Method and apparatus for photographing traffic in an intersection
First Claim
1. A method of recording the image of a moving vehicle within a traffic intersection, said method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a traffic light signal to a control system, the traffic light signal indicating the phase of a traffic light located proximate the traffic intersection;
transmitting a first set of signals to the control system, said first set of signals corresponding to the speed of the vehicle;
transmitting a second set of signals to the control system, said second set of signals indicating the presence of the vehicle within a presence zone located outside the traffic intersection; and
photographing the vehicle while the vehicle is within a preselected intersection zone inside the intersection, wherein the triggering of said photograph is responsive to the first and second sets of signals and is dependent on the speed of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus of the invention includes a device for triggering a camera to photograph a vehicle within a traffic intersection, where the triggering of the camera is dependent on the speed of the vehicle before entering the intersection and may also be dependent on presence information. The device includes a sensor system (or "sensor array") to transmit signals corresponding to a moving vehicle and a control system for processing the signals and triggering the camera. The signals preferably include "position signals" from which a transit time can be calculated, and "presence signals," from which presence information can be obtained, particularly the location of the rear of the vehicle or the location of the rear wheels of the vehicle. A trigger time for taking a picture of the vehicle may be calculated from the transit time. A method of the invention includes the step of transmitting signals to a control system in response to the vehicle passing over a first traffic sensor and corresponding to the speed of the vehicle. The method may also include the steps of transmitting presence signals to the control system, preferably corresponding to the presence of the vehicle in a known presence zone outside the intersection, and photographing the vehicle in response to those signals. The system preferably uses a first set of signals (reflecting vehicle speed or transit time) and a second set of signals (reflecting the presence of the vehicle) to determine when to trigger the photograph of the vehicle in the intersection zone.
218 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of recording the image of a moving vehicle within a traffic intersection, said method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a traffic light signal to a control system, the traffic light signal indicating the phase of a traffic light located proximate the traffic intersection; transmitting a first set of signals to the control system, said first set of signals corresponding to the speed of the vehicle; transmitting a second set of signals to the control system, said second set of signals indicating the presence of the vehicle within a presence zone located outside the traffic intersection; and photographing the vehicle while the vehicle is within a preselected intersection zone inside the intersection, wherein the triggering of said photograph is responsive to the first and second sets of signals and is dependent on the speed of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for monitoring traffic at an intersection, said apparatus comprising:
- a camera, a sensor system and a control system, wherein the camera is configured to be triggered to photograph a vehicle at a preselected intersection zone within the intersection, said camera being triggered based on signals indicating the phase of a traffic light proximate the intersection and signals from the sensor system reflecting the speed of the vehicle and on signals from the sensor system reflecting an outer rear edge of the vehicle.
Specification