3D event capture and image transform apparatus and method for operation

• US 10,025,989 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eagle Eye Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dean Drako
• Inventors: Drako, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWAN, MATTHEW K
• Application Number:
  US14/704,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20160328616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 348 77, 382259
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19667 Details realated to data compression, encryption or encoding, e.g. resolution modes for reducing data volume to lower transmission bandwidth or memory requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/20 Image signal generators

Abstract

Images are selectively captured and transmitted by 3D security cameras to avoid congestion of a network coupling them to a central server. Skeleton detection circuits enable conditional event capture when triggered. Head, hands, and feet are associated with pixel blocks. An artificial horizon is derived from a shoulder segment. An isometric floor perspective is derived from a series of foot positions. Orientation of feet, head, or hands relative to an artificial horizon triggers event capture and transmission. Simultaneous position of two feet above the floor perspective triggers event capture and transmission. Images are transformed to effectively alert a user.

Claims

1. An event capture apparatus comprises:

a network interface;

a non-transitory store;

a circuit to track at least one skeleton received from a skeletonization circuit; and

a circuit to transmit an alert upon an event capture;

a circuit to measure leg length;

a circuit to determine a body centerline; and

,

a circuit to trigger event capture when horizontal distance from a foot to body centerline>

square root of 2.times.leg length.

2. An event capture apparatus comprises:

a network interface;

a non-transitory store;

a circuit to track at least one skeleton received from a skeletonization circuit; and

a circuit to transmit an alert upon an event capture;

a circuit to measure maximum stride length between feet;

a circuit to determine a body center line below a head;

a circuit to determine a vertical measure from head to foot when foot crosses body center line; and

a circuit to trigger event capture when stride length is >

0.5.times.vertical measure.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a circuit to determine each shoulder position;

a circuit to determine each hand position; and

a circuit to trigger event capture when a shoulder and both hands are in a straight line.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a circuit to determine a head position;

a circuit to determine each hand position; and

a circuit to trigger event capture when head and both hands are in a straight line.

5. A system comprising:

a user display;

an image store of captured events;

the store coupled to the user display,

an event capture apparatus;

the event capture apparatus coupled to the image store,

a skeletonization device (device);

the device coupled to the event capture apparatus; and

a

3-D video camera (camera),

the camera coupled to the skeletonization device;

wherein the event capture apparatus causes an alert to be transmitted to the display when both feet are simultaneously above an isometric floor, and a stride length between the feet is substantially longer than twice a leg length.

6. A method for operation of an event capture apparatus comprising:

recording at least one image at a 3-D digital camera;

generating a skeleton from a 3-D digital camera;

reading a store of previously generated skeletons;

triggering event capture when a generated skeleton substantially matches a stored skeleton;

selecting pixel blocks for terminus of spine, arm, and leg segments of the skeleton for image transformation;

transmitting viewports and thumbnail images with pixel blocks;

transmitting an alert to a remote user operating a computer monitor; and

, process to determine when a generated skeleton substantially matches a stored skeleton by

determining a first vector substantially aligned from head of the stored skeleton along the spine to the hip;

determining a second vector substantially aligned from the head of the generated skeleton along the spine to the hip; and

determining the angle of the first vector to vertical is within 15 degrees of the angle of the second vector to vertical.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

selecting pixel blocks for compression to lower resolution formats that do not contain portions of one of a head, a hand, and a foot.