1. Technical Field
This application relates generally to speed-determination devices and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to systems and methods for laser-based speed-determination.
2. Background
The use of speed-determination devices in law enforcement has been known for many years. Initially, most speed-detection systems required a patrol officer to be stationary, which placed the patrol officer at a significant disadvantage when attempting to pull over a speeding vehicle. In recent years, various attempts have been made to develop speed-detection systems that can be used in moving vehicles.
Most current commercially available speed-detection devices utilize radar. Radar can be used to measure ground speed as well as closure rate of a target vehicle, thereby allowing speed measurement from a moving vehicle. However, radar suffers from many limitations involving inaccurate target identification. Radar-based devices typically display a speed for either the fastest vehicle or the vehicle reflecting the strongest signal; it is then up to the patrol officer to determine what he believes to be the target for which the speed is being displayed.
Laser-based devices have also been developed for use in speed-determination. Laser exhibits many improvements over radar in the area of target identification. However, laser also suffers from a limitation that it requires the patrol officer to be stationary and has not been successfully applied to a moving vehicle.