Digitally Controlled Optimal Self-Calibration for a Laser-Photodiode Array Based Vehicle Detection System

The Laser-photodiode Based vehicle Detection System (LBDS) is an advanced vehicle detector. Its detection principle is based on projecting laser beams to the road and receiving the echo laser. When the operation environment such as the road surface condition, the weather and the daylight changes, which is likely to happen over the long-term lifespan of the LBDS, the LBDS may require recalibration. To solve this problem, a digitally-controlled optimal self-calibration method for LBDS is presented in the paper. With the calibration, the LBDS has the ability to operate reliably in a wide range of applications, and has the ability to provide correct and accurate detection information over the long term. The field test results of the LBDS using the proposed self-calibration method confirm the effectiveness of the self-calibration method.Copyright © 2005 by ASME