Patent ID: 9417154
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: G01M

Claim Text:
1. A method of monitoring movement of a bridge based on a position of a vehicle crossing the bridge, the method comprising: providing the vehicle with an imaging device coupled to the vehicle, the imaging device configured to obtain image information; while the vehicle is moving across the bridge, obtaining a series of images using the imaging device, a portion of a scene in a first image in the series overlapping with a portion of a scene in a next image in the series, a portion of a scene in a last image in the series overlapping with a portion of a scene in a previous image, and each image between the first image and the last image having a portion of a scene that overlaps with at least a portion of a scene in both a previous image and a subsequent image; for each pair of adjacent images in the series, determining a distance traveled by the vehicle between points at which the pair of adjacent images were captured, the distance traveled determined using common features in an overlapping portion in the pair of adjacent images; determining the position of the vehicle on the bridge as a function of time using the distance traveled between each pair of adjacent images and a period of time between capturing each pair of adjacent images; determining the movement of the bridge as a function of time as the vehicle crosses the bridge; and associating the position of the vehicle on the bridge with the movement of the bridge.