Security control system and method of operation

• US 6,069,653 A
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hudson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard
• Assistant Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US09/153,282
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/153, 348/154, 364/550, 358/108
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The present invention provides a security control system, comprising a system controller (2) arranged to receive video signals from a plurality of video sources, and to selectively output a subset of the received video signals for display on a display means, and a display controller (10, 12) arranged to receive the subset of video signals output by the system controller, and to process those signals to generate images for display on the display means. In accordance with the present invention, the system controller (2) is further arranged to receive alarm signals, each alarm signal being associated with a video source, the system controller (2) being responsive to receipt of an alarm signal to output the video signal of the associated video source to the display controller. The display controller (10, 12) is then arranged to cause any images generated from video signals associated with alarm signals to be displayed in a predetermined area (M11) of the display means.

By ensuring that all of the video information associated with alarms is displayed in a predefined area, it is easier for the operator to review that video information in order to ensure that effective action is taken in response to the alarm condition(s).

Claims

1. A security control system comprising:

a system controller for receiving a plurality of video and alarm signals from a plurality of sources, each said alarm signal being associated with a respective video signal; and

for selectively outputting a subset of the received video signals in response to receipt of said alarm signals, said subset comprised of the video signals corresponding to said alarm signals;

a display controller for receiving said subset of video signals output by said system controller, for processing said subset of video signals into images for display on a display means, for causing said images to be displayed in a predetermined area of said display means corresponding to said alarm signals, and to scale said images depending on the number of such images, such that those images can be displayed simultaneously within said predetermined area of the display means; and

a display means for displaying said plurality of video signals having at least one display device containing the predetermined areas for displaying said images output from said display controller in response to said alarm signals.

2. A security control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display controller is arranged to display simultaneously up to a predetermined maximum number of images generated from the video signals associated with alarm signals.

3. A security control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein if the number of images generated from the video signals associated with alarm signals exceeds the predetermined maximum number, then the excess images are displayed in the predetermined area when alarm conditions associated with previously displayed images are cleared by an operator.

4. A security control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the images generated from video signals associated with alarm signals are displayed in a picture-in-picture format within the predetermined area of the display means.

5. A security control system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the images generated from video signals associated with alarm signals are displayed as an array within the predetermined area of the display means.

6. A security control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a visual indication is associated with each displayed image generated from video signals associated with alarm signals to indicate to an operator that those images are associated with alarm signals.

7. A security control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein a border of each displayed image associated with alarm signals is highlighted to provide the visual indication.

8. A security control system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the highlighted border takes the form of a flashing border.

9. A security control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system controller includes a storage for identifying the video source associated with each alarm signal, and the system controller is arranged to reference this storage upon receipt of an alarm signal to determine which video signal to output to the display controller.

10. A security control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of alarm signal inputs to the control system exceeds the number of video sources, and at least one of said video sources is associated with a plurality of alarm signal inputs.

11. A security control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the video sources is connected to a mechanism for moving the video source relative to a surface on which it is mounted, and the system controller is responsive to specific alarm signals to output signals to the mechanism in order to move the at least one video source in a predetermined manner.

12. A method of operating a security control system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving video signals from a plurality of video sources;

(b) selectively outputting a subset of the received video signals for display on a display means;

(c) processing the signals output at said step (b) to generate images for display on the display means;

(d) receiving alarm signals, each alarm signal being associated with a video source;

(e) responsive to receipt of an alarm signal, outputting at step (b) the video signal of the associated video source;

(f) scaling said images generated at step (c) from video signals associated with alarm signals depending on the number of said images, so that said images are displayed simultaneously in a predetermined area of the display means; and

(g) displaying said subset of said images on said display means, said display means comprised of at least one display device containing the predetermined area for displaying said images.