GB2440003A - Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern - Google Patents
Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2440003A GB2440003A GB0613668A GB0613668A GB2440003A GB 2440003 A GB2440003 A GB 2440003A GB 0613668 A GB0613668 A GB 0613668A GB 0613668 A GB0613668 A GB 0613668A GB 2440003 A GB2440003 A GB 2440003A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- pattern
- identification system
- imaging device
- identification
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 18
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000005286 illumination Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 23
- 238000002310 reflectometry Methods 0.000 description 13
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 12
- 239000011324 bead Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000012790 adhesive layer Substances 0.000 description 2
- 208000030984 MIRAGE syndrome Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005670 electromagnetic radiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010030 laminating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- TVLSRXXIMLFWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N prochloraz Chemical compound C1=CN=CN1C(=O)N(CCC)CCOC1=C(Cl)C=C(Cl)C=C1Cl TVLSRXXIMLFWEO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000011253 protective coating Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R13/00—Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes
- B60R13/10—Registration, licensing, or like devices
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
- G08G1/017—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled identifying vehicles
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
- G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
- G06K19/06009—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking
- G06K19/06037—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking multi-dimensional coding
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
- Traffic Control Systems (AREA)
Abstract
Disclosed is a vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern 1 encoding information attached to the vehicle 3 and an imaging device 4 to read the patterns. The pattern may be printed onto the surface of the vehicle or attached to the vehicle as a plate. The imaging device is able to read the identification pattern at a range of at least 30m. The pattern may by a 2-D barcode. The pattern may be formed of a plate comprising a reflective layer and a non-reflective layer laminated together. The code may be image-able under visible, infrared or microwave radiation. The bar-code may be a grid of cells 2, the smallest dimension of the grid being at least 300mm and the cells be at least 10mm.
Description
<p>1 2440003</p>
<p>VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM</p>
<p>The present invention relates to a vehicle identification system.</p>
<p>It is known for certain vehicles, for example police vehicles and emergency vehicles, to carry identifications which can be read at a distance, in order to allow the movements of the police or emergency vehicles to be tracked, to control operations. The identification normally comprises relatively large alphanumeric markings in contrasting colours which can be read visually directly by an observer (for example operating in a helicopter) or by imaging using a camera (mounted in a helicopter or fixed, for example on a gantry adjacent to a road).</p>
<p>There is a need to provide a vehicle identification system, for example for police or emergency vehicles, which can provide more information than the conventional alphanumeric characters. For example it may be desired to indicate vehicle type, vehicle origin, registration number etc. There is a further, optional, requirement that the identification shall be readable at night.</p>
<p>It is conventional to provide many types of article with identification information coded in the form of a barcode. Such codes are conventionally read at very close range by specially adapted readers which are normally integrated into a system for handling the articles which are marked with the barcode.</p>
<p>The present inventors have discovered that a barcode or similar machine readable code can be applied to a vehicle and can be read at a substantial range to provide identification information for the vehicle. Surprisingly, a barcode or similar code can be provided which can be read at distances in excess of 30m, for example, by making the code of sufficient size. In this way, the coding capabilities of machine-readable codes can be exploited in a vehicle identification system for tracking and controlling police and emergency vehicles.</p>
<p>Accordingly, the present invention provide a vehicle identification system, comprising at least one identification pattern, comprising a machine readable coded identification, attachable to or formed on a vehicle, and at least one imaging device for imaging the identification pattern, the imaging device being capable of reading the identification pattern at a range not less than 30m.</p>
<p>In another aspect, the present invention provides a 2-D barcode, comprising a grid of cells, the smallest dimension of the grid being not less than 300mm, preferably not less than 500mm, the cells having a least dimension not less than 10mm, preferably not less than 25mm.</p>
<p>Preferred and optional features of the invention will be described further below.</p>
<p>The system of the present invention comprises an identification pattern attached to or formed on a vehicle and at least one imaging device.</p>
<p>The identification pattern may be formed directly on the vehicle or it may be formed on an image carrier, for example of sheet of material, which is attachable to a vehicle.</p>
<p>For example, the identification pattern may be formed in an identification device comprising a reflective layer and a non-reflective layer laminated together. The code may be formed by spaces in the reflective layer or non-reflective layer, the code being readable by the contrast in reflection between the two layers.</p>
<p>The reflective layer and non-reflective layer has different reflectivity for a selected waveband. The observing waveband may comprise visible light or a suitable waveband of infrared radiation, for example the kind of infrared radiation which is known in the art for night observation. References herein to reflectivity imply reflectivity at a selected observation waveband.</p>
<p>The reflective layer may comprise a visually highly reflective layer, for example white material or white print. It may comprise reflective media, such as glass beads imbedded in a matrix. Such reflective layers are well known for manufacture of reflective road signs. Reflective layers of this type are manufactured by 3M. The low reflectivity layer may comprise black material or material with low infrared reflectivity, or material which has been printed with black ink or with a material which has a relatively low infrared reflectivity.</p>
<p>The code may be imageable using any suitable wave band of electromagnetic radiation, for example visible light (including the whole range of visible wavelengths or a selected band of visible wavelengths) or infrared or microwave.</p>
<p>Infrared readable codes may be used for operations at night. They may be illuminated using an infrared illumination device, (for example a lamp or flare) during covert operations at night.</p>
<p>A suitable infrared pattern medium comprises MIRAGE (trade mark) available fro QinetiQ.</p>
<p>Preferably, the identification code comprises at least four alphanumeric characters, preferably five or more alphanumeric characters.</p>
<p>The identification pattern of the present invention can be formed by providing a first layer of material having a first reflectivity at the observation waveband and a second layer having a different reflectivity at the observation waveband, forming a code in at least one of the layers and laminating the layers together.</p>
<p>At least one of the layers may comprise a self-adhesive layer, for attaching it to a vehicle. The other layer may be self-adhesive layer to allow the layers to be laminated together.</p>
<p>The imaging device may comprise illumination means, for example a search light, infrared illuminating lamp or flash.</p>
<p>The imaging device preferably comprises a digital camera. It may be any conventional design of digital camera, for example having at least one-mega pixel, more preferably at least 3-mega pixels.</p>
<p>The camera may comprise a decoding device. The decoding device may be integral to the camera or it may be provided separately.</p>
<p>By "machine readable code" it is meant that the code is only readable by a corresponding optical scanner and image processing device, and not by human visual reading. The imaging device may comprise a display for indicatingto a user the information content of the machine-readable code. For example, it may comprise a screen, for example the screen of a personal computer.</p>
<p>BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING</p>
<p>The present invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a 2-D barcode.</p>
<p>Figure 2 shows the positioning of a 2-D barcode on a vehicle, according to the present invention.</p>
<p>Figure 3 is a schematic view of the system of the present invention.</p>
<p>DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS</p>
<p>Figure is a schematic view of a 2-D barcode. In practice, it comprises a square grid 1 comprising 16 cells which may have a first reflective value (represented as black) or a second reflective value (represented as white). In practice, the 2-D barcode would have a very much larger number of cells (typically in excess of 20 X 20 cells). The limited number of cells is shown in figure 1 for illustration only.</p>
<p>Such a 2-D barcode is readable according to known protocols by devices such as digital cameras connected to or incorporating image reading code.</p>
<p>According to one aspect of the invention, the least dimension of the grid is not less than 100mm and preferably not less than 300mm. The cells are each of a dimension preferably not less than 10mm, preferably not less than 25mm. The grid and the cells are preferably each square.</p>
<p>According to the invention, the 2-D barcode can be formed of suitable material (as described further below) and fixed to the roof of a vehicle, for example as shown in Figure 2. In this position, it will be readily viewable by an imaging device such as a digital camera mounted on a gantry or helicopter. As shown in figure 3, the present invention allows the imaging device (shown schematically at 4) to image the vehicle 3 at a distance d which is in excess of 30m, and preferably in excess lOOm when the vehicle is located on a road 5.</p>
<p>In a preferred embodiment, the 2-D barcode is formed by taking a first layer comprising a highly reflective material at the observing waveband, for example glass beads embedded in a matrix and applying a second, code carrying layer thereto. The code-carrying layer is preferably formed by printing onto a clear sheet of material, for example polymeric film, an image comprising the 2-D barcode and adhering the film to the face of the reflective material. In the printing operation, only the low reflectivity areas are printed. The high reflectivity areas are left blank so that radiation of the observing waveband can be reflected and detected by the imaging device 4.</p>
<p>Example</p>
<p>A 2-D identification pattern was prepared by taking a first layer comprising reflective glass beads embedded in a matrix and then adhering thereto a film comprising a 2-D barcode printed thereon.</p>
<p>The printed barcode comprised a square grid of 256 cells, the grid having sides of 480mm, the cells being of side 30mm. In a known coding protocol, an identification comprising three letters and two digits was coded into a pattern on a PC. The PC was then used to control a printer which prints onto a sheet of clear film a pattern corresponding to the 2-D barcode. Low reflectivity areas were printed black, high reflectivity areas were left blank. The film is then adhered to the high reflectivity material. A protective coating of clear film was attached to the surface. The resulting identification device was fixed to the roof of a vehicle.</p>
<p>The barcode was then observed at a distance of l000m from a helicopter using a conventional digital camera connected to a PC. At this range, it was found that the camera could successfully capture the image, transfer it to the PC where it was decoded and correctly presented on the screen for a user to identify the code.</p>
<p>The present invention has been described above by way of example only and modifications can be made within the invention, which extends to equivalents of the features described. The invention also consists in any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings or any combination of any such features or any generalisation of any such features or combination.</p>
Claims (1)
- <p>CLAIMS</p><p>1. A vehicle identification system, comprising at least one identification pattern, comprising machine readable coded information, attachable to or formed on a vehicle, and at least one imaging device for imaging the identification pattern, the imaging device being capable of reading the identification pattern at a range not less than 30m.</p><p>2. A vehicle identification system according claim 1, wherein the identification pattern is formed directly on the vehicle.</p><p>3. A vehicle identification system according to claim I, wherein the identification pattern is formed on an image carrier, which is attachable to a vehicle.</p><p>4. A vehicle identification system according to any preceding claim, wherein the identification pattern is formed in an identification device comprising a * * reflective layer and non-reflective layer laminated together. **** * S **..</p><p>5. A vehicle identification system according to any preceding claim, wherein the code is imageable using visible light, infrared radiation or microwave *:. radiation. * S*S</p><p>* 6. The vehicle identification system according to any preceding claim, wherein ****i* * the imaging device comprises illumination means.</p><p>7. A vehicle identification system according to any preceding claim, wherein the machine-readable coded information comprises a two dimensional barcode.</p><p>8. A two dimensional barcode, comprising a grid of cells, the smallest dimension of the grid being not less than 300mm, the cells having a least dimension not less than 10mm, preferably not less than 25mm.</p><p>9. A two dimensional barcode according to claim 8, wherein the smallest dimension of the grid is not less than 500mm.</p><p>10. A two dimensional barcode according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the cells have a least dimension not less than 25mm.</p><p>11. A vehicle identification system according to any claims 1 to 6, wherein the machine-readable coded identification comprises a two dimensional barcode according to any of claims 8 to 10.</p><p>12. A vehicle identification system, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.</p><p>13. A 2-D barcode substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of * * the accompanying drawings. ***. * S * **. ** * * * *** ***</p><p>S * SS* * S ****</p><p>S</p><p>*SSS.. * S</p>
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0613668A GB2440003A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2006-07-10 | Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern |
GB0901256A GB2453300A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2007-07-10 | Vehicle identification system |
PCT/GB2007/002575 WO2008007076A1 (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2007-07-10 | Vehicle identification system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0613668A GB2440003A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2006-07-10 | Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB0613668D0 GB0613668D0 (en) | 2006-08-16 |
GB2440003A true GB2440003A (en) | 2008-01-16 |
Family
ID=36926754
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB0613668A Withdrawn GB2440003A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2006-07-10 | Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern |
GB0901256A Withdrawn GB2453300A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2007-07-10 | Vehicle identification system |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB0901256A Withdrawn GB2453300A (en) | 2006-07-10 | 2007-07-10 | Vehicle identification system |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (2) | GB2440003A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2008007076A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2009112810A1 (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2009-09-17 | Qinetiq Limited | Identification device |
US10430674B2 (en) * | 2015-12-14 | 2019-10-01 | Magna Electronics Inc. | Vehicle vision system using reflective vehicle tags |
Families Citing this family (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
BR112012007870A2 (en) | 2009-10-08 | 2020-08-18 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | retroreflective lamination, license plate and optical character recognition system |
CA2818994A1 (en) | 2010-12-02 | 2012-06-07 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Methods and systems for enhancing read accuracy in automated license plate reader systems |
CN103318299B (en) * | 2013-06-29 | 2016-05-04 | 胡涛 | A kind of electric vehicle control system and method for operating thereof |
CN104751637A (en) * | 2013-12-30 | 2015-07-01 | 相阳 | Transportation vehicle monitoring and management scheme |
CN104574997A (en) * | 2015-01-23 | 2015-04-29 | 北京邮电大学 | Illegal parking recording law enforcement method |
CN107218886B (en) * | 2016-03-22 | 2020-07-03 | 中国科学院国家空间科学中心 | Optical positioning tracking system and method based on invisible combined road sign |
CN105844919A (en) * | 2016-04-06 | 2016-08-10 | 广州市艾派克智能激光科技有限公司 | Anti-fake license plate tracking method |
CN109791624B (en) | 2016-09-28 | 2022-06-07 | 3M创新有限公司 | Machine-readable article comprising a masked elastic optical code |
CN109791730B (en) | 2016-09-28 | 2022-04-08 | 3M创新有限公司 | Product using multi-dimensional machine-readable optical code and product construction method and system |
US10691908B2 (en) | 2016-09-28 | 2020-06-23 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Hierarchichal optical element sets for machine-read articles |
US10207411B2 (en) | 2017-02-01 | 2019-02-19 | Toyota Research Institute, Inc. | Systems and methods for servicing a vehicle |
US10611378B2 (en) | 2017-02-01 | 2020-04-07 | Toyota Research Institute, Inc. | Systems and methods for operating a vehicle on a roadway |
WO2019191235A1 (en) | 2018-03-27 | 2019-10-03 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Identifier allocation for optical element sets in machine-read articles |
US10810871B2 (en) | 2018-06-29 | 2020-10-20 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Vehicle classification system |
JP6561425B1 (en) * | 2018-12-03 | 2019-08-21 | 光トライオード株式会社 | Optical search system |
EP4368456A1 (en) * | 2022-11-10 | 2024-05-15 | Volvo Truck Corporation | Vehicle radiator grille |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3445401A1 (en) * | 1984-12-13 | 1986-06-26 | Rosorius, Gerhard, 2085 Quickborn | Vehicle, especially motor vehicle |
US4970389A (en) * | 1989-06-27 | 1990-11-13 | John Danforth | Vehicle identification system |
US5734343A (en) * | 1996-07-18 | 1998-03-31 | Motorola, Inc. | One-way optical highway communication system |
US20030118210A1 (en) * | 2001-10-05 | 2003-06-26 | Patterson Philip R. | Marking physical objects and related systems and methods |
DE10248429A1 (en) * | 2002-10-17 | 2004-04-29 | Manns, Klaus, Dr.-Ing. | Identifying vehicles on roads to prioritize e.g. busses at junctions regulated by traffic lights by reading bar code attached to vehicle |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6832728B2 (en) * | 2001-03-26 | 2004-12-21 | Pips Technology, Inc. | Remote indicia reading system |
GB2417033B (en) * | 2004-08-13 | 2009-09-23 | Qinetiq Ltd | Identification device and method |
-
2006
- 2006-07-10 GB GB0613668A patent/GB2440003A/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2007
- 2007-07-10 GB GB0901256A patent/GB2453300A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2007-07-10 WO PCT/GB2007/002575 patent/WO2008007076A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3445401A1 (en) * | 1984-12-13 | 1986-06-26 | Rosorius, Gerhard, 2085 Quickborn | Vehicle, especially motor vehicle |
US4970389A (en) * | 1989-06-27 | 1990-11-13 | John Danforth | Vehicle identification system |
US5734343A (en) * | 1996-07-18 | 1998-03-31 | Motorola, Inc. | One-way optical highway communication system |
US20030118210A1 (en) * | 2001-10-05 | 2003-06-26 | Patterson Philip R. | Marking physical objects and related systems and methods |
DE10248429A1 (en) * | 2002-10-17 | 2004-04-29 | Manns, Klaus, Dr.-Ing. | Identifying vehicles on roads to prioritize e.g. busses at junctions regulated by traffic lights by reading bar code attached to vehicle |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2009112810A1 (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2009-09-17 | Qinetiq Limited | Identification device |
GB2470543A (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2010-11-24 | Qinetiq Ltd | Identification device |
GB2470543B (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2012-07-04 | Qinetiq Ltd | Identification method |
EP3136142A1 (en) * | 2008-03-12 | 2017-03-01 | QinetiQ Limited | Identification device |
US10430674B2 (en) * | 2015-12-14 | 2019-10-01 | Magna Electronics Inc. | Vehicle vision system using reflective vehicle tags |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2008007076A1 (en) | 2008-01-17 |
GB0901256D0 (en) | 2009-03-11 |
GB2453300A (en) | 2009-04-01 |
GB0613668D0 (en) | 2006-08-16 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
GB2440003A (en) | Vehicle identification system consisting of a machine readable pattern on the vehicle and a imaging device to read the encoded pattern | |
US10532704B2 (en) | Retroreflective articles having a machine-readable code | |
US10417534B2 (en) | Optically active materials and articles and systems in which they may be used | |
EP1975650B1 (en) | Laminated material with information recorded thereon, article comprising said laminated material applied thereto, information reading method, and information reading apparatus | |
CN102686407B (en) | High contrast retroreflective sheeting and license plates | |
CN1109256C (en) | Article with holographic and retroreflective features | |
US20070257118A1 (en) | Method for making and a business form having printed bar codes on a coated substrate | |
HUP0303642A2 (en) | Coding symbology and a method for printing same | |
JP2007171956A (en) | Method for producing low-visibility retroreflective visual tag | |
CN106663206A (en) | Optically active articles and systems in which they may be used | |
JP2958964B2 (en) | Retroreflective adhesive sheet | |
US20180218248A1 (en) | Unobtrusive tagging of the environment to aid robotic or computer vision classification using infrared reflective computer vision tags | |
JP2006192847A (en) | Two-dimensional code pattern sheet and its manufacturing method | |
CN117405090A (en) | Marker, method for producing marker, and detection object | |
CN109830171B (en) | Identification and manufacturing method and reading method thereof | |
JP4736788B2 (en) | Container with optical information, method for reading optical information | |
JP2021009191A (en) | Retroreflective member with bar code | |
AU2012244098B2 (en) | Optically active materials and articles and systems in which they may be used | |
WO2023073232A1 (en) | Systems and processes for persistent marking of flexo plates with isolated microstructures and plates marked therewith | |
US20040232242A1 (en) | Language insensitive marking system using photo luminescent printing of bar coded emergency information | |
LT4375B (en) | A intermin mark of a number of a vevicle |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |