WO1999040554A2

WO1999040554A2 - Portable motor vehicle speed awareness and surveillance system

Info

Publication number: WO1999040554A2
Application number: PCT/US1999/002466
Authority: WO
Inventors: Blair J. Zykan; Ric J. Poland
Original assignee: Laser Technology, Inc.
Priority date: 1998-02-06
Filing date: 1999-02-05
Publication date: 1999-08-12
Also published as: WO1999040554A3

Abstract

A trailer mounted unattended speed awareness and vehicle speed surveillance apparatus (12) includes speed detection device (16), video camera (20), speed limit display (30) and display of measured speed (18).

Description

PORTABLE MOTOR VEHICLE SPEED AWARENESS AND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates, in general, to the field of vehicle speed monitoring systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an portable apparatus for ascertaining vehicle speed and displaying the speed to the motorist, and documenting the vehicle speed for later use.

Description of the Related Art:

There are a number of vehicle speed awareness systems commercially available today. These systems are primarily trailer mounted systems which are designed to be towed to a particular intersection or stretch of roadway, uncoupled and activated and then left unattended. The awareness system is essentially a trailer which carries a speed limit sign, a large LED or lighted display which can be read by an oncoming vehicle driver from 100 to 400 feet away, and a radar speed detector coupled to the display. One example of such a system is a the SPEED ALERT Trailer available from Laser Technology, Inc., 7070 S. Tuscon Way, Englewood, Colorado 80112. Other marketers of such speed awareness trailers in various configurations include Olsen Engineering, Roskilde, Denmark and Kustom Signals in Lenexa, Kansas, and Applied Concepts in Piano, Texas. The SPEED ALERT Trailer system is powered by storage batteries which are recharged typically by solar cells or a conventional DC charger mounted on the trailer. The system may optionally include a traffic statistics computer which adds automatic data collection including volume counts and speed, length, vehicle type, heading and gap classification information from a pressure strip or pneumatic hose strip which is laid across the roadway. This information can be later used to analyze traffic flow conditions.

These systems provide only an alert to the oncoming drivers. In general, most drivers who encounter these alert indicators tend to notice their speed and slow down, thus achieving the goal of the alert system. However, in some cases, the alert system is simply ignored and the driver speeds on by without decreasing his or her speed to a safe speed within the speed limit. Further, some drivers even speed up to see how fast they can go before they pass the sign. These drivers who ignore the warning provided by the alert system drive on and are not apprehended or cited and may later cause accidents which might otherwise not occur due to their excessive speed. They are not apprehended primarily because the alert system is designed to be unmanned or unattended and thus these drivers generally believe that no one is watching. What is therefore needed is a system and apparatus which not only provides an alert warning, but further permits traffic and law enforcement personnel with a means to effectively apprehend and convict those drivers who do not adhere to the speed limits imposed by the state or municipality, or other authority that is responsible for traffic regulation and/or enforcement on the particular roadway.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for vehicle speed awareness alerting and monitoring which includes automatic documentation of the vehicle movement merged with vehicular speed data for later use by traffic control and law enforcement personnel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a speed awareness system which includes speed detection and display and video recording of the monitored vehicle as it approaches or recedes from the awareness display.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a speed awareness and monitoring system which includes automatic limited duration recordation of an approaching or receding vehicle whose speed exceeds a predetermined threshold.

The apparatus in accordance with the present invention is a combination of an electromagnetic radiation speed detection device such as a radar or laser speed transceiver, a display connected to the transceiver, a video camera connected to a video recorder, and associated controls for triggering operation of the video camera and recorder when an oncoming vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined value and overlaying the video image recorded by the recorder with date, time and speed data received from the speed detection device.

More particularly, the apparatus preferably comprises a radar speed detector which is connected directly to a large character display panel and to an overlay generator module. The overlay generator module includes a speed threshold monitor which turns on a video camera which is focused on the same field of view as the radar speed detector when a predetermined speed of an approaching vehicle has been detected. The overlay generator module or the video camera also turns on a video recorder for a preset amount of time to capture the approach of the oncoming vehicle which triggered the camera. The overlay generator module also feeds speed data and date and time overlay to the video recorder so that the recorded image has this information overlaid on the recorded image in real time as the vehicle approaches the apparatus. The video camera is operated for a predetermined period of time, e.g. a five, ten or fifteen second period which is long enough so that the oncoming vehicle is recorded until it reaches and passes the location of the trailer. The recorded image, with the time and speed shown in each video frame, is then stored for later playback and use by law enforcement personnel.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed as an illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an awareness and surveillance apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a front view of one embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 with the top removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows an unattended awareness and surveillance apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention mounted on a trailer 12 which is typically parked beside a street, for example, in a residential neighborhood. The trailer 12 carries the components of the apparatus 10 preferably in an environmental enclosure 14 mounted on the frame of the trailer 12. The apparatus 10 basically comprises a speed detector 16, a numerical display sign 18, a video camera 20, a video recorder 22, an overlay generator 24, and a power supply 26. Optionally, a data logger 28 may also be provided to track the traffic volume, vehicle sizes and other traffic flow data. A tamper alarm may also be provided to deter vandalism and unauthorized entry into the enclosure 14.

A block diagram of the apparatus 10 is shown in Fig. 2. The speed detector 16 is connected to the display 18. Either the speed detector 16 or the display 18 may be configured with a display threshold trigger device 17 so that only vehicles traveling above a detected threshold speed are displayed or they are displayed with a flashing display on the display sign 18. The speed detector 16 is preferably connected through the sign 18 also to an overlay generator 24 which generates a date, time and speed trailer signal which is fed along with the video camera 20 output to the video recorder 22. The video camera 20 is aimed in the same direction as the speed detector 16 so that the video camera 20 will see and image about the same view area as the detection field of the speed detector 16.

The date, time and speed data trailer generated in the overlay generator 24 is superimposed, i.e. overlaid, onto the video image from the video camera 20 in a composite image which is then recorded in the video recorder 22. The merging of the overlay trailer and the video image may be accomplished in the overlay generator 24 and a composite signal sent to the recorder 22 or the merger may take place in the recorder 22 as is shown in the block diagram of Fig. 2.

The speed detector 16 is preferable a K band radar speed detection device such as is conventionally used by law enforcement personnel. Alternatively, an X band radar device or a laser speed detection device may be used. However, a radar device is preferred because its angular operating field is greater than that of the laser device. The detector 16 is mounted inside the enclosure 14 through an aperture in the enclosure front wall preferably adjacent an upper corner as is shown in Fig. 3. Mounted in the opposite upper front corner of the enclosure 14 is a video camera 20 which sees through a window in the enclosure 14 the same view as the speed device 16. The video camera 20 may be any conventional video camera unit which preferably has a depth of field from about infinity to about 10 feet. One suitable camera for a preferred embodiment is a Model AVE3000 video camera manufactured by American Video Equipment of Houston, Texas. The camera 20 is preferably aimed so as to substantially correspond to the detection field of the speed detector 16 so that any vehicle that is detected by the speed detection device 16 will be viewed by the camera 20.

The speed display sign 18 may be mounted anywhere on the trailer 12 but is preferably mounted high, between the speed detector and the camera 20 as is shown in Fig. 3. The sign 18 may be an LED display, lighted changing number board, or other conventional display sign which is capable of being seen from a range of about 200 feet to 400 feet. Above this display sign 18 may optionally be placed a speed limit sign 30 to indicate to the vehicle driver the maximum permissible speed. A power supply 28 and optional data logger 26 may be placed within the enclosure 14 behind the recorder 22 on the frame bed of the trailer 12.

The display sign 18 displays the speed of a moving vehicle whenever one is present and has a speed typically above a minimum of about 8 to 10 mph, sensed by the speed detector 16. The apparatus 10 is preferably designed for use to detect and display the speed of oncoming vehicles and record the movement of oncoming vehicles. However, the apparatus 10 may also be used to likewise detect and videotape departing or receding vehicles, especially in those states or areas where only rear license plates are required, so as to facilitate later vehicle identification.

The display sign 18 may incorporate a first speed trigger or threshold detector which causes the display sign 18 to flash the detected vehicle speed as a warning to the oncoming vehicle operator that the speed limit is being exceeded. Alternatively, this threshold detector may be physically incorporated into the speed detector 16. This first threshold or trigger may typically be set at 5 miles above the speed limit. The speed signal fed to the sign 18 is passed through and also fed to the overlay generator 24. The overlay generator 24 preferably has a second speed threshold detector or trigger circuit which will turn on the video camera 22 and the recorder 22 when the detected vehicle speed exceeds the second trigger level, typically 10 mph above the speed limit. The generator 24 generates an overlay trailer signal of day, time, and speed which is combined with the video camera output recorded by the recorder 22.

Each time a speeding vehicle is detected, the video camera 20, overlay generator 24 and recorder 22 operate simultaneously for a predetermined period of time chosen to be long enough such that the entire vehicle approach toward the apparatus 10 is recorded, yet short enough so that the recorder 22 does not spend an inordinately long time recording an empty scene such as when the vehicle which triggered the record has gone by the trailer 12. This period is generally between 5 and 15 seconds and typically will be between 5 and 10 seconds. This is a fairly short period, but it is sufficiently long enough to record the vehicle clearly and reveal if there is other traffic in the area, whether there is another vehicle going faster or slower than the targeted vehicle within the detector range, and what the driver's reaction is to observing his or her speed on the awareness apparatus sign 18, i.e., whether the vehicle slows down or speeds up or remains the same throughout the recording period. This period is also long enough so that the vehicle license plate information may be captured and read. All of this information is critical to enforcement potential. Since the apparatus 10 preferably automatically operated and unattended, the videotape record of the subject and surrounding circumstances, i.e. traffic conditions, etc. , become an irrefutable record of the event. Further, as most vehicles now are required to have front mounted license plates and a typical video camera chosen for this application will have sufficient resolution, the videotape event record may routinely provide sufficient detail to permit vehicle plate identification during the recording period.

The second trigger device for triggering the start/stop operation of the video camera 20, recorder 22, and optionally the overlay generator 24 may be physically incorporated within any one of the speed detector device 16, the sign 18, the overlay generator 24 or the recorder 22, since each one of these components receives the speed output signal. However, this second threshold trigger device is preferably a simple threshold circuit in the overlay generator 24, and the overlay generator 24 in turn preferably controls start/stop operation of the video camera 20 and recorder 22. The overlay generator 24 is preferably a conventional unit. One preferred unit is a commercially available Model No. VSI+ from American Video Equipment, Houston , Texas.

The video recorder 22 may be any conventional video tape recorder (VCR) or digital video recording device which stores the composite image on a computer disk or compact laser disk (CD). As cost is a consideration for most agencies, a conventional VCR is in the preferred configuration. The apparatus 10 may also include in the enclosure 14 a data logger 28 hooked up to a pneumatic hose sensor (not shown) which is stretched across the roadway to provide statistical information for later analysis. The speed detector 16 output may also be fed to the data logger 28 for this purpose. Further, the overlay generator 20 may be physically incorporated into the video recorder 22.

While a trailer mounted apparatus has been shown in the

Figures, it is to be understood that the apparatus 10 of the invention need not be trailer mounted. For example, the awareness and surveillance apparatus 10 may be vehicle mounted, portably configured so as to be fastened to a post, hung from a bridge, or otherwise mounted on a stationary support structure. The battery 26 may be augmented by a solar panel recharger so that the apparatus 10 can be unattended indefinitely, although tape or disk replacements will be periodically required.

While there have been described above the principles of the present invention in conjunction with a specific apparatus and vehicle monitoring techniques, it is to be clearly understood that the foregoing description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention. Particularly, it is recognized that the teachings of the foregoing disclosure will suggest other modifications to those persons skilled in the relevant art. Such modifications may involve other features which are already known per se and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein. Although claims have been formulated in this application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure herein also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization or modification thereof which would be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art, whether or not such relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as confronted by the present invention. The applicants hereby reserve the right to formulate new claims to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present application or of any further application derived therefrom.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle speed awareness and surveillance apparatus comprising: a speed detection device having an electromagnetic radiation transceiver adapted to be aimed toward moving traffic so as to detect the speed of a moving vehicle and produce an output speed signal; a video camera aimed toward said oncoming traffic and said vehicle; a display sign connected to said speed detection device and directed toward said oncoming traffic, said sign adapted to receive said output signal and display said speed of said oncoming vehicle; a video recorder connected to said video camera; a triggering means connected to said speed output signal for triggering operation of said video camera and said video recorder when said speed output signal exceeds a predetermined value; and an overlay generator connected to said speed detector, said video camera and said video recorder, said generator adapted to receive said output speed signal and produce an overlay of at least said moving vehicle speed onto a video image of said moving vehicle from said video camera when said camera is triggered, and feed said overlay and said video image sequence to said video recorder.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an environmental enclosure housing said speed detector, said video recorder, said video camera, said triggering means, said overlay generator, and a power supply.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said environmental enclosure is mounted on a trailer.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said trailer is automatically operable and unattended.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a data logger connected to said speed detection device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said triggering means is a speed threshold sensor in said overlay generator.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said video camera and said recorder operate for a predetermined amount of time upon receipt of a speed signal exceeding the triggering threshold.

8. An unattended vehicle speed surveillance apparatus comprising: a speed detection device having an electromagnetic radiation transceiver adapted to be aimed toward moving vehicle traffic so as to detect the speed of a moving vehicle and produce an output speed signal; a video camera aimed toward said vehicle traffic and said moving vehicle; a video recorder connected to said video camera; a triggering device receiving said speed output signal, said triggering device automatically triggering operation of at least said video recorder when said speed output signal exceeds a predetermined value; and an overlay generator connected to said speed detection device, said video camera and said video recorder, said generator adapted to receive said output speed signal and produce an overlay of the date, time, and said moving vehicle speed on a video image of said oncoming vehicle from said video camera when said camera is triggered, and feed said overlay and said video image sequence to said video recorder.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said triggering device activates said video camera and said video recorder for a predetermined period of time upon receiving said speed output signal above said predetermined value.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said predetermined period of time is between 5 and 15 seconds.

1 1. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said triggering device is located in said overlay generator.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a display sign connected to said speed detection device and directed toward said vehicle traffic, said sign adapted to receive said output signal and display said speed of said moving vehicle.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said triggering device activates said video camera and said video recorder for a predetermined period of time upon receiving said speed output signal above said predetermined value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said triggering device is located in said overlay generator.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a mobile trailer containing a power supply and supporting said speed detection device, said sign, said video camera, said video recorder, and said overlay generator thereon.

16. A trailer mounted unattended vehicle speed surveillance apparatus comprising: a power supply; a speed detection device connected to the power supply having an electromagnetic radiation transceiver adapted to be aimed toward moving vehicle traffic so as to detect the speed of a moving vehicle and produce an output speed signal; a video camera connected to said power supply and aimed toward said traffic and said moving vehicle; a video recorder connected to said power supply and to said video camera; a triggering device receiving said speed output signal, said triggering device automatically triggering operation of said video camera and said video recorder when said speed output signal exceeds a predetermined value; and an overlay generator connected to said speed detection device, said video camera and said video recorder, said generator adapted to receive said output speed signal and produce an overlay of the date, time, and said moving vehicle speed on a video image of said moving vehicle from said video camera when said camera is triggered, and feed said overlay and said video image sequence to said video recorder.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a display sign receiving said speed output signal and displaying said vehicle speed.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising an enclosure housing said power supply, said video recorder, said video camera, said overlay generator and said speed detection device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said triggering device is contained within said overlay generator.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said video camera and video recorder are automatically operated for a predetermined period of time between 5 and 15 seconds after said camera is triggered.