Method and system for automatically determining the camera field of view in a camera network
First Claim
1. A system for automatically determining a camera field of view in a camera network, said system comprising:
- a plurality of spatially separated cameras,direction sensors associated with said cameras, configured to measure a horizontal camera direction angle with respect to magnetic north for the field of view of said cameras and to generate corresponding direction measurement signals;
elevation sensors coupled to respective said cameras to measure elevation angles for the field of view with respect to a vertical axis and to generate corresponding elevation measurement signals;
a controller, linked to said cameras and a plurality of physical condition sensors, for processing said direction and elevation measurement signals to automatically determine the fields of views of said cameras;
wherein said controller is further configured to determine the amount of horizontal and/or vertical rotation required to bring an event of interest into the field of view of at least one camera based on a comparison of the at least one camera'"'"'s direction and elevation measurements to respective predetermined camera-event horizontal and vertical bearings between at least one camera and said event of interest; and
a facility map containing location information for each of said plurality of spatially separated cameras wherein said facility map is rendered on a graphical user interface display linked to said controllers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically determining the camera field of view in a camera network. The system has a plurality of spatially separated cameras and direction sensors, carried on respective cameras, configured to measure the angle directions of the field of views of the cameras. Elevation sensors are operably coupled to respective cameras to measure the elevation angles of thereof. A controller is configured to process direction and elevation measurement signals transmitted from the cameras to automatically determine the cameras'"'"' fields of views. One or more cameras having a field of view containing or nearby an event of interest can be selected from the determined field of views and indicated to a user via a graphical user interface. Selected cameras which are rotatably mounted can be rotated if need be to automatically bring the event of interest into the field of views of the selected cameras.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A system for automatically determining a camera field of view in a camera network, said system comprising:
-
a plurality of spatially separated cameras, direction sensors associated with said cameras, configured to measure a horizontal camera direction angle with respect to magnetic north for the field of view of said cameras and to generate corresponding direction measurement signals; elevation sensors coupled to respective said cameras to measure elevation angles for the field of view with respect to a vertical axis and to generate corresponding elevation measurement signals; a controller, linked to said cameras and a plurality of physical condition sensors, for processing said direction and elevation measurement signals to automatically determine the fields of views of said cameras; wherein said controller is further configured to determine the amount of horizontal and/or vertical rotation required to bring an event of interest into the field of view of at least one camera based on a comparison of the at least one camera'"'"'s direction and elevation measurements to respective predetermined camera-event horizontal and vertical bearings between at least one camera and said event of interest; and a facility map containing location information for each of said plurality of spatially separated cameras wherein said facility map is rendered on a graphical user interface display linked to said controllers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A camera system for use in a system for automatically determining a camera field of view in a camera network;
- said camera system comprising;
a camera, a direction sensor associated with said camera, configured to measure horizontal camera direction angle with respect to magnetic north for the field of view of said camera and to generate a corresponding direction signal; an elevation sensor operably coupled to said camera to measure an elevation angle with respect to a vertical axis and to generate a corresponding elevation signal; a controller, linked to said cameras and a plurality of physical condition sensors, for processing said direction and elevation measurement signals to automatically determine the fields of views of said cameras; wherein said controller is further configured to determine the amount of horizontal and/or vertical rotation required to bring an event of interest into the field of view of at least one camera based on a comparison of the at least one camera'"'"'s direction and elevation measurements to respective predetermined camera-event horizontal and vertical bearings between at least one camera and said event of interest; and a facility map containing location information for each of said plurality of spatially separated cameras wherein said facility map is rendered on a graphical user interface display linked to said controllers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
- said camera system comprising;
-
12. A method for automatically determining a camera field of view in a camera network, said method comprising:
-
measuring a horizontal camera direction angle with respect to magnetic north for the field of views of a plurality of spatially separated camera; generating direction measurement signals corresponding to said measured camera angle directions; measuring respective elevation angles with respect to a vertical axis of said spatially separated cameras; generating elevation measurement signals corresponding to said measured elevation angles; selecting at least one camera having a field of view containing an event of interest as indicated by hazardous physical condition sensors in operable communication with said camera network; determining the amount of horizontal and/or vertical rotation required to bring an event of interest into the field of view of at least one camera based on a comparison of said at least one camera'"'"'s direction and elevation measurements to respective predetermined selected camera-event horizontal and vertical bearings between said at least one camera and said event of interest; rendering a facility map containing location information for each of said plurality of spatially separated cameras; and indicating said selected camera on said plan or map. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification