EP2178059A1 - Device to record traffic infringements and to check number plates - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a medium for detecting the measured values (1), which are caused by the vehicles. A digital camera (6) is provided for coordinating an object field on a measuring area. A lighting unit (7) is assigned with the digital camera. The camera and the lighting unit are connected with an additional control unit (8).

Description

The invention relates to a device as generically from the US 6,696,978 B2 is known.

Devices for detecting traffic violations relate in particular to those which detect speed violations or red light violations. They may be permanently installed as stationary devices or temporarily stationary as mobile devices, e.g. B. in a parked vehicle or in moving vehicles.

For permanently stationary devices, invasive measuring sensors, such as pressure sensors or induction loops, are preferably introduced into or onto the road surface.

For mobile devices, non-invasive measurement sensors such as laser rangefinders or radar sensors are used.

All devices for detecting traffic violations that do not intervene in the flowing traffic, no matter what type of traffic violation is to be detected, whether the device is operated stationary or mobile and which measurement sensors are used, have in common that they have a camera that after the metrological determination of traffic violation is activated to create at least one shot of the infringing vehicle.
The camera is directed onto the roadway in such a way that its object field is adapted to the measuring range determined by the measuring sensors.

In the case of speeding violations, the object field only has to detect the lanes that lie within the measuring range. The object field may overlap in the direction of travel with the measuring range or lie behind him, as it is unimportant for the documentation of the infringement, where the vehicle is recorded. Rather, it is of interest that a recording is generated in which the vehicle, the license plate and / or in particular the driver are clearly visible. This is achieved by triggering the recording if that Vehicle is located at a predetermined photo point, ie at a defined distance from the camera.

In the case of red light violations, on the other hand, the vehicle must be picked up at certain locations in relation to the roadway, eg. B. at the retaining strip or in the crossing area.
There are also known devices in which already in the expectation of a traffic violation, z. For example, when a vehicle travels at a speed to an intersection where it can be assumed that the vehicle will no longer stop in front of the retaining strip, recordings will be made. In this case, the measuring range and the object field of the camera must at least overlap.
In any case, the camera is oriented so that its object field, depending on the position of the measuring range, detects the road surface, ie is adapted to the measuring range.

The recordings contain all relevant data such as location, date, time and, if applicable, speed. An evaluation of the usually recorded in the recording with license plate can be done by an official visually or by an automatic image analysis.

A generic device for detecting speeding offenses is from the summary of JP 05-062096 known. The measured vehicle speed is compared in a comparator with a predetermined maximum speed. If the maximum speed is exceeded by the measured speed, a signal is triggered via a switch and forwarded to a camera. It is a recording created by the infringer vehicle and output as a picture signal. From the image signal, the information of the vehicle registration number is read out via an image processing unit. Together with the measured speed, the vehicle registration information is displayed in the recording and recorded in a recording unit.

From the summary of JP 2001-126184 An automatic vehicle license plate recognition device is known with which a vehicle speed can also be detected.
The device is equipped with a camera and a sensor which is arranged within the object field of the single-frame camera. As soon as the sensor detects a vehicle passing through the object field, the camera is triggered and a first front photo, which also shows the vehicle registration number, is generated. From the change in location distinctive features of the vehicle registration in this first front photo to a later created photo can be concluded on the speed.
In contrast to speed measuring devices, the speed here is not derived from measured values, but derived from the image evaluation.

In contrast to the aforementioned solution, each vehicle traveling through the object field of the camera is detected here.

In the US 6,696,978 B2 discloses a combined laser / radar video device for detecting speed violations, in which a camera captures image data of the vehicle registration number and other identification data of a vehicle.
The device comprises means for measuring the speed of a target vehicle and for outputting a signal indicative of the measured speed, e.g. As a radar or a laser detector, a camera that is functionally connected to the means for speed measurement, for capturing image data of the vehicle registration of the target vehicle when the target vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed, and means for unique assignment of image data and signal.
The apparatus further advantageously comprises a recognition unit for recognizing the vehicle registration number of the target vehicle and a zoom drive, connected to the camera and controlled by the recognition unit, to obtain an improved registration of the vehicle license plate when a vehicle is detected at excessive speed.

The aforementioned devices are, except the JP 2001-126184 , designed to detect a speeding failure and to record the license plate of the infringing vehicle and to detect it automatically.
This means that only the license plates of infringing vehicles are recorded.

With the JP 2001-126184 a device is proposed, with which the vehicle registration number of all the object field of a camera passing vehicles are detected in order to determine the vehicle speed via the image evaluation for license plate identification. It is unclear whether this device is capable of detecting and sanctioning a speeding violation.

The object of the invention is to provide a device with which traffic violations can be recorded and documented in a measuring range and, on the other hand, the vehicle registration numbers of all the vehicles passing the measuring range can be detected and recognized.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1.
Advantageous developments are described in the subclaims.

It is essential to the invention that the device has a first camera, which is a high-resolution single-frame camera, connected to a high-power emitting in the visible spectral range flash device for receiving a vehicle, especially with well-lit face of the driver, and at least one further, low-resolution camera is present, the is connected to an illuminating device emitting in the non-visible spectral range in order to detect unnoticed for a driver whose vehicle license plate.

The first camera will only be triggered if there is a traffic violation.

The at least one further camera can also be a single-frame camera and is then triggered when a vehicle is in its object field, which z. B. with an invasive sensor (hardware trigger) on which the edge of the object field is aligned, is detected. In particular, if the means for acquiring measured values are invasive sensors, these can also be advantageously used as hardware triggers for the further cameras.
The at least one further camera can also be a video camera, which permanently creates sequences of images, whereby only images are evaluated if these have changes compared to previous images, which indicate that a vehicle has retracted into the object field of the camera (software trigger). ,

The recordings of the at least one further camera are evaluated with an automatic license plate reader by the license plate being detected in the recording via an image recognition software and compared with the image data of sought-after license plates stored in a computer.

The at least one other camera is a low-resolution camera, just enough for the image recognition of the license plate.
The use of more than one further camera makes it possible to adapt their object fields only to partial areas of the measuring area, such as individual lanes. With a smaller object field to be detected cameras with an even lower resolution can be used, which in turn allow an even faster reading of the recording medium.
In the case of permanently stationary devices, in which the first camera detects a plurality of lanes of a lane for documenting traffic violations, it is advantageous to provide one additional lane per lane, which ensures that at most one license plate per exposure must be identified.

All cameras use a common computing and storage unit, whereby the determination of a traffic violation and identification of searched vehicle license plates can take place parallel to each other without mutual influencing each other.
Advantageously, the first high-resolution camera is triggered after the identification of a sought-after license plate in order to obtain an image document, which also maps the driver clearly recognizable.

Fig. 1

ein vereinfacht dargestelltes Schaltbild für eine Vorrichtung gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel.

Reference to the drawing, the device will be explained in more detail below by way of example. It shows:

Fig. 1

a simplified illustrated circuit diagram for a device according to a first embodiment.

In all conceivable embodiments, a device according to the invention comprises means for detecting measured values 1 from a vehicle traveling through a measuring range, which are suitable for proving a traffic violation. Such agents are known in the art.

It may be here z. B. to act a radar whose radar lobe directed over the roadway determines a measuring range. From a vehicle passing through the Radarkeule speed can be determined very accurately, which is why radar devices for the detection of speed violations for both stationary, temporary stationary but also mobile devices in moving vehicles are particularly suitable.

From the radar signals can also less than the speed, a distance and the angle to the radar axis of the detected vehicle are derived, whereby the vehicle can be assigned to a lane to the measured speed z. B. to compare with lane-specific maximum speeds.

The means for acquiring measured values 1 can also be a laser device which defines a measuring range with a single beam directed at a vehicle, a scanning single beam or a fanned single beam. Here the distance of the measuring radiation is measured over the duration of the measuring radiation or the position of the passing vehicle to the measuring device is determined via the measuring angle and closed by the change of the position or distance to the speed. Such devices are particularly suitable as temporary stationary devices for locally flexible use or as hand-held devices.

In contrast to the abovementioned measuring means, in which the measuring range is determined by radiation, in the case of invasive measuring sensors, which are likewise suitable as means for detecting measured values 1 and which are let into the roadway or applied thereto, the measuring range is determined by their Arrangement determined. It is customary to use this pressure sensors or induction loops and thus permanently create stationary devices. It detects the passing of these sensors, from which time signals are derived as measured values, with which the speed of a vehicle is usually determined via the path-time law.
It can also be detected only the mere presence of the vehicle at a specific time, which is a measured value to z. B. determine a red light violation.

Measuring methods with the aforementioned measuring sensors provide measured values with respect to a vehicle which are suitable for proving traffic violations.
In order to determine whether the measured values actually prove a traffic violation, appropriate means must be available for this purpose.

Measurements that can prove a traffic violation are, for. B. a speed which is greater than a predetermined limit, or a time during the red light phase of a traffic light, in which the mere presence of a vehicle, for. B. is detected behind a support bar.

To determine if a detected speed is a traffic violation, it is compared to a threshold.

To determine whether a recorded date proves a violation, the time recorded is compared with the time periods of the red phase. If the time point detection z. B. is limited by a limited to the red light phase activation of the measuring means, so that the determination of the traffic violation is already given with detection of the measured value.

For describing a device according to the invention, all means which serve to assign the measured values to a traffic violation, ie, for Example, a comparator, which compares a detected speed with a predetermined limit speed, or a trigger that binds a time recording and camera triggering to the switching phases of a traffic light, be understood as a means for determining the measured values as evidence of a traffic violation.

In the determination of measured values, which occupy a traffic violation, a signal to a first control unit 2 of a first digital still camera 3 is given, which generates immediately, or after a predetermined or to be determined period of time at least one shot, for the evidence of the traffic violation suitable is.

The first single-frame camera 3 is advantageously connected to a flash device 4 for daylight-independent use, so that both the vehicle and the license plate are identifiable. According to the different national legislations, both front and rear views can be made. When shooting at the front, the driver's face should also be clearly visible through a good illumination of the vehicle interior. For this purpose, a powerful xenon flash lamp or a power-saving illumination of at least one light-emitting diode is advantageously used.

In the front photograph with a recording both the driver's face and the license plate clearly visible, is not possible to take without special measures in field use, since the driver's face behind the windshield and the vehicle license plate have very different reflection and contrast ratios. Such special measures are z. B. in the DE 102 23 923 proposed.

In order to avoid additional measures, a second image, clearly showing the same vehicle, is usually created, in which the license plate is clearly displayed. Depending on the application, a recording may be desired in which the vehicle is visible in the traffic scene, or recordings in which the vehicle at different positions z. B. is shown in the traffic light area.

• ➢ Mittel zur Erfassung von Messwerten 1, bewirkt von einem einen Messbereich durchfahrenden Fahrzeug, die geeignet sind, einen Verkehrsverstoß zu belegen,
• ➢ Mittel zur Feststellung der Messwerte als Beleg für einen Verkehrsverstoß 9,
• ➢ eine erste digitale Einzelbildkamera 3, deren Objektfeld auf den Messbereich abgestimmt ist
• ➢ eine mit der ersten Einzelbildkamera 3 mittelbar verbundene Blitzeinrichtung 4
• ➢ eine erste Steuereinrichtung 2 zum Auslösen der ersten Einzelbildkamera 3 und der Blitzeinrichtung 4, wenn die erfassten Messwerte einen Verkehrsverstoß belegen, um wenigstens eine Aufnahme vom Verletzer-Fahrzeug zu erstellen
• ➢ eine Rechen- und Speichereinheit 5, um die Bilddaten der Aufnahmen den Messwerten zuzuordnen und abzuspeichern.

The part of the device described so far is known from the prior art and comprises in general:

• ➢ means for acquiring measured values 1, caused by a vehicle passing through a measuring range, which are capable of proving a traffic violation,
• ➢ means for determining the measured values as proof of a traffic violation 9,
• ➢ a first digital still camera 3 whose object field is tuned to the measuring range
• ➢ a flash device 4 indirectly connected to the first single-frame camera 3
• ➢ a first control device 2 for triggering the first single-frame camera 3 and the flash device 4 if the detected measured values occupy a traffic violation in order to create at least one image of the infringer vehicle
• ➢ a computing and storage unit 5, to assign the image data of the recordings to the measured values and store.

At the in Fig. 1 1, in this case a radar device, via a means for determining the measured values as proof of a traffic violation 9, in this case a comparator which compares the measured values with a limit value, with the computing and storage unit 5 and the first control unit 2 for driving the first single-frame camera 3 and the flash device 4 connected.

In addition to the means already mentioned, a device according to the invention has at least one further camera 6, which is in each case connected to a lighting device 7, which illuminates the object field of the further camera 6 with radiation in the non-visible wavelength range. The at least one further camera 6 and the illumination device 7 are actuated by a second control device 8 connected to them, whereby the control of the further cameras 6 can take place independently of the first single-frame camera 3.
The first and second control devices 2 and 8 can be embodied by only one structural unit or integrated in the computing and storage unit 5 or in the first camera 3 and the at least one further camera 6.

The further camera 6 is in the first embodiment, a video camera, the images in a predetermined image sequence, for. B. 15 shots per second and forwards to the computing and storage unit 5. The object field of the video camera is likewise matched to the measuring range, so that all vehicles passing through the measuring range also pass through the object field of the video camera. The illumination device 7 is advantageously either a permanently active or synchronized to the frame rate infrared illumination. The infrared lighting has the advantage that it is not perceived by the driver and no glare can occur.

In any case, a significantly lower-power illumination is used for the illumination of the object field of the video camera, as for the illumination of the object field of the single-frame camera 3, since the identifier to be detected Mostly have a highly reflective background and by the frequent combination of dark numbers and numbers on a light, especially white background have a very good contrast.

The image data obtained with the video camera are read in the computing and storage unit 5 in real time and held in a volatile memory. By means of suitable software, by comparing the image data, changes in the image data of successive images can be detected, which give an indication as to whether a vehicle has moved into the object field of the video camera. When such changes are detected, the image data of an associated or following photograph is identified in a label reader 10 by means of a picture-recognizing software integrated in the arithmetic and storage unit 5. The reading out of the image data is therefore triggered by the software comparing the image data.
The image-recognizing software is able to recognize and identify vehicle license plates in the image data. The identified vehicle registration numbers are compared with those stored in a wanted list in the memory vehicle identifier and in case of established matches the relevant image data with all important information such as date, time and possibly also GPS position and search reason especially in the form of a JPEG file.

The data can be displayed directly on the device at the installation site, transmitted to a stop command near the installation site of the device or in a center for further use.
The video recordings can also be permanently transmitted to a higher-level computer system so that an observer can follow the traffic progress as a video recording.

Basically, with the device according to the invention, the registration of all vehicles and the determination of traffic violations independently, but using a common computer and memory.

Advantageously, simultaneously with the data storage for a determined sought identifier, a trigger command is given to the first digital still camera 3 to trigger a capture. That is, it is accompanied by a powerful flash lighting with the single-frame camera 4, which has a higher image resolution than the video camera, creates a recording on which the vehicle, the license plate and advantageously also the driver is recognizable. In particular, when a frontal photograph is taken and the vehicle in question is not to be stopped immediately by a stop command, the information about the vehicle type in combination with the license plate and in frontal photography the driver's face is a court-approved proof or at least valuable additional information.
In the rear photography can be identified with the first single-frame camera 3 with a high image resolution advantageous on several lanes, such as a three-lane highway, vehicles and license plates.

To the already mentioned features, which has a device according to the invention with generic devices of the prior art in common, so at least one additional camera 6 is added, which is a video camera in the first embodiment described, which is used to detect the characteristics of all appearing in the object field vehicles a constant frame rate recordings created.

The video camera is connected to the computing and storage unit 5, but has its own second control unit 8, whereby the license plate detection and the detection of traffic violations run independently of each other.

The object fields of the first single-frame camera 3 and the video camera must cover the lanes to be monitored.

If several lanes are to be monitored instead of one lane, advantageously several video cameras, for example one per lane, can be used. The object fields of the video cameras can be arranged one behind the other or overlapping the object field of the first single-frame camera 3 in the direction of travel. Advantageously, the object field of the video camera or the object fields of several video cameras in the direction of travel are arranged upstream of the object field of the first single-frame camera 3. A vehicle found to be searched can thus be optimally recorded by the first single-frame camera 3 when a photo point later passes.

A second exemplary embodiment is intended to differ from the described first exemplary embodiment in that the further cameras 6 are not video cameras, but also single-frame cameras, but with a significantly lower resolution, which is advantageously less than half as large and in particular one-quarter as large as the one Resolution of the first single-frame camera 3. For the other single-frame cameras that are used for license plate recognition, z. B. cameras are used with a receiver matrix of less than 2.5 megapixels, while documenting the traffic violation, a first single-frame camera 3 with several megapixels, z. B. 5 megapixels, is used.
This embodiment is advantageous if the means for acquiring measured values 1 are invasive sensors whose signals are also used to trigger the further single-frame cameras and the illumination device 7. These sensors thus additionally function as triggers (hardware triggers) and are additionally connected to the second control device 8 for this purpose.

1

Mittel zur Erfassung von Messwerten

2

erste Steuereinheit

3

erste Einzelbildkamera

4

Blitzeinrichtung

5

Rechen- und Speichereinheit

6

weitere Kamera

7

Beleuchtungseinrichtung

8

zweite Steuereinheit

9

Mittel zur Feststellung der Messwerte als Beleg für einen Verkehrsverstoß

10

Kennzeichenleser

List of used reference numbers

1

Means for acquiring measured values

2

first control unit

3

first single-frame camera

4

flash device

5

Computing and storage unit

6

another camera

7

lighting device

8th

second control unit

9

Means for determining the measured values as proof of a traffic violation

10

tag reader

Claims (10)

Device for detecting traffic violations and for marking control, having a means for acquiring measured values (1) which are caused by vehicles passing through a measuring area on a roadway and which are capable of proving a traffic violation, a means for determining the measured values as proof of a traffic violation (9), a first digital single-frame camera (3) whose object field is tuned to the measuring range, a flash unit (4) and a first control unit (2) connected to the first single-frame camera (3) and the flash unit (4), which is designed in such a way that after the detection of measured values as proof of a traffic violation, at least one shot is taken by the first single-frame camera (3) is created by the infringer vehicle and a computing and storage unit (5) for assigning and storing the image data of the recordings to the measured values, characterized
in that at least one further digital camera (6), the object field of which is also tuned to the measuring area, is provided with an associated illumination device (7), and the further camera (6) and the illumination device (7) with an additionally present second control unit (6). 8) are connected,
that the illumination device (7) comprises a radiation source in the non-visible wavelength range,
that the computing and storage unit (5) is in communication with the at least one further camera (6) and
that in this a tag reader (10) is integrated to detect in the images of the at least one further camera (6) vehicle registration number and to identify. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
in that the at least one further camera (6) is a video camera which produces images with a frame rate and a software trigger is provided which is triggered such that the forwarding of images to the license plate reader (10) is triggered as a function of the fact that Recording a vehicle license plate is present. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
in that the at least one further camera (6) is a further single-frame camera, and the means for acquiring measured values (1) are invasive sensors which additionally act as a hardware trigger for triggering the at least one further camera (6) with the second control unit ( 8) are connected. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
in that the license plate reader (10) is connected to the first control unit (2) in order to trigger the first single-frame camera (4) when a sought-after license plate is identified. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the radiation source of the lighting device (7) is an infrared light source. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the radiation source of the flash device (4) is a xenon light source. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the radiation source of the flash device (4) is a power-saving illumination of at least one light-emitting diode. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the first frame of the camera (3) is a high-resolution camera and at least one further camera (6) has a lower resolution. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that
that the first frame of the camera (3) has a resolution of several mega pixels, and the resolution of the at least one further camera (6) is less than half as large, and in particular amounts to a quarter. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the object field of the first frame camera (3) covers a plurality of lanes of the road, and so much more cameras (6) are provided as lanes are covered by the object field of the first frame camera (3), wherein the object fields of the other cameras (6) each comprise a lane cover.

Images