METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REGISTERING THE OUTER CHARACTERISTICS OF A VEHICLE IN A ROAD TOLL UNIT

• US 20020105440A1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Combitech Traffic SYST AB
• Original Assignee: Combitech Traffic SYST AB
• Inventors: FRILUND, JOHAN, LIEW, ANITA, BOSTROM, GORAN
• Granted Patent: US 6,538,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

A method and a device for image registration of the external characteristics and the number plate of a vehicle (4) in a road toll unit (1) for checking the payment status relating to a toll fee, which is intended to be collected by means of remote communication. During the check-up and payment operation, the vehicle is followed by successive video recordings. In these recordings, a marker is connected to the vehicle. The same marker is connected to the image of the number plate and to an image of the physical shape of the vehicle (4). In the event of incorrect payment, a search may be based on both the image of the number plate and the associated image of the physical shape of the vehicle which are connected together by means of the successive following of the position. The class of the vehicle may thus be determined, in accordance with a classification scheme based on the physical properties of the vehicle, from the image of the external characteristics of the vehicle for determining the toll fee.

Claims

1. A method for registering the outer characteristics of a vehicle (4) in a road toll unit, wherein registration of the number plate or other identification characteristic of the vehicle is carried out in a position fixed therefor, wherein, in the road toll unit, a check-up is performed of the possibilities of carrying out a payment operation by means of remote communication between a receiver and transmitter device (7) in the road toll unit and in passing vehicles when there is a free flow of traffic while successively following the vehicles by means of image processing from video recordings during a distance of the passage through the toll unit between an entry position and at least through said registering position, characterized in that, in the follow-process, a marker and preferably an indication of time are connected to the image of the respective vehicle relating to the successive position determination and with the same marker connected to the recording for registering the identification characteristic, such that vehicles, for which no correct payment status has been established during the remote communication, may be subsequently charged on the basis of the recorded identification characteristics, whereby at least one image of the physical shape of the vehicle (4) is matched to said recording of identification characteristics, said matching being indicated by means of said marker and preferably also corresponding time data, such that said tracing may be based on said recording of the identification characteristic as well as the associated image of the physical shape of the vehicle, which are connected together by means of the marker generated in the successive position determination process by image processing therein, whereby the class of the vehicle, in accordance with a classification scheme based on the physical properties of the vehicle, may be determined from the image of the physical shape of the vehicle for determining the toll fee.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that as an image of the physical shape of the vehicle, at least one image from said successive position determination is utilized, said image being provided with said marker, which is also assigned to the identification characteristics of the vehicle in question.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, by radio communication from the vehicle to the road toll unit, classification data for the vehicle in question are indicated, characterized in that said video imaging indicating the physical shape of the vehicle is analyzed by image processing with respect to the physical characteristics of the vehicle in such a way that data comparable with data in the existing classification scheme are generated, and that data from this analysis are compared with data communicated from the vehicle unit and that, when these data do not correspond, an appropriate correction of the determination of the fee is carried out.

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a registration of the number of wheel axles of the respective vehicle (4) is carried out by means of sensors (16) placed in the roadway (2) for indication of the passage of vehicle wheels, whereby the sensor impulses are connected to the instantaneous position of the respective vehicle, determined by means of the position determination process, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced by image processing into said image of the physical shape of the vehicle, such that the number of wheel axles may be registered for use in the classification process.

5. A device in a road toll unit for carrying out the method according to any of claims 1-4, the road toll unit comprising equipment (7), placed at a roadway (2), for radio communication with units (22) in passing vehicles (4), devices, preferably video cameras (10), for recording the registration characteristics of passing vehicles, video cameras (9) for following vehicles by successive position determination by means of image processing equipment during a distance between an entry position at the toll unit and at least through said registration position, such that for vehicles which do not have a satisfactory payment status, said recording of the registration characteristics of the vehicle may be registered and stored for tracing and subsequent charging, characterized in that to match the recording of the registration characteristic to the vehicle which is registered in the successive position determination, the image processing equipment is adapted to generate a marker, and to connect it to the recording of the registration characteristic for the vehicle in question and to an image of the physical shape thereof, such that, from said image, the class of the vehicle may be determined, in accordance with a classification scheme based on the physical properties of the vehicle, for determining the toll fee.

6. A device in a road toll according to claim 5, characterized in that the video cameras (9) for the successive position determination are adapted also to record said image of the physical shape of the vehicle.

7. A device in a road toll unit according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the road toll unit is equipped with sensors (16) in the roadway (2) for registering passing vehicle wheels, whereby the image processing equipment (15) for the successive position determination by means of the video cameras (9) is adapted to coordinate the registration of the sensor impulses with the instantaneous vehicle position detected by means of the successive position determination, in such a way that markings for the respective wheels, preferably in the form of markings for axles associated with the respective pairs of wheels, are supplied to said image of the physical shape of the vehicle, such that the determination of the class of the vehicle may be based also on the number of wheel axles of the vehicle.