Photographing apparatus and monitoring system using same

• US 6,731,778 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Yuji, Oda, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MARIAM, DANIEL G
• Application Number:
  US09/536,987
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/115-118, 382/173, 382/181, 382/190, 382/209, 382/216, 382/218, 382/224, 382/321, 235/379, 340/426.1, 340/541, 348/150, 348/156, 348/161, 348/149, 348/159, 348/218.1, 705/35, 705/43, 705/44, 902/4, 902/8, 902/25, 396/322, 396/326, 396/332
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a photographing apparatus capable of verifying with ease that a transaction processing unit has been wrongfully utilized, and at the same time, reducing an amount of image data for each case of transaction processing while lowering the cost thereof, and a monitoring system using the photographing apparatus. To this end, the photographing apparatus according to the invention includes an image forming element having an image forming face, a photographing field angle dividing arrangement for dividing a photographing field angle into photographing field angles A, B so as to correspond with a plurality of sites to be photographed, and forming an image of the respective sites to be photographed on the image forming element, and an image data generation arrangement for generating image data of the respective sites to be photographed on the basis of output of the image forming element. In this case, since the images of the plurality of the sites to be photographed can be formed on the image forming face of one image forming element, the plurality of the sites to be photographed can be simultaneously photographed with one unit of image pickup camera. It becomes therefore unnecessary to install a plurality of the image pickup camera in order to photograph the respective sites to be photographed.

Claims

1. A photographing apparatus comprising:

a camera having a field of view with a photographing field angle, the camera being provided with an image forming element having an image forming face;

photographing field angle dividing means for dividing the photographing field angle so as to correspond with a plurality of sites to be photographed, and forming an image of the respective sites to be photographed on the image forming element; and

image data generation means for generating image data of the respective sites to be photographed on the basis of output of the image forming element,

wherein the camera is aimed directly at a first one of the sites to be photographed, and the photographing field angle dividing means comprises a reflective member having an edge, the reflecting member being disposed in the field of view of the camera to reflect light from a second one of the sites to be photographed to the cameras while light from the first one of the sites travels past the edge of the reflective member and enters the camera without reflection.

2. A photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the edge of the reflective member is located substantially at an optical axis running at the center of the photographing field angle.

3. A photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising photographing field angle alteration means for altering respective photographing field angles, formed by dividing the photographing field angle with the photographing field angle dividing means.

4. A photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising memory means for storing the image data generated by the image data generation means.

5. A photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reflective member is a first reflective member, and the photographing field angle dividing means further comprises a second reflective member disposed to reflect light from a third one of the sites to be photographed, the first and second reflective member being disposed symmetrically with respect to the field of view of the camera.

6. A photographing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a frame is formed on a boundary between the first and second reflective members.

7. A photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographing field angle dividing means further comprises a motor, and means, linking the motor to the reflective member, for altering the position of the reflective member when the motor rotates.

8. A monitoring system for use with a transaction processing unit having a slot for passage of at least one object to or from a hand of a user of the transaction processing unit during a transaction, comprising:

recording means for storing image data; and

a photographing apparatus for photographing the user of the transaction processing unit, wherein the photographing apparatus records in the recording means image data of the user photographed so as to correspond with operation of the transaction processing unit in the course of the transaction,

wherein the photographing apparatus photographs multiple targets that include the face of the user and sites of the user, other than the face, and combines image data of the face of the user and the sites of the user, other than the face, into one before recording in the recording means the image data so as to correspond with operation of the transaction processing unit in the course of the transaction,

wherein the photographing apparatus includes at least one reflective member and a camera having a field of view, the camera being aimed directly at one of the targets to receive light from it without reflection, and the at least one reflective member being disposed in the field of view of the camera to reflect light from at least one other target to the camera, and

wherein the sites of the user, other than the face, include the hand of the user as the hand is positioned adjacent the slot during passage of the at least one object, the slot itself also being included in the photograph.

9. A monitoring system according to claim 8, further comprising read-out means for reading out specific image data from among image data recorded in the recording means on the basis of predetermined classification.

10. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the transaction processing unit has a sensor that is activated by the hand of the user during the course of the transaction, and wherein activation of the sensor triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

11. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the slot is adapted for receiving and returning a card employed by the user during the transaction, and further comprising a sensor disposed adjacent the slot to detect the card, and wherein activation of the sensor triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

12. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the slot is adapted for receiving and returning a bankbook of the user during the transaction, and further comprising a sensor disposed adjacent the slot to detect the bankbook, and wherein activation of the sensor triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

13. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the slot is adapted for dispensing banknotes, and further comprising a sensor disposed adjacent the slot to detect the hand of the user as the user picks up the banknotes, and wherein activation of the sensor triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

14. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the slot is adapted for dispensing coins, and further a sensor disposed adjacent the slot to detect the hand of the user as the user picks up the coins, and wherein activation of the sensor triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

15. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the slot is a first slot that is adapted for receiving and returning a card employed by the user of the transaction processing unit during the transaction, wherein the transaction processing unit also has a second slot that is adapted for dispensing banknotes, and further comprising a first sensor disposed adjacent the first slot to detect the card and a second sensor disposed adjacent the second slot to detect the hand of the user as the user picks up the banknotes, and wherein activation of either of the first and second sensors triggers the recording of image data in the recording means.

16. The monitoring system according to claim 8, further comprising a video monitor having a screen, and means for dividing the screen into first and second regions and for displaying the combined image data on the screen, such that the face of the user is displayed in the first region of the screen and the sites of the user, other than the face, are displayed in the second region of the screen.

17. The monitoring system according to claim 8, further comprising a video monitor having a screen, and means for dividing the screen into first, second, and third regions and for displaying the combined image data on the screen, such that the face of the user is displayed in the first region of the screen and two sites of the user, other than the face, are displayed in the second and third regions of the screen.

18. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one reflective member includes a first flat mirror and a second flat mirror that is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the first flat mirror.

19. A monitoring system for use with an automatic teller machine having a screen for conveying information to a person using the automatic teller machine and having a slot for passage of at least one object to or from a hand of the person, comprising:

a camera aimed at the slot to capture an image of the hand of the person adjacent the slot; and

a mirror in front of the camera but not obscuring the slot from the camera, the mirror being oriented to reflect an image of the face of the person to the camera.