NZ620038B - Device for vehicle measuring - Google Patents

Abstract

620038 Disclosed is a device for measuring a vehicle (1) on a roadway (2). The device (3) includes a carrier structure, which has a support axis (7) that can be oriented transversely over the roadway (2), and a plurality of transmitter elements (11), which are distributed along the support axis (7) on the carrier structure and each downwardly emitting a light measuring beam (12). Each light measuring beam (12) is located in an emission direction (13) extending normal to the support axis (7), and at least one receiver element (14) is installed on the carrier structure and receives reflected light measuring beams (12’). An evaluation unit is connected to the transmitter (11) and receiver (14) elements for time of flight measurement and, based thereon, measurement of a vehicle (1). The emission directions of at least two transmitter elements are not parallel to each other. 7) on the carrier structure and each downwardly emitting a light measuring beam (12). Each light measuring beam (12) is located in an emission direction (13) extending normal to the support axis (7), and at least one receiver element (14) is installed on the carrier structure and receives reflected light measuring beams (12’). An evaluation unit is connected to the transmitter (11) and receiver (14) elements for time of flight measurement and, based thereon, measurement of a vehicle (1). The emission directions of at least two transmitter elements are not parallel to each other.

Description

Patents Form 5 N.Z. No. 620038 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE MEASURING We, KAPSCH TRAFFICCOM AG, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- Device for Vehicle Measuring The present invention relates to a device for measuring a vehicle on a roadway.

The measuring of vehicles is of great importance in par- ticular for establishing the suitability or authorization of the use of a road section, such as a tunnel or a toll road, or of a location, such as a parking space or city territory that is subject to tolls. Vehicles that are too high or too wide are to be stopped in time before tunnels, and usage charges are to be determined in road toll systems or at parking spaces as a function of the vehicle height and/or width. The measuring of a vehicle is to take place largely without interfering with traf- fic flow, which is to say while driving on the roadway. For this purpose, measuring gantries extending transversely over the roadway are installed, for example, and populated with sen- sors for vehicle measurement.

If the roadway has only one lane, a vehicle height, for example, can be ascertained by way of light barriers trans- versely radiating lat various heights. As an alternative, an image can first be recorded of a vehicle, and the vehicle can thereupon be measured by way of optical image evaluation. A la- ser scanner installed on a measuring gantry is known from US 6,304,321 B1, which can project two differently inclined fanned scan beams onto the road surface or vehicle surface by way of a rotating deflection mirror having differently inclined mirror facets. By fanning the laser measuring beams, shadowing effects are created so that the lateral faces of a vehicle facing away from the scanner cannot be detected and consequently not meas- ured.

It is known from US 2004/0008514 A2 to mount a line of in- dividual perpendicularly downwardly radiating transmitter and receiver elements for laser time of flight measurement on a measuring gantry. So as not to interfere with each other, the transceiver elements are sequentially actuated either individu- ally or in groups, which may result in detection gaps for vehi- cles traveling at high speeds; it is thus not possible to re- liably associate various vehicle parts or a trailer with a ve- hicle.

It is the object of the invention to create a device for measuring a vehicle, which overcomes the disadvantages of the state of the art and is also flexible to use.

This object is achieved by a device for measuring a vehi- cle, comprising: a carrier structure, which has a support axis that can be oriented transversely over the roadway, a plurality of transmitter elements, which are distributed along the support axis on the carrier structure and each down- wardly emit a light measuring beam, each light measuring beam being located in an emission direction extending normal to the support axis, at least one receiver element, which is installed on the carrier structure and receives reflected light measuring beams, an evaluation unit, which is connected to the transmitter and receiver elements for time of flight measurement and, based thereon, measurement of a vehicle, the device being characterized in that the emission direc- tions of at least two transmitter elements are not parallel to each other.

The light measuring beams together form a two-dimensional measuring area on the roadway and are still always oriented in planes that are parallel to the driving direction, so that they are able to measure a vehicle three-dimensionally without lat- eral shadowing effects. The beam distances transversely to the driving direction can be selected entirely independently of each other in different emission directions, whereby, depending on need, transmitter and/or receiver elements and thus addi- tionally also computing power can be saved in the evaluation.

By optimizing the arrangement and the number of transmitter and receiver elements, the load on the carrier structure is re- duced, so that one-sided bracing of the consequently slim part of the carrier structure extending over the roadway also be- comes possible. This part can thus also be configured to be pivotable, for example for maintenance work.

So as to simplify the evaluation of the measurement sig- nals, it is advantageous if transmitter elements having mutu- ally parallel emission directions form a group and the device has at least two groups. Such groups of parallel light measur- ing beams together form scanning lines extending transversely over the roadway and can be evaluated together or with respect to a specific task. Based on a detection of a vehicle, addi- tional components, such as traffic cameras, could be controlled by way of a first group, or the light measuring beams of a sec- ond group can be influenced in terms of the chronological suc- cessions thereof. In this way, energy and/or computing power can be saved during low-traffic times, for example.

The transmitter elements of a first group particularly preferably have regular first distances from each other, and the transmitter elements of a second group have regular second distances from each other that are different from the first.

The mutual distances of the light measuring beams are thus adapted to different tasks which necessitate different resolu- tions; as a result of the regular nature of the distances, the orientation of the measuring device and the evaluation are sim- plified.

So as to be able to contiguously track a vehicle in the entire two-dimensional measuring area, a preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by a first group of closely spaced transmitter elements having vertical emission direc- tions, at least one second group of transmitter elements spaced far apart from each other having emission directions at a first angle relative to the perpendicular, and at least one third group of closely spaced transmitter elements having emission directions at a second angle relative to the perpendicular.

Each group of transmitter elements can serve a particular task: The evaluation unit is particularly preferably configured to evaluate the reflections of the light measuring beams of the first group for vehicle classification, those of the second group for vehicle tracking, and those of the third group for vehicle detection. When a vehicle is detected by the third group, for example, the recording of an image of the vehicle license plate number can be triggered, whereupon the vehicle can be further tracked contiguously by way of light measuring beams of the second group - having a lower resolution over a larger road section - up to the light measuring beams of the first group, which are placed closely together and, due to a vertical emission direction, provide reflections that can be received particularly well, so that the vehicle classification can be carried out with high precision. Thanks to the contigu- ous tracking of the vehicle through the entire two-dimensional measuring area, the combination of the vehicle license plate number and the measurement or classification result is fail- safe.

As an alternative (or in addition), it is also possible, after a vehicle classification by way of the first group, to track the vehicle up until (renewed) detection using a down- stream second group and a (further) third group and thereupon, if so desired, to trigger the recording of an (additional) im- age, for example for front and rear photos of the same vehicle and the license plate thereof.

It is particularly advantageous if a dedicated receiver element is associated with each transmitter element on the car- rier structure in the immediate vicinity thereof. This allows a simplified association during the evaluation of the individual reflected light measuring beams and also simplifies the orien- tation of the transmitter and receiver elements. This also makes it easier for multiple or all transmitter elements to si- multaneously emit light measuring beams, which are received by the respective associated receiver elements and evaluated by way of the evaluation unit with respect to the time of flight.

So as to reduce the interfering influence of scattered light, an aperture is preferably provided upstream of each re- ceiver element. In addition to reducing the susceptibility to faults from environmental influences, reflections of the light measuring beams of neighboring transmitter elements are thus also suppressed, which allows the simultaneous operation of multiple or all transmitter elements.

In one advantageous variant, the device is characterized in that each transmitter element is formed by the outlet end of a light conducting fiber, which is fed by a light source. Due to the low weight of the fibers, a particularly slim and light- weight carrier structure is achieved, so that rapid installa- tion and maintenance are facilitated and the visual impairment of the surroundings is reduced.

The light conducting fibers particularly preferably origi- nate from a central location in the device, at which a light source is arranged for each of one or more light conducting fi- bers. Light sources can thus be saved, and the remaining one(s) can be serviced centrally, if necessary. This also ensures the simultaneous operation of multiple or even all transmitter ele- ments. The light conducting fibers can also be guided out of the carrier structure and, for example, be relocated into an associated control box of the device, whereby they become ac- cessible even more easily.

It is favorable if each receiver element is formed by the inlet end of a light conducting fiber, which is supplied to an optoelectronic transducer. Similarly to the above-mentioned variant, this reduces the weight along the support axis. At the same time, such an embodiment allows the reflected light meas- uring beams to be centrally evaluated directly based on the op- tical signals.

With such a central evaluation, the optoelectronic trans- ducer is particularly preferably an image sensor, on each of the pixels of which one of the light conducting fibers is routed. Such an image sensor that is suitable for time of flight measurement can also detect and associate simultaneously emitted light measuring beams, or the reflections thereof, with respect to the time of flight thereof with pinpoint precision and determine individual distances. The image sensor can again be situated in a central location, for example in the control box on the carrier structure.

In an alternative variant, the transmitter elements are light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes, and the receiver elements are optoelectronic transducers, which are exposed to the outside on the carrier structure. This reduces the complex- ity for a central actuation and evaluation, since in this case transmitter and receiver elements require or provide only elec- trical signals. A mixed embodiment, for example having decen- tralized light-emitting or laser diodes as transmitter elements and the inlet ends of light conducting fibers as receiver ele- ments having a central image sensor, or conversely having cen- tral light-emitting or laser diodes and outlet ends of light conducting fibers as transmitter elements and decentralized op- toelectronic transducers, such as photodiodes, would likewise be possible. Due to the small size of today’s light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and photodiodes, the slim carrier struc- ture is thus preserved.

The carrier structure can particularly advantageously be composed as a standardized module, which is populated with transmitter and receiver elements as desired, by the carrier structure having a plurality of prepared seats for a respective transmitter and/or receiver element, the seats being distrib- uted in a grid-like manner over a downwardly directed side of the carrier structure. Depending on the population of the pre- pared seats, different mutual distances of the transmitter and/or receiver elements in different emission directions can thus be easily achieved, along with an adaptation to different ambient conditions and tasks. It is also possible to have the individual seats already prepared for predetermined emission directions and/or they may assign a prepared field of view to the receiver elements.

For example, it is particularly favorable if the seats are clip holders for inserting light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and/or optoelectronic transducers. This allows a rapid instal- lation and/or removal of these components, while the population remains arbitrary. The wall thickness of the carrier structure, which should be as small as possible, reduces the weight of the structure.

As an alternative, the seats are preferably ducts pene- trating a wall of the carrier structure for light conducting fibers to pass through. In view of the small fiber diameters, such ducts can likewise be very narrow and thus favor the rapid insertion of the fibers.

It is particularly advantageous if the outer sections of the seats are configured as apertures. These can be a region having a smaller diameter of these ducts or some of the seats configured on the clip holders, whereby separate components are dispensed with.

The invention will be described hereafter in greater de- tail based on exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: shows a perspective view from above onto the device according to the invention for measuring a vehicle on a road- way; shows a top view onto a vehicle on a roadway and light measuring beams reflected thereby, which are emitted by a device according to shows a view from beneath of the measuring head of the device of extending transversely over the roadway; shows partial cross-sections through different em- bodiments of the measuring head of along the intersect- ing line A-A of According to FIGS. 1 and 2, a vehicle 1 is measured at least with respect to the width and height thereof by way of a device 3 while driving on a roadway 2. The measuring device 3 comprises a carrier structure 4 having at least one stanchion 5 and an elongated measuring head 6, which is braced thereon and forms a support axis 7 extending transversely over the roadway 2. Depending on the width of the roadway 2 or the number of the lanes 8 thereof, the carrier structure 4 can also comprise ad- ditional stanchions 5. The measuring head 6 can be installed on the stanchion 5 so as to pivot about a vertical axis, so that it can be pivoted away from the roadway 2 for maintenance pur- poses. The device 3 further comprises a control box 9 for ac- commodating an evaluation unit 10 and additional components.

A plurality of transmitter elements 11 are distributed on the measuring head 6 along the support axis 7 (. Each transmitter element 11 emits a light measuring beam 12, such as a laser beam, in an emission direction 13, 13', 13" downward onto the roadway 2, or onto a vehicle 1 located thereon (. The measuring head 6 additionally carries at least one re- ceiver element 14 for light measuring beams 12' reflected by the vehicle 1 or the roadway 2. It is possible to provide one receiver element 14 for all transmitter elements 11 or for each group of transmitter elements 11, or a dedicated receiver ele- ment 14 for each transmitter element 11.

The evaluation unit 10 is connected to the transmitter and receiver element 11, 14 and, based on the time of flight of each individual light measuring beam 12, 12' that is emitted and reflected, for example the time period between the emission of a light pulse by a transmitter element 11 and the reception of the reflected light pulse in a receiver element 14, and based on the known positions of the transmitter and receiver elements 11, 14, calculates the positions of the impingement points 15 of the light measuring beams 12 on the roadway 2 or the vehicle 1, so as to create from this a point-by-point 2.5D or 3D image (a “scanning point cloud”) of the roadway 2 or of the vehicle 1, as is known per se in the prior art.

As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the emission directions 13, 13', 13" of at least two transmitter elements 11, and thus of the light measuring beams 12 thereof, are not parallel to each other. Each light measuring beam 12 is located in a plane 16 which is normal relative to the support axis 7 and intersects the roadway 2 approximately parallel to the lanes 8. Light measuring beams 12 having non-parallel emission directions 13, 13', 13" can be located in one and the same plane or in differ- ent planes 16. The device 3 thus projects a two-dimensional pattern 17 of impingement points 15 onto the roadway 2 or the vehicle 1, see In the pattern 17, light measuring beams 12 having mutu- ally parallel emission directions 13, 13', 13" each form a group 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' (, for which purpose the transmitter and receiver elements 11, 14 are preferably ar- ranged in corresponding groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' (.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the transmitter elements 11 of a first group 18 having vertical emission directions 13 have regular, narrow first distances a from each other, those of second groups 19, 19' having emission directions 13' at first angles α (0 < α < 90°) relative to the perpendicular (α = 0) have regular, wide second distances a from each other, and those of third groups 20, 20' having emission directions 13" at second angles α (α < α < 90°) relative to the perpendicular 2 1 2 have regular, narrow third distances a from each other. It is also possible to provide more than one second group 19, 19' be- tween the central first group 18 and the outer third groups 20, 20'.

The evaluation unit 10 is preferably configured to evalu- ate the reflections 12' of the light measuring beams 12 of the first group 18 for vehicle measurement and classification, those of the second groups 19, 19' for vehicle tracking over the entire measuring area 21 of the pattern 17, and those of the third groups 20, 20' for vehicle detection (triggering) when a vehicle 1 enters and exits the measuring area 21. The outer (third) groups 20, 20' can be used in particular as line detectors, for example so as to trigger the recording of an im- age by a camera unit 22, 22' which is installed for this pur- pose on the carrier structure 4 and/or so as to reduce the pauses between two light pulses of the light measuring beams 12 of groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' provided downstream in the driv- ing direction. The camera unit 22, 22' records a front or rear view of the vehicle 1 with the front or rear license plate num- ber 23, 23' and, if desired, the driver. The mutual distances a of the third groups 20, 20' are selected in such a way that a vehicle 1 can be detected reliably, and optionally also with lane precision, so as to trigger a camera unit 22, 22', for ex- ample, which is directed at the correct lane 8. The measuring area 21 of the pattern 17 in the longitudinal direction of the roadway 2 is preferably larger than the longest anticipated ve- hicle 1 to be measured or classified, and particularly prefera- bly a multiple thereof.

Depending on the application, other arrangements or se- quences of the groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' are also possible, of course, for vehicle detection, tracking and classification (measurement). A simple case, for example, includes at least two different groups having different resolutions in the sensor areas thereof for the tracking-triggering or triggering- tracking sequence, and the like. A combination with additional sensors, such as microwave radio devices for communicating with a device carried on board the vehicle for toll capturing, are likewise possible.

Finally, the width and height of the vehicle 1 are pref- erably measured by the particularly closely spaced transmitter elements 11 of the first group 18, or a 2.5D or 3D scanning point cloud thereof is created when passing the group 18, so as to classify the vehicle 1, for example. The close distance a results in a high resolution during this measurement or classi- fication.

Between the detector groups 20, 20' and the measurement and classification group 18, the vehicle 1 is detected by the light measuring beams 12 of the second group 19, 19' (“tracking groups”) as it passes through the measuring area 21. In the present exemplary embodiment, this is used to contiguously track the vehicle 1 in the entire measuring area 21 and thereby be able to clearly associate an image recorded by the camera units 22, 22', which was trigged by way of the third groups 20, ', for example, with a vehicle 1 that was measured and clas- sified by way of the first group 18. It is sufficient for this purpose if the transmitter elements 11 of the second groups 19, 19' are spaced far apart from each other (a > a , a > a ). 2 1 2 3 The distances a , a , a of the transmitter elements 11 of 1 2 3 the different groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' can, of course, be selected differently from those in the illustrated example. It is also possible for additional groups or other suitable, even irregular, patterns 17 to be emitted. The light measuring beams 12 can be in the visible wavelength range, however they are in- visible in the present example, so as to avoid interference with traffic.

The measurement of the length of the vehicle 1 or the scaling of the scanning point cloud thereof can be achieved, for example, by combining the evaluations of multiple receiver elements 14 of different groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' or with the aid of an additional speed measurement of the vehicle 1.

Such a speed measurement can take place by way of separate speed sensors (not shown), or by way of Doppler measurement with the aid of the transmitter elements 11 emitting at an an- gle α , α relative to the perpendicular, or based on the time period between the detection of a vehicle 1 with the aid of one of the groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' and the detection with the aid of a downstream group.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the optomechanical design of the meas- uring head 6 in detail. The measuring head 6 comprises a plu- rality of prepared seats 24, in each case for a transmitter element 11 and/or a receiver element 14. The seats 24 are dis- tributed in a grid-shaped manner across the downwardly facing side 25' of the wall 25 of the measuring head 6. The group-wise emission directions 13, 13', 13" shown in and 2 can be predefined by the orientations of the seats 24, see the ap- proximately semi-circular or U-shaped cross-section of the wall 25 in the wall 25 together with an upper protective cover 26 also forming a channel 27 extending in the direction of the support axis 7.

Line by line, the seats 24 shown in form the groups 18, 19, 19', 20, 20' of transmitter elements 11. However, it is also possible to provide more seats 25 than necessary - for ex- ample in a regular grid-shaped pattern - which are then popu- lated with transmitter and/or receiver elements 11, 14 accord- ing to the desired pattern 17. The measuring head 6 can also have a cross-section that is different from a U shape, for ex- ample an O-shaped or rectangular cross-section. shows different variants of transmitter and re- ceiver elements 11, 14 next to each other in one and the same drawing, the variants generally constituting alternatives, how- ever it also being possible to combine them in the same device 3.

In a first variant, which is the variant shown on the left in a transmitter element 11 can be formed by the outlet end 28 of a light conducting fiber 29. The seat 24 is prefera- bly a duct 30 for this purpose, which penetrates the wall 25, so that the light conducting fiber 29 or the light measuring beam 12 can pass through. The light conducting fibers 29 can be routed via the channel 27 to a central location in the device 3, for example the control box 9, where they are fed by a shared or group-wise or respective individual light source (not shown).

Likewise a receiver element 14 can be formed by the inlet end 32 of a light conducting fiber 29, which is routed to an optoelectronic transducer (not shown). The optoelectronic transducer can also be centrally arranged, such as in the con- trol box 9. The optoelectronic transducer can be an image sen- sor, such as photo diode array chip, on which each of the light conducting fibers 29 is routed on a separate pixel of the image sensor. As an alternative, each light conducting fiber 29 could supply a separate photodiode.

An aperture 31 can be connected upstream of the light con- ducting fiber 29 of the receiver element 14, the aperture lim- iting the field of view of the receiver element 14 in such a way that the same receives only a single reflected light meas- uring beam 12', which is to say that of the associated trans- mitter element 11. In this way, neighboring or even all trans- mitter elements 11 can send simultaneously. The aperture 31 can be a separate aperture, which optionally is provided with addi- tional optics, or it can simply be formed by a smaller diameter of the duct 30 itself, in which the inlet end 32 of the light conducting fiber 29 is recessed. Instead of limiting the fields of view of the receiver elements 14, alternatively all trans- mitter elements 11 - or at least those located close to each other - could be sequentially actuated or operated so as to prevent stray reflected light measuring beams 12' of non- associated transmitter elements 11 from being picked up a re- ceiver element 14.

In a second variant, which is shown in the center of at least some of the transmitter elements 11 can also be light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes 33 and/or at least some of the receiver elements 14 can be optoelectronic trans- ducers 34, such as photodiodes, which are exposed to the out- side on the carrier structure 4, so that the light measuring beams 12, 12' can be emitted and/or received without impair- ment. The seats 24 for light-emitting diodes, laser diodes or photodiodes 33, 34 can likewise be suitably shaped ducts 30 penetrating the wall 25, or preferably clip holders 35, in which the light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and/or photodi- odes 33, 34 can be inserted, for example detachably. The outer sections of the seats 24, in particular those of the receiver elements 14, can again optionally be configured as apertures 31. In this embodiment, the light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and photodiodes 33, 34 are connected to the evaluation unit 10 via electrical signal lines 36, which are routed in the channel 27, for example.

Of course, the seats 24, regardless of whether they are configured as clip holders 35 or as ducts 30, can in each case accommodate both a transmitter element 11 and an associated re- ceiver element 14, or more than one transmitter and/or receiver elements 11, 14, as is illustrated by a third variant shown on the right in in which a light conducting fiber 29 hav- ing an outlet end 28 as the transmitter element 11 and a photo- diode 34 accommodated in the same duct 30 are shown by way of example. Any other combination and/or variation of transmitter and/or receiver elements 11, 14 is likewise conceivable. One and the same light conducting fiber 29 could also be used both as a transmitter and receiver element 11, 14, if both a light measuring beam 12 is coupled in and the reflection 12' thereof is coupled out at the end opposite the seat 24, for example by way of a semitransparent mirror. Such an option also exists for several combined light conducting fibers 29, which are fed to- gether and evaluated with the aid of an image sensor.

The seats 24 can be closed to the outside by transparent cover plates 37 and protected against soiling. The cover plates 37 can also be filters to keep undesirable optical wavelengths, for example, away from the receiver elements 14 and/or they can be polarizers, wherein identically polarized cover plates 37 are provided upstream of mutually associated transmitter and receiver elements 11, 14.

The invention is not limited to the shown embodiments, but encompasses all variants, combinations and modifications that are covered by the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims (16)

Claims:

1. A device for measuring a vehicle on a roadway, com- prising: 5 a carrier structure, which has a support axis that can be oriented transversely over the roadway, a plurality of transmitter elements, which are distributed along the support axis on the carrier structure and each down- wardly emit a light measuring beam, each light measuring beam 10 being located in an emission direction extending normal to the support axis, at least one receiver element, which is installed on the carrier structure and receives reflected light measuring beams, 15 an evaluation unit, which is connected to the transmitter and receiver elements for time of flight measurement and, based thereon, measurement of a vehicle, characterized in that the emission directions of at least two transmitter ele- 20 ments are not parallel to each other.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that transmitter elements having mutually parallel emission di- rections form a group, and that the device has at least two groups. 25

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the transmitter elements of a first group have regular first distances from each other, and the transmitter elements of a second group have regular second distances from each other that are different from the first. 30

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by a first group of closely spaced transmitter elements having vertical emission directions, at least one second group of transmitter elements spaced far apart from each other having emission directions at a first angle relative to the perpen- 35 dicular, and at least one third group of closely spaced trans- mitter elements having emission directions at a second angle relative to the perpendicular.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the reflec- 5 tions of the light measuring beams of the first group for vehi- cle classification, those of the second group for vehicle tracking, and those of the third group for vehicle detection.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a dedicated receiver element is associ- 10 ated with each transmitter element in the immediate vicinity thereof.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an aperture is provided upstream of each receiver element. 15

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each transmitter element is formed by the outlet end of a light conducting fiber, which is fed by a light source.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in 20 that the light conducting fibers originate from a central loca- tion in the device, at which a light source is arranged for each of one or more light conducting fibers.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each receiver element is formed by the 25 inlet end of a light conducting fiber, which is routed to an optoelectronic transducer.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the optoelectronic transducer is an image sensor, on each pixel of which one of the light conducting fibers is routed. 30

12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the transmitter elements are light- emitting or laser diodes, and the receiver elements are opto- electronic transducers, which are exposed to the outside on the carrier structure.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the carrier structure has a plurality of prepared seats, in each case for a transmitter and/or receiver element, the seats being distributed in a grid-shaped manner 5 across a downwardly facing side of the carrier structure.

14. The device according to claim 13 in conjunction with claim 12, characterized in that the seats are clip holders for inserting the light-emitting or laser diodes and/or the opto- electronic transducers. 10

15. The device according to claim 13 in conjunction with any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the seats are ducts penetrating a wall of the carrier structure for the light guiding fibers to pass through.

16. The device according to any one of claims 13 to 15, 15 characterized in that the outer sections of the seats are con- figured as apertures. Kapsch TrafficCom AG 20 By Their Attorneys HENRY HUGHES Per: 11,14 11,14 12, 12' 12, 12' 12, 12'