IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMMERSIVE SURVEILLANCE
First Claim
1. A method of determining a model representing views of a scene from cameras in an array of cameras, each camera in the array of cameras having a field of view that overlaps with the field of view of another camera in the array of cameras, the method comprising:
- (A) for each pair of overlapping fields of view;
(A1) selecting image features in a region common to the overlapping fields of view;
(A2) matching points corresponding to a subset of the image features in one field of view in the pair of overlapping fields of view to points corresponding the subset of the image features in the other field of view in the pair of overlapping fields of view to form a set of matched points;
(B) merging at least a subset of each set of the matched points to form a set of merged points; and
(C) estimating parameters associated with each field of view based on the set of merged points to form the model representing the views of the scene.
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Abstract
Security guards at large facilities, such as airports, monitor multiple screens that display images from individual surveillance cameras dispersed throughout the facility. If a guard zooms with a particular camera, he may lose image resolution, along with perspective on the surrounding area. Embodiments of the inventive Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance (ISIS) solve these problems by combining multiple cameras in one device. When properly mounted, example ISIS systems offer up to 360-degree, 240-megapixel views on a single screen. (Other fields of view and resolutions are also possible.) Image-stitching software merges multiple video feeds into one scene. The system also allows operators to tag and follow targets, and can monitor restricted areas and sound an alert when intruders breach them.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of determining a model representing views of a scene from cameras in an array of cameras, each camera in the array of cameras having a field of view that overlaps with the field of view of another camera in the array of cameras, the method comprising:
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(A) for each pair of overlapping fields of view; (A1) selecting image features in a region common to the overlapping fields of view; (A2) matching points corresponding to a subset of the image features in one field of view in the pair of overlapping fields of view to points corresponding the subset of the image features in the other field of view in the pair of overlapping fields of view to form a set of matched points; (B) merging at least a subset of each set of the matched points to form a set of merged points; and (C) estimating parameters associated with each field of view based on the set of merged points to form the model representing the views of the scene. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of compensating for imbalances in color and white levels in color images of respective portions of a wide-area scene, each color image comprising red, green, and blue color channels acquired by a respective camera in a camera array disposed to image the wide-area scene, the method comprising:
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(A) normalizing values representing the red, green, and blue color channels to a reference value representing a response of the cameras in the camera array to white light; (B) equalizing the values representing the red, green, and blue color channels to red, green, and blue equalization values, respectively; (C) identifying high- and low-percentile values among each of the red, green, and blue color channels; and (D) scaling each of the red, green, and blue color channels based on the high- and low-percentile values to provide compensated values representing the red, green, and blue color channels. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An interface for a surveillance system that monitors a scene, the interface comprising:
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a full-scene view configured to render a real-time panoramic image of the entire scene monitored by the surveillance system; and a zoom view configured to render a close-up of a region of the panoramic view. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification