Machine and method for detecting traffic offenses with dynamic aiming systems

• US 6,160,494 A
• Filed: 01/20/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paolo Sodi, Roberto Sodi
• Original Assignee: Paolo Sodi, Roberto Sodi
• Inventors: Sodi, Roberto, Sodi, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/230,272
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 340/936, 340/937, 340/938, 340/939, 340/928, 340/933, 342/70, 342/71, 73/105, 382/108, 382/103, 364/562, 364/563, 348/362, 348/143, 348/149
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

The machine for detecting traffic offenses, comprises means (1, 3) for measuring the speed of transit (v) of a vehicle (V) along a carriageway and, connected to these, camera means (5, 7, 9) for capturing an image of the vehicle. Means (F3; 11) are also provided for detecting the transverse position (d) of the vehicle across said carriageway; the camera means are controlled as a function of said transverse position (d).

Claims

1. A machine for detecting vehicle traffic offenses, the machine comprising:

speed detection means for measuring the speed of transit of a vehicle along a carriageway by detecting the interception of a beam or field by the front or rear of the vehicle, said speed detection means being arranged on a side of the carriageway;

carriageway transverse position detection means for detecting a transverse position of the vehicle across the carriageway by detecting the interception of a beam or field by the front or rear of the vehicle, said carriageway transverse position detection means being at least partially arranged on a side of the carriageway; and

camera means for capturing an image of the vehicle, said camera means being connected to said speed detection means and to said carriageway transverse position detection means, said camera means being controlled as a function of said traverse position.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camera means includes a camera unit with a viewing angle oriented as a function of the detected transverse position.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camera means includes multiple camera units oriented in different directions, the image of the vehicle being captured by one of said units selected as a function of the detected transverse position.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said camera unit is fixed and said camera means further includes a reflection system controlled as a function of said transverse position, said reflection system being used to orient the viewing angle of said camera unit.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carriageway transverse position detection means includes laser transducer that emits and receives at least a first laser beam and a mutually parallel second laser beam, said speed being calculated as a function of a length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser beam and that of said second laser beam by the vehicle.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said carriageway transverse position detection means includes said laser transducer, said laser transducer generating at least a third laser beam which is inclined at a known angle to said first laser beam and said second laser beam, and wherein a transverse position of the vehicle is determined as a function of said angle, the speed of the vehicle and the length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser and said second laser and said third laser beam.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carriageway transverse position detection means includes position transducers arranged transversely across the carriageway.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camera means includes a camera with a viewing angle such that it can capture an image of more than one lane of the carriageway, and in which the detection of said distance makes it possible to identify the vehicle that has committed the offense from among a plurality of vehicles traveling in parallel.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carriageway transverse position detection means and said speed detection means comprise a common laser transducer and a common control unit, said common laser transducer emitting and receiving at least a first laser beam and a mutually parallel second laser beam with said common control unit calculating the speed as a function of a length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser beam and that of said second laser beam by the vehicle and said laser transducer generating at least a third laser beam which is inclined at a known angle to said first laser beam and said second laser beam, and wherein said common control unit determines a transverse position of the vehicle as a function of said angle, and the length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser and said second laser and said third laser beam, said carriageway transverse position detection means being arranged on a side of the carriageway.

10. A method for detecting vehicle offenses under the traffic regulations, the process comprising the steps of:

measuring the speed of transit of a vehicle along a carriageway by detecting the interception of a beam or field by the front or rear of the vehicle with a detector device arranged at the side of the carriageway;

detecting the transverse position of the vehicle on said carriageway by detecting the interception of a beam or field by the front or rear of the vehicle with a detector at least partially arranged on a side of the carriageway;

capturing an image of the vehicle; and

,

controlling the capturing of the image as a function of the transverse position.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of capturing an image includes using a plurality of camera units set up and oriented at different angles and wherein one or another of said units is selected as a function of the detected transverse position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the viewing angle of a camera unit is oriented as a function of the detected transverse position.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said speed is measured and said position is detected with the step of using at least three laser beams, including providing two laser beams that are mutually parallel and providing a third laser beam that is inclined at a known angle to the two laser beams that are mutually parallel.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said transverse position is detected on the basis of the transit time of a wavefront reflected from the side of the vehicle.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of:

delaying the step of capturing an image following the detection of the speed; and

determining said delay as a function of the transverse position of the vehicle.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of capturing an image includes capturing an image of two or more lanes on which vehicles are traveling in parallel, and the method further comprises distinguishing the vehicle that has committed the offense on the basis of said transverse position.

17. A machine for detecting vehicle traffic offenses, the machine comprising:

speed detection means for measuring the speed of transit of a vehicle along a carriageway, said speed detection means being arranged on a side of the carriageway;

carriageway transverse position detection means for detecting a transverse position of the vehicle across the carriageway said carriageway transverse position detection means being at least partially arranged on a side of the carriageway, said carriageway transverse position detection means including one of;

a laser beam provided by a transducer arranged on a side of the carriageway, the

laser beam not being perpendicular to the vehicle advancing direction;

a transverse beam provided by a transducer arranged on a side of the carriageway;

or

a fixed sensor arrangement located on the carriageway; and

camera means for capturing an image of the vehicle, said camera means being connected to said speed detection means and to said carriageway transverse position detection means, said camera means being controlled as a function of said transverse position.

18. The machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein said carriageway transverse position detection means and said speed detection means comprise a common laser transducer and a common control unit, said common laser transducer emitting and receiving at least a first laser beam and a mutually parallel second laser beam with said common control unit calculating the speed as a function of a length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser beam and that of said second laser beam by the vehicle and said laser transducer generating at least a third laser beam which is inclined at a known angle to said first laser beam and said second laser beam, and wherein said common control unit determines a transverse position of the vehicle as a function of said angle, and the length of time that lapses between the obscuring of said first laser and said second laser and said third laser beam, said carriageway transverse position detection means being arranged on a side of the carriageway.

19. The machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein said camera means includes a camera unit with a viewing angle oriented as a function of the detected transverse position.

20. The machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein said camera means includes multiple camera units oriented in different directions, the image of the vehicle being captured by one of said units selected as a function of the detected transverse position.