Intelligent vehicle highway system sensor and method
First Claim
1. A sensor for roadway vehicle detection and classification, the sensor comprising:
- laser emitting means positioned above a roadway for emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming a laser beam directed toward the roadway;
laser receiving means operable with the laser emitting means for receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway, the laser receiving means initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; and
processing means communicating with the laser emitting means and laser receiving means for indicating a vehicle presence on the roadway and for providing a vehicle classification, the processing means providing timing corrections for signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor using laser range imaging technology is adapted for determining a three-dimensional profile of a vehicle passing the sensor for use in Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems. A continuously pulsed laser beam scanned across a detection area determines the presence of a vehicle. Range, angle and time date for a vehicle passing the sensor are collected and stored for use in determining its three-dimensional profile. Forward and backward beams are directed for scanning across the detection area. Pulsed energy is sent into the two divergent beams, which are received as reflective energy in a receiver. The receiver accepts reflections from the beams and provides inputs for purposes of determining time of flight, and for measuring the time interval between interceptions of the two divergent beams for a given vehicle. An encoder tracks the position of the mirror for providing angle data with associated range measurements.
80 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sensor for roadway vehicle detection and classification, the sensor comprising:
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laser emitting means positioned above a roadway for emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming a laser beam directed toward the roadway; laser receiving means operable with the laser emitting means for receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway, the laser receiving means initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; and processing means communicating with the laser emitting means and laser receiving means for indicating a vehicle presence on the roadway and for providing a vehicle classification, the processing means providing timing corrections for signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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2. A sensor for roadway vehicle detection and classification, the sensor comprising:
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laser emitting means positioned above a roadway for emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming divergent first and second laser beams directed toward the roadway; laser receiving means operable with the laser emitting means for receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from the roadway and vehicles on the roadway, the laser receiving means initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning to the laser receiving means after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway, the laser receiving means distinguishing between time dependent signals for reflected pulses from the first and second laser beams; and processing means communicating with the laser emitting means and laser receiving means for providing a vehicle travel speed on the roadway and for providing a vehicle classification, the processing means providing timing corrections for signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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3. A sensor for roadway vehicle detection and classification, the sensor comprising:
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emitting means for emitting a directional output of pulsed energy toward a fixed area on a roadway positioned a known distance from the emitting means; receiving means for receiving a portion of returning pulsed energy from the area; detection means operable with the receiving means for detecting time dependent variations within pulses received by the receiving means for providing range correction responsive thereto; and processing means for determining a time dependency between corresponding emitted and received pulses of the emitting and receiving means and for providing a vehicle profile useful in a classification of the vehicle.
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4. A sensor for detection and classification of a vehicle on a roadway, the sensor comprising:
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emitting means for emitting a series of pulses of coherent infrared radiation into multiple directional beams having a spaced relationship; mounting means for mounting the emitting means at a fixed distance above a roadway for projecting the beams onto an area of the roadway in a longitudinally spaced relation along a directional of travel for the vehicle on the roadway; multiple detectors for detecting returning radiation from reflections of the multiple directional beams; signal means for receiving a signal from the emitting means indicating that a pulse has been emitted and for receiving an input from a selected one of the detectors for indicating when returning radiation is received from a corresponding beam, and for then generating an output representative of the elapsed time between the signal and the output; and processing means for receiving and determining from the elapsed time output whether a vehicle is present between the sensor and the roadway.
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5. A sensor for roadway vehicle detection and classification, the sensor comprising:
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laser emitting means positioned above a roadway for emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming a laser beam directed toward the roadway, the laser emitting means initiating a trigger pulse representative of an emission of one coherent radiation pulse; laser receiving means positioned proximate the laser emitting means for receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway, the laser receiving means initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; timing means for determining a time dependence for pulses between the emitting means and the receiving means caused by a vehicle presence on the roadway; and processing means communicating with the timing means for indicating the vehicle presence and for providing a vehicle classification, the processing means receiving the trigger pulse from the laser emitting means and the time dependent signal from the laser receiving means for compensating for signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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6. A method for detecting and classifying vehicle traffic on a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming a laser beam; directing the beam toward the roadway; initiating a trigger pulse representative of an emitting of one coherent radiation pulse; receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway; reflecting the coherent radiation pulse from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; and indicating a vehicle presence on the roadway and providing a vehicle classification in response to receiving the trigger pulse and the time dependent signal after making time dependent modifications resulting from signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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7. A method for detecting and classifying vehicle traffic on a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a laser emitter above a roadway for emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation forming a laser beam; emitting divergent first and second laser beams and directing the beams toward the roadway; positioning a receiver proximate the laser emitter; receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway; reflecting the coherent radiation from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning to the receiver after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; distinguishing between time dependent signals for reflected pulses from the first and second laser beams; and providing a vehicle travel speed on the roadway and a vehicle classification, while compensating for timing errors resulting from signal variations in the time dependent signal.
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8. A method for detecting and classifying vehicle traffic on a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a directional output of pulsed energy toward a fixed area on a roadway; receiving a portion of returning pulsed energy from the area; detecting time dependent variations within pulses received; providing range correction responsive thereto; determining a time dependency between corresponding emitted and received pulses; and providing a vehicle profile useful in a classification of the vehicle.
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9. A method for detecting and classifying vehicle traffic on a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a series of pulses of coherent infrared radiation into multiple directional beams having a longitudinally spaced relationship along the roadway; projecting the series of pulses of coherent infrared radiation from above a roadway onto an area of the roadway; detecting returning radiation from reflections of the multiple directional beams; indicating that a pulse has been emitted; indicating when a returning pulse is received from a corresponding beam; determining a elapsed time between the emitting and returning of corresponding pulses; and determining from the elapsed time whether a vehicle is present in the area.
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10. A method for detecting and classifying vehicle traffic on a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a continuous sequence of infrared coherent radiation pulses forming a laser beam; directing the laser beam toward a roadway; receiving a portion of coherent returning radiation pulses reflected from one of the roadway and vehicles on the roadway; initiating a time dependent signal in response to receiving a portion of the one coherent radiation pulse returning after being reflected from one of the roadway and a vehicle on the roadway; determining a time dependence between emitted and received pulses caused by a vehicle presence on the roadway; determining timing errors resulting from signal variations in the time dependent signal; and indicating the vehicle presence and providing a vehicle classification after accounting for the timing errors.
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11. A method for detecting speed and profile characteristics of vehicles traveling along a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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placing a sensor above a roadway having a lane with a location in the lane where vehicles traveling along the roadway are to be monitored; transmitting pulsed coherent laser energy toward the location in at least two generally parallel beam paths extending across the lane at the location laterally relative to the direction of vehicle travel along the roadway; receiving energy reflected from a vehicle passing through the location; and processing the received energy to determine the speed and profile of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for detecting characteristics of vehicles traveling along a roadway, the system comprising:
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a roadway having a location where vehicles traveling along the roadway are to be monitored; a sensor assembly positioned above the roadway at the location, the sensor assembly comprising; means for emitting multiple beams of coherent laser energy toward the location; means for receiving energy from each of the multiple laser beams reflected from a vehicle passing through the location; means for receiving a signal from the emitting means indicating that a pulse of laser energy has been emitted and for receiving an input from the laser energy receiving means for indicating when returning energy is received from a corresponding one of the beams, and for then generating an output representative of the elapsed time between the signal and the input; and means for receiving and determining from the elapsed time output whether an object is present between the sensor and the area.
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18. A sensor for detecting the presence of a vehicle within close range and suitable for controlling traffic signals or measuring traffic speed, census or flow, the sensor comprising:
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means for emitting a directional output of pulsed energy toward a fixed area a known distance from the emitting means; means for receiving a portion of returning pulsed energy reflected from the area; means for determining a time-of-flight change for pulses between the emitting and receiving means caused by the presence of a vehicle in the area; means for determining a timing error caused by amplitude variations in the returning reflected energy and providing a range correction responsive thereto; and means for processing the received energy to determine speed and classification characteristics of a vehicle represented by the returned laser energy.
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19. A method for providing outputs representative of the presence of a vehicle within a close range and suitable for controlling traffic signals or measuring traffic speed, flow or census, the method comprising the steps of:
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emitting a directional output of pulsed energy toward a fixed area which is a known distance away; receiving a portion of returning pulsed energy reflected from the area; determining time-of-flight changes between the emitting and receiving steps caused by the presence of a vehicle located in the area; detecting any timing errors caused by amplitude variations in the returning pulsed energy; and processing the returning laser energy to determine speed and classification characteristics of the vehicle represented by the returning laser energy.
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20. A method for determining the speed and profile characteristics of vehicles traveling along a roadway, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sensor above the roadway having a laser energy transmitter and a receiver for reflected laser energy; determining a range from the sensor to a vehicle when the vehicle travels within a sensing zone of the sensor; providing respective range data outputs corresponding with a sensor angle for a range to a point on the vehicle; transmitting laser energy in a beam path extending across the vehicle for determining the range for points on two dimensions of the vehicle; determining the beam orientation and a corresponding sensor angle; determining the speed of the vehicle; and processing the ranges and corresponding angles for providing a multiplicity of two dimensional cross sectional profiles of the vehicle.
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Specification