DESC:SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF RED LIGHT VIOLATION

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to traffic signal system and violation of traffic signals by vehicles and more particularly, to a system and a method for detection of red light violation.

Background of the invention:

Currently, red light violation is a concern in all urban areas. Red light violation incidences cannot be suitably handled entirely by presence of a human traffic controller, due to lack of human resources as well as problems associated with interaction with violators in regards to the violators contradicting the violation claim.

To detect a red light (traffic signal) violation, currently camera based systems are being investigated for detection of red light violation. These systems monitor traffic at each traffic light and capture a vehicle's number plate when a vehicle crosses an imaginary boundary being monitored by the camera's image processing system.

Majority of these systems run into problems due to the following issues:

a) Non-standardized signal positions.
b) Non-standardized number plates on vehicles.
c) Non-existence or non-standardized landmarks (e.g. Zebra crossings) around the signals to de-mark the notional boundary for violation.
d) Multiple vehicles of different sizes violating signals at the same time become nearly impossible to detect especially when vehicles tailgate. Tailgating is a condition in which one vehicle follows another possibly non-violating vehicle so closely that the vehicle itself is completely concealed from view or at least one of its number plates is not visible to the camera.

Accordingly, there is a need of a system and a method for detecting red light violation that overcomes above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Object of the invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide a system for standardized detection and reporting of violation of traffic control signal, and of standardized traffic guidelines, by single or multiple vehicles that overcome issues encountered in typical vision based systems.

Summary of the invention:

In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for detection of red light violation. The system comprises of a first module positioned on each of signal poles at every signal junction and a second module positioned inside a vehicle. The first module includes a detection mechanism and a transceiver mechanism/device configured therein. The detection mechanism is adapted for checking signal status. The detection mechanism includes an interface with a signal controller and clamp-on hardware added to each signal for detecting the signal status. The transceiver mechanism includes an identifier configured therein to broadcast current signal status for example whether the signal is about to change to red or has already changed to red on a known licensed or free-to-use broadcast frequency. The second module includes a location identification mechanism, a transceiver communication mechanism , an interface and a memory device configured therein. The location identification mechanism for example a GPS coverage independent location identification mechanism is integrated into a vehicle health monitoring system to check engine status, gear status or any other car peripheral status to detect motion of the vehicle. The transceiver communication mechanism is adapted to receive signal status and other communication from the transceiver mechanism of the first module . The interface for example a GSM interface is adapted to report a possible violation of the signal to an authorized server by sending message data related to the signal violation. The memory device is adapted to store violations if immediate reporting is not possible due to lack of coverage in case of GSM or lack of range in case of Wi-Fi or in case of lack of gateway device e.g. In case of LoRa.

In another aspect, a method for detection of red light violation, in accordance with the present invention is described. Specifically, the method is described in conjunction with the system of the present invention. The method begins when the vehicle approaches the signal and receives an indication that current signal status is about to change to red or has already changed to red, and the driver decides not to follow the traffic rules and barges through the signal. The second module detects the signal violated by the driver of the vehicle and warns driver of imminent traffic rule violation by any one of an audio mechanism, a visual mechanism and a combination of both. If the driver ignores the warning, the interface of the second module sends message data related to signal violation to the authorized server. The message data includes unique ID of the signal that was violated and GPS location marker of the vehicle where the signal violation was detected.

Brief description of drawings:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a system for detection of red light violation, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention:

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a system and a method for detection of red light violation. The system and the method provide a standardized detection and reporting of violation of signal by multiple vehicles at same time.

Referring now to figure 1, in one aspect, a system (100) for detection of red light violation, in accordance with the present invention is described. Specifically, the system (100) is designed as a bi-modular system comprising of a first module (30) and a second module (80) for detection of the red light violation by a vehicle (not shown), in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The first module (30), alternately referred as an on-signal module is capable of being positioned on each of signal poles (not shown) at every signal junction. The first module (30) includes a detection mechanism (10) and a transceiver mechanism/device (20) configured therein.

The detection mechanism (10) is adapted for checking signal status. The detection mechanism (10) includes an interface (not shown) with a signal controller (not shown) and a clamp-on hardware (not shown) added to each signal light to provide a photo-sensor based current on-signal detection, a low-end camera based detection or any other suitable system known in the art for detecting the signal status.

The transceiver mechanism (20) includes an identifier (not shown) configured therein to broadcast current signal status for example whether the signal is about to change to red or has already changed to red on a known (licensed or free-to-use) broadcast frequency such as 433-434 MHz license-free band, 26-28MHz CB band and the like.

The second module (80) is an on-vehicle module capable of being positioned inside the vehicle. The second module (80) includes a location identification mechanism (40), a transceiver communication mechanism (50), an interface (60) and a memory device (70) configured therein.

The location identification mechanism (40) for example a GPS coverage independent location identification mechanism is integrated into a vehicle health monitoring system to check engine status, gear status or any other car peripheral status to detect motion of the vehicle.

The transceiver communication mechanism (50) is adapted to receive signal status and other communication from the transceiver mechanism (20) of the first module (30).

The interface (60) for example a GSM interface is adapted to report a possible violation of the signal to an authorized server (not shown) including but not limited to a proprietary server, a government agency server and the like. Specifically, the interface (60) sends message data related to signal violation to the authorized server utilizing GSM, Wi-Fi, LoRa, or any other suitable wireless interfaces known in the art.

The memory device (70) is adapted to store violations if immediate reporting is not possible due to lack of coverage (in case of GSM) or lack of range (in case of Wi-Fi) or in case of lack of gateway device (e.g. In case of LoRa).

In another aspect, a method (not shown) for detection of red light violation, in accordance with the present invention is described. Specifically, the method is described in conjunction with the system (100) of the present invention. The method begins when the vehicle approaches the signal and receives an indication that current signal status is about to change to red or has already changed to red, and the driver decides not to follow the traffic rules and barges through the signal.

The second module (80) detects the signal violated by the driver of the vehicle and warns driver of imminent traffic rule violation by any one of an audio mechanism, a visual mechanism and a combination of both.

If the driver ignores the warning, the interface (60) of the second module sends message data related to signal violation to the authorized server. The message data includes unique ID of the signal that was violated and GPS location marker of the vehicle where the signal violation was detected. Specifically, the unique ID of the signal is linked to the vehicle's registration. In an embodiment, additional information related to vehicle speed, vehicle brake and accelerator status can be included in the message data for cases where the device is integrated into the vehicle's monitoring system over an available interface like CAN, OBD-II and the like.

Advantages of the invention

With city-wide geo-fencing in place, the system (100) is also capable of being used to implement violation reporting for no parking, for parking at places where parking is allowed but only for specific people (e.g. Parking spaces for differently enabled people), for parking where a no-parking zone is not de-marked but parking is either not legal or not considered good-citizen practice (e.g. in front of fire-fighting stations, in front of electrical distribution boxes, at critical facility entrances and the like.).

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the present invention.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:

1. A system (100) for detection of red light violation comprises of:
a first module (30) positioned on each of signal poles at every signal junction, the first module (30) comprising,
• a detection mechanism (10) configured therein for checking/detecting signal status, the detection mechanism (10) includes an interface with a signal controller and a clamp-on hardware added to each signal light, and
• a transceiver mechanism/device (20) configured therein, the transceiver mechanism includes an identifier configured therein to broadcast current signal status; and
a second module (80) positioned inside a vehicle, the second module (80) comprising,
• a location identification mechanism (40) configured therein, wherein the location identification mechanism (40) is a GPS coverage independent location identification mechanism integrated into a vehicle health monitoring system to check engine status, gear status and any other vehicle’s peripheral status to detect motion of the vehicle,
• a transceiver communication mechanism (50) configured therein to receive the signal status and other communication from the transceiver mechanism (20),
• an interface (60) configured therein to report a possible violation of the signal to an authorized server by sending message data related to the signal violation,
• a memory device (70) configured therein to store the data related to the signal violation during non-reporting of the data due to lack of coverage (in case of GSM), in case of lack of range (in case of Wi-Fi) and in case of lack of gateway device (in case of LoRa);
wherein, in an operation, on detecting the signal violation, the second module (80) warns a driver of the vehicle about imminent traffic rule violation by any one of an audio mechanism, a visual mechanism and a combination of both and on detecting ignorance of the warning by the driver, the interface (60) sends the message data related to the signal violation to the authorized server.

2. The system (100) for detection of red light violation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism detects the signal status by any one of the ways selected from photo-sensor based current on-signal detection and a low-end camera based detection.

3. The system (100) for detection of red light violation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier of the transceiver mechanism broadcasts the current signal status selected from ‘the signal is about to change to red’ and ‘the signal has already changed to red’ on a known (licensed/free-to-use) broadcast frequency including 433-434 MHz license-free band and 26-28MHz CB band.

4. The system (100) for detection of red light violation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface is selected from any one of GSM interface, Wi-Fi interface, LoRa interface and any other suitable wireless interfaces and the authorized server includes any one of the servers selected from a proprietary server and a government agency server.

5. The system (100) for detection of red light violation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message data related to the signal violation includes unique ID of the signal violated that is linked to the vehicle's registration and GPS location marker of the vehicle, additional information related to vehicle speed, vehicle brake and accelerator status.

6. A method for detection of red light violation in conjunction with the system (100) comprising steps of:
detecting current signal status by the detection mechanism (10) of the first module (30) by any one of the ways selected from photo-sensor based current on-signal detection and a low-end camera based detection;
broadcasting the current signal status selected from ‘the signal is about to change to red’ and ‘the signal has already changed to red’ on a known (licensed/free-to-use) broadcast frequency including 433-434 MHz license-free band and 26-28MHz CB band by the transceiver mechanism/device (20) of the first module (30);
warning the driver about the imminent traffic rule violation by any one of an audio mechanism, a visual mechanism and a combination of both by the second module (80) on detecting signal violation of the vehicle; and
sending message data related to the signal violation to the authorized server by the interface on detecting ignorance of the warning by the driver, wherein the interface is selected from any one of GSM interface, Wi-Fi interface, LoRa interface and any other suitable wireless interfaces, wherein the authorized server includes any one of the servers selected from a proprietary server and a government agency server and further wherein, the message data related to the signal violation includes unique ID of the signal violated that is linked to the vehicle's registration and GPS location marker of the vehicle, additional information related to vehicle speed, vehicle brake and accelerator status.

Dated this 02nd day of March 2018

Madhavi Vajirakar
(Agent for Applicant)
IN/PA-2337