VIDEO SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

• US 20080158361A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujii, Hiromasa, Itoh, Masaya, Moro, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19652 Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates

Abstract

A video surveillance equipment for detecting a change of an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by an image capturing device, the equipment comprising:

• • an area detection apparatus for detecting a second image area being stationary for a predetermined time in a first image area which is an area differing between a reference image used as a reference in image processing and the input images;
  • a memory apparatus for storing image of the detected second image area; and
  • an image comparison apparatus for performing comparison processing a plurality of times between the stored image and image in the second image area included in the input images.

Claims

1. A video surveillance equipment for detecting a change of an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by an image capturing device, the equipment comprising:

an area detection apparatus for detecting a second image area being stationary for a predetermined time in a first image area which is an area differing between a reference image used as a reference in image processing and the input images;

a memory apparatus for storing image of the detected second image area; and

an image comparison apparatus for performing comparison processing a plurality of times between the stored image and image in the second image area included in the input images.

2. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 1, further comprising:

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near the second image area at a time when the second image area is detected; and

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of the time when the second image area is detected, the image in the second image area, a period during which the second image area is stationary, the coordinates of the second image area, and the image of the person.

3. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first comparison apparatus for comparing the stored image with the image in the second image area included in the input images;

a second comparison apparatus for comparing the stored image with the image in the second image area included in the reference image; and

a comparison result integration apparatus for integrating a comparison result obtained by the first comparison apparatus and a comparison result obtained by the second comparison apparatus;

wherein the comparison result integration apparatus performs integration processing a plurality of times.

4. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first detection apparatus for detecting the presence of the stationary object after the first comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times; and

a second detection apparatus for detecting the presence of the stationary object after the comparison result integration apparatus performs the integration processing the plurality of times;

wherein the first detection apparatus and the second detection apparatus are selectively used based on an amount of image data of the stored image of the stationary object.

5. A video surveillance system, comprising:

a video surveillance equipment including an area detection apparatus for detecting a second image area being stationary for a predetermined time in a first image area which is an area differing between a reference image used as a reference in image processing and the input images;

a memory apparatus for storing image of the detected second image area; and

an image comparison apparatus for performing comparison processing a plurality of times between the stored image and image of the second image area included in the input images;

a transfer apparatus for outputting at least one information of characteristics information of a person image existing near the second image area at a time when the second image area is detected, a time at which the second image area is detected, the image in the second image area, a period during which the second image area is stationary, the coordinates of the second image area, and an image of the person; and

a unit for inputting the at least one information of these information output from the transfer apparatus through a network.

6. A video surveillance equipment for monitoring an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by a picture capturer, the equipment comprising:

a motion detection apparatus for detecting motion of an object existing in the input images and extracting an image of a moving object;

an image area specifying section for generating a specified image, for which an image area is specified, based on the input images;

a masked image generation section for generating masked images on which the area of the moving object is removed from the input images and the specified image respectively; and

an image comparison apparatus for comparing the masked images for the input images and the masked image for the specified image;

wherein the image comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times so as to detect a change of the specified image.

7. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 6, further comprising:

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an area of the specified image at a time when the change of the specified image area is detected; and

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of a time at which the change of the specified image is detected, the specified image, an image in the specified image area after the change of the specified image is detected, coordinates of an area including the change in the specified image area of the specified image, and the person image.

8. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 7, further comprising:

a image comparison apparatus for comparing the masked images of the input images with the masked image of the stationary object image,

wherein the motion detection apparatus has a stop detection apparatus for detecting a stopped state of an object included in the input images and extracting an image of a stationary object being stationary;

the masked image generation section generates a masked image in which the moving object image is removed from stationary object image; and

the image comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times so as to detect the presence of the stationary object image.

9. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 7, further comprising:

a reference image generation apparatus for selecting a reference image being used as a reference in image processing based on the input images;

a first comparison apparatus for comparing the masked image of the specified image with the masked images of the input images;

a second comparison apparatus for comparing the masked image of the specified image with the masked image of the reference image; and

a comparison result integration apparatus for integrating a comparison result obtained by the first comparison apparatus and a comparison result obtained by the second comparison apparatus;

wherein the comparison result integration apparatus performs integration processing a plurality of times so as to detect the change of the specified image.

10. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first detection apparatus for detecting the change of the specified image after the first comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times; and

a second detection apparatus for detecting the change of the specified image after the comparison result integration apparatus performs the integration processing the plurality of times;

wherein the first detection apparatus and the second detection apparatus are selectively used based on an amount of image data of the masked image of the specified image.

11. A video surveillance system, comprising:

a video surveillance equipment including a motion detection apparatus for detecting motion of an object existing in the input images and extracting an image of a moving object;

an image area specifying section for generating a specified image, for which an image area is specified, based on the input images;

a masked image generation section for generating masked images on which the area of the moving object is removed from the input images and the specified image;

an image comparison apparatus for comparing the masked images for the input images and the masked image for the specified image;

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an area of the specified image at a time when the change of the specified image area is detected; and

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of a time at which the change of the specified image is detected, the specified image, an image in the specified image area after the change of the specified image is detected, coordinates of an area including the change in the specified image area of the specified image, and the person image,

wherein the image comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times so as to detect a change of the specified image;

a transfer apparatus for outputting the at least one information being displayed on the display apparatus; and

a unit for inputting the at least one information output from the transfer apparatus through a network.

12. A video surveillance equipment for monitoring an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by a picture capturer, the equipment comprising:

a memory apparatus for storing the input images;

an image area specifying section for generating a specified image, for which an image area is specified, based on stored images in the memory apparatus;

a moving object extracting section for detecting a motion of an object included in the stored images and extracting an image area of a moving object image;

a masked image generation section for generating masked images on which an area of the moving object is removed from the stored images and the specified image respectively; and

an image comparison apparatus for comparing the masked images of the stored images and the masked image of the specified image;

wherein the image comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times so as to detect a change of the specified image.

13. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 12, further comprising:

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an area of the specified image at a time when the change of the specified image area is detected; and

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of a storing time of a stored image on which the change of the specified image is detected, the specified image, an image in the specified image area after the change of the specified image is detected, coordinates of an area including the change in the specified image area of the specified image, and the person image.

14. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 13, further comprising:

a stationary object extraction apparatus for detecting a stopped state of an object included in the input images and extracting an image of a stationary object; and

a comparison apparatus for comparing the masked images of the stored images with the masked image of the stationary object image,

wherein the masked image generation section has a masked image apparatus for generating a masked image in which the moving object image is removed from the stationary object image, and

the masked image generation section performs comparison processing a plurality of times so as to detect the presence of the stationary object image.

15. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 13, further comprising:

a reference image generation apparatus for selecting a reference image being used as a reference in image processing based on the stored images;

a first comparison apparatus for comparing the masked image of the specified image with the masked images of the stored images;

a second comparison apparatus for comparing the masked image of the specified image with the masked image of the reference image; and

a comparison result integration apparatus for integrating a comparison result obtained by the first comparison apparatus and a comparison result obtained by the second comparison apparatus;

wherein the comparison result integration apparatus performs integration processing a plurality of times so as to detect the change of the specified image.

16. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 15, further comprising:

a first detection apparatus for detecting the change of the specified image after the first comparison apparatus performs comparison processing a plurality of times; and

a second detection apparatus for detecting the change of the specified image after the comparison result integration apparatus performs the integration processing the plurality of times;

wherein the first detection apparatus and the second detection apparatus are selectively used based on an amount of image data of the masked image of the specified image.

17. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 12, further comprising:

a comparison range specifying section for specifying the stored images being compared by the image comparison apparatus.