VEHICLE SPEED MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20090174777A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Smith, Brian David Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/149
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A vehicle speed monitoring system comprises a plurality of cameras (10, 40) for capturing images of vehicle registration marks of passing vehicles. An electronic processing means produces electronic records for each vehicle recognition mark with an associated time of image capture. When a match is found between a vehicle registration mark stemming from a first camera (10) and from a second camera (40) then a central electronic processing means (20) uses the image capture times to calculate a travel time of the vehicle. This time is compared with a minimum travel time for a journey between the first and second cameras. Each camera (10, 40) is provided with clock means individual thereto which produces the times of image capture and each camera is also provided with timing verification means which accesses a plurality of independent time sources. The independent time sources originate time signals independently of the central electronic processing means, and the verification means is capable of checking whether the clock means is generating a time within a predetermined tolerance of the time signals obtained from the independent sources.

Claims

1. A vehicle speed monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of cameras provided one each in a plurality of different geographical locations, each camera capturing images of vehicle registration marks of vehicles passing thereby;

for each camera an electronic processing means, an electronic memory means and data transmission means, the electronic processing means producing electronic records each comprising at least one of the captured images and a time of image capture, which electronic records are stored in the electronic memory means, and the electronic processing means using a character recognition process to extract from at least some of the captured images the vehicle registration marks appearing therein, which extracted vehicle registration marks are transmitted onwards by the transmission means in data files which comprise for each vehicle registration mark an associated time of image capture;

a communications network across which the data files are transmitted; and

central electronic processing means in a geographical location remote from at least the majority of the cameras, which receives via the communications network from the cameras the transmitted data files and which compares the vehicle registration marks in the data files with each other;

wherein

when the central electronic processing means determines a match between a vehicle registration mark stemming from a first camera and a vehicle registration mark stemming from a second camera then the central electronic processing means uses the retrieved image capture times associated with the matched vehicle identification marks to calculate a travel time of the relevant vehicle between the first and second cameras;

the central electronic processing means compares the determined travel time with a minimum travel time for a journey between the first and second cameras, this minimum travel time being stored in a memory associated with the central electronic processing means; and

when the central electronic processing means detects that a determined travel time is less than the minimum travel time then the central electronic processing means produces an evidential record by retrieving from the electronic memory means associated with the first and second cameras the relevant images captured by the first and second cameras and the image capture times recorded therefor;

wherein each camera is provided with clock means individual thereto which produces the times of image capture and each camera is also provided with timing verification means which accesses a plurality of independent time sources, which is capable of checking whether the clock means is generating a time which is within a predetermined tolerance of times obtained from the independent sources.

3. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the timing verification means produces an invalid record if the time generated by the clock means is outside the predetermined tolerance, said invalid record being then associated with one or more relevant vehicle registration mark(s) in the data files produced by the electronic processing means associated with the camera and the central computer only producing an evidential record of captured images with validated times of capture.

4. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the independent time sources originate time signals independently of the central electronic processing means.

5. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the verification means comprises a receiver which receives and decodes a broadcast electronic time source signal.

6. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the verification means comprises a connection to a TCP/IP network over which an electronic time source signal is transmitted.

7. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in any claim 1 wherein the data transmission means provided for each camera transmits the data files and, on request, sends electronic records as electromagnetic signals to a receiver connected to the central processing means, the receiver decoding the received electromagnetic signals.

8. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic records each comprise a first captured detailed image focused on the vehicle registration mark and at least a second captured overview image showing the vehicle on which the vehicle registration mark appears.

9. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic processing means associated with each camera comprise local authentication means which generate an authorization code for inclusion in each electronic record, which authentication code is later checked by central authentication means provided in the central electronic processing means to ensure that the transmitted record has not been tampered with prior to or during transmission.

10. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic processing means associated with each camera comprises encryption means for encrypting each electronic record prior to transmission and the central electronic processing means comprises deciphering means to convert each encrypted transmitted record back to an unencrypted form.

11. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 1 wherein violation report generating means is provided for the central electronic processing means and for each evidential record produced the violation report generating means retrieves from a database connected to a name and address of the owner of the relevant vehicle and produces a violation report containing at least the relevant captured images, the capture times and the name and address of the vehicle owner.

16. An arrangement of camera, electronic processing means associated with the camera and transmitter means for transmitting electromagnetic signals, the arrangement operating to capture images of vehicle registration marks with the camera serving as a camera of the vehicle speed monitoring system claimed in claim 1.

17. An electronic processing means which receives and processes electronic records comprising captured images of vehicle registration marks and is operated as the central electronic processing means of the vehicle speed monitoring system claimed in claim 1.

2. (canceled)

12. A vehicle speed monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of cameras provided one each in a plurality of different geographical locations, each camera capturing images of vehicle registration marks of vehicles passing thereby;

for each camera an electronic processing means and a data transmission means, the electronic processing means producing electronic records each comprising at least one of the captured images and a time of image capture, which electronic records are transmitted onwards by the transmission means in data files;

a communication network across which the data files are transmitted; and

central electronic processing means in a secure geographical location remote from at least a majority of the cameras, which receives the transmitted data files and uses character recognition means to extract from the images of the data files the captured vehicle registration marks;

wherein

the central electronic processing means compares the extracted vehicle registration marks to determine a match between vehicle recognition marks stemming from different cameras;

when the central electronic processing means determines a match then the central electronic processing means uses the image capture times associated with the matched vehicle registration marks to determine a journey time of the relevant vehicle between the relevant cameras;

the central electronic processing means compares each calculated journey time with a minimum time for the relevant journey as stored in a memory associated with the central processing means;

when the central electronic processing means detects that a determined travel time is less than the minimum travel time then the central electronic processing means produces an evidential record comprising the relevant images captured by the first and second cameras and the image capture times associated therewith; and

wherein each camera is provided with clock means individual thereto which produces the times of image capture and each camera is also provided with timing verification means which accesses a plurality of independent time sources, which checks whether the clock means is generating a time which is within a predetermined tolerance of times obtained from the independent sources.

14. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the timing verification means produces an invalid record if the time generated by the clock means is outside the predetermined tolerance, said invalid record being then associated with one or more relevant vehicle registration mark(s) in the data files produced by the electronic processing means associated with the camera and the central computer only producing an evidential record of captured images with validated times of capture.

15. A vehicle speed monitoring system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the independent time sources originate time signals independently of the central electronic processing means.

13. (canceled)

18. A vehicle speed monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of cameras provided one each in a plurality of different geographical locations, each camera capturing images of vehicle registration marks of vehicles passing thereby;

for each camera an electronic processing means, an electronic memory means and data transmission means, the electronic processing means producing electronic records each comprising at least one of the captured images and a time of image capture, which electronic records are stored in the electronic memory means, and the electronic processing means using a character recognition process to extract from at least some of the captured images the vehicle recognition marks appearing therein, which extracted vehicle recognition marks are transmitted onwards by the transmission means in data files which comprise for each vehicle recognition mark an associated time of image capture;

a communications network across which the data files are transmitted; and

central electronic processing means in a geographical location remote from at least the majority of the cameras, which receives via the communications network from the cameras the transmitted data files and which compares the vehicle registration marks in the data files with each other;

wherein

when the central electronic processing means determines a match between a vehicle registration mark stemming from a first camera and a vehicle registration mark stemming from a second camera then the central electronic processing means uses the retrieved image capture times associated with the matched vehicle identification marks to calculate a travel time of the relevant vehicle between the first and second cameras;

the central electronic processing means compares the determined travel time with a minimum travel time for a journey between the first and second cameras, this minimum travel time being stored in a memory associated with the central electronic processing means; and

when the central electronic processing means detects that a determined travel time is less than the minimum travel time then the central electronic processing means produces an evidential record by retrieving from the electronic memory means associated with the first and second cameras the relevant images captured by the first and second cameras and the image capture times recorded therefor;

wherein each camera is provided with clock means individual thereto which produces the times of image capture and each camera is also provided with timing verification means which accesses a plurality of independent time sources, the independent time sources originating time signals independently of the central electronic processing means, and the verification means capable of checking whether the clock means is generating a time which is within a predetermined tolerance of the time signals obtained from the independent sources; and

wherein the verification means comprises a receiver which receives and decodes a broadcast electronic time source signal;

wherein the verification means comprises a connection to a TCP/IP network over which an electronic time source signal is transmitted.

19. A vehicle speed monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of cameras provided one each in a plurality of different geographical locations, each camera capturing images of vehicle registration marks of vehicles passing thereby;

for each camera an electronic processing apparatus, memory and data transmission link, the electronic processing apparatus producing electronic records each comprising at least one of the captured images and a time of image capture, which electronic records are stored in the memory, and the electronic processing apparatus using a character recognition process to extract from at least some of the captured images the vehicle registration marks appearing therein, which extracted vehicle registration marks are transmitted onwards by the transmission means in data files which comprise for each vehicle registration mark an associated time of image capture;

a communications network across which the data files are transmitted; and

a central electronic processing apparatus in a geographical location remote from at least the majority of the cameras, which receives via the communications network from the cameras the transmitted data files and which compares the vehicle registration marks in the data files with each other;

wherein

when the central electronic processing apparatus determines a match between a vehicle registration mark stemming from a first camera and a vehicle registration mark stemming from a second camera then the central electronic processing apparatus uses the retrieved image capture times associated with the matched vehicle identification marks to calculate a travel time of the relevant vehicle between the first and second cameras;

the central electronic processing apparatus compares the determined travel time with a minimum travel time for a journey between the first and second cameras, this minimum travel time being stored in a memory associated with the central electronic processing apparatus; and

when the central electronic processing apparatus detects that a determined travel time is less than the minimum travel time then the central electronic processing apparatus produces an evidential record by retrieving from the memory associated with the first and second cameras the relevant images captured by the first and second cameras and the image capture times recorded therefore

wherein each camera is provided with a clock individual thereto which produces the times of image capture and each camera is also provided with timing verification means which accesses a plurality of independent time sources, which is capable of checking whether the clock is generating a time which is within a predetermined tolerance of times obtained from the independent sources.