Surveillance apparatus with enhanced control of camera and lens assembly

• US 5,801,770 A
• Filed: 09/15/1994
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Thompson, Edwin, Kupersmit, Carl, Mills, Lawrence R., Paff, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US08/306,535
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/211, 348/143, 348/145, 348/146, 348/147, 348/148, 348/149, 348/169, 348/358, 354/81, 354/82
• US Class Current: 348/211.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• 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: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/959 by adjusting depth of field during image capture, e.g. maximising or setting range based on scene characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A surveillance device having a camera and lens assembly in which a condition of the assembly is controllable by a movable part and in which a closed loop digital motion control system is used to control the movable part and, therefore, the condition. The closed loop motion control system includes a dedicated digital signal processor which is used exclusively to control the movable part. The digital motion control system also includes a drive motor which is responsive to the digital signal processor and a digital encoder which monitors the position of the movable part and provides encoded position signals to the processor. Movable parts for the pan and tilt assemblies of the surveillance device are controlled by separate closed loop motion control systems each having its own dedicated digital signal processor.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a central processing unit for receiving commands for controlling a camera and lens assembly means of a CCTV system, said commands being from a remote operator control means of said CCTV system;

camera and lens assembly means, said camera and lens assembly means including at least first, second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts for controlling the pan, tilt, zoom, focus and iris conditions, respectively, of said camera and lens assembly means;

a first closed loop digital motion control means responsive to said first movable part and to said central processing unit for controlling said first movable part so as to control said pan condition, said first closed loop digital motion control means including a first dedicated digital signal processor responsive to said first movable part and to said central processing unit for exclusive control of said first movable part, said first dedicated digital signal processor exercising no control over any other movable part for controlling any other condition of said camera and lens assembly;

second, third, fourth and fifth closed loop digital motion control means responsive to said central processing unit and to the positional state of said second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts, respectively, for controlling said second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts, respectively, so as to control said tilt, zoom, focus and iris conditions, respectively, said second closed loop digital motion control means including a second dedicated digital signal processor responsive to said second movable part and to said central processing unit for exclusively controlling said second movable part;

a further central processing unit responsive to said central processing unit;

and said third, fourth and fifth closed loop digital motion control means and said second dedicated digital signal processor of said second closed loop digital motion control means being responsive to said further central processing unit for controlling said third, fourth, fifth and second movable parts, respectively.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a housing for supporting said camera and lens assembly means so as to permit movement of said first movable part;

and a dome like-member removably attachable to said housing so as to enclose said camera and lens assembly means.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

said dome like member is a part of a sphere in shape.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said first dedicated digital signal processor generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for controlling said first movable part.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein:

said first closed loop digital motion control means includes first means for sensing a positional state of said first movable part and said first dedicated digital signal processor is responsive to said first means and compares said sensed positional state of said first movable part with a desired positional state which is based upon commands received from said central processing unit to develop said PWM control signal.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein:

said first movable part includes a first motor for moving said first movable part;

and said PWM control signal is applied to said first motor.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

said first means monitors said first motor to sense said positional state of said first movable part.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

memory means responsive to said central processing unit for storing program means for controlling said first dedicated digital signal processor, said central processing unit responsive to said operator control means receiving program means from said operator control means for storing in said memory means, said apparatus being at a location remote from the location of said operator control means.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein:

said memory means comprises one of an EEPROM and a non-volatile RAM.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a remote operator means for transmitting commands to said central processing unit.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein:

said apparatus further includes memory means for storing one or more speed profile characteristics;

and said central processing unit selectively causes said first dedicated digital signal processor to use a particular one of said speed profile characteristics in controlling said first movable part.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 further comprising:

a stationary platform for supporting said central processing unit and said first closed loop digital motion control means;

and a rotating platform for supporting said further central processing unit and said second, third, fourth and fifth closed loop digital motion control means.

13. Apparatus comprising:

camera and lens assembly means for use in a CCTV system, said camera and lens assembly means including at least a first movable part for controlling at least one condition of said camera and lens assembly means, said one condition being one of the pan, tilt, focus, iris and zoom conditions of said camera and lens assembly means, and said first movable part having a first end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a first direction and a second end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

and a first closed loop digital motion control means responsive to said first movable part for controlling said first movable part so as to control said one condition, said first closed loop motion control means including a digital signal processor responsive to said first movable part for control of said first movable part, said digital signal processor storing said first and second end-of-travel positions in a memory and utilizing said stored first and second end-of-travel positions during control of said first movable part to stop the movement of said first movable part by the time said first movable part reaches said first and second end-of-travel positions.

14. A method comprising:

providing a camera and lens assembly including a first movable part for controlling at least one condition of said camera and lens assembly, said one condition being one of the pan, tilt, focus, iris and zoom conditions of said camera and lens assembly, said first movable part having a first end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a first direction and a second end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

and in response to said first movable part, controlling said first movable part to control said one condition using a first closed loop digital motion control system having a digital signal processor responsive to said first movable part for control of said first movable part, said digital signal processor storing said first and second end-of-travel positions in a memory and utilizing said stored first and second end-of-travel positions during control of said first movable part to stop movement of said first movable part by the time said first movable part reaches said first and second end-of-travel positions.

15. Apparatus comprising:

camera and lens assembly means for use in a CCTV system, said camera and lens assembly means including at least a first movable part for controlling at least one condition of said camera and lens assembly means, said one condition being one of the pan, tilt, focus, iris and zoom conditions of said camera and lens assembly means, and said first movable part having a first end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a first direction and a second end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

and control means for controlling said first movable part so as to control said one condition, said control means storing said first and second end-of-travel positions and utilizing said stored first and second end-of-travel positions during control of said first movable part to stop the movement of said first movable part by the time said first movable part reaches said first and second end-of-travel positions.

16. A method comprising:

providing a camera and lens assembly including a first movable part for controlling at least one condition of said camera and lens assembly, said one condition being one of the pan, tilt, focus, iris and zoom conditions of said camera and lens assembly, said first movable part having a first end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a first direction and a second end-of-travel position at which said first movable part reaches the maximum length that said first movable part can travel in a second direction opposite to said first direction;

and controlling said first movable part to control said one condition using a control system, said control system storing said first and second end-of-travel positions and utilizing said stored first and second end-of-travel positions during control of said first movable part to stop movement of said first movable part by the time said first movable part reaches said first and second end-of-travel positions.

17. A method comprising:

providing a central processing unit for receiving commands for controlling a camera and lens assembly of a CCTV system, said commands being from a remote operator control means of said CCTV system;

providing a camera and lens assembly including first, second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts for controlling the pan, tilt, zoom, focus and iris conditions, respectively, of said camera and lens assembly;

in response to said first movable part and to said central processing unit, controlling said first movable part to control said pan condition using a first closed loop digital motion control system having a first dedicated digital signal processor responsive to said first movable part and to said central processing unit for exclusive control of said first movable part, said controlling using said first dedicated digital signal processor exercising no control over any other movable part controlling any other condition of said camera and lens assembly;

in response to said second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts and to said central processing unit, controlling said second, third, fourth and fifth movable parts to control said tilt, zoom, focus and iris conditions, respectively, using second, third, fourth and fifth closed loop digital motion control systems, respectively;

providing a further central processing unit responsive to said central processing unit;

said second closed loop digital motion control system including a second dedicated digital signal processor responsive to said second movable part and to said central processing unit for exclusively controlling said second movable part;

and said third, fourth and fifth closed loon digital motion control systems and said second dedicated digital signal processor of said second closed loop digital motion control system are responsive to said further central processing unit for controlling said third, fourth, fifth and second movable parts, respectively.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

providing a housing for supporting said camera and lens assembly so as to permit movement of said first movable part;

and providing a dome like-member removably attachable to said housing so as to enclose said camera and lens assembly.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein:

said first dedicated digital signal processor generates a pulse width modulation signal for controlling said first movable part.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein:

said first dedicated digital signal processor senses a positional state of said first movable part and compares said sensed positional state of said first movable part with a desired positional state which is based upon commands received from said central processing unit to develop said PWM control signal.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein:

said first movable part includes a first motor for moving said first movable part;

and said PWM control signal is applied to said first motor.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

said first dedicated digital signal processor monitors said first motor to sense said positional state of said first movable part.

23. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising:

providing a stationary platform for supporting said central processing unit and said first closed loop digital motion control system;

and providing a rotating platform for supporting said further central processing unit and said second, third, fourth and fifth closed loop digital motion control systems.

24. Apparatus comprising:

camera and lens assembly means for use in a CCTV system, said camera and lens assembly means including at least a first movable part for controlling the pan condition of said camera and lens assembly means and at least a second movable part for controlling the tilt condition of said camera and lens assembly means, said camera and lens assembly means defining a view axis along which an image can be viewed and said camera and lens assembly having a zoom condition which is determinative of the size of the image and the extent of the field of view to be viewed;

first closed loop digital motion control means responsive to said first movable part for controlling the speed of said first movable part so as to control said pan condition, said first closed loop digital motion control means including a first digital signal processor responsive to said first movable part for control of the speed of said first movable part, and said first digital signal processor being automatically responsive to said zoom condition when controlling the speed of said first movable part to control the speed of said first movable part and said pan condition in dependence on said zoom condition;

and a second closing loop digital motion control means responsive to said second movable part for controlling the speed of said second movable part so as to control said tilt condition, said second closed loop digital motion control means including a second digital signal processor responsive to said second movable part for control of the speed of said second movable part, and said second digital signal processor being automatically responsive to said zoom condition when controlling the speed of said second movable part to control said speed of said second movable part and said tilt condition in dependence on said zoom condition.

25. Apparatus in accordance with claim 24, wherein:

said first dedicated digital signal processor controls the speed of said first movable part such that for zoom conditions indicative of images of increased size and field of views of lesser extent said first dedicated digital signal processor selects decreased speeds for said first movable part; and

said second dedicated digital signal processor controls the speed of said second movable part such that for zoom conditions indicative of images of increased size and field of views of lesser extent said second digital signal processor selects decreased speeds for said second movable part.