Server, vehicle detection system, and vehicle detection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12272147-B2
Application number	US-202318521457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2023
Priority date	Dec 23, 2020
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A server includes a control unit. The control unit determines whether a parked vehicle is used as a shelter based on a first image which is included in an image captured by a camera and which is obtained by imaging the vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A server comprising a processor configured to determine whether a parked vehicle is used as a shelter based on a first image which is included in an image captured by a camera and which is obtained by imaging the vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle, wherein:
the camera is mounted in a mobile object; and
the processor is configured to
recognize identification information of the vehicle based on the first image, to acquire position information of the vehicle from the mobile object, and to transmit the identification information and the position information of the vehicle to the outside when it is determined that an evaluation value indicating a likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter is higher than a predetermined value, and
evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when it is recognized from the first image that a member for preventing the inside from being viewed from the outside of the vehicle is disposed on a window of the vehicle than when the member is not recognized.

2. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when an image of a predetermined article is included in the first image than when the article is not included in the first image.

3. The server according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined article includes at least one of a tent, a chair, a table, an article of clothing, and a ground sheet.

4. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when it is recognized from the first image that a person is in the vehicle than when it is recognized that a person is not in the vehicle.

5. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when it is recognized from the first image that a window or a door of the vehicle is open than when it is recognized that a window or a door of the vehicle is not open.

6. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to further acquire a second image which is captured by the camera at a time different from a time at which the parked vehicle has been imaged at the position at which the parked vehicle has been imaged, and
wherein the processor is configured to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when the vehicle is not included in the second image and an object installed at the position at which the vehicle is parked is included in the second image than when the object is not included in the second image.

7. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is mounted in a mobile object, and
wherein the processor is configured to move the mobile object such that the first image is captured in at least one of a distance in a predetermined range and a direction in a predetermined range with respect to a direction of the vehicle when it is recognized that the parked vehicle is included in the image.

8. The server according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is mounted in a mobile object, and
wherein the processor is configured to recognize identification information of the vehicle based on the first image, to acquire position information of the vehicle from the mobile object, and to transmit the identification information and the position information of the vehicle to the outside when it is determined that an evaluation value indicating a likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter is higher than a predetermined value.

9. A vehicle detection system comprising:
a mobile object that includes a far-infrared camera; and
a server that is able to communicate with the mobile object, wherein
the mobile object captures a second image at a time different from the time at which a parked vehicle has been imaged at the same position at which the parked vehicle has been imaged,
the server includes a processor configured to determine whether the parked vehicle is used as a shelter based on a first image which is included in an image captured by the far-infrared camera and which is obtained by imaging the vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle,
the far-infrared camera is able to measure a temperature of a subject as at least a part of the first image, and
the processor is configured to
evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when it is recognized from the image from the far-infrared camera that at least a part of the vehicle has a temperature different from that of surroundings than when it is recognized that at least a part of the vehicle does not have a temperature different from that of the surroundings, and
acquire the second image and to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when the vehicle is not included in the second image and an object installed at the position at which the vehicle is parked is included in the second image than when the object is not included in the second image.

10. The vehicle detection system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor of the server is configured to evaluate that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when an image of a predetermined article is included in the first image than when the article is not included in the first image.

11. The vehicle detection system according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined article includes at least one of a tent, a chair, a table, an article of clothing, and a ground sheet.

12. The vehicle detection system according to claim 10 , wherein the mobile object transmits position information of the vehicle to the server, and
wherein the processor of the server is configured to recognize identification information of the vehicle based on the first image, to acquire position information of the vehicle from the mobile object, and to transmit the identification information and the position information of the vehicle to the outside when it is determined that an evaluation value indicating a likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter is higher than a predetermined value.

13. A vehicle detection method comprising causing a processor to determine whether a parked vehicle is used as a shelter based on a first image which is included in an image captured by a far-infrared camera and which is obtained by imaging the vehicle and surroundings of the vehicle, wherein:
the far-infrared camera is able to measure a temperature of a subject as at least a part of the first image; and
the processor
evaluates that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when it is recognized from the image from the far-infrared camera that at least a part of the vehicle has a temperature different from that of surroundings than when it is recognized that at least a part of the vehicle does not have a temperature different from that of the surroundings,
acquires a second image which is captured by the far-infrared camera at a time different from the time at which the parked vehicle has been imaged at the same position at which the parked vehicle has been imaged, and
evaluates that there is a higher likelihood that the vehicle is used as a shelter when the vehicle is not included in the second image and an object installed at the position at which the vehicle is parked is included in the second image than when the object is not included in the second image.

14. The vehicle detection method according to claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to e

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugie YUI
• Suzuki Koichi
• Uenoyama Naoki
• Takeda Hiroki
• Morikawa Hirohiko
• Kuno Genshi

Classifications

• H04N5/33

  Transforming infrared radiation (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20) · CPC title

• H04N23/23

  from thermal infrared radiation · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title