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(11) | EP 1 176 570 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Traffic control and management system comprising infrared sensors |
| (57) A traffic control and management system is described equipped with infrared TV cameras
(or other functionally equivalent sensors) which efficiently maintain the traffic
control and management system even at night and/or in conditions of poor visibility
due to fog, smoke, dust etc. The infrared (IR) sensors also permit anti-theft surveillance and detection of abnormal overheating and/or the beginnings of fire in vehicles in transit and/or on the stretch of road or motorway monitored. Preferably but not necessarily, the infrared TV cameras are integrated with visual TV cameras. |
Field of the invention
[0001] The invention consists of a traffic control and management system equipped with infrared TV cameras (or other functionally equivalent sensors) which efficiently maintain the traffic control and management system even at night and/or in conditions of poor visibility due to fog, smoke, dust etc.
[0002] The infrared sensors also permit anti-theft surveillance and detection of abnormal overheating and/or the beginnings of fire in vehicles in transit and/or on the stretch of road or motorway monitored.
[0003] Preferably but not necessarily, the infrared TV cameras are integrated with visual TV cameras.
Background art
[0004] Transport and traffic problems on the main communication routes have led to the study and creation of monitoring and control systems on roads, super highways, motorways and tunnels by means of visual TV cameras positioned along the route to be monitored.
[0005] The traffic control and management systems existing today involve the acquisition of a sequence of images via visual TV camera and subsequent transmission to and analysis of the images acquired in this way at control stations for detecting abnormal events (such as accidents, vehicles on the wrong side of the road, stationary vehicles or objects on the carriageway etc.) and/or for speed limit control, for checking that drivers are keeping a safe distance, and so on.
[0006] Up to today the problems that have limited use of the known traffic control and management systems (comprising visual TV cameras) for continuous monitoring of a stretch of road or motorway or tunnel derive from the inevitable loss of efficiency of such systems in conditions of poor visibility due to fog, the dark, dust and smoke of various types.
[0007] The visual TV cameras of the currently existing traffic control and management systems can be installed either in the open or in tunnels (on condition that the latter are adequately lit) and permit detection of the presence of stationary vehicles (or objects) on the carriageway and slow-moving vehicles due to traffic congestion.
[0008] For this purpose image processing algorithms are used (not described here as they are well-known to technicians in the sector) which automatically extrapolate the fundamental traffic data from the sequence of images sent by the TV cameras.
[0009] As previously said, the known traffic control and management systems (which use visual sensors) require optimal visibility on the stretch of road or motorway to be monitored and their efficiency is considerably reduced (and even annulled) in the event of fog, smoke of various types and darkness; if at least some of the sensors are installed in a tunnel, the latter must be adequately lit by artificial lighting.
[0010] To overcome the problems that have so far limited use of the known traffic control and management systems (comprising visual TV cameras) for continuous monitoring of a stretch of road or motorway and/or tunnel, the Applicant has devised a traffic control and management system equipped at least with infrared TV cameras (or other equivalent sensors) to solve the problem of poor visibility and detect the beginnings of fire on board vehicles and/or along the stretch of road or motorway to be monitored.
[0011] In a possible form of embodiment of the invention, each infrared TV camera (or other equivalent visual sensor) is combined with a visual TV camera (or other equivalent visual sensor).
[0012] In the event of an accident with vehicles catching fire and/or a fire on the road, the infrared sensors (as they are not sensitive to the smoke caused by the fire) allow the service staff and authorities (firemen, police, etc.) responsible for the rescue and/or prevention operations to identify the vehicles involved, the extent of the accident and subsequent development of the situation at the place of the accident.
[0013] The detection system subject of this invention is an integrated system for advanced monitoring of the conditions of stretches of road and/or motorways and the traffic circulating on the same, paying particular attention to heavy traffic in order to increase safety and efficiency in all operating conditions.
Summary of the invention.
[0014] Object of the invention is a traffic control and management system that comprises at least one peripheral unit connected by two-way transmission devices to a central unit where each peripheral unit comprises at least one infrared sensor and devices for controlling said infrared sensor and transmitting to the central unit the images acquired via said infrared sensor.
[0015] Preferably each peripheral unit also comprises at least one visual sensor: the images acquired via said visual sensor are managed and transmitted to the central unit by the devices that manage and transmit to the central unit the images acquired via said infrared sensor.
List of the figures.
[0016] The invention will now be better described with reference to a non-restrictive example of an embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, where:
- figure 1 shows schematically the structure of a traffic control and management system;
- figure 2 shows a block diagram of the traffic control and management system subject of the present invention;
- figure 3 shows a flow chart designed to illustrate schematically operation of the system of figure 2.
[0017] In the attached figures, the corresponding elements will be identified by the same numerical references.
Detailed description.
[0018] The system devised by the Applicant is an integrated system for advanced monitoring of the conditions of stretches of road and/or motorway and the traffic circulating on the same with particular reference to heavy traffic in order to increase safety and efficiency in all operating conditions.
[0019] The known traffic control and management systems comprise at least one peripheral unit connected by two-way transmission devices to a central unit where each peripheral unit comprises at least one visual sensor and devices for controlling said visual sensor and transmitting to the central unit the images acquired via said visual sensor; in some applications, the central units can be connected by the two-way transmission devices to a supervision unit (figure 1).
[0020] The traffic control and management system devised by the Applicant differs from the known ones essentially due to the fact that each peripheral unit is equipped with one or more infrared sensors: the images acquired via said infrared sensor(s) are managed and transmitted to the central unit by devices basically equivalent to those that, in the known systems, manage and transmit to the central unit the images acquired via the visual sensor.
[0021] Theoretical studies and experimental tests carried out by the Applicant have shown that a traffic control and management system devised according to the invention can offer (in addition to the possibilities offered by the known traffic control and management systems, for example control of traffic conditions and/or detection of stationary vehicles on the carriageway in normal traffic conditions and/or loads on the ground that have fallen from passing vehicles) further possibilities such as prompt detection of overheating (which can cause fire) and/or fires that have broken out in vehicles (in particular in heavy goods vehicles) at a standstill or moving in the operating range of the infrared sensor and the presence of pedestrians in areas where transit of vehicles only is permitted or in any case the presence of non-authorised persons in forbidden areas.
[0022] Said further possibilities offered by the traffic control and management system object of the present invention increase traffic safety, permitting fire prevention (with particular attention to stretches of road in tunnels), prompt detection of fires on board vehicles in transit (with particular attention to stretches of road in tunnels) and implementation of anti-theft systems for controlling the presence of persons in traffic-designated areas.
[0023] The programs and procedures that manage said functions for preventing fires and detecting fires that have broken out and said anti-theft systems (not described here as already known) can be easily integrated, without requiring inventive activity, in the traffic control and management programs by an image processing expert with adequate knowledge in the field of infrared detection.
[0024] While it can be used to great advantage throughout the network of motorways and main communication routes, the traffic control and management system object of the present invention is particularly advantageous for reducing accidents in tunnels with particular reference to cases of fire or overheating of vehicles in multiple and long distance tunnels and for dealing with any emergencies arising from said accidents.
[0025] In the non-restrictive embodiment example illustrated in the attached figures, each infrared sensor is associated with a visual sensor which can nevertheless be omitted while remaining within the scope of the invention.
[0026] The visual sensors, if present, facilitate the job of any operators as they provide visual images (to replace and/or be used in conjunction with the infrared images) which can be read much more easily and rapidly than the infrared images also by personnel without any specific training: this increased "readability" is (or can be) particularly advantageous when dealing with an emergency situation.
[0027] While remaining within the scope of the invention, it is possible to use the visual sensors, if present, to make the control and management system devised by the Applicant performing the functions performed by the known management and control systems and use the infrared sensors to overcome the limitations inherent in the use of visual sensors and to perform further functions (fire prevention and detection, anti-theft, etc.) strictly correlated with the use of infrared sensors.
[0028] Figure 1 shows schematically the "tree" structure of a traffic control and management system in which a number of peripheral units 1 are connected to a central unit 2 and a number of central units 2 are connected to a supervision unit 3, which in some applications can be omitted.
[0029] Said "tree" structure is common to both the known traffic control and management systems and to the traffic control and management system object of the present invention.
[0030] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the traffic control and management system object of the present invention, which comprises at least, in combination, a peripheral unit 1 connected by two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6) to a central unit 2; in the embodiment example described here as a non-restrictive example, the central units 2 are in their turn connected by two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6) to a supervision unit 3 which, as previously said, can be omitted while remaining within the scope of the invention.
[0031] Each peripheral unit 1 comprises at least one IR infrared sensor and devices for managing said IR infrared sensor and transmitting to the central unit 2, via the two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6), the images acquired via said IR sensor.
[0032] In the embodiment example described here, each peripheral unit 1 also comprises at least one visual TV sensor combined with said IR infrared sensor and the images acquired via said visual TV sensor are managed and transmitted to the central unit 2, via the two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6), by the above-mentioned devices for managing and transmitting to the central unit 2 the images acquired via said at least one IR infrared sensor.
[0033] Said at least one IR infrared sensor is positioned in a sealed container 7, which preferably but not necessarily can be traversed, the inside of which also houses said visual TV sensor, if present.
[0034] The devices (known) for managing the sensors (IR and TV, if present) and transmitting the images to the central unit 2 comprise at least, in combination, one analogue/digital converter 8 which digitalises the images acquired by the sensors (IR and TV, if present) and one logic control unit 9 which analyses the images digitalised by the converter 8 to identify any abnormal situations, transmits to the central unit 2 (via the two-way transmission devices comprising the network interface circuits 5 and 6 interconnected by the line 4) the digitalised images and an alarm message (if it detects an abnormal situation) and drives (via the interface 10) the motors that move the container 7.
[0035] Furthermore, reference number 11 in figure 2 indicates the devices supplying the peripheral unit 1.
[0036] The units that make up each peripheral unit 1 and operation of the management and transmission devices (8, 9) will not be described here as they are the same as those of a peripheral unit of a known type of system equipped with visual sensors only.
[0037] In particular, the programs loaded in the logic unit 9 will not be described here as they basically correspond to those loaded in the logic unit controlling the peripheral unit of a known traffic control and management system: any modifications and additions to enable the logic unit 9 to manage the IR infrared sensors (in addition to any visual TV sensors) can be easily implemented, without involving any inventive activity, by an image processing expert with adequate knowledge of infrared detection.
[0038] The central unit 2 is the same as the one of a known type of traffic control and management system and comprises a logic unit 12 that manages the central unit 2; alarm and signalling devices 13 activated by the logic unit 12 in response to an alarm message transmitted by the logic unit 9 of a peripheral unit 1 when it detects an abnormal situation; a video-recording unit 14 driven by the logic unit 12 via the interface 15, which permits recording (if required) of the images acquired via the sensors (IR and TV, if present) of the peripheral units 1 connected to the central unit 2; input/output devices 16 (keyboard, video, printer, etc.) enabling the operator, if present, to dialogue with the logic unit 12 and devices 17 (for example variable message panels) for sending the users any messages concerning traffic conditions.
[0040] The units that make up the central unit 2 and their operation will not be described here because they are the same as those of a central unit of a known type of traffic control and management system; in particular, the programs loaded in the logic unit 12 will not be described here because an image processing expert with adequate knowledge of infrared detection can obtain them, without involving inventive action, from the programs loaded in the logic unit controlling the central unit of a known traffic control and management system.
[0041] The structure of the supervision unit 3 is the same as that of the central unit 2, the difference being due basically to the fact that it is equipped with a modem 18 (or other functionally equivalent device), combined with the network interface circuit 5, in order to dialogue with a CR remote unit (another supervision unit 3, a central traffic management and supervision unit etc.) and the fact that the alarm and signalling devices 13 can be omitted, as in the embodiment example of figure 2.
[0042] The units that make up the supervision unit 3 and their operation will not be described here because they are the same as those of a central unit of a known type of traffic control and management system; in particular, an image processing expert with adequate knowledge of infrared detection can obtain, without involving inventive action, the programs loaded in the logic unit 12 of the supervision unit 3 from the programs loaded in the logic unit controlling the supervision unit of a known traffic control and management system.
[0043] While remaining within the scope of the invention it is possible to replace with a modem the network interface circuit (5, 6) in one or more peripheral units 1 and/or in one or more central units 2 if the length of the line 4 does not permit the use of network interface circuits (5, 6).
[0044] In a possible form of embodiment of the traffic control and management system object of the present invention, the logic units 9 of the peripheral units 1, unmanned, detect abnormal situations (e.g. slowed-down traffic or traffic at a standstill) and/or (potentially) dangerous situations (e.g. accident or risk of accident on board a vehicle) and send alarm messages to the central unit 2 to which they are connected; said central unit also receives the images of the stretch of road or motorway being monitored detected by the IR infrared sensors and the visual TV sensors (if present).
[0045] These alarm messages activate (or can activate) automatically traffic signalling and management systems (13, 17) (e.g. variable message panels, blinking yellow lights and/or traffic lights) located along the road or motorway and controlled by the central unit 2 and also activate alarm signals for an operator who (if present at the central unit) can take control of the situation and decide on a time by time basis, in response to the alarm messages and images received from said peripheral unit 1 involved, the most suitable way of dealing with the abnormal situation in progress according to procedures established by the organisation managing the stretch of road or motorway.
[0046] If necessary, the operator can de-activate at least part of the traffic signalling and management systems (13, 17) that have been automatically activated and/or use them to send the users targeted messages, alert the protection and rescue services (fire, police, ambulances, breakdown services etc.), alert any supervision centre 3 and transfer the alarm messages and images acquired via the sensors, and so on.
[0047] Said procedures and the means for implementing them will not be further described as they are already known and the same as those of the known traffic control and management systems.
[0048] Figure 3 shows a flow chart schematically illustrating operation of the detection system of figure 2.
[0049] The logic unit 9 of each peripheral unit 1 controls the relevant area and monitors the traffic conditions by continuously scanning the images acquired via said sensor (IR and TV, if present) positioned in container 7 belonging to peripheral unit 1.
[0050] If it detects an abnormal situation (step 21), the logic unit 9 sends to the central unit 2 (step 23), to which the peripheral unit 1 is connected, at least one alarm message and images acquired via said sensor (IR and TV, if present), otherwise the logic unit 9 runs an auto-diagnosis program (step 22) and sends to the central unit 2 (step 24), in addition to the images acquired via said sensor (IR and TV, if present), a message confirming correct operation of the peripheral unit 1.
[0051] In response to the reception of an alarm message by the peripheral unit 1, the logic unit 12 of the central unit 2 to which the peripheral unit 1 is connected further processes the information received, automatically activates (step 26) the traffic signalling and management systems (13, 17) along the road or motorway and provides the operator, via the input/output devices 16 (figure 2), with the images acquired via said sensor (IR and TV, if present), possibly pre-processed.
[0052] The images acquired by the sensors (IR and TV, if present) belonging to the peripheral units 1 connected to the central unit 2 and received by the central unit 2 combined with an alarm message (step 23) or a correct operation message (step 24) are recorded (step 27), automatically or upon the request of an operator, by the video-recording unit 14 (figure 2) belonging to the central unit 2 and/or to the supervision unit 3, if present.
[0053] An interesting characteristic of the traffic control and management system described here is the fact that an operator, if present at the central unit 2, can at any time (step 28) take control of the traffic control and management system and traverse as required the IR and TV (if present) sensors belonging to the peripheral units 1 connected to the central unit 2.
[0054] Preferably but not necessarily, assumption of control of the traffic control and management system by the operator is subject to the input of an identification password.
1. Traffic control and management system comprising at least one peripheral unit (1)
connected by two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6) to a central unit (2), each peripheral
unit (1) comprising at least one sensor and at least devices (8, 9) for managing said
at least one sensor and transmitting to the central unit (2) images acquired via said
at least one sensor, characterised in that said at least one sensor is an infrared sensor (IR).
2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that each peripheral unit (1) furthermore comprises at least one visual sensor (TV) combined
with said infrared sensor (IR) and in that the images acquired via said visual sensor (TV) are managed and transmitted to the
central unit (2) by the above devices (8, 9) designed to manage and transmit to the
central unit (2) images acquired via said infrared sensor (IR).
3. System according to claim 1, comprising at least two central units (2), characterised in that the central units (2) are connected by two-way transmission devices (4, 5, 6) to
a supervision unit (3).
4. System according to claim 1, characterised in that said infrared sensor (IR) is positioned in a sealed container (7).
5. System according to claims 2 and 4, characterised in that said visual sensor (TV) is positioned in the sealed container (7) in which said infrared
sensor (IR) is positioned.
6. System according to claims 4 or 5, characterised in that the sealed container (7) is capable of being traversed.
7. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that:
- the logic unit (9) of each peripheral unit (1) continuously scans the images acquired via said sensor positioned in the container (7) belonging to the peripheral unit (1);
- if it detects an abnormal situation (step 21), the logic unit (9) sends (step 23) to the central unit (2) to which the peripheral unit (1) is connected at least one alarm message and the images acquired via said sensor, otherwise the logic unit (9) runs an auto-diagnosis program (step 22) and sends to the central unit (2; step 24), in addition to the images acquired via said sensor, a message confirming correct operation of the peripheral unit (1);
- in response to the reception of an alarm message by a peripheral unit (1), the logic unit (12) of the central unit (2) to which the peripheral unit (1) is connected further processes the information received, automatically activates (step 26) traffic signalling and management systems (13, 17) positioned along the road or motorway and provides the operator, via input/output devices (16), with the images acquired via said sensor, possibly pre-processed.
8. System according to claim 7, characterised in that the images acquired by the sensors belonging to the peripheral units (1) connected
to the central unit (2) and received by the central unit (2) combined with an alarm
message (step 23) or a correct operation message (step 24) are recorded (step 27).
9. System according to claim 8, characterised in that the images acquired by the sensors belonging to the peripheral units (1) connected
to the central unit (2) are recorded by a video-recording unit (14) belonging to the
central unit (2) and/or to a possible supervision unit (3).
10. System according to claim 7, characterised in that an operator at the central unit (2) can at any time (step 28) take control of the
traffic control and management system and traverse as required the sensors belonging
to the peripheral units (1) connected to the central unit (2).
11. System according to claim 10, characterised in that assumption of control of the traffic control and management system by an operator
is subject to the input of an identification password.
12. System according to claim 7, characterised in that, in the event of malfunctioning, a peripheral unit (1) is able to forward to the
central unit (2) to which it is connected messages concerning the results of the auto-diagnosis
program included in the logic unit (9) of the peripheral unit (1).