Speed detector for moving vehicles

• US 8,294,595 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Plotke, Leonard Alan, Hegde, Subhash Chandra, Mouton, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/563,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/936, 340/953, 340/969, 340/978, 340/441, 340/438, 340/466, 340/905, 340/929, 340/951, 340/973
• US Class Current: 340/937
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting moving vehicles. A determination is made as to whether a number of vehicles are present in a video data stream received from a camera system. In response to the number of vehicles being present, a number of speed measurements for each vehicle in the number of vehicles are obtained from a radar system. A determination is made as to whether a speed of a set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds a threshold. In response to a determination that the speed of the set of vehicles exceeds the threshold, a report is created for the set of the vehicles exceeding the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for detecting moving vehicles, the method comprising:

determining whether a number of vehicles are present in a video data stream received from a camera system, wherein the video data stream comprises an infrared video data stream, and wherein determining whether the number of vehicles are present further comprises;

selecting a frame in the infrared video data stream; and

determining whether a number of heat signatures having a selected level of heat for a vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present;

responsive to the number of vehicles being present, obtaining a number of speed measurements for each vehicle in the number of vehicles from a radar system;

determining whether a speed of a set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds a threshold; and

responsive to a determination that the speed of the set of vehicles exceeds the threshold, creating a report for the set of the vehicles exceeding the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the report to an entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present comprises:

moving a window within the frame and determining whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present in an area within the window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the speed of the set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds the threshold comprises:

determining whether the speed of any of the number of vehicles exceeds a value more than a selected number of times in the number of speed measurements for the each vehicle in the number of vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the report for the set of the vehicles exceeding the threshold comprises:

placing a photograph of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report; and

associating the number of speed measurements with the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving the photograph containing a vehicle for the each vehicle in the number of vehicles from the camera system, wherein the photograph is formed using a frame from a visible light video camera in the camera system.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

identifying a license plate of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles using the photograph to form an identification for the each vehicle in the set of vehicles; and

placing the identification in the report.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating the report for the set of vehicles exceeding the threshold comprises:

placing a video of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report; and

associating the number of speed measurements with the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving the video of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles from the camera system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera system comprises an infrared camera and a visible light video camera.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar system comprises a laser radar unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the report includes an average speed of the number of vehicles.

13. A method of identifying vehicles exceeding a speed limit, the method comprising:

receiving infrared frames from an infrared camera;

determining whether a number of vehicles are present in the infrared frames, wherein determining whether the number of vehicles are present further comprises;

selecting a frame in the infrared frames; and

determining whether a number of heat signatures having a selected level of heat for a vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles are present;

responsive to the number of vehicles being present in the infrared frames, obtaining a first number of speed measurements for each vehicle in the number of vehicles from a radar system;

responsive to the number of vehicles being present in the infrared frames, generating a second number of speed measurements for each vehicle in the number of vehicles using the infrared frames;

determining whether a speed of a set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds a threshold using the first number of speed measurements and the second number of speed measurements; and

responsive to a determination that the speed of the set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds the threshold, creating a report for the set of the vehicles exceeding the threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of creating the report for the set of vehicles exceeding the threshold comprises:

placing a photograph of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report;

placing a video of the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report; and

associating the first number of speed measurements and the second number of speed measurements with the each vehicle in the set of vehicles in the report.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

adjusting the first number of speed measurements using offset information for the radar system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the offset information comprises a first angle for an elevation of the radar system relative to the each vehicle, a second angle for an azimuth of the radar system relative to the vehicle, and a distance from the radar system to the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present comprises:

moving a window within the frame and determining whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present in an area within the window.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a camera system;

a radar system; and

a processor unit configured to determine whether a number of vehicles are present in a video data stream received from the camera system, wherein the camera system includes at least an infrared camera, wherein the processor is configured to determine the number of vehicles present by selecting a frame in a number of infrared frames and determining whether a number of heat signatures having a selected level of heat for each vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present, and wherein the processor unit is further configured to obtain a number of speed measurements for the each vehicle in the number of vehicles from the radar system in response to the number of vehicles being present;

determine whether a speed of a set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds a threshold; and

create a report for the set of vehicles exceeding the threshold in response to a determination that the speed of the set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds the threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the radar system comprises:

a laser radar unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor unit is configured to change a direction of a laser beam generated by the laser radar unit to illuminate the each vehicle within the set of vehicles to generate the first number of speed measurements and the second number of speed measurements for the each vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor unit is configured to obtain a first number of speed measurements for the each vehicle in the number of vehicles from the radar system in response to the number of vehicles being present in the infrared frames;

generate a second number of speed measurements for the each vehicle in the number of vehicles using the infrared frames in response to the number of vehicles being present in the infrared frames; and

determine whether the speed of the set of vehicles in the number of vehicles exceeds the threshold using the first number of speed measurements and the second number of speed measurements.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the camera system, the radar system, and the processor unit form a speed detection system and wherein the speed detection system is configured to be mounted at an offset from a road on which the number of vehicles is present.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor unit is configured to adjust the first number of speed measurements using offset information from the radar system.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the offset information comprises a first angle for an elevation of the radar system relative to the each vehicle, a second angle for an azimuth of the radar system relative to the each vehicle, and a distance from the radar system to the vehicle.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein, in determining whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present, the processor is further configured to move a window within the frame and determine whether the number heat signatures having the selected level of heat for the vehicle is present in the frame to determine whether the number of vehicles is present in an area within the window.