# US 2013/0153771 A1 · Traffic monitoring based on non-imaging detection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153771 A1 - Document ID: US20130153771A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/328,800 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated - Inventors: Peter Kiesel; Marshall W. Bern; Joerg Martini; Malte Huck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153771A1 ## CPC - G01J 1/04: Optical or mechanical part {supplementary adjustable parts} - G01S 11/12: using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves - G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications - G08G 1/015: with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles - G08G 1/04: using optical or ultrasonic detectors - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract Traffic monitors based on non-imaging radiation detectors are described. A traffic monitor includes a non-imaging radiation detector that senses spatially patterned radiation emanating from objects moving in a traffic pattern. The detector generates a time varying output signal based on the sensed radiation. Signal processing circuitry is used to analyze the time varying output signal using time domain analysis to provide the traffic information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A traffic monitor, comprising: a non-imaging radiation detector; a mask comprising a non-periodic arrangement of mask features; and a focusing element configured to focus radiation emanating from objects moving in a traffic pattern and affected by the mask onto the non-imaging radiation detector, wherein the non-imaging radiation detector is configured to sense the radiation and to generate a time varying output signal based on sensed radiation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the mask features comprise radiation transparent features. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the non-periodic arrangement of mask features comprises pseudo randomly arranged mask features. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the non-periodic arrangement of mask features comprises a one dimensional array of mask features. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the non-periodic arrangement of mask features comprises a multi-dimensional array of mask features. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The monitor of claim 5, wherein the focusing optics are configured to focus radiation emanating from first objects moving in a first traffic lane and affected by a first region of the mask comprising a first set of mask features on the non-imaging radiation detector and focus radiation emanating from second objects moving in a second traffic lane and affected by a second region of the mask comprising a second set of mask features on the non-imaging radiation detector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the non-imaging radiation detector comprises a single pixel sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, further comprising signal processing circuitry configured to analyze the time varying output signal and to provide information about the traffic pattern based on analysis of the time varying output signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The monitor of claim 8, wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to analyze the time varying output signal by comparing the time varying output signal to one or more expected outputs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The monitor of claim 8, wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to convert the time varying output signal to a frequency domain signal and to analyze the frequency domain signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein wavelengths of the radiation are in a range of about 30 mm to about 300 nm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, further comprising a radiation source configured to provide at least some the radiation that emanates from the moving objects. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the traffic information comprises one or both of vehicle and pedestrian traffic information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The monitor of claim 1, wherein the traffic information comprises one or more of vehicular speed, direction, type, size, acceleration, color, direction, lane, and lane change information. ### Claim 15 A traffic monitor, comprising: a non-imaging radiation detector; a mask comprising arrangement of mask features; and a focusing element configured to focus radiation emanating from objects moving in a traffic pattern and affected by the mask onto the non-imaging radiation detector, the non-imaging radiation detector configured to sense the radiation and to generate a time varying output signal based on sensed radiation; and signal processing circuitry configured to analyze the time varying output signal by time domain analysis to provide traffic information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The traffic monitor of claim 15, wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to analyze the time varying output signal by comparing the time varying output to one or more expected outputs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The traffic monitor of claim 16, wherein comparing the time varying output to one or more expected outputs comprises calculating a correlation between the time varying output signal and the one or more expected outputs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The traffic monitor of claim 15, wherein the signal processing circuitry is configured to analyze the time varying output signal by determining a derivative of the time varying output signal. ### Claim 19 A traffic monitor, comprising: a non-imaging radiation detector; a mask comprising a multi-dimensional array of mask features; and a focusing element configured to focus radiation emanating from objects moving in a traffic pattern and affected by the mask onto the non-imaging radiation detector, wherein the non-imaging radiation detector is configured to sense the radiation and to generate a time varying output signal based on sensed radiation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The monitor of claim 19, wherein the multi-dimensional array of mask features comprises mask features arranged in a periodic pattern. ### Claim 21 A method of monitoring traffic, comprising: sensing spatially patterned radiation emanating from traffic objects moving in a traffic pattern; generating a time varying output signal based on the spatially patterned radiation; analyzing the time-varying output signal using time domain analysis; and providing traffic information based on the time domain analysis of the time-varying output signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: producing the spatially patterned radiation by generating the patterned radiation using a patterned radiation source; directing the spatially patterned radiation toward the traffic objects, wherein the spatially patterned radiation emanating from traffic objects comprises the spatially patterned radiation which is reflected by the traffic objects. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising producing the spatially patterned radiation by interacting radiation emanating from the traffic objects with a mask. ### Claim 24 A traffic monitor, comprising: a radiation source configured to emit spatially patterned radiation toward moving traffic objects which is reflected by the moving traffic objects; a non-imaging radiation detector configured to sense the spatially patterned radiation which is reflected by the moving traffic objects and to generate a time varying output signal based on the reflected radiation; and signal processing circuitry configured to analyze the time varying output signal to provide traffic information. ### Claim 25 A traffic monitor, comprising: a non-imaging radiation detector configured to sense spatially patterned radiation emanating from objects moving in a traffic pattern and to generate a time varying output signal based on the sensed radiation; and signal processing circuitry configured to analyze the time varying output signal using time domain analysis to provide traffic information. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The traffic monitor of claim 25, further comprising at least one of: a radiation source configured to produce the spatially patterned radiation; a mask configured to interact with radiation emanating from the moving objects to produce the spatially patterned radiation; and a pattern disposed on a roadway section or intersection.