Highway infrastructure inventory and assessment device

Abstract

The disclosure provides a method for identifying a transportation infrastructure condition may comprise disposing a smart camera system on a vehicle and installing the smart camera system to the vehicle. The method may further comprise recording data from transportation infrastructure with the smart camera system, transmitting the data to a remote server with the transmitter, analyzing the data on the server, and accessing the data on the server with device. A system for identifying a transportation infrastructure condition may comprise a smart camera system disposed on a vehicle, wherein the smart camera system comprises a camera and transmitter, as well as a server capable to analyze data. A device may be configured to record and collect transportation infrastructure conditions. The camera system may comprise a camera, an electronic control module, a global positioning system, a single board computer, and a dashboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for identifying a transportation infrastructure condition comprising:
 disposing a smart camera system on a vehicle;   installing the smart camera system to the vehicle, wherein the smart camera system comprises a smart camera, a single board computer (SBC), an electric control module (ECM), a global positioning system (GPS), and a transmitter;   recording data from a transportation infrastructure with the smart camera system;   transmitting the data to a remote server with the transmitter;   analyzing the data on the server, wherein the server is configured to estimate a repair cost of the transportation infrastructure; and   accessing the data on the server with a device, wherein the device displays the data on a dashboard.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle also comprises sensors. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensors comprise humidity sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, optical sensors, position sensors, environment sensors, ultrasonic sensors, passive infrared sensors, distance sensors, hall effect sensors, variable reluctance sensors, speed sensors or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensors are factory sensors. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensors are after-market sensors. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the device wirelessly connects to the server through a computer network. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the device wirelessly connects to the server through a cellular network. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the device directly connects to the server. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smart camera system is disposed in a plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vehicles are disposed over a geographical area. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises road integrity, visibility of road markings, road signs, weather conditions, traffic conditions, fleet distribution, fleet connectivity, fleet activity, average daily travel, speed limit, average traffic incidents or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A system for identifying a transportation infrastructure condition comprising:
 a smart camera system disposed on a vehicle, wherein the smart camera system comprises a camera and a transmitter; and   a server capable to analyze data, wherein the server is configured to estimate a repair cost of the transportation infrastructure.   
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the device wirelessly connects to the server through a computer network. 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the device directly connects to the server. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein analyzing the data is communicated to a third party. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the third party is a governing body. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle also comprises sensors, wherein the sensors comprise humidity sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, optical sensors, position sensors, environment sensors, ultrasonic sensors, passive infrared sensors, distance sensors, hall effect sensors, variable reluctance sensors, speed sensors or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the dashboard is configurable to display the data. 
     
     
         19 . A camera system configured to record and collect transportation infrastructure condition data, the camera system comprising:
 a camera;   an electronic control module;   a global positioning system;   a single board computer; and   a dashboard, wherein the dashboard displays an estimated repair cost of a transportation infrastructure.   
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 16 , further comprising sensors, wherein the sensors comprise humidity sensors, temperature sensors, proximity sensors, optical sensors, position sensors, environment sensors, ultrasonic sensors, passive infrared sensors, distance sensors, hall effect sensors, variable reluctance sensors, speed sensors or any combination thereof.