WO2023023823A1 - Dual purpose sensor array apparatus - Google Patents

Dual purpose sensor array apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023023823A1
WO2023023823A1 PCT/AU2022/051051 AU2022051051W WO2023023823A1 WO 2023023823 A1 WO2023023823 A1 WO 2023023823A1 AU 2022051051 W AU2022051051 W AU 2022051051W WO 2023023823 A1 WO2023023823 A1 WO 2023023823A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sensors
roadway
path
sensor array
traffic
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2022/051051
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Thomas Kenny
Graham Foden
Original Assignee
Microcom Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Microcom Pty Ltd filed Critical Microcom Pty Ltd
Priority to AU2022333662A priority Critical patent/AU2022333662A1/en
Publication of WO2023023823A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023023823A1/en

Links

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
    • 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
    • G08G1/056—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S3/00—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received
    • G01S3/78—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
    • G01S3/782—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
    • 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
    • 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
    • G08G1/02—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled using treadles built into the road
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/01—Manufacture or treatment
    • H10N30/07—Forming of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts or bodies on an electrical element or another base
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01J—MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY
    • G01J5/00—Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry
    • G01J5/0022—Radiation pyrometry, e.g. infrared or optical thermometry for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/30—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
    • H10N30/302—Sensors

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a dual purpose sensor array apparatus having particular utility for measuring mixed traffic along a pathway such as pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.
  • a multi-purpose sensor array apparatus comprising: an array of sensors to be disposed on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereover; and a controller including a data processor and a data analyser to receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic.
  • the sensors are piezoelectric and the quantitative measurements include the quantity of traffic along the path or roadway.
  • the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors to be disposed alongside the path or roadway in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
  • the sensors are piezoelectric strip sensors embedded in a roadway or path and the controller is programmed to detect different types of activity from vehicular to motorcycle/scooters to bicycles, and pedestrians and distinguish between them.
  • FIG 1 is a diagrammatic plan/perspective view of the apparatus in accordance with one specific embodiment
  • FIG 2 is a diagrammatic side/perspective view of the apparatus of FIG 1 ;
  • FIG 3 is a side/perspective view showing a bicycle passing along the path.
  • This embodiment of the invention describes a method of utilizing an array of sensors, usually piezoelectric, on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect and analyze more than one type of activity using a multi-purpose sensor array apparatus 1 1 .
  • the apparatus 1 1 includes an array of piezoelectric sensors 13 to be disposed on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway 15 to detect traffic passing thereover; and a controller 17 including a data processor and a data analyser (not shown).
  • the data processor and data analyser receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors 13 to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic.
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention would use the same embedded piezoelectric strip sensors 13 in a roadway or path 15 to detect different types of activity from vehicular to motorcycle/scooters to bicycles 19, and also pedestrians 21.
  • Timing signals would allow discrimination of bicycles 19 within a coincident vehicle to be separated on the basis of timing derived length, direction and speed information.
  • this embodiment of the invention would allow measurement of pedestrian movements also based on the timings signals received from the same sensor array by separating the different timing signal information produced by pedestrians through software algorithms.
  • the invention will therefore enable quantitative measurements of both bicycles 19 and motorcycles/scooters separated from pedestrians 21 on pathways from the same dual use sensor array 13 and will achieve greater accuracy from pedestrian statistics by separating bicycle data which could normally be mistakenly interpreted as pedestrian data.
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention will also enable quantitative measurements of both bicycles 19, motorcycle/scooters and vehicles on roadways, by using the timing information derived from the sensors.
  • the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors to be disposed alongside the path or roadway in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
  • the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors 23 to be disposed alongside the path or roadway 15 in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller 17 is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention will use a minimum of two embedded piezoelectric force sensors 13 to detect the passage of tyres of vehicles and /or bicycles 19 on roadways and/or use two embedded piezoelectric force sensors 13 to detect the passage of tyres of bicycles 19 and the footfall of pedestrians 21 on pathways.
  • the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizing two piezoelectric strip force sensors 13 at a normal angle to the bicycle flow can, for example, determine a bicycle passage from the set of (usually) four sensor activation timing stamps that denote a bicycle 19.
  • piezoelectric strips 13 spaced at, for example 400 mm, or greater than the size of a normal human foot would only pick up the footfall of a human foot generally on one sensor. This allows statistical profiling of the pedestrian number with the ability to calibrate based on actual live number of pedestrians 21 that passed.
  • the bicycle information can be separated (and vice versa) so that both bicycle 19 and pedestrian 21 measurements are not contaminated by each other.
  • the apparatus provides a combined bicycle and pedestrian counter utilising surface pneumatic, or subsurface piezoelectric, impact sensors 13 that provide signals to the controller 17 to record all axle events and timestamping.
  • the controller 17 from this data correlates the recorded multiple events from multiple wheeled vehicles such as bicycles, mopeds, scooters, skateboards, etc.
  • PIR Passive Infrared

Abstract

A method of utilizing an array of sensors (13), usually piezoelectric, on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway (15) to detect and analyze more than one type of activity. The method uses an apparatus (11) including the array of sensors (13) to be disposed on or beneath the surface of the path or roadway (15) to detect traffic (19, 21) passing thereover; and a controller (17) including a data processor and a data analyser to receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors (13) to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic (19, 21).

Description

“Dual purpose sensor array apparatus”
Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to a dual purpose sensor array apparatus having particular utility for measuring mixed traffic along a pathway such as pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles.
[0002] Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
Background Art
[0001] The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
[0002] Accurate measurement of mixed traffic including bicycles on roadways is problematic, and the measurement of pedestrians and bicycles mixed together on pathways is also problematic, particularly as bicycles will often appear as pedestrians to many sensor and measurement technologies.
Disclosure of the Invention
[0003] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of utilizing an array of sensors, usually piezoelectric, on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect and analyze more than one type of activity.
[0004] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-purpose sensor array apparatus comprising: an array of sensors to be disposed on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereover; and a controller including a data processor and a data analyser to receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic. [0005] In one embodiment, the sensors are piezoelectric and the quantitative measurements include the quantity of traffic along the path or roadway.
[0006] In another embodiment, the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors to be disposed alongside the path or roadway in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
[0007] In a further embodiment of the invention the sensors are piezoelectric strip sensors embedded in a roadway or path and the controller is programmed to detect different types of activity from vehicular to motorcycle/scooters to bicycles, and pedestrians and distinguish between them.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0008] FIG 1 is a diagrammatic plan/perspective view of the apparatus in accordance with one specific embodiment;
FIG 2 is a diagrammatic side/perspective view of the apparatus of FIG 1 ;
FIG 3 is a side/perspective view showing a bicycle passing along the path.
Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention
[0009] The best mode for carrying out the invention is described in accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention.
[0010] This embodiment of the invention describes a method of utilizing an array of sensors, usually piezoelectric, on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect and analyze more than one type of activity using a multi-purpose sensor array apparatus 1 1 .
[0011] The apparatus 1 1 includes an array of piezoelectric sensors 13 to be disposed on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway 15 to detect traffic passing thereover; and a controller 17 including a data processor and a data analyser (not shown).
[0012] The data processor and data analyser receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors 13 to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic. [0013] The preferred embodiment of the invention would use the same embedded piezoelectric strip sensors 13 in a roadway or path 15 to detect different types of activity from vehicular to motorcycle/scooters to bicycles 19, and also pedestrians 21.
[0014] Analysis of the timing signals would allow discrimination of bicycles 19 within a coincident vehicle to be separated on the basis of timing derived length, direction and speed information.
[0015] Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention would allow measurement of pedestrian movements also based on the timings signals received from the same sensor array by separating the different timing signal information produced by pedestrians through software algorithms.
[0016] The invention will therefore enable quantitative measurements of both bicycles 19 and motorcycles/scooters separated from pedestrians 21 on pathways from the same dual use sensor array 13 and will achieve greater accuracy from pedestrian statistics by separating bicycle data which could normally be mistakenly interpreted as pedestrian data.
[0017] The preferred embodiment of the invention will also enable quantitative measurements of both bicycles 19, motorcycle/scooters and vehicles on roadways, by using the timing information derived from the sensors.
[0018] the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors to be disposed alongside the path or roadway in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
[0019] To achieve this, the invention includes a plurality of directional sensors 23 to be disposed alongside the path or roadway 15 in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller 17 is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
[0020] The preferred embodiment of the invention will use a minimum of two embedded piezoelectric force sensors 13 to detect the passage of tyres of vehicles and /or bicycles 19 on roadways and/or use two embedded piezoelectric force sensors 13 to detect the passage of tyres of bicycles 19 and the footfall of pedestrians 21 on pathways.
[0021] The latter dual use of the sensor array 13 allows for the processing of the different timing signals to achieve higher accuracies for determining both bicycle statistics and pedestrian statistics in this mixed use environment.
[0022] The preferred embodiment of the invention, utilizing two piezoelectric strip force sensors 13 at a normal angle to the bicycle flow can, for example, determine a bicycle passage from the set of (usually) four sensor activation timing stamps that denote a bicycle 19.
[0023] By way of contrast, with the preferred embodiment, piezoelectric strips 13 spaced at, for example 400 mm, or greater than the size of a normal human foot, would only pick up the footfall of a human foot generally on one sensor. This allows statistical profiling of the pedestrian number with the ability to calibrate based on actual live number of pedestrians 21 that passed.
[0024] From the same data, the bicycle information can be separated (and vice versa) so that both bicycle 19 and pedestrian 21 measurements are not contaminated by each other.
[0025] In summary, the apparatus provides a combined bicycle and pedestrian counter utilising surface pneumatic, or subsurface piezoelectric, impact sensors 13 that provide signals to the controller 17 to record all axle events and timestamping. [0026] The controller 17 from this data correlates the recorded multiple events from multiple wheeled vehicles such as bicycles, mopeds, scooters, skateboards, etc.
[0027] However further recording of non time-corelated multiple timestamps can be ascertained to record pedestrian footfalls which are calibrated against stochastically derived measurements, with calibration to usually 28% (+/- 4%) of pedestrians striking a sensor.
[0028] This is able to establish high accuracy pedestrian volumes with enhanced calculations enabled by the discrimination of patterned timestamps against non patterned timestamps attributable to pedestrian footfalls. That is the elimination of bicycles 19 from the otherwise normal pedestrian 21 plus bicycle data.
[0029] In the present embodiment, further directional determination is available from an array of multiple Passive Infrared (PIR) directional sensors 23. [0030] These directional sensors 23 derive different timestamp information from spatially angular signals having dual sensors facing a pedestrian transit flow at a normal, being themselves +/_ 30 degrees to that normal.
[0031] Other embodiments omit the directional sensors and just provide for the sensors 13 and controller 17 to measure traffic quantity.
[0032] It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and changes of components and different combinations and permutations within the bounds of workshop improvements and mechanical equivalents are deemed to fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

- 6 -The Claims Defining the Invention are as Follows
1 . A method of utilizing an array of sensors, usually piezoelectric, on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect and analyze more than one type of activity.
2. A multi-purpose sensor array apparatus comprising: an array of sensors to be disposed on or beneath the surface of a path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereover; and a controller including a data processor and a data analyser to receive, process and analyse signals received from the sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements in respect of the traffic.
3. A multi-purpose sensor array apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensors are piezoelectric and the quantitative measurements include the quantity of traffic along the path or roadway.
4. A multi-purpose sensor array apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, including a plurality of directional sensors to be disposed alongside the path or roadway in spaced relation along the direction of the path or roadway to detect traffic passing thereby and the controller is configured to receive, process and analyse directional signals from the directional sensors to ascertain quantitative measurements including the direction of traffic along the path or roadway.
5. A multi-purpose sensor array apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensors are piezoelectric strip sensors embedded in a roadway or path and the controller is programmed detect different types of activity from vehicular to motorcycle/scooters to bicycles, and pedestrians and distinguish between them.
PCT/AU2022/051051 2021-08-25 2022-08-25 Dual purpose sensor array apparatus WO2023023823A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2022333662A AU2022333662A1 (en) 2021-08-25 2022-08-25 Dual purpose sensor array apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2021107502A AU2021107502A4 (en) 2021-08-25 2021-08-25 Dual purpose sensor array apparatus
AU2021107502 2021-08-25

Publications (1)

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WO2023023823A1 true WO2023023823A1 (en) 2023-03-02

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN206210117U (en) * 2016-12-02 2017-05-31 河海大学 A kind of pedestrian's street crossing security system based on pressure sensor
US20190147738A1 (en) * 2014-06-06 2019-05-16 Jason Kugel Highly accurate system for wrong-way driving detection and deterrence
CN113053098A (en) * 2019-12-26 2021-06-29 辽东学院 Traffic intelligent dispatching road monitoring system based on internet of things technology
CN113160580A (en) * 2021-04-13 2021-07-23 大连交通大学 Signal lamp crossing violation detection system capable of generating electricity automatically
US20210233442A1 (en) * 2012-09-12 2021-07-29 Delorean, Llc Elevating and descending sign

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210233442A1 (en) * 2012-09-12 2021-07-29 Delorean, Llc Elevating and descending sign
US20190147738A1 (en) * 2014-06-06 2019-05-16 Jason Kugel Highly accurate system for wrong-way driving detection and deterrence
CN206210117U (en) * 2016-12-02 2017-05-31 河海大学 A kind of pedestrian's street crossing security system based on pressure sensor
CN113053098A (en) * 2019-12-26 2021-06-29 辽东学院 Traffic intelligent dispatching road monitoring system based on internet of things technology
CN113160580A (en) * 2021-04-13 2021-07-23 大连交通大学 Signal lamp crossing violation detection system capable of generating electricity automatically

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Publication number Publication date
AU2022333662A1 (en) 2024-04-11
AU2021107502A4 (en) 2021-12-23

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