Method of video monitoring, corresponding device, system and computer programs

• US 20050280704A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Europa N.V. (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Europa N.V. (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Henoco, Xavier, Clare, Maryline
• Application Number:
  US10/964,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• 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: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the 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 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A video monitoring device, comprising: receiving means for receiving a video stream from a video source; manually operable means for setting a detection mode among at least two modes, the detection mode being solely set for the video source; motion detection means for detecting motion in the video stream in accordance with the detection mode set by said manually operable means, said motion detection means obtaining and computing a set of images from the video stream according to the detection mode; and output means for outputting the result regarding to the motion detected by said detection means.

Claims

1. A video monitoring device, comprising

receiving means for receiving a video stream from a video source,

manually operable means for setting a detection mode among at least two modes, the detection mode being solely set for the video source;

motion detection means for detecting motion in the video stream in accordance with the detection mode set by said manually operable means, said motion detection means obtaining and computing a set of images from the video stream according to the detection mode; and

output means for outputting the result regarding to the motion detected by said detection means.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least a number of images within the set of images obtained by said motion detection means and duration of the video stream during which the set of images are obtained by said motion detection means are determined according to the detection mode.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said output means includes alarm means for generating an alarm signal based on the motion detected by said motion detection means.

4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising means for detecting sound level in an audio stream associated with the video stream, and wherein said alarm means generates the alarm signal if the weighted sum of the detected sound level and level of the motion detected by said motion detection means is above a threshold that is dependent on the detection mode set for the video source.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein said alarm means includes selecting means for selecting a video display among a plurality of displays and supply means for supplying the video stream to the selected video display.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said receiving means is capable of receiving a plurality of video streams from a plurality of video sources, said selecting means selects the display closer to a video source belonging to a predetermined set of video sources.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined set of video sources includes all the video sources among the plurality of video sources but the one from which the video stream causing the alarm signal is received.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the video stream is intra-frame encoded and said motion detection means includes means of computing difference between images within the obtained set of images.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the video stream is inter-frame encoded and said motion detection means uses motion vectors associated with an image within the obtained set of images.

10. A video monitoring device, comprising

an input receiving a video stream from a video source,

a manual operable member setting a detection mode among at least two modes, the detection mode being solely set for the video source;

a motion detector detecting motion in the video stream in accordance with the detection mode set by the manual operable member, the motion detector obtaining and computing a set of images from the video stream according to the detection mode; and

an output outputting the result regarding to the motion detected by the motion detector.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein at least a number of images within the set of images obtained by the motion detector and duration of the video stream during which the set of images are obtained by the motion detector are determined according to the detection mode.

12. A method of video monitoring, comprising

a step for receiving a video stream from a video source,

a step for manually setting a detection mode among at least two modes, the detection mode being solely set for the video source;

a step for detecting motion in the video stream in accordance with the detection mode set, in order to obtain and compute a set of images from the video stream according to the detection mode; and

a step for outputting the result regarding to the motion detected.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least a number of images within the set of images obtained by said step for detecting motion and duration of the video stream during which the set of images are obtained by said step for detecting motion are determined according to the detection mode.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step for outputting includes a step for generating an alarm signal based on the motion detected by said step for detecting motion.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising a step for detecting sound level in an audio stream associated with the video stream, and wherein said step for generating an alarm signal allows to generate the alarm signal if the weighted sum of the detected sound level and level of the motion detected by said motion detection means is above a threshold that is dependent on the detection mode set for the video source.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said step for generating an alarm signal includes a step for selecting a video display among a plurality of displays and a step for supplying the video stream to the selected video display.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step for receiving allows to receive a plurality of video streams from a plurality of video sources, said step for selecting allowing to select the display closer to a video source belonging to a predetermined set of video sources.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined set of video sources includes all the video sources among the plurality of video sources but the one from which the video stream causing the alarm signal is received.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein the video stream is intra-frame encoded and said step for detecting motion includes a step for computing difference between images within the obtained set of images.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein the video stream is inter-frame encoded and said step for detecting motion uses motion vectors associated with an image within the obtained set of images.

21. A computer program product comprising computer program code means for performing the steps of any one of method claims 12 to 20 when said computer product is run on a computer.

22. A computer readable storage medium, possibly partially or totally removable, storing a set of machine executable instructions, said set of machine executable instructions being executable by a computer to perform the steps of method claims 12 to 20.