Vehicle Speed Measurement Using Calibrated Video and Mirror Stabilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining vehicle speed and measurements on roads are not accurate enough, particularly when capturing small details like registration numbers or driver images at high speeds, due to limitations in camera technology and lighting conditions.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using calibrated video pictures with imaginary measurement lines to calculate vehicle displacement and speed, and employing a mirror mechanism in front of the registration camera to stabilize images with slow shutter speeds, allowing for sharp detail capture under normal light conditions, while only recording violators to protect privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-resolution camera with rapid shutter speed is used to capture small details like registration numbers at high speed, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase, and current technology cannot achieve this above motorways
Solution Approach 1:
A mirror is introduced as an intermediary component between the camera and the moving vehicle. The mirror reflects the vehicle image to the camera at an angle that compensates for the vehicle's motion, creating a stationary image on the camera sensor. This allows standard camera equipment to capture sharp details of high-speed vehicles without requiring complex high-speed shutter mechanisms.
2Measurement precision
If a rapid shutter speed is used to freeze motion and capture small details, then measurement precision is improved, but light requirements increase and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror acts as a mediator that transforms the motion dynamics. By reflecting the vehicle at a specific angle, the mirror creates an optical illusion where the moving vehicle appears stationary on the camera sensor. This eliminates motion blur, allowing the use of slower shutter speeds that require less light while still capturing sharp images.
3Productivity
If all passing vehicles are recorded to ensure complete data collection, then productivity is improved, but privacy protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and processes only the essential information needed for traffic violation detection from vehicle images. Instead of storing complete vehicle data or images of all passing vehicles, the system selectively captures and processes only relevant violation-related information, thereby maintaining productivity while protecting privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to determine whether a vehicle has committed a violation before initiating full recording. Violation detection algorithms analyze initial image data and only trigger comprehensive recording when violations are detected, optimizing the balance between data collection efficiency and privacy protection.
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 provides more accurate speed measurements and captures small details with reduced light requirements, enabling effective registration of traffic violations with improved image clarity and reduced movement artifacts.
Implementation Method 1
a mirror present in front of the further camera, which reflects the picture to be taken to the camera, is turned at a speed attuned to the speed of an approaching car
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A overview camera continually films a road section, in which a processing unit determines the positions of a vehicle at two different points in time by calculating the positions of the vehicle in the recorded video pictures. The elapsed time between these two points in time is determined by adding the number of recorded video pictures between the video pictures recorded at these points in time and multiplying the result by the time interval in which the video pictures are recorded. The speed of the vehicle can be calculated accurately from the distance between both determined positions and the elapsed time. The video picture is first calibrated using markings 4 on the road in order to calculate the positions of a vehicle from a video picture. The position of a vehicle is determined by automatically moving an imaginary measurement line 5 from one of these markings in the video picture to the vehicle to be measured. If it is determined that the speed of the vehicle is higher than the maximum permitted speed, the vehicle can be registered by making a detailed photograph of the vehicle with a registration camera.