Combined laser/radar-video speed violation detector for law enforcement

• US 20020186148A1
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Trajkovic, Miroslav, Gutta, Srinivas, Colmenarez, Antonio J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,696,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

A device for identifying vehicles traveling in excess of a predetermined speed. The device including: speed measurement detector for measuring the speed of a target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the measured speed; a camera operatively connected to the speed measurement detector for capturing image data of a license plate affixed to the target vehicle when the target vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed; and a device for tagging the captured image data with the signal indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle. The device can further have a recognition system for recognizing the license plate of the target vehicle which controls the camera to provide an enhanced view of the license plate. The device can also have classification and color identification systems for identifying a type and color of the target vehicle. The type and color information can also be tagged to the image data.

Claims

1. A device for identifying vehicles traveling in excess of a predetermined speed, the device comprising:

speed measurement means for measuring the speed of a target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the measured speed;

a camera operatively connected to the speed measurement means for capturing image data of a license plate affixed to the target vehicle when the target vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed; and

tagging means for tagging the captured image data with the signal indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a recognition system for recognizing the license plate of the target vehicle; and

at least one of a pan, tilt, and zoom motors operatively connected to the camera and controlled by the recognition system to provide an enhanced view of the license plate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the tagging means comprises:

conversion means for converting the signal indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining means for combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising classification means for classifying the type of target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the type of target vehicle, wherein the tagging means further tags the captured image data with the signal indicative of the type of target vehicle.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the tagging means comprises:

conversion means for converting the signals indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle and the type of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining means for combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising color distribution identification means for identifying a color distribution of the target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the color distribution of the target vehicle, wherein the tagging means further tags the captured image data with the signal indicative of the color distribution of the target vehicle.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the tagging means comprises:

conversion means for converting the signals indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle and the color distribution of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining means for combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the tagged image data.

9. The device of claim 4, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the tagged image data.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the tagged image data.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the speed measurement means is a radar speed detector.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the speed measurement means is a laser speed detector.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

recognizing the license plate of the target vehicle; and

providing an enhanced view of the license plate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the tagging step comprises:

converting the signal indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising classifying the type of target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the type of target vehicle, wherein the captured image data is further tagged with the signal indicative of the type of target vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tagging comprises:

converting the signals indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle and the type of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying a color distribution of the target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the color distribution of the target vehicle, wherein the captured image data is further tagged with the signal indicative of the color distribution of the target vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tagging comprises:

converting the signals indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle and the color distribution of the target vehicle into alpha-numeric data; and

combining the image data and the alpha numeric data.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the tagged image data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tagged data is transmitted to law enforcement vehicles within a predetermined distance.

13. A method for identifying vehicles traveling in excess of a predetermined speed, the method comprising:

measuring the speed of a target vehicle and outputting a signal indicative of the measured speed;

capturing image data of a license plate affixed to the target vehicle when the target vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed; and

tagging the captured image data with the signal indicative of the measured speed of the target vehicle.