Commercial vehicle electronic screening hardware/software system with primary and secondary sensor sets

• US 6,980,093 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Chiu, Wendy W., Oursler, Mark A., Char, Ronald K., Fewer, John H. Jr., Worrell, Gary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US10/430,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20040021579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 340/928, 340/907, 340/932.2, 340933-943, 340/572, 340/5.8, 705/13, 701/1, 235384- 5, 235/491
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/02 for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/02 using treadles built into the road pads or other sensitive devices responsive to passage of vehicles E01F11/00

Abstract

A primary set of sensors is situated along a highway approaching a weighing/inspection station, and a secondary set of sensors is situated along a ramp that is traversed by vehicles exiting the highway into a weighing/inspection station. The secondary sensors use vehicle identification based upon transponders and/or alternate means (such as license plate readers) that are suitable for lower speeds and for vehicles not equipped with transponders. The sensors are coupled to a processing system that accesses a database storing data correlated to vehicles using the highway. Upon the sensing of certain parameters by the primary sensors, the vehicles are directed to exit the highway to the weigh station entry ramp. The secondary set of sensors along the ramp provide an ability to identify transponder and non-transponder equipped vehicles and more accurate sensing capability due, among other things, to the slower speed of the vehicle while passing sensors.

Claims

1. A system for electronically screening vehicles traveling on a road having an exit ramp along which is situated a vehicle weigh station, the vehicle weigh station having a static scale configured to make static weight measurements of said vehicles, comprising:

a first weigh-in-motion (WIM) scale, positioned along the road in the proximity of said vehicle weigh station, configured to make a first weight measurement of said vehicles;

a second WIM scale, positioned along the exit ramp and associated with said weigh station, configured to make a second weight measurement of said vehicles;

one or more indicator signals, positioned near the first and second WIM scales so as to be perceivable by drivers of said vehicles, which, when activated, direct said traveling vehicles to either pull onto or bypass the exit ramp and/or the static scale;

a processor, coupled to said first and second WIM scales, said static scales and said one or more indicator signals, configured to

(i) correct said first and second WIM weight measurements based on said static weight measurements; and

(ii) activate said one or more indicator signals based on said corrected first and second weight measurments.