Multichannel image processor and security system employing the same

• US 6,956,477 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chun, Doo-hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/083,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/545.2, 340/545.3, 340/545.4, 340/545.9, 340/550, 340/286.01, 340/286.02, 348/42, 348/43, 348/143, 348/154, 348/155, 348/159
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A security system has: a multichannel image processor for selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels and for outputting the image signals; and a user'"'"'s computer connected with the multichannel image processor through a communication interface, the user s computer controlling channel selection of the multichannel image processor in accordance with a set-up mode, displaying signals inputted from the multichannel image processor through a display device corresponding to the set-up mode and/or record in a memory, supplying a main image display window for displaying the transmitted image signals and a manipulation key window for displaying keys for selecting the mode to be integrally displayed on a main frame, and having a multichannel image driver to process in accordance with the selected key. In the multichannel image processor and the security system employing the same, if the recording medium storing a multichannel image driver is installed in a computer, and the multichannel image processor is installed in a camera and the computer, a desired security system can be established, and thus the utility of resources will be increased. Moreover, a separate job can be performed using the computer while watching an object, and the camera can be remotely controlled.

Claims

1. A security system, comprising:

a multichannel image processor for selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels, and for outputting the image signals; and

a computer connected to said multichannel image processor through a communication interface, said computer having a multichannel image driver, said computer inputting the image signals outputted from said multichannel image processor;

the multichannel image driver controlling a selection of at least one of the input channels in accordance with a selected set-up mode, supplying a main image display window displaying the inputted image signals to a main frame of a display device, supplying at least one manipulation key window displaying keys to the main frame of the display device, processing in accordance with the selected set-up mode, performing at least one of displaying the inputted image signals through the display device in accordance with the selected set-up mode and recording the inputted image signals in a memory in accordance with the selected set-up mode, the displayed keys being used for selecting the selected set-up mode and other modes, said main image display window and said at least one manipulation key window being integrally displayed on the main frame of the display device;

said security system further comprising an alarm sensor for sensing an abnormality of an object to be watched, a main controller transmitting received information of an abnormality signal to the multichannel image driver when the abnormality signal is transmitted, and operating an alarm channel selection mode corresponding to the abnormality signal under control of the multichannel image driver.

2. The security system of claim 1, said multichannel image processor comprising:

a plurality of memories for storing signals inputted through the plurality of input channels, respectively;

a memory controller for selectively outputting the signals stored in the plurality of memories;

a coding unit for coding the signals outputted from the plurality of memories, and for transmitting the coded signals to said computer; and

a main controller for controlling said memory controller in accordance with a control signal transmitted from said computer.

3. The security system of claim 2, said multichannel image processor further comprising:

a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, each being disposed between a respective one of the plurality of input channels and a respective one of the plurality of memories, for converting the input signals into digital signals.

4. The security system of claim 3, said multichannel image processor further comprising a multiplexer for multiplexing the signals inputted through the plurality of input channels, and for outputting the multiplexed signals via a terminal for an external display unit.

5. The security system of claim 3, said multichannel image processor further comprising an RS-232 interface module connected to said main controller and carrying out data communication with said computer.

6. The security system of claim 5, said multichannel image processor further comprising an RS-485 interface module connected to said main controller and carrying out data communication with apparatuses connected to the plurality of input channels.

7. The security system of claim 5, said multichannel image processor further comprising a wireless transmitter connected to said main controller for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from apparatuses connected to the plurality of input channels.

8. The security system of claim 1, the plurality of input channels receiving the image signals from a plurality of cameras, the abnormality signal corresponding to at least one selected camera selected from among the plurality of cameras, said at least one selected camera being in a region of said alarm sensor.

9. The security system of claim 8, the multichannel image driver recording and displaying image signals received from said at least one selected camera for a predetermined time when the abnormality signal is transmitted.

10. The security system of claim 1, further comprising at least one photographing device connected to the plurality of input channels, said at least one photographing device having a photograph direction which is changed in accordance with a control signal;

the multichannel image driver having basic photograph keys disposed on said at least one manipulation key window for manipulating functions supported by said at least one photographing device, and controlling said at least one photographing device through said multichannel image processor in accordance with manipulation of the basic photograph keys.

11. The security system of claim 10, the basic photograph keys including a focus adjust key, a zoom in/out adjust key, and a photograph direction manipulation key.

12. The security system of claim 1, said at least one manipulation key window including a system set-up key, the multichannel image driver loading a set-up module window supporting the set-up mode when the system set-up key is selected, the set-up module window including a window for selecting a directory for storing the received image signals in a memory of said computer and including an alarm capacity selection window for selecting a remaining capacity alarm target value to generate an alarm signal when a remaining memory capacity of the memory reaches the selected value.

13. The security system of claim 1, the main frame including a separation key, the separation key being selected to load a separated image window displaying a transmitted image separated from the main image display window, the multichannel image driver displaying the separated image window by loading a separated image window when the separation key is selected, the multichannel image driver adjusting a size of the separated image window and an image corresponding to the transmitted image when a signal is received from an input device to manipulate the size of the separated image window.

14. The security system of claim 1, said computer including a windows-based operating system supporting multi-tasking for operating an application program stored in a memory, the operation of the multichannel image driver being supported by the windows-based operating system.

21. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a memory capacity display window disposed at a side of the main frame to display a memory capacity, the multichannel image driver calculating remaining memory capacity of said computer and displaying the remaining memory capacity through the memory capacity display window.

15. A security system comprising:

a multichannel image processor for selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels, and for outputting the image signals; and

a computer connected to said multichannel image processor through a communication interface, said computer having a multichannel image driver, said computer inputting the image signals outputted from said multichannel image processor;

the multichannel image driver controlling a selection of at least one of the input channels in accordance with a selected set-up mode, supplying a main image display window displaying the inputted image signals to a main frame of a display device, supplying at least one manipulation key window displaying keys to the main frame of the display device, processing in accordance with the selected set-up mode, performing at least one of displaying the inputted image signals through the display device in accordance with the selected set-up mode and recording the inputted image signals in a memory in accordance with the selected set-up mode, the displayed keys being used for selecting the selected set-up mode and other modes, said main image display window and said at least one manipulation key window being integrally displayed on the main frame of the display device;

said multichannel image driver having a photograph direction manipulation key displayed as a mark having a predetermined shape on an initial point in a direction display window displaying direction guide information guiding a photograph adjust direction when the photograph direction manipulation key is not selected; and

said multichannel image driver displaying the mark after moving the mark in the direction display window in accordance with a dragging direction of a computer mouse having a button pressed to select the mark, outputting a rotation control signal through said multichannel image processor to said at least one photographing device to rotate said at least one photographing device according to the moving of the mark, and showing the mark returning to the initial point when the pressed computer mouse button is released.

16. A security system comprising:

a multichannel image processor for selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels, and for outputting the image signals; and

a computer connected to said multichannel image processor through a communication interface, said computer having a multichannel image driver, said computer inputting the image signals outputted from said multichannel image processor;

the multichannel image driver controlling a selection of at least one of the input channels in accordance with a selected set-up mode, supplying a main image display window displaying the inputted image signals to a main frame of a display device, supplying at least one manipulation key window displaying keys to the main frame of the display device, processing in accordance with the selected set-up mode, performing at least one of displaying the inputted image signals through the display device in accordance with the selected set-up mode and recording the inputted image signals in a memory in accordance with the selected set-up mode, the displayed keys being used for selecting the selected set-up mode and other modes, said main image display window and said at least one manipulation key window being integrally displayed on the main frame of the display device;

the multichannel image driver having a next key, the next key being selected to display a succeeding frames and at least one detailed photograph key for adjusting and setting up a detailed function including a photographing pattern of at least one photographing device, said at least one detailed photograph key being displayed in said at least one manipulation key window;

the multichannel image driver loading and displaying the succeeding frame on the display device and processing a function corresponding to a selected key from among said at least one detailed photograph key when the next key is selected.

17. The security system of claim 16, said at least one detailed photograph key including menu keys for selecting and setting up an identifier for said at least one photographing device, a white balance, a shutter speed, and motion detection.

18. The security system of claim 16, said at least one detailed photograph key including a preset key for selecting a preset mode, said at least one photographing device operating in the preset mode in accordance with preset zoom set-up information for a region corresponding to an ordered number selected from among ordered numbers of the preset zoom set-up information, the preset zoom set-up information being classified selectively by assigning respective ordered numbers and corresponding zoom set-up information to respective detailed regions according to an azimuth angle, said at least one detailed photograph key including a manipulation pattern operation key for operating said at least one photographing device in accordance with stored information about manipulation of a photograph direction manipulation key, said at least one detailed photograph key including a scan key for operating said at least one photographing device to sequentially photograph in accordance with the ordered numbers of the preset zoom set-up information.

19. The security system of claim 18, said at least one detailed photograph key including an auto pan key for driving a pan within a set-up pan angle, and including a block set-up key for selecting a region viewed by said at least one photographic device, the region being selected by appointing a block for the region in the image display window.

20. The security system of claim 19, movement being detected in the selected region.

22. A multichannel image processor, comprising:

a plurality of input channels for receiving image signals transmitted from a plurality of cameras;

a plurality of memories for storing the image signals received by said plurality of input channels;

a memory controller for selectively outputting the image signals stored in said plurality of memories in accordance with a control signal;

a coding unit for coding signals outputted from said plurality of memories, and for transmitting the coded signals through an image output terminal for a computer;

a main controller for controlling said memory controller in accordance with the control signal, the control signal being transmitted from the computer through a computer data communication terminal; and

an alarm sensor for sensing an abnormality of a selected object, the object being selected to be watched;

said main controller transmitting first abnormality signal data through the computer data communication terminal and said main controller operating an alarm channel selection mode corresponding to a generation of the abnormality signal in accordance with a reply control signal received through the computer data communication terminal in response to the first abnormality signal data when the abnormality signal is transmitted from said alarm sensor.

23. The multichannel image processor of claim 22, further comprising:

a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, each being disposed between a respective one of said plurality of input channels and a respective one of said plurality of memories to convert the received image signals to digital signals.

24. The multichannel image processor of claim 23, further comprising:

a multiplexer for multiplexing and outputting the image signals received by said plurality of input channels through a terminal for an external display device, the terminal for the external display device being distinguishable from the computer data communication terminal.

25. The multichannel image processor of claim 23, further comprising:

an RS-232 interface module disposed between the computer data communication terminal and said main controller to carry out data communication with the computer.

26. The multichannel image processor of claim 25, further comprising:

an RS-485 interface module connected between said main controller and a terminal for camera communication for carrying out data communication with at least one of the plurality of cameras.

27. The multichannel image processor of claim 25, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter connected to said main controller for wirelessly communicating with at least one of the plurality of cameras.

28. A computer storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions for implementing a method, said set of instructions comprising at least one instruction for:

selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels and outputting the image signals; and

controlling a selection of at least one of the input channels in accordance with a selected set-up mode, displaying the outputted image signals in a main image display window of a display device of a computer in accordance with the selected set-up mode, displaying signals stored in a memory, supplying at least one manipulation key window displaying keys for selecting the set-up mode and other modes, and controlling said selective receiving of the image signals in accordance with the selected set-up mode, the main image display window and the manipulation key window being integrally displayed on a main frame of the display device;

said set of instructions further comprising at least one instruction for;

displaying a photograph direction manipulation key as a mark having a predetermined share on an initial point in a direction display window displaying direction guide information guiding a photograph adjust direction when the photograph direction manipulation key is not selected; and

displaying the mark after moving the mark in the direction display window in accordance with a dragging direction of a computer mouse having a clicked button pressed to select the mark, outputting a rotation control signal to said at least one photographing device to rotate said at least one photographing device according to the moving direction, and showing the mark returning to the initial point when the computer mouse clicked button is released.

29. The computer storage medium of claim 28, said set of instructions further comprising at least one instruction for:

transmitting the image signals from at least one photographing device to the plurality of input channels, said at least one photographing device having a photograph direction changed in accordance with a control signal, the keys displayed by said at least one manipulation key window including basic photograph keys for manipulation functions supported by said at least one photographing device; and

controlling said at least one photographing device in accordance with the manipulation of the basic photograph keys.

30. The computer storage medium of claim 29, the basic photograph keys including a focus adjust key, a zoom adjust key, and the photograph direction manipulation key.

31. A computer storage medium having stored thereon a set of instructions for implementing a method, said set of instructions comprising at least one instruction for:

selectively receiving image signals transmitted through a plurality of input channels and outputting the image signals; and

controlling a selection of at least one of the input channels in accordance with a selected set-up mode, displaying the outputted image signals in a main image display window of a display device of a computer in accordance with the selected set-up mode, displaying signals stored in a memory, supplying at least one manipulation key window displaying keys for selecting the set-up mode and other modes, and controlling said selective receiving of the image signals in accordance with the selected set-up mode, the main image display window and the manipulation key window being integrally displayed on a main frame of the display device;

said set of instructions further comprising at least one instruction for;

displaying a next key, the next key being selected to display a succeeding frame and at least one detailed photograph key for adjusting and setting up a detailed function including a photographing pattern of said at least one photographing device, said at least one detailed photograph key being displayed in said at least one manipulation key window, and

when the next key is selected, loading and displaying the succeeding frame on the display device and processing a function corresponding to a first detailed key selected from among said at least one detailed photograph key.

32. The computer storage medium of claim 31, said at least one detailed photograph key including menu keys for selecting and setting up an identifier for said at least one photographing device, a white balance, a setter speed, and motion detection.

33. The computer storage medium of claim 31, said at least one detailed photograph key including a preset key for selecting a preset mode, said at least one photographing device operating in the preset mode in accordance with preset zoom set-up information for a region corresponding to an ordered number selected from among ordered numbers of the preset zoom set-up information, the preset zoom set-up information being classified selectively by assigning respective ordered numbers and corresponding zoom set-up information to respective detailed regions according to an azimuth angle, said at least one detailed photograph key including a manipulation pattern operation key for operating said at least one photographing device in accordance with stored information about manipulation of the photograph direction manipulation key, said at least one detailed photograph key including a scan key for operating said at least one photographing device to sequentially photograph in accordance with the ordered numbers of the preset zoom set-up information.

34. The computer storage medium of claim 33, said at least one detailed photograph key including an auto pan key for driving a pan within a set-up pan angle, and including a block set-up key for selecting a region viewed by said at least one photographic device, the region being selected by appointing a block for the region in the image display window.