System and Method for Monitoring Vehicle Traffic and Controlling Traffic Signals

• US 20140267734A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Edmond Aiken, John Felix Jr. Hart
• Original Assignee: John Felix Jr. Hart
• Inventors: Hart, John Felix Jr., Aiken, Christopher Edmond
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,545 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 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring objects, such as vehicle traffic, and controlling a flow of the objects, such as vehicle traffic, through a flow point, such as an intersection having traffic control signals. At least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is operable for detecting an object and capturing node-based object with motion vector data relating to the object. A Sensor Processing Unit (SPU) is associated with the vector imaging sensor(s) and operable for processing the mode-based object with motion vector data, determining a tracked object from a plurality of the objects detected by the vector imaging sensor(s) and extracting the object data of the tracked object to an object database. A Central Tracking Unit (CTU) is associated with the SPU and operable for classifying the tracked object, generating object tracking data from the tracked object, predicting a future object state of the tracked object, and generating an object control output for controlling a control signal to thereby facilitate the flow of the objects through the flow point.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring objects and controlling a flow of the objects through a flow point, the system comprising:

at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor;

a Sensor Processing Unit (SPU) associated with the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor and operable for processing object data relating to an object detected and captured by the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor, the SPU further operable for determining a tracked object from a plurality of the objects and for extracting the object data of the tracked object; and

a Central Tracking Unit (CTU) associated with the SPU and operable for classifying the tracked object and for generating object tracking data from the tracked object, the CTU further operable for predicting a future object state of the tracked object and for generating an object control output for controlling a control signal to thereby facilitate the flow of the tracked object through the flow point.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is configured to detect and capture an object located within a Field-Of-View (FOV) defined by the SPU.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is selected from the group consisting of a LIDAR, radar, microwave, ultrasonic distance, stereoscopic imaging and a time-of-flight (TOF) camera sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is operable to determine the position, size, shape and current state of the tracked object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the object data relating to the object detected and captured by the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor comprises node-based object with motion vector data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor provides the node-based object with motion vector data to the SPU.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the SPU is further operable for performing sensor composition of multiple different types of the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the SPU is further operable for performing object filtering to identify the tracked object from a plurality of the objects detected and captured by the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the SPU is further operable to normalize the node-based object with motion vector data provided to the SPU by multiple different types of the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the SPU is further operable to interface with at least one of a Distributed Tracking Unit (DTU), a Central Tracking Unit (CTU) and a Network Processing Unit (NPU).

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the DTU and the CTU is operable for concatenating the object data of a tracked object that is located within an area of overlap of a Field-Of-View (FOV) of a first SPU and an adjacent second SPU to combine the object data of the tracked object.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the DTU and the CTU is operable for classifying a tracked object, generating tracking data for the tracked object, and predicting the object future state of the tracked object.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the DTU and the CTU is further operable for processing the object control output for controlling the control signal.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the DTU and the CTU is further operable to interface with at least one of another DTU, another CTU and a NPU.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one NPU is operable for sorting a plurality of data transactions, filtering the plurality of data transactions, and transmitting the filtered plurality of data transactions to one or more of at least one connected unit of the system.

16. A system for monitoring vehicle traffic and for controlling a traffic signal at an intersection, the system comprising:

at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor configured for detecting an object and capturing object data comprising node-based object with motion vector data relating to the object;

a Sensor Processing Unit (SPU) associated with the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor and operable for processing the object data, the SPU further operable for determining a tracked object from a plurality of the objects and for extracting the object data of the tracked object; and

a Central Tracking Unit (CTU) associated with the SPU and operable for classifying the tracked object and for generating object tracking data from the tracked object, the CTU further operable for predicting a future object state of the tracked object and for generating an object control output for controlling the traffic control signal to thereby facilitate the flow of vehicle traffic through the intersection.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is configured to detect and capture an object located within a Field-Of-View (FOV) defined by the SPU.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor is selected from the group consisting of a LIDAR, radar, microwave, ultrasonic distance, stereoscopic imaging and a time-of-flight (TOF) camera sensor.

19. A method for monitoring vehicle traffic and controlling a traffic signal at an intersection, the method comprising:

providing at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor;

providing a Sensor Processing Unit (SPU) operably associated with the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor;

using the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor to detect an object and capture object data comprising node-based object with motion vector data relating to the object;

providing the node-based object with motion vector data to the SPU;

using the SPU to process the object data, to determine a tracked object from a plurality of the objects, and to extract the object data of the tracked object to an object database;

providing a Central Tracking Unit (CTU) operably associated with the SPU; and

using the CTU to classify the tracked object, to generate object tracking data from the tracked object, to predict a future object state of the tracked object, and to generate an object control output for controlling the traffic control signal to thereby facilitate the flow of vehicle traffic through the intersection.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising using the at least one three-dimensional (3D) vector imaging sensor selected from the group consisting of a LIDAR, radar, microwave, ultrasonic distance, stereoscopic imaging and a time-of-flight (TOF) camera sensor to detect and capture an object located within a Field-Of-View (FOV) defined by the SPU.