Improved safety device for vehicle access areas

Abstract

 Improved safety device for vehicle access areas.
Safety device for areas for traffic of vehicles to/from car parks located inside buildings, which comprises a sensor system for sensing the passage of pedestrians in the vicinity of the vehicle access area; a central unit for controlling the signal detected by the sensor system and for supplying information to the driver of the vehicle according thereto, and a system for transmitting information to the driver; characterized in that the pedestrian sensor system comprises, at least, a movable camera.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a safety device for vehicle access areas.

[0002] In particular, the present invention is applicable to any access area for vehicles across a flow substantially perpendicular to the path of the vehicle, such as access to car parks across pedestrian paths, or some other type of access area with reduced visibility.

[0003] In said access areas there exists the problem of avoiding a collision with a pedestrian on the part of a vehicle.

[0004] In order to solve said problem, systems are known which warn the pedestrian of the presence of a vehicle in the vicinity of the vehicle access area. However, these systems have some defects. Firstly, the pedestrians may be persons of any physical condition, age and traffic awareness, so that said warnings of the presence of a vehicle may not be perceived or taken notice of. Typically, a case of this type may involve a child moving along the pavement, playing and/or running at high speed. Other typical cases involve disabled and/or handicapped persons, elderly persons, etc., who are less able to detect the vehicle and/or to react thereto. Secondly, said systems leave the driver of the vehicle unprotected, since the final responsibility for a collision is usually attributed to him and yet he becomes incapable of controlling the situation correctly. In the case of access from car parks with very long vehicles, there is always a "blind spot" in which the driver brings the front part of the vehicle into the path of the pedestrians without being aware of the approach of pedestrians towards the vehicle access area.

[0005] Providing a solution to the above-mentioned drawbacks, the document ES2246745 discloses a method and a device which are intended to provide notable safety features for the exit and entry of vehicles, facilitating the manoeuvres of the drivers and increasing the safety of the pedestrians.

[0006] The solution provided in said document ES2246745 is based on a first step of detecting, by automatic means, the passage of pedestrians in the vicinity of a vehicle access area, in order then to provide the driver of the vehicle with information concerning the passage of pedestrians in the vicinity of the access area.

[0007] The present invention comprises improvements arising from the study and industrial use of systems produced according to the main patent ES2246745 cited.

[0008] The device according to the present invention, intended to carry out the method described above, comprises at least:

• a sensor system for sensing the passage of pedestrians in the vicinity of the vehicle access area;
• a central unit for controlling the signal detected by the sensor system and for supplying information to the driver of the vehicle according thereto;
• a system for transmitting information to the driver,

and characterizes in that the pedestrian sensor system comprises, at least, a movable camera.

[0009] The movable camera can move longitudinally by means of a slide. It may also be capable of rotating. Preferably, the camera is capable of rotating through 180° on a vertical axis and 90° with respect to a horizontal axis.

[0010] The movable camera not only permits regular sweeps which cover the entire space traversed by passers-by, but, in addition, has additional synergistic effects when the invention is combined with a system for detecting the presence of pedestrians and/or of a vehicle access area. In particular, it is possible to direct the camera towards the detection point in such a way that it is possible to transmit to the driver an image of the potential danger. Seeing a passer-by in a camera, the driver is more aware of the danger.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present improvements, the pedestrian sensor system comprises a zone equipped with pressure sensors coinciding with and/or adjacent to the area of the pavement which the vehicles must enter in order to reach the road. The sensors may be located on the road, in such a way that good detection is ensured in the whole area in question and the appearance of the buildings is not affected.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present improvements, the system for transmitting information to the driver comprises an assembly of LEDs formed in a line. The LEDs will light up to warn of the danger. The line of LEDs has the advantage of not being able to be unnoticed by the driver. The line of LEDs may be located on the ground, but will preferably be located on the exit barrier of the car park.

[0013] Preferably, the sensor system is completed by a system of cameras and/or presence sensors, such as volumetric or infrared sensors, or sensors of another type.

[0014] The system for transmitting information to the driver may also comprise a visual system, such as a screen which, for example, shows what is detected by the cameras, in a pictographic system which provides a warning signal, for example, depending on what is detected, or in an acoustic warning system, or in a combination thereof.

[0015] Preferably, the device will also comprise a system equipped with a minimum of one sensor for sensing the passage of vehicles and an optical and/or acoustic device for warning pedestrians of the presence of a vehicle in the vicinity of the access area.

[0016] For greater understanding of the invention, drawings of some embodiments of the present invention are appended by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle access area, in particular of an exit from a car park, according to a first aspect of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a vehicle access area, in particular of an exit of a car park, according to a second aspect of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a vehicle access area, in particular of an exit of a car park, according to a third aspect of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a vehicle access area, in particular of an exit of a car park, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example of application of a device according to the present invention.

[0018] In the figure a pedestrian 10 is to be seen passing along a pedestrian path or pavement 16 which runs through an intersection with an access area 30 for vehicles 11 proceeding from a car park. On both sides of the access 30, volumetric sensors 17 have been arranged in order to detect the passage of pedestrians 10. In this embodiment, when the sensors 17 detect a pedestrian they emit a signal, for example a pictographic signal, via the monitor 13, which indicates the presence of pedestrians 10 to the driver of the vehicle 11 which is approaching the access area 30. The system is completed by sensors 14, 15 which detect the presence of a vehicle 11 coming towards the access area 30, a pictographic signal, for warning the pedestrians 10, being produced via the luminous elements 12. An acoustic signal may also be generated. In the present embodiment a luminous driver warning element 18 has also been added in order to remind the driver of the vehicle that he should carry out the manoeuvre with caution, even when no pedestrian detection warning is projected on the element 13. In addition, the device has a camera 19, movable along a slide 191. The camera 19 can make regular sweeps of the access area 30, or direct itself towards the detection zone 16 when one of the sensors 17 detects a presence. The camera may, for example, take photographs at specific intervals and emit them via the monitor 13. In order not to interrupt the images displayed on the monitor 30, in the case where the sensors 17 detect a pedestrian 10 heading in the direction of the access area 30, a pictographic warning signal for the driver is generated via the luminous element or panel 21, which, as an alternative to what is shown, may also be a traffic light which changes from amber to red when the sensors 17 detect a pedestrian 10. The camera is preferably capable of rotating through 180° on a vertical axis and 90° with respect to a horizontal axis.

[0019] Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the device according to the present invention which may be regarded as an expansion of the embodiment previously shown in Figure 1. The elements common or similar to those of Figure 1 have been indicated by identical numbers. In this embodiment, the detectors of the previous embodiment have been replaced by a network of pressure sensors 31 located in the pavement. For safety reasons, infrared detectors 17 have also been included, although these elements may be dispensed with.

[0020] Figures 3 and 4 show simplified versions of the embodiments previously shown. Identical or equivalent elements have been designated by identical numbers. The camera 19 in these cases is capable only of rotation. In the embodiment of Figure 3, a line of LEDs 22 has been arranged, on the ground, to warn the driver of the danger. Even more preferably, said line 22 will be located on a movable barrier. A simplified monitor 13' has been arranged in the embodiment of Figure 4.

[0021] The document ES2246745 discloses the general principles of operation of this type of device.

[0022] A person skilled in the art may appreciate that the embodiments shown in the different drawings may be combined with one another without thereby departing from the scope of the invention, and also that the elements shown in the examples may be replaced by others which perform the same functions, also without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0023] Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred exemplary embodiments, these should not be considered as limiting the invention, which will be defined by the widest interpretation of the following claims.

Claims

1. Safety device for areas for traffic of vehicles to/from car parks located inside buildings, which comprises:

- a sensor system for sensing the passage of pedestrians in the vicinity of the vehicle access area;

- a central unit for controlling the signal detected by the sensor system and for supplying information to the driver of the vehicle according thereto, and

- a system for transmitting information to the driver;

characterized in that the pedestrian sensor system comprises, at least, a movable camera.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable camera is a camera capable of rotating.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the movable camera is capable of rotating through 180° on a vertical axis and 90° with respect to a horizontal axis.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device has a slide for the longitudinal movement of the movable camera.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pedestrian sensor system comprises a zone equipped with pressure sensors coinciding with and/or adjacent to the area of the pavement which the vehicles must enter in order to gain access to the road.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the system for transmitting information to the driver comprises an assembly of LEDs formed in a line.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the assembly of LEDs is arranged on the ground.

8. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the assembly of LEDs is arranged on the exit barrier of the car park.

9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said pedestrian sensor system additionally comprises presence and/or movement sensors.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that said sensor system comprises volumetric and/or infrared sensors.

11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the system for transmitting information to the driver comprises a monitor.

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it additionally comprises, as a minimum, a sensor for sensing the passage of vehicles and a system for transmitting information to the pedestrian.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the system for transmitting information to the driver and/or the driver information system comprise a system for generating pictographic signals.

14. Device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the system for transmitting information to the pedestrian comprises a system for generating acoustic signals.

Drawing