High-resolution panoramic television surveillance system with synoptic wide-angle field of view

• US 5,790,183 A
• Filed: 04/05/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald M. Kerbyson
• Original Assignee: Gerald M. Kerbyson
• Inventors: Kerbyson, Gerald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, BRYAN T
• Application Number:
  US08/628,498
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/37, 348/38, 348/39, 174/86, 439/13
• US Class Current: 348/37
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A panoramic television surveillance system includes an image-sensing station having an imaging sensor with a line-format field of view mounted on a platform rotatable about an azimuthal scan-rotational axis. The imaging sensor collects a "live" television-like panoramic synoptic surveillance image of the full panoramic wide-angle field. The image data is delivered by an image-data-delivery line, which incorporates a rotary-joint data link, to an image-monitoring station. The image-monitoring station includes an image-data-processor, display-buffer-storage, and a synoptic panoramic wide-angle array of visual monitor displays to permit continuous synoptic evaluation of the full panoramic scene, up to 360° wide, at an observer-personnel position. Alternatively, the image-monitoring station includes the image-data processor and an image-data recorder for continuous recording of the image data for off-line evaluation.

Claims

1. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system having a wide-angle synoptic field of view and comprising an image-sensing station, wherein said image-sensing station comprises

a) imaging-sensor means for collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image, having a line-format field of view,

b) means for effecting rotation of said imaging-sensor means about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field, and

c) image-data delivery means for continuously delivering said image data from said image-sensing station,

wherein said data delivery means comprises

d) rotary-joint data-transmission means for effecting data transmission between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises a rotary-joint data link selected from among the group consisting of:

i) an optical-waveband electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises;

an optical-waveband signal transmitter and beam-forming optics mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said optical-waveband signal transmitter for transmitting a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data and

said beam-forming optics being responsive to said optical-waveband beam for propagating said optical-waveband signal; and

an optical-waveband receiver comprising beam-collecting optics mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said optical-waveband beam of light which contains said optical signal;

ii) an optical-fiber electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a single linear optical-fiber structure comprising two co-aligned lengths of fiber-optic cable whereby;

an optical-waveband signal transmitter and said first length of fiber-optic cable coupled to said optical-waveband signal transmitter and mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data through said first length of fiber-optic cable; and

an optical-waveband receiver and said second length of fiber-optic cable optically coupled to said optical-waveband receiver and

mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said optical-waveband signal;

iii) a radio-frequency electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises;

a radio-frequency signal transmitter and a beam-forming antenna mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said radio-frequency signal transmitter transmits a single radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains a radio-frequency signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming antenna being responsive to said radio-frequency electromagnetic power propagates said radio-frequency electromagnetic power; and

a radio-frequency receiver comprising a beam-collecting antenna mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains said radio-frequency signal;

iv) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear electrical-conductor path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a coaxial electrical cable comprising two co-aligned lengths whereby said first length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a wideband electrical signal which contains said image data;

concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid in electrical contact with said first length of electrical coaxial cable and responsive to said wideband electrical signal propagate said wideband electrical signal; and

a second length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and in electrical contact with said concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid receives said wideband electrical signal.

2. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises an imaging sensor selected from among the group consisting of a visual-waveband imaging sensor, an infrared-waveband imaging sensor, and an ultraviolet-waveband imaging sensor.

3. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors.

4. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means provides simultaneous bidirectional data flow for simultaneous transmission of image data, instrumentation data regarding the status and condition of system elements mounted on the rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, and data to control the operation of system elements mounted on said rotatable portion.

5. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaged wide-angle field is substantially 360°

in width and said rotation-effecting means provides continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

6. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an image-monitoring station comprising

e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display,

f) display buffer-storage means for storing the image data for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays,

g) a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, and

h) an observer-personnel position,

whereby the combined operation of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, enables continuous synoptic evaluation of the panoramic scene at said observer-personnel position.

7. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises a plurality of imaging-sensor channels of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic arrays of visual monitor displays.

8. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said image-data-processing means further performs continuous semi-automatic detection of candidate targets from the full panoramic synoptic scene for display to said observer-personnel position by said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays.

9. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said visual monitor displays are of a long-persistence type such that said long-persistence characteristic comprises said display buffer-storage means.

10. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an image-monitoring station comprising

e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation recording, and

f) an image-data recorder for continuously recording the collected image data whereby the image data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.

11. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system having a wide-angle synoptic field of view which is substantially 360°

in width and comprising an image-sensing station and an image-monitoring station, wherein said image-sensing station comprises

a) imaging-sensor means for collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image, having a line-format field of view,

b) means for effecting rotation of said imaging-sensor means about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width, and

c) image-data delivery means for continuously delivering said image data from said image-sensing station,

wherein said data delivery means comprises

d) rotary-joint data-transmission means for effecting data transmission between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises a rotary-joint data link selected from among the group consisting of;

i) an optical-waveband electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises;

an optical-waveband signal transmitter and beam-forming optics mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said optical-waveband signal transmitter transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming optics being responsive to said optical-waveband beam for propagating said optical-waveband signal; and

an optical-waveband receiver comprising beam-collecting optics mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said optical-waveband beam of light which contains said optical signal;

ii) an optical-fiber electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a single linear optical-fiber structure comprising two co-aligned lengths of fiber-optic cable whereby;

an optical-waveband signal transmitter and a first said length of fiber-optic cable coupled to said optical-waveband signal transmitter and mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data through said first length of fiber-optic cable; and

an optical-waveband receiver and said second length of fiber-optic cable optically coupled to said optical-waveband receiver and mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said optical-waveband signal;

iii) a radio-frequency electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises;

a radio-frequency signal transmitter and a beam-forming antenna mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station said radio-frequency signal transmitter transmits a single radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains a radio-frequency signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming antenna being responsive to said radio-frequency electromagnetic power propagates said radio-frequency electromagnetic power; and

a radio-frequency receiver comprising a beam-collecting antenna mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains said radio-frequency signal;

iv) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear electrical-conductor path substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a coaxial electrical cable comprising two lengths whereby said first length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a wideband electrical signal which contains said image data;

concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid in electrical contact with said first length of electrical coaxial cable and responsive to said wideband electrical signal propagate said wideband electrical signal; and

a second length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and in electrical contact with said concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid receives said wideband electrical signal; and

v) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link comprising wideband electrical sliprings,

and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises

e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display,

f) display buffer-storage means for storing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays,

g) a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays for displaying said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width, and

h) an observer-personnel position,

whereby the combined operation of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, enables continuous synoptic evaluation of the entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width at said observer-personnel position.

12. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises an imaging sensor selected from among the group consisting of a visual-waveband imaging sensor, an infrared-waveband imaging sensor, and an ultraviolet-waveband imaging sensor.

13. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors.

14. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises an electromagnetic radiation-beam rotary-joint data link.

15. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means provides simultaneous bidirectional data flow for simultaneous transmission of image data, instrumentation data regarding the status and condition of system elements mounted on the rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, and data to control the operation of system elements mounted on said rotatable portion.

16. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotation-effecting means provides continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

17. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises a plurality of imaging-sensor channels of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic arrays of visual monitor displays.

18. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said image-data-processing means further performs continuous semi-automatic detection of candidate targets from the full synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width for display to said observer-personnel position by said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays.

19. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said visual monitor displays are of a long-persistence type such that said long-persistence characteristic comprises said display buffer-storage means.

20. A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said image-data-processing means further comprises an image-data recorder for continuously recording the collected image data whereby the data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.

21. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region which is substantially 360°

in width, comprising the steps of;

a) continuously collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image of said entire wide-angle panoramic region from an image-sensing station by

1) panoramically scanning for collecting image data employing a line-format field of view, and

2) effecting rotation of said line-format field of view about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field which is substantially 360°

in width,

b) continuously transmitting the collected image data from a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station to a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station,

providing simultaneous bidirectional data flow for the simultaneous transmission of image data,

instrumentation data regarding the status and condition of the rotatable portion of said image-sensing station,

and data to control the operation of said rotatable portion,

c) accepting the collected image data at an image-monitoring station which is continuously delivered from said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station,

d) processing said image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display,

e) buffer storing the processed image data for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, and

f) continuously displaying the processed image data on a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays at an observer-personnel position,

thereby enabling continuous synoptic evaluation of the substantially 360°

panoramic scene at said observer-personnel position.

22. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the image data is collected in at least one of the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavebands.

23. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said surveillance image is collected using a plurality of line-format field of view image-sensing channels.

24. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said data transmission of collected image data between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station employs an electromagnetic beam.

25. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said rotation is effected by continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

26. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the image data is collected using a plurality of line-format field of view channels, and wherein said image-monitoring station provides a plurality of image-sensing channels of said image-data processing, buffer storing, and displaying.

27. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle synoptic panoramic region which is substantially 360°

in width, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said step of processing said image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display further comprises performing semi-automatic detection of candidate objects, or targets, to be displayed.

28. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of buffer-storing said processed image data is effected by employing long-persistence type visual monitor displays in said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays for displaying the processed image data with uninterrupted display between image collection cycles.

29. A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said step of processing said image data further comprises the step of continuously recording the collected image data whereby the data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.