Passive road sensor for automatic monitoring and method thereof
First Claim
1. An integrated automatic system for monitoring traffic flow and adherence to traffic laws and regulations comprising:
- a passive road sensor for detecting a vehicle traveling on a road by generating and detecting a vibration caused by impact of wheels of the vehicle with a rigid member extending across a traffic lane, wherein the passive road sensor comprisesa detector which provides a signal dominated by said vibration andan enclosure for housing the detector, the enclosure forming the rigid member and being positioned such that the enclosure remains exposed within an opening in the road which essentially spans the entire width of the traffic lane; and
an integrated event recording and reporting system in direct communication with the passive road sensor comprising a processing unit, a video camera and a communication module,the processor unit to engage the video camera to capture an image of the passing vehicle in response to the vibration signal and to communicate data corresponding to the image to a separate control unit by means of the communication module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic traffic monitoring system for enforcing traffic laws and regulations and for general purpose traffic monitoring includes a novel passive road sensor that accurately detects the kinematics of moving vehicles. A passive road sensor includes a detector protected in an enclosure, which is embedded in a road opening, is in a continuous listening mode. When the wheels of a passing vehicle come in contact with either the road opening, the enclosure, or both, the resulting mechanical impact generates a disturbance that triggers the detector. A processor unit of the automatic traffic monitoring system records the signal sensed by the detector and analyzes its temporal characteristics to determine the precise time of impact.
42 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An integrated automatic system for monitoring traffic flow and adherence to traffic laws and regulations comprising:
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a passive road sensor for detecting a vehicle traveling on a road by generating and detecting a vibration caused by impact of wheels of the vehicle with a rigid member extending across a traffic lane, wherein the passive road sensor comprises a detector which provides a signal dominated by said vibration and an enclosure for housing the detector, the enclosure forming the rigid member and being positioned such that the enclosure remains exposed within an opening in the road which essentially spans the entire width of the traffic lane; and an integrated event recording and reporting system in direct communication with the passive road sensor comprising a processing unit, a video camera and a communication module, the processor unit to engage the video camera to capture an image of the passing vehicle in response to the vibration signal and to communicate data corresponding to the image to a separate control unit by means of the communication module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An automatic system for monitoring traffic flow comprising:
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a passive road sensor for determining kinematics of a vehicle comprising; a sound detector for detecting sound waves caused by an impact of wheels of the vehicle with the sensor; a resonant, rigid elongated enclosure extending across a traffic lane with the sound detector contained therein and causing the sound waves to resonate throughout its air column so as to assure that the sound waves are picked up by the sound detector any time the wheels of the vehicle impact any portion of the enclosure; and a transmitter for transmitting signals from the sound detector said signals corresponding to the sound waves; and a remote processing system for receiving the signals from the transmitter and processing the signals to determine the kinematics of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification