Security system and method

• US 8,594,389 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eliahu Elson, Yossef Gerard Cohen
• Original Assignee: Eliahu Elson, Yossef Gerard Cohen
• Inventors: Elson, Eliahu, Cohen, Yossef Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Ruiping
• Application Number:
  US12/625,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20100077421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 382/117, 382/115, 382/118, 349/380, 349/E05.091, 725/10
• US Class Current: 382/117
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A security system and method for detecting the presence of one or more persons in a location, by: directing a light source in the direction of the location; detecting reflections of the light source from the location by a light detector in order to form an image representing the one or more persons'"'"' eyes; and analyzing the image received on the light detector to identify and count the number of eyes on the image. Preferably, the analyzed information is then communicated to a remote facility for further processing. Appropriate action to take based on the analyzed information includes issuing an alert, turning on an alarm system, sending a message to one or more predetermined persons and/or machines.

Claims

1. A security system for detecting the presence of one or more persons in a location to be monitored, said system comprising:

(i) one or more light sources directed in the direction of said location;

(ii) one or more light detectors for detecting reflections of said one or more light sources from said one or more persons to form an image representing eyes of said one or more persons;

(iii) a scanning module to direct said one or more light sources and said one or more light detectors at narrow portions of said location at a time, capturing an image of said narrow portion of said location;

(iv) a mechanical bracket on which said one or more light sources and said one or more light detectors are mounted;

(v) a scanning controller for driving said scanning module, said scanning controller moving said one or more light sources together with said one or more light detectors, on said mechanical bracket, to a new position after each image of said narrow portion of the location is captured;

(vi) a joining module for combining said captured images of said narrow portions of said location to form a single image of said location; and

(vii) a processing unit for analyzing said single image to identify and count the number of eyes on said single image.

2. A security system according to claim 1, further containing communications lines for communicating the analysis of the image received to a remote facility.

3. A security system according to claim 1, wherein eyes are identified by detecting reflected light from the retina or the cornea or both.

4. A security system according to claim 1, adapted for detecting survivors on land or on sea.

5. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more light sources or said one or more light detectors comprise a spectrally narrow bandwidth or a spectral filter, said spectral filter comprising:

a band pass filter, band stop filter, interference filter, short wave filter, long wave filter, Acousto-optic Tunable filter (AOTF) or any mechanical, electrical or electro physical mechanism that can cause a spectral modification of incoming or outgoing light.

6. A security system according to claim 5, wherein the wavelength between the one or more light sources and the one or more light detectors are made to correspond and the spectral filter of the one or more light detectors is of a similar, narrower or greater wavelength than the spectral filter of the one or more light sources in such a way that optimal performance is achieved.

7. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more light detectors comprise a light detector, photodiode, an avalanche photodiode, an array of detectors, Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera, Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) array or an intensified camera.

8. A security system according to claim 1, wherein the age of each of said one or persons is estimated by analyzing the distance between the eyes or the amount of reflected light received by each eye or both.

9. A security system according to claim 1, wherein one or more light sources and/or one or more light detectors operate in the following ranges:

(i) 200 nm to 1600 nm;

(ii) 700 nm to 940 nm;

(iii) 1050 nm to 1150 nm;

or

(iv) 1300 nm to 1450 nm range.

10. A security system according to claim 1, wherein one or more light sources are polarized or include a polarizer and wherein one or more light detectors include a polarizer.

11. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more light detectors can operate in a plurality of exposure times synchronized with the pulse of said one or more light detectors.

12. A security system according to claim 1, wherein a driver in a vehicle is surveyed and an alert is issued when said driver'"'"'s eyes are closed for more than a predetermined amount of time.

13. A security system according to claim 1, wherein a security personnel is surveyed and an alert is issued when said security personnel'"'"'s eyes are closed for more than a predetermined amount of time.

14. A security system according to claim 1, coupled with any video or stills camera wherein said video or stills camera is activated when said security system detects a person.

15. A security system according to claim 1, integrated into a rifle, helmet, binoculars, car or aircraft.

16. A security system according to claim 1, wherein the general sanitary condition of a water body is estimated based on the number of fish identified.

17. A security method for detecting the presence of one or more persons in a location to be monitored, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) placing one or more light sources and one or more light detectors on a mechanical bracket;

(ii) directing said one or more light sources in the direction of said location;

(iii) detecting reflections of said one or more light sources by one or more light detectors in order to form an image representing eyes of said one or more persons;

(iv) scanning the location by moving said light bracket and directing said one or more light sources and said one or more light detectors at narrow portions of said location at a time, capturing an image of said narrow portion of said location and moving said one or more light sources together with said one or more light detectors to a new position after each image of said narrow portion of the location is captured; and

(v) combining said captured images of said narrow portions of said location to form a single image of said location; and

(vi) analyzing said single images to identify and count the number of eyes on said single image.

18. A security method according to claim 17, wherein said one or more light sources or said one or more light detectors comprise a spectrally narrow bandwidth or a spectral filter, said spectral filter comprising:

a band pass filter, band stop filter, interference filter, short wave filter, long wave filter, Acousto-optic Tunable filter (AOTF) or any mechanical, electrical or electro physical mechanism that can cause a spectral modification of outgoing or incoming light.

19. A security method according to claim 17, wherein at least one of said one or more light sources and said one or more light detectors operate in the following ranges:

(i) 200 nm to 1600 nm;

(ii) 700 nm to 940 nm;

(iii) 1050 nm to 1150 nm;

or

(iv) 1300 nm to 1450 nm range.

20. An advertising method for sending commercial advertisements to viewers in front of a display, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) placing a light sources and a light detectors on a mechanical bracket;

(ii) directing said light source in the direction of said viewers;

(iii) detecting reflections of said light source by said light detector in order to form an image representing said viewers;

(iv) scanning the viewers by moving said mechanical bracket an directing said one or more light sources and said one or more light detectors at narrow portions of said viewers at a time, capturing an image of said narrow portion of said viewers and moving said one or more light sources together with said one or more light detectors to a new position after each image of said narrow portion of the viewers is captured;

(v) combining said captured images of said narrow portions of said viewers to form a single image of said viewers;

(vi) analyzing the single image to identify and count the number of eyes on said single image;

(vii) sending one or more advertisement messages to be viewed on said display;

(viii) detecting the presence of at least one viewer in front of said display; and

(ix) rewarding said at least one viewer after detecting that said at least one viewer has watched said one or more advertisement messages.