Compact speed measurement system with onsite digital image capture, processing, and portable display

• US 6,681,195 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kama-Tech (HK) Limited, Laser Technology Incorporated (Laser Technology)
• Original Assignee: Laser Technology Incorporated (Laser Technology)
• Inventors: Williams, David W., Dunne, Jeremy G., Poland, Richard J., Miller, Eric A., Frischman, Mark, Clifford, Bruce Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cherry, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US09/812,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 702/143, 702/142, 702/149, 700/159, 701/119, 701/117, 382/104, 382/105, 382/107, 340/936, 340/937, 356/5.04, 342/104
• US Class Current: 702/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/38 using photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles

Abstract

A compact speed measurement system for field or onsite use in measuring speeds of vehicles and capturing images of select vehicles. The system includes a laser speed detector for determining a speed of a vehicle in a specific target area. When a speed is determined, the detector generates a speed signal. The system includes a camera generally aligned with the speed detector operable to capture and store digital still images of vehicles in memory. The camera is programmed to respond to an image capture signal to generate and transmit a digital image file including a still image of the vehicle targeted by the detector. A portable field processor is communicatively linked to the speed detector and the camera to first receive the speed signal, to process the speed signal and to transmit an image capture signal to the camera, and to receive the digital image file from the camera.

Claims

1. A compact speed measurement system for field or onsite use in measuring speeds of vehicles and capturing images of select ones of the vehicles, comprising:

a laser-based speed detector for determining a speed of a vehicle in a target area and in response, generating a speed signal;

a camera aligned with the speed detector for capturing and storing a digital-format still image of the vehicle in memory, wherein the camera is adapted for responding to an image capture signal to generate and transmit a digital image file including the still image of the vehicle; and

a portable field processor communicatively linked with the speed detector and the camera for first receiving the speed signal and second receiving the digital image file, wherein the portable field processor is configured for processing the speed signal from the speed detector and in response, transmitting the image capture signal to the camera and wherein the portable field processor comprises a display screen and the portable field processor is adapted for concurrently displaying at least a portion of the digital image file and at least a portion of the speed signal on the display screen.

2. The speed measurement system of claim 1, wherein the portable field processor operates to create a combined speed and image data file by modifying the digital image file to include speed data from the speed signal.

3. The speed measurement system of claim 2, wherein the digital image file is a JPEG-format file and the modifying includes inserting the speed data in a header of the JPEG-format file.

4. The speed measurement system of claim 1, wherein the portable field processor is detachably mounted within the system to allow an operator to hand-carry the portable field processor to the vehicle.

5. The speed measurement system of claim 4, further comprising a field processor housing including a processor docking base configured to receive and support the portable field processor and to communicatively link the camera to the portable field processor.

6. The speed measurement system of claim 5, wherein the processor docking base includes a power inlet port for receiving a charging power stream and for passing the charging power stream to the portable field processor, the charging power stream being received from the camera.

7. The speed measurement system of claim 1, wherein the portable field processor is communicatively linked to a base station and is adapted for remotely transmitting at least a portion of the speed signal and the digital image file to the base station.

8. The speed measurement system of claim 1, wherein the portable field processor is configured to process the digital image file to dynamically enlarge a selected portion of the still image.

9. The speed measurement system of claim 8, wherein the portable field processor is configured to process the digital image file to alter select characteristics of the still image, whereby a displayed portion of the digital image file is visually enhanced.

10. The speed measurement system of claim 1, further including a vehicle classification sensor for sensing a characteristic of the vehicle and in response transmitting vehicle identification data to portable field processor.

11. The speed measurement system of claim 10, wherein the processing completed by the portable field processor includes comparing the speed signal with a capture speed level corresponding to the vehicle identification data.

12. The speed measurement system of claim 1, wherein the portable field processor includes a wireless output device for transmitting a wireless signal comprising at least a portion of the speed signal and the digital image file to a remotely located receiver.

13. A method of measuring a speed of a moving vehicle and capturing a digital image of the same moving vehicle, comprising:

positioning a speed detector and a camera at a location selected for targeting vehicles moving through a target area;

operating the camera on an ongoing basis to capture still images of the vehicles passing through the target area and store the still images at least temporarily in memory;

determining the speed of a targeted vehicle with the speed detector;

transmitting speed data comprising the speed from the speed detector to a portable field processor;

processing the speed data with the portable field processor and in response, transmitting a trigger signal to the camera;

at the camera, receiving the trigger signal, retrieving a still image corresponding to the targeted vehicle from memory, and transmitting the still image in a digital image file to the portable field processor; and

placing at least apportion of the digital image file and the speed data on a display screen of the portable field processor and displaying the display screen to an operator of the targeted vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further including processing the digital image file with the portable field processor to insert the speed data.

15. The method of claim 14, further including displaying the processed digital image file on a display of the portable field processor and further manipulating the processed digital image file to enlarge or enhance a selected portion of the displayed, processed digital image file.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the displaying of the display screen comprises interrupting a communication link between the portable field processor and the camera.

17. The method of claim 13, further including operating the camera to provide charging power to the portable field processor to protect the speed data and the digital image file at the portable field processor.

18. The method of claim 13, further including prior to the operating and determining, entering capture session parameters including a capture speed limit and wherein the processing of the speed data includes comparing the speed in the speed data with the entered capture speed limit and wherein the transmitting is only performed when the speed is greater than about the entered capture speed limit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the capture session parameters include a posted speed limit value for the location and further including operating the portable field processor to create a combined digital image file by writing select portions of the capture session parameters including the posted speed limit value and at least portions of the speed data into the digital image file.

20. The method of claim 13, further including entering a first capture speed limit and a second capture speed limit into memory and classifying the targeted vehicle into a first group of vehicles corresponding to the first capture speed limit or a second group of vehicles corresponding to the second capture speed limit, and wherein the processing includes comparing the speed in the speed data with the first or second capture speed limit based on the classifying.

21. The method of claim 13, further including transmitting a wireless signal comprising at least a portion of the digital image file and the speed data to a remotely located receiver.

22. A system for determining a speed of a moving vehicle and ensuring capture of a digital still image of the same moving vehicle, comprising:

a speed detector positioned for targeting the moving vehicle in a target area and operating to determine at a speed measurement time a speed rate of the moving vehicle and generate a signal corresponding to the speed rate;

an image capture device for storing during an image timing cycle a digital still image of each vehicle passing through the target area, wherein the image capture device is responsive to a trigger signal to capture the stored image in a digital image file and to transmit the digital image file; and

a field processor apparatus for receiving the speed rate signal and in response, transmit the trigger signal to the image capture device, wherein the trigger signal is timed such that the image field device captures the stored image during an image timing cycle at least partially coinciding with the speed measurement time.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the image timing cycle is less than about 300 milliseconds.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the field processor apparatus is configured to combine the speed rate signal and the digital image file to create a combined speed and image file, and further wherein the field processor apparatus is adapted to perform a security process on the combined speed and image file to facilitate detection of alteration of the combined speed and image file.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the security process comprises inserting a seed number in the combined speed and image file, performing a check sum of the file including the seed number, and encrypting a determined check sum value, and inserting the encrypted check sum value in the file.

26. A speed measurement system for use in measuring speeds of vehicles and capturing images of select ones of the vehicles, comprising:

a speed detector for determining a speed of a vehicle in a target area and in response, generating a speed signal;

a vehicle classification sensor for sensing a vehicle classification characteristic for the vehicle and in response, transmitting a vehicle classification signal; and

a portable field processor communicatively linked with the speed detector and the vehicle classification sensor for receiving the speed signal and second receiving the vehicle classification signal, wherein the portable field processor is configured for processing the vehicle classification signal to select between two or more speed limit parameters and for determining whether a vehicle speed in the speed signal is greater than about the selected speed limit parameter.

27. The system of claim 26, further including a camera aligned with the speed detector for capturing and storing a digital-format still image of the vehicle in memory, wherein the camera is adapted for responding to an image capture signal to generate and transmit a digital image file including the still image of the vehicle and wherein the portable field processor transmits the signal when the vehicle speed is greater than about the selected speed limit parameter.

28. A compact speed measurement system for field or onsite use in measuring speeds of vehicles and capturing images of select ones of the vehicles, comprising:

a laser-based speed detector for determining a speed of a vehicle in a target area and in response, generating a speed signal;

a camera aligned with the speed detector for capturing and storing a digital-format still image of the vehicle in memory, wherein the camera is adapted for responding to an image capture signal to generate and transmit a digital image file including the still image of the vehicle;

a portable field processor communicatively linked with the speed detector and the camera for first receiving the speed signal and second receiving the digital image file, wherein the portable field processor is configured for processing the speed signal from the speed detector and in response, transmitting the image capture signal to the camera; and

a vehicle classification sensor for sensing a characteristic of the vehicle and in response transmitting vehicle identification data to the portable field processor;

wherein the processing completed by the portable field processor includes comparing the speed signal with a capture speed level corresponding to the vehicle identification data.

29. The speed measurement system of claim 28, wherein the portable field processor operates to create a combined speed and image data file by modifying the digital image file to include speed data from the speed signal.

30. The speed measurement system of claim 28, wherein the portable field processor is detachably mounted within the system to allow an operator to hand-carry the portable field processor to the vehicle.

31. The speed measurement system of claim 30, further comprising a field processor housing including a processor docking base configured to receive and support the portable field processor and to communicatively link the camera to the portable field processor and wherein the processor docking base includes a power inlet port for receiving a charging power stream and for passing the charging power stream to the portable field processor, the charging power stream being received from the camera.

32. The speed measurement system of claim 28, wherein the portable field processor is configured to process the digital image file to dynamically enlarge a selected portion of the still image.

33. The speed measurement system of claim 32, wherein the portable field processor is configured to process the digital image file to alter select characteristics of the still image, whereby a displayed portion of the digital image file is visually enhanced.

34. The speed measurement system of claim 28, wherein the portable field processor includes a wireless output device for transmitting a wireless signal comprising at least a portion of the speed signal and the digital image file to a remotely located receiver.

35. A method of measuring a speed of a moving vehicle and capturing a digital image of the same moving vehicle, comprising:

positioning a speed detector and a camera at a location selected for targeting vehicles moving through a target area;

operating the camera on an ongoing basis to capture still images of the vehicles passing through the target area and store the still images at least temporarily in memory;

determining the speed of a targeted vehicle with the speed detector;

transmitting speed data comprising the speed from the speed detector to a portable field processor;

processing the speed data with the portable field processor and in response, transmitting a trigger signal to the camera;

at the camera, receiving the trigger signal, retrieving a still image corresponding to the targeted vehicle from memory, and transmitting the still image in a digital image file to the portable field processor;

entering a first capture speed limit and a second capture speed limit into memory; and

classifying the targeted vehicle into a first group of vehicles corresponding to the first capture speed limit or a second group of vehicles corresponding to the second capture speed limit;

wherein the processing includes comparing the speed in the speed data with the first or second capture speed limit based on the classifying.

36. The method of claim 35, further including processing the digital image file with the portable field processor to insert the speed data.

37. The method of claim 36, further including displaying the processed digital image file on a display of the portable field processor and further manipulating the processed digital image file to enlarge or enhance a selected portion of the displayed, processed digital image file.

38. The method of claim 35, further including placing at least a portion of the digital image file and the speed data on a display screen of the portable field processor and displaying the display screen to an operator of the targeted vehicle.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the displaying of the display screen comprises interrupting a communication link between the portable field processor and the camera.

40. The method of claim 35, further including operating the camera to provide charging power to the portable field processor to protect the speed data and the digital image file at the portable field processor.

41. The method of claim 35, further including prior to the operating and determining, entering capture session parameters including a capture speed limit and wherein the processing of the speed data includes comparing the speed in the speed data with the entered capture speed limit and wherein the transmitting is only performed when the speed is greater than about the entered capture speed limit.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the capture session parameters include a posted speed limit value for the location and further including operating the portable field processor to create a combined digital image file by writing select portions of the capture session parameters including the posted speed limit value and at least portions of the speed data into the digital image file.

43. A method of measuring a speed of a moving vehicle and capturing a digital image of the same moving vehicle, comprising:

positioning a speed detector and a camera at a location selected for targeting vehicles moving through a target area;

operating the camera on an ongoing basis to capture still images of the vehicles passing through the target area and store the still images at least temporarily in memory;

determining the speed of a targeted vehicle with the speed detector;

transmitting speed data comprising the speed from the speed detector to a portable field processor;

processing the speed data with the portable field processor and in response, transmitting a trigger signal to the camera;

at the camera, receiving the trigger signal, retrieving a still image corresponding to the targeted vehicle from memory, and transmitting the still image in a digital image file to the portable field processor; and

transmitting a wireless signal comprising at least a portion of the digital image file and the speed data to a remotely located receiver.

44. A compact speed measurement system for field or onsite use in measuring speeds of vehicles and capturing images of select ones of the vehicles, comprising:

a laser-based speed detector for determining a speed of a vehicle in a target area and in response, generating a speed signal;

a camera aligned with the speed detector for capturing and storing a digital-format still image of the vehicle in memory, wherein the camera is adapted for responding to an image capture signal to generate and transmit a digital image file including the still image of the vehicle; and

a portable field processor communicatively linked with the speed detector and the camera for first receiving the speed signal and second receiving the digital image file, wherein the portable field processor is configured for processing the speed signal from the speed detector and in response, transmitting the image capture signal to the camera.

45. A method of measuring a speed of a moving vehicle and capturing a digital image of the same moving vehicle, comprising:

positioning a speed detector and a camera at a location selected for targeting vehicles moving through a target area;

operating the camera on an ongoing basis to capture still images of the vehicles passing through the target area and store the still images at least temporarily in memory;

determining the speed of a targeted vehicle with the speed detector;

transmitting speed data comprising the speed from the speed detector to a portable field processor;

processing the speed data with the portable field processor and in response, transmitting a trigger signal to the camera; and

at the camera, receiving the trigger signal, retrieving a still image corresponding to the targeted vehicle from memory, and transmitting the still image in a digital image file to the portable field processor.