System and method for digital video scan using 3-D geometry

• US 8,049,748 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Salgar, Mayur, Drive, Marine, Subbian, Deepakumar
• Primary Examiner(s): HAJNIK, DANIEL F
• Application Number:
  US11/761,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A system and method for providing digital video scan using 3-D geometry. The digital video scan system includes a 3-D scan scene maker for generating a plurality of video display units for displaying digital video data; a plurality of video producing devices producing a plurality of video feeds; a video scan sequencer receiving and organizing the plurality of video feeds into a predetermined order; a video rendering device rendering the digital video data from the plurality of video feeds for display within a separate one of the video display units; and video display apparatus displaying the digital video data from each video feed in the video display units. The plurality of video display units are positioned in a 3-D scene so that a plurality of video display units are at least partially viewable at the same time. Moreover, at intervals, the digital video data is incremented from one video display unit to another thus allowing an observer to view each digital video data in a foreground position. Furthermore, the observer is provided with a video data selector allowing the operator to select digital video data in one video display unit and move the selected digital video data to another video display unit.

Claims

1. A digital video scan system using 3-D geometry, said system comprising:

a 3-D scan scene maker for generating a plurality of video display units for displaying real-time digital video data, said video display units being positioned to form a 3-D scene, the video display units arranged into a plurality of ranks where each rank includes at least two, directly adjacent, video display units extending diagonally across the 3-D scene in a straight line with respective sides of the at least two video display units mutually parallel and with a relatively constant spacing between adjacent video display units extending diagonally across the 3-D scene and a relatively constant spacing between video display units of adjacent ranks of the plurality of ranks;

a plurality of video producing devices for producing a plurality of video feeds;

a video scan sequencer for receiving and organizing said plurality of video feeds into a predetermined order;

a video rendering device for rendering said digital video data from said plurality of video feeds, said digital video data from each video feed being rendered for display within a separate one of said video display units; and

a video display apparatus for automatically displaying said real time digital video data from each video feed in each of said video display units wherein said digital video data of each of the plurality of video feeds is sequentially displayed on each of the plurality of video display units in the predetermined order for a predetermined time period before cycling to a next of the plurality of video display units.

2. The digital video scan system as in claim 1, wherein said video rendering device further comprises a video data selector for selecting said digital video data displayed in a first video display unit of said video display units and moving said selected digital video data to a second video display unit.

3. The digital video scan system as in claim 2, wherein said video data selector is automatically controlled by said video rendering device.

4. The digital video scan system as in claim 3, wherein said video rendering device further comprises a timer for tracking an elapsed time, said video data selector selecting said digital video data and moving said selected digital video data at predefined intervals of said elapsed time.

5. The digital video scan system as in claim 3, wherein said video data selector selects said digital video data and moves said selected digital video data in response to any one of security system events and alerts.

6. The digital video scan system as in claim 2, wherein a user manually controls said video data selector.

7. The digital video scan system as in claim 6, further comprising:

a user interface device for selecting said video data displayed in a first video display unit of said video display units; and

moving said selected video data to a second video display unit.

8. The method as in claim 6, wherein said user interface device allows maximizing of said selected digital video data to encompass an entire viewable area of a display screen;

and returning said maximized display back to said 3-D scene display.

9. A method for displaying a plurality of video feeds in a 3-D geometry, said method comprising:

generating a plurality of video display units for displaying real-time digital video data, said video display units being positioned to form a 3-D scene, the video display units arranged into a plurality of ranks where each rank includes at least two directly adjacent video display units extending diagonally across the 3-D scene in a straight line with respective sides of the at least two video display units mutually parallel and with a relatively constant spacing between adjacent video display units extending diagonally across the 3-D scene and a relatively constant spacing between video display units of adjacent ranks of the plurality of ranks;

producing a plurality of video feeds;

receiving said plurality of video feeds;

organizing said received plurality of video feeds into a predetermined order;

rendering said digital video data from said plurality of video feeds, said digital video data from each video feed being rendered for display within a separate one of said video display units; and

automatically outputting said digital video data from each video feed in said video display units on a video display device wherein said real-time digital video data of each of the plurality of video feeds is sequentially displayed on each of the plurality of video display units in the predetermined order for a predetermined time period before cycling to a next of the plurality of video display units.

10. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

selecting said digital video data displayed in a first video display unit of said video display units; and

moving said selected digital video data to a second video display unit.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein said selecting and moving is automatically controlled.

12. The method as in claim 11, further comprises tracking an elapsed time, and performing said selecting and said moving steps at predefined intervals of said elapsed time.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein said selecting and said moving steps are performed in response to any one of security system events and alerts.

14. The method as in claim 10, wherein a user manually controls said selecting and moving.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said selecting and said moving is performed using a device selected from the group consisting of a mouse and a pointing device.

16. The method as in claim 9, further comprising:

selecting said digital video data displayed in a first video display unit of said video display units;

maximizing said selected digital video data to encompass an entire viewable area of a display screen; and

returning said maximized display back to said 3-D scene display.