IP Library Granted Patent US 9,406,145
Granted Patent B2
US 9,406,145 · App. 14/267,639 · Granted Aug 2, 2016

Mobile radar and visual tracking coordinate transformation

Inventors: Robert S. Gammenthaler (Princeton, TX); Alan B. Mead (Allen, TX)
Assignee: APPLIED CONCEPTS, INC.
G06T7/204G01S13/60G01S13/867G01S13/92G08G1/04G08G1/052
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,406,145
App. No.
14/267,639
Granted
Aug 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for generating video data comprising a mobile radar system operating on a processor and configured to generate vertically tilted radar frame data for a plurality of vehicles. A mobile video system operating on a processor and configured to generate video data of the plurality of vehicles. A dynamic plane rotation system operating on a processor and coupled to the mobile radar system and configured to map the vertically tilted radar frame data onto a flat plane parallel to a roadway to generate mapped data.

Claims (107)

1. A method for generating evidentiary data comprising:

receiving digital data that represents radar data and video data at a processor that includes a plurality of target vehicles;

mapping the radar data to a flat plane parallel to the roadway with a processor;

rotating the mapped data into a radar frame of reference;

generating digital data representing a speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles; and

generating a display that includes the speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles in the video data adjacent to an image of each of the plurality of target vehicles;

wherein rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to the roadway frame of reference comprises calculating:

θ t=θyr +θhs,

where

θyr=a target angle relative to a radar Y axis, and

θhs=a radar angle relative to the radar Y axis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to a roadway frame of reference.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying moving targets in the video data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating a true target velocity for each of the plurality of target vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of target vehicles that is outside of a field of view of the video data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein mapping the radar data to the flat plane parallel to the roadway with the processor comprises calculating:

θ rr= sin−1*(− Zs/Dr ),

where

Zs=a height of a radar system above a target, and

Dr=a distance of the radar system to a target.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein rotating the mapped data into the radar frame of reference comprises calculating:

Xrp=Dr *sin(θ yr ), and

Yrp=Dr *cos(θ yr ),

where

Dr=a distance of the radar system to a target, and

Θyr=a target angle relative to a radar Y axis.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating:

V=Var/ (cos(θ rr )*cos(θ h ))

where

Var=apparent target speed as seen by the radar,

θrr=vertical tilt angle of the radar to target plane, and

θh=horizontal component of the angle between the target direction of travel and the path from the radar to the target.

9. In a system for generating evidentiary data that includes a mobile radar system operating on a processor and configured to generate vertically tilted radar frame data for a plurality of vehicles, a mobile video system operating on a processor and configured to generate video data of the plurality of vehicles, a dynamic plane rotation system operating on a processor and coupled to the mobile radar system and configured to map the vertically tilted radar frame data onto a flat plane parallel to a roadway to generate mapped data, a dynamic speed overlay system configured to receive the mapped mobile radar data and to display numerical speed data corresponding to a corresponding vehicle in the video data, a radar distance to target system configured to generate digital data that represents a distance between the mobile radar system and each of a plurality of targets, a radar target angle system configured to generate digital data that represents an angle between a reference line of the mobile radar system and each of a plurality of targets, a radar vertical tilt angle system configured to generate digital data that represents a vertical tilt angle of the mobile radar system to a target plane, a target position tracking system configured to generate digital data that represents a change in target position over time, an infinity point calculation system configured to generate digital data that represents an infinity point for a roadway, a target horizontal angle mapping system configured to generate digital data that represents a radar target horizontal angle mapped onto the video data, a target coordinate system configured to generate digital data that represents a coordinate of a radar target in the video data, a target scale system configured to generate digital data that represents a radar target in a field of view of the video data, and an evidence capture system configured to receive one or more user commands and to generate data for use in processing a citation, a method for generating video data comprising:

receiving digital data that represents radar data and video data at a processor that includes a plurality of target vehicles;

mapping the radar data to a flat plane parallel to the roadway with a processor by calculating:

θ rr= sin−1*(− Zs/Dr ),

where

Zs=a height of a radar system above a target, and

Dr=a distance of the radar system to a target;

rotating the mapped data into a radar frame of reference by calculating:

Xrp=Dr *sin(θ yr ), and

Yrp=Dr *cos(θ yr ),

where

Θyr =a target angle relative to a radar Y axis;

rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to a roadway frame of reference by calculating:

θ t=θyr+θhs,

where

θyr=a target angle relative to a radar Y axis, and

θhs=a radar angle relative to the roadway Y axis;

identifying moving targets in the video data;

calculating a true target velocity for each of the plurality of target vehicles;

generating digital data representing a speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles;

eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of vehicles that is outside of a field of view of the video data;

eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of vehicles that does not have a corresponding target in the video data; and

generating a display that includes the speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles in the video data adjacent to an image of each of the plurality of target vehicles.

10. A method for generating evidentiary data comprising:

receiving digital data that represents radar data and video data at a processor that includes a plurality of target vehicles;

mapping the radar data to a flat plane parallel to the roadway with a processor;

rotating the mapped data into a radar frame of reference;

generating digital data representing a speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles;

generating a display that includes the speed of each of the plurality of target vehicles in the video data adjacent to an image of each of the plurality of target vehicles; and

calculating:

V=Var/ (cos(θ rr )*cos(θ h ))

where

Var=apparent target speed as seen by the radar,

θrr=vertical tilt angle of the radar to target plane, and

θh=horizontal component of the angle between the target direction of travel and the path from the radar to the target.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to a roadway frame of reference.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising identifying moving targets in the video data.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising calculating a true target velocity for each of the plurality of target vehicles.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of target vehicles that is outside of a field of view of the video data.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein mapping the radar data to the flat plane parallel to the roadway with the processor comprises calculating:

θ rr= sin−1*(− Zs/Dr ),

where

Zs=a height of a radar system above a target, and

Dr=a distance of the radar system to a target.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein rotating the mapped data into the radar frame of reference comprises calculating:

Xrp=Dr *sin(θ yr ), and

Yrp=Dr *cos(θ yr ),

where

Dr=a distance of the radar system to a target, and

Θyr=a target angle relative to a radar Y axis.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to the roadway frame of reference comprises calculating:

θ t=θyr+θhs,

where

θyr =a target angle relative to a radar Y axis, and

θhs =a radar angle relative to the radar Y axis.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to a roadway frame of reference; and

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data; and

calculating a true target velocity for each of the plurality of target vehicles.

20. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data; and

eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of target vehicles that is outside of a field of view of the video data.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data.

22. The method of claim 10 further comprising identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rotating the mapped data in the radar frame of reference to a roadway frame of reference; and

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data; and

calculating a true target velocity for each of the plurality of target vehicles.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the plurality of target vehicles in the video data; and

eliminating the digital data representing the speed of one of the plurality of target vehicles that is outside of a field of view of the video data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2014
From: GAMMENTHALER, ROBERT S.; MEAD, ALAN B.
To: APPLIED CONCEPTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033449/0544 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61934680 · Jan 31, 2014
Related Publication 20150219758A1 · Aug 6, 2015