ITPI970030A1 - SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF THE PRESENCE OF VEHICLES OR PEOPLE PARKING ON AN OVERBOARD OR ON OTHER SECTION OF ROADWAY - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a system for detecting the presence of vehicles or people parked on an overpass or on another stretch of roadway.

The dangers and damages caused by the throwing of stones from the overpasses on the cars in transit in the road below are known, to reduce these overpasses have been provided with protections and metal nets aimed at preventing the criminal act from being carried out. If this technical solution makes the act more difficult, it does not prevent it and above all it does not allow to inform those passing through the underlying stretch of road and possibly the public safety authority of the impending danger. To try to remedy the problem, only the direct surveillance system is currently used, through police patrols and carabinieri who keep the critical points under observation, but this system is not only extremely expensive, but also does not allow everyone to be constantly monitored. how many existing overpasses.

The main object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to make the control of overpasses or other stretches of carriageway automatic, without the need for any person to intervene to observe the area. This result was achieved, in accordance with the invention, by adopting the idea of creating a system for detecting the presence of vehicles or people parked on an overpass having the characteristics described in the characterizing parts of the independent claims. Other characteristics of the system are the subject of the dependent claims.

The advantages deriving from the present invention essentially consist in the fact that it is possible to detect the presence of vehicles or people parked on the overpass automatically, both day and night, without the need for specific surveillance of the area; that it is possible to warn travelers in transit on the stretch of road below of a danger given by the presence of a vehicle or a person parked on the overpass, a presence that will then be interpreted adequately by the traveler who is able to take his precautions; that it is possible to notify the public safety authorities or other bodies whenever the presence of a vehicle or a person parked in the controlled stretch of road is detected so that they can possibly intervene; that it is possible to equip the system with a camera that is activated whenever the presence of a vehicle or a person on the overpass is detected in order to be able to provide tangible proof of the subject who is going to carry out the criminal act.

These and further advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be better understood by every person skilled in the art from the following description and with the help of the attached drawings, given as a practical example of the invention, but not to be considered in a limiting sense, in which:

Fig. 1 represents the diagram of a section of carriageway, seen in plan, with two lanes (1) (2) on which the system in question is installed. The six columns (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6) are visible, each containing the dichroic mirrors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6), which allow to reflect the laser beam and produce the optical mesh (FU, F21, F31, F12, F23, F32, F22). The three columns C1, C2, C3 also contain the three Laser sources (L1, L2, L3) and the relative sensors (SL1, SL2, SL3), as well as the interfacing electronics necessary to receive or transmit the transit signals from one column to another. A wire piezolelectric sensor (from SPI to SP6) is also connected to each column (from C1 to C6) to obtain a further reading, which allows to avoid situations of ambiguous detection.

- Fig. 2 represents the diagram of a section of carriageway in vertical view, on which the system in question is installed. As an example, the right side of the carriageway is shown with the column (C2) installed with the laser source (L2), the mirror (S2) and the laser sensor (SL2), and the left side with the column (C5) supplied. of mirror (S5), so that an optical mesh is formed between the two columns (F21).

- Fig. 3 represents the block diagram of a 'slave' type column containing the laser source (C2 or C3) and in the specific diagram the diagram of the column (C2) which differs from the column (C3) because it contains three sources and three laser sensors, while (C3) contains two - The three laser sources are represented {3, 4, 5), the three laser sensors (8, 9, 10), the piezoelectric sensor (7), the interface communication lines (6) with the signal lines (11) and the power supply lines (12).

- Fig. 4 represents the block diagram of a 'slave' type column without the laser source (C4, C5, C6) which contains a piezoelectric sensor (7) connected to a communication interface (13) with the signal (14) and power supply lines (12).

- Fig. 5 represents the block diagram of the circuit of the 'master' column (C1) which receives the signals from the laser sensors (SL2) (SL3) contained respectively in the 'slave' columns (C2) and (C3) and from the sensors piezoelectric (SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6) contained respectively in the 'slave' columns C2, C3, C4, C4, C6, through the communication interface (15) and by the laser (23) (24) and piezoelectric sensors SPI (25), contained in the 'master' column C1 itself, through the interface (20), by means of which the signals to the laser sources (21) (22) are also emitted. The microcontroller (19) must monitor the signals coming from the sensors, keep the count of a certain number of passages for each direction of travel and control the luminous alarms, through the interface {16) connected to the indicators (17) (18). Optionally it must then generate a radio signal (26), suitably coded and on appropriate frequencies to be chosen from those allowed for the Police or Carabinieri, to communicate the alarm situation to the police, and can receive signals from a camera (28 ), The power supply (27) is obtained by means of a solar panel and a buffer battery. Reduced to its essential structure and with reference to the figures of the attached drawings, a system for detecting the presence of vehicles or people parked on an overpass or other stretch of carriageway, in accordance with the invention, comprises:

- means for comparing the data relating to the entry of a vehicle on an overpass and its exit, with a series of sensors of which at least one (C1) placed at the entrance of the viaduct, one (C2) in the middle and one (C3 ) at the exit, so that a vehicle regularly in transit produces an entry signal when it passes in front of the first sensor, a transit signal when it passes in front of the second (central) sensor and an exit signal when it passes in front of the third sensor, since the sensors are connected to a programmed microcontroller that manages the system; .

- means for detecting the entry, transit and exit of a vehicle on the overpass, with an optical mesh that is formed between the different columns positioned on the stretch of carriageway and straight (FU, F21, F31) respectively between the columns ( C1-C4) (C2-C5) (C3-C6), both oblique respectively between the columns (C1-C5) (F23), (C4-C2) (F12), (C2-C6) (F22), (C5 -C3) (F32), such that, when a vehicle passes through it, it emits a signal that is perceived by the sensor of the column to which it is connected;

means for the generation of the optical mesh and for the interception of the signals emitted by it, with a series of columns (C1, C2, C3) equipped with a laser generator (Li, L2, L3) for the production of the optical beam, a sensor lasers (SL1, SL2, SL3) for receiving the interruption signal of the laser beams, and mirrors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5] which, reflecting the generated laser beam, produce the optical beam between the columns;

- possible means to check the correctness of the input and output data and avoid evasion, with a series of transversal optical bands (F12, F22, F23, F32) produced through the reflection of the beam on suitably inclined mirrors, and with a series of piezoelectric sensors (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6) placed on the road surface and which count the number of vehicles in transit, in order to compare them, through special software, with the data detected by the laser sensors;

- means for managing the system and for producing an output signal whenever an anomaly is detected, with an electrical circuit contained in the master column (C1) equipped with a programmed microcontroller that manages the input data and sends output a luminous acoustic signal and / or a radio signal (26) to a police station or other police station;

- possibly additional control means with a traditional or infrared camera connected to a computer equipped with specific software for detecting the presence of vehicles or people on the overpass, also connected to a microcontroller that manages the system. Advantageously, the time that elapses for the transit between the three sensors (C1, C2, C3) depends on the length of the viaduct and the speed of the vehicle. If a vehicle enters the space of the viaduct, but does not leave it, there would be no signal coming from the sensor placed in the center and / or from the one placed at the exit and this situation would cause the generation of an alarm signal. To take into account that someone could pass on foot on the viaduct, between the entry signal, the central one and the exit one, we will have to wait a longer time than if the transit took place by car, before triggering the alarm. Since the viaduct could also be two-way traffic, it must be taken into account that the signals can be produced by vehicles coming from both directions of travel.

Advantageously, laser sources are used as sensors consisting of infrared LEDs (3, 4, 5), of low power, which can be powered at 3V or 5V, associated with detectors sensitive to the same wavelength (8, 9, 10 ), always semiconductor, flanked by piezoelectric sensors (7) fixed on the road surface. Since the range of these lasers easily reaches 100 m, with a system of dichroic reflecting mirrors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6), it is possible to create a very dense optical mesh. Theoretically, everything could also work with normal mirrors, however using dichroic mirrors only the part of the electromagnetic spectrum in which the laser source emits its radiation is reflected, thus reducing the possibility of picking up disturbances by the detector. Furthermore, to avoid fogging, malfunctions or malicious alterations to the mirrors, they are contained in the columns (from C1 to C6), arranged in the direction of the height of the column, suitably embedded in a very narrow compartment, to be sheltered from water and protected. against any acts of vandalism. To avoid fogging and keep them always clean, they can be integrated with a ventilation system that guarantees maximum efficiency. These mirrors allow to reflect the laser beam and produce the optical mesh. Advantageously, the three columns (C1, C2, C3) contain the three laser sources (L1, L2, L3) and the relative sensors (SL1, SL2, SL3), as well as the interface electronics necessary to receive or transmit the transit from one column to another. To have an exact collimation between the different columns, the laser sources must be mounted on an adjustable support. A wire piezolelectric sensor (from SP1 to SP6) is also connected to each column (from C1 to C6) to obtain a further reading, which allows to avoid situations of ambiguous detection. Of the six columns, five (from C2 to C6) called 'Slave', contain neither the power source nor the system control circuits, while only one column (C1), called 'Master', contains, in addition to the Laser source and the sensor, also the control logic of the sequences of transits realized by means of a programmed microcontroller, which processes the data that reach it from the two 'Slave' columns, as well as the power source consisting of a solar panel and a buffer battery of the type without maintenance. The power supply to the five 'Slave' columns is distributed through the same cable that carries the transit signals.

Advantageously, since the optical mesh produced by the Laser is such as to occupy the entire width of the roadway, from a height of about 30 cm (to prevent the alarm from being activated by a small animal in transit, but not being bypassed by a person who crawls on the pavement) up to a presumable height of 2 m (to prevent the alarm from being bypassed with a high jump), any means will cause the interruption of the laser beam during transit, even if this occurs at high speed , by virtue of the continuity of the Laser emission and the response speed of the semiconductor detectors (typically made with gallium arsenide). The laser beam is also invisible, it is not affected by electromagnetic disturbances and in turn does not produce electromagnetic disturbances. Any vehicle with two, three, four or more wheels will additionally cause the activation of the piezoelectric sensors.

Advantageously, by adopting this system, if a car (M1) enters from the right and a car (M2) enters from the left, the sensor (SL1) detects both the entry of M1 and the exit of M2, {SL2 ) the transit of M1 and M2, (SL3) the exit of Mi and the entry of M2. Whenever there is a signal on SL1 and / or SL3, a timer starts which will be reset only if, within a time limit, a signal is presented on SL2 and one on SL3 and / or SL1, therefore two vehicles are correctly detected. The fact that the two vehicles pass simultaneously in front of a sensor is not a source of error, as piezoelectric sensors are also present. Thus, if vehicle M2 entered from the left, simultaneously with the exit of vehicle M1 entered from the right, it would be detected by SP6, which would then start another timer. The transit of the vehicle along the viaduct would then be detected by SL2. SL1. SP5. SP4.

Advantageously, the system works optimally even if there are several vehicles in transit. Thus, for example, if there are five vehicles in transit, with two cars (Mi and M2) entering from the right, while three cars (M3, M4 and M5) entering from the left, all five vehicles are correctly detected. , being present both the sensors SL1, SL2, SL3, and the piezoelectric sensors. The microcontroller system also keeps the count of several timers at the same time.

Advantageously, the alarm is triggered whenever the sequence of signals SL1, SL2, SL3 and / or SP1, SP2, SP3 is not completed, for vehicles coming from the right, or the sequence SL3, SL2, SL1 and / or SP6, SP5, SP4 for vehicles coming from the left. The microcontroller will have to take into account a certain number of sequences for each direction of travel.

Advantageously, to avoid evasion, the system is equipped with a beam of laser rays that create diagonal optical meshes, {F12, F22, F23, F32), which cross the carriageway, produced and detected by columns C1, C2, C3, being (FU, F21, F31) the beams perpendicular to the carriageway, while (F12, F22, F23, F32) are the diagonal beams. In this way even two perfectly flanked pedestrians, entering from the right, could deceive the FU beam, but not the F12 beam, which would produce a signal for each pedestrian. Similarly, two perfectly flanked pedestrians, entering from the left, could deceive the F31 bundle, but not the F32 bundle, which would produce a signal for each pedestrian.

Advantageously, the block diagram of each 'slave' type column (C2 and C3) which contains the laser source (3, 4, 5), also has a laser sensor (8, 9, 10) and a piezoelectric sensor (7) . In column (C3) there are two sources and two laser sensors, while in column (C2) there are three sources and three laser sensors. They also have reflector mirrors (Si, S2, S3) which reflect the laser beam respectively on the reflector mirrors (S4, S5, S6) placed on the other slave columns not containing source and sensor. The connection cable between 'slave' and 'master' consists of four wires, of which two (12) are part of the 12 V power supply line, while the other two (11) carry High - Low signals ( 1 - 0), in the sense that when the laser beam is not interrupted or the piezoelectric sensor is not pressed, the voltage level is High (+12 V), while when the beam is interrupted or the piezoelectric sensor is pressed, the level voltage is Low (0V). The communication interface (6) adapts the voltage levels coming from the sensor, to bring them in the range 0 ~ 12V, correctly powers the Laser source (3, 4, 5) and adapts the voltage levels coming from the piezoelectric sensors (7 ).

Advantageously, the block diagram of a 'slave' type column containing only the piezoelectric sensor.

has, similarly to the other type of 'slave' column, a communication interface (13), which adapts the voltage levels coming from the piezoelectric sensor (7) to those suitable for transmission along the connection cable (14), with the same voltage levels. The supply voltage is brought through the line (12).

Advantageously, the circuit, depicted as a block diagram of the 'master' column receives the signals from the laser sensors (SL2, SL3) contained respectively in the 'Slave' (C2) and (C) 3 columns and from the piezoelectric sensors (SP2, SP3, SP4 , SP5, SP6) contained respectively in the 'Slave' columns (2, C3, C4, C4, C6) through the interface (15) and by the Laser sensor SL1 (23, 24) and piezoelectric SPI (25), contained in the column 'master' C1 itself, through the interface (20). The microcontroller (19) must monitor the signals that reach it from the sensors, keep the count of the predetermined passages for each direction of travel and control the luminous alarm indicators, through the interface (16). Optionally, it must then generate a radio signal (26), appropriately coded and on appropriate frequencies to be chosen from those allowed for the Police or Carabinieri, to communicate the alarm situation to the police. Also optionally it is possible to mount a camera (28), activated when an alarm is generated, with the possibility of recording the scene locally or transmitting it via radio to a Police or Carabinieri Command. The power supply (27) is preferably obtained by means of a solar panel and a buffer battery. The presumed absorption is essentially that due to the three laser sources, continuously on, since the consumption of the interface circuits and of the microcontroller itself is negligible. We can therefore consider a value of about 500 mA, which with a power supply voltage of 12 V produce a power requirement of 6 W.

Advantageously, the emergency indicator panels can be of different types and will be two, one for each direction of travel on the road under the viaduct. They will be able to assume the classic triangular shape and will contain three electronic yellow flashers with xenon lamps, such as those used for flashing fog signals along some motorways, arranged at the three vertices of the triangle. Under each triangle there will be a sign indicating caution. Obviously, both the lamps and the control electronics must be watertight IP 65 and the components used must guarantee operation in a temperature range from - 20 ° C to 70 ”C. The power supply will come through the same cable on which the ignition command is transmitted, in the event of an alarm from the 'Master'. The presumed current consumption is estimated at 800 mA peak, therefore with a voltage of 12 V the power absorbed would be about 10 W, for each indicator panel. The total power, including the six columns and the two indicator panels, will be approximately 30 W.

In practice, the details of execution can in any case vary in an equivalent manner in the shape, dimensions, arrangement of the elements, nature of the materials used, without however departing from the scope of the idea of the solution adopted and therefore remaining within the limits of the protection granted by this patent for industrial invention.

Claims (1)

CLAIMS 1) System for detecting the presence of vehicles or people parked on an overpass or other stretch of carriageway, characterized by the fact that it includes: - means for comparing the data relating to the entry, transit and exit of a vehicle on an overpass or other stretch of carriageway, with a series of sensors, one or more of which (SL1) located at the entrance to the viaduct, one or more (SL2) in the intermediate zone and one or more (SL3) at the exit, so that a vehicle regularly in transit produces an entry signal when it passes in front of the first sensor, a transit signal when it passes in front of the second sensor preferably central, and an output signal when it passes in front of the third sensor, the sensors being connected to a programmed microcontroller which compares the data and manages the system; - means for detecting the entry, transit and exit of a vehicle on the overpass, with an optical mesh of the width of the carriageway and of variable height, which is formed both frontally between two columns arranged one in front of the other (F1, F21, F31) respectively between the columns (C1-C4) (C2-C5) (C3-C6), and obliquely (F23, F12, F22, F32) respectively between the columns (C1-C5), ( C4-C2), (C2-C6), (C5-C3), such that, when a vehicle crosses it, it emits a signal that is detected by the laser sensor (SL1, SL2, SL3) of the column to which it is connected , which in turn sends a further signal to the system management circuit; - means for the generation of the optical mesh and for the interception of the signals emitted by it, with a series of columns (C1, C2, C3) equipped with a laser generator (L1, L2, L3) for the production of the optical beam, laser sensor (SL1, SL2, SL3) for receiving the signal of interruption of the laser beams, and of mirrors (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5) which, reflecting the generated laser beam on each other, produce the different optical beams between the columns; - possible means to check the correctness of the input and output data and avoid evasion, with a series of transversal optical bands (F12, F22, F23, F32) produced through the reflection of the beam on suitably inclined mirrors, and with a series of piezoelectric sensors (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6) placed on the road surface that count the number of vehicles in transit, in order to compare them, through special software, with the data detected by the laser sensors; - means for managing the system and for producing an output signal whenever an anomaly is detected, with an electronic circuit contained in one or more columns, called 'master' (C1), equipped with a programmed microcontroller that manages the input data and, in the event of a detected anomaly, sends an acoustic-light signal and / or a radio signal (26) to a police station or other public security body; - possibly additional control means with a traditional or infrared camera connected to a computer equipped with specific software for detecting the presence of vehicles or people on the overpass, also connected to a microcontroller that manages the system; 2) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that if a vehicle enters the space of the viaduct, but does not leave it, the electronic circuit detects the lack of the signal coming from the sensor placed in the center and / or from the one placed at the output and this situation causes the generation of an alarm signal, since the comparison time between the three sensors (C1, C2, C3) depends on the length of the viaduct and on the speed of the vehicle used as a reference parameter, being taken into consideration, in the event that the viaduct has two-way traffic, the signals produced by vehicles coming from the two directions of travel; 3) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that the laser sources (L1, L2, L3) consist of infrared LEDs (3, 4, 5, 21, 22), associated with detectors sensitive to the same wavelength (8, 9, 10, 23, 24), always semiconductor, flanked by piezoelectric sensors (7, 25) fixed on the road surface (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6), and allow create a very dense optical mesh, since the ray produced by them is reflected by mirrors, preferably dichroic (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) capable of reflecting only the part of the electromagnetic spectrum in which the laser source emits its radiation , thus reducing the possibility of picking up disturbances by the detector; 4) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that, since the optical mesh produced by the laser is such as to occupy the entire width of the carriageway, any means causes the interruption of the laser beam during transit, even if this occurs at speed high, by virtue of the continuity of the laser emission and the response speed of the semiconductor detectors (typically made with gallium arsenide), since the laser beam is also invisible and cannot be influenced by electromagnetic disturbances which in turn does not produce; 5) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that the alarm is triggered whenever the sequence of signals SL1, SL2, SL3 and / or SP1, SP2, SP3 is not completed, for vehicles coming from the right, or the SL3, SL2, SL1 and / or SP6, SP5, SP4 sequence for vehicles coming from the left, with the microcontroller keeping track of a certain number of sequences for each direction of travel 6) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that the circuit, reproduced as a block diagram, of each 'slave' type column equipped with source and sensor (C2 and C3), contains: • the connection with the 'master' column (C1) from which it receives the power supply (12) and to which it sends output signals; • the communication interface (6) with the interfacing electronics necessary to receive or transmit the transit signals from one column to another and which adapts the voltage levels arriving from the sensor, correctly powers the laser source (3, 4, 5) and adapts the voltage levels coming from the piezoelectric sensors (7); • one or more laser sources (3, 4, 5); • one or more laser sensors (8, 9, 10); • a piezoelectric sensor (7); • mirrors (S1, S2, S3) which reflect the laser beam to and from the reflecting mirrors (S4, S5, S6) placed on the other 'slave' columns not containing source and sensor (C4, C5, C6), placed in front at the first; 7) Detection system referred to in. claim 1 characterized by the fact that, the block diagram of the circuit of a 'Slave' type column containing only the piezoelectric sensor (C4, C5, C6), similarly to the other type of 'Slave' column, has an interface communication (13), which adapts the voltage levels coming from the piezoelectric sensor (7) to those suitable for transmission along the connection cable (14), with the same voltage levels, while through the line (12) it is brought the power supply voltage; 8) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that the circuit, represented as a block diagram of the 'master' column (C1) receives the signals from the laser sensors (SL2, SL3) contained respectively in the 'Slave' columns ( C2) and (C3) and by the piezoelectric sensors (SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6) contained respectively in the 'Slave' columns (C2, C3, C4, C5, C6) through the interface (15) and by the Laser sensor SL1 (23, 24) and piezoelectric SPI (25), contained in the 'master' column (C1) itself, through the interface (20), with the microcontroller (19) that has to monitor the signals coming from the sensors, keep the count of the pre-established passages for each direction of travel and pilot the acoustic and / or light alarms, through the interface (16) being able, if necessary, to generate a radio signal (26), suitably coded and on suitable frequencies to communicate the alarm situation to the police and / or mount a teleca mera (28), activated when an alarm is generated, with the possibility of recording the scene locally or transmitting it via radio, being the power supply (27) preferably obtained by means of a solar panel and a buffer battery; 9) Detection system as per claim 1 characterized by the fact that the emergency indicator panels can be of different types and will be two, one for each direction of travel on the road under the viaduct, being able to assume the classic triangular shape with yellow flashers electronic, or any other form, preferably powered through the same cable on which the ignition command is transmitted, in the event of an alarm from the 'Master' column; 10) Detection system according to claim 1 characterized by all that is claimed, as described and shown in the attached tables.