Abstract: A traffic sensor system for detecting and tracking vehicles is describede. A video camera is employed to obtain a video image of a section of a roadway. Motion is detected through changes in luminance and edges in frames of the video image. Predetermined sets of pixels (“tiles”) in the frames are designated to be in either an “active” state or an “inactive” state. A tile becomes active when the luminance or edge values of the pixels of the tile differ from the respective luminance or edge values of a corresponding tile in a reference frame in accordance with predetermined criteria. The tile becomes inactive when the luminance or edge values of the pixels of the tile do not differ from the corresponding reference frame tile in accordance with the is predetermined criteria. Shape and motion of groups of active tiles (“quanta”) are analyzed with software and a neural network to detect and track vehicles.

Abstract: A system for generating a traffic violation citation, which operates using at least one image data file including digitized video data. The image data file includes multiple images of an intersection during a red light violation. The image data file is, for example, derived from the output of one or more video cameras positioned to record respective views of an intersection being monitored for red light violations. The disclosed system provides a user with an interface including at least one image display window. The image display window is used to display portions of the image data file. Where the image data file includes multiple video clips, such clips may be displayed simultaneously in respective ones of multiple display windows. The system further includes a selection interface that permits a user to select at least one image from the image data file, for example a current image being displayed in an image display window.

Abstract: A traffic light violation prediction and recording system, including at least one violation prediction video camera and a violation prediction unit. The violation prediction unit generates violation probability scores for vehicles approaching a traffic intersection based on attributes of those vehicles, such as position, current speed and acceleration. The violation probability scores are passed to a violation recording unit, which allocates violation recording resources, such as a violation video camera, to capture activities of one or more vehicles associated with relatively high violation probabilities. The violation recording unit determines a violation recording resource allocation schedule. If sufficient resources cannot be allocated to record all possible violations within a given time period, the violation recording unit may ignore a potential violation having a relatively low priority.

Abstract: A traffic sensor system for detecting and tracking vehicles is described. The disclosed system may be employed as a traffic light violation prediction system for a traffic signal, and as a collision avoidance system. A video camera is employed to obtain a video image of a section of a roadway. Motion is detected through changes in luminance and edges in frames of the video image. Predetermined sets of pixels (“tiles”) in the frames are designated to be in either an “active” state or an “inactive” state. A tile becomes active when the luminance or edge values of the pixels of the tile differ from the respective luminance or edge values of a corresponding tile in a reference frame in accordance with predetermined criteria. The tile becomes inactive when the luminance or edge values of the pixels of the tile do not differ from the corresponding reference frame tile in accordance with the predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A collision avoidance system and method for a traffic intersection having a traffic light, which selectively extends the duration of a red light cycle to prevent traffic from entering the intersection during a red light violation. Output from one or more violation prediction image capturing devices is used to provide images showing one or more vehicles approaching the intersection. A violation prediction unit, which is also coupled to a signal reflecting a current light phase of the first traffic signal, receives and processes vehicle location information derived from the images to generate violation predictions for the vehicles approaching the intersection. The violation prediction indicates a likelihood that an associated vehicle will violate an upcoming red light phase of the traffic signal. In response to the violation prediction, a violation predicted signal is provided to a traffic signal controlling traffic intersecting with the predicted violator.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating traffic light violation related vehicle information with court date scheduling information, which employs one or more digitized video recordings of alleged violations. The system provides end-to-end violation processing using the digitized video recordings of the event, and using vehicle database information, as may for example be provided from a department of motor vehicles (DMV) database. The system potentially also interfaces to a court date scheduling database, which includes indications of various available times at which hearings regarding traffic violations may be scheduled. A user interface may provide a display of one or more perspectives on the violation event, as well as access to the vehicle and court date scheduling database.

Abstract: A disk control system offloads to the disk controller much of the overhead associated with disk operations and makes the CPU available for other work. A command block that fully specifies a user request for a disk operation is forwarded to the disk memory unit. The command block contains a unique identifier for tracking of user requests. User requests are executed by the disk memory unit in an order that is most efficient for the disk drive system. The status of a user request is communicated to the CPU via an interrupt and a status block containing the unique identifier. The status block indicates status conditions such as command read, completion and DMA channel request. The disk driver contains a work queue for user requests that have not been forwarded to the disk memory unit and a pending queue for user requests that are awaiting completion by the disk memory unit. By manipulation of the work queues and pending queues, the disk controller can be automatically reinitialized when an error occurs.