Video monitoring and surveillance systems capable of handling asynchronously multiplexed video

• US 6,999,613 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Trajkovic, Miroslav, Gutta, Srinivas, Colmenarez, Antonio J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Upreti, Ashutosh
• Application Number:
  US10/034,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20030123702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348152-155, 348/159, 348/207.99, 348/211.5, 348/208.16, 348/211.11, 348/211.14, 382/103, 382/168, 382155-160, 382/118, 382/224, 382/225, 340 58- 583, 340/5.52, 340/5.53
• US Class Current: 382/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/295 Markov models or related models, e.g. semi-Markov models; Markov random fields; Networks embedding Markov models
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1961 Movement detection not involving frame subtraction, e.g. motion detection on the basis of luminance changes in the image
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention can be configured to demultiplex an asynchronously multiplexed video signal, which comprises images from a number of different cameras. Image matching techniques are used to assign input images with states. After a period, the number of states will generally equal the number of input cameras. The states may be modeled through any number of techniques, such as histogram analysis, clustering, and hidden Markov model analysis. Input images are assigned to states, and the input images are output as being associated with the states. Zone surveillance may be performed on a series of images from one or more of the states. Any events that occur can be distinguished and reported.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an input image from a signal comprising images from a plurality of cameras;

determining input image information from the input image;

matching the input image with one of a plurality of states by comparing the input image information with state image information corresponding to each of at least one state; and

assigning the input image to one of the states when the input image information matches the state image information of the one state,

wherein the step of comparing comprises the sub-steps of;

determining if at least one state exists; and

adding a new state that corresponds to the input image when at least one state does not exist,

and wherein the step of assigning comprises the step of;

assigning the input image to the new state.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the step of comparing comprises the step of:

when the input image information does not match any of the information for each of the at least one states, adding a new state that corresponds to the input image,

and wherein

the step of assigning comprises the step of;

assigning the input image to the new state.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one state comprises a plurality of states, and wherein the method further comprises the step of performing training to determine the plurality of states.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

outputting the input image, the input image output as being associated with the one state.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the images on the signal are determined asynchronously.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

multiplexing the images onto the signal, the multiplexing step being performed wherein a sequence of switching between cameras is not predetermined.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the images on the signal are determined synchronously.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprising the steps of:

outputting the input image, the step of outputting associating the input image with the one state;

determining if an event is occurring on the input image, the step of determining comparing previous images associated with the one state with a present image.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input image information matches state image information of the one state when a metric comparing the input image information and the state image information of the one state falls within a predetermined value.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the step of determining input image information from the input image comprises determining a histogram from the input image;

the step of comparing comprises comparing the histogram of the input image with histograms corresponding to each of at least one states; and

the step of assigning comprises assigning the input image to one of the states when the histogram of the input image matches the histogram of the one state within a predetermined error.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the step of determining input image information from the input image comprises determining a plurality of features from the input image;

the step of comparing comprises comparing the features of the input image with each of a plurality of features corresponding to the at least one states; and

the step of assigning comprises assigning the input image to one of the states when the features of the input image match the features of the one state within a predetermined error.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the states comprises a state of a Hidden Markov Model (HMM).

13. A system comprising:

a memory for storing computer readable code; and

a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to implement said computer readable code, said computer readable code causing said processor to;

determine an input image from a signal comprising images from a plurality of cameras;

determine input image information from the input image;

compare the input image information with state image information corresponding to each of at least one states; and

assign the input image to one of the states when the input image information matches state image information of the one state,

wherein in the comparing step, the computer readable code causes the processor to;

determine if at least one state exists; and

add a new state that corresponds to the input image when at least one state does not exist,

and wherein the assigning step, the computer readable code causes the processor to;

assign the input image to the new state.

14. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, said computer readable program code being executable by a processor to performs acts comprising:

determining an input image from a signal comprising images from a plurality of cameras;

determining input image information from the input image;

comparing the input image information with state image information corresponding to each of at least one states; and

assigning the input image to one of the states when the input image information matches state image information of the one state,

wherein in the comparing step, the computer readable code causes the processor to;

determine if at least one state exists; and

add a new state that corresponds to the input image when at least one state does not exist,

and wherein the assigning step, the computer readable code causes the processor to;

assign the input image to the new state.