Surveillance camera system for controlling cameras using position and orientation of the cameras and position information of a detected object

• US 8,508,595 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanwha Vision Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung Techwin Corporation (Hanwha Vision Company Limited)
• Inventors: An, Myung-seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Dennison, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murray, Daniel C
• Application Number:
  US12/080,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/154, 348/169, 348/208.14, 348/211.1, 348/211.6, 382/103, 382/106
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• 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

Provided is a surveillance camera system for controlling cameras by calculating a movement amount of the cameras based on position information and orientation information of the cameras and position information of an object being surveilled. The surveillance camera system includes: a camera receiving an image from a surveillance area; a driving device combined with the camera, wherein the driving device moves the camera; and a camera controller controlling the driving device by using initial coordinates defined with a position and an azimuth at which the camera is installed and a current direction of the camera, so that the camera faces a target position.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera system comprising:

a first surveillance unit located at a first position, the first surveillance unit comprising;

a first camera to obtain a first image of a surveillance area;

a first driving device combined with the first camera, the first driving device to move the first camera; and

a first camera controller to control the first driving device using coordinates of a target position based on initial coordinates defined by a position and an azimuth at which the first camera is installed, and a current direction of the first camera, so that the first camera faces the target position; and

an image analyzer to process the first image to identify a moving object in the surveillance area;

wherein;

the first camera controller is configured to determine target object coordinates in a reference coordinate system corresponding to the identified moving object; and

the first surveillance unit sends the target object coordinates directly to a second surveillance unit in reference coordinate system coordinates;

the system further comprising;

the second surveillance unit that is located at a second position, the second surveillance unit comprising;

a second camera to obtain a second image of the surveillance area;

a second driving device combined with the second camera, the second driving device to move the second camera;

a second camera controller to calculate the coordinates of the target position in camera pan and tilt coordinates based on;

initial coordinates defined by a position and an azimuth at which the second camera is installed;

a current direction of the second camera; and

the target object coordinates in the reference coordinate system coordinates received from the first surveillance unit;

wherein;

each of the first camera controller and the second camera controller comprises;

a coordinate transformer configured to transform the position of an object to be surveilled into the target position in the reference coordinate system;

a camera selector configured to select designated surveillance units for surveilling the object to be surveilled from among a further surveillance unit and the first and second surveillance units; and

a coordinate transmitter configured to transmit the target position of the object to be surveilled to the selected designated surveillance units in reference coordinate system coordinates; and

the reference coordinate system is defined by a global positioning system (GPS).

2. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the first camera controller and the second camera controller comprises:

a driving controller to control the driving device; and

a storage unit to store the initial coordinates.

3. The surveillance camera system of claim 2, wherein the driving controller is configured to receive the current direction from the driving device.

4. The surveillance camera system of claim 2, wherein a driving controller is configured to receive the target position in reference coordinate system coordinates and to control the driving device by moving the camera in a pan and tilt reference system of the camera, so that the camera faces the target position.

5. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the initial coordinates and the target position are defined in a reference coordinate system.

6. The surveillance camera system of claim 5, wherein the driving controller comprises:

a rotation angle calculator to calculate a rotation angle, according to which the camera is rotated, from the current direction and the initial coordinates, so that the camera faces the target position; and

a driving signal generator to generate a driving signal for driving the driving device, so that the camera is rotated according to the rotation angle.

7. The surveillance camera system of claim 6, wherein the rotation angle calculator is configured to calculate the rotation angle by using a displacement amount of the current direction with respect to the azimuth of the initial coordinates and a displacement amount of the target position with respect to the initial coordinates.

8. The surveillance camera system of claim 5, further comprising an interface configured to receive at least one of the initial coordinates and the target position in reference coordinate system coordinates.

9. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a zoom lens for zooming in or out the image.

10. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the driving device is capable of at least one of panning and tilting the camera.

11. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of surveillance units each including the camera, the driving device, and the camera controller;

an input unit configured to receive a position of an object in reference coordinate system coordinates to be surveilled on a map; and

a controller configured to select at least one designated surveillance unit for surveilling the object to be surveilled from among the plurality of surveillance units and the first and second surveillance units and configured to transmit the target coordinates of the object to be surveilled to the selected designated surveillance units in reference coordinate system coordinates.

12. The surveillance camera system of claim 11, wherein the input unit comprises:

a map display unit configured to display a map on which positions of the cameras are displayed; and

a position setting unit configured to receive the position of the object to be surveilled in reference coordinate system coordinates which is designated on the map.

13. The surveillance camera system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to select the designated surveillance units with reference to the initial coordinates that are defined by the position and the azimuth at which the camera is installed and that are transmitted from the surveillance units.

14. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera selector is configured to select surveillance units installed within a predetermined range from the target position as the designated surveillance units.

15. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera selector is configured to select all the surveillance units installed within a set area that is set on the map as the designated surveillance units.

16. The surveillance camera system of claim 1,

wherein the reference coordinate system is a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system including altitude information, and

wherein the camera selector is configured to select surveillance units, which are capable of surveilling the object to be surveilled by using information on a 3D map, as the designated surveillance units.

17. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the second surveillance unit tracks the moving object, as the moving object moves.

18. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein the first surveillance unit includes an image analyzer configured to sense the moving object and determine a distance from the moving object by analyzing an image received from the camera.

19. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second surveillance units include a range finder that measures a distance from the moving object.