Method and system for collecting traffic data, monitoring traffic, and automated enforcement at a centralized station

• US 7,688,224 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Sherwood, Alexander, Teffer, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/963,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: 340907-9321, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/2.3, 116/63.R, 116/213, 701/117
• US Class Current: 340/910
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

A distributed individual vehicle information capture method for capturing individual vehicle data at traffic intersections and transmitting the data to a central station for storage and processing is provided. The method includes capturing individual vehicle information at a plurality of intersections (122) and transmitting the individual vehicle information from the intersections to a central station (124). Consequently, the individual vehicle information is available to be stored and processed by a device at the central station (126). Traffic intersection equipment for capturing individual vehicle data at traffic intersections and transmitting the data to a central station for storage and processing is also disclosed. The equipment includes a traffic detection device (159) for capturing individual vehicle data at an intersection (158) and a network connection to a central station (174). The traffic detection device (159) is operably configured to transmit to the central station (174) the individual vehicle information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

via a first processor at a central station, scheduling capturing of at least one image of an individual vehicle at a first remote traffic intersection, said scheduling responsive to automatic processing of;

information related to said individual vehicle, said individual vehicle associated with said first remote traffic intersection, and

information related to a first traffic signal associated with said first remote traffic intersection, said first remote traffic intersection one of a plurality of remote traffic intersections from each of which information related to corresponding traffic signals is received at said central station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, automatically processing said information related to said individual vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, automatically processing said information related to said first traffic signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving said information related to said individual vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving said information related to said first traffic signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, requesting a captured image of said individual vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving a captured image of said individual vehicle at said first remote traffic intersection responsive said scheduling.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving individual vehicle contact closure data related to said individual vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving individual vehicle speed data related to said individual vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving individual vehicle classification data related to said individual vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving individual vehicle violation detection data related to said individual vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at said central station, receiving individual vehicle time-stamped position data related to said individual vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said information related to said first traffic signal comprises one or more state change events.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

from said central station, transmitting, to equipment at at least one of the intersections, a control signal based on the individual vehicle information.

15. A computer-readable medium storing computer-implementable instructions for activities comprising:

via a first processor at a central station, scheduling capturing of at least one image of an individual vehicle at a first remote traffic intersection, said scheduling responsive to automatic processing of;

information related to said individual vehicle, said individual vehicle associated with said first remote traffic intersection, and

information related to a first traffic signal associated with said first remote traffic intersection, said first remote traffic intersection one of a plurality of remote traffic intersections from each of which information related to corresponding traffic signals is received at said central station.

16. A system comprising:

a processor at a central station, said processor adapted for scheduling capturing of at least one image of an individual vehicle at a first remote traffic intersection, said scheduling responsive to automatic processing of;

information related to said individual vehicle, said individual vehicle associated with said first remote traffic intersection, and

information related to a first traffic signal associated with said first remote traffic intersection, said first remote traffic intersection one of a plurality of remote traffic intersections from each of which information related to corresponding traffic signals is received at said central station.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a traffic detection device adapted for providing, to said central station processor, said information related to said individual vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a traffic detection device adapted for providing, to said central station processor, said information related to said first traffic signal.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a vehicle detection processor adapted for providing, to said central station processor, individual vehicle contact closure information.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an image capture device adapted for providing, to said central station processor, said at least one image of said individual vehicle.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an enforcement device adapted for providing, to said central station processor, said at least one image of said individual vehicle.