Surveillance Camera, Method For Calibrating the Surveillance Camera, and Use of the Surveillance Camera

• US 20080211910A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Loos, Hartmut, Niem, Wolfgang, Niehsen, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/80 Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Video monitoring systems are commonly used for monitoring streets, junctions, squares, and also public buildings, museums, prisons. Video monitoring systems which output the results for the viewing areas/objects in the scene in metric units, such as lengths in meters and speed in meters per second, or the absolute and/or relative positioning in a camera network, require knowledge of camera parameters such as e.g. the position, orientation, and aperture angle of the camera(s). These parameters are usually manually measured at high cost during the installation process, for example special patterns (sample patterns) are used, or people walking backwards and forwards in front of the camera. A monitoring camera 1 is proposed, according to which the monitoring camera 1 is positioned and/or can be positioned for monitoring at a stationary monitoring position, with a calibration aid system 5, wherein the calibration aid system 5 is designed for determining the stationary monitoring position of the monitoring camera.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera (1),

in which the surveillance camera (1), for monitoring, is positioned and/or positionable at a stationary surveillance position,

having a calibration tool (5),

characterized in that

the calibration tool (5) is embodied for ascertaining the stationary surveillance position of the surveillance camera.

2. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized by a calibration module for calibrating the surveillance camera on the basis of the stationary surveillance position.

3. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the calibration tool (5) is embodied as an integral component of the surveillance camera (1).

4. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the calibration tool (5) is embodied as replicably removable from and/or placeable in or on the surveillance camera (1).

5. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the calibration tool (5) includes means (6, 7, 8) for ascertaining the absolute position and/or the orientation and/or the opening angle of the surveillance camera (1).

6. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 5, characterized in that the means for ascertaining a position information include one, a plurality, and/or all of the following devices:

a device (6) for detecting GPS and/or DGPS signals;

a device for detecting Galileo signals;

MEMS position sensors (7) for determining a pitch angle and roll angle;

pendulum position sensors for determining the pitch angle and roll angle;

magnetic field sensors for determining one or more orientation angles;

a compass device (8) for determining the absolute compass angle.

7. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the calibration tool (5) includes means (9) for ascertaining the relative position and/or the orientation and/or the opening angle of the surveillance camera.

8. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 7, characterized in that the means for ascertaining relative position information include one, a plurality, and/or all of the following devices:

MEMS position sensors for determining a pitch angle and roll angle;

pendulum position sensors for determining the pitch angle and roll angle;

a locating device on the basis of WLAN signals;

a locating device on the basis of UWB signals;

a measuring device (9), in particular a laser or ultrasound measuring device;

a laser fan device for measuring the opening angle.

9. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized by an evaluation device, which is embodied for ascertaining relative position information on the basis of the absolute position information and ambient information.

10. The surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the surveillance camera (1) is connected and/or is connectable to a plotting device, which in particular is stationary, via a wireless or cable network (4).

11. A method for calibrating the surveillance camera (1), in particular as defined by claim 1, characterized in that in a first step, global or absolute position information is ascertained via a stationary surveillance position of the surveillance camera (1), and in a second step, relative position information is ascertained by combining the global position information and ambient information.

12. The method as defined by claim 11, characterized in that in a third step, the relative position information is corrected by means of a measurement of a relative position and/or of the relative alignment of the surveillance camera (1).

13. A use of a surveillance camera (1) as defined by claim 1 for surveillance from a stationary surveillance position.