Video-Based Exclusion Zone Detection System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting exclusion zone violations, such as in-ground sensors, are costly and inefficient, often missing double parking violations and requiring significant labor from traffic law enforcement, while video-based technologies have not been extended to monitor exclusion zones for enforcing parking regulations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using video data from image capture devices to detect vehicles in exclusion zones by defining the zone, classifying pixels as foreground or background, and determining the duration of vehicle presence, with a processor implementing modules for video capture, exclusion zone detection, vehicle detection, and duration determination to automate the enforcement of parking regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If in-ground sensors are used to detect vehicles in parking spaces, then vehicle detection can be automated, but the cost of installation and maintenance becomes high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based detection system with a video-based optical detection system. The video camera captures images of the parking area, and image processing algorithms automatically detect vehicles, eliminating the need for physical sensors in the ground and reducing installation and maintenance costs while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses video imagery as a copy or representation of the physical parking space to detect vehicle presence. Instead of using sensors that physically interact with the parking space, the system creates a digital model through image processing, analyzing pixel changes to determine vehicle occupancy without physical intervention.
2Measurement precision
If in-ground sensors are used to detect vehicles, then parking space occupancy can be monitored, but many parking violations such as double parking cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The video-based detection system serves multiple functions: it detects vehicle presence in parking spaces, identifies double parking violations, monitors exclusion zones, and tracks vehicle movements. A single video camera and image processing system replaces multiple specialized sensors, providing versatile violation detection capabilities across different parking scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional sensor data (presence/absence in a parking space) to two-dimensional video imagery that captures spatial relationships, vehicle positions, and contextual information. This dimensional expansion enables the detection of complex violations like double parking by analyzing the relative positions of multiple vehicles and their relationship to parking space boundaries.
3Reliability
If traffic law enforcement officers manually detect exclusion zone infractions, then violations can be identified, but labor costs increase and revenues are lost when infractions go undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service violation detection by automatically monitoring exclusion zones, identifying infractions, and generating violation records without human intervention. The video-based system continuously analyzes the monitored area, detects vehicles in exclusion zones, and autonomously documents violations, eliminating the need for manual officer patrols while maintaining reliable detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring the exclusion zone in real-time, immediately detecting when a vehicle enters the prohibited area, and automatically recording the violation. This continuous feedback loop ensures that violations are captured reliably without requiring manual oversight, improving both detection accuracy and cost efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining a parking violation includes receiving video data as a sequence of frames provided by a camera. The method includes defining a location of an exclusion zone in the video data. The method includes detecting a vehicle located in the defined exclusion zone. The detecting includes determining a background in an initial frame of the video data and determining a background in a select frame by applying a predetermined updating process. The detecting includes subtracting the background of the select frame from the initial frame to obtain an image difference. The detecting includes classifying the pixels in the image difference as foreground or background pixels and classifying the pixels in the foreground image as vehicle or non-vehicle pixels. The method includes determining a duration that the detected vehicle is in the exclusion zone based on a number of the sequence of frames including the detected vehicle.