Method and apparatus for analyzing video data of a security system based on infrared data

• US 20080043101A1
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Sharma, Raman Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera

Abstract

A security system comprises a surveillance unit comprising a visible light camera detecting video data from within a first field of view (FOV) and an infrared (IR) imager detecting IR data within the first FOV. An IR detection module determines whether at least a portion of the IR data is one of within a predetermined IR range, above a predetermined IR threshold, and below a predetermined IR threshold. A processor identifies a region of interest (ROI) within the video data to be further analyzed based on an output of the IR detection module.

Claims

1. A security system, comprising:

a surveillance unit comprising a visible light camera detecting video data from within a first field of view (FOV) and an infrared (IR) imager detecting IR data within the first FOV;

an IR detection module determining whether at least a portion of the IR data is one of within a predetermined IR range, above a predetermined IR threshold, and below a predetermined IR threshold; and

a processor identifying a region of interest (ROI) within the video data to be further analyzed based on an output of the IR detection module.

2. The security system of claim 1, the IR imager further comprising an array of IR sensors, each of the IR sensors detecting a portion of the IR data corresponding to a portion of the first FOV.

3. The security system of claim 1, the IR imager further comprising an array of IR sensors, each of the IR sensors detecting a portion of the IR data corresponding to a portion of the first FOV, the processor segmenting the video data based on the array of IR sensors.

4. The security system of claim 1, the IR imager further comprising an array of IR sensors, each of the IR sensors detecting a portion of the IR data corresponding to a portion of the first FOV, the ROI being based at least in part on positions of the IR sensors.

5. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a digital signal processor (DSP) analyzing the video data within the ROI based on at least one of predetermined IR levels, predetermined shapes, and heat signatures.

6. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a second surveillance unit comprising a second visible light camera detecting video data within a second FOV and a second IR imager detecting IR data within the second FOV, the second FOV being at least partially different than the first FOV.

7. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a digital signal processor (DSP) analyzing the video data within the ROI, the processor initiating a security alert based on an output of the DSP.

8. A method for detecting an intruder with a security system, comprising:

acquiring video data representative of a first field of view (FOV);

acquiring infrared (IR) data representative of the first FOV, the IR data forming a matrix of IR values;

identifying a first region of interest (ROI) based on at least one predetermined IR parameter; and

analyzing the video data within the first ROI to determine if an intruder is present within the FOV.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising acquiring the IR data with an array of IR sensors, each of the IR sensors within the array being capable of providing at least one IR value.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising acquiring the video data and the IR data in corresponding data frames.

11. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising initiating an alarm when the intruder is present within the FOV.

12. The method of claim 8, the analyzing further comprising analyzing the video data within the first ROI based on at least one of predetermined IR levels, predetermined shapes, heat signatures, frequency, and wavelength.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising defining a second ROI within the video data based on the first ROI to track the intruder within the video data.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

acquiring video data representative of a second FOV, the second FOV being at least partially different than the first FOV; and

defining a second ROI within the video data representative of the second FOV based on at least the first ROI.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising tracking the intruder over time by defining a second ROI based at least in part on the first ROI.

16. A security system, comprising:

a visible light camera detecting video data within a first field of view (FOV);

an infrared (IR) imager comprising a matrix of IR sensors, the IR sensors detecting levels of IR data within the first FOV;

means for identifying the IR sensors detecting levels of IR data within predetermined parameters; and

a processor processing the video data corresponding to the identified IR sensors.

17. The security system of claim 16, the processor further comprising means for enhancing the video data corresponding to the identified IR sensors.

18. The security system of claim 16, wherein the processor defines a subsequent area of video data for processing based on a previously processed area of the video data.

19. The security system of claim 16, further comprising means for initiating a security alert based on an output of the processor.

20. The security system of claim 16, wherein the levels of IR data within the predetermined parameters represent one of a level of voltage, heat, frequency, and wavelength.