US3866165A - Device for monitoring traffic - Google Patents

Device for monitoring traffic Download PDF

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Publication number
US3866165A
US3866165A US373966A US37396673A US3866165A US 3866165 A US3866165 A US 3866165A US 373966 A US373966 A US 373966A US 37396673 A US37396673 A US 37396673A US 3866165 A US3866165 A US 3866165A
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Prior art keywords
flip
time
impulse
flops
clock
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Expired - Lifetime
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US373966A
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English (en)
Inventor
Herbert Maronde
Jurgen Holzapfel
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Robot Foto and Electronic GmbH and Co KG
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Robot Foto and Electronic GmbH and Co KG
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    • 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
    • G08G1/0175—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled identifying vehicles by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A camera photographs an intersection when a vehicle enters the intersection against a stop" light indication.
  • the camera simultaneously photographs two clocks, a first of which exhibits the time when the photograph was taken and the other of which exhibits the time as it existed at the initiation of that "stop" light indication.
  • the clocks are digitally operated by periodic impulses from one of several impulse generators. Alternative embodiments are described for delaying a periodic impulse from changing the reading on the first clock while a photograph is being taken.
  • This invention relates to a device for monitoring the traffic at signal-controlled road intersections comprising a photographic camera which, during the stop period, is actuated by a vehicle driving into the intersection to photograph simultaneously both the intersection and a time meter.
  • Devices of this type serve to provide evidence of traftic violations, particularly that of driving into a road intersection against a stop light.
  • This evidence is provided by photographing the road intersection and the violating vehicle therein. Preferably it also shows the traffic signal. From such a photograph, the license plate of the violating vehicle can be seen. Such a photograph evidences that this vehicle was driven into the intersection during the stop period.
  • Such devices for monitoring traffic are well known (German patent 683,658, U.S. Pat. No. 2,347,l94).
  • another prior art traffic monitoring device at signal-controlled road intersections comprises a photographic camera, actuated by a contact sensor on the road, and a time meter, which adopts a predetermined initial position before the traffic signal changes from go" to "stop, and is started by that change.
  • the meter is reset to the initial position at the end of the "stop” period. This time meter appears in the picture together with the image of the traffic situation. See German Pat. No. 1,154,963.
  • the yellow caution light can be regarded as a stop indication.
  • this object is achieved in that the time meter indicates time with an accuracy of at least one-tenth of a second, and that a memory and display device is employed, to which the indication of the time meter is transferred automatically at the beginning of the stop period, and which is photographed together with the time meter and the intersection.
  • the time meter is a digital counter.
  • the reading of the digits of that digital counter (the digits corresponding to the small time units) is transferred to a register by a control impulse produced at the beginning of the stop period.
  • the time meter comprises flipflops, by which an input frequency of clock impulses is divided in accordance with the time units (days, hours, minutes, seconds and tenths of a second).
  • the counts of the flip-flops are applied through decoders to electronic display elements.
  • the memory and display device comprises shift registers which are also connected to digital electronic display elements through decoders and which have the control inputs to which a control impulse from the traffic signal is applied at the beginning of the stop period.
  • the time meter comprises shift registers having parallel inputs, which shift registers are connected to the flip-flops and which actuate the digital electronic display elements through decoders, said shift registers receiving a control impulse, when the camera is released, such that the reading of the time meter remains unchanged for the duration of the photographic exposure.
  • a delay circuit controlled by the release impulse from the camera is provided, by which, when a release impulse is received, the next clock impulse is delayed and is counted in the space between the next-following clock pulses.
  • a first monostable flip-flop is connected to the input of the time meter. This monostable flip-flop is triggered by the clock pulses and is rendered insensitive to the clock pulses by a camera impulse.
  • a second monostable flipflop is connected in parallel to said first monostable flip-flop. This second monostable flip-flop is triggered by the camera impulse and transmits a counting impulse to the time meter.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a modification, in which constancy of the reading during exposure is achieved in a manner different than the embodiment of FIG. I;
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a modification to ensure constancy of the reading during the photographic exposure.
  • clock impulses for the time meter are normally derived from the frequency of the a.c. power supply.
  • the a.c. supply is applied to a Schmitt trigger S, which produces corresponding square-wave impulses.
  • the square-wave impulses are applied through a NAND-gate N, and a diode D, to a Schmitt trigger S
  • the output impulses from Schmitt trigger S are fed to a frequency divider 82, by which a frequency division by S is effected.
  • the frequency divider provides an output frequency of l0 cycles per second, or one impulse each one-tenth of a second.
  • These l0 cycles per second impulses which will be termed clock impulses" hereinafter, are fed to a time meter formed by a digital counter.
  • the d.c. supply voltage for the apparatus is provided by a rectifier and smoothing device I0.
  • a rectifier and smoothing device I0 In case of fail ure of the a.c. supply voltage, there is an automatic change-over by means of change-over switch 12 to supply power from a battery 14.
  • an RC- generator 16 is connected to generate the clock impulses.
  • the d.c. supply voltage With a.c. supply operation, the d.c. supply voltage is applied to a conductor 18 (from which Schmitt trigger 8, gets its d.c. power) and NAND-gate N is opened.
  • the d.c. supply voltage With battery operation, the d.c. supply voltage is applied to conductor 20.
  • the power through conductor 20 opens NAND-gate N, and it is closed by the lack of power thereat.
  • the impulses from RC generator 16 are fed through conductor 22 then to NAND-gate N When the gate is open these impulses continue through diode D, to Schmitt trigger 5,
  • the clock can be a quartz generator 24 which can be used both with a.c. power supply and with battery operation. Quartz generator 24 gets its supply voltage through an output conductor 26 from changeover switch 12, to which conductor voltage is applied both when operating with a.c. supply and with battery supply.
  • the output pulses from the quartz generator are applied through a switch 28 to a NAND-gate N, which is held open by power from conductor 18 through diode 30 and by power from conductor 20 through diode 32.
  • the impulses from quartz generator 24 are fed from gate N, through a diode D, to Schmitt trigger S
  • the digital counter comprises flip-flops BZ, B2,, for indicating day, hour, minute, second and one-tenth of a second.
  • the shift registers R, R,, are used to take over the readings of the flip-flops (i.e. digital counters) BZ, B2,, and to store the readings if necessary.
  • Each shift register is a well known electronic module, which normally is connected to take over the reading of the respective binary counter in parallel manner through the four inputs upon receiving a control impulse. It then stores this reading until to the end of the control impulse.
  • Additional shift registers R,, to R,. are connected to the outputs a,, b,, c,, d, etc. of the counter stages 82, to 82., reading minutes, seconds and one-tenth of a second. These shift registers are controlled by the traffic signal through a control unit Stl to pick up the respective counter reading at the beginning of the stop" period and to store it.
  • the respective counter reading is decoded by means of decoders D,, to D,, and is displayed by display tubes Z,, to Z
  • the display tubes Z, to Z,, and Z,, to Z, are photographed together with a photograph of the intersection being monitored.
  • FIG. 2 This is a circuit which would be connected between the points X, and X in FIG. 1.
  • the shift registers R, to R,,, and the associated control unit St2 could be eliminated.
  • the circuit of FIG. 2 is based on the principle of delaying the clock impulse appearing during the photographic exposure in order that it be counted by counters B2, to B2,, in a space between the subsequent clock impulses after the end of the exposure.
  • the circuit of FIG. 2 comprises an RC-network composed of a resistor R, and a capacitor C,.
  • the clock impulse arriving at X is delayed by about 50, a complete cycle being 360. This makes sure that the clock impulse cannot coincide with the control impulse from the camera, which is also synchronized with the clock frequency.
  • NAND-gate N is opened; and NAND-gate N is closed through inverter 32.
  • the output from RC-network R C triggers a monostable flip-flop MP1 through a resistor 34.
  • a well defined impulse having a duration of about 1 millisecond is again obtained. This impulse passes to the counter through the open NAND- gate N and a diode 36.
  • an additional impulse is fed to the counter at the beginning of the photographic exposure, and then the passage of clock impulses to the counter is blocked for one clock impulse during the photographic exposure.
  • the monostable flip-flop MP is triggered by the clock impulses at input X the clock impulses being fed to monostable flip-flop MP through the normally open AND-gate 42.
  • the output impulses of flipflop MP pass through a diode 44 to the output X and thus to the counter.
  • the AND-gate 42 is closed through input 48 by a control impulse from the camera at the clock shift" input 46.
  • the flip-flop MF will not be triggered by a clock impulse appearing during the photographic exposure.
  • a monostable flip-flop MP is provided in parallel to the monostable flip-flop MP
  • Flip-flop MP is triggered by the control impulse at the input 46 through an inverter 50 and supplies an impulse having a duration of 1 millisecond to the output X prior to the photographic exposure.
  • the control impulse has a duration of one-tenth of a second, thus of the space between two consecutive clock impulses.
  • the assumption is made that the exposure time of the photographic exposure is shorter than the space between the clock impulses, i.e., shorter than one-tenth of a second.
  • an apparatus for monitoring the traffic at a road intersection at which there is a traffic control light having a "stop period said apparatus including a time meter which computes the local time and having a time display means which displays the local time as computed and a camera which is actuated, by a vehicle driving into the intersection, to photograph both the intersection and the time meter display means, the improvement comprising:
  • said time meter computes the time with an accuracy of at least one-tenth of a second
  • a time display device positioned to be also photographed by said camera when a photograph is taken of said intersection and said meter;
  • memory means connected to said time meter and said time display device to transfer to said display device the local time as computed by said time meter at the beginning of said "stop" period during which the photograph was taken.
  • said time meter includes a digital counter
  • said memory means comprises register means having a control input and connected to said digital counter so that the small time units on the digital counter are transferred to the register means when a control impulse is applied to said input at the beginning of the stop" period.
  • time meter display means comprises first electronic display elements
  • said digital counter comprises flip-flops to divide said clock impulses into time units
  • said time meter comprises means including first decoders connecting said flip-flops and said display elements to apply the counts of the flip-flops to the display elements;
  • said register means having parallel inputs connected to said flip-flops
  • said time display device comprising second display elements
  • said memory means including second decoders between said register means and the second display elements to apply the count from said register means to said second display elements.
  • said means-including-first-decoders decoders comprises shift register means having parallel inputs connected to said flip-flops and a control input for receiving a control impulse when the camera is actuated so that the flip-flop count is retained by the shift register means for the duration of the photographic exposure.
  • said time meter includes an input to receive said clock impulses, delay means between the latter input and said flip-flops and including a control input so that when a camera actuating impulse is applied at the latter control input the next clock impulse is delayed and applied to the flip-flops following a subsequent clock impulse.
  • time meter display means comprises first electronic display elements
  • said time meter comprises flip-flops to divide said clock impulses into time units, and means including first decoders connecting said flip-flops and said display elements to apply the counts of the flipflops to the display elements;
  • said time display device comprising second electronic display elements
  • said memory means including second decoders and means connecting the time meter and the second decoders, the second decoders being connected to the second display elements to apply the count from said flip-flops to said second display elements.
  • said means-including-first-decoders comprises shift register means having inputs connected to said flipflops and a control input for receiving a control impulse when the camera is actuated so that the flipflop count is retained by the register means for the duration of the photographic exposure.
  • said time meter includes an input to receive said clock impulses, delay means between the latter input and said flip-flops and including a control input so that when a camera actuating impulse is applied at the latter control input the next clock impulse is delayed and applied to the flip-flops following a subsequent clock impulse.
  • said delay means has an output and includes two gates one of which is closed and the other of which is opened by an impulse at said control input of the delay means
  • said delay means has an output, monostable flip-flop means connected to the input of the time meter and to the delay means output and having a control input, said flip-flop means being triggered by the clock impulses at the time meter input to apply impulses to the delay means output except when a signal is being applied to the control input thereof, means including a flip-flop device connected to said delay means output and having a control input connected to the control input of the flip-flop means for applying an impulse to the delay means output when said signal is applied thereto.
US373966A 1972-07-13 1973-06-27 Device for monitoring traffic Expired - Lifetime US3866165A (en)

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DE19722234446 DE2234446B1 (de) 1972-07-13 1972-07-13 Vorrichtung zur verkehrsueberwachung

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JP (1) JPS5236839B2 (es)
DD (1) DD107158A5 (es)
DE (1) DE2234446B1 (es)
FR (1) FR2193226B1 (es)
NL (1) NL157438B (es)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3532527A1 (de) * 1985-09-12 1987-03-19 Robot Foto Electr Kg Vorrichtung zur photographischen ueberwachung von kreuzungen
US5263118A (en) * 1990-03-13 1993-11-16 Applied Voice Technology, Inc. Parking ticket enforcement system
US5513103A (en) * 1991-01-10 1996-04-30 Charlson; Cary Method of acquiring and disseminating handicapping information
US5784007A (en) * 1994-09-27 1998-07-21 Pepper; Jeffrey W. Traffic signal sound monitor
US5912822A (en) * 1994-06-01 1999-06-15 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Frequency domain processing of Doppler signals in a traffic monitoring system
US5929787A (en) * 1996-11-27 1999-07-27 Mee; Gary L. Vibration actuated traffic light control system
US5935190A (en) * 1994-06-01 1999-08-10 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic monitoring system
US5948038A (en) * 1996-07-31 1999-09-07 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic violation processing system
US6111523A (en) * 1995-11-20 2000-08-29 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for photographing traffic in an intersection
US6188329B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2001-02-13 Nestor, Inc. Integrated traffic light violation citation generation and court date scheduling system
US6754663B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2004-06-22 Nestor, Inc. Video-file based citation generation system for traffic light violations
US6760061B1 (en) 1997-04-14 2004-07-06 Nestor Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic sensor
US20040252193A1 (en) * 2003-06-12 2004-12-16 Higgins Bruce E. Automated traffic violation monitoring and reporting system with combined video and still-image data
US20050046597A1 (en) * 2003-08-18 2005-03-03 Hutchison Michael C. Traffic light signal system using radar-based target detection and tracking
US20060106504A1 (en) * 2002-08-27 2006-05-18 Carpenter Timothy G Apparatus and a system for determining compliance with parking rules by vehicle
US10011247B2 (en) 1996-03-27 2018-07-03 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring and/or security apparatus and method
US10152876B2 (en) 1996-03-27 2018-12-11 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring, and/or security apparatus and method
US10562492B2 (en) 2002-05-01 2020-02-18 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring and/or security apparatus and method
US10796268B2 (en) 2001-01-23 2020-10-06 Gtj Ventures, Llc Apparatus and method for providing shipment information

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2347194A (en) * 1940-08-31 1944-04-25 Theodore B Holliday Traffic control device
US2871088A (en) * 1952-10-18 1959-01-27 Abell Frank Method of obtaining evidence of traffic signal violations
US3060434A (en) * 1958-03-04 1962-10-23 Agfa Ag Method and apparatus for traffic surveillance

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2347194A (en) * 1940-08-31 1944-04-25 Theodore B Holliday Traffic control device
US2871088A (en) * 1952-10-18 1959-01-27 Abell Frank Method of obtaining evidence of traffic signal violations
US3060434A (en) * 1958-03-04 1962-10-23 Agfa Ag Method and apparatus for traffic surveillance

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4884072A (en) * 1985-09-12 1989-11-28 Heinrich Horsch Device for photographic monitoring of cross-roads
DE3532527A1 (de) * 1985-09-12 1987-03-19 Robot Foto Electr Kg Vorrichtung zur photographischen ueberwachung von kreuzungen
US5263118A (en) * 1990-03-13 1993-11-16 Applied Voice Technology, Inc. Parking ticket enforcement system
US5513103A (en) * 1991-01-10 1996-04-30 Charlson; Cary Method of acquiring and disseminating handicapping information
US5935190A (en) * 1994-06-01 1999-08-10 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic monitoring system
US5912822A (en) * 1994-06-01 1999-06-15 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Frequency domain processing of Doppler signals in a traffic monitoring system
US5784007A (en) * 1994-09-27 1998-07-21 Pepper; Jeffrey W. Traffic signal sound monitor
US6111523A (en) * 1995-11-20 2000-08-29 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for photographing traffic in an intersection
US10152876B2 (en) 1996-03-27 2018-12-11 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring, and/or security apparatus and method
US10011247B2 (en) 1996-03-27 2018-07-03 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring and/or security apparatus and method
US5948038A (en) * 1996-07-31 1999-09-07 American Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic violation processing system
US5929787A (en) * 1996-11-27 1999-07-27 Mee; Gary L. Vibration actuated traffic light control system
US6760061B1 (en) 1997-04-14 2004-07-06 Nestor Traffic Systems, Inc. Traffic sensor
US6573929B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2003-06-03 Nestor, Inc. Traffic light violation prediction and recording system
US6281808B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2001-08-28 Nestor, Inc. Traffic light collision avoidance system
US6754663B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2004-06-22 Nestor, Inc. Video-file based citation generation system for traffic light violations
US6647361B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2003-11-11 Nestor, Inc. Non-violation event filtering for a traffic light violation detection system
US6950789B2 (en) 1998-11-23 2005-09-27 Nestor, Inc. Traffic violation detection at an intersection employing a virtual violation line
US20040054513A1 (en) * 1998-11-23 2004-03-18 Nestor, Inc. Traffic violation detection at an intersection employing a virtual violation line
US6188329B1 (en) 1998-11-23 2001-02-13 Nestor, Inc. Integrated traffic light violation citation generation and court date scheduling system
US10796268B2 (en) 2001-01-23 2020-10-06 Gtj Ventures, Llc Apparatus and method for providing shipment information
US10562492B2 (en) 2002-05-01 2020-02-18 Gtj Ventures, Llc Control, monitoring and/or security apparatus and method
US20060106504A1 (en) * 2002-08-27 2006-05-18 Carpenter Timothy G Apparatus and a system for determining compliance with parking rules by vehicle
US7986339B2 (en) 2003-06-12 2011-07-26 Redflex Traffic Systems Pty Ltd Automated traffic violation monitoring and reporting system with combined video and still-image data
US20040252193A1 (en) * 2003-06-12 2004-12-16 Higgins Bruce E. Automated traffic violation monitoring and reporting system with combined video and still-image data
US7821422B2 (en) 2003-08-18 2010-10-26 Light Vision Systems, Inc. Traffic light signal system using radar-based target detection and tracking
US20050046597A1 (en) * 2003-08-18 2005-03-03 Hutchison Michael C. Traffic light signal system using radar-based target detection and tracking

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4960196A (es) 1974-06-11
DE2234446B1 (de) 1973-12-06
FR2193226B1 (es) 1979-09-28
JPS5236839B2 (es) 1977-09-19
FR2193226A1 (es) 1974-02-15
DE2234446A1 (es) 1973-12-06
NL157438B (nl) 1978-07-17
NL7309712A (es) 1974-01-15
DD107158A5 (es) 1974-07-12

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