Image retention and information security system

• US 5,751,346 A
• Filed: 01/08/1997
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Catherine Mabee Dozier
• Original Assignee: Dozier Financial Corporation
• Inventors: Dozier, Charles Wayne, Mitchell, Thomas William
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, BRYAN T
• Application Number:
  US08/780,529
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 348/161, 348/159, 348/155, 348/154, 348/153, 348/152, 348/150, 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/153
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/209 Monitoring, auditing or diagnose of functioning of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A video image retention and data information security system operates in conjunction with a group of transaction devices, such as receipt printers at bank teller stations. A video camera is provided at each teller station and a group of lobby video cameras are provided for security surveillance. The video cameras are connected to the video inputs of a selector which connects any one of the inputs to a video output. The video output is provided to a video board that digitizes a received image upon command. A controller, such as a personal computer, receives through a video and data channel selector, a set of information from the transaction machine, such as the data related to a bank checking transaction. The controller causes the video camera associated with the teller station to be connected to the video board which is then activated to capture an image of the customer who conducted the transaction that resulted in the generation of the receipt printer transaction. The data associated with the transaction together with the image are stored on a disk drive. A data file is stored which includes multiple data entries relating to the image file, and the image file can be retrieved by any data in the data file. Surveillance cameras operate to take sequential images wherein a comparison of pixel values is made to determine whether a substantial change has been made from one image to the next. If a substantial number of the pixels differ from one image to the next, the latter image is stored for security review. Both the images generated by the teller cameras and the security images can be remotely accessed via telephone lines.

Claims

1. A method of operation for a video security system, comprising the steps of:

selectively connecting an output from each of a plurality of video security cameras to an image digitizer,

digitizing first and second time spaced images from a one of said video cameras when said one camera is connected to said image digitizer,

comparing said first and second images to measure the extent of change from said first image to said second image,

comparing said extent of change to a reference value to determine if said extent of change is greater than said reference value,

continuing said step of selectively connecting when said extent of change is not greater than said reference value,

storing at least said second image in a digital storage only when said extent of change is greater than said reference value, wherein said second images can be read from said digital storage,

accumulating a group of said second images which are stored concurrently in said digital storage, and

retrieving for examination from said digital storage at least one of said second images in said group of said second images stored in said digital storage.

2. A method of operation for a video security system as recited in claim 1 including the step of compressing said second image prior to said step of storing at least said second image.

3. A method of operation for a video security system as recited in claim 1 including the steps of:

suspending said step of selectively connecting when said extent of change is greater than said reference value,

maintaining said one video camera connected to said image digitizer, and

digitizing and storing on said digital storage a sequence of images from said one video camera.

4. A method of performing a surveillance operation with a video security system comprising the steps of:

capturing a first image from a video camera at a first time and digitizing said first image to produce a first digitized image which comprises an array of pixels,

capturing a second image from said video camera at a second time which is later than said first time and digitizing said second image to produce a digitized second image which comprises an array of pixels,

comparing said first digitized image with said second digitized image on a pixel basis to determine the number of pixels in corresponding locations in the two digitized images which have amplitudes that differ by more than a preset amplitude,

comparing said determined number of pixels with a reference number to establish if said determined number of pixels exceeds said reference number,

storing said second digitized image only if said determined number of pixels exceeds said reference number,

accumulating a group of said second digitized images which are stored concurrently in a digital storage from which said images can be read and,

retrieving for examination from said digital storage at least one of said second digitized images in said group of said second digitized images stored in said digital storage.

5. A method of performing a surveillance operation for a video security system, comprising the steps of:

(a) capturing a first image from a video camera at a first time and digitizing said first image which comprises a first digitized image which comprises an array of pixels,

(b) storing said first digitized image as a temporary image,

(c) capturing a new image from said video camera at a time which is later than the time of capture for said temporary image and digitizing said new image to produce a new digitized image which comprises an array of pixels,

(d) comparing said temporary image with said new digitized image on a pixel basis to determine the number of pixels in corresponding locations in the two digitized images which have amplitudes that are different,

(e) comparing said determined number of different pixels with a reference number to establish if said determined number of pixels exceeds said reference number,

(f) storing said new digitized image as said temporary image,

(g) storing said new digitized image in a digital storage only if said determined number of pixels exceeds said reference number, wherein said second images can be read from said digital storage,

(h) repeating said steps (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) in sequence for a plurality of cycles for storing a plurality of digitized images in said digital storage to produce a group of said digitized images which are concurrently in storage in said digital storage, and

(i) retrieving for examination from said digital storage at least one of said digitized images in said group stored in said digital storage.

6. A method of performing a surveillance operation for a video security system, comprising the steps of:

(a) capturing a first image from a video camera at a first time and digitizing said first image which comprises a first digitized image which comprises an array of pixels,

(b) storing said first digitized image as a temporary image,

(c) capturing a new image from said video camera at a time which is later than the time of capture for said temporary image and digitizing said new image to produce a new digitized image which comprises an array of pixels,

(d) comparing said temporary image with said new digitized image on a pixel basis to determine the number of pixels in corresponding locations in the two digitized images which have amplitudes that differ by more than a preset amplitude,

(e) comparing said determined number of different pixels with a reference number to establish if said determined number of pixels exceeds said reference number,

(f) storing said new digitized image as said temporary image,

(g) storing said new digitized image in a digital storage only if said detached number of pixels exceeds said reference number, wherein said second images can be read from said digital storage,

(h) repeating said steps (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) in sequence for a plurality of cycles for storing a plurality of digitized images in said digital storage to produce a group of said digitized images which are concurrently in storage in said digital storage, and

(i) retrieving for examination from said digital storage at least one of said digitized images in said group stored in said digital storage.

7. A method of operation for a video security system, comprising the steps of:

transferring an output signal from a video security camera to an image digitizer,

digitizing first and second time spaced images from said video camera when said camera is connected to said image digitizer,

comparing said first and second images to measure the extent of change from said first image to said second image,

comparing said extent of change to a reference value to determine if said extent of change is greater than said reference value,

storing said second image in a digital storage only when said extent of change is greater than said reference value, wherein said second images can be read from said digital storage,

accumulating a group of said second images which are stored concurrently in said digital storage, and

retrieving for examination from said digital storage at least one of said second images in said group of said second images stored in said digital storage.