Classifications

• • 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
  • G08G1/04—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• • 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
  • G08G1/015—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and a device for automatically classifying vehicles equipped with wheels.
• magnetic field sensors are arranged in the road surface, which detect the change in an electromagnetic field that occurs as a function of the mass of magnetizable material of the vehicle and assign it to a specific weight class. In this way, the accuracy in the weight-dependent classification of the vehicle detected in each case can be increased.
• the known magnetic field sensors have to be arranged firmly in the road surface and for this extensive structural measures are required on the road being monitored in each case, which lead to a hindrance to current traffic and considerable costs.
• the object of the invention was to provide an automatically feasible method for classifying vehicles, in particular trucks, which leads to reliable results with a high degree of certainty. Likewise, a device should be created with which this method can be carried out in a particularly simple manner.
• This object is first achieved by a method for automatically classifying vehicles equipped with wheels, in which a view of the vehicle to be classified that maps the wheels assigned to a vehicle side is recorded, in which at least one characteristic feature of the wheels of the vehicle is determined by evaluating the side view and in which the respective vehicle class is then assigned based on the characteristic feature of the wheels.
• the captured view can be any type of image that is suitable for uniquely determining the position and size of the wheels of the vehicle detected in each case.
• the recording can be an image of a long side of the vehicle captured by a camera oriented transversely to the direction of travel of the vehicle. It is also possible, when using appropriately trained evaluation systems, to use images that are recorded at a certain angle. In addition, it can be useful to use stereoscopic images of the side surface in question. It is only essential that the position and size of the wheels can be determined with sufficient accuracy from the captured view.
• the characteristic size of the wheels determined in each case can be, for example, a diameter, for example the outside diameter, of at least one tire, the diameter of at least one rim, the difference in the outside diameter of the tire and rim of at least one of the wheels, or the number and Distribution of the number of axles of the vehicle assigned to each side of the vehicle and resulting on the wheels visible in the view.
• the reliability of the detection can be increased by not only determining a geometric parameter of the wheels in each case, but also determining two or more such characteristics and taking them into account when assigning the respective load class. Particularly reliable results are obtained when the number of axles of each vehicle is combined with a parameter characterizing the tire or rim size of the wheels.
• the invention is based on the idea that the tire and rim size together with the number of axles can be used as characteristic parameters which stand for the respectively permissible total weight.
• the respective load class can be assigned with high reliability based on easily recognizable geometric sizes of the vehicle to be classified.
• the clearly defined shape of vehicle wheels which is unmistakable in particular in the view, allows a clear, unmistakable determination of the features resulting from the assigned classification, even in the case of an automatic image acquisition and evaluation.
• a device which is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention is equipped with an image capturing device for capturing the view of the vehicle and with an evaluating device which delivers the respective characteristic feature of at least one of the wheels of the vehicle to the evaluating device by evaluating the respectively captured by the image capturing device Determines the image and assigns a vehicle class to the determined characteristic feature.
• Such a device can be operated with conventional image capture devices, such as a commercially available portable digital video system, which are inexpensive and can be easily assembled and transported.
• the degree of automation of the classification process can be further increased by the fact that the image capture device has a device for automatic detection of the approach of a moving vehicle includes.
• the single figure shows a truck 1, which enters a road 2 that is subject to tolling for trucks of a certain permissible total weight.
• a device 3 for automatically determining the weight class of the trucks bending into the street 2 is arranged in the area of the entrance.
• the device 3 comprises an image capturing device 4, which is formed by a conventional, digital, portable video system that is set up on a tripod, not shown here, on the roadside.
• the image capturing device 4 is equipped with a device 4a for recognizing the approach of a motor vehicle.
• the image capture device 4 is connected via a data line 4b to a conventional one
• Data processing device formed evaluation device 5 connected.
• the evaluation device 5 is arranged in a likewise transportable housing 5a.
• Evaluation device 5 connected display device 6 in the form of a conventional screen.
• the evaluation device 5 is equipped with a memory device in which the result of the evaluation carried out by the evaluation device 5 is stored.
• the captured views A evaluated in each case can also be stored for preservation of evidence.
• the evaluation device 5 can be connected via a suitable remote data transmission device, not shown here, to a central monitoring point, also not shown, for example a central data acquisition device or a traffic control center.
• the device 3 can also be part of a
• Surveillance system that not only classify the respective vehicle according to the load class, but also perform other measures necessary for recognizing the vehicle, such as automatic recognition of the vehicle registration number, automatic recognition of identification means carried by the vehicle, etc.
• the device can be connected to a signal device which, when a vehicle suspected of improper payment of fees is detected, emits a signal to lead this vehicle out of the current road traffic.
• the truck 1 has three axles A1, A2, A3 for each pair of wheels, the first axis AI in the area of the driver's cab la and the other two axles A2, A3 as twin axles being arranged closely adjacent in the area of the rear lb of the truck 1. Accordingly, are on the right side in the direction of travel F, visible in the figure of the truck 1, three wheels Rl, R2, R3.
• the image capture device 4 takes a picture A of the side view of the truck 1 that is visible to them in the direction of travel F. This image A of the side view of the truck 1 is sent to the evaluation device as a digital data record via the data line 4b 5 delivered.
• the evaluation device 5 first uses an appropriate evaluation algorithm to determine the position of the wheels R1, R2, R3 in FIG. Then the distances ml, m2 of the centers of the wheels Rl and R2 or Rl and R3 corresponding to the distances between the axes A1, A2 and AI, A3 are determined in order to make a clear statement about the number of axles of the truck 1. In addition, the outer diameter D R of the tire and the outer diameter D F of the rim are determined for the wheel Rl.
• the number of axes A1, A2, A3 and the diameter D R , D F of the tire R1 are then compared as geometric features characterizing the wheels R1, R2, R3 by the evaluation device 5 with data records which are stored in a memory of the evaluation device 5 and indicate which number of axles combined with typical tire and rim diameters is assigned to which load class.
• This comparison yields the load class LK, which is assigned to the truck 1.
• This load class LK is displayed by the display device 6, for example to indicate to a surveillance person that the truck 1 is a toll vehicle.
• the result provided by the evaluation device 5 can trigger, for example, an automatic payment or booking process, through which an account of the vehicle owner or driver is charged with the due toll.
• the classification of the truck 1 carried out automatically by the device 3 can be supplemented by further recognition methods, with which not only the load class can be classified, but also an exact determination of the identity of the respective vehicle can be carried out.
• the advantage of the mode of operation of the device 3 is that, in the case of the mode of operation according to the invention, it enables the vehicles passing it to be reliably selected in real time according to their permissible total weight, so that the detection or payment methods which may be additionally carried out depend on those actually subject to the toll requirement Vehicles can concentrate.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Traffic Control Systems (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
• Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29225619

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (9)

Citations (9)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2002
  • 2002-05-07 AT AT02010325T patent/ATE367601T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-05-07 DE DE50210498T patent/DE50210498D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-05-07 EP EP02010325A patent/EP1361488B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-05-07 DK DK02010325T patent/DK1361488T3/da active
• 2003
  • 2003-04-04 WO PCT/EP2003/003513 patent/WO2003096300A1/de not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-04-04 AU AU2003226781A patent/AU2003226781A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (9)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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