Patent ID: 7616293

Claim:
A device for sensing an object on a surface, comprising: a first laser focused through a single lens on said surface; a first controller which controls radiation emission from said first laser; a first detector arranged which receives at least a portion of radiation emitted from said first laser and reflected or scattered back through said single lens and which provides a first signal upon receiving said portion of radiation emitted from said first laser; a second laser focused through said single lens on the surface; a second controller which controls radiation emission from said second laser; a second detector which receives at least a portion of radiation emitted from said second laser and reflected or scattered back through said single lens and which provides a second signal upon receiving said portion of radiation emitted from said second laser; a processor which analyzes said first signal and said second signal, said processor being operationally attached to said first controller, said second controller, said first detector, and said second detector; a recording device including a camera which receives an output from said processor and documents information about said object on said surface; and a traffic signal status detector which obtains a status of a traffic control signal; wherein, said processor analyzes first signal and said second signal to detect said object on said surface and provides an output indicative of a range to said object if detected on said surface, measure, at least one time delay between said first signal and said second signal, calculates a velocity of said object if detected on said surface using said at least one measured time delay, and obtains said status of said traffic control signal from said traffic signal status detector; and wherein, if said obtained status of said traffic control signal is such that said object on said surface should stop before a traffic violation occurs said processor triggers said camera and records at least one picture of said object on said surface, calculates an amount of time for said object to travel a predetermined distance on said surface, and triggers said camera to take at least one additional picture of said object on said surface.