Image data processing

• US 20030043160A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Secumanagement B.V.
• Original Assignee: Wespot AB (OPTEX Technologies BV)
• Inventors: Merheim, Christian, Rodman, Andreas, Elfving, Mats
• Granted Patent: US 6,774,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A method and a device for managing image information in a monitoring system. The monitoring system comprises at least one monitoring module (1) for monitoring a monitored location and a remote recipient unit (3). The method comprises the steps of recording an image of the monitored location with the monitoring module (1), segmenting out a distinct region by comparing the recorded image with a reference image in the monitoring module (1), creating an outline shape in the monitoring module which represents the edge of the distinct region, transmitting data which represents the outline shape to the recipient unit (3), recreating the outline shape in the recipient unit by means of said transmitted data, and displaying the outline shape visually in the recipient unit.

Claims

1. A method for managing image information in a monitoring system, which monitoring system comprises at least one monitoring module (1) for monitoring a monitored location and a remote recipient unit (3), comprising the steps of recording (100) an image of the monitored location using the monitoring module (1), segmenting out a distinct region (120) by comparison of the recorded image with a reference image in the monitoring module (1), creating an outline shape in the monitoring module that represents the edges of the distinct region, transmitting (200) data representing the outline shape to the recipient unit (3), recreating the outline shape in the recipient unit (3) using said transmitted data, and displaying the outline shape visually in the recipient unit.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of creating an outline shape comprises the steps of creating (140) an outline image of the distinct region and of fitting (150) the outline shape to the outline image.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the step of creating (140) the outline image comprises the step of following the edge of the distinct region by means of a search function, such as a clock-hand algorithm.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of classifying (160) the distinct region in the monitoring module (1) based on at least one characteristic belonging to the distinct region such as size and/or shape, the classification controlling (170) the transmission of said data.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of comparing in the monitoring module particular characteristics, such as one or more characteristics of the type:

size and shape, belonging to the distinct region with corresponding characteristics belonging to a segmented region out of at least one previously recorded image, the movement history of the distinct region being recorded if the characteristics conform to the extent that they are determined to represent the same object.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of classifying (160) in the monitoring module (1) the distinct region based on the recorded movement history of the distinct region, the classification controlling (170) the transmission of said data.

7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of classifying (160) the distinct region in the monitoring module (1) based on at least one characteristic belonging to the distinct region such as size, shape and/or recorded movement history, the classification controlling (170) the transmission of said data.

8. A method according to any one of claims 5-7, in which data representing the movement history is transmitted to the recipient unit (3) together with said data representing the outline shape and is recreated for visual display.

9. A method according to any one of claims 4, 6, 7 or 8, in which said data is only transmitted if the distinct region is classified as human-related.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of storing (195) the data which is to be transmitted to the recipient unit (3) in the monitoring module (1) prior to transmission.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of transmitting supplementary monitoring information such as sound recordings, partial lines and/or intensity areas within the distinct region to the recipient unit (3).

12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of displaying the recreated outline shape on a background image in the recipient unit.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which communication between the monitoring module (1) and the recipient unit (3) is carried out by wireless means, for example by mobile telephony.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the outline shape is represented by a polygon.

15. A method according to claim 14, in which the polygon is represented by a number of points which can vary in number.

16. A method according to claims 1-13, in which the outline shape is represented by a spline function.

24. A computer program product comprising program code which is stored on a computer-readable medium and which, when loaded into a computer, carries out one or more of the method steps according to any one of claims 1-16.

17. A device for managing image information, which device comprises at least one monitoring module (1) for monitoring a monitored location and a remote recipient unit (3), the monitoring module (1) comprising a light-sensitive sensor (10) which is arranged to record an image of the monitored location, a calculating unit (11) which is arranged to segment out a distinct region by comparing the recorded image with a reference image, and to create an outline shape which represents the edge of the distinct region;

and a communication unit (12) which is arranged to transmit data representing the outline shape to the recipient unit (3); and

the recipient unit (3) being arranged to receive said transmitted data, to recreate the outline shape and to display the outline shape visually.

18. A device according to claim 17, in which the calculating unit (11) is further arranged to classify the distinct region based on at least one characteristic belonging to the distinct region such as size, shape and/or movement history, and to control the transmission of said data based on the classification.

19. A device according to claim 17 or 18, in which the monitoring module (1) further comprises a memory means (13), which is arranged to store data such as data about characteristics belonging to the distinct region and/or data which represents the outline shape.

20. A device according to any one of claims 17-19, in which the monitoring module (1) and the recipient unit (3) interpret information according to the same mathematical model.

21. A device according to any one of claims 17-20, further comprising an audio device for transmission of audio information from the monitoring module (1) to the monitoring station (3).

22. A device according to any one of claims 17-21, in which the communication unit (12) comprises a wireless communication device.

23. A monitoring module for monitoring a monitored location comprising a light-sensitive sensor (10), which is arranged to record an image of the monitored location, a calculating unit (11) which is arranged to segment out a distinct region by comparing the recorded image with a reference image and to create an outline shape which represents the edge of the distinct region, and a communication unit (12) which is arranged to transmit data which represents the outline shape to a remote recipient unit (3).