Behavioral based traffic infraction detection and analysis system

• US 10,037,691 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sekar, Deepak, Shondelmyer, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afrifa-Kyei, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US15/475,954
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 340931, 340932, 340933, 340934, 340935, 340937, 340938, 340939, 340940, 340941, 340942, 340943, 348143, 348144, 348148, 348149, 348153
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 with provision for distinguishing direction of travel

Abstract

An approach is provided in which an information handling system detects a traffic infraction of a driver driving a vehicle. In turn, the information handling system forms an infraction detection zone that includes a set of traffic control devices, and sends a set of configuration parameters to the set of traffic control devices. The information handling system then uses vehicle identification data in the set of configuration parameters to identify driving behaviors of the driver through the infraction detection zone and issues a citation based upon the identified driving behaviors.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an information handling system that includes a memory and a processor, the method comprising:

forming an infraction detection zone in response to detecting a traffic infraction of a driver driving a vehicle, wherein the infraction detection zone comprises a set of traffic control devices and wherein a location of the traffic infraction is at an infraction area;

sending a set of configuration parameters to the set of traffic control devices that comprise vehicle identification data;

identifying, based on the vehicle identification data, one or more driving behaviors of the driver through the infraction detection zone;

determining an amount of historical traffic infractions from a plurality of different drivers at the infraction area;

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions does not exceed a threshold, issuing a citation based on analyzing the one or more driving behaviors; and

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, suppressing the citation and recording the traffic infraction of the driver.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a direction of travel of the vehicle subsequent to detecting the traffic infraction; and

assigning, based on the identified direction of travel, the set of traffic control devices and a corresponding set of traffic capturing devices to the infraction detection zone.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein, subsequent to the traffic infraction, at least a selected one of the set of traffic control devices performs an action in response to detecting the vehicle in proximity, the method further comprising:

receiving a set of images from one of the traffic capturing devices in response to the selected traffic control device performing the action; and

utilizing the set of images during the analyzing of the one or more driving behaviors.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, in response to determining that the amount of the plurality of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, the method further comprises:

sending a notification to an administrator that indicates the amount of historical traffic infractions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the set of traffic control devices is selected from the group consisting of a stop sign, a yield sign, a stop light, a speed limit sign, a carpool sign, a bus lane sign, and a traffic controller.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

suppressing the citation in response to determining that the driver has not committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction; and

performing the issuance of the citation based on determining that the driver has committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction.

7. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;

a set of computer program instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of;

forming an infraction detection zone in response to detecting a traffic infraction of a driver driving a vehicle, wherein the infraction detection zone comprises a set of traffic control devices and wherein a location of the traffic infraction is at an infraction area;

sending a set of configuration parameters to the set of traffic control devices that comprise vehicle identification data;

identifying, based on the vehicle identification data, one or more driving behaviors of the driver through the infraction detection zone;

determining an amount of historical traffic infractions from a plurality of different drivers at the infraction area;

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions does not exceed a threshold, issuing a citation based on analyzing the one or more driving behaviors; and

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, suppressing the citation and recording the traffic infraction of the driver.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

identifying a direction of travel of the vehicle subsequent to detecting the traffic infraction; and

assigning, based on the identified direction of travel, the set of traffic control devices and a corresponding set of traffic capturing devices to the infraction detection zone.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein, subsequent to the traffic infraction, at least a selected one of the set of traffic control devices performs an action in response to detecting the vehicle in proximity, and wherein the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

receiving a set of images from one of the traffic capturing devices in response to the selected traffic control device performing the action; and

utilizing the set of images during the analyzing of the one or more driving behaviors.

10. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein, in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

sending a notification to an administrator that indicates the amount of the plurality of historical traffic infractions.

11. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the set of traffic control devices is selected from the group consisting of a stop sign, a yield sign, a stop light, a speed limit sign, a carpool sign, a bus lane sign, and a traffic controller.

12. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors perform additional actions comprising:

suppressing the citation in response to determining that the driver has not committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction; and

performing the issuance of the citation based on determining that the driver has committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction.

13. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising computer program code that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:

forming an infraction detection zone in response to detecting a traffic infraction of a driver driving a vehicle, wherein the infraction detection zone comprises a set of traffic control devices and wherein a location of the traffic infraction is at an infraction area;

sending a set of configuration parameters to the set of traffic control devices that comprise vehicle identification data;

identifying, based on the vehicle identification data, one or more driving behaviors of the driver through the infraction detection zone;

determining an amount of historical traffic infractions from a plurality of different drivers at the infraction area;

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions does not exceed a threshold, issuing a citation based on analyzing the one or more driving behaviors; and

in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, suppressing the citation and recording the traffic infraction of the driver.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the information handling system performs further actions comprising:

identifying a direction of travel of the vehicle subsequent to detecting the traffic infraction; and

assigning, based on the identified direction of travel, the set of traffic control devices and a corresponding set of traffic capturing devices to the infraction detection zone.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein, subsequent to the traffic infraction, at least a selected one of the set of traffic control devices performs an action in response to detecting the vehicle in proximity, and wherein the information handling system performs further actions comprising:

receiving a set of images from one of the traffic capturing devices in response to the selected traffic control device performing the action; and

utilizing the set of images during the analyzing of the one or more driving behaviors.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein, in response to determining that the amount of historical traffic infractions exceeds the threshold, the information handling system performs further actions comprising:

sending a notification to an administrator that indicates the amount of the plurality of historical traffic infractions.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the information handling system performs further actions comprising:

suppressing the citation in response to determining that the driver has not committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction; and

performing the issuance of the citation based on determining that the driver has committed one or more historical traffic infractions prior to the detected traffic infraction.