Road Control Unit Interchangeable Mounting Plate Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current traffic control units require manual and time-consuming adjustments of camera devices, which are prone to human error and variability, affecting accuracy and reliability, especially due to factors like road topography and vehicle speed.

Innovation Solution

A road control unit with a cinemameter and interchangeable plates that determine the angular orientation of cameras relative to the speedometer, providing adjustment margins for focal length and edge distance, ensuring constant optical axis orientation and simplifying installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual adjustment of camera orientation is performed by operator, then the control unit can be installed with flexibility in position, but the adjustment process becomes time-consuming and prone to human error affecting precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidcamera orientation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting plate is pre-configured with predetermined angular orientations for camera mounting. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for manual adjustment during installation, as the camera orientations are already optimized for various road conditions (different shore distances, lane widths, cambers). The operator simply selects the appropriate pre-configured plate rather than performing time-consuming manual adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The solution segments the camera mounting function into multiple interchangeable mounting plates, each dedicated to specific ranges of shore distances and road configurations. This segmentation allows the system to handle different installation scenarios with specialized pre-configured plates, improving both precision for each scenario and overall installation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple camera systems are installed at different positions, then comprehensive road monitoring is achieved, but the time and cost for manual adjustment of each camera increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad monitoring coverageVSAvoidcamera adjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Each camera system comes with pre-configured mounting plates that are prepared in advance for specific road configurations. This preliminary configuration allows multiple cameras to be quickly deployed at different positions without requiring time-consuming manual adjustment at each site, thereby achieving comprehensive road monitoring while minimizing installation time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides different mounting plates with varying angular orientations and adjustment margins to accommodate different road parameters (shore distance, lane width, camber). By changing the mounting plate parameter configuration rather than manually adjusting each camera, the system efficiently adapts to various road monitoring requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If precise manual adjustment is performed to account for road variations, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the complexity and skill requirement for installation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed and position measurement accuracyVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting plates are pre-configured with optimal angular orientations that account for various road variations (shore distance, lane width, camber). This preliminary configuration embeds the measurement precision requirements into the hardware design, eliminating the need for complex manual calculations and adjustments during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses interchangeable mounting plates that can be selected and replaced based on road conditions rather than requiring complex adjustable mechanisms. Each plate is a simple, standardized component that provides precise positioning without requiring sophisticated adjustment mechanisms or highly skilled installation personnel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3012652B1Road control unit
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 IDEMIA IDENTITY & SECURITY FRANCE SAS
  • EP3012652B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3012652B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3012652B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

A roadside enforcement unit (10) includes an intermediate mounting plate (12A) between a speedometer (1) and each camera (2E, 2R) of said unit. The mounting plate determines the orientation of an optical axis of the camera relative to a radio axis of the speedometer, with at least one margin of adjustment. Preferably, several mounting plates are available, each dedicated to a range of possible values ​​for a roadside distance that is implemented when installing the roadside enforcement unit at the edge of a road. The mounting plate used ensures that a monitored vehicle is reproduced in an image captured by the camera, with its license plate appearing with satisfactory legibility.