Automated diagnoses and prediction in a physical security surveillance system

• US 20060092019A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth T. Fallon
• Original Assignee: Kenneth T. Fallon
• Inventors: Fallon, Kenneth T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• 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: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data

Abstract

An invention that automatically reports and collects security surveillance problems, device problems, device status, device diagnostics and device state information from cameras and security detection equipment. Devices may be attached to a computer network or attached through a device controller on a computer network but are not limited to only that topology. The device or the controller monitors the operation of devices and tracks any status, failures, intrusions or operational irregularities. Each detected occurrence is either recorded at the device or controller for later reporting or reported immediately to network administration centers. As much diagnostic information as possible is collected, recorded and reported. The device or the controller may also keep track of trend information and report that as well. The administration center collects the information and produces alerts and notifications as configured. These alerts and notifications may not be related to a single problem or intrusion but may be based on trend or diagnostic information. In addition the administration center analyzes the collected information and reports on intrusions, problems or other information of interest to a security system. Special charts, graphs, histogram and other reports are produced by the system to aid in proactive diagnosis, problem prediction and behavior patterns. The system produces predictive information based on trend and periodic information to alert operators of potential upcoming problems and behavior. The data and reports are available for viewing from a range of display devices that includes desktop computers (workstations and servers), laptops computers, notebook computers, cell phones, handhelds, PDAs, etc.

Claims

1. The invention has security surveillance devices such as cameras and detection equipment that are attached to a network, attached to a device controller unit on a network, or attached via any electronic means. Devices or the control units automatically report problems and status to administrative computers. The reported information is saved to be analyzed to determine the reason for the problem/issue, the frequency of the problem/issue, the severity of the problem/issue and potential future problems/issues with the device. The diagnosis is not limited to just these results but may also present trends and predictive behavior.

i. Devices include but are not limited to detection and surveillance equipment such as cameras, power control units, motion sensors, contact sensors, card readers, people identifying units (retinal scan, etc.), lighting control, motion control, access identification units;

and include user display equipment such as desktop computers (workstations or servers), laptop computers, mobile vehicle terminals, hand held computers, cell phones, PDAs, and all similar remote devices.

ii. Analysis results are hardware failure, feature failure, network failure, operation error, human error, equipment misuse, intermittent error, externally activated error, repeated intrusions, trend information, predictive behavior, etc.

iii. The remote detection or surveillance device or a remote control unit detect the error or problem condition gather information and report it to administrative centers using a computer network or some other electronic means. Other methods like file transfer or printed outputs may be used to transfer the information as well. Administrative centers to be informed are configured as part of system setup.

iv. Administrative software centers gather the notification information from the devices or control units and save it for analysis.

2. A system that performs detailed analysis of collected surveillance security information from cameras or detection equipment to analyze problems, failures, warnings, notifications, trends, or predictive behavior. This analyzed information is reported to selected or requesting users attached to a computer network or electronically from user display devices (desktop computers, laptop computers, mobile vehicle terminals, hand held computers, cell phones, PDAs, and all similar remote devices).

i. After gathering information the invention runs special analysis software at administrative centers against this gathered data to identify failure trends and behavior. This software identifies problem areas and recommends corrective action.

ii. Special reports are generated by the invention to identify failure or problem areas in the network attached security equipment. These reports are used to assist in correction of identified problems.

iii. The invention produces graphs and charts of problem trends to help identify problem areas and predict behavioral or suspicious activity.

iv. Administrative software periodically, on demand or by triggers, investigate the reported problems and produce a report, send out notifications, send out warnings, invoke alarms, or log the results of the problem analysis.