Remote system for monitoring the weight and emission compliance of trucks and other vehicles

• US 5,583,765 A
• Filed: 08/23/1994
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Kleehammer, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US08/294,356
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.04, 364/436, 364/496, 364/497, 364/498, 364/499, 364/431.06, 364/463, 364/466, 364/567, 73/117, 340/440, 250/338.5, 250/339.04, 250/339.07, 123/357, 177/136
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/03 for weighing during motion G01G19/04, G01G19/07 take precedence check weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers G01G15/00; weighing a continuous stream of material during flow G01G11/00; G01G19/02, e.g. G01G19/022, G01G19/045 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis

Abstract

A remote non-contacting vehicle load and emissions compliance monitoring system includes a remote vehicle velocity detector, a remote emissions temperature sensor, a remote emissions content monitor, and a processing and computing unit connected to receive data from the sensors and compute the vehicle load based on the vehicle velocity and emissions temperature, as well as on road and environmental conditions and stored vehicle operating specifications, and to compare the observed exhaust plume content with a model emissions profile based on the computed load and vehicle characteristics.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring the weight and emission compliance of a vehicle, comprising:

a suite of measuring instruments, including;

means connected to a processing and computing device for measuring a velocity of the vehicle travelling on a grade;

means connected to the processing and computing device for detecting a temperature of emissions from the vehicle, said temperature detection means including an infrared thermal imager;

means connected to the processing and computing device for measuring a content of said emissions, said emissions content measuring means including a passive infrared chemical content spectrometer;

means connected to the processing and computing device for identifying the vehicle; and

means for measuring ambient weather conditions, including ambient temperature and wind velocity, and

wherein the processing and computing device includes;

means for calculating an amount of work performed by said vehicle as it travels along said grade based on the measured temperature of the exhaust, said calculating means including means for factoring into said calculation different grades so as to allow permit the suite to be used at different sites;

means for factoring the measured ambient temperature and wind velocity into the calculation of work performed;

means for determining a weight of the vehicle based at least on the computed work, the measured velocity, grade, and length of the grade;

means for storing vehicle specifications for recall based on identification of the vehicle by the vehicle identification means;

means for recalling from memory data, said data including said vehicle specifications, relating to an acceptable emissions content profile of the vehicle for the calculated weight and velocity;

means for comparing the measured emissions content with the emissions content profile in order to obtain a weight-adjusted emissions measurement.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle identification means comprises means connected to the processing and computing unit for reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information and attached to the vehicle.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said decal has a bar code printed thereon and said reading means is an optical bar code reader.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said reading means is an optical character reader.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle identification means includes a transponder on the vehicle and means including an RF code reader connected to the processing and computing unit for reading vehicle identification information transmitted by said transponder.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suite of instruments further includes means for measuring said grade.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for factoring into said calculation different grades so as to permit the suite to be used at different sites includes means for storing survey data on said grade.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing and computing device includes means for generating an image of the exhaust from said vehicle based on input from said thermal imager.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said emissions content measuring means includes a chemical content spectrometer.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for alerting users if a vehicle which does not comply with either weight or emissions standards.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for recording measurements and determinations made by the suite of instruments and by the processing and computing device together with vehicle identification information.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said recording means includes a video camera for capturing an image of a registration number of the vehicle.

13. A closed loop system for measuring pollution by a vehicle, comprising:

means including a passive infrared chemical content spectrometer for measuring a pollution content of an exhaust plume emitted by the vehicle;

means including an infrared thermal imager for measuring a temperature of said exhaust plume;

means for storing data concerning vehicle operating characteristics and recalling the data based on identification of the vehicle in order to determine the contribution of weight to an identified vehicle'"'"'s exhaust plume temperature at a measured velocity and thereby determining a weight of the vehicle;

means for recalling data making up a pollution profile of said vehicle and, based on the determined weight, comparing the measured pollution content with the profile in order to analyze the acceptability of the measured pollution content; and

means for sounding an alarm if the pollution content is not acceptable,

wherein said weight determining means includes means for measuring ambient weather conditions, including ambient temperature and wind velocity, and for factoring the measured ambient temperature and the measured velocity into a calculation of work performed by the vehicle while travelling along a grade, said work determining means including means for factoring into the weight calculation different grades to permit the system to be used at different sites.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said data storage and recalling means includes means for reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information, and recalling stored specifications for the identified vehicle.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said decal has a bar code printed thereon and said data storage and recalling means includes an optical bar code reader.

16. A system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said data storage and recalling means includes an optical character reader.

17. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said data storage and recalling means includes a transponder on the vehicle and means including an RF code reader for reading vehicle identification information transmitted by said transponder.

18. A system as claimed in claim 13, further including means for measuring said grade.

19. A system as claimed in claim 13, further including means for recording results of said analysis together with vehicle identification information.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said recording means includes a video camera for capturing an image of a registration number of the vehicle.

21. A system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a data link for transmitting results of said analysis directly to a central enforcement agency.

22. A system for determining the weight of a vehicle, comprising:

a suite of measuring instruments, including;

means for identifying a vehicle and storing data concerning vehicle operating characteristics and recalling the data based on identification of the vehicle in order to determine a contribution of weight to an identified vehicle'"'"'s exhaust plume temperature at a measured velocity;

means for measuring ambient weather conditions, including ambient temperature and wind velocity;

means connected to a processing and computing device for measuring a velocity of the vehicle travelling on a grade;

means for inputting to the processing and Computing device said grade and a length of said grade; and

means including a passive infrared thermal imager connected to the processing and computing device for detecting said exhaust plume temperature, wherein the processing and computing device includes;

means for calculating an amount of work performed by said vehicle as it travels along said grade based on the measured temperature of the exhaust plume;

means for determining the weight of the vehicle based at least on the computed work, the measured velocity, grade, length of the grade over which the velocity of the vehicle is monitored, the measured ambient temperature and wind velocity, and stored data concerning vehicle operating characteristics, and ambient weather conditions.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said data storage and recalling means includes means for reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information, and recalling stored specifications for the identified vehicle.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said decal includes a bar code and said data storage and recalling means includes an optical bar code reader.

25. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said data storage and recalling means includes an optical character reader.

26. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said data storage and recalling means includes a transponder on the vehicle and means including an RF code reader for reading vehicle identification information transmitted by said transponder.

27. A method of measuring the emission compliance of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

identifying the vehicle and retrieving vehicle specifications from a memory based on the vehicle identity;

measuring a velocity of said vehicle as it travels on a grade;

measuring a temperature of an exhaust plume emitted by the vehicle by receiving infrared radiation from the exhaust plume, forming a thermal image of the exhaust plume, and mapping the temperatures within said thermal image;

computing, based on said temperature and on said vehicle specifications, a work output of said vehicle as it travels along said grade;

measuring ambient weather conditions, including ambient temperature and wind velocity, and factoring the measured ambient temperature and wind velocity into the computation of work output;

computing, from said work output and said measured velocity, a weight of said vehicle;

measuring the actual pollution content of the exhaust plume by performing a chemical content spectrographic analysis of the exhaust plume;

retrieving, for a vehicle having the computed weight and travelling at the measured velocity, emissions profile data stored in a memory and analyzing the emissions compliance of said exhaust plume based on a comparison between said retrieved emissions profile data profile and said measured exhaust plume pollution content; and

alerting a user to results of the analysis.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the step of identifying the vehicle comprises the step of reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information and attached to the vehicle.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of reading the coded decal includes the step of optically reading the coded decal.

30. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the step of identifying the vehicle comprises the step of receiving RF signals from a transponder on the vehicle.

31. A method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the step of alerting authorities to a vehicle which does not comply with either weight or emissions standards.

32. A method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the step of recording results of the analysis together with vehicle identification information.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said recording step includes the step of capturing a video image of a registration number of the vehicle.

34. A method of measuring pollution by a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring a pollution content of an exhaust plume emitted by the vehicle by performing a chemical content spectrographic analysis of the exhaust plume;

determining a weight of the vehicle by measuring a velocity of the vehicle as it travels on an upgrade, measuring a temperature of the exhaust plume, measuring ambient weather conditions including ambient temperature and wind velocity, and retrieving data concerning vehicle operating characteristics from a memory based on identification of the vehicle in order to determine a contribution of weight to an identified vehicle'"'"'s exhaust plume temperature at the measured velocity;

retrieving from a memory data making up a pollution profile of said vehicle,

based on the determined weight, comparing the measured pollution content with the profile in order to analyze the acceptability of the measured pollution content; and

sounding an alarm if the pollution content is not acceptable,

wherein the step of measuring the temperature of the exhaust plume comprises the step of detecting infrared radiation from said exhaust plume, forming a thermal image of the exhaust plume, and mapping the temperature within said thermal image.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said data storage and retrieving step includes the step of reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information, and retrieving from the memory stored specifications for the identified vehicle.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein said data storage and retrieving step includes the step of receiving RF coded data from a transponder on the vehicle.

37. A method as claimed in claim 34, further including the step of recording results of said analysis together with vehicle identification information.

38. A method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising the step of transmitting results of said analysis directly to a central enforcement agency via a data-link.

39. A method of remotely determining the weight of a vehicle without contacting the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

identifying the vehicle and retrieving from memory vehicle specification based on the vehicle identity;

measuring ambient weather conditions, including ambient temperature and wind velocity;

measuring a velocity of said vehicle as it travels on a grade;

means for inputting said grading and length of grade to a processing means so that the method can be applied at different sites;

measuring a temperature of an exhaust plume emitted by the vehicle by receiving infrared radiation from the exhaust plume, forming a thermal image of the exhaust plume, and mapping temperatures within said thermal image;

computing, based on said exhaust plume temperature, vehicle specifications, and measured ambient temperature and wind velocity, input grade and length of grade; and

computing, from said work output and said measured velocity, the weight of said vehicle.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the step of identifying the vehicle comprises the step of reading a coded decal containing vehicle identification information and attached to the vehicle.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein the step of reading the coded decal includes the step of optically reading the coded decal.

42. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the step of identifying the vehicle comprises the step of receiving RF signals from a transponder on the vehicle.

43. A method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the step of alerting authorities to a vehicle which does not comply with weight standards.

44. A method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the step of recording results of the analysis together with vehicle identification information.