Monitoring system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 7,146,286 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tetsujiro, Tanaka, Tsuyoshi, Takeda, Naoki, Watanabe, Yoshinori, Kobayashi, Naoki, Fujimori, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L.
• Application Number:
  US10/938,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20050143954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/127
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field

Abstract

A multi-sensor camera compares status describing data which is described based on a determining rule and sensor data outputted from a microwave sensor with a notification determining table sent from a processing box. If it is determined that an event is notified, the multi-sensor camera sends notifying image data to the processing box, and presents the sent data on a presenting unit. A user inputs, based on a predetermined detecting condition, the determination on the notification need of the event detected based on the sensor data outputted from the sensor. A unit for learning the determining rule adjusts the predetermined condition used for the detection based on the input determination and the feature of the event, and updates the notification determining table so as to notify the event which needs the notification and prevent the notification of unnecessary event.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

a first sensor configured to output first data based on a monitoring operation of a monitoring area;

a second sensor configured to output second data based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area;

event detecting means for detecting a status of an event in the monitoring area, based on a preset detecting condition, from the first data;

notifying control means for controlling notification of the event based on the status of the event detected by said event detecting means;

presenting control means for controlling a presenting operation of the second data on the event that is controlled to be notified by said notifying control means, the presenting control means configured to detect a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence;

input obtaining means for obtaining an input for estimating whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the second data presented under the control of the presenting control means; and

detecting condition adjusting means for adjusting the detecting condition based on feature data indicating a feature of the event based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not the notification obtained by said input obtaining means is to be performed,

wherein the notifying control means is configured to notify the user when the first event occurrence is detected, and the notifying control means does not notify the user when the second event occurrence is detected.

2. A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition based on the first data on the event.

3. A monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining information generating means which generates determining information that determines, based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not notification is to be performed, whether or not the notification of the event is to be performed,

wherein said notifying controls means controls the event notification based on the determining information.

4. A monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein, when the estimation for the event that the notification of the user is to be performed, obtained from said input obtaining means, does not match the determining result based on the determining information that the notification for the event is to be performed, said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition to a second detecting condition.

5. A monitoring system according to claim 3, further comprising:

storing means which correlates the first data on the event, the feature data of the event, and the input for estimating whether or not notification is to be performed with each other,

wherein said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition, based on the feature data of the event and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed which are stored by said storing means and the first data on the event stored by said storing means, so that the estimation of notification need of the event from the user obtained by said input obtaining means matches the determining result based on the determining information that the event notification is to be performed.

6. A monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein said detecting condition adjusting means updates the feature data of the event stored by said storing means, based on the first data on the event stored by said storing means and the detecting condition adjusted by said detecting condition adjusting means, and

said determining information generating means generates the determining condition, based on the feature data of the updated event and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, which is stored by said storing means.

7. A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor comprises a microwave sensor, and

said second sensor comprises a camera.

8. A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor, said second sensor, said event detecting means, said presenting control means, said input obtaining means, and said detecting condition adjusting means are separately arranged to any of a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus.

9. A monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein said first information processing apparatus communicates by radio with said second information processing apparatus.

10. A monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein said first information processing apparatus is driven by a battery.

11. A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the detecting condition is a threshold for comparing the number of the first data outputted by said first sensor for a current predetermined period, and

said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the threshold.

12. An information processing method comprising:

a data obtaining step of obtaining first data based on a monitoring operation of a monitoring area by a first sensor;

an event detecting step of detecting a status of an event in the monitoring area based on a preset detecting condition from the first data;

a notifying control step of controlling the event notification based on the status of the event detected by the processing in said event detecting step;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of second data which is outputted based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area by a second sensor on the event controlled to be notified by the processing in said notifying control step;

an input obtaining step of inputting an estimation whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the second data presented under the control by the processing in said presenting control step; and

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on feature data indicating a feature of the event based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said input obtaining step,

wherein during the presenting control step a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence are detected, and

wherein during the notifying control step the user is notified when the first event occurrence is detected, and the user is not notified during the notifying control step when the second event occurrence is detected.

13. A recording medium for storing a program, said program comprising:

a data obtaining step of obtaining first data based on a monitoring operation of a monitoring area by a first sensor;

an event detecting step of detecting a status of an event in the monitoring area based on a preset detecting condition from the first data;

a notifying control step of controlling the event notification based on the status of the event detected by the processing in said event detecting step;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of second data which is outputted based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area by a second sensor on the event controlled to be notified by the processing in said notifying control step;

an input obtaining step of inputting an estimation whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the second data presented under the control by the processing in said presenting control step; and

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on feature data indicating a feature of the event based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said input obtaining step,

wherein during the presenting control step a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence are detected, and

wherein during the notifying control step the user is notified when the first event occurrence is detected, and the user is not notified during the notifying control step when the second event occurrence is detected.

14. A computer readable medium encoded with a program, the program performing a method comprising:

a data obtaining step of obtaining first data based on a monitoring operation of a monitoring area by a first sensor;

an event detecting step of detecting a status of an event in the monitoring area based on a preset detecting condition from the first data;

a notifying control step of controlling the event notification based on the status of the event detected by the processing in said event detecting step;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of second data which is outputted based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area by a second sensor on the event controlled to be notified by the processing in said notifying control step;

an input obtaining step of inputting an estimation whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the second data presented under the control by the processing in said presenting control step; and

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on feature data indicating a feature of the event based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said input obtaining step,

wherein during the presenting control step a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence are detected, and

wherein during the notifying control step the user is notified when the first event occurrence is detected, and the user is not notified during the notifying control step when the second event occurrence is detected.

15. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first obtaining means for obtaining feature data indicating a feature of an event based on a status of the event detected under a preset detecting condition by a monitoring operation of a monitoring area by a first sensor, and which obtains data on the event outputted by a second sensor;

presenting control means for controlling a presenting operation of data outputted by said second sensor obtained by said first obtaining means, the presenting control means detecting a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence;

second obtaining means for obtaining an input for estimating whether or not notification of a user is to be performed for the data presented under the control of said presenting control means and which is outputted by said second sensor;

detecting condition adjusting means for adjusting the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event obtained by said first obtaining means and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by said second obtaining means; and

means for notifying the user when the first event occurrence is detected, the means for notifying not notifying the user when the second event occurrence is detected.

16. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

sending means for sending the detecting condition to another information processing apparatus.

17. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining information generating means for generating determining information for determining, based on the feature data of the event and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, whether or not the event notification is to be performed.

18. An information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, when the estimation of notification need of the user of the event obtained by said second obtaining means for the event does not match the determining result based on the determining information that the notification of the event is to be performed, said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition to a second detecting condition.

19. An information processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

sending means for sending the determining information to another information processing apparatus.

20. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first obtaining means further obtains data on the event which is outputted based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area by said first sensor, and

said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event, the input for estimating of the notification need, and the data on the event which is outputted by said first sensor.

21. An information processing apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

determining information generating means for generating determining information that determines whether or not notification of the event is to be performed, based on the input for estimating on the notification need and the feature data of the event; and

storing means for correlating the data on the event outputted by the first sensor, the feature data of the event, and the input for estimating whether or not notification is to be performed with each other,

wherein said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the detecting condition, based on the feature data of the event and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed which are stored by said storing means and the first data on the event stored by said storing means, so that the estimation whether or not the notification of the event from the user obtained by said input obtaining means matches the determining result based on the determining information that the event notification is to be performed.

22. An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said detecting condition adjusting means updates the feature data of the event stored by said storing means, based on the data on the event outputted by the first sensor and stored by said storing means and the detecting condition adjusted by said detecting condition adjusting means, and

said determining information generating means generates the determining condition, based on the feature data of the updated event and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, which is stored by said storing means.

23. An information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the detecting condition is a threshold for comparing the number of the data outputted by said first sensor for a current predetermined period, and

said detecting condition adjusting means adjusts the threshold.

24. An information processing method comprising:

a first obtaining step of obtaining data on an event detected under a preset detecting condition and outputted by a second sensor by a monitoring operation of a monitoring area of a first sensor;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of the data outputted by said second sensor and obtained by the processing in said first obtaining step;

a second obtaining step of obtaining feature data indicating a feature of the event based on a status of the event detected by said first sensor;

a third obtaining step of obtaining an input for estimating whether or not notification of the data presented under the control of the processing in said presenting control step and which is outputted by said second sensor to a user is to be performed;

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event obtained by the processing in said second obtaining step and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said third obtaining step;

detecting a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence; and

notifying the user when the first event occurrence is detected while not notifying the user when the second event occurrence is detected.

25. A recording medium for recording a program, said program for executing monitoring processing based on data outputted by a sensor, said program comprising:

a first obtaining step of obtaining data on an event detected under a preset detecting condition and outputted by a second sensor by a monitoring operation of a monitoring area of a first sensor;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of the data outputted by said second sensor obtained by the processing in said first obtaining step;

a second obtaining step of obtaining feature data indicating a feature of the event based on a status of the event detected by said first sensor;

a third obtaining step of obtaining an input for estimating whether or not notification of the data presented under the control of the processing in said presenting control step and which is outputted by said second sensor to a user is to be performed;

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event obtained by the processing in said second obtaining step and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said third obtaining step;

detecting a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence; and

notifying the user when the first event occurrence is detected while not notifying the user when the second event occurrence is detected.

26. A computer readable medium encoded with a program, the program performing a method comprising:

a first obtaining step of obtaining data on an event detected under a preset detecting condition and outputted by a second sensor by a monitoring operation of a monitoring area of a first sensor;

a presenting control step of controlling a presenting operation of the data outputted by said second sensor obtained by the processing in said first obtaining step;

a second obtaining step of obtaining feature data indicating a feature of the event based on a status of the event detected by said first sensor;

a third obtaining step of obtaining an input for estimating whether or not notification of the data presented under the control of the processing in said presenting control step and which is outputted by said second sensor to a user is to be performed;

a detecting condition adjusting step of adjusting the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event obtained by the processing in said second obtaining step and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by the processing in said third obtaining step;

detecting a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence; and

notifying the user when the first event occurrence is detected while not notifying the user when the second event occurrence is detected.

27. A monitoring system comprising:

a first sensor configured to output first data based on a monitoring operation of a monitoring area;

a second sensor configured to output second data based on the monitoring operation of the monitoring area;

an event detecting unit configured to detect a status of an event in the monitoring area based on a preset detecting condition from the first data;

a notifying control unit configured to control notification of the event based on the status of the event detected by said event detecting unit;

a presenting control unit configured to control a presenting operation of the second data outputted from said second sensor on the event that is controlled to be notified by said notifying control unit, the presenting control unit configured to detect a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence;

an input obtaining unit configured to obtain an input for estimating whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the second data presented under the control of the presenting control unit, the input obtaining unit notifying the user when the first event occurrence is detected and not notifying the user when the second event occurrence is detected; and

a detecting condition adjusting unit configured to adjust the detecting condition based on feature data indicating a feature of the event based on the event status and the input for estimating whether or not the notification obtained by said input obtaining unit is to be performed.

28. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a first obtaining unit configured to obtain feature data indicating a feature of an event based on a status of the event detected under a preset detecting condition by a monitoring operation of a monitoring area by a first sensor, and which obtains data on the event outputted by a second sensor;

a presenting control unit configured to control a presenting operation of data outputted by said second sensor obtained by said first obtaining unit, the presenting control unit configured to detect a first event occurrence and a second event occurrence;

a second obtaining unit configured to obtain an input for estimating whether or not the notification of a user is to be performed for the data presented under the control of said presenting control unit and which is outputted by said second sensor;

a detecting condition adjusting unit configured to adjust the detecting condition based on the feature data of the event obtained by said first obtaining unit and the input for estimating whether or not the notification is to be performed, obtained by said second obtaining unit; and

a notifying unit configured to notify the user when the first event occurrence is detected, the notifying unit configured not to notify the user when the second event occurrence is detected.