Video surveillance equipment and video surveillance system

• US 8,159,537 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Itoh, Masaya, Moro, Eiji, Fujii, Hiromasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US11/836,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20080158361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-160
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19652 Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates

Abstract

A video surveillance equipment for detecting a change of an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by an image capturing device, the equipment comprising:

• • an area detection apparatus for detecting a second image area being stationary for a predetermined time in a first image area which is an area differing between a reference image used as a reference in image processing and the input images;
  • a memory apparatus for storing image of the detected second image area; and
  • an image comparison apparatus for performing comparison processing a plurality of times between the stored image and image in the second image area included in the input images.

Claims

1. A video surveillance equipment for detecting change of an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by a picture capturer, the equipment comprising:

a reference image generation section for generating a reference image, which is a reference in image recognition processing, based on the input captured by the picture capturer;

a motion detection apparatus for detecting motion of an object existing in the input images by comparing the input images with the reference image, and for determining a moving state of the object management section for storing information of a stationary object; and

a left object detector for determining a stopping stat of the object based on the determination result of moving state of the object in the motion detection apparatus, and storing the information of the stationary object that is the object stopping for a predetermined time in the stationary object management section;

wherein the left object detector includes;

a masked image generation section for generating a first masked image of the stationary object in which a motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus and included in the image of the stationary object is masked, and a second masked image of the input image in which the motion region included the input image is masked;

a first similarity degree calculation apparatus for calculating a first similarity degree between the first masked image and the second masked image; and

an object change detection apparatus for detecting the motion of the object in the monitoring area based on the first similarity degree;

wherein the left object detector includes;

the masked image generation section for generating a third masked image of the reference image in which the motion region included the reference image is masked;

a second similarity degree calculation apparatus for calculating a second similarity degree between the first masked image and the third masked image; and

a comparison result integration apparatus that is the object change detection apparatus for detecting the motion of the object in the monitoring area based on a comparison result between the first similarity degree obtained by the first similarity degree calculation apparatus and the second similarity degree obtained by the second similarity degree calculation apparatus; and

wherein the detection of the motion of the object in the monitoring area is performed based on a comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree; and

the first similarity degree when an amount of data of the image in the motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus is larger than a predetermined amount, and based on the comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree when the amount of the data of the image in the motion region is smaller than the predetermined amount.

2. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 1, further comprising:

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an aera in which the stationary object is stopped at a time when the stationary object is stopped.

3. The video surveillance equipment according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of a time at which the change of the input image is detected, the input image, an image in the input.

4. A video surveillance system, comprising:

a video surveillance equipment including a reference image generation section for generating a reference image, which is a reference in image recognition processing, based on the input images captured by the picture capturer;

a motion detection apparatus for detecting motion of an object existing in the input images by performing comparison of the input images with the reference image, and for determining a moving state of the object;

a stationary object management section for storing information of a stationary object;

a left object detector for determining a stopping stat of the object based on the determination result of moving state of the object in the motion detection apparatus, and storing the information of the stationary object that is the object stopping for a predetermined time in the stationary object management section;

a personal information detection apparatus for acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an area in which the stationary object is stopped at a time when the stationary object is stopped;

a display apparatus for displaying at least one information of a time at which the change of the specific image is detected, the specific image, an image in the specified image area after the change of the specified image is detected, coordinates of an area including the change in the specified image area of the specified image, and the person image;

a transfer apparatus for outputting the at least one information being displayed on the display apparatus; and

an unit for inputting the at least one information output from the transfer apparatus through a network,

wherein the left object detector has a masked image generation section for generating a first masked image of the stationary object in which a motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus and included in the image of the stationary object is masked, and a second masked image of the input image in which the motion region included the input image is masked;

a first similarity degree calculation apparatus for calculating a first similarity degree between the first masked image and the second masked image; and

an object change detection apparatus for detecting the motion of the object in the monitoring area based on the first similarity degree;

wherein the left object detector includes;

the masked image generation section for generating a third masked image of the reference image in which the motion region included the reference image is masked;

a second similarity degree calculation apparatus for calculating a second similarity degree between the first masked image and the third masked image; and

a comparison result integration apparatus that is the object change detection apparatus for detecting the motion of the object in the monitoring area based on a comparison result between the first similarity degree obtained by the first similarity degree calculation apparatus and the second similarity degree obtained by the second similarity degree calculation apparatus; and

wherein the detection of the motion of the object in the monitoring area is performed based on a comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree; and

the first similarity degree when an amount of data of the image in the motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus is larger than a predetermined amount, and based on the comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree when the amount of the data of the image in the motion region is smaller than the predetermined amount.

5. A method of processing an image for detecting change of an object in a monitoring area based on input images captured by a picture capturer, the method comprising:

generating a reference image, which is a reference in image recognition processing, based on the input images captured by the picture capturer in a reference image management section;

detecting motion of an object existing in the input images by performing comparison of the input images with the reference image, and determining a moving state of the object in a motion detection apparatus;

storing information of a stationary object in a stationary object management section;

determining a stopping state of the object based on the determination result of moving state of the object in the motion detection apparatus by a left object detector, and storing the information of the stationary object that is the object stopping for a predetermined time in the stationary object management section by the left object detector;

wherein the left object detector generates a first masked image of the stationary object in which a motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus and included in the image of the stationary object is masked, and a second masked image of the input image in which the motion region included the input image is masked;

calculates a first similarity degree between the first masked image and the second masked image; and

detects the motion of the object in the monitoring area based on the first similarity degree;

wherein the left object detector generates a third masked image of the reference image in which the motion region included the reference image is masked; and

calculates a second similarity degree between the first masked image and the third masked image;

wherein the detection of the motion of the object in the monitoring area is performed based on a comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree; and

the first similarity degree when an amount of data of the image in the motion region obtained by the motion detection apparatus is larger than a predetermined amount, and based on the comparison result between the first similarity degree and the second similarity degree when the amount of the data of the image in the motion region is smaller than the predetermined amount.

6. The method of processing an image according to claim 5, comprising:

acquiring characteristics information of a person image existing near an area in which the stationary object is stopped at a time when the stationary object is stopped, by a personal information detection apparatus.

7. The method of processing an image according to claim 5, comprising:

displaying at least one information of a time at which the change of the input image is detected, the input image, an image in the input image area after the change of the input image is detected, coordinates of an area including the change in the input image, and the person image, on a display apparatus.