System and method for traffic monitoring

• US 8,531,520 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Stricklin, Michael C., Teffer, Dean W., Filo, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Anyikire, Chikaodili E
• Application Number:
  US10/117,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,176 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/148, 348/149, 382/103, 382/104, 382/105
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

The invention is directed to a system and method for acquiring image evidence of traffic violations. The system has a controller, an image acquisition system, and sensors. The controller acquires data from the sensors to determine the likelihood of a traffic violation. The controller determines a schedule for acquiring images associated with the violation. Multiple images may be acquired as evidence of the violation. The controller then directs the image acquisition to acquire images in compliance with the schedule. The controller may then package, encrypt, and authenticate data and images associated with the violation. The controller may then transfer the data to a remote location. The system may also determine a schedule to acquire images associated with multiple violations and/or traffic accidents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing an image associated with multiple violators, the apparatus comprising:

a controller;

one or more non-optical sensors communicatively coupled to said controller, said one or more non-optical sensors adapted to detect at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle;

said controller adapted to use data associated with said one or more non-optical sensors to determine a schedule for acquiring one or more images associated with a first violation associated with said first vehicle and a second violation associated with said second vehicle, wherein to determine the schedule, the controller is further configured to;

determine a first time that a first image depicting the first violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determine a second time that a second image depicting the second violation associated with the second vehicle can be acquired; and

determine a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that a third image depicting both said first violation and said second violation can be acquired; and

an image acquisition system communicatively coupled to said controller, said image acquisition system adapted to acquire said one or more images associated with said first violation and said second violation, said image acquisition system adapted to acquire said one or more images in compliance with said schedule,

wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the image acquisition system to acquire the third image at the third time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

a traffic signal interface communicatively coupled to said controller, said controller adapted to use data associated with said traffic signal interface to determine said schedule.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first violation and said second violation is associated with traversing a red traffic signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first violation and said second violation is associated with exceeding a speed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one or more images comprise evidence of a collision.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller creates a data package comprising said data and at least one of said one or more images, the data package being associated with one of said first vehicle and said second vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

a network interface communicatively coupled to said controller, said controller transferring data packages through said network interface.

8. A method for capturing an image associated with multiple violators, the method comprising:

detecting at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle with one or more non-optical sensors;

determining with a controller a schedule for acquiring one or more images that are associated with a first violation associated with said first vehicle and a second violation associated with said second vehicle, said controller using data associated with said one or more non-optical sensors in determining said schedule, wherein determining said schedule comprises;

determining a first time that a first image depicting the first violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determining a second time that a second image depicting the second violation associated with the second vehicle can be acquired; and

determining a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that a third image depicting both said first violation and said second violation can be acquired; and

acquiring said one or more images associated with said first violation and said second violation in compliance with said schedule, wherein acquiring the one or more images comprises acquiring the third image at the third time.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said controller uses data associated with a traffic signal interface in determining said schedule.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first violation and said second violation is associated with traversing a red traffic signal.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first violation and said second violation is associated exceeding a speed.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said one or more images comprise evidence of a collision.

13. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising:

associating one of said one or more images with a time stamp.

14. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising:

assembling a data package comprising said data and at least one of said one or more images.

15. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising:

transferring data packages from said controller to a remote location.

16. A method for capturing multiple images associated with a first violation, the method comprising:

detecting a first vehicle associated with the first violation with one or more non-optical sensors;

determining with a controller a schedule for acquiring the multiple images associated with the first vehicle associated with the first violation, said controller using data associated with said one or more non-optical sensors in determining said schedule, wherein the schedule for at least one image of the multiple images is determined using data associated with a second violation associated with a second vehicle, wherein determining the schedule comprises;

determining a first time that a first image depicting the first violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determining a second time that a second image depicting the second violation associated with the second vehicle can be acquired; and

determining a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that a third image depicting both said first violation and said second violation can be acquired; and

acquiring said multiple images associated with the first violation, wherein the multiple images are associated with multiple locations of the first vehicle, wherein acquiring the multiple images comprises acquiring the third image at the third time.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said controller uses data associated with a traffic signal interface in determining said schedule.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first violation is associated with traversing a red traffic signal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the first violation is associated exceeding a speed.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said multiple images comprise evidence of a collision.

21. The method of claim 16 the method further comprising:

associating one of said multiple images with a time stamp.

22. The method of claim 16 the method further comprising:

assembling a data package comprising said data and at least one of said multiple images.

23. The method of claim 16 the method further comprising:

transferring data packages from said controller to a remote location.

24. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instruction executable by the machine to perform method steps for capturing an image associated with multiple violators, the method steps comprising:

detecting at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle with one or more non-optical sensors;

determining with a controller a schedule for acquiring one or more images that are associated with a first violation associated with said first vehicle and a second violation associated with said second vehicle, said controller using data associated with said one or more sensors in determining said schedule, wherein determining said schedule comprises;

determining a first time that a first image depicting the first violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determining a second time that a second image depicting the second violation associated with the second vehicle can be acquired; and

determining a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that a third image depicting both said first violation and said second violation can be acquired; and

acquiring said one or more images associated with said first violation and said second violation in compliance with said schedule, wherein acquiring the one or more images comprises acquiring the third image at the third time.

25. An apparatus for capturing at least two images associated with a first violation associated with a first vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a controller;

at least one non-optical sensor operably coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one non-optical sensor is configured for detecting at least the first vehicle approaching an intersection and to generate and transmit to the controller at least one signal corresponding to the detecting;

wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the at least one signal received from the sensor, a first schedule for acquiring a first image of the first vehicle at a first moment when the first vehicle has not yet entered the intersection; and

determine, based on the signal received from the sensor, a second schedule for acquiring a second image of the first vehicle at a second moment when the first vehicle has entered the intersection, wherein at least one of said first schedule and said second schedule is determined using data associated with a second violation associated with a second vehicle, wherein to determine at least one of the first and second schedules, the controller is further configured to;

determine a first time that an image depicting the first violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determine a second time that an image depicting the second violation associated with the second vehicle can be acquired; and

determine a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that at least one image showing depicting both said first violation and said second violation can be acquired; and

an image capture device operably coupled to the controller, configured to capture the first image according to the first schedule and to capture the second image according to the second schedule, wherein at least one of the first image and the second image is the at least one image depicting both the first violation and the second violation and is captured at the third time.

26. A method for capturing images of a red light violation associated with a first vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

via a non-optical sensor, detecting the first vehicle moving toward an intersection;

ascertaining the state of a traffic control signal governing the first vehicle in relation to the intersection;

determining, based on the steps of detecting and ascertaining;

a schedule for capturing a first image at a first moment when the first vehicle has not yet entered the intersection and the state of the traffic control signal is red;

a schedule for capturing a second image at a second moment when the first vehicle has entered the intersection and the state of the traffic control signal is red;

a first time that an image depicting the red light violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

a second time that an image depicting a moving violation associated with a second vehicle can be acquired; and

a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that at least one image depicting both the red light violation and the moving violation can be acquired; and

capturing the first and second images, wherein at least one of the first image and the second image is the at least one image depicting both the red light violation and the moving violation and is captured at the third time.

27. A method for capturing images of a red light violation associated with a first vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

via a non-optical sensor, detecting a first vehicle moving toward an intersection;

ascertaining the state of a traffic control signal governing the first vehicle in relation to the intersection;

determining, based on the steps of detecting and ascertaining, a schedule for capturing a plurality of images, wherein at least one of the plurality of images is scheduled to be captured at a first moment when the first vehicle has not yet entered the intersection and the state of the traffic control signal is red and at least one other of the plurality of images is scheduled to be captured at a second moment when the vehicle has entered a predetermined distance into the intersection and the state of the traffic control signal is red, wherein determining the schedule comprises;

determining a first time that a first image depicting the red light violation associated with the first vehicle can be acquired;

determining a second time that a second image depicting a moving violation associated with a second vehicle can be acquired; and

determining a third time, different from the first time and the second time, that a third image depicting both the red light violation and the moving violation can be acquired; and

capturing the plurality of images based on the schedule, wherein at least one of the plurality of images is the third image depicting both the red light violation and the moving violation and is captured at the third time.