MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100165091A1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hirano, Takashi, Horie, Takefumi, Yamaji, Takayuki, Sakaguchi, Kazutoshi, Teranishi, Kotaro, Morioka, Makoto
• Application Number:
  US12/629,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/174 Facial expression recognition

Abstract

A monitoring system that monitors a person, the monitoring system including: a camera that captures an image of the individual; a transmission device that transmits an image; and, a processing device that is configured to: detect a change in facial expression of the individual from an image captured by the camera; identify the individual with the change in facial expression; and, transmit to a destination associated with the identified individual an image including the change in facial expression through the transmission device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system that monitors an individual, the monitoring system comprising:

a camera that captures an image of the individual;

a transmission device that transmits an image; and

,

a processing device that is configured to;

detect a change in facial expression of the individual from an image captured by the camera;

identify the individual with the change in facial expression; and

,

transmit to a destination associated with the identified individual an image including the change in facial expression through the transmission device.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

enlarge the facial image in the captured image to a predetermined size;

cut out the enlarged facial image from the captured image; and

,

transmit the cut out enlarged facial image through the transmission device.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

cut out facial thumbnail from each of facial images, when the processing device detects a plurality of change in facial expressions in the captured image, the facial thumbnail that includes the change in facial expression.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

cut out face thumbnail from each of facial images, when the processing device detects a plurality of changes in facial expressions in the image, the facial thumbnail that includes the change in facial expression; and

,

generate image that is centered on the facial thumbnail.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

transmit a facial image to each destination related to the each of facial images thorough the transmission device.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to identify individuals present in the surroundings of an individual with a change in facial expression when the change in facial expressions.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the monitoring system further comprising memory unit,

wherein the processing device is further configured to store in the memory unit at least one of a time, position, and individuals present in the surroundings of an individual with a change in facial expression when the change in facial expressions.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the monitoring system further comprising:

an identification device that is held by each of the individuals and that transmits a signal, the signal that includes identification information; and

,

a receiving device that receives the signal being transmitted from the identification device,

wherein the processing for identifying an individual with the change in facial expression by the processing device is performed by;

identify an individual with the change in facial expression by the processing device being performed by identifying a position of the individual with the change in facial expression in the image;

identify the position of the receiving device that receives the signal sent by the identification device sent from that position; and

,

identify the individual related to the identification information.

9. A method of monitoring an individual comprising:

detecting, by a processing device, a change in facial expressions from the image that is captured by an camera;

identifying, by the processing device, a individual related to the change in facial expression from the image; and

,

transmitting a facial image to a destination related to the identified individual from, the facial image that includes the change in facial expression.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

enlarging, by the processing device, the facial image to predetermined size; and

transmitting the enlarged facial image to the destination.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying, by the processing device, individuals present in the surroundings of an individual with the change in facial expression when the facial expression changes.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising storing in a memory unit at least one of time, position, individual data the individuals present in the surroundings of an individual with the change in facial expression when the facial expression changes.

13. A computer readable medium having a program of instructions that executed by a processor, the program comprising:

detecting instruction that make the processor to detect a change in facial expression from the image that is captured by an camera;

identifying instruction that make the processor to identify a individual related to the change in facial expression from the image; and

,

transmitting instruction that make the processor to transmit a facial image to a destination related to the identified individual through the transmission device, the facial image that includes the change in facial expression.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the program further comprising:

enlarging instruction that make the processor to enlarge the facial image in the image to predetermined size; and

transmitting instruction that make the processor to transmit to the destination the enlarged facial image including the change in facial expression through the transmission device

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the program further comprising:

identifying instruction that make the processor to identify an individual present in the surroundings of an individual with a change in facial expression when the facial expression changes.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, the program further comprising storing instruction that make the computer to store in a memory unit at least one of time, position, individuals present in the surroundings of an individual with a change in facial expression when the facial expression changes.