Traffic speed surveillance and control system

• US 6,384,740 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Khaled A. Al-Ahmed
• Original Assignee: Khaled A. Al-Ahmed
• Inventors: Al-Ahmed, Khaled A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/916,311
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 340/936, 340/905, 340/907, 340/910, 340/466, 340/915, 340/539, 701/119
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A traffic speed control and surveillance system includes a speed sensor, vehicle identifier and transmitter/receiver disposed in a motor vehicle. The system also includes a plurality of mini remote terminal units disposed along a highway for monitoring signals from passing motor vehicles. Those signals identify the vehicle and speeds of those vehicles. The system also includes a communication center and one or more master remote terminal units for linking the mini remote terminal units to the communication center which processes the information. The communication center may also transmit a signal to disable the engine of an offending vehicle.

Claims

1. A traffic speed surveillance and control system comprising:

speed sensing means and vehicle identification means disposed within a motor vehicle and a vehicle mounted transmitter/receiver means operatively connected to said speed sensing means for transmitting radio signals indicative of the vehicle speed and identification;

a plurality of speed monitoring remote terminal units located along a highway, each of said remote terminal units including location identifying means and first remote transmitter/receiver means for receiving signals from the vehicle mounted transmitter/receiver means indicative of the speed and identification of a passing vehicle, and each of said remote terminal units including computer means, a programmable speed limit programmed into said computer means, the location identifying means and means for comparing the speed limit and the speed of the passing vehicle and means for generating a signal indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s passing speed and identification when the vehicle speed exceeds the programmed speed limit;

a communication center;

a master remote terminal unit for receiving signals from the plurality of speed monitoring remote terminal units and for transmitting data indicative of the vehicle speed in excess of speed limits, vehicle identification and location to said communication center; and

said communication center including means for processing the information including the data from said master remote terminal unit.

2. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 1 in which said means for processing the information from said master remote terminal unit includes means for transmitting a warning signal to the identified vehicle of its excessive speed.

3. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 1 in which said means for processing the information from said master remote terminal unit includes means for transmitting vehicle speeds and identification to patrol cars.

4. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 1 in which said means for processing the information from said master remote terminal unit includes means for printing citations to be sent to an owner/driver of an identified speeding vehicle.

5. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 1 which includes engine disabling means responsive to a signal from said communication center when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed limit by a predetermined amount.

6. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 1 which includes one enable means which is activated by inputting a driver'"'"'s identification.

7. A traffic speed surveillance and control system according to claim 5 in which said communications center includes means for disabling all the motor vehicle engines in a given area except for emergency vehicles.