Wide-area traffic surveillance (WATS) system

William C. Schwartz; Robert A. Olson

doi:10.1117/12.267138

17 February 1997 Wide-area traffic surveillance (WATS) system

William C. Schwartz, Robert A. Olson

Proceedings Volume 2902, Transportation Sensors and Controls: Collision Avoidance, Traffic Management, and ITS; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.267138
Event: Photonics East '96, 1996, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

This paper discusses a configuration of overhead active- infrared imaging vehicle sensors that can be used to monitor traffic on freeways and their entrance and exit ramps in order to provide the information needed to optimize the flow of traffic. The Wide-Area Traffic-Surveillance system, which is being developed under a program with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, comprises single-lane and three-lane sensors that employ line-scanned laser rangefinders to measure the presence, speed, and 3D profiles of vehicles passing beneath them in single-lane or three-lane fields of view, respectively. The time-tagged outputs of the various sensors are routed, via hard wire or radio link, to a central processor where site-specific software is used to generate a computer image of the real-time area-wide traffic flow, with icons representing vehicles. The software is also used to determine traffic parameters including vehicle flow rate, average speed, density, classification, and travel time as well as ramp demand, passage, and queue length. Principles of sensor operation, system architecture, hardware and software functions, and interfaces and communication protocols will be described. Test results obtained at two sites on a major arterial in Orlando, Florida, will be presented.

Citation Download Citation

William C. Schwartz and Robert A. Olson "Wide-area traffic surveillance (WATS) system", Proc. SPIE 2902, Transportation Sensors and Controls: Collision Avoidance, Traffic Management, and ITS, (17 February 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.267138

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available