Vehicle id

• US 7,471,189 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Facility Parking Europe AB
• Original Assignee: Facility Parking Europe AB
• Inventors: Hallberg, Joakim, Vastad, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/543,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/105, 340/426.1, 340/430, 340/932.2, 340/937, 342 52- 54, 342/61, 342/66, 235/384, 348/28.R, 348/33, 348/148, 348/149, 404 6- 8
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00

Abstract

The invention is provided by means of a method for identifying a vehicle, comprising recording at least a first image of the vehicle using a digital camera, which first image includes at least a registration plate and a light arrangement. The method comprises the steps of identifying the position on the car and the orientation of the light arrangement from the first image, and of determining the type of vehicle on the basis of information stored in a database relating to the position and orientation of light arrangements on different types of car and the identification of the position and orientation of the light arrangement, and of identifying the position on the car and the orientation of the registration plate in relation to the identified position of the light arrangement from the first image in order thereby to obtain a unique identification of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for checking vehicles in a car park, comprising:

identifying a vehicle by recording images and analysis of the vehicle at an entrance control and at an exit control,

storing the analysis results from the entrance control,

comparing the analysis results from the exit control with the stored analysis results from the entrance control, and

preventing or allowing the vehicle to leave,

wherein at the exit control, the vehicle is driven forward to a front exit barrier, and

a rear exit barrier is set up behind the vehicle,

the analysis results includes;

identifying, in at least one of the images taken at the entrance control and at least one of the images taken at the exit control, a position of at least one reflector device on the vehicle,

identifying a position and orientation of at least one light arrangement on the vehicle via the analysis of the image recording,

determining a type of vehicle on a basis of information stored in a database relating to the position and orientation of at least one light arrangement on different types of vehicles and the identification of the position and orientation of the light arrangement, and

identifying a position and orientation of a registration plate of the vehicle in relation to the identified position of the at least one light arrangement via the image analysis of the image in order to thereby obtain a unique identification of the vehicle,

the comparing includes comparing the position of the at least one reflector device from the exit control with the stored analysis results from the entrance control, and

removing the front exit barrier only when the vehicle is to be allowed to leave, so that other vehicles are prevented from driving through the exit control at the same time as the vehicle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the entrance control includes a front and a rear exit barrier,

at the entrance control, the vehicle is driven forward to the front exit barrier,

the rear exit barrier is set up behind the vehicle, and

removing the front exit barrier only when the vehicle is to be allowed to pass through, so that other vehicles are prevented from driving through the entrance control at the same time as the vehicle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the front exit barrier is set up again after the vehicle has passed through, and

the rear exit barrier is removed after the front exit barrier is set up again to allow another vehicle to drive into the entrance/exit control.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and rear exit barriers are barriers that are lowered and raised or raised and lowered automatically in order to prevent or allow the passage of vehicles.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a receipt generated at the entrance control constitutes a code that is created during the storage of the analysis results and printed out onto a car park ticket for the driver of the vehicle, to be used by the driver when paying for the parking and at the exit control.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receipt includes a recording of a code, obtained from a bank card or credit card provided by the driver of the vehicle, together with the analysis results from the entrance control.

7. A vehicle lock in a car park arranged to allow vehicles to pass through in a secure way from a first area to a second area, comprising:

an entry barrier is arranged to prevent entry to the vehicle lock in a first position and to allow entry to the vehicle lock in a second position, the entry barrier being arranged to prevent entry into the vehicle lock when the exit barrier allows exit from the vehicle lock,

an exit barrier is arranged to prevent exit from the vehicle lock in a first position and to allow exit from the vehicle lock in a second position, the exit barrier being arranged to prevent exit from the vehicle lock when the entry barrier allows entry into the vehicle lock, and

an identification device is provided to identify at least one reflector device on a vehicle, wherein the position and orientation of the reflector device in relation to an identification position of a light arrangement of the vehicle is used to determine if the vehicle is allowed to pass through the vehicle lock.

8. A traffic control system for controlling entry of vehicles from an outer area to an inner area and exit from the inner area to the outer area, wherein

entry to and exit from the inner area takes place via at least one road, and a vehicle lock as claimed in claim 7 is arranged to control vehicles that pass along the road.

9. A traffic control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein a first vehicle lock is arranged to control vehicles that are entering into the inner area on an entrance roads, and a second vehicle lock is arranged to control vehicles that are leaving the inner area on an exit road.

10. A traffic control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inner area is a car park or a multi-story garage.

11. A method for identifying a vehicle, comprising.

recording at least a first image of the vehicle using a digital camera, the first image includes at least a registration plate and a light arrangement,

identifying a position and orientation of the light arrangement on the vehicle via image analysis of the first image,

determining a type of vehicle on a basis of information stored in a database via the position and orientation of light arrangements on different types of vehicles and the identification of the position and orientation of the light arrangement and

identifying a position and orientation of the registration plate on the vehicle in relation to the identified position of the light arrangement via the image analysis of the first image in order to thereby achieve a unique identification of the vehicle.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the position and orientation identification of the light arrangement provides sufficient identification to distinguish what type of vehicle the light arrangement represents, on the basis of information stored in the database, and

the identification of the type of vehicle is used in order to set up a coordinate system for the vehicle so as to precisely determine the position and orientation of the registration plate.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the recording of the first image is a back of the vehicle and the light arrangement, the light arrangement is at least one of a reflector, a rear light and a brake light.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle is illuminated during the recording of the images and where the illumination is infrared illumination, or is light in the visible spectrum.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein other dimensions are identified, the other dimensions being at least one of length, height, color, height above the ground of the rear light arrangements, or any combination thereof.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein determining the type of vehicle is performed by

matching at least one geometric figure which includes a first and a second axis and a center of gravity to the light fields in the first image,

calculating a first set of values on a basis of the dimensions of the first and second axes, and the angle in relation to each other for a number of the different light fields, and

searching in the database for values that are the same as the first set of values and associating the vehicle with the type of vehicle which is associated in the database with the first set of values.

17. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the position, shape and orientation of the registration plate is performed by

matching at least one geometric figure which includes a first and a second axis and a center of gravity to the light field in the first image that represents the registration plate.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, for each type of vehicle, the database includes at least two different sets of values for position or orientation of the rear light arrangements or registration plate to identify the same type of vehicle.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the database comprises other typical dimensions for the type of vehicle, the other typical dimensions being at least one of length, height, shape, or any combination thereof.

20. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein, for each type of vehicle, the database includes position or orientation of at least one of or a combination of any of the following identification features:

rear light, braking light, reflector, defective rear light, defective brake light, defective reflector, dirty rear light, dirty brake light, dirty reflector, snow-covered rear light, snow-covered brake light, and snow-covered reflector.

21. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a registration number on the registration plate is identified by image analysis of the image.

22. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the position of a tax mark on the registration plate is also identified by image analysis of the image.

23. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein further recording of images of the vehicle are carried out with simultaneous infrared illumination, and in that the analysis includes these images being subtracted from images recorded without infrared illumination, whereby images are obtained that are independent of the light.

24. An arrangement for vehicle control in a car park by the method as claimed in claim 11, comprising an entrance lock and an exit lock provided with a digital camera for recording images of the vehicle and control arrangements.