APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED VISUAL INSPECTION OF VEHICLE INTERIORS
First Claim
1. A method for controlling entry of vehicles, comprising the steps of:
- providing an entry control device having a camera and an illumination device;
detecting the presence of an oncoming vehicle;
detecting a vehicle identifier associated with the oncoming vehicle;
capturing, via the camera, at least one present image of at least one individual present within the vehicle through a window of the vehicle;
obtaining at least one archived image of at least one individual previously associated with the detected vehicle identifier; and
comparing the at least one present image with the at least one archived image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems, and methods enhance the inspection of internal areas and occupants of vehicles, and can employ one or more high-resolution cameras, one or more auxiliary illumination devices and a related computer system. According to various embodiments, an auxiliary illumination device can be synchronized to one or more cameras, and configured to supply auxiliary illumination to facilitate capture of accurate and usable images. Advanced image processing solutions assist with identifying individuals inside a vehicle, removing light glare and undesired reflections from a window surface, and capturing an image through a tinted window, among other things. Further, embodiments can compare a captured image to an authenticated image from a database, so as to confirm the identity of a vehicle occupant.
34 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for controlling entry of vehicles, comprising the steps of:
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providing an entry control device having a camera and an illumination device; detecting the presence of an oncoming vehicle; detecting a vehicle identifier associated with the oncoming vehicle; capturing, via the camera, at least one present image of at least one individual present within the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; obtaining at least one archived image of at least one individual previously associated with the detected vehicle identifier; and comparing the at least one present image with the at least one archived image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for establishing records for use in identifying individual occupants in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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recording one or more images of individual occupants of at least one vehicle, wherein the one or more images are taken through a window of the at least one vehicle; associating the recorded one or more images with at least one vehicle identifier pertaining to the at least one vehicle; and storing the one or more images in a computer database. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for vehicle access control, comprising the steps of:
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providing a camera having a lens facing a field of view; providing an illumination device for illuminating the field of view; providing an image processing component for synchronizing the activation of the illumination device with activation of the camera so as to record, by the camera, at least one image of a vehicle occupant through a window of a vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An entry control system, comprising:
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a camera having a lens facing a field of view; an illumination device for illuminating the field of view; at least one data storage device operable to store one or more images of at least one vehicle occupant and at least one vehicle identifier; at least one computer processor operable to execute computer-readable instructions to associate the one or more images of at least one vehicle occupant with at least one vehicle identifier, and to retrieve the one or more images upon detection of a vehicle in the field of view of the camera, wherein the detected vehicle has a present vehicle identifier matching at least one vehicle identifier stored in the at least one data storage device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification