US5572450A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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RF car counting system and method therefor
Assignee: Consyntrix Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-06
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Granted: 1996-11-05
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Expires: 2015-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for counting vehicles by detecting RF signals emitted from a portion of the vehicles is provided. An RF scanner/receiver located at a testing site is tuned to receive local oscillator (LO) signals that may be emitted from radio tuners located in a portion of the vehicles. A control unit controls the scanner/receiver, stores data related to the received LO signals, and performs other operating procedures. A central computer in data communication with the control unit performs data translation operations on the raw LO signal data. Scale factors derived from calibration formulas are applied to the system data to provide an estimated vehicle count and an estimated average vehicle speed. The central computer formats the resulting data for presentation to a user.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. Worthy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 00:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04H; H04H20/00; H04H20/12; G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/01; G08G1/0104
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A car counting method, based upon survey data, for estimating the number of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said method comprising the steps of: detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of said vehicles, said portion of vehicles having tuners located therein; maintaining an LO count of said detected LO signals; and performing a data translation operation on said LO count to estimate the number of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
A car counting method, based upon survey data, for estimating the number of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said method comprising the steps of: detecting local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of said vehicles, said portion of vehicles having tuners located therein; maintaining an LO count of said detected LO signals; and performing a data translation operation on said LO count to estimate the number of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting step comprises scanning through a plurality of even tenth-MHz frequencies in an LO range of 98.8 MHz to 118.6 MHz.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a calibration formula that relates said LO count to the number of vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period, wherein: said generating step occurs before said performing step; and said performing step comprises applying a scale factor to said LO count, said scale factor being derived from said calibration formula.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said generating step occurs during a calibration period and comprises the steps of: keeping a vehicle count of the number of vehicles passing said testing site, said vehicle count being independent of emitted LO signals; detecting a plurality of LO signals emitted from a portion of a plurality of vehicles having tuners located therein; maintaining an LO count of said detected LO signals; and deriving said calibration formula such that said vehicle count is approximated by applying said calibration formula to said LO count.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said scale factor varies in response to said LO count.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said scale factor varies in response to the location of said testing site.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein: said generating step is performed prior to said testing period; and said detecting, maintaining, and performing steps are performed substantially continuously during said testing period.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the duration of said testing period is at least one month.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said generating step is repeated after said first testing period for the verification or the modification of said calibration formula.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: said method further comprises the step of providing a directional radio frequency antenna at said testing site for detecting said LO signals; each of said detected LO signals has a corresponding signal strength detected by said antenna; and said method further comprises the step of ascertaining the direction of travel of said vehicles in response to said signal strengths of said detected LO signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein: said signal strength for a vehicle approaching said testing site has a relatively gradual increase followed by a relatively sudden decrease; said signal strength for a vehicle leaving said testing site has a relatively sudden increase followed by a relatively gradual decrease; and the directions of travel for said vehicles are ascertained in response to the increase/decrease characteristics of said signal strengths.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
A remote car counting method for collecting survey data related to a population of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said method comprising the steps of: providing a radio frequency antenna to detect a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of said population of vehicles; receiving said detected LO signals at a receiver; producing a plurality of call records that contain data related to said received LO signals; and performing a translation operation on said data to estimate the number and approximate speed of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
A remote car counting method for collecting survey data related to a population of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said method comprising the steps of: providing a radio frequency antenna to detect a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of said population of vehicles; receiving said detected LO signals at a receiver; producing a plurality of call records that contain data related to said received LO signals; and performing a translation operation on said data to estimate the number and approximate speed of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said call records contain data that identify a duration for which each of said LO signals is detected.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein: each of said detected LO signals has a corresponding signal strength detected by said antenna; said duration is the time during which said detected LO signals are above a predetermined threshold signal strength; and said performing step relates the approximate speed of said vehicles to said duration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
98 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein: said method further comprises the step of generating a first calibration formula that relates said data to the number of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period, and a second calibration formula that relates said data to the approximate speed of said vehicles passing said testing site during said testing period; said generating step occurs before said performing step; and said performing step comprises the application of a first scale factor and a second scale factor derived from said first and second calibration formulas, respectively, to said data.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said producing step comprises: counting a first portion of said call records that are substantially similar to a set of historical call records for said testing site; and rejecting a second portion of said call records that are aberrant in comparison to said set of historical call records.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said call records are accumulated prior to downloading to a central computer in a batch format.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
133 words
A remote car counting system for estimating, based upon survey data, the number of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said system comprising: a radio frequency antenna; a receiver coupled to said antenna, said receiver being configured in cooperation with said antenna to detect a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of a plurality of vehicles having tuners located therein; means for producing a plurality of call records containing data related to said detected LO signals, said means for producing being in data communication with said receiver; and means for performing a translation operation on said data to estimate the number of said vehicles travelling past said testing site during said testing period, said means for performing being in data communication with said means for producing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
133 words
A remote car counting system for estimating, based upon survey data, the number of vehicles passing a testing site during a testing period, said system comprising: a radio frequency antenna; a receiver coupled to said antenna, said receiver being configured in cooperation with said antenna to detect a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals emitted from a portion of a plurality of vehicles having tuners located therein; means for producing a plurality of call records containing data related to said detected LO signals, said means for producing being in data communication with said receiver; and means for performing a translation operation on said data to estimate the number of said vehicles travelling past said testing site during said testing period, said means for performing being in data communication with said means for producing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system according to claim 18, further comprising a central computer in data communication with said means for producing, wherein said central computer receives said call records downloaded from said means for producing and controls a data presentation device to present data corresponding to a traffic survey for said testing site.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system according to claim 19, wherein said central computer comprises means for selecting said call records such that said call records having substantially similar characteristics to a set of historical call records for said testing site are selected while said call records having aberrant characteristics are rejected.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
89 words
A system according to claim 18, wherein: each of said detected LO signals has a corresponding signal strength detected by said antenna; said signal strength for a vehicle approaching said testing site has a relatively gradual increase followed by a relatively sudden decrease; said signal strength for a vehicle leaving said testing site has a relatively sudden increase followed by a relatively gradual decrease; and said system further includes means for ascertaining the direction of travel of said vehicles in response to the increase/decrease characteristics of said signal strengths.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system according to claim 18, wherein each of said detected LO signals has a corresponding signal strength detected by said antenna, and said system further comprises: a timer configured to record a duration during which said detected LO signals are above a predetermined signal strength; and means for performing a data translation operation on said recorded duration to estimate the speed of said vehicles travelling past said testing site.
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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) | 1999-11-05 | 2000-05-06 | 2000-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-05 | 2004-05-06 | 2004-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-05 | 2008-05-06 | 2008-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |