Image Data Collection From Mobile Vehicles With Computer, GPS, and IP-Based Communication

• US 20110074953A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Werner, Carl E., Rauscher, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,754,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system and method to capture a plurality of images and store the captured images. The system has multiple camera systems capable of transmitting image data. At least one camera system is equipped with an apparatus for determining location coordinates such as GPS. A computer system monitors location coordinates, retrieves image data from the camera systems, and stores the image data into a file. A contiguous array of location coordinates is entered and the computer system locates camera systems within the contiguous array of location coordinates; retrieves image data from the located camera systems; and files the image data taken from each of the camera systems to obtain a file of image data. The system provides the ability to serially interleave frames or video captured from multiple sources.

Claims

1. A system for creating an image file using image data from multiple camera systems, the system comprising:

a computer subsystem configured to;

identify the multiple camera systems positioned within a target array of location coordinates by comparing location coordinates associated with a plurality of camera systems, including the multiple camera systems, to the target array of location coordinates, including identifying multiple mobile camera systems moving through a region of interest corresponding to the target array of location coordinates, as identified camera systems; and

retrieve image data from the identified camera systems, the image data including images of the region of interest corresponding to the target array of location coordinates, including images of the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates obtained by each mobile camera system when the mobile camera system was within the target array of location coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer subsystem is further configured to create the image file using the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to identify unusual activity or an unusual object by comparing the image data retrieved from the camera systems to archived images.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the computer subsystem is configured to retrieve image data from at least one satellite system; and

the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is configured to create the image file using the image data from the identified camera systems and the satellite system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to perform at least one processing step selected from a group of processing steps consisting of:

comparing the image data retrieved from one of the mobile camera systems to image data retrieved from another one of the mobile camera systems; and

combining the image data retrieved from one of the mobile camera systems to image data retrieved from another one of the mobile camera systems.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the identified camera systems include a stationary camera system in the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates; and

the image data retrieved from the stationary camera system includes images of the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates obtained by the stationary camera system.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the identified camera systems include a stationary camera system in the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates;

the image data retrieved from the stationary camera system includes images of the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates obtained by the stationary camera system; and

the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to compare the image data retrieved from the mobile camera systems to the image data retrieved from the stationary camera system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the array of location coordinates is a first array of location coordinates forming a first circle;

the computer subsystem is further configured to, subsequent to identifying camera systems having location coordinates within the first array of location coordinates, identify camera systems having location coordinates within a second array of location coordinates including a second circle encompassing the first circle; and

the computer subsystem is further configured to retrieve image data from camera systems identified as being within the second array of location coordinates.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the image data retrieved from each camera system of the identified camera systems includes at least one camera system characteristic selected from a group of characteristics consisting of;

a focal length corresponding to the camera system; and

a compass heading corresponding to the camera system; and

the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to combine images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems using the location coordinates of the identified camera systems and at least one of the camera system characteristics.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the computer subsystem includes a memory;

the image data retrieved from each camera system of the identified camera systems includes environmental condition information corresponding to the location coordinates of the camera system; and

the computer subsystem is further configured to store the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems, including the environmental condition information, in the memory.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to splice together overlapping images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems to create a single image covering an area larger than that an area covered by any one of the overlapping images.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to align images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems in a string to create a real-time video of the region.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to align images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems to create the real-time video, is configured to consider:

the location coordinates for each mobile camera system, of the mobile camera systems;

a speed at which each mobile camera system is moving past the region; and

a time at which each mobile camera system is moving past the region.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to identify relevant images of the images of the received image data by filtering the receive image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain object.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to identify relevant images of the images of the received image data by filtering the received image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain area.

16. A system for creating an image file using image data from multiple camera systems, the system comprising:

a computer subsystem configured to;

identify camera systems positioned within a target first array of location coordinates by comparing location coordinates associated with a plurality of camera systems, including the multiple camera systems, to the first target array of location coordinates, wherein first array of location coordinates forms a first circle;

subsequent to identifying the camera systems having location coordinates within the first array of location coordinates, identify camera systems having location coordinates within a second array of location coordinates including a second circle encompassing the first circle;

retrieve image data from the identified camera systems, the image data including images of the region of interest corresponding to the target array of location coordinates; and

retrieve image data from camera systems identified as being within the second array of location coordinates.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer subsystem is further configured to create the image file using the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems.

18. A system for creating an image file using image data from multiple camera systems, the system comprising:

a computer subsystem configured to;

identify the multiple camera systems positioned within a target array of location coordinates by comparing location coordinates associated with a plurality of camera systems, including the multiple camera systems, to the target array of location coordinates, wherein the identified camera systems include multiple mobile camera systems moving through the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates;

retrieve image data from the identified camera systems, the image data including images of the region corresponding to the target array of location coordinates obtained by each mobile camera system of the mobile camera systems when each mobile camera system was within the target array of location coordinates; and

create the image file using the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems, including to perform at least one processing step selected from a group of processing steps consisting of;

comparing the image data retrieved from one of the mobile camera systems to image data retrieved from another one of the mobile camera systems; and

combining the image data retrieved from one of the mobile camera systems to image data retrieved from another one of the mobile camera systems.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the computer subsystem, in being configured to create the image file, is further configured to align images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems in a string to create a real-time video of the region;

the computer subsystem, in being configured to align images of the image data retrieved from the identified camera systems to create the real-time video, is configured to consider;

the location coordinates for each mobile camera system, of the mobile camera systems;

a speed at which each mobile camera system is moving past the region; and

a time at which each mobile camera system is moving past the region.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer subsystem is further configured to obtain, from external to the computer subsystem, a target array of location coordinates corresponding to a region of interest.