WO1998019284B1

WO1998019284B1 - Traffic law enforcement system having decoy units

Info

Publication number: WO1998019284B1
Application number: PCT/US1997/018871
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1997-10-28
Publication date: 1998-08-13

Abstract

A traffic law enforcement system (18) having one or more enforcement units (20) and decoy units (22), and an engagement mechanism (24) corresponding to each enforcement unit and decoy unit. The enforcement units are capable of vehicle speed detection (30) and identification to enable enforcement of the speed limits by subsequent ticketing. The decoy units have an external appearance substantially indistinguishable from an enforcement unit. Both decoy units and enforcement units are preferably positioned in prominent, highly-visible locations throughout a traffic flow area. The engagement mechanism enables the substitution of enforcement units for decoy units, and vice versa. This enables routine and random exchanging of decoy units and enforcement units which increases the difficulty of a driver discriminating between enforcement units and decoy units, decreasing the number of enforcement units required in the system, and, therefore, the cost of the entire system. The invention provides a means of helping reduce the speed of drivers to safe limits while enabling more effective and safer enforcement of the traffic ordinances by requiring less police interaction and the dedication of fewer police resources, such as police cars and related enforcement equipment. Such a system will play an important role in permitting municipalities to dedicate police resources to the enforcement of more serious criminal laws, or, alternatively, to reduce the municipalities' traffic law enforcement costs.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 10 June 1998 (10.06.98); original claims 1-25 replaced by new claims 1-28 (5 pages)]

1. A traffic law enforcement system comprising:

(a) at least one enforcement unit having an outer housing which is substantially outwardly visually indistinguishable from a decoy unit during and after attachment in an operational position;

(b) at least one decoy unit having an outer housing which is substantially outwardly visually indistinguishable from the at least one enforcement unit during and after attachment in an operational position; and

(c) attachment means which enable the at least one enforcement unit to be routinely replaced by a decoy unit and vice versa, thus increasing the difficulty of an observer during and after replacement of discerning between enforcement units and decoy units and permitting units to be removed, reconfigured and maintained off-site.

2. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 1 wherein: the at least one enforcement unit comprises the outer housing, an inner assembly received in the housing, the inner assembly comprised of a camera, violation detection means which generates an output signal, means of associating the output signal with an image captured by the camera, means for generating an identifying signal and associating the identifying signal with the image, a controller which compares the output signal of the violation detection means with a predetermined criteria such that when the predetermined criteria is met, the controller triggers the camera, thus capturing the image of objects in the field of view of the camera.

3. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 2 wherein: the at least one enforcement unit further comprises a video camera, a video transmitter for transrmtting the video signal in substantially real-time to a command station having a human operator, a receiver for receiving a command signal from the command station, the command signal enabling storage of the image for enforcement purposes when both the predetermined criteria is met and cortfirmation by the operator that he observed the violation is received.

4. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 3 wherein the inner assembly further comprises:

(a) means for associating the output signal of the violation detection means with a video signal generated by the video camera;

(b) means for generating an identifying signal and associating the identifying signal with the video signal, the command station further comprising:

(a) a video receiver for receiving the video signal in substantially real-time;

(b) means for associating the output signal of the violation detection means with the video signal,

(c) a central display monitor which displays the video signal and the output signal of the violation

-32- detection means,

(d) an operator-actuated switch which initiates the command signal, and

(e) a second transmitter which transmits the command signal to the enforcement unit.

5. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 4 wherein the command station further comprises a video recorder for recording the video signal.

6. A method of using a traffic law enforcement system, the system comprising:

(a) at least two containment housings, each containment housing being positioned at a predetermined location along a traffic flow route;

(b) at least one enforcement unit having an outer surface which is substantially outwardly visually indistinguishable from a decoy unit;

(c) at least one decoy unit having an outer surface which is substantially outwardly visually indistinguishable from the at least one enforcement unit; and

(d) releasable engagement means wherein the enforcement units are releasably engaged with the containment housings and replaced by decoy units and vice-versa, maintained off-site, and returned to a location along the traffic flow route.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein flashing lighting electrically and mechanically attached to the containment housings is activated, thus giving the impression that such containment housings, even when such housings contain decoy units, are capable of enforcing the traffic laws.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the flashing lighting is selectively activated from a remote location, via electromagnetic signals received from a remote sending unit.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein a decoy unit is interchanged with an enforcement unit, and vice versa, in a fashion which is unpredictable to an ordinary driver.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the flashing Ughting of both the decoy units and the enforcement units are activated and deactivated in a substantially random fashion.

13. A traffic law enforcement system comprising:

(a) an enforcement unit, the enforcement unit comprising a containment housing and an inner assembly, the inner assembly being received in the containment housing and comprising a video camera, violation detection means which generates an output signal, means for associating the output signal of the violation detection means with a video signal generated by the video camera, means for generating an identifying signal and associating the identifying signal with the video signal, the identifying signal including pertinent information such as the identity of the operator, the time and location of the violation, and, where the violation is a speeding violation, the local speed limit and the measured speed, a video transmitter for transmitting the video signal, a comparator trigger which automatically triggers the capture of an image of a vehicle within the field of view of the enforcement unit upon detection of a violation by the violation detection means, a transmitter which transmits, substantially in real-time, pertinent

-33- information and the video signal to a command station, and a receiver for receiving a command signal from the command station, the command signal triggering the storage of the image; and

(b) the command station comprising a second receiver, a central display monitor which displays the video signal and the output signal of the violation detection means, an operator-actuated switch which generates the command signal, and a second transmitter which transmits the command signal to the enforcement unit wherein, after triggering the comparator trigger, an operator at the command station is queried in a manner which, if answered correctly, tends to confirm a claim of the operator that he witnessed the violation .

14. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 13, further including a video recorder which records the video signal.

15. A traffic law enforcement system of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) a high resolution still camera which captures an image of a vehicle when triggered by a program in the enforcement unit, and

(b) means for associating identifying information and the output signal of the violation detection means with an image generated by the high resolution still camera.

16. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 13 wherein the inner assembly is further comprised of a housing which conceals from view its interior when the assembly is releasably engaged with the containment housing, thus preventing a third-party observer during and after a change-out from an enforcement unit to a decoy unit and vice versa, from being able to distinguish a functional inner assembly from a non-functional inner assembly.

17. A containment housing for a unit of a traffic law enforcement system wherein the housing includes a curved panoramic portal extending through an arc around the containment housing, the arc being of an angular magnitude sufficient to enable the repositioning of a camera within a range of predeteπnined angular increments which permit adjustment of the field of view of the components within the inner assembly, thus allowing the enforcement unit to target oncoming vehicles approaching the containment housing from a number of different lanes of a highway.

18. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 15 wherein the high resolution still camera creates a high resolution digital image which is transmitted to the command station to aid in the identification of an alleged traffic law violator.

19. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 15 wherein the high resolution camera creates a high resolution digital image which is indexed and stored for later retrieval and identification of an alleged violator.

20. A method of enforcing the traffic law comprising:

(a) surveillance of a segment of a street, the surveillance comprising the steps of: i. using a video camera to generate a real-time video signal of an area within the field of view of the camera; ii. using a violation detection means to monitor a criteria which may reveal a violation, the violation detection means generating an output signal reflecting the current status of the criteria as it relates to a particular vehicle within the field of view of the camera and associating the output signal with a video signal generated by the video camera; ϋi. using video capture means to capture an image of the vehicle for which the criteria of the violation detection means is exceeded;

(b) generating an identifying signal indicating, for example, the time and date the image was captured and associating the identifying signal with the video signal, the identifying signal facilitating the matching of the portion of the video signal with the captured image of the vehicle,

(c) transmitting the video signal in substantially real-time using a video transmitter,

(d) receiving a command signal using a first receiver, and, at a command station,

(e) receiving the video signal in substantially real-time using a second receiver,

(f) selectively, and at various times according to the desire of an operator, monitoring the output of the violation detection means including displaying and selectively recording the video signal;

(g) displaying the output signal of the violation detection means so that an operator may make a determination as to whether to record an alleged violation for ticketing,

(h) querying the operator in a manner which, if answered correctly, tends to confirm a claim of the operator that he witnessed the vehicle; and

(i) generating and transmitting a command signal to the enforcement unit, the command signal generated indicating:

(1) the determination of the operator as to whether any captured video image should be stored for future ticketing, and

(2) that the result of the querying tends to confirm that the operator witnessed the violation.

21. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 20, further including the step of recording an alleged violation of the traffic law using a video recorder.

23. A traffic law enforcement system having multiple enforcement units, each enforcement unit having a camera which is selectively viewable in substantially real-time according to the desire of an operator at a command station, any units which are not being viewed by the operator transmitting a dummy signal which simulates a signal of a violation detection means, thus making it difficult for a driver to discern whether an operator is monitoring a particular enforcement unit.

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24. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 23 wherein the dummy signal is a radar signal and wherein the operator at the command station is querried in a manner which, if answered correctly, tends to confirm a claim of the operator that he witnessed a particular observed violation.

26. The traffic law enforcement system of claim 23 wherein the dummy signal is a laser beam and wherein the operator at the command station is querried in a manner which, if answered correctly, tends to confirm a claim of the operator that he witnessed a particular observed violation.

27. A method of using a traffic law enforcement system, the system comprising:

(a) at least one enforcement unit having an outer housing which is substantially outwardly visually indistinguishable from a decoy unit during and after attachment in an operation position;

(c) attachment means attached to a structure adjacent a road, the units being readily releasably attachable to the attachment means; wherein: at least one enforcement unit is routinely replaced by a decoy unit and vice versa , thus increasing the difficulty of an observer during and after replacement of discerning between enforcement units and decoy units and permitting units to be removed, reconfigured and maintained off-site.

28. A method of enforcing the traffic laws using a traffic law enforcement system having highly visible enforcement units and decoy units, each of which have a unique associated housing which is outwardly visible in an operational position within the system, the method including the steps of

(a) making the existence and effectiveness of the system known to the driving public;

(b) distributing enforcement units and decoy units in various operational locations throughout a traffic flow area of a region;

(c) substituting enforcement units for decoy units and vice versa at periodic intervals, such that it becomes difficult for any individual member of the public to learn from experience which unit is an enforcement unit and which is a decoy unit;

(d) utilizing enforcement units to identify and subsequently ticket violators of the traffic ordinances, and optionally;

(e) monitoring performance of the system to maximize its benefits and determine improved ratios of enforcement units to decoy units in light of other variables, such as the frequency with which the location of the enforcement units is changed.

-36- STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19

Claims 1-4, 6-8, 11-13, 15-20, 23, 24 and 26 as amended more clearly define a traffic law enforcement system and method utilizing remote units in order to more effectively enforce the traffic ordinances. As defined in amended claims 6-12, 20, 24, 26 and 27-28, the invention includes a method of using a system of functional units and decoy units which further enhances enforcement. The functional units further transmit real-time images to an operator/witness at a command station. The witness may be queried to confirm his having witnessed the violation, thus supporting enforcement in court proceedings. The prior art, such as Gross, does not show a comparable manner of using decoy units. Rather, the prior art suggests only that fixed housings may optionally possess components necessary to its function, thus arguably implying that such fixed housing may, at times, not possess such components. The prior art does not show use of decoy units which wholly replace enforcement units. Thus the prior art permits an observer to readily ascertain whether a fixed housing contains a functional camera merely by (a) observing and noting the location of the fixed housings from which cameras are being removed; (b) looking inside of fixed housings through their portals to determine if the camera is missing, or (c) reading newspaper accounts of other persons who claim to have witnessed the removal and installation of cameras from fixed housings at particular locations. By concurrent replacement with another enforcement unit or a decoy unit, the invention thus utilizes decoy units in a manner which helps ensure that no externally distinguishable signs are apparent in a changeout from an enforcement unit to a decoy unit and vice versa. Such represents an important advantage in an age in which information concerning the functional outfitting of a fixed housing is readily available via the Internet or by more conventional means.

The applicant has further amended claims 2, 4, 13, 15, 20, and 23 to recite a violation detection means as opposed to a speed detection system. The change in wording is supported by the specification on pages 17 and 19 which describes use of the invention for purposes other than speed enforcement.

Further, claims 6-7, 13 and 16, as amended, better define the scope of the invention for which protection is sought. These claims define use of decoy units and enforcement units within a fixed housing, such use requiring the concurrent replacement of an enforcement units with a decoy unit and vice versa. Merely failing to functionally outfit a fixed housing is not claimed.

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