Asset security management system

• US 9,477,877 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Technology, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Bishop, David Anthony, Cardozo, Ruben E. Salazar
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahmjoo, Manuchehr
• Application Number:
  US14/448,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20160034750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 382/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19667 Details realated to data compression, encryption or encoding, e.g. resolution modes for reducing data volume to lower transmission bandwidth or memory requirements

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring assets at a premises on a utility grid. Face print information is extracted from image data received. The face print information comprises an amount of data less than the amount of data comprising the image data of the face. Asset management information from an asset management system is also received. Multiple image data may be received and vector information is determined that corresponds to the trajectory of movement of a face. A security alert is generated by correlating the asset management information with the face print information and/or the vector information and transmitting in real time the security alert to a monitoring center. A security alert may also be generated from image data reflecting abnormal running conditions of a device. Security alerts would be of a size and format necessary for transmission on any existing network, including a narrow band network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving image data of a face recorded by a camera located on a premises;

extracting face print information from the image data of the face, wherein the face print information includes a digital code that is less than an amount of data comprising the image data of the face;

determining a first location associated with the image data;

receiving a second image data of the face;

determining a second location associated with the second image data;

determining a vector that corresponds to a trajectory from the first location to the second location;

receiving asset management information comprising usage and event data for devices on a narrowband network located at the premises;

generating, by a processor, a security alert by correlating the asset management information with the face print information, wherein the security alert includes vector information for the vector; and

transmitting in real time the security alert to a monitoring center over the narrowband network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the image data of the face with stored image data to determine whether the face is associated with an authorized person.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data comprises a tamper alert indicating tampering on one or more of the devices on the premises and wherein the security alert generated further comprises the tamper alert.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the devices are utility assets and the usage data comprises information about delivery and consumption of a resource provided through at least one of the utility assets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the face print data further comprises a time corresponding to a time when the camera recorded the image data of the face.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data of the face and the second image data of the face are recorded by different cameras on the premises.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is enabled in response to detection of activity at the premises.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset management information is received from an asset security management system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset management information is received from devices on the narrowband network located at the premises.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving current image data of a visual output of one of the devices located on the premises;

determining abnormal operation of the one of the devices by comparing the current image data of the visual output to stored image data for a visual output of the one of the devices reflecting normal operation;

generating, by the processor, an abnormal operation security alert comprising results of the comparison wherein an amount of data for the results of the comparison is less than an amount of data for the image data of the visual output; and

transmitting in real time the abnormal operation security alert to the monitoring center.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one of the devices is a utility meter providing a resource, the stored image data comprises information about normal usage values for voltage, current, or frequency of the resource provided, and the current image data comprises information about present usage values for voltage, current, or frequency of the resource provided at a present time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining abnormal operation of the one of the devices comprises comparing the current image data to the stored image data based on thresholds defining tolerance levels for voltage, current, or frequency of the resource provided.

13. A system comprising:

a processor unit that includes a processor and processor unit memory, wherein the processor is operable to execute computer-executable instructions from the processor unit memory to;

receive image data of a face recorded by a camera located on a premises;

extract face print information from the image data of the face, wherein the face print information includes a digital code that is less than an amount of data comprising the image data of the face;

determine a location associated with the image data;

receive a second image data of the face;

determine a second location associated with the second image data;

determine a vector that corresponds to a trajectory from the location to the second location;

receive asset management information comprising usage and event data for devices on a narrowband network located at the premises;

generate, by a processor, a security alert by correlating the asset management information with the face print information, wherein the security alert includes vector information for the vector; and

transmit in real time the security alert to a monitoring center over the narrowband network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive current image data of a visual output of one of the devices located on the premises;

determine abnormal operation of the one of the devices by comparing the current image data of the visual output to stored image data for a visual output of the one of the devices reflecting normal operation;

generate, by the processor, an abnormal operation security alert comprising results of the comparison wherein an amount of data for the results of the comparison is less than an amount of data for the image data of the visual output; and

transmit in real time the abnormal operation security alert to the monitoring center.