Monitoring system and method

• US 20050212918A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Drudis, Antoni N., Pradhan, Salil, Serra, Bill
• Application Number:
  US10/809,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20050212918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.140
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• 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: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A monitoring system is provided. The system includes a plurality of sensor elements for distribution at a location and a plurality of cameras for capturing video data of the location. The system further includes a display unit for displaying a graphical representation of a network of the sensor elements throughout the location and a video stream from anyone of the cameras. The system further includes a navigation unit for navigating through the network of sensor elements displayed by the display unit, and a processing unit for selecting one of the cameras as the source of the video stream based on a current navigation position in the network of sensor elements.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensor elements for distribution at a location,

a plurality of cameras for capturing video data of the location,

a display unit for displaying a graphical representation of a network of the sensor elements throughout the location and a video stream from any one of the cameras,

a navigation unit for navigating through the network of sensor elements displayed by the display unit, and

a processing unit for selecting one of the cameras as the source of the video stream based on a current navigation position in the network of sensor elements.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of actuator elements for distribution at the location,

the display unit displaying a graphical representation of a network of the sensor and actuator elements,

the navigation unit enabling navigation through the network of sensor and actuator elements, and

a control unit for controlling the actuator elements through user input in response to information obtained from the graphical representation and the video stream.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, the processing unit overlaying a frame boundary element over the video stream corresponding to a displayed frame of the graphical representation.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, the control unit updating configuration data associated with the network of sensors and actuators in response to the user input.

5. A method of monitoring a location comprising the steps of:

obtaining monitoring data from a plurality of sensor elements distributed at the location,

capturing video data of the location utilizing a plurality of cameras,

navigating through a network of the sensor elements,

displaying a graphical representation of a current navigation position in the network of sensor elements, and

simultaneously displaying a video stream from one of the cameras selected based on the current navigation position.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of actuator elements at the location,

displaying a graphical representation of a network of the sensor and the actuator elements,

navigating through the network of sensor and actuator elements, and

controlling the actuator elements in response to information obtained from the graphical representation and the video stream.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising overlaying a frame boundary element corresponding to a current displayed frame of the graphical representation on the video stream.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising updating configuration data associated with the network of sensors and actuators in response to the user input.

9. A computer program comprising program code instructing a computer to perform a method of monitoring a location, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining monitoring data from a plurality of sensor elements distributed at the location,

capturing video data of the location utilizing a plurality of cameras,

navigating through a network of the sensor elements,

displaying a graphical representation of a current navigation position in the network of sensor elements, and

simultaneously displaying a video stream from one of the cameras selected based on the current navigation position.

10. A computer program as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of a network of the sensor elements and a network of actuator elements at the location,

navigating through the network of sensor and actuator elements, and

controlling the actuator elements in response to information obtained from the graphical representation and the video stream.

11. A computer program as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises overlaying a frame boundary element corresponding to a current displayed frame of the graphical representation on the video stream.

12. A computer program as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises updating configuration data associated with the network of sensors and actuators in response to the user input.