1. A system for managing visual images of vehicles, comprising:
a first digital video image collector positioned to capture a first data file that is representative of a visual image of at least one non-emissions feature of a first vehicle moving on a roadway, the first digital video image collector including a first communications port;
a first video illumination source positioned to illuminate the at least one non-emissions feature of the first vehicle;
a computing device having a processor, a memory, and a second communications port;
a first communications link between the first communications port and the second communications port;
a first information collection device comprising an open path emission sensor in communication with the computer, the first information collection device having a first emissions illumination source to illuminate emissions of the first vehicle, and positioned to capture emissions data corresponding to the first vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications port is capable of transferring data at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications port substantially complies with the IEEE 1394 Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communications link comprises a serial connection capable of transferring data at a transfer rate substantially equal to a least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a second digital video image collector positioned to capture a second data file that is representative of a visual image of at least one non-emissions feature of a second vehicle moving on a roadway, the second digital camera including a third communications port;
a second video illumination source positioned to illuminate the at least one non-emissions feature of the second vehicle; and
a second communications link between the third communications port and the first digital video image collector.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second information collection device is further positioned to capture emissions data corresponding to the second vehicle.
7. The system of claim 5 further comprising a second information collection device comprising an open path emissions sensor in communication with the computer, the second information collection device having a second emissions illumination source to illuminate emissions of the second vehicle, and positioned to capture emissions data corresponding to the second vehicle.
8. The system of claim 5 wherein the third communications port is capable of transferring data at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
9. The system of claim 5 wherein the third communications port substantially complies with the IEEE 1394 Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus.
10. The system of claim 5 wherein the second communication link comprises a serial connection capable of transferring data at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200and 400 megabits per second.
11. A method of capturing and managing vehicle images, comprising:
illuminating, using a first video illumination source, positioned to illuminate at least one non-emissions feature of the first vehicle;
collecting using a first video capture device, a first digital image of at least one non-emissions feature of a first vehicle
recognizing a desired feature in the digital image;
storing the desired feature in an uncompressed format;
storing the remainder of the image in a compressed format;
collecting, using a data collection device comprising an open path emission sensor having a first emissions illumination source to illuminate the emissions of the first vehicle, and first data representative of emissions of the first vehicle; and
delivering the first digital image and the first data to a computer program memory via at least one communications link.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivering step is performed at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the delivering step is performed via a serial connection that substantially complies with the IEEE 1394 Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus.
14. The method of claim 11 comprising wherein the first video capture device and the memory are housed in a single housing, and the delivering step is performed via an IEEE 1394 serial bus.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein:
the first video capture device and the memory are housed in separate housing, and the communication link comprises a first communications port associated with the video capture device, a second communications port associated with the memory, and a serial cable; and
the delivering step comprises transferring data at a transfer rate substantially equal at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
16. The method of claim 11 comprising the additional steps of:
illuminating, using a second video illumination source, positioned to illuminate at least one non-emissions feature of the second vehicle;
collecting, using a second video capture device, a second digital image of at least one non-emissions feature of a second vehicle;
collecting, using a data collection device, having a second emissions illumination source to illuminate emissions of the second vehicle, second data representative of emissions of the second vehicle
recognizing a desired feature in the digital image;
storing the desired feature in an uncompressed format;
storing the remainder of the image in a compressed format; and
delivering the second digital image and the second data to the computer program memory.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the delivering of the second data in the delivering step comprises delivering the second digital image to the first video capture device via a second communications link and subsequently delivering the second digital image to the computer program memory via a first communications link.
18. A system for capturing and managing vehicle images, comprising:
a means for capturing a first image of a first vehicle;
means for illuminating for video at least one non-emissions feature of the first vehicle, said means positioned to illuminate the non-emissions feature of the first vehicle;
a means for capturing first data representative corresponding to the first vehicle comprising an open path emission sensor, having means for emissions-illuminating to illuminate the emissions of the first vehicle and having means for recognizing a desired feature in the digital image, storing the desired feature in an uncompressed format, and storing the remainder of the image in a compressed format; and
a means for delivering the first image and the first data to a memory of a computing device at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:
means for illuminating for video at least one non-emissions feature of the second vehicle, said means positioned to illuminate the non-emissions feature of the second vehicle;
a means for capturing a second image of a second vehicle;
a means for capturing second data representative of emissions corresponding to the second vehicle, having means for emissions-illuminating to illuminate the emissions of the second vehicle and having means for recognizing a desired feature in the digital image, storing the desired feature in an uncompressed format, and storing the remainder of the image in a compressed format; and
a means for delivering the second image and the second data to the memory at a transfer rate substantially equal to at least one of 100, 200, and 400 megabits per second.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of controlling operation of autonomous vehicles in a zone of operations comprising:
establishing a zone wherein:
a system of zone rules established by a zone authority are in effect,
the zone rules coordinate simultaneous actions of multiple vehicles, and
the zone rules allow admission of a plurality of autonomous vehicles,
admitting a vehicle to the zone,
transmitting a first message to the vehicle wherein the first message comprises information to cause the vehicle to enter a mode of operation designed to follow the zone rules, and
transmitting a second message to the vehicle comprising information to be used by the vehicle to follow the operation rules.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
admission to the zone is limited to vehicles which are capable of receiving messages from the zone authority and adhering to the zone rules.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the vehicle is supplied on entry to the zone of operations with a communication device to receive a message from the zone authority.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the speed of a stream of vehicles is controlled by placing into the stream a vehicle which has entered the mode of operation and is operated by a zone rule which produces a controlled speed.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to optimize the speed of the vehicle in the zone.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to limit an area of operation of the vehicle in the zone.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to move the vehicle to a parking location in the zone.
8. A method of controlling operation of a driver operated vehicle with a driver in a zone of operations comprising:
establishing a zone of operations wherein:
a system of zone rules established by the zone authority are in effect,
the zone rules coordinate actions of vehicles,
the zone rules allow admission of an autonomous vehicle, and
the autonomous vehicle is constrained to follow the zone rules,
admitting the driver operated vehicle to the zone, and
transmitting at least one message to a communication device on the vehicle comprising information to be used by the driver of the vehicle to follow the zone rules.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the vehicle is supplied on entry to the zone of operations with a communication device to receive a message from the zone authority.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to optimize the speed of the driver operated vehicle in the zone.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to limit an area of operation of the driver operated vehicle in the zone.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein:
the zone rules are designed to move the driver operated vehicle to a parking location in the zone.