MOBILE ENFORCEMENT PLATFORM AND AIMABLE VIOLATION DETECTION AND DOCUMENTATION SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE TYPES OF TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS ACROSS ALL LANES IN MOVING TRAFFIC SUPPORTING IMMEDIATE OR DELAYED CITATION GENERATION AS WELL AS HOMELAND SECURITY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

• US 6,894,717 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Adams Bakewell
• Original Assignee: Charles Adams Bakewell
• Inventors: Bakewell, Charles Adams
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARSONS, CHARLES E
• Application Number:
  US10/161,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148, 348/149, 340/937, 340/933, 382/104
• US Class Current: 348/149
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An manned, mobile traffic enforcement platform with aimable violation and documentation devices employing digital video and still images, incorporating contextual information as well as data input by the system operator and driver. The mobile enforcement platform (MEP) is operated by a trained and authorized system operator (typically a police officer trained and experienced in traffic enforcement) who applies pre-determined criteria, protocols, procedures and routines that are approved and authorized by the user-jurisdiction for use with the MEP system. MEP'"'"'s aimable devices support detection, identification, and documentation of violations occurring in any of several lanes behind or in front of the moving MEP vehicle. MEP also can be used from the roadside. The violation information and documentation can be transmitted to a fixed facility for citation processing or it can be transferred in batches over landlines or by direct link for later citation processing. MEP is designed to capture all types of moving violations, including aggressive driving and reckless driving, in readily retrievable documentation that will support citation preparation and can even be provided with the citation to substantiate the content as required by the respective jurisdiction. The MEP operator or driver also can identify gross violations to police dispatchers for attempted interception of the violator by other police units. MEP also generates traffic-related information of interest to planners and police enforcement and can perform homeland security monitoring tasks as well as other surveillance activities. MEP is a traffic enforcement tool that is designed to greatly expand police productivity, reduce police officer paperwork and court time, increase enforcement credibility (eventually reducing court caseloads), reduce crash costs and fatalities, and dramatically improve highway safety.

Claims

1. A mobile, aimable, traffic enforcement system with a system operator, together providing multi-lane coverage for monitoring traffic, identifying, detecting and documenting numerous types of violations, storing the documentation in readily retrievable image and data and audio files, transferring the documentation and data to a fixed site facility by radio transmission or by landline or direct link, said system being constructed on a frame and modularly installed and operated in a van-type vehicle (which may be in motion or stopped), and processing and storing said documentation and data at the fixed facility for issuance of violation notification and possible subsequent use as evidence in court proceedings, the system comprising:

detection/imaging systems (D/ISs) with respective support frames and carriages, input and audio devices operated by the system operator(s) and the vehicle driver, information displays for the operator and driver, global position system receiver, a computer generating additional information and integrating the violation data and imagery with contextual data for display on a high resolution flat screen monitor, a digital video camera and tapes and/or CDs for continuous recording of the monitor screen display and incorporation of operator and driver audio inputs, a still digital image camera (or video camera with still image capability) with high resolution for capture of individual composite displays of each violation, a personal computer with two large hard drives to receive and store said still digital images of violations (speeding) or violators (non-speeding) for use in citation documentation, four contextual digital video cameras, power supply, air circulation means, a central work area and adjustable ergonomic operator'"'"'s chair, an installable/removable frame, bearing the equipment and workspace, a van-type vehicle with seats removed to accommodate installation of the MEP module on its frame; and

more specifically

a detection/imaging system (D/IS) of two digital video cameras and a target vehicle speed detection device (e.g., radar), all co-mounted and co-aimed on an area seven feet high and seven feet wide at a distance of 150 feet, together generating vehicle speed data and continuous digital images of said vehicle and its license plate;

a hinge and pivot assembly to which said D/IS is attached, facilitating operator-aiming of said D/IS horizontally left and right and vertically up and down from the MEP vehicle central axis drawn fore-to-aft;

an optional, movable D/IS support frame and carriage upon which said D/IS is attached, permitting lateral movement of said D/IS and said support frame and carriage guided by support bars and support track attached to the MEP frame;

an optional foot-brake to lock said support frame and carriage in lateral position on the support bars and track;

a hand-control to activate the zoom on one D/IS video camera, activate the speed detection device, and activate the still digital image camera (triggering the still image of the composite monitor'"'"'s complete current screen, certifying the violation and committing the still image documentation to digital memory for later citation processing);

headsets linking system operator and MEP vehicle driver for communication relating to performance of the day'"'"'s assignments and for audio input of relevant observations concerning violations and traffic data to the continuous video tape;

a MEP operator special input device including pre-programmable keys to expedite accurate data entry;

a MEP vehicle driver'"'"'s special input device including pre-programmable keys to expedite accurate data entry with minimal distraction;

a MEP operator special display screen providing information for performance of violation identification, detection and documentation activities and system management;

a MEP driver special display screen providing information for confirmation by the driver and for MEP vehicle speed management;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver continuously providing location coordinates to a processing personal computer for display on the composite monitor screen;

four contextual, high resolution, image-stabilizing, digital video cameras with docking stations for direct feed to a personal computer for integration into the composite display;

a large memory, very high-speed personal computer for integration of multiple video and digital signals for composite display;

a large flat-screen monitor for display of the computer-integrated composite image of the contextual videos and target vehicle and license plate videos, MEP and target vehicle speed display, GPS coordinates display, and operator/driver data inputs;

a continuous, high resolution, image-stabilizing, digital video camera aimed in a fixed mount at the composite image monitor and configured for output to tape or CD;

a high resolution, still image, digital camera (or high resolution, digital video camera with still image capability) aimed in a fixed mount at the composite image monitor and configured for direct output to a personal computer;

a second very high speed computer with two large, fast hard drives for storing the still digital images and a small monitor displaying the latest still digital image for a predetermined period of time unless superceded by a following violation image, a high speed modem with cabling to permit download over landlines, and output ports for direct link and download to computer(s) at a citation processing site;

a power supply to provide steady, regulated power to the various elements of the system;

a transmitter for transmission of selected still images as well as license plate data to a fixed site;

a work area and surrounding rail;

a light-weight, high-strength frame on which all the equipment and rails are installed surrounding the operator work area, constituting a module which is installable into and removable from a van-type vehicle in the space vacated by removal of the seats, if any, located behind the driver;

a MEP vehicle (with slightly tinted or one-way-view windows, a vacation or recreational disguise, and a partial curtain behind the driver and passenger seats) and its driver who also provides data inputs;

transceiver(s), computer(s), high-resolution color printers, video players, and tape copiers at a citation processing site supporting the acquisition of the transferred violation images and traffic data for analysis and processing;

a fully-equipped, secure facility to receive, store, process, archive, and analyze evidence with necessary real-time automated links to the vehicle registration data for all states to facilitate immediate citation processing and with appropriate chain-of-custody systems and locking storage cabinets; and

an on-line, high-speed computer with a large capacity hard drive on which to store all traffic data for use in traffic analysis and police investigation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said aimable D/IS video cameras are operated by the system operator to capture and feed license plate, vehicle, and driver images continuously to the integrating computer and composite display;

said aimable D/IS speed detection device is operated by a trained, authorized system operator (typically a police officer trained in traffic enforcement) to provide detected speed data for successive individual target vehicles (and the MEP vehicle) on demand for output to the integrating computer and composite display;

said integrating computer receiving additional input from the GPS receiver, the system operator'"'"'s input entry device, the MEP vehicle driver'"'"'s input entry device, contextual video cameras, and its internally self-generating date and time;

said image and data inputs being integrated by the integrating computer and displayed in a composite image on a monitor;

said composite image being continuously updated with information from all system elements including multiple D/IS systems which may be active in fixed position as well as dynamic, operator-directed mode;

said composite image on composite monitor screen being continuously video recorded with incorporation of simultaneous audio track of system operator and MEP driver audio inputs;

said audio inputs being fed directly from an internal audio communications system for incorporation into said continuous video tape or CDs and containing additional violation information and observations;

said composite image on said composite monitor being captured in still digital images on command of system operator and automatically transferred to a second high-speed computer;

said second high-speed computer with large capacity hard drive and writeable CD-ROM drive (using writeable, not re-writeable CDs) and modem to support acquisition, storage, and mass transfer of said still images labeled/indexed by date, time, MEP unit identifier, and imaged vehicle identifier if any;

said second computer also acquiring and storing imaged and non-imaged vehicle identifier information directly with no image from system operator;

said still images and vehicle identifier information being transferred by radio transmission from a transceiver to a fixed facility for immediate storage and processing or periodically by modem and landline for storage and processing or by direct link at the end of a shift or run for storage and processing or by internally written CD-ROMs (that are not re-writeable) for later installation, storage, and processing on the fixed facility computer;

said original videotapes or video CDs being serially indexed (using date, time, MEP vehicle identifier, system operator number, and MEP driver number) and transferred with perpetual chain-of-custody for secure storage, and occasional controlled copying;

said video tape or CD copies used to extract non-speeding violation segments for use in processing non-speeding citations; and

said citation processing using vehicle registration data for all 50 states acquired for specific violating vehicles.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the aimable detection/identification system (D/IS) elements are co-mounted and operated to acquire vehicle and violation data and images.

4. The system in claim 1, wherein pre-programmable entry keys for specific highway identifiers, speed limits, work zone information, and specific violations are incorporated on keyboards or touchscreens for accelerated data entry, said keyboards and touchscreens being tailored to user jurisdiction'"'"'s traffic enforcement applications and traffic information needs.

5. The system in claim 1, wherein a digital video camera captures continuous video images of a composite monitor screen image and incorporates additional audio information on the video recording medium for use in citation processing, and wherein a still digital camera (or still image capability within a high-resolution, image-stabilizing video camera) captures images of said composite monitor screen image and transfers said still images to a high-speed computer for storage and transfer to a fixed facility for citation processing.

6. A method of monitoring traffic and vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an MEP system installed in a vehicle;

determining when a moving traffic regulation has been violated;

documenting said violation with measurement devices, system operator and MEP vehicle driver data inputs, continuous video imagery, and still digital imagery;

providing a trained and authorized MEP vehicle driver (or training an authorized, customer-provided driver) who also inputs data such as road identifiers, speed limit, and work zone presence;

providing a trained and authorized system operator (or training a qualified, customer-provided police officer) who operates the D/IS or sets it in fixed mode, inputs additional information such as violation observed and license plate state and number, manages the operation of the MEP equipment, and triggers the capture and storage of still digital images of composite monitor screen images;

describing and implementing pre-determined criteria, protocols, procedures and routines that are approved and authorized for use with the MEP system, each of its sub-systems and elements, and the MEP vehicle itself in traffic observation, violation identification or detection and documentation, data and image development, capture, storage, transfer, and archiving, and citation preparation using the MEP system outputs;

providing the means for audit and certification of the MEP system and vehicle activities and operation;

providing the means and procedures for tuning, testing, and documenting the accuracy and settings of the speed detection equipment;

providing the means for transfer of the information and images developed by the MEP system;

providing the system for analyzing the MEP-generated traffic data;

providing the system for generating citations based on the MEP-generated video and still images of violations; and

providing the system for generating data and images useful for homeland security and non-traffic law enforcement including surveillance.