Method and apparatus for an omni-directional video surveillance system

• US 20030071891A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technest Holdings, Inc. (AccelPath, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Technest Holdings, Inc. (AccelPath, Inc.)
• Inventors: Geng, Z. Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,940,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A surveillance system uses an image from an omni-directional camera to identify objects or events of interest on which a higher-resolution camera can be trained.

Claims

1. A surveillance system comprising:

an omni-directional camera;

a higher-resolution camera; and

a host computer connected to and controlling both said omni-directional camera and said higher-resolution camera;

wherein said host computer controls said higher-resolution camera based on an omni-directional image from said omni-directional camera.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said higher-resolution camera has a pan/tilt/zoom platform.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said host computer drives said pan/tilt/zoom platform.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said host computer comprises an image processing application that processes said omni-directional image from said omni-directional to identify an event or object in said omni-directional image that is of interest according to pre-defined parameters, said host computer then training said higher-resolution camera on said event or object of interest.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional camera comprises an imaging unit pointed at a convex mirror.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional camera and said higher-resolution camera are mounted co-axially at a common location.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio communications channel between said omni-directional camera and said host computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional camera is mounted on a support below said higher-resolution camera.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional camera is mounted above said higher-resolution camera.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional camera comprises a plurality of cameras pointed in different directions providing image output that is combined into said omni-directional image.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of higher-resolution cameras; and

a user interface which displays images output from said higher-resolution cameras along with said omni-directional image from said omni-directional camera.

12. A method of operating a surveillance system comprising:

receiving output from an omni-directional camera;

analyzing said output to identify points of interest; and

obtaining higher-resolution images of identified points of interest using a higher-resolution camera.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a position of an identified point of interest in an omni-directional image output by said omni-directional camera;

converting said position into commands for a pan/tilt/zoom platform of said higher-resolution camera.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said analyzing said output to identify points of interest comprises motion detection.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said analyzing said output to identify points of interest comprises background subtraction.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying higher-resolution images from a number of higher-resolution cameras in combination with an omni-directional image output by said omni-directional camera.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising mounting said omni-directional camera co-axially with said higher-resolution camera.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising mounting said omni-directional camera above said higher-resolution camera.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising mounting said omni-directional camera below said higher-resolution camera.

20. A method of operating a surveillance system comprising:

means for generating an omni-directional image;

means for analyzing said image to identify points of interest; and

means for obtaining higher-resolution images of identified points of interest in said omni-directional image.