SYSTEM FOR DETECTING TRAFFIC JAM WITH VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

This automatic detection system is entirely solar powered and is made up of an assembly which includes a solar powered radar and infrared device for detecting the formation of hold-ups, equipped with a day/night surveillance video camera which is also solar powered.

Incident detection and surveillance system

The incident detection assembly is made up of a system for detection of the formation of hold-ups and of vehicles at rest, together with a solar powered surveillance system with 24 hour a day digital recording.

Each assembly is fixed to a 160 mm post with a height of 5 metres. The support has a special design in which the solar power cells designed to power the automatic incident detection system are built-in, and match the shape of the post over its entire width and length (see diagram example) in order to prevent the solar panels being stolen. These solar power strips mean that the device is always self-sufficient, in both summer and winter. In addition, since they are vertically positioned they do not require cleaning.

Each incident detection and surveillance system assembly is made up of:

- Solar powered detection radar and radio. the radar is placed at the end of the support. The purpose of this radar, with a range of about 70 m, is to detect 6 vehicles travelling at a speed of between 10 km/hr and 60 km/hr - the vehicle configuration when a queue is forming (adjustable settings)

Thus as soon as six vehicles are detected whose speed is between 10 km/hr and 60 km/hr, a HF transmitter send dry contact type information to the HF receiver located in the intermediate housing (ADSL and mains 220 volts). This information is then re-transmitted through a cable link to the control station in the form of a flashing summary diagram indicating "BLOQUAGE" ('hold-up')and a window opens to display and record the images received via the ADSL line in real time.

- A vehicle at rest detection system takes the form of a solar-powered infrared barrier and radio the purpose of which is to detect vehicles at rest. This solar powered infrared barrier is made up of an infra red "transmitter" and an infrared "receiver". There is digital processing of the signal from the infrared transmitter to prevent unwanted triggering (dead leaves, birds, hail, rain, snow etc.).

As long as there is a hold-up, the radar and infrared transmitter updates the transmission to the receiver located in the intermediate housing (ADSL and mains 220 volts) every minute, providing the control station with images and the "BOUCHON" ('traffic jam') alert for the zone under surveillance.

No unwanted triggering due to downpours of rain, snow, passing birds, dirt (splashed mud). Both the infrareds are equipped with a digital gain control.

Once traffic starts to flow once again, that is, when the radar is no longer detecting vehicles forming a queue and the infrared barrier is no longer detecting vehicles at rest. If , however, a single detector detects a traffic anomaly, it transmits the information to the control Station via an ADSL cable link.

In order to confirm that a incident is detected, the incident detection assembly is equipped with a day/night camera allowing the zone under surveillance to be seen.

Solar powered day/night surveillance camera

This surveillance camera is placed on the same support as the incident detection system (radar and infrared).

The camera is placed in a sealed housing and is self-sufficient through the solar power modules of the incident detection system support. This camera operates 24 hours a day and continually records images on a digital disk.

The images are send via a radio link (wireless) to s digital recording device located in the intermediate housing (ADSL and mains 220 Volts). The digital recording device will automatically record the images received from the camera 24 hours a day and will automatically delete these images every 48 hours.

In the event of an incident when a hold-up is detected by the radar or infra-red, a contact closure signal is sent to the intermediate housing (ADSL and mains 220 Volts) to alert the control station and display images of the incident in real time on the PC screen. At the same time these images are recorded by the digital recorder and by the control station.