ENERGY SAVINGS AND IMPROVED SECURITY THROUGH INTELLIGENT LIGHTING SYSTEMS

• US 20090262189A1
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VideoIQ, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marman, Douglas H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/248 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An intelligent lighting system employs energy efficient outdoor lighting and intelligent sensor technology in cooperation with video analytics processing. The lighting system selectively illuminates outdoor spaces and identifies and evaluates events in a scene monitored by a video camera, thereby to facilitate proactive and appropriate security responses to those events. Selective use of advanced lighting fixtures may significantly reduce costs of lighting areas that are monitored by security systems such as streets, public parks, and parking lots, while simultaneously improving security, safety, and traffic control. Energy savings alone, for a properly designed system, are estimated at 50%-90% of current usage. When combined with remote monitoring, such systems may prevent accidents and criminal activity.

Claims

1. An intelligent, energy efficient system for monitoring and selectively illuminating a spatial region, comprising:

an image sensor placed at a location in a spatial region to monitor a scene in a vicinity of the location where the image sensor is placed, the image sensor acquiring image data corresponding to the scene monitored;

video analytics responsive to the acquired image data to detect behavior or an event and to provide detected scene information that is indicative of the behavior or event;

a controllable light source operatively associated with the image sensor and controllable to assume a state of illumination; and

a controller responsive to the detected scene information to deliver a light control signal to the controllable light source to control its state of illumination in accordance with the behavior or event detected.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the controllable light source constitutes a first light source, and further comprising:

multiple controllable light sources controllable to assume states of illumination, one of which light sources is the first controllable light source and each of which light sources receives a control signal from the controller, the multiple controllable light sources placed at different locations in the spatial region; and

a communication medium to which the controller and the multiple controllable light sources are operatively associated to deliver the light control signals to the multiple controllable light sources to control their states of illumination at their respective locations in the spatial region in accordance with the behavior or event detected.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor constitutes a first image sensor, the controllable light source constitutes a first controllable light source, and the controller constitutes a first controller, and further comprising:

multiple image sensors, one of which is the first image sensor, the multiple image sensors placed at different locations in the spatial region to monitor scenes in vicinities of the locations where the image sensors are placed and acquire image data corresponding to the scenes monitored;

multiple controllable light sources controllable to assume states of illumination, one of which light sources is the first controllable light source, the multiple controllable light sources operatively associated with corresponding ones of at least some of the multiple image sensors placed in the spatial region;

a communication network to which the video analytics is operatively associated to provide the detected scene information and to which the multiple controllable light sources are operatively associated; and

multiple controllers, one of which includes the first controller, and, in response to the detected scene information provided to the communication network, each of which delivers one or more light control signals to, respectively, one or more of the multiple controllable light sources to control their states of illumination at their associated locations in the spatial region in accordance with the behavior or event detected.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication medium to which the controller and the controllable light source are operatively associated to deliver the light control signal to the controllable light source to control its state of illumination in accordance with the behavior or event detected; and

a central monitoring station operatively connected to the communication medium to allow for centralized monitoring of the detected scene information and system diagnostic information.

5. The system of claim 4, in which the controller further provides through the communication medium to the central monitoring station video clips of the acquired image data representing the behavior or event detected.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising audio devices placed at different locations in the spatial region and actuatable in response to the behavior or event detected.

7. The system of claim 6, in which the central monitoring station actuates the audio devices in response to the behavior or event detected.

8. The system of claim 4, in which the central monitoring station is part of a security or traffic control terminal.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising audio devices placed at different locations in the spatial region and adapted to emit a pre-recorded annunciation in response to the behavior or event detected.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor collects self-diagnostic information indicating system operational failure.

11. The system of claim 1, in which the controllable light source is of a type that transitions in less than one second from a nonilluminated state to a fully illuminated state.

12. The system of claim 11, in which the controllable light source includes a high efficiency LED lamp.

13. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor is of a CMOS type.

14. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor is of an infrared type.

15. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor is of a CCD type.

16. The system of claim 1, in which the image sensor is a component of a video surveillance camera.

17. The system of claim 1, in which the spatial region includes one or more of roads or other transportation thoroughfares, parking lots, outdoor facilities, outdoor open spaces, and large enclosures.

18. An energy efficient method of intelligent monitoring and selective illumination of an expansive area, comprising:

placing multiple image sensors at different locations in an expansive area to acquire image data corresponding to scenes in vicinities of the different locations;

performing video analytics processing of the acquired image data to detect behavior or an event occurring at one or more of the scenes; and

controlling states of illumination of light sources spatially associated with at least some of the scenes in accordance with the behavior or event detected.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the expansive area is an interior space of a large enclosure.

20. The method of claim 18, in which the expansive area is an outdoor region.

21. The method of claim 18, in which:

the expansive area is a thoroughfare, and the light sources include light fixtures positioned at the different locations along the thoroughfare and associated with different ones of the light sensors;

the detection of behavior or an event performed by video analytics processing includes detection of motion of a vehicle proceeding on a path of travel along the thoroughfare; and

the controlling of states of illumination of the light fixtures includes selectively illuminating the light fixtures to illuminate different regions of the travel path of the vehicle as it proceeds along the thoroughfare.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising activating an audio device in response to the occurrence of behavior or an event detected by the performance of video analytics processing.

23. The method of claim 18, in which the behavior or event detected includes a presence of a human being or a vehicle in the expansive area, and in which the controlling of states of illumination includes illuminating the light sources spatially associated with at least some of the scenes and not illuminating the light sources spatially associated with remaining ones of the scenes.

24. The method of claim 18, in which the image sensors are of an infrared type, in which the controlling states of illumination of light sources includes maintaining them in a nonilluminated state in absence of detection of an occurrence of the behavior or an event, and in which the controlling states of illumination of light sources includes actuating one or more of the light sources to an illuminated state in response to detection of an occurrence of the behavior or an event.

25. The system of claim 18, in which the controllable light source is of a type that transitions in less than one second from a nonilluminated state to a fully illuminated state.

26. The system of claim 25, in which the controllable light source includes a high efficiency LED lamp.

27. The method of claim 18, in which the behavior or event includes motion detected within the field of view of the video camera.

28. The method of claim 18, in which the behavior or event includes motion of a blob detected within the field of view of the video camera.

29. The method of claim 18, in which the behavior or event includes recognizing a predefined object and tracking movement of the predefined object.