Mobile automated system for traffic monitoring

• US 8,310,377 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optotraffic, LLC
• Original Assignee: Optotraffic, LLC
• Inventors: Sirota, Jacobo Marcos, Mostofi, David Keshvar, Cekic, Miodrag, Tillard, Jose Patricio, Cornwell, Donald Mitchell Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US12/546,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 340/937, 340/905, 340/907, 701/117, 701/119, 348/143, 348/148, 348/149
• US Class Current: 340/937
• 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 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

An autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns on at least one designated surface including at least one mobile monitoring and recording module. The at least one mobile monitoring and recording module includes at least one support and stabilization section, at least one erector section, at least one autonomous source of electric energy, at least one electric energy storage device, and at least one control and information storage unit. The at least one support and stabilization section incorporates a transportation subsection arranged to provide mobility when coupled to a source of a mechanical force and at least one stabilizing subsection arranged to stabilize the at least one mobile monitoring and recording module in a stationary traffic monitoring position. The at least one erector section includes an erector arranged to erect at least one speed measuring device, at least one traffic imaging device, and at least one illumination device at respective predetermined heights above the designated surface.

Claims

1. An autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns on at least one designated surface comprising:

at least one mobile monitoring and recording module including;

at least one support and stabilization section;

at least one erector section;

at least one autonomous source of electric energy;

at least one electric energy storage device; and

at least one control and information storage unit;

wherein the at least one support and stabilization section includes a transportation subsection arranged to provide mobility when coupled to a source of a mechanical force, at least one stabilizing subsection arranged to stabilize the at least one mobile monitoring and recording module in a stationary traffic monitoring position;

wherein the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns is arranged to have no wired connections or no dedicated data conduits between the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns and a traffic control signaling device;

wherein the at least one erector section includes an erector arranged to erect at least one speed measuring device, at least one traffic imaging device, and at least one illumination device at respective predetermined heights above the designated surface;

and wherein the at least one designated surface includes a surface of a roadway, the surface of the roadway is a two-way road surface, and the erector is arranged to position the at least one speed measuring device at a height equal to or exceeding 14 feet so that the at least one speed measuring device is arranged to measure speed in either direction of the two-way road without implementation of a cosine effect correction.

2. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein the transportation subsection includes a wheeled trailer arranged to transport the at least one erector section.

3. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 2, wherein the wheeled trailer is arranged to be towed by a towing vehicle.

4. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein at least two erector sections are arranged to monitor the traffic patterns supported by at least two separate portions of the at least one designated surface so that any function of any one of the erector sections does not obstruct any function of any other erector section.

5. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 4, wherein the at least two erector sections are connected to a common control and information storage unit.

6. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 5, wherein a connection between the at least one erector section and the common control and information storage unit is a wireless connection.

7. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 6, wherein the wireless connection is a laser beam link connection or a microwave beam link connection.

8. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 4, wherein each one of the at least two erector sections includes one dedicated control and information storage unit of at least two dedicated control and information storage units.

9. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic imaging device is a camera sensitive to a light in a visible and in an infrared (IR) range of frequencies, and at least one illumination device is an infrared (IR) illumination device.

10. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 9, wherein the infrared (IR) illumination device is an infrared (IR) flash arranged for a negligible residential and traffic disturbance by radiating visible light substantially undetectable by an unassisted eye of a human observer.

11. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy is chosen from a group consisting of internal combustion engine generators, solar panel generators, wind-driven generators, direct chemical energy conversion sources of electric energy, fuel cell generators, and combinations of the listed autonomous sources of electric energy.

12. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 11, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy includes at least one solar panel.

13. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 12, wherein the at least one solar panel is associated with the at least one erector section.

14. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 11 wherein, no part of the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns is positioned on any of at least one designated surface, no wired connections are established between the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns and either one of local power distribution systems, local traffic control system, and local water and sewer system, and no modification is performed on either one of local power distribution systems, local traffic control system, and local water and sewer system.

15. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy includes a generator arranged such that a generator'"'"'s noise intensity at a position separated by 20 ft. or more from the generator does not exceed 90 dB.

16. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, wherein the at least one designated surface is a multiple lane roadway and the at least one mobile autonomous monitoring and recording module is arranged for a simultaneous uni-directional or bi-directional monitoring of at least two lanes of the multiple lane roadway.

17. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1, comprising an onboard clock and a subsystem for clock calibration against a transmitted clock signal of a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite system.

18. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns of claim 1 wherein, the at least one traffic imaging device is arranged to record at least one uniquely identifiable feature of a vehicle operator after violating a speed limit as measured by the at least one speed measuring device.

19. An autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns on at least one designated surface comprising:

at least one mobile monitoring and recording module including;

at least one support and stabilization section;

at least one erector section;

at least one autonomous source of electric energy;

at least one electric energy storage device; and

at least one control and information storage unit;

wherein the at least one support and stabilization section includes a transportation subsection arranged to provide mobility when coupled to a source of a mechanical force, at least one stabilizing subsection arranged to stabilize the at least one mobile monitoring and recording module in a stationary traffic monitoring position;

wherein the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns is arranged to have no wired connections or no dedicated data conduits between the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns and a traffic control signaling device;

wherein the at least one erector section includes an erector arranged to erect at least one speed measuring device, at least one traffic imaging device, and at least one illumination device at respective predetermined heights above the designated surface, and

wherein at least one designated surface includes at least two adjacent traffic lanes and the at least two speed measuring devices are arranged to simultaneously measure speeds of at least two separate vehicles traveling in the at least two adjacent traffic lanes.

20. An autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement on at least one designated surface comprising:

at least one mobile monitoring and recording module including;

at least one support and stabilization section;

at least one erector section;

at least one autonomous source of electric energy;

at least one electric energy storage device; and

at least one control and information storage unit;

wherein the at least one support and stabilization section includes a transportation subsection arranged to provide mobility when coupled to a source of a mechanical force, at least one stabilizing subsection arranged to stabilize the at least one mobile monitoring and recording module in a stationary traffic monitoring position;

wherein the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns is arranged to have no wired connections or no dedicated data conduits between the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns and a traffic control signaling device;

wherein the at least one erector section includes an erector arranged to erect at least one speed measuring device, at least one traffic imaging device, at least one traffic light sensor, and at least one illumination device at a predetermined height above the designated surface; and

wherein the at least one designated surface includes a surface of a roadway, the surface of the roadway is a two-way road surface and the erector is arranged to position the at least one speed measuring device at a height equal to or exceeding 14 feet so that the at least one speed measuring device is arranged to measure speed in either direction the two-way road without implementation of a cosine effect correction.

21. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, wherein the transportation subsection includes a wheeled trailer arranged to transport the at least one erector section.

22. The autonomous system for automated for monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 21, wherein the wheeled trailer is arranged to be towed by a towing vehicle.

23. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement claim 20, wherein at least two erector sections are arranged to monitor the traffic patterns supported by at least two separate portions of the at least one designated surface so that any function of any one of the erector sections does not obstruct any function of any other erector section.

24. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 23, wherein the at least two erector sections are connected to a common control and information storage unit.

25. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 24, wherein a connection between the at least one erector section and the common control and information storage unit is a wireless connection.

26. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 25, wherein the wireless connection is a laser beam link or a microwave beam link connection.

27. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 23, wherein each one of the at least two erector sections includes one dedicated control and information storage unit of at least two dedicated control and information storage units.

28. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, wherein the at least one traffic imaging device is a camera sensitive to a light in a visible and in an infrared (IR) range of frequencies, and at least one illumination device is an infrared (IR) illumination device.

29. The autonomous system for automated of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 28, wherein the infrared (IR) illumination device is an infrared (IR) flash arranged for a negligible residential and traffic disturbance by radiating visible light substantially undetectable by an unassisted eye of a human observer.

30. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy is chosen from a group consisting of internal combustion engine generators, solar panel generators, wind-driven generators, direct chemical energy conversion sources of electric energy, fuel cell generators, and combinations of the listed autonomous sources of electric energy.

31. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 30, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy includes at least one solar panel.

32. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 31, wherein the at least one solar panel is associated with the at least one erector section.

33. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 30 wherein, no part of the system for monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring and red light enforcement is positioned on any of at least one designated surface, no wired connections are established between the system for monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring and red light enforcement and either one of local power distribution systems, local traffic control system, or local water and sewer system, and no modification is performed on either one of local power distribution systems, local traffic control system, or local water and sewer system.

34. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, wherein the at least one autonomous source of electric energy includes a generator arranged such that generator'"'"'s noise intensity at a position separated by 20 ft. or more from the generator does not exceed 90 dB.

35. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, wherein the at least one designated surface is a multiple lane roadway and the at least one mobile autonomous monitoring and recording module is arranged for a simultaneous uni-directional or bi-directional monitoring of at least two lanes of the multiple lane roadway.

36. The autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20, comprising an onboard clock and a subsystem for clock calibration against a transmitted clock signal of a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite system.

37. autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring, and red light enforcement of claim 20 wherein, the at least one traffic imaging device is arranged to record at least one uniquely identifiable feature of a vehicle operator after violating a traffic light status as detected by the at least one traffic light sensor.

38. An autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns, speed measuring and red light enforcement on at least one designated surface comprising:

at least one mobile monitoring and recording module including;

at least one support and stabilization section;

at least one erector section;

at least one autonomous source of electric energy;

at least one electric energy storage device; and

at least one control and information storage unit;

wherein the at least one support and stabilization section includes a transportation subsection arranged to provide mobility when coupled to a source of a mechanical force, at least one stabilizing subsection arranged to stabilize the at least one mobile monitoring and recording module in a stationary traffic monitoring position;

wherein autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns is arranged to have no wired connections or no dedicated data conduits between the autonomous system for automated monitoring of traffic patterns and a traffic control signaling device;

wherein the at least one erector section includes an erector arranged to erect at least one speed measuring device, at least one traffic imaging device, at least one traffic light sensor, and at least one illumination device at a predetermined height above the designated surface, and

wherein the at least one designated surface includes at least two adjacent traffic lines and the at least two speed measuring devices are arranged to simultaneously measure speeds of at least two separate vehicles traveling in the at least two adjacent traffic lanes.