Video surveillance system

• US 8,319,833 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley A. Weinstein
• Original Assignee: Sentrus, Inc.
• Inventors: Weinstein, Richard D., Sauer, Rickie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Hee-Yong
• Application Number:
  US12/489,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A surveillance system (10) that can be used covertly or overtly for observing a remote location (A) and providing information about events occurring at that location. Sensor (100-208) are used to obtain real time information about events at the location. The sensors include imaging devices, audio equipment and sensor detecting the presence of explosives or NBC materials. A transmitter (14) converts outputs from the sensors into a secure format and the resultant information is transmitted from the remote location to another location (B) distant from the location under surveillance. At this distant location, the information is converted into a video display format and is displayed, in real time, to one or more users of the system. This enables the users to be able to immediately respond to what is happening, or not happening, at the remote location and to undertake appropriate action in response to the immediate situation at the remote location.

Claims

1. A surveillance system for observing a remote, permanent location and providing information about events occurring at that location comprising:

sensor means fixedly installed at the remote location for obtaining real time information about the location which is used to make a threat assessment of activities occurring at the location and determine what action, if any, is to be taken if the assessment results in the determination of an imminent threat, the sensor means including at least one video sensor used in combination with one or more user selected sensors which include an audio sensor, sensors for detecting the presence of people and objects, chemical, biological, and/or nuclear sensors, and explosives sensors, the respective sensors being used in a desired combination depending upon the location under surveillance to obtain different types of information necessary to determine what is happening, or not happening, at the location in order to perform the real time threat assessment;

sensing means for precisely identifying the location of each of the sensors;

transmission means for converting outputs from the respective sensors into a secure or encrypted format and for transmitting the resultant information from the remote location to another location distant therefrom using an encrypted internet protocol standards based radio frequency transmission network in a point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, or mesh network configuration; and

,

display means at the distant location for converting the information received at the distant location into a video display format and for displaying the information, in real time, to at least one user for real time viewing in a fixed, portable, or mobile display configuration of the information by the user for the user to perform the threat assessment at the remote location and to be able to immediately respond to what is happening, or not happening, at the remote location and to undertake appropriate action in response to the immediate situation at the remote location.

2. The surveillance system of claim 1 which is responsive to an alarm output from any of the detectors in response to the presence of an agent or material at the location to direct an imaging means to the location where the presence of the agent or material is detected.

3. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the sensor means further includes a motion detector for detecting ground and aerial movement of people, animals, metallic and non-metallic objects.

4. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the sensor means further includes a metal detector for sensing metal objects.

5. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the sensor means further includes a passive infrared detector detecting objects in the vicinity of the sensor means.

6. The sensor means of claim 1 in which the audio detection means includes means detecting loud noises including gunfire and explosions, and the sensor means further includes means for locating the location of any noises.

7. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the sensing means for precisely identifying the location of each of the sensors includes a global positioning system by which the location of each sensor means is identified and transmitted to the distant location for display to the user whereby the user can discern the precise location where an activity is occurring at the remote location when an output from the sensor means is displayed.

8. The surveillance system of claim 1 further including a radar for detecting the movement of people, animals, and objects, the surveillance system being responsive to an output from the radar to direct an imaging means to the site where the presence of the person, animal, or object is detected.

9. The surveillance system of claim 1 which interfaces with a concealed cable system that leaks RF waves, a change in the state of the waves being detected when a person, animal, or object passes adjacent the cable system, the surveillance system being responsive to the change in state to direct an imaging means to the site where the presence of the person, animal, or object is detected.

10. The surveillance system of claim 1 which is a covert system in which the means comprising the sensor means located at the remote location are concealed in an appropriate manner to prevent their detection by those under surveillance.

11. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which outputs from the sensor means are analog signals and the transmission means includes:

an analog-to-digital converter converting the analog signals to digital signals;

means forming the analog signals into encrypted packets of information; and

a transmitter transmitting the packets of information to the distant location.

12. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the transmission means further provides VOIP telephony for communications between the surveillance system and another system with which the surveillance system communicates.

13. The surveillance system of claim 12 in which information is simultaneously transmitted to more than one distant location for simultaneous viewing by users at each location.

14. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the video display format into which the information is converted enables a user to view the information with one of a hand held video display or a mobile video display.

15. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the transmission means further includes a two-way voice communications capability.

16. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the transmission means operates in at least one frequency band within the frequency range of 300 MHz to 40 GHz.

17. The surveillance system of claim 1 further including action means located at the remote location for performing a predetermined function in response to a command from the distant location, the command being sent as a result of the information displayed to the user at the distant location and an action taken in response thereto, the action means performing the function in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event sensed by the sensor means at the remote location.

18. The surveillance system of claim 17 in which the action means further performs the function in response to the occurrence of a series of predetermined events sensed by the sensor means at the remote location.

19. The surveillance system of claim 18 in which the surveillance system is a covert surveillance system and the action means comprises at least one clandestine device hidden at the remote location.

20. The surveillance system of claim 18 in which the action means comprises an explosive device which is detonated in response to one of:

the command from the distant location;

the occurrence of the predetermined event;

the occurrence of the series of predetermined events.

21. The surveillance system of claim 19 in which the action means comprises an incendiary device which is actuated in response to one, or a combination, of:

the command from the distant location;

the occurrence of the predetermined event;

the occurrence of the series of predetermined events.

22. The surveillance system of claim 18 in which a user remotely activates and deactivates the action means using a pager or a cellular telephone.

23. The surveillance system of claim 18 further including targeting means at the remote location for targeting a person or object thereat and including a laser.

24. The surveillance system of claim 1 further including power means for powering the surveillance system and including a sleep mode during which the surveillance system is deactivated thereby to conserve power, timing means to power up and power down the surveillance system, and when the surveillance system is powered up, the power means powering it up in a predetermined operating configuration.

25. The surveillance system of claim 24 in which the power means further is responsive to a remote signal to power up and power down the surveillance system.

26. The surveillance system of claim 24 in which the power means includes a power source capable of powering the surveillance system for extended periods of time before having to be replaced or replenished.

27. The surveillance system of claim 1 further including activation means responsive to an alarm received from a predetermined source for activating the surveillance system including an alarm transmitted from the distant location.

28. The surveillance system of claim 27 in which the activation means is further responsive to an alarm transmitted from a cellular telephone.

29. The surveillance system of claim 1 in which the transmission means transmits the resultant information using a non-public, secured and encrypted network.