Abstract: An image tracking apparatus includes a video camera 10 for forming an image of a target vehicle and for producing image signals at predetermined time intervals, a first memory 5A for storing image signals, a window setting switch 9 for setting a tracking window on the image signals which were stored in the first memory, a second memory 6A for storing, as reference image signals, the image signals on which the tracking window has been set, a device 11 for detecting whether or not any disturbance has been introduced into the image signals stored in the first memory, and a device 12 for correcting by interpolation the image signals stored in the first memory to reduce the influence of any disturbances.

Abstract: A moving body measuring device, having an image taking unit for taking an image of a moving body, a controller for controlling the image taking unit and a frame memory for memorizing an image data of the image of the image taking unit, which processes the image data, detects the moving body and obtains an information of the moving body which comprises an existence domain setting circuit for previously setting an existence domain of the moving body extended along a moving path of the moving body based on the image data, a sampling circuit for sampling a data showing the moving body based on the image data in the existence domain, and a timewise data accumulating circuit for timewisely and continuously accumulating at every constant period, the data showing the moving body sampled by the sampling circuit which detects a timewise change of the moving body moving in the previously set existence domain.

Abstract: An off-lane alarm apparatus is disclosed in which upon the increase of the height of a pickup sensor mounted on a car, the increased portion is provided for an image processing device. The image processing device then determines a necessary outside area of a predetermined lane width with other input or switched data to mask an image portion corresponding to the necessary outside area for the car's off-lane detection.

Abstract: a video incident capture system for law enforcement vehicles. The video incident capture system incorporates a video camera, a video recorder, a radar unit, a real time clock, a monitor, a portable wireless microphone and its associated receiver and a system controller integrating the control of the various components to produce a comprehensive, unedited record of the incident. The system controller superimposes the target speed and patrol speed data generated by the radar unit over the video signals generated by the video camera prior to being recorded on the videotape. The portable wireless microphone permits the conversation between the law enforcement and a second party to be made part of the recorded incident. A radar interface will replace the target and/or patrol speed data with error data when an error in the operating parameters of the radar unit is detected.

Abstract: A traffic control system having a road information storing unit for storing information of a road map and the capacity of roads on the road map, a traffic measuring unit for measuring the traffic of roads, a traffic increase/decrease quantity calculating unit for calculating a traffic increase/decrease quantity between main points by using the measured traffic, a road traffic calculating unit for calculating traffic of a main road, by using the traffic increase/decrease quantity, and an area determining unit for determining an area which is the area for congestions less traffic by using the calculated traffic and the road capacity while maintaining the traffic increase/decrease quantity at a proper value. It is possible to control the traffic while considering nearby traffic conditions, to prevent and relieve congestion, and to maximize the traffic of roads, thereby minimizing the time required for reaching a destination.

Abstract: A warning system for a vehicle obtains image data by three-dimensionally recognizing a road extending ahead of the vehicle and traffic conditions, decides that driver's wakefulness is on a high level when there is any one of psychological stimuli to the driver or that driver's wakefulness is on a low level when there is not psychological stimulus to the driver, estimates the possibilities of collision and off-lane travel, and gives the driver a warning against collision or off-lane travel when there is the high possibility of collision or off-lane travel.

Abstract: A moving body measuring device, having an image taking unit for taking an image of a moving body, a controllers for controlling the image taking unit and a frame memory for memorizing an image data of the image of the image taking unit, which processes the image data, detects the moving body and obtains an information of the moving body which comprises an existence domain setting circuits for previously setting an existence domain of the moving body extended along a moving path of the moving body based on the image data, a sampling circuits for sampling a data showing the moving body based on the image data in the existence domain, and a timewise data accumulating circuits for timewisely and continuously accumulating at every constant period, the data showing the moving body sampled by the sampling circuits which detects a timewise change of the moving body moving in the previously set existence domain.

Abstract: The present invention provides vehicle activity data by accurately measuring and collecting traffic information, such as vehicle speed, number of passing vehicles, types such as small size and large size of the vehicles. The invention allows tracing of a vehicle which makes a lane change, avoids influence of a large size vehicle for measurement in an adjacent lane, and provides an approach for obtaining vehicle activity data at night time or in the rain. The apparatus stores video information from a video camera in image memories. The stored current image data and background data are processed by an image processing section to assign identification number for respective individual vehicles. Results of tracing include a position of the front end of the vehicle in a measuring area, a vehicle width, and both end positions of the vehicle are stored in time sequence.

Abstract: In an automatic speed monitoring system of the type in which data is incorporated into a photograph of a vehicle, security of the data is provided through the addition of redundant information to the recorded data. The data is processed to derive an alphanumeric test symbol that is based on the data symbols. This test symbol is recorded along with the data. In subsequent validation of the data, the data is processed in the same manner to derive a symbol, and this symbol is compared with the recorded test symbol to determine the correctness of the recorded data.

Abstract: An object recognition system using the image processing in which an area having a unique feature is extracted from an input image of an object, the unique image is registered in a shade template memory circuit as a shade template, the input image is searched for an image similar to the shade template registered by a shade pattern matching circuit, the position of an object is determined for each template, the speed and direction of movement of the object is determined from the positional information, and the results thereof are integrated by a separation/integration circuit, thereby recognizing the whole of the moving object.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer, has a closed circuit television system that provides the driver with rear and side views of blind spots that the he or she may otherwise be unable to see. When the vehicle is placed in reverse, the view from the rear camera is forced onto the screen of the video monitor to the exclusion of the side camera, or any other camera connected to the system. The invention provides an automation circuit that is responsive to turn signal and hazard warning signal actuation for causing the side camera to be actively connected to the monitor screen when the turn signal system is actuated to give a turn signal to the same side as that viewed by the side video camera and for preventing the side camera from being actively connected to the monitor screen when the hazard warning system is actuated to give a hazard warning signal.

Abstract: An improved traffic monitoring and evidence gathering device (10) is provided which can be mounted in a mobile monitoring vehicle (32) in order to monitor vehicle traffic speed and, when a speeding violation is detected, to generate a vehicle-identifying image (38) having date, time, vehicle speed and location information imposed thereon. The device (10) includes a speed detector (12) operably coupled with a camera (14) and global positioning monitor (16); the monitor (16) is also connected to camera (14). When a monitored vehicle's speed exceeds a predetermined magnitude, the detector (12) generates an output serving to initiate operation of the camera (14) and satellite monitor (16), and to deliver speed information to the camera (14). The camera (14) creates a vehicle-identifying image (38), and imposes on the image (38) the speed and position information.

Abstract: A new and improved remotely-controlled radar gun apparatus is provided for a motor vehicle which has a metal roof. A remote-controlled radar gun assembly is mounted on a roof-mounted support assembly, and a radar-gun control module is contained within an interior portion of the motor vehicle. The radar-gun control module is connected to the remote-controlled radar gun assembly by a cable assembly, such that a quantity of metal in the roof of the motor vehicle provides a protective barrier to a police officer inside the motor vehicle from radar waves emitted by the remote-controlled radar gun assembly. The roof-mounted support assembly also supports a plurality of flashing light assemblies. In addition, a new and improved remotely-controlled video recording apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of remote-controlled video camera assemblies mounted on a roof-mounted support assembly, and a video camera actuator assembly remotely connected to the remote-controlled video camera assemblies by a cable.

Abstract: A road obstacle monitoring device is disclosed, in which a monitoring imaging section monitors and images a road section, where road obstacles by wave flooding, land slip, etc. are foreseen, to output image signals; the image signals thus generated are data-processed by an image processing section so that component data corresponding to the road obstacles are extracted; and the component data corresponding to the road obstacles thus extracted are measured by a measuring recognizing section for measuring the component data corresponding to the road obstacles thus extracted so that it is detected from a result of measurements whether there exist the road obstacles or not and a result of recognition thus obtained is displayed for warning so as to inform passengers, drivers of vehicles, etc. passing therethrough of the road obstacles by wave flooding, land slip, etc. in the road section to be monitored.

Abstract: A device for cracking down on disregard of a traffic signal includes a television camera for imaging a road, on which signal lights are mounted at a cross; a vehicle movement measuring instrument for processing image data coming from the television camera and measures traveling position and traveling speed of each vehicle; a signal state detector for detecting an indication color of the signal lights; and a traffic signal disregarding vehicle detector for detecting a vehicle which has disregarded a traffic signal, based on the traveling position and the traveling speed of the vehicle measured by the vehicle movement measuring instrument and the indication color of the signal lights detected by the signal state detector. The vehicle movement measuring instrument measures the distance from the cross and the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photosensitive element (1) for detecting flashes of light (2).According to the invention, said photosensitive element (1) includes a control device (4) knowing the instant of the emission of the flashes of light (2) and capable of switching said photosensitive element into one or the other of two different states:a positive accumulation state in which the accumulation capacitor (12) is charged by the light energy from said photosensitive element (1); anda negative accumulation state in which the accumulation capacitor (12) is discharged by the light energy from said photosensitive element (1).

Abstract: A vehicular traffic monitoring system incorporates an array of photosensors and a nonlinear resistive network for identifying, locating, and processing outliers in sensor images of a highway or intersection. The camera system can be mounted on a pole or overpass to provide an image of the roadway or intersection. Areas of the outlier network ("video loops") are designated to correspond to selected areas of the roadway. Images are received by the outlier detection network with all data path switches closed between sensor elements and their corresponding network nodes. The system detects the presence of objects in the image by comparing the brightness or intensity of each pixel with that of the background. If the intensity of a pixel is significantly different from the background level, the data path switch corresponding to that pixel is opened. A readout of the state of all the switches in the network yields a map of outlier points for each video frame.

Abstract: A moving body measuring device, having an image taking unit for taking an image of a moving body, a controller for controlling the image taking unit and a frame memory for memorizing an image data of the image of the image taking unit, which processes the image data, detects the moving body and obtains an information of the moving body which comprises an existence domain setting circuit for previously setting an existence domain of the moving body extended along a moving path of the moving body based on the image data, a sampling circuit for sampling a data showing the moving body based on the image data in the existence domain, and a timewise data accumulating circuit for timewisely and continuously accumulating at every constant period, the data showing the moving body sampled by the sampling circuit which detects a timewise change of the moving body moving in the previously set existence domain.

Abstract: A series of image sensors is spaced along a roadway at particular intervals to provide images of the traffic and an identification signal associating those images with the location of the particular sensor providing the images. A main station receives the images from all cameras and broadcasts an information signal comprising segments of those images and the identifications in a particular sequence in accordance with the predominant direction of travel on the roadway. User units include a receiver which displays the images so that the user may preview the roadway ahead to make route choices. In systems covering multiple roadways, the user may select images of the particular roadway to view. The receiver is also responsive to a local broadcast of the camera's identification signal to thereby determine the geographical location of the user and alert the user when particularly pertinent images are being displayed and when decision points are reached where the user must make a route change choice.

Abstract: A method of producing a motion filter for detecting point targets moving slowing within a sequence of readjusted binary images, these images corresponding to a history at the instant n-1, denoted Hist n-1 (1), including target trajectories and alarms. This method includes: A) an initializing step having a sub-step of accumulating results arising from an extractor and which consist of the coordinates hj of the start-points of trajectories and of the coordinates Ci in Hist(n-1) (1); B) a step for constructing the history at the following instant n, denoted Hist N (2), having two loops: B1) a first loop for producing either the lengthening or the initializing of the trajectories depending on the alarms received; B2) a second loop for producing either the lengthening or the destruction of the trajectories not depending on the alarms received; C) a step for detecting the targets from observation of Hist n (2).

Abstract: This device can detect an obstacle in a railroad crossing or similar setting by way of image processing independently of a height and a width of an obstacle. The image data read from a video, camera 11 into a multi-valued image memory 13 is compared with background data stored in a background-data creating unit 15 in a data comparator 16. Based on the compared result, a still-object detector 17 detects if an obstacle exists. If it is detected that an obstacle exists and a rod of a crossing gate is down in a gate state detector 18, an alarm output unit 19 serves to output an alarm signal.

Abstract: A moving body measuring device, having an image taking unit for taking an image of a moving body, a controller for controlling the image taking unit and a frame memory for memorizing an image data of the image of the image taking unit, which processes the image data, detects the moving body and obtains an information of the moving body which comprises an existence domain setting circuit for previously setting an existence domain of the moving body extended along a moving path of the moving body based on the image data, a sampling circuit for sampling a data showing the moving body based on the image data in the existence domain, and a timewise data accumulating circuit for timewisely and continuously accumulating at every constant period, the data showing the moving body sampled by the sampling circuit which detects a timewise change of the moving body moving in the previously set existence domain.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a vehicle path along which a vehicle is traveling. An image of a road presented in front of the vehicle is inputted at intervals of time. The inputted image is processed to detect edge points forming edges in the inputted image and edge gradients at the respective edge points. At least one straight line is assumed. Edge points at which the edge gradients are in a predetermined range determined by the gradient of the assumed straight line are extracted. The extracted edge points are used to calculate an approximate straight line. The approximate straight line has a greatest number of extracted edge points at which the edge gradients are substantially the same. The assumed straight line and the approximate straight line are averaged to provide a new straight line representing one of road sides and/or lane markers.

Abstract: A vision processing apparatus and method for detecting and monitoring traffic flow. The method includes the steps of generating successive images of a section of roadway; transducing the successive images into successive arrays of pixels, each pixel having a luminance value associated therewith; summing the luminance values of all pixels contained within a subarray, or "window" in each one of the arrays; comparing the pixel luminance sum for each one of the subarrays to a reference value; and generating data indicative of the presence of traffic in the section of the path when the difference between the pixel luminance sum and the reference value exceeds a predetermined value. The generated data can thereafter be analyzed to determine various traffic and vehicle parameters, or can be used to operate traffic control devices.