Camera-Based Tolling Record Verification and Storage Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Camera-based tolling systems face challenges due to error-prone OCR readings under variable conditions and the massive storage and communication requirements of storing and transferring large volumes of image data, leading to high installation, maintenance, and powering costs.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves registering user terminals with the network or server, generating tolling records including vehicle pictures and license plate numbers, sending confirmation requests, and deleting pictures from the database upon successful confirmation, reducing storage and communication burdens by keeping only unconfirmed records with images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If picture data from all traffic cameras is stored in the database for verification purposes, then the reliability of tolling records is improved, but the storage capacity requirements and communication resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system differentiates between confirmed and unconfirmed tolling records, applying different storage policies to different subsets of data. Only unconfirmed records retain their associated pictures for verification, while confirmed records have their pictures deleted. This localized differentiation reduces overall storage requirements while maintaining verification capability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system deletes picture data from the database after successful confirmation of tolling records. The confirmation process allows the system to discard redundant verification data (pictures of confirmed records) while retaining essential information (confirmed status and tolling data). This selective discarding significantly reduces storage requirements while preserving the ability to verify unconfirmed records.
2Reliability
If all picture data is transferred between camera sites and the server, then complete verification capability is maintained, but communication resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and deletes picture data from confirmed tolling records after verification is complete. By removing redundant picture data from the database after confirmation, the system eliminates the need to transfer and store these pictures, significantly reducing communication resource consumption between cameras and the server while maintaining verification capability for unconfirmed records.
3Reliability
If massive storage systems are implemented to store all picture data, then verification and re-reading capability is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a cost-effective storage strategy by deleting picture data from confirmed tolling records. This approach avoids the need for massive storage infrastructure while maintaining the ability to verify unconfirmed records. The system recovers storage space by removing redundant confirmed records, significantly reducing installation and maintenance costs compared to storing all pictures indefinitely.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing all picture data excessively, the system applies partial storage only where necessary - specifically for unconfirmed tolling records that require verification. This partial action approach maintains verification capability for records that need it while avoiding the excessive storage costs of maintaining all pictures permanently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces storage needs and communication traffic, lowering installation and maintenance costs while ensuring accurate tolling records through efficient data management and user confirmation processes.
Implementation Method 1
a picture of a passing vehicle is taken by a still camera or from the video stream of a video camera
Implementation Method 2
processed by optical character recognition (OCR) to read the license plate number (LPN) of the vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A method for tolling one or more locations (Lm) of a vehicle (2) having a license plate number (5) by means of a tolling system (1) having a camera (7) at each location (Lm) to be tolled, a server (12), a database (13), a user terminal (14), and a network (11) linking the camera/s (7), server (12) and user terminal (14) comprises: generating (17) one or more tolling records (18), each including a picture (8) of the vehicle (2) taken by one of the camera/s (7), the location (Lm) of said camera (7), and a license plate number (5) read by optical character recognition from said picture (7), and storing the tolling record/s (18) in the database (13); sending (22) a confirmation request (Q) to the user terminal (14) including the read license plate number (5) and a location information (LI) dependent on the location/s (Lm) in said tolling record/s (18); and receiving (28) a response (R) from the user terminal (14) and, if the response (R) confirms the request (Q), deleting (29) the picture/s (8) from the tolling record/s (18) in the database (13). Alternative embodiments refer to a pre- or post-registration of locations to toll.