AU2010302705A1

AU2010302705A1 - Method for immediately penalizing for a traffic violation

Info

Publication number: AU2010302705A1
Application number: AU2010302705A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Sinisa Karnas
Original assignee: Jenoptik Robot GmbH
Current assignee: Jenoptik Robot GmbH
Priority date: 2009-09-30
Filing date: 2010-09-30
Publication date: 2012-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-30
Also published as: EP2483882B1; WO2011038729A1; DE102009043742A1; DE102009043742B4; AU2010302705B2; EP2483882A1; WO2011038729A9

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for penalizing for traffic violations, wherein on a roadway (1) having several lanes (2.1, 2.2), a traffic violation is detected by measurement using a measuring device and the acquisition of an image (7) of the violator vehicle (4) is carried out by means of a camera (5) as soon as the front of the vehicle in the event of oncoming traffic or the rear of the vehicle in the event of departing traffic passes a specified photo line (FL). In the image acquisition (7), an image section (8) in which the vehicle license plate of the violator vehicle (4) is depicted is selected, enlarged to a specified size, and displayed, wherein a photo point (FP) is detected depending on the location at which the violator vehicle (4) passed the photo line (FL) and the image section (8) is selected in regard to position and size relative to said photo point (FP). The image section (8) can also be used as evidence that the vehicle depicted there is the violator vehicle.

Description

Method for immediately penalising a traffic violation 5 The present invention relates to a method for detecting a traffic violation, the generic type of which is known from DE 10 2007 022 373 Al. In automatic traffic monitoring, infringements (traffic 10 violations) of traffic regulations are conclusively recorded in photographs. This can, for instance, be done by photographing the violator vehicle and by displaying the corresponding data such as the speed, red traffic light phase, date and time in the form of alphanumeric 15 characters in a line of text on the photograph. In order to be able to associate the violator vehicle with the violation in a way that will be accepted by the courts, the vehicle that is the cause of the incident must be located in a defined appraisal region on the 20 photograph, and must be depicted with sufficient clarity for the vehicle and the license plate to be recognisable unambiguously. For this reason, the defined appraisal region must, at the time when the camera is triggered, be located within the depth of focus of the camera's 25 objective lens (referred to below simply as the "camera"). For this purpose, and depending on the method of measurement used to detect the traffic violation, a photo line (in practice often referred to as a photo point) is specified, the camera being triggered when this 30 is reached. The fact that the photo line has been reached by a vehicle can be detected when, for instance, during a radar measurement, the vehicle that is travelling out of the radar cone passes what is known as the 3 dB line 2 (where the intensity of the radar radiation has fallen to 1/2 of the intensity in the direction of the axis of the radar beam), or when the vehicle drives over a strip sensor, such as a piezo-electric strip, mounted in or on 5 the surface of the roadway. Reaching a photo line can also, for instance, be estimated from the knowledge of the location of the vehicle at a first point in time and its measured speed. For the purpose of this application, a photo point is a 10 point on a physically present or conceptual photo line extending across the roadway, and whose position relative to the camera and the camera axis is known and which lies entirely within the depth of the camera's focus. The term "photo point" accordingly refers in any 15 particular case to just one point on this line at which a vehicle arrives, depending on where, in relation to the width of the roadway, it drives across and meets this line. This means that in principle the relative position of the photo point to the camera is not known in advance, 20 only the relative position of the photo line that is determined by the technical setup. It is clear to those skilled in the art that "point" does not refer here to a geometrically precise point, but merely to an approximation to that, subject to the error 25 acceptable for the measuring process in use. The penalisation that follows the detection of a traffic violation can be done using two fundamentally different methods. Either the violator vehicle is stopped close to the time 30 of the traffic violation by intervening in the moving traffic and the driver is immediately confronted with an evidentially valid photograph, or the evidential photograph is sent to the vehicle's driver by mail.

3 The first method in particular has a high educational effect. Through the direct confrontation with the traffic violation, both the sense of being in the wrong and the awareness of the traffic violation that has been 5 committed are greater in comparison to a penalty that is imposed weeks later, as a result of which a significantly more long-lasting effect on the observation of traffic regulations is achieved. It is also not possible for the driver to dispute that he or she was driving the 10 offending vehicle, something that is often at least attempted with the second method. It is useful if the location of the enforcement personnel, where the violator vehicles will be stopped, is chosen to be far enough away from the measuring 15 location that it cannot be seen before or at the measuring location. Otherwise the drivers will be warned, and will therefore deliberately behave in accordance with regulations for a short time, which will have no educational effect. 20 To be effective in law it is necessary on the one hand to ensure and to demonstrate the plausibility of the fact that the traffic violation, in particular the speed measured in the case of a speed limit violation, has been determined correctly and, on the other hand, for the 25 traffic violation to be associated with the violator vehicle without any doubt. This is of particularly high importance in the case of sensors that are not lane selective but whose measuring region extends over a number of traffic lanes. This is often the case for 30 measuring systems based on radiation and fitted with laser or radar sensors. Doppler radar systems are amongst the most widely used measuring systems for detecting speed limit violations.

4 In order to identify unambiguously a vehicle measured through, for instance, radar radiation, which implies detecting the measured vehicle on a roadway with multiple lanes in amongst a group of vehicles, EP 0 935 764 B1 5 proposes measuring the distance at the same time as the speed, and associating the vehicle with a lane by means of the measured distance. When a speed limit violation is detected, a warning signal is generated which can also be used to activate a 10 camera, as a result of which an image of the measured vehicle, referred to below as the violator vehicle, is acquired. Although it is not disclosed here that the camera is only triggered when the violator vehicle is located at a specified photo line, nevertheless we can 15 assume that this is the case, since otherwise the measured distance cannot be associated unambiguously with one lane. Comparable methods have, however, also become established using other measuring techniques such as laser sensors or 20 sensors permanently installed in or on the surface of the roadway. Because of the distance between the measuring location and the location of the enforcement personnel which, depending on the local conditions, can be a few hundred 25 metres, it is necessary on roadways with a number of lanes for one direction, not only for the traffic violation to be unambiguously associated with the violator vehicle, but also that the violator vehicle can still to be identified with certainty after it has 30 changed lane. Usually the vehicle license plate is used for unambiguous identification.

5 EP 0 935 764 Bl does not indicate whether steps are taken if the vehicle license plate of the violator vehicle that has been measured is not recognisable in the image, and if yes what they are. 5 If, as is shown in EP 0 935 764 Bl, the camera is located at the side of the roadway and aligned at an acute angle to its edge, vehicles that are travelling in different lanes pass through the camera's angle of view at different ranges of distance, and therefore necessarily 10 meet the photo line at different distances from the camera. This means that the vehicles are recorded at individual photo points having different distances, and are therefore depicted in different sizes. The vehicle license plates of vehicles that are 15 travelling on lanes at a greater distance can therefore no longer be identified with the naked eye in the photograph or on the monitor where the recorded picture is displayed. In a number of devices that are known on the market, such 20 as the MultaRadar CD from Robot Visual Systems GmbH, which is approved for use in Switzerland (approval certificate CH-P-09178-00), the images can be displayed on the monitor of the hand-held operating unit. In order to be able to read the vehicle license plates, the 25 operating personnel must enlarge the view and drag it to the position of the license plate. This is tiresome and time-consuming, and can no longer be done in dense moving traffic. The operating personnel is, moreover, distracted during this interaction, and careful operation of the 30 measuring equipment, as is legally prescribed in many countries, is no longer possible. The object of the invention is to find a method for penalising traffic violations with which conclusive 6 images can be acquired over multiple lanes, and with which violator vehicles can be displayed on the monitor or represented on a photograph showing the license plates at almost the same size, regardless of the vehicle's 5 position on the recorded image. This object cannot be met by making the object, in this case a vehicle license plate, identifiable through symmetrically centred enlargement (zooming) as is generally known from the prior art in the field of 10 photography, since the positions of the vehicle license plates on vehicles that are travelling on different lanes do not lie on a common axis when the vehicles cross the photo line. It would be possible meet this object by guiding the 15 camera to select specific lanes in combination with a motor zoom, but the fixed photographic angle that is essential for the legal approval of a traffic measuring system would no longer be provided, and the photograph of the violation could be disputed in court. 20 The object of the invention is to provide a method for penalising traffic violations, wherein, on a roadway having several lanes, a traffic violation is detected by measurement using a measuring device, and an image of the violator vehicle is acquired by means of a camera as soon 25 as the front of the vehicle in the event of oncoming traffic or the rear of the vehicle in the event of departing traffic passes a specified photo line, whereby a section of the recorded image in which the vehicle license plate of the violator vehicle is depicted is 30 selected, enlarged to a specified size and displayed. This is object is met in that a photo point is detected depending on the location at which the violator vehicle passed the photo line, and the position and size of the 7 image section are selected in relation to said photo point. The enlarged display of the vehicle license plate on a monitor according to the invention allows the vehicle 5 license plate to be read optimally, and therefore allows the violator vehicle to be stopped immediately by intervening promptly in the moving traffic. In practice the monitor is usually connected to the camera, and is therefore located at the measuring 10 location. The vehicle license plate displayed on the monitor after a traffic violation can be read by the measuring personnel and communicated to the enforcement personnel by means, for instance, of a walkie-talkie. Direct remote display of the vehicle license plate on a 15 monitor at the location of the enforcement personnel may, however, also be considered. The method can be employed in association with any of the wide range of methods for detecting traffic violations. The crucial point is that an image of the violator 20 vehicle is acquired at a defined photo line, and the location (photo point) across the width of the roadway at which the violator vehicle passes the photo line is determined. The photo line can favourably be formed by a number of 25 lane sensors installed in or on the surface of the roadway, each being assigned to one lane. The lane sensors can be offset with respect to one another or, advantageously, can be installed in one row perpendicular to the edge of the roadway. Through the 30 arrangement of the camera with respect to the roadway, and the alignment of the camera axis, the relative positions of the lane sensors, and therefore the photo line, with respect to the camera are fixed.

8 If the violator vehicle only drives over one lane sensor, it is also only detected by that sensor. A selected point on the sensor that detects the violator vehicle, for instance the middle point of the lane sensor, is defined 5 as the photo point, on the basis of which an image section is selected, whereby the same image section is enlarged whenever detection occurs in one particular lane. If the violator vehicle is detected by two sensors, the 10 middle point between the two neighbouring sensors can advantageously be defined as the photo point, where in addition to the image sections, of which one can be selected for each lane, additional image sections can be selected. 15 The camera is favourably erected next to the roadway, where the camera axis is aligned in such a way that it intersects with the lanes of the roadway at an acute angle. This method can also be implemented advantageously if a 20 beam at the edge of a radar cone is used as the photo line, whose position relative to the camera and to the camera axis is determined by the location of a radar sensor, used as a measuring device for detecting the traffic violation, and a fixed angular relationship to 25 the axis of the radar beam and therefore of the edge of the beam to the camera axis. The detection of the traffic violation by technical means also determines the distance between the violator vehicle and the radar sensor as it passes the photo line, in order to find the photo point 30 on the photo line from the measured distance. The photo line can also be a conceptual line with a fixed relationship to the location of the camera and the alignment of the camera axis.

9 Passing this photo line is not detected, but is determined by computation, in that the violator vehicle is detected at a known point, the speed is measured, and the time at which the photo line is passed is calculated 5 from the location and the speed. The acquisition of the distance required for this is carried out with the determination by technical means of the traffic violation using a measuring sensor that measures the distance and which is arranged in a known position relative to the 10 camera. The photo point on the photo line is determined from the distance found when passing the photo line. The photo line can also advantageously be the edge beam of the range of scanning angles of a laser scanner, whose position relative to the camera and the camera axis is 15 determined by the location of the laser scanner, the scanning angle, and a fixed angular relationship between the laser scanner axis and therefore of its edge beam to the camera axis. With the detection by technical means of the traffic 20 violation here again the distance of the violator vehicle from the laser scanner that is measuring the distance, which is located in a known position relative to the camera, is found when passing the photo line, so that the photo point on the photo line can be determined from the 25 measured distance. The radar sensor or laser scanner is advantageously arranged in such a way in relation to the camera that the edge beam of the radar lobe or the edge beam of the range of scanning angles coincides with the camera axis. Thus 30 the photo line, and therefore also the photo point, lie on the camera axis. Since the photo point is determined as a point of the photo line at the distance of the measured distance, an 10 image section can be individually selected for every distance determined. In order to keep the required computing capacity low, it is also possible to specify a point on the photo line at 5 the distance of the mean value of a specified distance interval as the photo point. As a result an equivalent image section is selected for all the distances determined within a specified distance interval. The method may also be implemented by mounting the camera 10 above the roadway, where the camera axis is parallel to the edge of the roadway. The photo line can then be a conceptual line perpendicular to the camera axis at a given distance in front of the camera. A radar sensor, also used to detect 15 the traffic violation, then beams a radar cone at the roadway in such a way that the radar axis coincides with the camera axis, and the radar sensor finds the angle at which the violator vehicle is recorded by the radar sensor at the time of its detection at the specified 20 distance, allowing the photo point to be determined from the angle and the distance. Instead of a radar sensor, a laser scanner, whose laser scanner axis is aligned in the direction of the camera axis, can also advantageously determine the angle of the 25 violator vehicle to the camera axis at the time at which the violator vehicle is detected at the specified distance by the laser scanner, allowing the photo point to be determined from the angle and the distance. The size of the image section that is to be selected from 30 the recorded image and enlarged is selected in such a way that the vehicle license plate of the violator vehicle is reliably recorded.

11 Provided that the photo point is, for instance, determined from a single recorded distance or angle, and provided that a photo point is assigned to each distance or angle value on the basis of which an image section is 5 selected, the image section does not have to be much larger than what is required to display the vehicle license plate. This permits the maximum possible magnification of the vehicle license plate. 10 If, on the other hand, the photo point is determined from the mean value of a distance interval, or if it is defined as a selected point over the length of a lane sensor, then the size of the image section must be selected in such a way that the vehicle license plate of 15 any violator vehicle that transits this photo line or this lane sensor within the distance interval is included. This restricts the possible magnification, although less computing capacity is required here, since the same image 20 section is used repeatedly, and does not have to be selected anew every time. When the camera axis is aligned at an acute angle to the roadway, the shape of the image section is favourably a parallelogram whose internal angles depend on the 25 horizontal camera angle. The term "horizontal camera angle" refers to the angle enclosed between the camera axis and the edge of the roadway. One edge of the parallelogram is advantageously aligned with the photo line as projected in the image section. 30 If the camera axis is aligned in the direction of the roadway, i.e. if the horizontal camera angle is zero, the shape of the image section is advantageously rectangular, 12 which is, nevertheless, also a special form of a parallelogram. Advantageously the image section is selected starting from the photo point, where the photo point is located at 5 the bottom edge of the parallelogram. In order to determine the photo point from a single distance, determined, for instance, when the vehicle leaves the radar cone, the image section is selected starting from the lower left-hand corner, which is 10 determined by the photo point. The image section is advantageously magnified to such an extent that the size of the magnified representation is matched to the screen size of a monitor, and is displayed on the monitor. 15 The determination of the image section, starting from a photo point that is determined by measurement at the moment the image is recorded, also permits the secure deduction that the vehicle represented on the image section is indeed the vehicle that has been measured. 20 The image section thus not only allows reliable, readable representation of the license plate of the measured vehicle, but also provides confirmation that precisely this depicted vehicle is the violator vehicle. For this purpose, for instance, the magnified image section can be 25 stored independently of the image acquisition, and printed out as a photograph. As is typical on such recorded images, the data relevant to the image section can also be superimposed. The invention is described in more detail below in the 30 form of exemplary embodiments and with the aid of the drawing. Shown are in: 13 Fig. la a schematic illustration of the plan view of a traffic scenario in which a violator vehicle is passing a lane sensor installed on the surface of the roadway; Fig. lb a schematic illustration of a recorded image of 5 the traffic scenario represented in Fig. la, in which, in the place of the violator vehicle, a selected image section is shown; Fig. 2a a schematic representation of the plan view of a traffic scenario in which a violator vehicle is leaving a 10 radar cone; Fig. 2b a schematic illustration of a recorded image of the traffic scenario represented in Fig. 2a, in which, in the place of the violator vehicle, a selected image section is shown; 15 Fig. 3a the real display of an acquired image of a traffic scenario on a monitor; Fig. 3b a schematic representation of the image according to Fig. 3a; Fig. 4a the image according to Fig. 3a, onto which, as an 20 example, a photo line and two image sections have been projected; Fig. 4b a schematic representation of the image according to Fig. 4a; Fig. 5a a real display of an enlarged image section; 25 Fig. 5b a schematic representation of the image according to Fig. 5a; Figs. la and lb illustrate a roadway 1 with a first and a second lane 2.1, 2.2, where a first 3.1 and a second 3.2 lane sensor are installed flush with the roadway surface. 30 The lane sensors 3.1, 3.2 can be piezoelectric strips or sections of induction loops, and their position determines the position of the photo line FL.

14 In the traffic scenario illustrated here, the front wheels of a violator vehicle 4 in the oncoming traffic are just rolling over the second lane sensor 3.2. The second lane sensor 3.2 detects the violator vehicle 5 4, and gives a signal to a camera 5, initiating it to acquire an image 7 of the traffic scenario at that moment. The camera 5 is installed next to the roadway 1, where the camera axis 6 encloses a horizontal camera angle a 10 with the edge of the roadway, the angle being selected such that the object field of the camera 5, which is determined by the magnitude of the angle of view @ of the camera 5, covers all the lanes of the roadway 1. The invention is not restricted to be applied on only two 15 lanes, although in the exemplary embodiments the roadway 1 is drawn with only two lanes for the sake of clarity. From the knowledge that the violator vehicle 4 was detected by the second lane sensor 3.2, and of its known position in relation to the camera 5, a point selected on 20 the second lane sensor 3.2, for instance a point at a central location along the length of the second lane sensor 3.2, is defined as the photo point FP. Starting from this photo point FP an image section 8 is selected, where in this embodiment the photo point FP is located 25 centrally on the bottom edge of the parallelogram-shaped image section 8. On the basis of the horizontal angle a, the front of the vehicle in oncoming traffic and the rear of the vehicle in departing traffic is not shown on the acquired image 7 30 in plan view, but rather as a perspective view. It therefore follows that the image sections 8 are 15 advantageously selected to have the shape of parallelograms. The more distant the violator vehicle 4 is from the camera 5, the smaller it appears on the acquired image 7, 5 and correspondingly a smaller size can be selected for the image section 8, so allowing a greater magnification. Different sizes for three image sections 8 are illustrated in Fig. lb. Because in this exemplary embodiment only three points are defined on the photo 10 line FL as photo points FP, namely the central points of the lane sensors 3.1, 3.2 and a point in between these, the image sections 8 are selected to have widths sufficiently wide for them to overlap, so that the vehicle license plate of every passing violator vehicle 4 15 can be fully recorded. In Figs. 2a and 2b the position of the photo line FL is determined by a beam at the edge of a radar cone 9. A radar sensor 10 from which the radar cone 9 is emitted, is aligned in such a way to the camera 5 that the axis of 20 the camera 6 coincides with the edge beam that is acting as the photo line FL. If a vehicle now drives through the radar cone 9 and is recognised as a violator vehicle 4, an image 7 is acquired by the camera 5 when the violator vehicle 4 is ultimately detected on the photo line FL. In 25 this measuring situation said event occurs when the rear left hand corner of the violator vehicle 4 leaves the radar cone 9. By determining the distance of this corner of the vehicle at the same time, the photo point FP can be determined from the distance to the photo line FL. 30 Starting from this photo point FP, an image section 8 is selected, also having the form of a parallelogram, whereby the photo point FP represents the bottom left hand corner of the image section 8 in the acquired image 16 7. Since a photo point FP is determined on the photo line FL with every measured distance value, and that starting from it an individual image section 8 is selected, said image section can be limited almost to the size of the 5 vehicle license plate in the recorded image 7, and given correspondingly high magnification. Figs. 3a and 3b show a real acquired image 7 and a corresponding, stylised representation. This acquired image 7 depicts two vehicles, each in one 10 lane 2.1, 2.2 in the departing traffic. This image 7 can, for instance, be created with the photograph-recording radar speed measuring instrument MultaRadar CD (MultaRadar is a registered trademark of Robot Visual Systems GmbH), as is described in the prior 15 art recited in DE 10 2007 022 373 Al. A measuring instrument of this type is set up next to the section of road that is to be monitored in a fixed cabin, in a vehicle, or on a tripod, and determines the speed of the vehicles passing the measuring site by means of the known 20 Doppler principle, doing so both for vehicles in the departing traffic, as is represented here in image 7, as well as for vehicles in the oncoming traffic. If a vehicle travelling at above the respective top speed limit is measured, it is photographed as a violator 25 vehicle 4, and the data that will be required for later penalisation of the speed limit violation, including the detected lane 2.1, 2.2 is displayed in the script line preferably at the top of the photograph. Figs. 4a and 4b correspond to the illustrations in Figs. 30 3a and 3b, where additionally the photo line FL and a selected image section 8 for the violator vehicle 4 that is just passing the photo line FL with the rear left hand corner of the vehicle are projected onto the acquired 17 image 7. This visual representation is only for the purpose of explaining the invention, and is not actually displayed. Around the image section 8 illustrated by a solid line with the shape of a parallelogram, a rectangle 5 enclosing the parallelogram is shown by a dotted line. With the magnification of the parallelogram to the size of the screen of a monitor, the region of the image surrounded by the rectangle is finally made visible. An additional, larger image section 8 is illustrated by a 10 broken line shown over the first lane 2.1, and is intended to show how the image sections 8 become smaller as they move further into the depth of the recorded image 7. Finally Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate a real image section 8 15 and a corresponding, stylised illustration at the size of the monitor. The vehicle license plate can easily be recognised. List of reference numbers 20 1 Roadway 2.1 First lane 2.2 Second lane 3.1 First lane sensor 3.2 Second lane sensor 25 4 Violator vehicle 5 Camera 6 Camera axis 7 Acquired image 8 Image section 30 9 radar cone 10 Radar sensor a Horizontal camera angle Angle of vision of the camera 18 FL Photo line FP Photo point

Claims

1. Method for penalising traffic violations in which a 5 traffic violation is detected by technical means of measurement on a roadway (1) with multiple lanes and an image (7) of the violator vehicle (4) is acquired with a camera (5) as soon as the front of the vehicle in the case of oncoming traffic or the rear of the vehicle in 10 the case of departing traffic passes a specified photo line (FL), wherein an image section (8) from the acquired image (7), in which the vehicle license plate of the violator vehicle (4) is depicted, is magnified to a specified size 15 and displayed, characterised in that a photo point (FP) on the photo line (FL) depending on the location at which the violator vehicle (4) passes the photo line (FL) is detected, and the position and size of the image section (8) are selected with reference to this 20 photo point (FP).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the photo line (FL) is formed by a number of lane sensors (3.1, 3.2) installed in or on the surface of the roadway, 25 each of which is assigned to one lane (2.1, 2.2), whose position relative to the camera (5) and the camera axis (6) is determined by the given placement of the camera (5), and the location at which the violator vehicle (4) crosses the photo line (FL) is defined by lanes (2.1, 30 2.2) to which the lane sensor (3.1, 3.2) that detects the violator vehicle (4) is assigned and a selected point on a lane sensor (3.1, 3.2) that detects the violator vehicle (4) is defined as the photo point (FP), where for 20 each lane (2.1, 2.2) an equivalent image section (8) is enlarged.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that 5 the photo line (FL) is formed by lane sensors (3.1, 3.2) installed in or on the surface of the roadway and each assigned to one lane (2.1, 2.2), whose position relative to the camera (5) and the camera axis (6) is determined by the given placement of the camera (5), and the centre 10 point between two neighbouring lane sensors (3.1, 3.2) is defined as the photo point (FL) when the violator vehicle (4) is detected by both lane sensors (3.1, 3.2).

4. Method according to claim 1 characterised in that the 15 camera (5) is set up next to the roadway (1) in such a way, and the camera axis (6) is so aligned, that it intersects the lanes (2.1, 2.2) of the roadway (1) at an acute angle. 20

5. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the photo line (FL) is an edge beam of a radar cone (9) whose position relative to the camera (5) and to the camera axis (6) is determined by the location of the radar sensor (10) and a fixed angular relationship 25 between the axis of the radar beam, and therefore the beam edge, to the camera axis (6), and that along with the detection by technical means of measurement of the traffic violation, the distance of the violator vehicle (4) from the radar sensor (10) that also measures the 30 distance is determined as the photo line (FL) is passed, so that the photo point (FP) on the photo line (FL) can be determined from the measured distance. 21

6. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the photo line (FL) is a conceptual line having a fixed relationship to the location of the camera (5) and the alignment of the camera axis (6), the passing of which by 5 the violator vehicle (4) is determined by computation in that the vehicle is detected at a known location, the speed measured, and from the location and the speed the time of passing the photo line (FL) is calculated, where along with the detection by technical means of 10 measurement of the traffic violation, the distance of the violator vehicle (4) from the measuring sensor that measures the distance and which is arranged in a known position relative to the camera (5) is determined when passing the photo line (FL) so that from the distance 15 measured, the photo point (FP) on the photo line (FL) is found.

7. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the photo line (FL) is the edge beam of the range of 20 scanning angles of a laser scanner whose position relative to the camera (5) and to the camera axis (6) is determined by the location of the laser scanner, the scanning angle, and a fixed angular relationship between the axis of the laser scanner, and therefore the beam 25 edge, to the camera axis (6), and that along with the detection by technical means of measurement of the traffic violation, the distance of the violator vehicle (4) from the laser scanner that also measures the distance and which is arranged in a known position 30 relative to the camera (5) is determined as the photo line (FL) is passed, so that the photo point (FP) on the photo line (FL) can be determined from the measured distance. 22

8. Method according to claim 5 and 7, characterised in that the edge beam and the camera axis (6) coincide.

9. Method according to one of claims 5, 6 or 7, 5 characterised in that the photo point (FP) is specified as a point on the photo line (FL) at the spacing of the determined distance, where for each determined distance an image section (8) is individually selected.

10 10. Method according to one of claims 5, 6 or 7, characterised in that the photo point (FP) is specified as a point on the photo line (FL) at the spacing of the mean value of a specified distance interval, whereby for distances determined within a specified distance 15 interval, the same image section (8) is selected, thus permitting a reduction in the computing capacity.

11. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the camera (5) is mounted above the roadway (1), in which 20 the camera axis (6) is aligned parallel to the edge of the roadway.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the photo line (FL) is a conceptual line at a specified 25 distance from the camera (5) extending perpendicularly to the camera axis (6), and that a distance-measuring radar sensor (10) sends a radar cone (9) onto the roadway (1) in such a way that the radar axis coincides with the camera axis (6) and that the radar sensor (10) determines 30 the angle at which the violator vehicle (4) at the time at which it is detected at the specified distance, is acquired by the radar sensor (10), so that the photo 23 point (FP) can be determined from the angle and the distance.

13. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that 5 the photo line (FL) is a conceptual line at a specified distance from the camera (5) extending perpendicularly to the camera axis (6), and a distance-measuring laser scanner, whose laser scanning axis is aligned in the direction of the camera axis (6), determines the angle of 10 the violator vehicle (4) to the camera axis (6) at which the violator vehicle (4) at the moment at which it is detected at the specified distance, is acquired by the laser scanner, so that the photo point (FP) can be determined from the angle and distance. 15

14. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the image section (8) has the form of a parallelogram, one side of which coincides with the photo line (FL) projected into the acquired image (7). 20

15. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the size of the enlarged image section (8) is matched to the size of the screen of a monitor, and the image section (8) is displayed on the monitor. 25

16. Use of image section (8) created according to claim 1 as evidence that the vehicle depicted in the image section (8) is the violator vehicle.