Automated person identification and location for search applications

• US 20090080696A1
• Filed: 09/22/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cochran, Edward L., Anderson, Bruce W., Whillock, Rand P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification

Abstract

A “be on the look out” or BOLO device is an unsupervised device that can be deployed at a particular location to watch for a specific target or person. A camera produces scene images that the BOLO device analyzes to determine if they contain a pattern matching a target descriptor. If a matching pattern is found, then the BOLO device emits an alarm signal. The alarm signal can contain the BOLO device'"'"'s location or identification. A location database can produce the device'"'"'s location when given the device'"'"'s identification. A target transmitter can supply new target descriptors to deployed BOLO devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer, a means for communications, and a camera that produces a multitude of scene images;

a target storage module storing a target descriptor;

a target recognition module running on the computer;

an alarm module that causes the communications means to transmit an alarm signal upon receiving a recognition signal; and

wherein the target recognition module obtains the scene images, obtains the target descriptor and produces the recognition signal upon discovering that any one of the scene images contains a pattern matching the target descriptor.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a GPS module wherein the GPS module supplies coordinates and wherein the alarm signal comprises the coordinates.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the target descriptor is received by the communications means and stored in the target storage module.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a device identifier wherein the alarm signal comprises the device identifier.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the target descriptor is a face descriptor and wherein the target recognition module is a face recognition module.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications means comprises a cell phone.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for detecting when a target is present thereby triggering the camera to collect imagery.

8. A system comprising:

a monitor receiver, a location database, and a multitude of BOLO devices;

wherein each BOLO device comprises a means for communications, a camera that produces a multitude of scene images, a target storage module storing a target descriptor, a target recognition module, and an alarm module;

wherein for each BOLO device the target recognition module obtains the scene images, obtains the target descriptor and produces a recognition signal upon discovering that any one of the scene images contains a pattern matching the target descriptor.

wherein each BOLO device transmits an alarm signal when the communications means receives the recognition signal; and

wherein the monitor receiver receives the alarm signal and thereby alerts a user that the target has been found.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each BOLO device further comprises a device identifier and wherein each alarm signal comprises the device identifier of the transmitting BOLO device.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a location database wherein each device identifier is associated with one of a multitude of device locations.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising at least one BOLO housing containing one of the BOLO devices;

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a radio location device that receives the alarm signal and indicates a direction to the BOLO device transmitting the alarm signal.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein each BOLO device further comprises a GPS module supplying coordinates and wherein each alarm signal comprises the coordinates.

14. The system of claim 8 further comprising a target transmitter that transmits the target descriptor to the BOLO devices such that the BOLO devices receive the target descriptor and store the target descriptor in their target storage modules.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein the target descriptor is a face descriptor and wherein each target recognition module is a face recognition module.

16. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a location database wherein each BOLO device further comprises a device identifier, wherein each alarm signal comprises the device identifier of the transmitting BOLO device, and wherein each device identifier is associated with one of a multitude of device locations;

a multitude of BOLO housings wherein each BOLO housing contains one of the BOLO devices;

a target transmitter that transmits the target descriptor to the BOLO devices such that the BOLO devices receive the target descriptor and store the target descriptor in their target storage modules; and

wherein the target descriptor is a face descriptor and wherein each target recognition module is a face recognition module.

17. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a radio location device that receives the alarm signal and indicates a direction to the BOLO device transmitting the alarm signal;

at least one BOLO housing containing one of the BOLO devices;

a target transmitter that transmits the target descriptor to the BOLO devices such that the BOLO devices receive the target descriptor and store the target descriptor in their target storage modules; and

wherein the target descriptor is a face descriptor and wherein each target recognition module is a face recognition module.

18. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

at least one BOLO housing containing one of the BOLO devices;

a target transmitter that transmits the target descriptor to the BOLO devices such that the BOLO devices receive the target descriptor and store the target descriptor in their target storage modules;

wherein the target descriptor is a face descriptor and wherein each target recognition module is a face recognition module; and

wherein each BOLO device further comprises a GPS module supplying coordinates and wherein each alarm signal comprises the coordinates.

19. A system comprising:

a means for obtaining a target descriptor from a target transmitter,

a means for obtaining a multitude of scene images;

a means for determining if any one of the scene images contains a pattern matching the target descriptor; and

a means for transmitting an alarm signal to an alarm receiver when any one of the scene images contains a pattern matching the target descriptor wherein the alarm signal comprises.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the alarm signal comprises location data.