Detection of traffic violations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9754484-B2
Application number	US-201514669639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2011
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

In general, embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles. For example, in one embodiment, this may include receiving an indication that a school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position. After receiving an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, an area proximate the school bus can be monitored to detect possible traffic violations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles, the method comprising:
capturing telematics data, from one or more telematics devices, affixed to a school bus, comprising at least one sensor detecting a characteristic relating to the school bus itself, the telematics data indicating at least one detected geolocation of the school bus;
receiving, via one or more processors, an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position;
after receiving the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, (a) automatically capturing image data, via an imaging device, and storing the image data in a temporary memory storage area and (b) monitoring, via the one or more processors, an area proximate the school bus to detect possible traffic violations;
detecting, via the one or more processors, a possible traffic violation; and
responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, transferring the image data, comprising visible indicia indicating a vehicle is passing the school bus, in the stopped position, in the area proximate the school bus, from the temporary memory storage area to a permanent memory storage area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein (a) the possible traffic violation is detected via one selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, a sound sensor, or a magnetic sensor, and (b) the possible traffic violation is the vehicle passing the school bus in the area proximate the school bus.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, causing a perceivable indication to be emitted.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position is received in response to one selected from the group consisting of the school bus stopping, the school bus decelerating, a door on the school bus opening, or an arm on the school bus extending.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising capturing telematics data after entering a predefined zone of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising validating the captured image data to confirm that an actual traffic violation occurred.

7. A system for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles, the system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the system to at least:
capture telematics data, from one or more telematics devices, affixed to a school bus, comprising at least one sensor detecting a characteristic relating to the school bus itself, the telematics data indicating at least one detected geolocation of the school bus;
receive an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position;
after receiving the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, (a) automatically capture image data, via an imaging device, and storing the image data in a temporary memory storage area and (b) monitor an area proximate the school bus to detect possible traffic violations;
detect a possible traffic violation; and
responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, transfer the image data, comprising visible indicia indicating a vehicle is passing the school bus, in the stopped position, in the area proximate the school bus, from the temporary memory storage area to a permanent memory storage area.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein (a) the possible traffic violation is detected via one selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, a sound sensor, or a magnetic sensor, and (b) the possible traffic violation is the vehicle passing the school bus in the area proximate the school bus.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is further configured to, responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, cause a perceivable indication to be emitted.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position is received in response to one selected from the group consisting of the school bus stopping, the school bus decelerating, a door on the school bus opening, or an arm on the school bus extending.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is further configured to capture telematics data after entering a predefined zone of interest.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is further configured to validate the captured image data to confirm that an actual traffic violation occurred.

13. A computer program product for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion configured to capture telematics data, from one or more telematics devices, affixed to a school bus, comprising at least one sensor detecting a characteristic relating to the school bus itself, the telematics data indicating at least one detected geolocation of the school bus;
an executable portion configured to receive an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position;
an executable portion configured to, after receiving the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, (a) automatically capture image data, via an imaging device, and storing the image data in a temporary memory storage area and (b) monitor an area proximate the school bus to detect possible traffic violations;
an executable portion configured to detect a possible traffic violation; and
an executable portion configured to, responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, transfer the image data, comprising visible indicia indicating a vehicle is passing the school bus, in the stopped position, in the area proximate the school bus, from the temporary memory storage area to a permanent memory storage area.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein (a) the possible traffic violation is detected via one selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, a sound sensor, or a magnetic sensor, and (b) the possible traffic violation is the vehicle passing the school bus in the area proximate the school bus.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising an executable portion configured to, responsive to detecting the possible traffic violation, cause a perceivable indication to be emitted.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position is received in response to one selected from the group consisting of the school bus stopping, the school bus decelerating, a door on the school bus opening, or an arm on the school bus extending.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising an executable portion configured to capture telematics data after entering a predefined zone of interest.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising an executable portion configured to validate the captured image data to confirm that an actual traffic violation occurred.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
replacing an oldest image of the image data in the temporary memory with a new image, captured by one or more imaging devices, of at least one of a front and a rear of a vehicle illegally passing the school bus i

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Schenken Christopher T
• Davidson Mark J

Classifications

• G08G1/01 Primary

  Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled (G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• G08G1/042

  using inductive or magnetic detectors · CPC title

• H04N7/188

  Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position (signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253) · CPC title

• G08G1/04

  using optical or ultrasonic detectors · CPC title

• G07C5/0866

  the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera · CPC title