On-Board Unit Camera for Automated Toll Occupancy Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle devices for road toll systems face challenges in efficiently detecting and reporting toll violations, particularly in HOT lanes, due to issues like windshield reflections and shadowing, which hinder accurate occupancy counting and lead to time-consuming manual inspections.
Innovation Solution
Equipping on-board units (OBUs) with front- and passenger-compartment cameras, along with an evaluation device, to directly record and count occupants from inside the vehicle, and using object detectors and acceleration sensors to trigger image captures, while ensuring data protection through anonymization, and integrating satellite navigation for location data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If external image processing systems are used to count occupants from outside the vehicle, then automated occupancy detection is achieved, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to windshield reflections and shadowing
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of capturing images from outside the vehicle through the windshield (which causes reflections and shadows), the patent inverts the approach by placing the camera inside the vehicle to directly capture occupants. This eliminates the optical path through the windshield entirely, resolving the detection accuracy problem while maintaining automated detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (the internal camera system) that mediates between the need for automated detection and the problem of external imaging. By using an acceleration sensor as a trigger mechanism, the system selectively activates imaging only when needed, reducing false detections and improving overall accuracy
2Measurement precision
If manual visual inspection is used to check occupancy, then detection accuracy is maintained, but time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automated detection where the camera and evaluation device work autonomously to count and verify occupants. The acceleration sensor automatically triggers image capture when the vehicle stops, eliminating the need for manual inspection while maintaining high detection accuracy through internal camera positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic automated imaging triggered by acceleration events (vehicle stopping). Instead of continuous monitoring or manual inspection, the system periodically activates the camera based on predefined triggers, significantly reducing time consumption while maintaining detection accuracy through selective capture of relevant moments
3Productivity
If cameras are positioned outside the vehicle to monitor traffic, then traffic condition monitoring is achieved, but data protection requirements worsen due to visible license plates and personal information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the imaging function into specific directional cameras: one aimed at the passenger compartment for occupancy detection and another at the front for traffic monitoring. This segmentation allows selective anonymization of license plates in traffic monitoring images while preserving occupancy data, balancing productivity with data protection requirements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
Vehicle device (8) for a road toll system (1), comprising at least one transmitter receiver (12 - 14) for transmitting toll-relevant data to transmitter receiving stations (5, 7) for forwarding to a central unit (2) of the road toll system (1), wherein the vehicle device (8) is equipped with at least one camera (20, 22) which creates at least one image recording (23, 25) of at least a section of the environment of the vehicle device (8).