value for comparison does not have to be the vehicle capacity, and even if the threshold value is the capacity, it may be predicted that boarding is not possible when the number exceeds, for example, 120% or 80% of the capacity.

The number of passengers boarding and alighting is determined by calculating the passenger boarding rate and alighting rate stored in the vehicle-specific passenger boarding rate/alighting rate information database 31_1, the number of passengers in the vehicle acquired by the vehicle camera information acquisition unit 32_1, and the number of people waiting on the station platform acquired by the platform camera information acquisition unit 32_2. In other words, the vehicle-specific boarding possibility prediction calculation unit 32_6 may predict whether or not it is possible to board a vehicle based on the alighting rate of passengers alighting from the vehicle, the passenger boarding rate of people waiting to board the vehicle, the number of passengers boarding, and the number of waiting passengers.

<Operation of boarding availability display system>
2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the boarding availability display system according to the embodiment. As described in FIG. 1, in the embodiment, security cameras installed on station platforms and in each train car are also used as the boarding availability display system.

In FIG. 2, the left side of the dashed line indicates steps executed by the vehicle camera 10 (FIG. 1), and the right side of the dashed line indicates steps executed by the home camera 20 (FIG. 1). Also, in FIG. 2, the steps shown at the bottom indicate steps executed by the server 30 (FIG. 1) and the display device 40 (FIG. 1).

<<Vehicle camera>>
Among the steps executed in the vehicle camera 10, steps ST1 and ST2 are for implementing the function of a security camera, and step ST10 is for implementing the function of a boarding availability display system.

First, in step ST0, the power supply of the vehicle camera 10 is turned on. This causes the imaging unit 11 to start capturing images of the interior of the vehicle in step ST1. The captured image data is stored in, for example, the memory unit 12 in step ST2. The captured image data stored in the memory unit 12 corresponds to the recorded image data of the interior of the vehicle and is used for crime prevention. Of course, the captured image data may be recorded in step ST2 on, for example, a removable storage medium instead of the memory unit 12.

Step ST10 is made up of steps ST10_1 to ST10_3. In step ST10_1, the image recognition unit 14_1 (FIG. 1) recognizes the faces of passengers based on the photographed data. Next, in step ST10_2, the number of passengers calculation unit 14_2 calculates the number of passengers in the vehicle. Furthermore, in step ST10_3, the communication unit 13 transmits the calculated result (number of passengers) to the server 30, etc.

<<Home Camera>>
The steps executed by the home camera 20 are similar to those executed by the vehicle camera 10. That is, steps SH0 to SH2 are similar to steps ST0 to ST2, and steps SH20, SH20_1 to SH20_3 are similar to steps ST10, ST10_1 to ST10_3. The difference is that in steps SH1 and SH2 , crime prevention recording is performed on the station platform, and in steps SH20, SH20_1 to SH20_3, the number of people waiting on the station platform is calculated.

<<Server and display device>>
The server 30 executes steps SP1 to SP3. In step SP1, the vehicle congestion calculation unit 32_3 calculates the congestion state of each vehicle based on the number of passengers in each vehicle transmitted in step ST10_3. In step SP2, the platform congestion calculation unit 32_4 calculates the congestion state of the station platform based on the number of people waiting on the station platform transmitted in step ST20_3. These two steps also make it possible to determine the congestion state of each vehicle and the congestion state of the station platform.

In step SP3, based on the congestion status obtained in steps SP1 and SP2 and the number of people calculated by the boarding/alighting calculation unit 32_5, the boarding availability prediction calculation unit 32_6 for each vehicle predicts whether or not passengers waiting on the station platform will be able to board each vehicle.

In step SP4, the result predicted in step SP3 is transmitted to the display device 40 and displayed on the display unit 43.

For example, the operation of the boarding availability display system 1 is outlined below, taking train C traveling from station A to station B as an example.

The number of passengers in each car of train C that departed from station A is transmitted from the vehicle camera 10 to the server 30. The number of passengers waiting at the platform (station platform) of station B at this time is transmitted from the platform camera 20 to the server 30. The server 30 determines the congestion status of each car based on the received number of passengers in each car, and determines the congestion status at the platform of station B based on the received number of waiting passengers at station B. The server 30 also uses a database of boarding and alighting rates by car to calculate the number of passengers who will alight and board each car when the train arrives at station B. Based on this, the server 30 predicts whether it is possible to board each car when the train arrives at station B, and displays the prediction result on, for example, the platform door at station B.

According to the boarding availability display system of the embodiment, it is possible to grasp the number of passengers in each car in real time using the vehicle camera. In addition, the number of passengers waiting on the station platform can also be grasped in real time using the platform camera. As a result, it becomes possible to more accurately predict whether it is possible to board each car. The results of the prediction are displayed, for example, on the platform doors, making it possible to guide passengers waiting on the station platform to cars that are available for boarding, and to prevent uneven distribution of passengers between cars. By reducing uneven distribution of passengers between cars, it is also possible to optimize the number of cars on the train and the number of trains in operation.

In this embodiment, the security camera is also used as the boarding availability display system. This eliminates the need to install new dedicated cameras or other sensors, making it possible to curb increases in capital investment. Of course, new cameras, rather than security cameras, may be installed in vehicles and/or station platforms and used in the boarding availability display system.

Furthermore, the vehicle camera 10 and the home camera 20 may be integrated with lighting such as fluorescent lights.

In the embodiment, the prediction results are displayed on the station platform, but this is not limited to this. For example, the waiting person may access the server 30 from a smartphone that he or she owns, and the prediction results may be sent from the server 30 to the smartphone. This allows the waiting person to know which cars are available to board on the screen of the smartphone.

The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiment, but it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 Boarding availability display system 10 Vehicle camera 20 Home camera 30 Server 40 Display device

Claims (2)

a processing device to which vehicle information from vehicle cameras installed in each vehicle of the train and platform information from platform cameras installed on the station platform at which the train arrives are supplied;
A display device;
Equipped with
The processing device calculates the number of people who will board and the number of people who will disembark at the station for each vehicle based on the occupancy rate of waiting people boarding the vehicle and the disembarking rate of passengers disembarking from the vehicle, which are stored in a vehicle occupancy rate/disembarkation rate information database, the number of passengers for each vehicle from the vehicle information, and the number of passengers waiting on the station platform from the platform information, predicts whether or not waiting people waiting on the station platform for each vehicle will be able to board based on the number of people boarding and the number of people disembarking at the station for each vehicle and the number of passengers for each vehicle from the vehicle information, and when the train arrives at the station platform, displays boarding availability information indicating whether or not boarding is available for each vehicle on the display device. The boarding availability display system according to claim 1,
The processing device predicts whether or not passengers waiting at the station platform for each car can board the train based on the number of people getting on and the number of people getting off, the congestion status of each car, and the congestion status of the station platform, and when the train arrives at the station platform, displays boarding availability information indicating whether or not passengers can board the train for each car on the display device.

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