Systems and methods for night time surveillance

• US 20060238617A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Opsigal Control Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Opsigal Control Systems Limited
• Inventors: Tamir, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/325,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238617A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19606 Discriminating between target movement or movement in an area of interest and other non-signicative movements, e.g. target movements induced by camera shake or movements of pets, falling leaves, rotating fan
• 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 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• 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: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2723 Insertion of virtual advertisement; Replacing advertisements physical present in the scene by virtual advertisement data processing systems or methods specially adapted for marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

Methods and systems for surveillance are described. One described method for use in a surveillance system having a camera, comprises generating a background image of the camera'"'"'s field of regard, receiving a live video image of the camera'"'"'s current field of view, wherein the field of view is within the field of regard, and correlating a position of the live video image within the background image.

Claims

1. A method for use in a surveillance system having a camera, comprising:

generating a background image of the camera'"'"'s field of regard;

receiving a live video image of the camera'"'"'s current field of view, wherein the field of view is within the field of regard; and

correlating a position of the live video image within the background image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the live video image is captured by the camera at night using an infrared (IR) illuminator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the IR illuminator is a laser.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the live video image and the background image such that the position of the live video image is correlated within the background image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the live video image is displayed separately from the background image and the background image includes an indicator of the position of the live video image.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the live video image is displayed within the background image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the live video image is displayed in the center of the background image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a displayed position of the live video image within the background image changes based on a change of the current field of view of the camera.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the background image comprises:

scanning the field of regard to capture a plurality of background sub-images; and

aligning the sub-images into a composite image.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing the sub-images by removing moving objects.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the composite image is processed to color correct and brightness correct the composite image.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein scanning the field of regarding comprises scanning the field of regard a plurality of times in a plurality of different patterns.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an IR background image; and

correlating the IR background image with the background image.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein assembling the sub-images into a composite image comprises receiving position information and using image processing techniques.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating the position of live video image within the background image comprises receiving position information and using image processing techniques.

16. A night vision surveillance system, comprising:

a camera having a field of regard;

an illuminator capable of producing an illumination beam;

a computer capable of generating a background image of the field of regard, receiving a live video image of a current field of view of the camera that is within the field of regard, and correlating a position of the live video image within the background image, wherein the live video image is captured by the camera using the illumination beam.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the illuminator is an infrared (IR) laser illuminator and the illumination beam is an IR laser illumination beam.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a pan and tilt unit supporting the camera and illuminator and capable of moving the camera and illuminator, wherein the pan and tilt unit is controlled by the computer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the camera and the illuminator are located in different locations.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein a focal length of the camera and a focal length of the illuminator are capable of moving in unison.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising a display capable of displaying the live video image and the background image with the position of the live video image correlated within the background image.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer generates the background image by scanning the field of regard to capture a plurality of background sub-images and aligning the sub-images into a composite image.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising a detection system capable of providing detected targets location information to the computer.

24. The system of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of cameras.

25. A method of surveillance using at least one camera, comprising:

generating a background image of the camera'"'"'s field of regard;

scanning the field of regard based on based on areas of interest (AOI) position information corresponding to a position of at least one AOI in the field of regard;

receiving a live video image of the camera'"'"'s current field of view covering the at least one AOI, wherein the field of view is within the field of regard; and

correlating a position of the live video image within the background image.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the AOI position information is received from a user specifying an area of interest.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the AOI position information corresponds to a predetermined scan path for the camera.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein settings on the camera are automatically changed to optimize image resolution along the scan path.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the predetermined scan path is managed through a user interface with direct user input.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the user input is at least one of an area, a path, or points of interest within the field of regard.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the AOI position information is received from a detection system.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the AOI position information is generated by image processing methods.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the live video image is captured by the camera at night using an infrared (IR) laser illuminator.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein settings of the illuminator are automatically changed based on the proximity of targets in the current filed of view to the illuminator.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising automatically adjusting a beam divergence angle of the illuminator and the current field of view based at least in part on an average intensity of the current field of view.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising automatically adjusting a beam divergence angle of the illuminator and the current field of view based at least in part on content information in the current field of view.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the illuminator is switched off if the current field of view is illuminated by a light source.

38. A night vision surveillance system, comprising:

a camera having a field of regard;

an infrared (IR) illuminator capable of producing an illumination beam, wherein the illuminator is separated from the camera to create a parallax; and

a computer capable of controlling the camera and the illuminator.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the illuminator is an IR laser illuminator and the illumination beam is an IR laser illumination beam.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising a pan and tilt unit supporting the camera and illuminator and capable of moving the camera and illuminator, wherein the pan and tilt unit is controlled by the computer.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the camera and the illuminator are located in different locations and mounted on separate pan and tilt units.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein a focal length of the camera and a focal length of the illuminator are capable of moving in unison.

43. The system of claim 38, further comprising a safety module capable of detecting the presence of objects too close to the illuminator and shutting off the illumination beam.

44. A night vision surveillance system, comprising:

a camera having a field of regard;

an infrared (IR) illuminator capable of producing an illumination beam;

a computer capable of controlling the camera and the illuminator; and

a safety module capable of detecting the presence of an object too close to the illuminator and shutting off the illumination beam.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the safety module comprises an imaging detector capable of detecting beam reflection going back into the illumination beam and a safety processor capable of analyzing the beam reflection and shutting off the illumination beam based on the analysis.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the safety processor analyzes a shape of the beam reflection.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the safety module is capable of gradually starting up the illumination beam following shutting off the illumination beam.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein gradually starting up the illumination beam comprises turning the illumination beam on at a reduced power and determining if an object is still present and gradually increasing power of the illumination beam if no objects are detected.