Background of Invention Traffic monitoring systems are being used in the relevant technique for a quite long time. The target aimed with such kind of systems is to correctly detect any rule violations in the traffic by means of electronic equipment without human intervention. Many works have been conducted in this field up to day. The automatic detection of various traffic-rule violations, and the automatic penalizing procedures thereof have been aimed in such works, by making use of digital maps, which contain the data of all roads of a certain geographical region and the information on traffic rules applicable to each such road (GIS databases), plus of available satellite-based communication systems and hardware (such as GPS and GSM).

A similar example for such an application is US 5,952, 941. Regarding the main disclosure of this patent, a satellite-based system such as a GPS detects a vehicle's status data such as the geographical coordinates, speed, direction, etc.

On the other hand, a memory unit (such as RAM) is positioned in the vehicles to be traced, such unit containing a digital map where the speed limitations and traffic light positions of each and all roads are set out. Accordingly, a controller in the vehicle receives the geographical location data from the GPS, determines the road that corresponds to this location and the speed limit set for this road by referring to the digital map in said memory, thereby continuously comparing this data with the instantaneous speed of this vehicle. In case the speed limit is exceeded, the GSM transmitter in the vehicle reports this violation to a relevant office's control center, a police headquarter for instance, by means of a relevant cellular network. In this manner, a system at said control center automatically issues a ticket in line with

such received violation data, and transmits this ticket to the owner/driver of such vehicle by means of a correspondence such as post, e-mail, etc. Red light violations are also detected and penalized similarly. There are, however, some significant drawbacks in this patent.

Another example of the relevant prior art is US2002036576. A device is disclosed in this patent that is situated in a vehicle to be traced in the traffic in order to warn a driver before a rule violation occurs, and records such rule violations, if any. In general terms, this device also contains in its memory a digital map and legal provisions and sanctions for traffic rule violations, similar to US 5,952, 941, and the case whether or not such a cruising vehicle makes a rule violation is determined by means of a control circuit comparing the data on the cruise speed, geographical coordinates, etc. received from the GPS, with the data included in said memory unit. This patent further discloses the opportunity to transfer any alterations made in traffic rules to the digital map in the vehicle so as to make the required updates.

When such two patents and other similar applications are considered, some common disadvantages and failures are encountered.

First of such disadvantages is that both the installation and operation costs of all systems under the prior art are too high. As can also be seen from the disclosures of these patents, a vehicle to be traced is equipped with a memory unit containing a comprehensive digital map (GIS database) and the penal provision for each violation, and a control unit capable to process all such data and accordingly detect any rule violations, besides fulfilling other functions, to let the system operate flawlessly, both such devices having quite high costs. Particularly considering the case that this system is operated countrywide or even globally, each vehicle to be traced is to be equipped with a digital map containing all data towards such a broad geographic area, and with a control unit capable to process such high-capacity data, resulting in very high installation costs.

Considering especially Patent US 5, 952,941, another item raising the cost in available applications is the case that any detected rule violation by the system is transmitted to a relevant control center by means a GSM network. In order to provide this, a GSM transmitter, in addition to a GPS receiver, is provided to each

vehicle to be traced. Therefore the equipment costs are raised and any time the control center is reported, the relevant user is charged a certain fee by the relevant GSM operator. This case raises the operating costs on the user's side.

A second significant drawback emerges as the alterations made both on the digital <BR> <BR> map (alterations on speed limits, traffic lights, etc. ), and on the traffic rules are reflected to the memory units in the vehicles. There is no disclosure provided in US 5,952, 941 as to how such an update operation is made. Concerning US2002036576, very unspecific and ambiguous expressions are given for this operation, and no disclosure is made on how such updates are correctly and fully transferred to all vehicles traced in an entire country or a certain region. Besides, it is clearly seen that the transferring of said alterations or updates to the devices to be traced and most ideally to all vehicles cruising in the traffic by means of a satellite-based network such as the GSM network shall require a infrastructure with quite high installation and operation costs, and it shall become more difficult to operate it as the system shall become more extensive. Also the circumstance that while some vehicle's digital maps are updated, the others lack this updating operation, there shall occur differences in the maps of said vehicles so as to lead to different standards among persons while the traffic-rule violations are detected.

This lack shall cause the system to lose its objectivity and reliability, and lead to unevenness and unfairness among drivers. As a result, the problem of the prior art of updating such digital maps with lower costs, but with the same efficiency still remains unsolved.

Another failure of the prior art is the insufficiency of detectable traffic rule violations. The aforesaid patents, for instance, can only detect speed limit violations and red light crossing violations. In addition and as it is known, other violations like faulty overtaking, faulty lane changing, and disobeying the following distance also lead to crashes with very serious outcomes and are among the top priority matters that the state traffic departments are struggling to overcome. As is seen, no disclosure and no solution recommendations are brought for this kind of matters in the prior art.

And finally, another weak point unguarded for bad-faith approaches in available

applications emerges as the identity of a driver is detected. The system in the vehicle identifies the driver's identity either with a magnetic card or by methods like entering the driver's identification number into the system. Thus the identity of a person driving the vehicle is identified, and such person is controlled against the cases that if she/he drives for longer hours than permitted by the regulations.

Nevertheless, a malevolent person can easily use another person's identification card or enter another person's identity number to deceive the system. In such malevolent circumstances, the driving hours of persons cannot be detected by the system, and in case of a violation, the penal procedure may wrongly be applied to the driver whose identity is entered into the system, instead of the actual driving person. Especially regarding the regulations where the driver license is scored with penal points, the persons with high penal scores on their licenses may use other person's licenses or identity numbers with relatively lower penal scores to avoid their licenses from being banned from traffic. In brief, no disclosure is present in the prior art as to how to overcome such matters.

As can be understand from all the explanations given above, non of the relevant systems in the prior art can be employed countrywide and/or worldwide because of their installation and operation costs, and are restricted to few users or regions with a certain economic potency. Besides being costly systems, they still have some significant failures as pointed out above in updating the device memories, detecting all kind of rule violations, and identifying actually driving users.

Finally, it shall be an extremely desired novelty in the relevant art to produce a novel traffic control and penal procedure application system that is as much as and even more functional than the prior art systems, and still has a lower cost and thus can be used by the masses.

Brief Description of Invention The present invention relates to a novel rule-violation monitoring and penalty applying system that entirely eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

Under the light of the prior art, the main objective of the present invention is to detect the vehicles'traffic rule violations and to apply the required penalties with

much more lower operation and installation costs, and in a more efficient, correct, and objective manner.

Another objective of the present invention in line with the main objective is to produce a traffic monitoring and penalty applying system whereby all required updates are easily made without necessitating huge costs so as to maintain it always in an efficient manner.

A further objective of the present invention in line with the main objective is to produce a traffic monitoring and penalty applying system that can correctly detect many traffic rule violations possibly be committed by vehicles, and that can apply required penal procedures.

Still a further objective of the present invention in line with the main objective is to produce a traffic monitoring and penalty applying system that can detect the cases when the vehicle's driver is different from the person identified by the system, and thus cannot be deceived, as being different from the precedents in the prior art.

In the solution presented under the present invention for all such objectives, the operations of maintaining said digital map databases (GIS), legal regulations for committed violations, and processing the information in this database according to the vehicle's cruising data are not performed by devices positioned in the vehicles, but by check-point units positioned at predetermined check points on the roads.

Additionally, said check-point units are in communication with at least one relevant control-center computer, allowing any updates on digital maps, legal regulations, and penal sanctions to be made very easily by said control center, and further allowing said check-point units to send the processing outcomes of the data received from the cruising vehicles to said control center. Besides, hardware components capable to gather reference information for additional rule violations and/or to correctly acquire the driver's identification can optionally be adapted to the vehicles and said check-point units can be programmed so as to progress such violations.

The structural features, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention, which are disclosed and left undisclosed herein shall now be clarified by referring

to the annexed figures and by making references to these figures in a detailed disclosure given hereunder, therefore the present invention is to be evaluated by taking into consideration these figures and the detailed disclosure.

Detailed Description of Invention The detailed disclosure of the present invention is given hereunder by referring to examples of an unrestrictive nature.

The subject system operates through three main elements, namely, vehicle kits situated at the vehicles to be traced, a multiple number of check points situated on the roads or areas near the roads, and control centers in mutual communication with these check points.

The basic elements in vehicle kits are a GPS receiver, a processor unit, at least one memory device, and communication means. In addition, said vehicle kits further comprise terminal sensors used in collecting the vehicle cruising data in line with the system's application field, as shall be elaborated hereunder. On one hand, the GPS receiver is provided with the vehicle's status data comprising at least the vehicle's geographical coordinates, speed, and the system clock data all transmitted by the GPS satellite, and on the other hand, the terminal sensors continuously gather various cruising data of the vehicle. Accordingly, the processor unit correlates the data received from the GPS receiver to the data received from the terminal sensors according to a predetermined order and writes these data to the memory device in certain time periods so as to create a cruising data record for the vehicle.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said vehicle cruising data record contains the vehicle's system clock-correlated geographical coordinates data, and in correlation therewith, some or all of the data selected from the group consisting of the vehicle's speed, direction data, the presence/absence of a close vehicle, the following distance to a vehicle in the front, traffic-lane changing, faulty overtaking, driver identifying, and vehicle identifying data. On the other hand, the processor unit can also perform the vehicle cruising data record creation work in the memory unit by optionally using a encrypting algorithm, and the check points

can be embodied so as to decrypt this encryption. Thus any bad-faith handling of the memory unit is eliminated and a more secure system is produced.

As a result, when any check point is arrived, the vehicle's cruising record is transmitted to the check-point unit from the vehicles kit by means of communication means. Said transmittance may be carried out either by means of wired technology such as RS232 serial communication or parallel communication means, or by means of wireless communication technology such as RF-based IrDa, Bluetooh, Wi-Fi or cellular-based GSM, GPRS, and UMTS. In an alternative embodiment, the vehicle kit can comprise both wired and wireless communication means.

In wired transmittance having relatively lower costs, it becomes necessary to stop the vehicles at check points and to make the relevant connections manually. In a preferred embodiment of the wireless connection, as a more practical solution, said check point makes a broadcast with a certain service area and a certain frequency. Additionally, the vehicle kit is provided with a RF module in the listening mode; so when this module receives said broadcast of a certain frequency, the check-point unit and the processor unit in the vehicle identify each other, and thus the vehicle cruising record in the memory of the vehicle kit is automatically transmitted to the check-point unit by means of this RF module, functioning as a communication means. In this manner, the necessity of stopping the vehicle for transferring such data is eliminated and accordingly, a very efficient and practical usage is provided.

As can be seen from the disclosures given above, it is adequate to use only one GPS receiver instead of using a GPS receiver and a GSM transmitter for tracing the vehicles according to the present invention, such that both the hardware costs are reduced and the operator charges due to data transfer are avoided.

In the check points are provided check-point units comprising a memory unit and a processor unit that processes the data contained in the memory unit, such data being composed of a digital map of a predetermined geographical region, data for traffic rules of each road defined on said digital map, and data for penalties to be applied against violations of said traffic rules. Said units can either be in the form

of a computer, or in the form of electronic cards with the required technical hardware. Accordingly, the check-point unit receives the vehicle's cruising data record through said wired or wireless communication line, estimates the route of the vehicle from the geographical coordinate data in this record, and identifies the passed roads by mapping this route with the digital map on its memory. For detecting a possible violation case after this point, it compares the traffic rules data in its memory for the roads of such identified route with the relevant data at the vehicle's cruising data record, and if it decides to a rule violation as a result of this comparison, it determines the penal provisions in its memory to be applied for such rule violation, and realizes the required penal procedures and sends the penalty report to the computer of the relevant control center.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention for said penalty procedures realized by the check-point unit, first the penal procedure is determined for such rule violation, and the data of such determined rule violation and of the corresponding penal procedures are included in a penalty report containing the data of the relevant driver and/or vehicle, and send to the relevant control center. The control center issues a ticket in line with such data and sends it to the relevant driver via post or similar means. In an alternative application, there may be provided printing means in certain human-operated check points, and accordingly, the ticket can be issued immediately at the check point, and the control center only be reported with information purposes. In this case, the information on whether or not the fine is collected, or whether or not a partial collection is made, can be included in said penalty report.

In another alternative embodiment for this case, the check-point unit can query the relevant control-center computer for any background record of an violating person before performing a penal step, and can carry out the penal procedures according to the record output received from the control center. Said output data may contain all or some of the followings : any previous committing of the same violation, the number of time (s) of such committing if any, any unpaid fines, driver license scores, wanted-person data, and optionally, other rule violations of this driver arriving at the check point.

The features and positioning of check-point units at selected geographical regions to be controlled may have several forms. In a first embodiment, each check-point unit maintains on its memory a digital map of the whole geographical region, and these units are so distributed on the relevant geographical region that it becomes impossible that a vehicle cruising in this region does not cross through one of the service areas of these units. In a second embodiment with a lower cost, the check- point units can also have a hierarchic structure in the form of check-point main units containing only the digital maps of certain zones of the whole geographical region to be controlled, and optionally check-point main units containing sublevel digital maps, and check-point auxiliary units not containing any digital maps, not making any evaluations, but only sending to the relevant main units the cruising records of vehicles having crossed their service area. As an unrestricting example, let us suppose the controlling of the entire traffic of the Marmara Region by means of this hierarchy. Accordingly, for each province are formed check-point main unit <BR> <BR> groups (Istanbul units, Bursa units, etc. ) containing the digital map of the related province (such as Istanbul, Bursa). Regarding the Istanbul province, the check- point main units containing a whole digital map of Istanbul are positioned on most strategic points, with respect to traffic, of Istanbul, such as the main arteries of all districts (such as Bakirkoy, Ataköy), most-used streets, huge crossings etc, and these units are identified in a control center by being correlated to the related district's name (such as the Bakirkoy check-point main unit).

Then the check-point auxiliary units are positioned to all points such as the ancillary streets, byroads with crowded traffic etc. of each district that the main units are responsible from, and these auxiliary units only report to the main unit of its own district (such as the Incirli Street unit reporting only to the Bakirköy main unit). Thanks to this hierarchic structure, each auxiliary unit will send to its own main unit the cruising data of the vehicles having crossed its service area, the main units shall process the cruising data of the vehicles having crossed their own service areas and the cruising data received from auxiliary units, and shall perform the procedures as detailed above when any rule violation is detected, and resultantly, each unit shall transmit to a control-center computer at the Istanbul Police Headquarters, for instance, the penalty reports it has acquired, and this

computer shall carry out the required procedures, as described hereinabove.

In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication between the main and auxiliary check-point units can be provided either by means of the internet, or by communication methods such as GSM, GRPS, UMTS, or by a different method.

Consequentially, the aforesaid check-point units are obviously capable to realize all, or even more, processes performed by the prior art devices individually positioned on vehicles. Since the check-point units in use shall be very low in number as compared to the number of vehicles to be traced (on 1/1000 degree, for instance), the installation costs of the subject system shall be much more lower than the prior art devices, but a more efficient operation mode will be ensured. So it will be possible to use this system on a relatively broader geography and by all drivers.

Regarding the control-center computers, they are in bidirectional communication with the check-point units by means of Internet preferably, or optionally local networks, WAN, etc. Thanks to this, the control-center computer adds the penalty report to the relevant person's record in its memory, issues the ticket, and optionally, processes the background record of the relevant person, and sends the output data of such processes and also the required updates to the check-point unit, when it becomes necessary.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, such updates can contain all or some of the following : roads added to the digital map, temporary or permanent alterations on present roads, temporary or permanent alterations on the traffic rules for such roads, and temporary or permanent alterations for the penal sanctions.

As obvious, while it was necessary to transfer the updates by means of expensive communication means to each vehicle in the prior art, all updates can be made on the check-point units now by internet, for example, with very low operation costs and a ready infrastructure according to the present invention. Additionally and as differing from the prior art, when the fact is considered that the check-points are

stationary and of a very low number as compared to the number of traced vehicles, such updates are made completely and correctly. And since the digital maps are on the check-points, unauthorized persons'mistreatment of/on digital maps becomes impossible.

The subject system may be used in detecting many traffic rule violations under the light of the foregoing disclosures, as shown in the following detailed examples.

Detection of speed-limit violation It is adequate that said vehicle kit comprises only the basic elements for detecting speed-limit violations.

Accordingly, the processor unit writes to its memory at least the coordinate and speed data received from the GPS receiver and creates the vehicle's cruising record. When the vehicle enters into the service area of the check point, the check-point unit acquires from the vehicle its cruising data, and determines the geographic location of the vehicle in this record and the speed data for each geographical location data. According to such received geographical location data, It determines the road that the vehicle cruises from the digital map on its memory and the speed limit for this road, it compares the detected speed limit to the speed data received from the vehicle, it realizes the required penal procedures as described above when it detects a rule violation, and transmits the acquired penalty report to the control center's computer as disclosed above.

Detection of overtaking-ban violation In addition to the basic elements, said vehicle kit contains lane-change detection means, functioning as a terminal sensor, with the purpose of detecting overtaking- ban violations. The lane-change detection is made as is known in the relevant technique and it shall not be detailed in this description.

Accordingly, when a lane-change is detected, the processor unit associates the lane-change data with the geographical coordinates of the vehicle in certain periods, as long as such action is continued, and adds it to the cruising record of this vehicle. At the check-point, the check-point unit firstly finds the records

presenting the lane-change data, checks from the digital map in its memory whether or not lane-changing is allowed on the roads corresponding to the geographical coordinates on these regions, determines the extent of this action (as to how long such action is continued) if there is a lane-changing ban, and if this time is longer than the allowable limit, it decides on a rule violation, realizes the required penal procedure and sends to the control-center computer the acquired penalty report.

Faulty overtaking detection In addition to the basic elements, said vehicle kit contains lane-change detection means, functioning as a terminal sensor, and a radar for collecting the vicinity data of the vehicle when it changes lane with the purpose of detecting faulty overtaking cases.

Accordingly, when a lane-change is detected, the processor unit activates the radar and detects whether or not a vehicle is coming from the opposite direction, and if a vehicle is coming, it receives from the radar and processes the distance data between such overtaking vehicle and the coming vehicle and the relative speed data of the latter, and if such data implicates a risky situation, records into the vehicle's record as a faulty overtaking case. At the check point, the check-point unit checks whether or not a faulty-overtaking data is present in the vehicle's cruising record, and if it detects a violation record, it carries out the required penal procedures, and sends the penalty report to the control-center computer. In a preferred application of the present invention, when such violation is detected, the driver is warned on the violation before recorded on the memory device, and only keeps a violation record, if such violation is persisted.

Detection of following-distance violation In addition to the basic elements, said vehicle kit contains a radar, in the role of a terminal sensor, for collecting the data of a vehicle cruising at the front with the purpose of detecting following-distance violations.

Accordingly, the radar on the vehicle controls the presence of any vehicles in the

front cruising in the same direction with the vehicle, and if such vehicle's presence is detected, the distance between such two vehicles is determined, the processor unit calculates the ideal distance according to the vehicle's instantaneous speed, the ideal distance is compared with the current following distance, and when the current distance is shorter than the ideal one, this case is recorded on the memory device as a following-distance violation. At the check point, the check-point unit determines whether or not a following-distance violation record is present in the cruising data record, and if it detects a violation record, it carries out the required penal procedures, and sends the penalty report to the control center's computer.

In a preferred application of the present invention, when such violation is detected, the driver is warned on the violation before it is recorded on the memory device, and only keeps a violation record, if such violation is persisted.

Detection of traffic-light signalization violations It is adequate that said vehicle kit comprises only the basic elements for detecting traffic-light signalization violations.

Accordingly, the processor unit associates with the system time the data of the vehicle's geographical coordinates and speed received from the GPS receiver, and writes on said memory device. When the vehicle arrives at the check point, the check-point unit receives from the vehicle's cruising data at least the vehicle's time-dependant geographical location and speed data; based on such data, it determines from its memory the road that the vehicle cruised on, any traffic lights on this road, and if present, the moments when the lights were lit red ; then from the cruising data record, it detects the times when the geographical coordinates with such traffic lights are passed, it checks from its memory the condition of the traffic light on the moment that such a pass is detected, and it the lights were lighting red, it controls the vehicle's speed data at that moment, it decides as a rule violation according to the speed data, if the vehicle is in motion, carries out the required penal procedures, and sends the penalty report to the control center's computer.

In an alternative red-light violation embodiment of the subject system, the vehicle kit contains a color sensor functioning as the terminal sensor, acquires the light's

color data by means of this device, if the color is red and the vehicle in a moving condition, this case together with the instantaneous geographical location data of the vehicle are recorded on said memory device as a light violation, and at the check point, the check-point unit checks from the cruising data record whether or not a red-light violation record is present, and if it detects a violation record, it realizes the required penal procedures and sends the penalty report to the control center's computer.

Detection of reverse direction violations It is adequate that said vehicle kit comprises only the basic elements for detecting reverse direction violations.

Accordingly, the processor unit records on its memory device the direction data, acquired from the GPS receiver, in association with at least the geographical location data. When a check point is arrived at, the check-point unit finds from the vehicle's cruising data the data of the vehicle's geographical location and of its direction for each such geographical location ; based on such acquired geographical location data, it determines from its memory the road that the vehicle is cruised and the direction data of such road, it compares the determined direction data with the direction data it acquires from the vehicle, and when it detects a rule violation, the realizes the required penal procedures and sends the penalty report to the control center's computer.

Detection of parking-ban violation In addition to the basic elements, said vehicle kit contains a radar, functioning as a terminal sensor, for collecting the vehicle's vicinity data with the purpose of detecting parking-ban violations. Accordingly, the processor unit records on its memory at least the vehicle's geographical coordinate and speed data, and while the speed is zero, the vehicle's vicinity data acquired from the radar. At the check point, the check-point unit receives from the vehicle's cruising data record the geographical coordinate data where the vehicle's speed was zero, it controls the digital map against parking bans at the roads corresponding to these geographical coordinates, if there is a parking ban, it checks whether or not other vehicles are

present around the vehicle from the vehicle's vicinity data in order to determine if this stopping was caused by a probable traffic jam, if no vehicles are detected, it decides on the absence of a traffic jam and concludes a parking-ban violation, carries out the required penal procedures, and sends the penalty report to the control center's computer.

As an alternative for the rule-violation detection implementation of the present invention, with a proper software and a modification to be made on the vehicle kit's processor unit, at least the operations of detecting faulty overtaking, following- distance violations, and bad-faith treatments towards deceiving the system can be performed within the vehicle kit without necessitating the use of a digital map, thus the relevant driver can be warned before and after such violations are made. In this case, the check-point units do not make any evaluation on such violations and directly applies the required penal procedures.

In addition to the foregoing disclosures, said vehicle kit contains a fingerprint reader, functioning as a terminal sensor, for identifying and controlling the driver's identity, another novelty brought with the present invention. As is known, a person's continuous driving period is fixed legally, and any act towards exceeding this period constitutes a rule violation. For detecting this case, the driver of a intercity bus, for instance, makes himself identified by entering a card or number into the system. Accordingly, the system warns the driver if the card is not changed during said period, and records this case. Nevertheless, some persons deceive the system by entering another person's card or number into the system close to the end of this period.

In the system according to the present invention, firstly the identification data and fingerprints of all persons to drive a relevant vehicle are entered into the system for preventing such misuses. During driving, the system request the driver's fingerprint at least once or in periodic intervals during the driving period of said vehicle ; when this request is not responded, it records this case as a violation ; and when it is responded, it associates the entered fingerprint with the driver data identified by the system, and adds it to the vehicle's cruising record at the memory device. At the check point such data are acquired, it is firstly determined whether

or not the same person has driven the vehicle for a period exceeding the set driving period, and when it is decided that this period is exceeded, the rule violation is reported to the control center. Additionally, the fingerprint entered into the system upon the system request is compared at the check-point unit with the fingerprints of the person identified by the system, and if a mismatch is detected, this case is deemed as a rule violation and the control center is reported accordingly. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the digital photograph in place of the fingerprint of the driver is taken by means of a digital camera, and evaluated at the check-point.

The protection scope of the present invention is set out under the claims and it cannot be restricted with the foregoing disclosures.