Face photo storage system

• US 6,793,128 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Huffman, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimberly D.
• Application Number:
  US09/883,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/362, 235/379, 902/2, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5, 902/6, 382/115, 382/117, 382/118, 340/825.36, 340/825.54, 340/825.44, 340/539, 340/573, 340/505, 340/506, 348/373, 348/143, 348/239, 351/212, 351/247
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A face photo storage system is disclosed. A digital camera takes one or more photos of a person in response to the detection of an event, such as a cash register having rung up a sale to the person, the person entering the premises, and so on. The best photo of the person that includes the best picture of the person'"'"'s face is determined. A database stores this photo, along with at least a current date in which the photo was taken. The database may also store the current time at which the photo was taken, a transaction record of the person'"'"'s purchase, and so on. The invention may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of a video surveillance system.

Claims

1. A surveillance system comprising:

a digital camera;

a detection mechanism to cause the digital camera to take one or more photos of a person, in response to detection of an event;

a face detection and selection mechanism to determine a best photo of the one or more photos of the person, the best photo including a best picture of the face of the person from which the person is most easily recognized; and

,

a database to store the best photo of the face of the person with at least a current date in which the best photo was taken, the database also storing a plurality of best photos of faces of people.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a motion detector to detect presence of the person, such that detection of the presence of the person causes the digital camera to take the one or more photos.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a video camera, such that a change in a field of view of the video camera from an earlier frame to a later frame of the video camera causes the digital camera to take the one or more photos.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a cash register, such that ringing up a sale to the person on the cash register causes the digital camera to take the one or more photos.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the database further stores a transaction record of the sale.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism is the digital camera itself.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the face detection and selection mechanism comprises face detection and selection software running on a computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the face detection and selection mechanism at least one compresses and encrypts the best photo of the face before the database stores the best photo of the face.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the face detection and selection mechanism is communicatively coupled to the database over a network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the database further stores a current time at which the best photo was taken.

11. A surveillance method comprising:

taking one or more photos of a person;

determining a best photo of the one or more photos of the person, the best photo including a best picture of a face of the person from which the person is most easily recognized; and

,

storing the best photo of the face of the person with at least a current date in which the best photo was taken in a database also storing a plurality of best photos of faces of people.

12. The method of claim 11, initially comprising detecting an event, in response to which the one or more photos of the person are taken.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the event comprises detecting a presence of the person.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the event comprises detecting a sale to the person having rung up on a cash register.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein storing the best photo of the face of the person with at least the current date comprises storing the best photo of the face of the person with at least the current date and a transaction record of the sale.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein storing the best photo of the face of the person with at least the current date comprises storing the best photo of the face of the person with at least the current date and a current time at which the best photo was taken.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising, alter determining the best photo, sending the best photo of the face of the person with at least the current date to the database over a network.

18. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to perform a surveillance method comprising:

detecting a event;

in response to detecting the event, causing a digital camera to take one or more photos of a person;

determining a best photo of the one or more photos of the person, the best photo including a best picture of a face of the person from which the person is most easily recognized; and

,

causing the best photo of the face of the person to be stored with at least a current date in which the best photo was taken in a database also storing a plurality of best photos of faces of people.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein detecting the event comprises one of:

detecting a change in a field of view of a video camera from an earlier frame to a later frame, and detecting a sale to the person having rung up on a cash register.

20. The medium of claim 18, wherein causing the best photo of the person to be stored with at least the current date comprises sending the best photo of the face of the person and at least the current date to the database over a network.