Method and apparatus for setting camera viewpoint based on alarm event or condition

• US 20080101789A1
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Sharma, Raman Kumar
• Application Number:
  US11/589,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20080101789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A security system comprises a first camera and at least one sensor being interconnected with the security system. The first camera acquires video data and is movable to at least first and second viewpoints having first and second field of views (FOVs) that are at least partially different from one another. The at least one sensor detects an alarm event and is associated with the first camera and one of the first and second viewpoints of the first camera. A processor receives an alarm signal from the at least one sensor. The processor identifies a desired viewpoint of the first camera associated with the at least one sensor. The desired viewpoint is one of the at least first and second viewpoints. The processor transmits the desired viewpoint to the first camera and the first camera is positioned based on the desired viewpoint.

Claims

1. A security system, comprising:

a first camera being interconnected with the security system, the first camera acquiring video data and being movable to at least first and second viewpoints having first and second field of views (FOVs) that are at least partially different from one another;

at least one sensor interconnected with the security system, the at least one sensor detecting an alarm event, the at least one sensor being associated with the first camera and one of the first and second viewpoints of the first camera; and

a processor receiving an alarm signal from the at least one sensor, the processor identifying a desired viewpoint of the first camera associated with the at least one sensor, the desired viewpoint being one of the at least first and second viewpoints, the processor transmitting the desired viewpoint to the first camera, the first camera being positioned based on the desired viewpoint.

2. The security system of claim 1, the at least one sensor further comprising first and second sensors, the first and second sensors being associated with the first and second viewpoints, respectively, of the first camera.

3. The security system of claim 1, the at least one sensor further comprising first and second sensors, the first and second sensors being associated with the first and second viewpoints, respectively, of the first camera, the processor receiving a second alarm signal from the second sensor, the processor transmitting the second viewpoint to the first camera, the first camera being positioned based on the second viewpoint.

4. The security system of claim 1, further comprising means for positioning the first camera based on the desired viewpoint.

5. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a communication port for transmitting at least a portion of the video data acquired by the first camera positioned at the desired viewpoint to a remote viewing device.

6. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a second camera being interconnected with the security system, the second camera acquiring video data and being movable to at least third and fourth viewpoints having third and fourth FOVs that are at least partially different from one another, the third and fourth viewpoints being based on the at least one sensor.

7. A method for acquiring video data of an event detected within a security system, comprising:

detecting a first event with a first sensor;

positioning a first camera at a first viewpoint, the first viewpoint having a first field of view (FOV) based on the first sensor; and

acquiring video data within the first FOV with the first camera.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting at least a portion of the video data to a remote viewing device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a second event with a second sensor; and

positioning the first camera at a second viewpoint, the second viewpoint having a second FOV based on the second sensor that is at least partially different than the first FOV.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

positioning a second camera at a second viewpoint, the second viewpoint having a second FOV based on the first sensor; and

acquiring video data with the second camera.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

positioning a second camera at a second viewpoint, the second viewpoint having a second FOV based on the first sensor;

acquiring video data with the second camera; and

transmitting at least a portion of the video data acquired with the first and second cameras to a remote viewing device.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of the video data acquired at the first viewpoint to a remote viewing device;

detecting a second event with a second sensor; and

positioning the first camera at a second viewpoint, the second viewpoint having a second FOV based on the second sensor that is different than the first FOV.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a move signal from a remote viewing device;

positioning the first camera based on the move signal; and

transmitting at least a portion of the video data acquired by the first camera to the remote viewing device.

14. A security system, comprising:

at least one camera interconnected with the security system and acquiring video data, the at least one camera being movable to change a field of view (FOV) of the at least one camera;

at least first and second sensors interconnected with the security system and detecting alarm events; and

means for setting the at least one camera to a first viewpoint to acquire video data, the first viewpoint being associated with at least one of the at least first and second sensors.

15. The security system of claim 14, further comprising means for transmitting at least a portion of the video data to a remote viewing device.

16. The security system of claim 14, further comprising means for setting the at least one camera to a second viewpoint based on a second alarm event detected by one of the at least first and second sensors.

17. The security system of claim 14, wherein the first and second sensors are associated with the first viewpoint and a second viewpoint, respectively, of the at least one camera, the first and second viewpoints being at least partially different with respect to each other.

18. The security system of claim 14, the at least one camera further comprising first and second cameras, the first and second cameras being associated with at least one of the first and second sensors, the first and second cameras being set at viewpoints to acquire video data based on the at least one of the first and second sensors.

19. The security system of claim 14, further comprising:

a second camera interconnected with the security system and acquiring video data, the second camera having a second viewpoint associated with the second sensor; and

means for setting the second camera to the second viewpoint to acquire video data when a second alarm event is detected by the second sensor.

20. The security system of claim 14, further comprising:

a remote display device comprising a display and an input; and

means for transmitting at least a portion of the video data to the remote display device, the remote display device displaying the video data on the display.