SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS ON RESTRICTED ROADWAYS

• US 20120212617A1
• Filed: 08/19/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Traffic Solutions Incorporated (Verra Mobility Corp.)
• Original Assignee: American Traffic Solutions Incorporated (Verra Mobility Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jigang, Young, Kenneth M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/149
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• 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

Abstract

A system and method automatically detect traffic violations on roadways or portions thereof that are restricted for use only by permitted vehicles. The system comprises a controller, a vehicle sensor, and a camera. The vehicle sensor detects vehicle movement on a restricted roadway. Data from the camera and the vehicle sensor are analyzed by the controller to detect a vehicle traveling on the restricted roadway, to gather static vehicle information to determine whether the detected vehicle is permitted to use the restricted roadway, and to determine whether movements of the detected vehicle on the restricted roadway constitute a violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway. The method captures at least one image of a vehicle on a region of the roadway, detects a vehicle in the region, collects vehicle movement information, and detects a violation of traffic rules in effect using at least the collected vehicle movement information.

Claims

1. A system for automatically detecting traffic violations on a roadway that is restricted for use only by permitted vehicles, the system comprising:

a first camera configured to capture images of vehicles on the roadway;

a first vehicle sensor configured to detect vehicle movement on a restricted roadway; and

a controller configured to receive data from the first camera and the first vehicle sensor and to analyze the data to detect a vehicle traveling on the restricted roadway and to gather static vehicle information to determine whether the detected vehicle is permitted to use the restricted roadway, wherein the controller is further configured to analyze the data to determine whether movements of the detected vehicle on the restricted roadway constitute a violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the permitted vehicles are permitted based on at least one of a vehicle type, occupancy of a vehicle, movement of a vehicle, and operating requirements of a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein permitted vehicles comprise one of a bus, a taxi, a high occupancy vehicle, a vehicle having a weight under a permitted limit, and a vehicle having a height under a permitted limit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the restricted roadway comprises one of a bus lane, a taxi lane, an HOV lane, a roadway with a weight limit, and a roadway with a clearance limit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle sensor comprises one of an automatic license plate recognition system, a vehicle class identification system, a vehicle occupancy identification system, a vehicle weight determination system, and a vertical height determination system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first camera comprises a still camera and the controller is adapted to control the first camera to capture a photograph of a detected vehicle in violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first camera comprises a video camera and the controller is adapted to control the first camera to capture a video of a detected vehicle in violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module adapted to enable remote access to the system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication module is further adapted for automated transmission of captured data from the system to a remote storage device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to be mounted, at least in part, on a pole adjacent to the monitored roadway.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is adapted to be mounted, at least in part, on an overhead mast arm.

12. The system of claim 1, adapted for continuous operation under all-weather conditions.

13. The system of claim 1, adapted for detecting and recording traffic violations for extended periods of the day, during specific hours on specific days, or on a variable basis.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second vehicle sensor to detect vehicle movement; and

a second camera;

wherein the first vehicle sensor and the first camera are located in a first detection zone, and the second vehicle sensor and the second camera are located in a second detection zone.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the distance between the first detection zone and the second detection zone corresponds to a maximum distance that the detected vehicle is allowed to travel in the restricted roadway, according to traffic rules in effect on the roadway.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the second detection zone is placed near an exit from the roadway and adapted to determine whether the detected vehicle exits the restricted roadway.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises an ALPR system adapted to detect and read a license plate of the detected vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the ALPR system is further adapted to produce an image of the detected vehicle and an image of the license plate of the detected vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the ALPR system comprises a video camera and a video analyzer adapted to detect and track the detected vehicle in the video camera'"'"'s field of view.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the ALPR system is further adapted to produce videos of the detected vehicle.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the ALPR system comprises a camera and a 3D radar sensor that is adapted to detect and track multiple vehicles.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle sensor comprises a weigh-in-motion sensor and a 3D radar sensor that is adapted to detect and track multiple vehicles.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle sensor comprises an intelligent loop sensor that is adapted to classify and identify vehicles and a 3D radar sensor that is capable of detecting and tracking multiple vehicles.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle sensor comprises an intelligent loop sensor that is adapted to classify and identify vehicles and a video-based vehicle sensor that is adapted to detect and track multiple vehicles.

25. A method for automatically detecting traffic violations on a roadway that is restricted for use only by permitted vehicles, the method comprising:

capturing at least one image of a vehicle on a region of the roadway;

detecting a vehicle in the region;

collecting vehicle movement information in the region; and

detecting a violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway using at least the collected vehicle movement information.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

capturing an image comprising a moving violation.

27. The method claim 26, further comprising:

capturing a date, time, and location information of the moving violation.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

transferring data regarding the moving violation to a remote system.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining for the detected vehicle at least one of whether a weight of the detected vehicle is under a permitted weight limit, whether a height of the detected vehicle is under a permitted height limit, whether the occupancy of the detected vehicle exceeds an occupancy requirement, and whether a class of the vehicle satisfies a vehicle class requirement.

30. A system for automatically detecting traffic violations on a roadway that is restricted for use only by permitted vehicles, the system comprising:

means for monitoring a region of the restricted roadway;

means for detecting a vehicle in the region;

means for collecting vehicle movement information in the region; and

means for detecting a violation of traffic rules in effect on the roadway using at least the collected vehicle movement information.