JP7724129B2 - Laser Irradiation System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a laser irradiation system.

A laser irradiation system according to the background art is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. This laser irradiation system masks an object based on the three-dimensional position and dynamic behavior of the laser irradiation device and the three-dimensional position and dynamic behavior of the object to prevent the laser from being irradiated on objects other than the target.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/096296

The laser irradiation system disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not specifically consider how to generate mask data for masking objects. Furthermore, there are cases where it is not possible to appropriately set a prohibited area where laser irradiation is prohibited using only information on the three-dimensional position and dynamic behavior of the target or object.

The objective of this disclosure is to provide a laser irradiation system that can appropriately set prohibited areas where laser irradiation is prohibited.

A laser irradiation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a laser irradiation system that irradiates a target with a laser, and includes an irradiation device that irradiates a laser, and a control device that controls the irradiation device. The control device has an identification unit that identifies buildings, combustible materials, or living things present in the vicinity of the irradiation device, an acquisition unit that acquires additional information related to the buildings, combustible materials, or living things input from the outside, and a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the buildings, combustible materials, or living things identified by the identification unit and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit.

This disclosure makes it possible to appropriately set prohibited areas in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on external shape information of buildings, combustible materials, or living organisms present around the irradiation device, and additional information about the buildings, combustible materials, or living organisms input from outside.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic overall configuration of a laser irradiation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a side view specifically showing the configuration of a laser irradiation unit and a support mechanism. FIG. 2 is a perspective view specifically showing the configuration of a laser irradiation unit and a support mechanism. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a laser irradiation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control operation executed by a controller. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining target tracking. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining target tracking. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a first method for generating mask data by a controller. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a second method for generating mask data by the controller. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a third method for generating mask data by the controller. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a fourth method for generating mask data by the controller. FIG. 10 is a simplified diagram showing a part of an edge image displayed on a display device.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that elements with the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate the same or corresponding elements.

[Overall system configuration]
1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a laser irradiation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The laser irradiation system according to this embodiment is a laser system for neutralizing a target or transmitting energy to the target by irradiating the target with a high-power laser from a laser irradiation device 1. The target may be, for example, an air vehicle or flying object, such as an aircraft having a propulsion unit and fixed wings, or an aircraft having a single or multiple rotors. The target air vehicle or flying object may be an aircraft, including an unmanned aerial vehicle.

The laser irradiation system according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle 101, which is a moving body. The vehicle 101 comprises an engine 102 as a power source, wheels 103 that are driven and rotated by the engine 102, a cabin 104 with a built-in driver's seat, a frame 105 connected to the cabin 104, and a container 106 supported by the frame 105. The laser irradiation device 1 is disposed in the container 106. In addition, a radar detector 110 that uses radar to detect targets is disposed in the container 106.

The laser irradiation device 1 comprises a laser oscillator 11, a laser irradiation unit 12, and a support mechanism 13. The laser oscillator 11 is a light source that generates laser light Lb. The laser irradiation unit 12 is an irradiator that guides the laser light Lb generated by the laser oscillator 11 in a desired direction while irradiating it. The support mechanism 13 is a mechanism that supports the laser irradiation unit 12 so that it can rotate and tilt.

The laser oscillator 11 is disposed inside the container 106, and the laser irradiation unit 12 and support mechanism 13 are disposed on the container 106. Note that the container 106 may be configured not only as a storage room for the laser oscillator 11, but also as, for example, an operator's room where an operator resides.

The laser Lb generated by the laser oscillator 11 can be of any type as long as it is a high-power laser, but a fiber laser is suitable, for example. A fiber laser is a type of electrically driven laser that oscillates a laser using an optical fiber doped with a laser-active element, and has advantages such as highly efficient oscillation and high beam quality. When a fiber laser is used, the laser oscillator 11 can include, for example, a semiconductor laser as an excitation light source, a coupler that couples the light from the semiconductor laser to an optical fiber doped with an active element that serves as a medium, and a laser resonator that extracts laser light from the optical fiber in a state excited by the semiconductor laser.

2 and 3 are side and perspective views specifically illustrating the configuration of the laser irradiation unit 12 and the support mechanism 13. In this embodiment, for convenience, the extension direction of the Z axis (described below), which is the rotation axis of the support mechanism 13 shown in FIG. 2 etc., is defined as the up-down direction, and the extension direction of the Y axis is defined as the left-right direction. The direction in which the container 106 of the vehicle 101 exists as viewed from the laser irradiation device 1 is defined as the downward direction of the Z axis, and the direction in which the laser irradiation unit 12 emits the laser is defined as the forward direction. However, this directional definition can be changed as appropriate depending on the mounting orientation of the laser irradiation device 1 on the vehicle 101. The laser irradiation unit 12 includes a housing 21, an optical module 22, an irradiation window 23, a tracking camera 24, and a photographing window 25. The housing 21 is a roughly rectangular cylindrical housing that houses the optical module 22 and the tracking camera 24. The optical module 22 is a group of optical components that focus and direct the laser beam Lb output from the laser oscillator 11 in the desired direction, and is composed of optical elements including transmissive and reflective optical elements. Examples of transmissive optical elements include a focusing lens or a refractive lens, and examples of reflective optical elements include a concave or convex mirror. The irradiation window 23 is a transparent member made of a glass plate or the like that can transmit the laser beam Lb output from the optical module 22, and is attached to the front end surface 21a of the housing 21, which serves as the exit for the laser beam Lb. The tracking camera 24 is an imaging device that captures images of the target in order to capture and track the target. The imaging window 25 is a transparent member made of a glass plate or the like that is attached to the front end surface 21a of the housing 21 to capture images into the tracking camera 24.

The laser irradiation unit 12 emits laser Lb from the optical module 22 through the irradiation window 23 while its attitude is controlled so that it is directed at the target captured by the tracking camera 24.

The irradiation window 23 and the imaging window 25 are airtightly attached to the front end surface 21a of the housing 21. In other words, the interior of the housing 21 is sealed. Dry gas is sealed inside this sealed housing 21. The dry gas fills the interior of the housing 21 and removes air, thereby reducing the amount of water vapor or impurities remaining inside the housing 21. This prevents water vapor from absorbing the laser Lb passing through the housing 21, and ultimately prevents the refractive index of the laser Lb from changing due to the temperature rise that accompanies absorption of the laser.

The support mechanism 13 is a so-called two-axis gimbal mechanism. By being supported by this support mechanism 13, the laser irradiation unit 12 can rotate around the Z axis (as shown by arrow A1 in Figure 2), and tilt around the Y axis (orthogonal to the Z axis) (as shown by arrow A2 in Figure 2).

Specifically, the support mechanism 13 includes a base 31, a rotating body 32, a pair of left and right support legs 33, and a Z-axis motor 34 and a Y-axis motor 35 shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the base 31 is a disk-shaped platform fixed to the container 106. The rotating body 32 is a disk-shaped rotating body arranged coaxially on the base 31 and is supported on the base 31 via a rotating shaft 31a extending in the Z-axis direction. The pair of support legs 33 are members that protrude upward from the rotating body 32 and are arranged to sandwich the laser irradiation unit 12 from both sides in the Y-axis direction. Each support leg 33 supports the laser irradiation unit 12 via a tilting shaft 33a extending in the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis motor 34 is an electric motor that rotates the rotating body 32 around the Z-axis as indicated by arrow A1. The Y-axis motor 35 is an electric motor that rotates the laser irradiation unit 12 around the Y-axis as indicated by arrow A2.

As the Z-axis motor 34 rotates the rotating body 32, the laser irradiation unit 12 rotates around the Z-axis together with the support leg 33. Additionally, as the Y-axis motor 35 is driven, the laser irradiation unit 12 tilts around the Y-axis relative to the support leg 33. Because the laser irradiation unit 12 is supported by the support mechanism 13 in a state that allows it to rotate and tilt in this way, the front end surface 21a, where the irradiation window 23 and shooting window 25 are located, can be directed in all directions.

The laser irradiation unit 12 and laser oscillator 11 are connected via a light guide path 18, shown simply in Figure 3. The light guide path 18 is a path for introducing the laser Lb output from the laser oscillator 11 into the optical module 22 inside the laser irradiation unit 12. When irradiating the target with the laser Lb, the laser Lb is introduced from the laser oscillator 11 into the optical module 22 via the light guide path 18. The laser Lb introduced into the optical module 22 is then guided to the outside through the irradiation window 23.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the laser irradiation system according to this embodiment. The laser irradiation system includes a controller 70 as a control device. The laser irradiation system also includes a laser irradiation device 1, a radar detector 110, an input device 51, a display device 52, a distance measurement device 61, and a visibility measurement device 62, all of which are electrically connected to the controller 70. However, not all of the input device 51, display device 52, distance measurement device 61, and visibility measurement device 62 are necessarily required; unnecessary devices can be omitted depending on which of the first to fourth generation methods described below is adopted. The input device 51 includes an operation button, keyboard, mouse, or touch panel that can be operated by an operator. The input device 51 also includes a communication module for inputting data received from an external communication device to the controller 70, or a data reading device for inputting data read from an external storage medium to the controller 70. The display device 52 includes an LCD or organic EL display. The input device 51 and display device 52 are located, for example, in an operator's room inside the container 106. The distance measurement device 61 is configured using any distance meter for measuring the distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the measurement object. The visibility measurement device 62 is configured using any visibility meter for measuring the visibility of the environment surrounding the laser irradiation device 1. The distance measurement device 61 and the visibility measurement device 62 may be implemented in the laser irradiation device 1. The controller 70 includes an identification unit 41, an acquisition unit 42, a setting unit 43, and a calculation unit 44. The functions of each processing unit will be described in detail below. The controller 70 controls the driving of the laser oscillator 11, tracking camera 24, Z-axis motor 34, and Y-axis motor 35 of the laser irradiation device 1.

[Example of operation]
5 is a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of the laser irradiation device 1 for irradiating a laser beam onto a target, which is executed by the controller 70. First, in step S1, the controller 70 activates the radar detector 110. For example, an operator who has received warning information indicating the possibility of a target approaching inputs an activation command for the radar detector 110 from the input device 51 to the controller 70. In response to this, the controller 70 activates the radar detector 110.

When the radar detector 110 is activated, the controller 70 then determines in step S2 whether a target has been detected by the radar detector 110. If a target has not been detected (step S2: NO), the controller 70 repeats the processing of step S2.

If a target is detected (step S2: YES), then in step S3, the controller 70 causes the tracking camera 24 to track the target. That is, the controller 70 controls the attitude of the laser projection unit 12 using the Z-axis motor 34 and Y-axis motor 35 so that the target detected by the radar detector 110 falls within the angle of view of the tracking camera 24, and causes the tracking camera 24 to continuously capture images of the target. Note that when the radar detector 110 detects a target, the radar detector 110 may simultaneously obtain information about the distance between the target and the laser projection device 1, as well as information about the direction of the target as seen by the laser projection device 1, and transmit this information to the controller 70. In this embodiment, the controller 70 estimates the position of the target based on information obtained from the radar detector 110 and the tracking camera 24.

Next, in step S4, the controller 70 determines whether target tracking has converged.

Figures 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining target tracking and show images captured by the tracking camera 24. In Figure 6A, point X1 indicates the tracking point, and point X2 indicates the laser aim. Tracking point X1 is a reference point included in the image of the target, and laser aim X2 is the point of arrival of laser Lb emitted from the laser irradiation unit 12. The controller 70 controls the attitude of the laser irradiation unit 12 so that tracking point X1 coincides with laser aim X2, i.e., so that the state shown in Figure 6A changes to the state shown in Figure 6B. Then, when a stable state is achieved in which tracking point X1 approximately coincides with laser aim X2, it is determined that tracking has converged.

If it is determined that tracking has converged (step S4: YES), then in step S5, the controller 70 irradiates the target with laser Lb. That is, the controller 70 controls the laser oscillator 11 so that laser Lb is input from the laser oscillator 11 to the laser irradiation unit 12. As a result, laser Lb is introduced into the optical module 22, and the optical module 22 irradiates laser Lb through the irradiation window 23.

If it is determined that tracking has not converged (step S4: NO), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processes of steps S3 and S4.

Next, in step S6, the controller 70 determines whether action on the target has been completed. The specific determination varies depending on the purpose of the laser irradiation. However, if the purpose is to neutralize a flying or vehicular target, the controller 70 determines whether the laser Lb irradiated from the laser irradiation unit 12 has hit the target and the hit state has continued for a certain period of time, thereby neutralizing the target. Examples of neutralization include partial or total damage to the target, causing it to crash, or the target being unable to fly stably. In this case, the controller 70 may determine whether damage has occurred to the target or whether the target is able to fly stably by analyzing images captured by the tracking camera 24, for example. If the purpose is to transmit energy to a flying or vehicular target, the controller 70 determines whether energy transmission to the target has been completed when the laser Lb irradiated from the laser irradiation unit 12 has hit the target and the hit state has continued for a predetermined period of time or more. The target may be equipped in advance with a sensor that determines the charge level, a control device that determines whether the charge is sufficient, and a wireless device that transmits this information wirelessly, and the target's charge status may be transmitted to the laser irradiation device 1 to determine whether energy transmission to the target is complete. If it is determined that treatment of the target is not complete (step S6: NO), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processes of steps S5 and S6.

If it is determined that dealing with the target has been completed (step S6: YES), then in step S7, the controller 70 determines whether or not other targets exist. In other words, the controller 70 determines whether or not there are any targets detected by the radar detector 110 in addition to the targets for which dealing with the target has already been completed.

If it is determined that another target exists (step S7: YES), the controller 70 tracks and deals with the other target by repeatedly executing the processes from step S3 onwards.

If it is determined that no other targets exist (step S7: NO), the controller 70 terminates processing.

As described above, the laser irradiation system according to this embodiment neutralizes or transmits energy to a target by irradiating the target with a laser beam Lb. However, because the laser beam Lb has strong directivity, if the laser beam Lb misses the target, there is a possibility that the laser beam Lb will be irradiated onto objects in the vicinity of the target. If the area surrounding the target is the sky or ocean, where the probability of the laser beam Lb irradiating living organisms is extremely low, or if no flammable materials are present, there is little risk of injury to residents, animals, or other living organisms, or of fires, etc., even if the laser beam Lb is irradiated onto the area surrounding the target. However, if the area surrounding the target contains structures, particularly residential buildings, public facilities, commercial facilities, or zoos, where living organisms may be present, or if flammable materials such as plastic, piles, or trees, or living organisms (hereinafter referred to as "structures, etc."), there is a possibility that living organisms may be injured or a fire may break out if the laser beam Lb is irradiated onto the area surrounding the target. For this reason, if structures, etc., are present in the area surrounding the target, it is preferable to prohibit irradiation of the laser beam Lb for safety reasons.

In the laser irradiation system according to this embodiment, after the vehicle 101 has been deployed at a predetermined position and before laser irradiation of the target begins, the controller 70 generates mask data in which a prohibited area is set that prohibits irradiation of the laser Lb. Referring to FIG. 4, the identification unit 41 identifies structures and the like present in the vicinity of the laser irradiation device 1, the acquisition unit 42 acquires additional information about the structures and the like input from the outside using the input device 51, distance measurement device 61, visibility measurement device 62, tracking camera 24, or other cameras, and the setting unit 43 sets the prohibited area based on the external shape information of the structures and the like identified by the identification unit 41 and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit 42. Various methods for generating mask data are described in detail below. The following multiple generation methods can be applied in any combination.

[First generation method]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a first method for generating mask data by the controller 70. In FIG.

First, in step S11, the acquisition unit 42 acquires image data of a surrounding image showing the situation around the laser projection device 1. The image data is data of a captured image of the area around the laser projection device 1 taken by the tracking camera 24 or another camera, and the image data is input to the controller 70 from the tracking camera 24 or another camera. The image data may be data of captured images of the entire area around the laser projection device 1, or data of captured images of the area captured by the tracking camera 24. Alternatively, the image data may be map data of a three-dimensional map created in advance, and the image data is input to the controller 70 from the input device 51 along with position information of the vehicle 101, such as GPS coordinates.

Next, in step S12, the identification unit 41 identifies one building or the like included in the surrounding image input in step S11, and further determines whether the identified building or the like is a building, a combustible object, or a living thing. Identifying a building or the like, and whether it is a building, a combustible object, or a living thing, may be done using any commonly known image recognition technology, such as template matching technology or image recognition technology using a trained predictive model using machine learning.

Next, in step S13, if the building, etc. identified in step S12 is a building, the acquisition unit 42 acquires presence information indicating whether or not a living thing is present within the building as the additional information. For example, since no people are present within closed, unused buildings or unfinished buildings, map information indicating closed, unused buildings or unfinished buildings is created in advance as presence information and stored in a database. Presence information may also be acquired by obtaining location information from a GPS-equipped device such as a mobile phone or a pet collar. Data indicating the presence information is input from the input device 51 to the controller 70.

Next, in step S14, the setting unit 43 determines whether or not a living organism is present in the structure identified in step S12, based on the presence information acquired in step S13. Note that the setting unit 43 can associate the structure identified in step S12 with the structure indicated by the presence information acquired in step S13 by using location information of the vehicle 101, such as GPS coordinates.

If it is determined that a living organism is present within the structure (step S14: YES), then in step S15, the setting unit 43 sets the structure identified in step S12 as a prohibited area. The prohibited area may be set in a virtual three-dimensional space or on a two-dimensional plane.

If it is determined that no living creatures are present within the structure (step S14: NO), then in step S16, the setting unit 43 does not set the structure identified in step S12 as a prohibited area.

Next, in step S17, the setting unit 43 determines whether the surrounding image input in step S11 includes other buildings, etc.

If it is determined that other buildings, etc. are included (step S17: YES), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processing from step S12 onwards for those other buildings, etc.

If it is determined that no other buildings or structures are included (step S17: NO), then in step S18, the setting unit 43 generates mask data that includes the prohibited area set in step S15, and ends the process.

In the first generation method, presence information is acquired after identifying buildings, etc., but buildings, etc. may also be identified after acquiring presence information. The presence information may be acquired at any time before step S14.

If the structure or other object identified in step S12 is not a structure but a combustible object or living thing, step S14 does not need to be performed. In this case, the setting unit 43 sets the structure or other object identified in step S12 as a prohibited area.

In the first generation method, in step S12, the identification unit 41 identifies one building, etc. included in the surrounding image input in step S11, but it may also identify all buildings, etc. included in the image data. In this case, in step S17, the setting unit 43 determines whether other buildings, etc. are included in the surrounding image input in step S11, and if it is determined that other buildings, etc. are included (step S17: YES), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processing from step S14 onwards for the other buildings, etc.

[Second Generation Method]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a second method for generating mask data by the controller 70. In FIG.

First, in step S21, the acquisition unit 42 acquires visibility information indicating the visibility of the environment surrounding the laser irradiation device 1 from the visibility measurement device 62 as the additional information.

Next, in step S22, the calculation unit 44 calculates the reach distance of the laser Lb emitted from the laser irradiation device 1 based on the visibility information acquired in step S21. The reach distance of the laser Lb is the distance until the laser intensity, such as power density, falls below a threshold value determined by safety standards. When the visibility is long, the aerosol concentration in the atmosphere is low and the laser Lb is scattered less, so the longer the visibility, the longer the reach distance.

Next, in step S23, the acquisition unit 42 acquires image data of the peripheral image of the laser irradiation device 1, similar to step S11 above.

Next, in step S24, the identification unit 41 identifies one building or other object contained in the surrounding image input in step S23, similar to step S12 above.

Next, in step S25, the acquisition unit 42 acquires distance information indicating the distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the structure or the like identified in step S24 as the additional information. The distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the structure or the like is measured by the distance measurement device 61, and the distance information is input from the distance measurement device 61 to the controller 70.

Next, in step S26, the setting unit 43 determines whether the distance to the building or the like indicated by the distance information acquired in step S25 is less than the reach distance of the laser Lb calculated in step S22.

If it is determined that the distance to the building or the like is less than the reach distance (step S26: YES), then in step S27, the setting unit 43 sets the building or the like identified in step S24 as a prohibited area. The prohibited area may be set in a virtual three-dimensional space or on a two-dimensional plane.

If it is determined that the distance to the building, etc. is greater than the reach distance (step S26: NO), then in step S28, the setting unit 43 does not set the building, etc. identified in step S24 as a prohibited area.

Next, in step S29, the setting unit 43 determines whether the surrounding image input in step S23 includes other buildings, etc.

If it is determined that other buildings, etc. are included (step S29: YES), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processing from step S24 onwards for those other buildings, etc.

If it is determined that no other buildings or structures are included (step S29: NO), then in step S30, the setting unit 43 generates mask data that includes the prohibited area set in step S27, and ends the process.

In the second generation method, image data is input, buildings, etc. are identified, and distance information is acquired after obtaining visibility information and calculating the laser's reach. However, it is also possible to obtain visibility information and calculate the laser's reach after inputting image data, identifying buildings, etc., and obtaining distance information. Also, although distance information is acquired after identifying buildings, etc., it can be acquired at any time before step S26.

In the second generation method, in step S24, the identification unit 41 identifies one building, etc. included in the surrounding image input in step S23, but it may also identify all buildings, etc. included in the image data. In this case, in step S29, the setting unit 43 determines whether other buildings, etc. are included in the surrounding image input in step S23, and if it is determined that other buildings, etc. are included (step S29: YES), the controller 70 repeatedly executes the processing from step S25 onwards for the other buildings, etc.

[Third Generation Method]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a third method for generating mask data by the controller 70. In FIG.

First, in step S31, the acquisition unit 42 acquires image data of the peripheral image of the laser irradiation device 1, similar to step S11 above.

Next, in step S32, the identification unit 41 identifies all buildings, etc. included in the surrounding image input in step S31, similar to step S12 above. Furthermore, if there are buildings, etc. in the background of the target, the identification unit 41 identifies those buildings, etc. If there are no buildings, etc. in the background of the target, the setting unit 43 generates mask data without setting a prohibited area, and ends the process.

Next, in step S33, the acquisition unit 42 acquires first distance information indicating the first distance, which is the distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the target, as the additional information. The first distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the target is measured by the distance measurement device 61, and the first distance information is input from the distance measurement device 61 to the controller 70.

Next, in step S34, the acquisition unit 42 acquires second distance information indicating a second distance, which is the distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to a structure or the like present in the background of the target, as the additional information. The second distance from the laser irradiation device 1 to the structure or the like is measured by the distance measurement device 61, and the second distance information is input from the distance measurement device 61 to the controller 70.

Next, in step S35, the calculation unit 44 calculates the laser intensity of the laser Lb that will be irradiated onto buildings, etc. in the background of the target when the laser Lb irradiated from the laser irradiation device 1 toward the target does not hit the target, based on the first distance indicated by the first distance information acquired in step S34 and the second distance indicated by the second distance information acquired in step S35. The focal length of the laser Lb irradiated from the laser irradiation device 1 is controlled by the laser irradiation unit 12 so that the laser intensity is maximized at the first distance to the target. Therefore, the greater the difference between the first distance and the second distance, the lower the laser intensity of the laser Lb that will be irradiated onto buildings, etc. in the background of the target when the laser Lb does not hit the target.

Next, in step S36, the setting unit 43 determines whether the laser intensity calculated in step S35 is equal to or greater than a threshold value determined by safety standards.

If it is determined that the laser intensity is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S36: YES), then in step S37, the setting unit 43 sets buildings and other objects present in the background of the target as a prohibited area. The prohibited area may be set in a virtual three-dimensional space or on a two-dimensional plane.

If it is determined that the laser intensity is less than the threshold value (step S36: NO), then in step S38, the setting unit 43 does not set buildings or other structures that exist in the background of the target as prohibited areas.

Next, in step S39, the setting unit 43 generates mask data including the prohibited area set in step S37, and ends the process. The controller 70 generates new mask data by performing the same process as above each time the background structures, etc. change as the target moves.

In the third generation method, the second distance information is obtained after the first distance information is obtained, but the first distance information may also be obtained after the second distance information is obtained.

[Fourth Generation Method]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a fourth method for generating mask data by the controller 70. In FIG.

First, in step S41, the controller 70 acquires a peripheral image of the area around the laser irradiation device 1 captured by the tracking camera 24 or another camera, similar to step S12 above.

Next, in step S42, the controller 70 identifies buildings and other structures included in the surrounding image acquired in step S41 using well-known image processing techniques such as template matching or image recognition techniques using a trained predictive model based on machine learning.

Next, in step S43, the controller 70 creates an edge image showing the boundary line that follows the outline of the building, etc., by detecting the outline of the building, etc., using binarization processing, edge extraction processing, etc. The binarization processing, edge extraction processing, etc. are performed multiple times while changing parameters, and multiple edge images showing the boundary line that follows the outline of the building, etc. are created. The edge image includes the confirmed boundary line and multiple boundary candidates that connect to the endpoint P of the boundary line. The controller 70 compares these multiple edge images and sets multiple boundary candidates for parts of the outline of the building, etc. that could not be identified as clear boundary lines using the edge extraction processing.

Next, in step S44, the controller 70 outputs image data of the created edge image. This image data is input to the display device 52, which then displays the edge image.

Figure 11 is a simplified diagram showing a portion of the edge image displayed on the display device 52. The edge image includes a confirmed boundary line K1 and multiple boundary candidates K2A, K2B that connect to the endpoint P of the boundary line K1. The controller 70 displays the boundary candidates K2A, K2B in a display format that allows the operator to easily recognize that they are boundary candidates that are ambiguous boundaries rather than confirmed boundaries. In the example shown in Figure 11, the confirmed boundary line K1 is displayed as a solid line, and the boundary candidates K2A, K2B are displayed as dashed lines or dash-dot lines. The confirmed boundary line K1 and boundary candidates K2A, K2B may be displayed in a virtual three-dimensional space, or may be displayed as a two-dimensional plane as in the example shown in Figure 11.

The operator selects one boundary candidate from among the multiple boundary candidates K2A and K2B by using a mouse or touching the touch panel. The operator's boundary candidate selection information is input from the input device 51 to the controller 70 as correction information for correcting the ambiguous boundary line.

Next, in step S45, the acquisition unit 42 acquires the selection information input from the input device 51 as the additional information.

Next, in step S46, the setting unit 43 determines the boundary lines of the building, etc. based on the acquired selection information, and sets the building, etc. whose outline has been determined as a prohibited area. The setting unit 43 also generates mask data including the prohibited area, and ends the process.

In the fourth generation method, multiple boundary candidates K2A and K2B are displayed as ambiguous boundary lines, and the operator selects one of them. However, the ambiguous boundary line is displayed in a manner that allows the operator to easily recognize that it is an undetermined boundary line, and the operator can redraw the ambiguous boundary line by operating a mouse, touch pen, etc.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the laser irradiation system was mounted on a vehicle 101, but the laser irradiation system may also be mounted on a moving body other than a vehicle, such as a ship or an aircraft. Furthermore, the laser irradiation system is not limited to being mounted on a moving body, and may also be fixedly installed in a facility such as a building.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a radar detector 110 was provided, but it does not necessarily have to be provided.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which a prohibited area is set based on the shape information of a building or the like identified by the identification unit 41 and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit 42. However, after a prohibited area is set based on the shape information of a building or the like identified by the identification unit 41, the setting of the prohibited area may be modified based on the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit 42.

It should be noted that the functions of each element, including the controller 70, disclosed in this disclosure can be performed using circuits or processing circuits, including general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), conventional circuits, and/or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. A processor is considered a processing circuit or circuit because it includes transistors and other circuitry. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the recited functions or hardware that is programmed to perform the recited functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the recited functions. In the case of a processor, where the hardware is considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware and/or processor.

[Action and effect]
According to the laser irradiation system of this embodiment, the identification unit 41 identifies buildings, combustible materials, or living things that exist in the vicinity of the laser irradiation device 1, the acquisition unit 42 acquires additional information related to the buildings, combustible materials, or living things that is input from the outside using the input device 51, and the setting unit 43 sets a prohibited area based on the external information of the buildings, combustible materials, or living things identified by the identification unit 41 and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit 42. In this way, by setting a prohibited area based on the external information and additional information of the buildings, combustible materials, or living things that exist in the vicinity of the laser irradiation device 1, the prohibited area can be set appropriately, and as a result, appropriate mask data can be generated.

Summary of the Disclosure
The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure can be summarized as follows.

A laser irradiation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a laser irradiation system that irradiates a target with a laser, and includes an irradiation device that irradiates a laser, and a control device that controls the irradiation device. The control device has an identification unit that identifies buildings, combustible materials, or living things present in the vicinity of the irradiation device, an acquisition unit that acquires additional information related to the buildings, combustible materials, or living things input from the outside, and a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the buildings, combustible materials, or living things identified by the identification unit and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit.

According to this aspect, by setting a prohibited area based on the external shape information of the structure, combustible material, or living thing and additional information about the structure, combustible material, or living thing, it is possible to appropriately set a prohibited area where laser irradiation is prohibited, and as a result, it is possible to generate appropriate mask data.

In the above aspect, the additional information includes presence information indicating whether or not a living organism is present within the building, and the setting unit sets the building as the prohibited area if a living organism is present within the building, and excludes the building from the prohibited area if no living organism is present within the building.

According to this aspect, by setting structures that contain living organisms as prohibited areas, it is possible to set prohibited areas appropriately.

The above aspect further includes a distance measurement device that measures the distance from the irradiation device to the measurement object, and a visibility measurement device that measures the visibility of the environment surrounding the irradiation device, and the additional information includes distance information measured by the distance measurement device indicating the distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing, and visibility information measured by the visibility measurement device indicating the visibility of the environment surrounding the irradiation device, and the control device further includes a calculation unit that calculates the reach of the laser based on the visibility information, and the setting unit sets the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing as the prohibited area if the distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing is less than the reach distance, and excludes the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing from the prohibited area if the distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing is greater than the reach distance.

According to this aspect, by setting as a prohibited area any structure, flammable material, or living thing whose distance from the irradiation device is less than the laser's reach based on visibility, it is possible to appropriately set the prohibited area.

In the above aspect, the control device further includes a distance measurement device that measures the distance from the irradiation device to the measurement target, and the additional information includes first distance information indicating the distance from the irradiation device to the target, measured by the distance measurement device, and second distance information indicating the distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing. The control device further includes a calculation unit that calculates the laser intensity at the position where the laser reaches the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing based on the first distance information and the second distance information. The setting unit sets the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing as the prohibited area if the laser intensity is equal to or greater than a threshold, and excludes the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing from the prohibited area if the laser intensity is less than the threshold.

According to this aspect, by setting structures, flammable materials, or living things where the laser intensity of the irradiated laser exceeds a threshold as prohibited areas, it is possible to appropriately set prohibited areas.

In the above aspect, an input device operable by an operator is further provided, wherein the contour information includes an ambiguous boundary line along which the contour of the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing has not been determined, and the additional information includes correction information input from the input device for correcting the ambiguous boundary line.

According to this aspect, the outline of the building is determined based on correction information for correcting the ambiguous boundary line, making it possible to appropriately set the prohibited area.

In the above aspect, the laser irradiation system is mounted on a mobile object.

According to this aspect, by mounting the laser irradiation system on a mobile object, it becomes possible to generate appropriate mask data for each location to which the mobile object is moved and deployed.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Laser irradiation device 41 Identification unit 42 Acquisition unit 43 Setting unit 44 Calculation unit 51 Input device 61 Distance measurement device 62 Visibility measurement device 70 Controller

Claims (5)

A laser illumination system for illuminating a target with a laser, comprising:
an irradiation device that irradiates a laser;
a control device that controls the irradiation device;
Equipped with
The control device
an identification unit that identifies a structure, a combustible material, or a living thing present in the vicinity of the irradiation device;
an acquisition unit that acquires additional information regarding the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing input from outside;
a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing identified by the identification unit and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit;
and
and,
the additional information includes presence information indicating whether the living thing is present in the structure,
A laser irradiation system in which the setting unit sets the building as the prohibited area if the living organism is present within the building, and excludes the building from the prohibited area if the living organism is not present within the building . A laser illumination system for illuminating a target with a laser, comprising:
an irradiation device that irradiates a laser;
a control device that controls the irradiation device;
a distance measuring device for measuring a distance from the irradiation device to a measurement object;
a visibility measuring device for measuring the visibility of the surrounding environment of the irradiation device;
Equipped with
The control device
an identification unit that identifies a structure, a combustible material, or a living thing present in the vicinity of the irradiation device;
an acquisition unit that acquires additional information regarding the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing input from outside;
a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing identified by the identification unit and the additional information acquired by the acquisition unit;
and
and,
the additional information includes distance information indicating a distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing, measured by the distance measurement device, and visibility information indicating visibility of the surrounding environment of the irradiation device, measured by the visibility measurement device;
the control device further includes a calculation unit that calculates a laser reach distance based on the visibility information,
A laser irradiation system in which the setting unit sets the building, the flammable material, or the living thing as the prohibited area when the distance from the irradiation device to the building, the flammable material, or the living thing is less than the reach distance, and excludes the building, the flammable material, or the living thing from the prohibited area when the distance from the irradiation device to the building, the flammable material, or the living thing is greater than the reach distance. A laser illumination system for illuminating a target with a laser, comprising:
an irradiation device that irradiates a laser;
a control device that controls the irradiation device;
a distance measuring device for measuring a distance from the irradiation device to a measurement object;
Equipped with
The control device
an identification unit that identifies a structure, a combustible material, or a living thing present in the vicinity of the irradiation device;
an acquisition unit that acquires additional information regarding the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing input from outside;
a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing identified by the identifying unit and the additional information acquired by the acquiring unit;
and
and,
the additional information includes first distance information indicating a distance from the irradiation device to the target, measured by the distance measurement device, and second distance information indicating a distance from the irradiation device to the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing,
the control device further includes a calculation unit that calculates a laser intensity at a position where the laser reaches the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing based on the first distance information and the second distance information;
A laser irradiation system in which the setting unit sets the building, the flammable material, or the living thing as the prohibited area when the laser intensity is above a threshold value, and excludes the building, the flammable material, or the living thing from the prohibited area when the laser intensity is below the threshold value. A laser illumination system for illuminating a target with a laser, comprising:
an irradiation device that irradiates a laser;
a control device that controls the irradiation device;
an input device operable by an operator;
Equipped with
The control device
an identification unit that identifies a structure, a combustible material, or a living thing present in the vicinity of the irradiation device;
an acquisition unit that acquires additional information regarding the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing input from outside;
a setting unit that sets a prohibited area in which laser irradiation is prohibited based on the external shape information of the structure, the combustible material, or the living thing identified by the identifying unit and the additional information acquired by the acquiring unit;
and
and,
the external shape information includes an ambiguous boundary line along which the external shape of the building, the combustible material, or the living thing is not determined;
A laser irradiation system, wherein the additional information includes correction information for correcting the ambiguous boundary line, which is input from the input device. 5. The laser irradiation system according to claim 1, which is mounted on a moving body.