Patent application EP19180519A (EP), filed 2019-06-17
Publication number: EP3754535A1
Title: APPARATUS FOR RECORDING LICENSE PLATES OF VEHICLES
Abstract: [0001]    An apparatus (1) for recording license plates (2) of vehicles (3) travelling on a road (4) having several adjacent lanes (8 - 11) comprises a vehicle classification sensor (18) configured to detect a predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) of a vehicle (3) or group (G) of vehicles (3, 5); and at least one camera (12 - 15) mounted at an elevated point (P) beside one of the lanes (8 - 11) and having an angle of aperture (17) covering at least one of said lanes (8 - 11), each lane (8 - 11) being covered by at least one camera (12 - 15) ; wherein the vehicle classification sensor (18) is configured to, upon detecting the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) on a lane (8 - 11), trigger the camera (12 - 15) that covers the lane (8 - 11) the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected on to record an image of a license plate (2) on the back (6) of the vehicle (3) or leading vehicle (3) of the group (G), respectively, for which the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected; and wherein the triggered camera (13 - 15) is the camera of a lane (8 - 11) either adjacent to or at least one lane apart from that lane (8 - 11) on which the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected.
IPC codes: G06K   9/    00            A I
G08G   1/   017            A I
G06V  10/    12            A I
G06V  10/    20            A I
G06V  20/    54            A I
G08G   1/    01            A I
G08G   1/    04            A I
G08G   1/   052            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: An apparatus (1) for recording license plates (2) of vehicles (3) travelling on a road (4) having several adjacent lanes (8 - 11), which apparatus is characterized by:
number: 2
text: The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined shape characteristic is a predetermined shape (S) of the back (6) of a vehicle (3).
number: 3
text: The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the predetermined shape characteristic is a predetermined length (L) of a vehicle (3) or group (G), which length (L) is above a predetermined first threshold (L<min>).
number: 4
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the predetermined shape characteristic is a gap (19) between the leading vehicle (3) and the following vehicle (3, 5) of a group (G), the width (W) of which gap (19) is below a second threshold (W<max>).
number: 5
text: The apparatus of claim 4, characterized in that the second threshold (W<max>) is dependent on the height or height profile of the following vehicle (3, 5) in the group (G) as measured by the vehicle classification sensor (18).
number: 6
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the predetermined shape characteristic is a towing connection (C) between the leading vehicle (3) and the following vehicle (5) of a group (G).
number: 7
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the triggered camera (12 - 15) has an angle of aperture (17) covering both the lane (8 - 11) on which the predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) is detected and the lane (8 - 11) for which it is mounted.
number: 8
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each lane (8 - 11) has an own camera (12 - 15).
number: 9
text: The apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that each camera (12 - 15) is mounted above its lane (8 - 11).
number: 10
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that two adjacent lanes (8 - 11) share a same camera (12 - 14).
number: 11
text: The apparatus of claim 10, characterized in that each shared camera (12 - 14) is mounted between its two lanes (8 - 11) .
number: 12
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the vehicle classification sensor (18) and the cameras (12 - 15) are mounted on a gantry (16) spanning the road (4).
number: 13
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the vehicle classification sensor (18) is configured to, upon detecting a predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) on a lane (8 - 11), trigger the respective camera (12 - 15) with a delay (Δt).
number: 14
text: The apparatus of claim 13, characterized in that the vehicle classification sensor (18) is configured to measure a speed (v) of the vehicle (3) or group (G), wherein the delay (Δt) is dependent from the measured speed (v).
number: 15
text: The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the vehicle classification sensor (18) comprises at least one stereoscopic camera or laser scanner (18a - 18d) configured to capture 3D representations (22) of passing vehicles (3) or groups (G) and a processor (23) configured to detect said predetermined shape characteristic (S, L, W, C) from said 3D representations (22).
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-23
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2009174778A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2014159925A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US9111136B2
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2009174778
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: US2014159925
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: US9111136
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-23)