METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC CONDITION DETECTION
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for vehicle speed acquisition and citation. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, multiple different imaging systems can be placed individually at different locations along a route of travel, such as a highway, byway or waterway. Images of different vehicles can be captured at each of the locations and different ones of the different vehicles can be image-recognized. A time of travel between pairs of the locations can be determined for selected ones of the different vehicles in order to compute a rate of travel for the selected ones of the different vehicles. A citation signal is generated when a speed of a vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed limit such that the vehicle owner may be automatically cited for speeding.
1 . A method of processing traffic information, the method comprising:
acquiring first imagery of a plurality of vehicles at a first location at a first time;
acquiring second imagery of a plurality of vehicles at a second location at a second time; and
determining a traffic condition based on at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein acquisition of the first and second imagery is based on an image recognition algorithm applied to respective first and second images of the plurality of vehicles.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining a traffic condition based on the imagery comprises comparing a result of applying the image recognition algorithm to the first image with a result of applying the image recognition algorithm to the second image.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein application of the image recognition algorithm results in identification of a make and model of a vehicle.
5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a speed of a first vehicle in the first imagery and the second imagery;
transmitting the determined speed of the first vehicle to a law enforcement vehicle;
determining when the law enforcement vehicle is en route toward the first vehicle; and
notifying a driver of the first vehicle when the law enforcement vehicle is en route toward the vehicle.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the traffic condition is based at least in part on a traffic density of vehicles as determined from at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery is transmitted to an on board display system of a vehicle that is in the acquired imagery after application of an image recognition algorithm to the at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an image recognition algorithm is applied to the first imagery and the second imagery to detect a similarity between the first imagery and the second imagery.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery is acquired by a camera that is remotely controlled by a law enforcement officer.
10 . An apparatus for determining a traffic condition, the apparatus comprising:
memory, the memory storing imagery captured by a camera directed toward traffic; and
a processor in communication with the memory, the processor determining a traffic condition based on application of an image recognition algorithm to the stored imagery.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor further determines a traffic density of vehicles in the stored imagery.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the traffic condition is based on an image recognition algorithm applied to the stored imagery.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a vehicle identification number of a vehicle is determined from the stored imagery.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a camera that is remotely controllable by a law enforcement officer.
15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor further causes a result of an image recognition algorithm applied to the stored imagery to be transmitted to a vehicle.
16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor further:
determines a speed of a vehicle in the stored imagery based on the application of the image recognition algorithm to the stored imagery;
causes law enforcement to be notified of the speed of the vehicle in the stored imagery when the speed of the vehicle in the stored imagery exceeds a predetermined limit; and
causes the vehicle in the stored imagery to be notified when the speed of the vehicle in the stored imagery exceeds the predetermined limit.
17 . A system of determining traffic conditions, the system comprising:
a first image capture device to acquire a first imagery of traffic at a first location;
a second image capture device to acquire a second imagery of traffic at a second location; and
a processor arranged to apply an image recognition algorithm to at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery to detect a traffic condition based on a result of the application of the image recognition algorithm to the at least one imagery.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein a result of application of the image recognition algorithm is transmitted to a vehicle contained in the at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery.
19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the image recognition algorithm is adapted to determine a vehicle density.
20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further to:
detect a traffic infraction committed by a vehicle based on the application of the image recognition algorithm to the at least one of the first imagery and the second imagery;
notify a law enforcement officer of the traffic infraction; and
notify a vehicle when the law enforcement officer receives notice of the traffic infraction.