SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC CAMERA HAND-OFF USING LOCATION MEASUREMENTS

• US 20170013203A1
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Systems Limited (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hazzani, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 9,979,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving video images from a plurality of video cameras having respective fields of view that cover a geographical region. At a first time, first video images of an object may be output, where the images are captured by a first video camera selected from the plurality of video cameras. Location indications may be received, which specify a geographical location of the object in the geographical region and which are determined independently of the video images. At a second time subsequent to the first time, a second video camera from the plurality may be selected based on the location indications. The output may be switched to the second video images of the object, which are captured by the selected second video camera.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving video images from a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera in a video surveillance system, the video images of a geographic region including an individual;

probing signaling information associated with a wireless communication terminal possessed by the individual;

extracting the individual'"'"'s location in the geographic area from the monitored signaling information; and

adjusting, automatically, the field-of-view of the PTZ camera based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to better view the individual.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the probing signaling information comprises:

passively monitoring information transmitted on a network of which the wireless communication terminal is part.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wireless communication terminal is a cellular phone and the network is a cellular network.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the probing, extracting, and adjusting to track the individual moving through the geographic region.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

switching to a second PTZ camera in the video surveillance system based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location;

probing signaling information associated with the wireless communication terminal possessed by the individual;

extracting the individual'"'"'s location in the geographic area from the monitored signaling information; and

adjusting, automatically, the field-of-view of the second PTZ camera based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to track the individual moving through a second geographic region.

7. A video surveillance system, comprising:

a location tracking subsystem receiving signaling information associated with a wireless communication terminal possessed by an individual and extracting the individual'"'"'s location in a geographic area from the monitored signaling information;

a PTZ camera having an adjustable field-of-view capable of capturing video of the geographic location; and

a network video server communicatively coupled to the location tracking subsystem and the PTZ camera, wherein the network video server adjusts the PTZ camera'"'"'s field-of-view based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to better view the individual.

8. The video surveillance system according to claim 7, wherein the signaling information comprises information transmitted on a network of which the wireless communication terminal is part.

9. The video surveillance system according to claim 8, wherein the wireless communication terminal is a cellular phone and the network is a cellular network.

10. The video surveillance system according to claim 9, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

11. The video surveillance system according to claim 7, wherein network video server repeatedly adjusts the PTZ camera'"'"'s field-of-view based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to track the individual through the geographic area.

12. The video surveillance system according to claim 11, the video server adjusts the field of view of a second PTZ camera based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to track the individual through a second geographic area.

13. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving video images from a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera in a video surveillance system, the video images including an individual moving through a geographic region;

probing signaling information associated with a wireless communication terminal possessed by the individual;

extracting the individual'"'"'s location in the geographic area from the monitored signaling information; and

adjusting, automatically, the field-of-view of the PTZ camera based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to better view the individual.

14. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the probing signaling information comprises:

passively monitoring information transmitted on a network of which the wireless communication terminal is part.

15. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the wireless communication terminal is a cellular phone and the network is a cellular network.

16. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

17. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 13, further comprising:

repeating the probing, extracting, and adjusting to track the individual moving through the geographic region.

18. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 17, further comprising:

switching to a second PTZ camera in the video surveillance system based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location;

probing signaling information associated with the wireless communication terminal possessed by the individual;

extracting the individual'"'"'s location in the geographic area from the monitored signaling information; and

adjusting, automatically, the field-of-view of the second PTZ camera based on the extracted individual'"'"'s location to track the individual moving through a second geographic region.