Patent US5404306A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5404306A
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Vehicular traffic monitoring system
Assignee: Iteris Inc
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Filing: 1994-04-20
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Granted: 1995-04-04
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Expires: 2014-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A vehicular traffic monitoring system incorporates an array of photosensors and a nonlinear resistive network for identifying, locating, and processing outliers in sensor images of a highway or intersection. The camera system can be mounted on a pole or overpass to provide an image of the roadway or intersection. Areas of the outlier network ("video loops") are designated to correspond to selected areas of the roadway. Images are received by the outlier detection network with all data path switches closed between sensor elements and their corresponding network nodes. The system detects the presence of objects in the image by comparing the brightness or intensity of each pixel with that of the background. If the intensity of a pixel is significantly different from the background level, the data path switch corresponding to that pixel is opened. A readout of the state of all the switches in the network yields a map of outlier points for each video frame. The outlier map is connected to a data processing system to identify and locate outlier points in the image. The detection of a threshold number of outliers in a video loop indicates the presence of a vehicle at the corresponding area of the roadway. The processor, having a greatly reduced computational load without extensive image processing, simply measures and transmits traffic data such as the number and speed of vehicles passing through the video loops.
Inventors
- 👤 Bimal P. Mathur
- 👤 David L. Standley
- 👤 Craig C. Reinhart
- 👤 Shih-Chii Liu
- 👤 H. Taichi Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:34
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/01; G08G1/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising the steps of: providing a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; designating an area of said image corresponding to a selected region of said roadway; connecting a nonlinear resistive network to said photosensor array for detecting outlier points in said image; generating a map of said outlier points in said image; and determining the presence of a vehicle in said region of said roadway by identifying outlier points in said designated area of said image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising the steps of: providing a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; designating an area of said image corresponding to a selected region of said roadway; connecting a nonlinear resistive network to said photosensor array for detecting outlier points in said image; generating a map of said outlier points in said image; and determining the presence of a vehicle in said region of said roadway by identifying outlier points in said designated area of said image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of designating a plurality of areas of said image corresponding to selected regions of said roadway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining velocity of said vehicle by measuring time for said identified outlier points to be detected in successive areas of said image corresponding to said selected regions of said roadway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the presence of a vehicle includes the step of connecting a computer processor to said nonlinear resistive network for analyzing said outlier points.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of designating an area of said image corresponding to a selected region of said roadway includes the step of calibrating said photosensor image with reference points of said selected region of said roadway.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an image includes the step of adjusting a range control voltage of said photosensor array in response to changing lighting conditions on said roadway.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising the steps of: providing a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; designating areas of said image corresponding to selected regions of said roadway; connecting a nonlinear resistive network to said photosensor array for detecting outlier points in said image: generating a map of said outlier points in said image; identifying outlier points in said designated areas of said image; and determining the presence of vehicles in said regions of said roadway by analyzing said outlier points in said designated areas of said image.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising the steps of: providing a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; designating areas of said image corresponding to selected regions of said roadway; connecting a nonlinear resistive network to said photosensor array for detecting outlier points in said image: generating a map of said outlier points in said image; identifying outlier points in said designated areas of said image; and determining the presence of vehicles in said regions of said roadway by analyzing said outlier points in said designated areas of said image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of determining velocity of said vehicle by measuring time for said identified outlier points to be detected in successive areas of said image corresponding to said selected regions of said roadway.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining the presence of a vehicle includes the step of connecting a computer processor to said nonlinear resistive network for analyzing said outlier points.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the step of designating an area of said image corresponding to a selected region of said roadway includes the step of calibrating said photosensor image with reference points of said selected region of said roadway.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating an image includes the step of adjusting a range control voltage of said photosensor array in response to changing lighting conditions on said roadway.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising: a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; a nonlinear resistive network connected to said photosensor array for generating a map of outlier points in said image; video loops comprising designated areas of said network corresponding to selected regions of said roadway; means for identifying outlier points in said video loops; and means for determining the presence of vehicles in said selected regions of said roadway by analyzing said outlier points in said video loops.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for monitoring vehicular traffic, comprising: a photosensor array for generating an image of a vehicle roadway; a nonlinear resistive network connected to said photosensor array for generating a map of outlier points in said image; video loops comprising designated areas of said network corresponding to selected regions of said roadway; means for identifying outlier points in said video loops; and means for determining the presence of vehicles in said selected regions of said roadway by analyzing said outlier points in said video loops.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 12, further comprising means for determining velocity of said vehicle by measuring time for said identified outlier points to be detected in successive video loops corresponding to said selected regions of said roadway.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 12, further comprising a computer processor connected to said nonlinear resistive network for analyzing said outlier points.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 14, further comprising means for calibrating said photosensor image with reference points of said selected region of said roadway.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 14, further comprising means for adjusting a range control voltage of said photosensor array in response to changing lighting conditions on said roadway.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-03 | 1998-10-03 | 1999-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-03 | 2002-10-03 | 2003-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-03 | 2006-10-03 | 2007-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |