Traffic Surveillance using Video Image Detection Systems

Abstract

The use of non-intrusive video-detection for traffic flow observation and surveillance is the primary alternative to conventional inductive loop detector. A Video Image Detection System (VIDS) can derive traffic parameters by means of image processing and pattern recognition methods. Classic systems like the inductive (double) loops or microwave radar detectors are able to measure presence and length of a vehicle but also speed and time gap to the preceding vehicle. Existing VIDS emulates the inductive loop by virtual loops and derives the traffic parameters in a similar way. Additional benefits of the VIDS, e.g. large area observation of traffic flow or detection of special behaviors of single vehicles can not be exploiting in this way. To expand the common approach also for new types of information (queue length or erratic movements), we use a trajectory based recognition algorithm, which is related to the detection and tracking of individual vehicles in an image sequence. It will be shown as an essential application for this algorithm how the usual characteristic traffic parameters can be derived from the measured trajectories again. A direct comparison between the video based and the classic inductive loop measurement of the traffic parameters is also possible.