Method and apparatus for automatic noninvasive illegal rider detection system

• US 7,663,474 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aydin Arpa, Gianni Arcaini, Larry Strach, Scott Carns
• Original Assignee: Aydin Arpa, Gianni Arcaini, Larry Strach, Scott Carns
• Inventors: Strach, Larry, Carns, Scott, Arcaini, Gianni, Arpa, Aydin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/758,709
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/00 Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

This is a method and apparatus for the detection of a noninvasive method by which illegal riders can be detected. This will save tremendous amounts of time and money with regard to the inspection of individual trains and also minimize the necessity of randomly stopping a train and randomly inspecting cars on the train.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatic noninvasive illegal rider system detection, which is comprised of:

a. a train;

wherein said train is comprised of a plurality of containers on a plurality of flat cars;

wherein said plurality of flat cars are used to secure said containers on the train;

said containers are smaller than the area of the area of said flat car;

b. a plurality of portals;

wherein said portals are placed along the route of the rail line;

said portals are stationary;

each of said portals is placed at a predetermined location along the rail line;

c. a plurality of cameras;

wherein each of said plurality of cameras is secured to each of said plurality of portals;

wherein each of said plurality of cameras is used to capture images of said train;

said plurality of cameras capture images of the containers and said flat cars of said train;

d. a software;

wherein said software integrates said captured images from said plurality of cameras;

said software places the images from the plurality of cameras into a linear panorama;

said software has predetermined templates to discriminate between the shape of containers and the shape of a human person and said software permits the detection of a human person at a specific location;

e. a remote facility

wherein said software transmits the information to said remote facility only when a human person is detected by said shape discrimination;

wherein the information concerning the presence of a human person on the train is provided at said remote facility; and

wherein a visual image of the human person on the train which is detected by said software is provided at said remote facility by the software.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the camera operates in low lighting.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the camera is equipped with infrared capability.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the camera is a color camera.