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

• US 20150097962A1
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Werner, Carl E., Rauscher, Frank Ludwig
• Granted Patent: US 9,894,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• 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 method, comprising:

identifying, by a system comprising a processor, multiple cameras positioned within a predetermined area, wherein the multiple cameras that are identified comprise a mobile camera; and

receiving, by the system, image data comprising images taken by the cameras within the predetermined area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an image file using the image data from the cameras identified.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the image file comprises comparing the images of the image data to archived images to identify images of unusual activity or an unusual object in the image data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the cameras include a plurality of mobile cameras; and

generating the image file comprises at least one processing step selected from a group consisting of;

comparing the image data from one of the mobile cameras to image data from another one of the mobile cameras; and

combining the image data from one of the mobile cameras to image data from another one of the mobile cameras.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the image data is camera image data, the method further comprises receiving satellite image data from a satellite camera, and generating the image file comprises generating the image file using the camera image data and the satellite image data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the cameras include a stationary camera; and

image data from the stationary camera includes an image covering a region within the predetermined area.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating an image file using the image data from the cameras, generating the image file comprising comparing the image data from the mobile camera to the image data from the stationary camera.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the image data from each camera includes at least one camera characteristic selected from a group consisting of;

a focal length of the camera; and

a direction indicator for the camera; and

generating the image file comprises combining images of the image data from the cameras using location data for at least one of the cameras and a camera characteristic for at least one of the cameras.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprises storing, by the system, the image data including environmental condition information corresponding to the predetermined area, wherein the image data is received from at least one of the cameras.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the image file comprises splicing together overlapping images of the image data from the cameras to create a single image covering an overlapping view larger than a single view covered by any one of the overlapping images.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the image file comprises aligning images of the image data in a string to create video data corresponding to the predetermined area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein aligning images of the image data from the cameras to create the video data is based on:

location data for each mobile camera of the multiple cameras;

a speed at which each mobile camera is moving; and

a time at which each mobile camera is moving.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the image file comprises identifying relevant images of the image data by filtering the image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain object.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the image file comprises identifying relevant images of the image data by filtering the image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain region.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined area is a first predetermined area;

the method further comprises;

identifying, subsequent to identifying cameras positioned in the first predetermined area, cameras positioned in a second predetermined area encompassing the first area;

receiving image data from cameras identified as being within the second predetermined area; and

generating an image file using the image data from the cameras within the second area.

16. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operation comprising;

identifying multiple cameras positioned within a predetermined area, wherein the multiple cameras that are identified comprise a mobile camera; and

receiving image data comprising images taken by the cameras within the predetermined area.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise generating an image file using the image data from the cameras identified.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein generating the image file comprises at least one operations selected from a group consisting of:

identifying unusual activity in the image data by comparing the images of the image data to archived images;

identifying an unusual object in the image data by comparing the images of the image data to the archived images;

comparing the image data from one of a plurality of mobile cameras, of the multiple cameras identified, to image data from another one of the mobile cameras;

combining the image data from one of the mobile cameras to image data from another one of the mobile cameras;

comparing the image data from the mobile camera to the image data being from a stationary camera of the cameras identified;

splicing together overlapping images of the image data from the cameras to create a single image covering an overlapping view larger than a single view covered by any one of the overlapping images;

aligning images of the image data in a string to create video data corresponding to the predetermined area;

identifying relevant images of the image data by filtering the image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain object; and

identifying relevant images of the image data by filtering the image data to eliminate images that do not contain a certain region.

19. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operation comprising:

identifying multiple cameras positioned within a predetermined area, wherein the multiple cameras that are identified comprise a mobile camera; and

receiving image data comprising images taken by the cameras within the predetermined area.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise generating an image file using the image data from the cameras identified.