Image recording apparatus and method

• US 6,919,823 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Redflex Traffic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Redflex Traffic Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Lock, Roy William
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/070,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/937, 340/933, 340/938, 340/916, 340/921, 348/149, 701/117, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/937
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

An image recording apparatus is disclosed for recording traffic signal violations such as a traffic light signal changing to a red light. The apparatus includes a capturing unit for capturing a first image substantially at an instant of time that a control signal changes its status and a storing unit for storing the first image at least temporarily. The apparatus includes a detecting unit for detecting presence of a vehicle or object beyond a location at which the vehicle or object is required to stop in response to the change in status and a device responsive to the detecting unit for recording a first image in the event that the detecting unit detects presence of the vehicle or object beyond the location. The apparatus may include a deleting unit for deleting the first image in the event that the detecting unit does not detect presence of the vehicle or object beyond the location.

Claims

1. Image recording apparatus suitable for recording traffic signal violations, said apparatus including:

a first telephoto camera focused on a first lane of an intersection controlled by a traffic signal;

a second telephoto camera focused on a second lane of the intersection;

a wide angle camera focused on the intersection;

means for capturing a first image from the wide angle camera substantially at an instant of time that a control signal for the traffic signal changes its status;

means for storing said first image at least temporarily;

means for detecting presence of a vehicle or object beyond a location of the intersection at which said vehicle or object is required to stop in response to said change in status;

means responsive to said detecting means for recording said first image in the event that said detecting means detects presence of said vehicle or object beyond said location; and

means for capturing a second image from the first or second telephoto camera in response to said detecting means.

2. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 including means for capturing the second image after a preset time delay following said instant of time.

3. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 including means for compressing the image size of said first and second image.

4. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said change in status includes a traffic light signal changing to a redlight.

5. Image recording apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each of said wide angle camera, first telephoto camera, and second telephoto camera comprises a digital camera, and wherein said means for compressing comprises digital compression.

6. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for storing includes a volatile memory.

7. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for recording includes WORM type media.

8. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 including means for deleting said first image in the event that said detecting means does not detect presence of said vehicle or object beyond said location.

9. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first image shows at least the position of said vehicle or object relative to said location.

10. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detecting means includes an inductive loop set below a road surface proximate said intersection.

11. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said location includes a stop line marked on a roadway proximate said intersection.

12. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for capturing a third image including an additional wide angle image from the wide angle camera after the capturing of the second image.

13. Image recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first image includes an approach to the intersection.

14. A method of recording traffic violations at an intersection controlled by a traffic signal, the method including the steps of:

capturing a first image of the intersection from a wide angle camera aimed at the intersection substantially at an instant of time that a control signal changes its status;

storing said first image at least temporarily;

detecting presence of a vehicle or object beyond a location at which said vehicle or object is required to stop in response to said change in status of said traffic signal;

recording said first image in the event that said detecting step detects presence of said vehicle or object beyond said location; and

capturing a second image from a first telephoto camera aimed at a first lane in said intersection or a second telephoto camera aimed at a second lane in said intersection, in response to said detecting step.

15. A method according to claim 14 including capturing the second image a preset time delay following said instant of time.

16. A method according to claim 14 including the step of compressing the respective image sizes of said first and second image.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein said change in status includes the traffic signal changing to a redlight.

18. A method according to claim 14 wherein each of said wide angle camera, first telephoto camera, and said second telephoto camera comprises a digital camera.

19. A method according to claim 14 wherein said first image is stored in volatile memory.

20. A method according to claim 14 wherein said first image is recorded onto WORM type media.

21. A method according to claim 14 including the step of deleting said first image in the event that said detecting step does not detect presence of said vehicle or object beyond said location.

22. A method according to claim 14 wherein said first image shows at least the position of said vehicle or object relative to said location.

23. A method according claim 14 wherein said detecting step is performed with an inductive loop set below a road surface proximate said intersection.

24. A method according to claim 14 wherein said location includes a stop line marked on a roadway proximate said intersection.

25. A method according to claim 14 further comprises the step of capturing a third image including an additional wide angle image from the wide angle camera after capturing the second image.

26. A method according to claim 14 wherein said first image includes an approach to the intersection.