VIRTUAL TRAFFIC MONITORINGSYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR AVOIDING TRAFFIC RULE VIOLATIONS

• US 20130127639A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elaheh Hassanzadeh Toreh, Maryam Mohammadvali
• Original Assignee: Elaheh Hassanzadeh Toreh, Maryam Mohammadvali
• Inventors: Hassanzadeh Toreh, Elaheh, Mohammadvali, Maryam
• Application Number:
  US13/525,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0796 Safety measures, i.e. ensuring safe condition in the event of error, e.g. for controlling element
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09 Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

The embodiments herein disclose a virtual traffic monitoring system and method for avoiding traffic rule violation. The system comprises several slave microcontrollers interfaced with one active device and a sensor. The active device and the sensor in conjunction with several components detect a traffic rule violation. The components include a GPS, a LCD, a Digital Imaging Device, an ADC, a GSM and an ECU. A buzzer is provided in the vehicle for providing an audio alert to the driver of the vehicle. The traffic violation information is sent to the traffic controlling authorities in the form of a text message via an RF transceiver. A power source is provided for supplying an electrical power to the traffic monitoring system components and the sensors.

Claims

1. A virtual traffic monitoring system for avoiding a traffic rule violation, the system comprises:

a plurality of slave microcontrollers, wherein the plurality of slave microcontrollers are interfaced with at-least one active device and a sensor, wherein the at least one active device is selected from a group consisting of a micro-switch, a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver, a 2-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis accelerometer, an optical counter, an ultrasonic transceiver-decoder and a compass, wherein the micro-switch is provided in a seat belt lock of a vehicle to detect a locking of a seat belt in the seat belt lock, wherein the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver is provided for communicating between a traffic controlling authority and the vehicle, wherein the 2-axis accelerometer is provided for detecting a helical movement of a four wheeler vehicle, wherein the 3-axis accelerometer is provided for detecting a deviation of a two wheeler vehicle from a central axis of movement, wherein the encoder is provided for encoding a signal from a plurality of sensors and a plurality of the active devices, wherein the decoder is provided for decoding a signal received from the traffic controlling authority and wherein the decoder is connected to the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver, wherein the optical counter is provided for calculating an instantaneous speed of the vehicle, wherein the ultrasonic transceiver-decoder is provided for sending an alert to a driver of the vehicle, wherein the compass is provided for determining a direction of a movement of the vehicle;

a Global Position System (GPS) for determining a plurality of geographical co-ordinates of the vehicle;

a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) provided in a driver'"'"'s cabin for displaying the helical movement of the vehicle;

a Digital Imaging Device for identifying an illegal overtaking of the vehicle;

a buzzer for providing an audio alert to the driver of the vehicle;

an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC);

a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) module for sending a traffic violation information to the traffic controlling authorities, and wherein the traffic violation information is sent in the form of a text message;

an Electronic Control Unit of the vehicle; and

a power source for supplying an electrical power to the traffic monitoring system components and the sensors, wherein the virtual traffic monitoring system is fused to the Electronic Control Unit to eradicate a fraud, wherein the fraud is done by a disintegration of the virtual traffic monitoring system, wherein the virtual traffic monitoring system sends an audio alert through the buzzer to the driver of the vehicle when at-least one of the sensors malfunctions, wherein the virtual traffic monitoring system restricts a starting of the vehicle when a malfunctioning of at-least one of the sensors and the active devices is detected.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor for determining a weather condition, at-least one Infrared (IR) sensor and a light sensor for determining a light intensity.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Electronic Control Unit further comprises:

a primary microcontroller for controlling an initiation of a car start system;

a secondary microcontroller for providing an interface between the primary microcontroller and the virtual traffic monitoring system; and

a driver warning module for providing an alert to the driver regarding the malfunctioning of the pluralities of sensors and components.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein an optical counter further comprises a pulse trigger microcontroller and a shaft encoder, wherein the pulse trigger microcontroller counts the number of pulses entering through a shaft encoder in a specific time interval, and wherein the number of counted pulse is used to determine an instantaneous speed of the vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Global Position System (GPS) is connected to a plurality of active devices.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Global Position System (GPS) in conjunction with at-least one of an accelerometer, the pluralities of sensors, the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver and the optical counter, individually calculates an instantaneous speed of a vehicle, and wherein an average of the calculated instantaneous speed of the vehicle is compared with a preset speed limit.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a Radio Frequency (RF) Transceiver sends an alert to a nearby traffic controlling authority in case of a speed limit violation.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Infrared (IR) sensor in conjunction with a Digital Imaging Device detects an illegal overtaking of the vehicle and sends an alert to the nearby traffic controlling authority for a respective traffic violation.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Infrared (IR) sensor in conjunction with the ultrasonic transceiver-decoder and the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver manipulates a distance between two moving vehicles and sends an alert to a concerned driver when the distance between two moving vehicles is less than a predetermined safe limit, and wherein a predetermined safe limit corresponds to a specified safe distance between two moving vehicle to avoid a collision.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Global Position System (GPS) in conjunction with the compass and the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver detects a symbol in a sign board in a path of a journey of a moving vehicle and sends an alert to a concerned driver corresponding to the detected symbol.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a symbol in the sign board comprises a U-turn, a No-Parking zone, a Left or Right Turn prohibition.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver in conjunction with the decoder detects an illegal movement of the vehicle during a stop signal and sends an alert to the nearby traffic controlling authority.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the compass in conjunction with the Global Positioning System (GPS) detects an illegal reverse movement of the vehicle and sends an alert to the concerned driver.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined set of commands is provided to activate the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) module, and wherein the predetermined set of commands further comprise activating the commands for sending an SMS, sorting a contact number of a traffic controlling authority and generating a text corresponding to a traffic rule violation.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of the pluralities of sensors are provided to the Analog and Digital Converter (ADC) through the Global Positioning System (GPS), and wherein the Analog to Digital Converter receives analog inputs from the pluralities of sensors and converts the received analog inputs into a digital data for a long distance communication.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the alert sent to the traffic controlling authorities is an audio alert as well as a text alert.

17. The system according to claim 1 is further connected to the secondary microcontroller of the Electronic Control Unit which is further connected to the primary microcontroller, wherein the primary microcontroller comprises a predefined number of fuse bits, and wherein the primary micro controller is connected to a car start system of the vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the driver warning module of the Electronic Control Unit sends an audio alert to the driver of the concerned vehicle in case of violation of a traffic rule, and wherein the driver warning module of the Electronic Control Unit provides an audio alert during a malfunctioning of an active device.

19. A virtual traffic monitoring method to avoid traffic violation, the method comprising the steps of:

installing a virtual traffic monitoring system in a vehicle;

locking a predefined number of fuse bits of a primary microcontroller of a Electronic Control Unit;

inspecting a functioning of the installed virtual traffic monitoring system;

initiating a vehicle start system based on an inspection of a functioning of the installed virtual traffic monitoring system;

tracking a plurality of vehicular motion-affecting factors while driving the vehicle, wherein the pluralities of vehicular motion-affecting factors comprises a geographical co-ordinates, a weather condition, a light intensity and a terrain structure of a path over the vehicle is moving;

detecting a plurality of traffic rule violation during a movement of the vehicle based on the pluralities of tracked vehicular motion-affecting factors, wherein the plurality of traffic rule violation comprises exceeding a predetermined speed limit of the vehicle, an illegal overtaking of a vehicle, a sudden excessive deviation of a moving vehicle with respect to the present line of movement of the moving vehicle, driving the vehicle at a distance lesser than a predetermined safe distance between the two moving vehicles, and wherein a predetermined safe distance corresponds to a specified safe distance between two moving vehicle to avoid a collision, parking the vehicle in a no-parking zone, unfastening a seatbelt by the driver while driving the vehicle, illegal movement of the vehicle in a reverse direction and illegal movement of the vehicle in a left turn or right turn prohibited zone;

determining a continuation of the detected traffic rule violation over a predetermined sampling period; and

sending an alert to a nearby traffic control authorities for a continued traffic rule violation.