SURVEILLANCE TRACKING SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
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1. A system for retail resource management, comprising:
- a plurality of electronic video cameras each having an electronic video data output, the plurality of electronic video cameras being adapted for installation in a space to be monitored and configured for monitoring the space;
a central computer adapted to receive the electronic video data outputs of the plurality of video cameras; and
a computer program installable on the central computer and adapted to;
distinguish human subjects from inanimate objects;
distinguish agent human subjects from non-agent human subjects, in the video data output from the plurality of electronic video cameras;
identify interacting non-agent human subjects by correlating the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, length of time that the human subjects spend within a predefined proximity of each other within the monitored space, whether the human subjects make bodily contact with each other, duration of bodily contact between human subjects, parts of the human subjects'"'"' bodies involved in bodily contact, whether the human subjects make eye contact, duration of eye contact; and
associate individual non-agent human subjects, and/or groups of interacting non-agent human subjects, with an agent by correlating, relative to the agent, the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, length of time that the non-agent human subject spends within a predefined proximity of the agent, whether the non-agent human subjects make bodily contact with the agent, duration of bodily contact between the agent and non-agent human subjects, parts of the agent and non-agent human subjects'"'"' bodies involved in bodily contact, whether the agent and non-agent human subjects make eye contact, and duration of eye contact.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention may relate to systems and/or methods for using video surveillance systems to monitor spaces where people tend to gather such as retail stores, theaters, stadiums, or other public gathering places. Furthermore, embodiments may be adapted to discern elements of human behavior in a video feed, and use these behaviors to draw quantitative and/or qualitative conclusions from the video data. Typical conclusions may include overall conversion rates for a store, conversion/close rates of individual salespeople, traffic patterns within a space, peak traffic times, and so on.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for retail resource management, comprising:
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a plurality of electronic video cameras each having an electronic video data output, the plurality of electronic video cameras being adapted for installation in a space to be monitored and configured for monitoring the space; a central computer adapted to receive the electronic video data outputs of the plurality of video cameras; and a computer program installable on the central computer and adapted to; distinguish human subjects from inanimate objects; distinguish agent human subjects from non-agent human subjects, in the video data output from the plurality of electronic video cameras; identify interacting non-agent human subjects by correlating the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, length of time that the human subjects spend within a predefined proximity of each other within the monitored space, whether the human subjects make bodily contact with each other, duration of bodily contact between human subjects, parts of the human subjects'"'"' bodies involved in bodily contact, whether the human subjects make eye contact, duration of eye contact; and associate individual non-agent human subjects, and/or groups of interacting non-agent human subjects, with an agent by correlating, relative to the agent, the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, length of time that the non-agent human subject spends within a predefined proximity of the agent, whether the non-agent human subjects make bodily contact with the agent, duration of bodily contact between the agent and non-agent human subjects, parts of the agent and non-agent human subjects'"'"' bodies involved in bodily contact, whether the agent and non-agent human subjects make eye contact, and duration of eye contact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for retail resource management, comprising:
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a plurality of electronic video cameras each having an electronic video data output, the plurality of electronic video cameras being adapted for installation in a monitored space and configured for monitoring the space; a central computer adapted to receive the electronic video data outputs of the plurality of video cameras; a computer program installable on the central computer and adapted to distinguish human subjects from inanimate objects, and to distinguish agent human subjects from non-agent human subjects, in the video data output from the plurality of electronic video cameras, the computer program being further adapted to identify interacting non-agent human subjects by correlating the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, engagement, and/or length of time within a predefined proximity to each other within the monitored space, the computer program being still further adapted to associate individual non-agent human subjects, and/or groups of interacting non-agent human subjects, with an agent by correlating the non-agent human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, engagement, and/or length of time within a predefined proximity relative to the agent, wherein the computer program is further adapted to count the number of non-agent human subjects, or correlated groups of non-agent human subjects, who enter, who are present in, and/or who exit the monitored space, wherein the computer program is further adapted to calculate retail conversion rates based on the number of non-agent human subjects, or correlated groups of non-agent human subjects, visiting the monitored space, wherein the computer program is further adapted to calculate the close rate of an agent, and wherein the computer program further comprises a reporting feature adapted to present data collected by the system in tabular and/or graphical form; a plurality of wireless identification devices adapted to be paired with agents of the monitored space; and a plurality of wireless readers installable in the monitored space according to a predetermined spatial pattern and adapted to read identification data contained in the wireless identification devices, wherein the central computer is further adapted to receive wireless identification device data from the plurality of wireless readers and record the wireless identification device data as a function of time, and wherein the central computer is further adapted to receive signals from the plurality of wireless readers to calculate the position of an agent in the monitored space.
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12. A method of retail resource management comprising the steps of:
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installing a plurality of electronic video cameras in a monitored space, each electronic video camera having an electronic video data output, wherein the visual fields of the electronic video cameras cooperate to encompass substantially all of the monitored space, and/or substantially all of a sales floor within a monitored space; providing a central computer adapted to receive the electronic video data outputs of the plurality of video cameras, the central computer including peripheral video display device; distinguishing human subjects from inanimate objects in the video data output from the plurality of electronic video cameras; distinguishing agent human subjects from non-agent human subjects, in the video data output from the plurality of electronic video cameras; identifying interacting non-agent human subjects by correlating the human subjects'"'"' movements, proximity, engagement, and/or length of time within a predefined proximity to each other within the monitored space; and associating a non-agent human subject and/or a group of non-agent human subjects with an agent. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification