Video surveillance system
First Claim
1. A video surveillance system, comprising:
- (a) a visible-light integrating camera having frame integration functions for taking visible-light video;
(b) an infrared camera for taking infrared images;
(c) a tracking controller comprising;
a rotation unit that rotates said visible-light integrating camera and/or infrared camera, and an image processor that processes video signals supplied from said visible-light integrating camera and/or said infrared camera; and
(d) a system controller that commands said tracking controller to keep track of a moving object by using the visible-light integrating camera in a first period and the infrared camera in a second period.
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Abstract
A video surveillance system that automatically keeps track of a moving object in an accurate and efficient manner. The system has two cameras for surveillance. One is a visible-light integrating camera that has a frame integration function to capture visible-light images of objects, and the other is an infrared camera for taking infrared images. A rotation unit tilts and pans the visible-light integrating camera and/or infrared camera, under the control of a tracking controller. Video output signals of those cameras are processed by image processors. The tracking controller operates with commands from a system controller, so that it will keep track of a moving object with the visible-light integrating camera in a first period and with the infrared camera in a second period.
77 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A video surveillance system, comprising:
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(a) a visible-light integrating camera having frame integration functions for taking visible-light video;
(b) an infrared camera for taking infrared images;
(c) a tracking controller comprising;
a rotation unit that rotates said visible-light integrating camera and/or infrared camera, and an image processor that processes video signals supplied from said visible-light integrating camera and/or said infrared camera; and
(d) a system controller that commands said tracking controller to keep track of a moving object by using the visible-light integrating camera in a first period and the infrared camera in a second period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A tracking controller, for use with a visible-light integrating camera having frame integration functions for taking visible-light video or an infrared camera for taking infrared images, to keep track of an intruder, the tracking controller comprising:
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a rotation unit that rotates the visible-light integrating camera and/or infrared camera; and
an image processor that processes video signals from the visible-light integrating camera and/or said infrared camera.
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11. A system controller for use in a video surveillance system with a visible-light integrating camera having frame integration functions for taking visible-light video or an infrared camera for taking infrared images, the system controller comprising:
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a network interface; and
a controller that causes the visible-light integrating camera to keep track of a moving object in a first period and the infrared camera to keep track of a moving object in a second period.
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12. A video surveillance method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sunlight table containing information about sunlight hours which vary according to seasons;
recognizing first and second periods, based on the sunlight table;
predicting a new position of a moving object;
providing a visible-light integrating camera having frame integration functions for taking visible-light video and an infrared camera for taking infrared images;
keeping track of a moving object with the visible-light integrating camera in the first period while directing the infrared camera toward the predicted new position to wait for the moving object to come into view; and
keeping track of a moving object with the infrared camera in the second period while directing the visible-light integrating camera toward the predicted new position to wait for the moving object to come into view.
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Specification