Method and device for registering the outer characteristics of a vehicle in a road toll unit

• US 6,538,580 B2
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Combitech Traffic SYST AB
• Original Assignee: Combitech Traffic SYST AB
• Inventors: Frilund, Johan, Boström, Göran, Liew, Anita
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/269,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20020105440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/928, 340/937, 340/940, 340/941, 340/942, 340/943, 340/939, 235/384, 235/380, 235/379
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

A method and a device for image registration of the external characteristics and the number plate of a vehicle in a road toll unit for checking the payment status relating to a toll fee, which is intended to be collected by means of remote communication. During the checking and payment operation, the vehicle is followed by successive video recordings. In these recordings, a marker is connected to the vehicle. The same marker is connected to the image of the number plate and to an image of the physical shape of the vehicle. In the event of incorrect payment, a search may be performed based upon both the image of the number plate and the associated image of the physical shape of the vehicle, which are connected together by means of the successive following of the position of the vehicle. The class of the vehicle may thus be determined, in accordance with a classification scheme based on the physical properties of the vehicle, from the image of the external characteristics of the vehicle for determining the toll fee.

Claims

1. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit, comprising:

registering an identification characteristic on a fixed position of the vehicle by means of image processing of video recordings of the vehicle;

determining in the road toll unit whether a toll fee can be paid by means of remote communication between a receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit and a device provided in the vehicle when there is a free flow of traffic, wherein said determining step is determined by receiving signals from said vehicle device;

successively tracking the outer characteristics of the vehicle by said image processing means as the vehicle passes an entry position of the road toll unit and at least until the identification characteristic is registered;

connecting a marker and a time to the recorded image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle and connecting the marker to the recording of the identification characteristic of the vehicle;

correlating at least one image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle to the recording of the identification characteristic, such that the tracking of the vehicle is based on the recording of the identification characteristic and the associated image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle which are matched by means of the marker;

determining the class of the vehicle and the toll fee, in accordance with a vehicle outer characteristics classification scheme, from the image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle;

checking that the toll fee found in the step of determining the class of the vehicle corresponds with the toll fee found in the step of determining in the road toll unit whether a toll fee can be paid; and

if incorrect payment of the toll fee has been established in the checking step or no remote communication occurs, subsequently charging the vehicle a toll fee on the basis of the correlated identification characteristic and outer characteristics of the vehicle.

2. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the image of the vehicle is determined by at least one of the recorded images, the at least one recorded image being provided with the marker and being assigned to the identification characteristic of the vehicle.

3. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

providing classification data for the vehicle by the remote communication from the vehicle device to the receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit;

analyzing the image of the vehicle by image processing the outer characteristics of the vehicle in such a way that data is generated comparable with the data in the classification scheme;

comparing the generated data with the classification data remotely communicated between the vehicle device and road toll unit receiver and transmitter device; and

correcting the toll fee if the generated data does not correspond to the classification data.

4. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle with sensors placed in a roadway;

connecting sensor impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle as determined by the successively tracking step, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle; and

registering the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

5. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle with sensors placed in a roadway;

connecting sensor impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle as determined by the successively tracking step, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle; and

registering the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

6. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing classification data for the vehicle by the remote communication from the vehicle device to the receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit;

analyzing the image of the vehicle by image processing the outer characteristics of the vehicle in such a way that data is generated comparable with the data in the classification scheme;

comparing the generated data with the classification data remotely communicated between the vehicle device and road toll unit receiver and transmitter device; and

correcting the toll fee if the generated data does not correspond to the classification data.

7. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle with sensors placed in a roadway;

connecting sensor impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle as determined by the successively tracking step, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle; and

registering the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

8. A method for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle with sensors placed in a roadway;

connecting sensor impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle as determined by the successively tracking step, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle; and

registering the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

9. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway, comprising:

video cameras for registering an identification characteristic of the vehicle and successively tracking the outer characteristics of the vehicle by means of image processing of video recordings of the vehicle as the vehicle passes an entry position of the road toll unit and at least until the identification characteristic is registered;

a receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit and a device provided in the vehicle, the receiver and transmitter device communicating with the vehicle device and determining whether a toll fee can be paid when there is a free flow of traffic by receiving signals from the vehicle device; and

image processing equipment for connecting a marker and a time to the recorded image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle, the image processing equipment connecting the marker to the recording of the identification characteristic of the vehicle, the image processing equipment correlating at least one image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle to the recording of the identification characteristic, such that the tracking of the vehicle is based on the recording of the identification characteristic and the associated image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle which are matched by means of the marker, the image processing equipment determining the class of the vehicle and the toll fee, in accordance with a vehicle outer characteristics classification scheme, from the image of the outer characteristics of the vehicle, the image processing equipment checking that the toll fee found by determining the class of the vehicle corresponds with the toll fee found by determining in the road toll unit whether a toll fee can be paid, and, if incorrect payment of the toll fee has been established or no remote communication occurs, the image processing equipment subsequently charging the vehicle a toll fee on the basis of the correlated identification characteristic and outer characteristics of the vehicle.

10. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 9, wherein the image of the vehicle is determined by at least one of the images recorded by the video cameras, the at least one recorded image being provided with the marker and being assigned to the identification characteristic of the vehicle.

11. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 10, wherein the vehicle device provides classification data of the vehicle to the receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit, the image processing equipment analyzes the image of the vehicle by image processing the outer characteristics of the vehicle in such a way that data is generated comparable with the data in the classification scheme, the image processing equipment compares the generated data with the classification data communicated by the vehicle device to the receiver and transmitter device in the road toll unit, and the image processing equipment corrects the toll fee if the generated data does not correspond to the classification data.

12. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

sensors placed in the roadway for sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle, wherein the image processing equipment connects impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle determined by the successive tracking process, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle, and the image processing equipment registers the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

13. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

sensors placed in the roadway for sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle, wherein the image processing equipment connects impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle determined by the successive tracking process, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle, and the image processing equipment registers the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

14. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 9, wherein the vehicle device provides classification data of the vehicle to the receiver and transmitter device provided in the road toll unit, the image processing equipment analyzes the image of the vehicle by image processing the outer characteristics of the vehicle in such a way that data is generated comparable with the data in the classification scheme, the image processing equipment compares the generated data with the classification data communicated by the vehicle device to the receiver and transmitter device in the road toll unit, and the image processing equipment corrects the toll fee if the generated data does not correspond to the classification data.

15. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

sensors placed in the roadway for sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle, wherein the image processing equipment connects impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle determined by the successive tracking process, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle, and the image processing equipment registers the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.

16. A system for determining a toll fee of a vehicle in a road toll unit in a roadway as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

sensors placed in the roadway for sensing the number of wheel axles of the vehicle, wherein the image processing equipment connects impulses of the sensors to the instantaneous position of the vehicle determined by the successive tracking process, such that markings for the position of the wheel axles are introduced into the image of the vehicle, and the image processing equipment registers the number of wheel axles of the vehicle for use in the classification of the vehicle.