System and method for displaying video surveillance fields of view limitations

• US 9,536,348 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cornett, Alan, Becker, Robert Charles, Johnson, Andrew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/487,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,756 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene

Abstract

A system and method are provided for displaying video surveillance fields of view limitations. The system and method perform video surveillance of a given area and then geo-locate any obstacles within the area, including measuring their overall size and shape. The system and method map the size, location and shape of the objects into a database and then identify where there are video surveillance coverage gaps from each vantage point where video surveillance is being performed on the area. The system and method then determine where there are overlapping locations of blocked video surveillance (i.e., locations that are “invisible” to video surveillance). The system and method create a simulated image of the area from an orientation above the area which indentifies locations within the area that may not be seen by video surveillance from any of the vantage points where video surveillance is being performed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying video surveillance fields of view limitations, the method comprising:

loading a first set of data relating to the size and distance of objects in an entire area from a first vantage point into a database;

loading a second set data relating to the size and distance of the objects in the same entire area from a second vantage point into the database;

loading a global position of the first vantage point and the second vantage point into the database;

determining a global position of the objects in the same entire area based on information in the database; and

using information in the database to create a simulated overhead image of the same entire area from an orientation above the same entire area where there is no instrument collecting information or images, wherein the simulated overhead image identifies hidden locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by video surveillance from the first vantage point and the second vantage point.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

loading a first video image of the area from the first vantage point into the database;

loading a second video image of the area from the second vantage point into the database; and

wherein using information in the database to create a simulated overhead image of the same entire area from an orientation above the same entire area which identifies locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by video surveillance from the first the vantage point and the second vantage point includes identifying locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by the first video image and the second video image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein loading a first video image of the same entire area includes recording the first video image with a first camera, and wherein loading a second video image of the same entire area includes recording the second video image with a second camera.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein recording the first video image is done simultaneously with recording the second video image.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein recording the first video image with the first camera includes positioning the first camera at the first vantage point, and wherein recording the second video image with the second camera includes positioning the second camera at the second vantage point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein loading the first set of data into the database and loading the second set of data into the database includes using a lidar to obtain the first set of data and the second set of data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein loading the first set of data into the database includes using a first lidar to obtain the first set of data and loading the second set of data into the database includes using a second lidar to obtain the second set of data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein using the first lidar to obtain the first set of data includes positioning the first lidar at the first vantage point and using the second lidar to obtain the second set of data includes positioning the second lidar at the second vantage point.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein using the first lidar to obtain the first set of data is done simultaneously with using the second lidar to obtain the second set of data.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a global position of the objects in the same entire area based on information in the database includes monitoring movement of the objects within the same entire area.

11. A video surveillance system comprising:

a lidar;

a global positioning system; and

a processor that receives data from the lidar relating to the size and distance of objects in an entire area from a first vantage point and data relating to the size and distance of objects in the same entire area from a second vantage point, the processor further receiving data from the global positioning system relating to global positions of the first vantage point and the second vantage point and based on the data creates a simulated overhead image of the same entire area from an orientation above the same entire area where there is no instrument collecting information or images, wherein the simulated overhead image identifies hidden locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by video surveillance from the first vantage point and the second vantage point.

12. The video surveillance system of claim 11 further comprising a video camera, wherein the video camera delivers surveillance video to the processor from the first vantage point and the second vantage point and based on the surveillance video the processor creates a simulated overhead image of the same entire area from an orientation above the same entire area which identifies locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by the video camera from the first vantage point and the second vantage point.

13. The video surveillance system of claim 12 wherein the video camera is a first video camera located at the first vantage point, and the video surveillance system further comprises a second video camera located at the second vantage point.

14. The video surveillance system of claim 13 wherein the first video camera and the second video camera simultaneously deliver surveillance video to the processor.

15. The video surveillance system of claim 11 wherein the lidar is a first lidar that delivers data to the processor relating to the size and distance of objects in the same entire area from the first vantage point, and the video surveillance system further comprises a second lidar that delivers data to the processor relating to the size and distance of objects in the same entire area from the second vantage point.

16. The video surveillance system of claim 15 wherein the first lidar and the second lidar simultaneously deliver data to the processor.

17. The video surveillance system of claim 15 wherein the first lidar, the second lidar and the global positioning system simultaneously deliver data to the processor.

18. The video surveillance system of claim 17 wherein the first lidar and the second lidar monitor movement of the objects within the same entire area.

19. A video surveillance system comprising:

a first lidar located at a first vantage point;

a second lidar located at a second vantage point;

a first video camera that delivers surveillance video from the first vantage point;

a second video camera that delivers surveillance video from the second vantage point;

a global positioning system; and

a processor that receives data from the first lidar and the second lidar relating to the size and distance of objects in an entire area from the first vantage point and data relating to the size and distance of objects in the same entire area from the second vantage point, the processor further receiving surveillance video from the first camera and the second camera, the processor further receiving data from the global positioning system relating to global positions of the first vantage point and the second vantage point and based on the data creates a simulated overhead image of the same entire area from an orientation above the same entire area where there is no instrument collecting information or images, wherein the overhead simulated image identifies hidden locations within the same entire area that may not be seen by first video camera and the second video camera.

20. The video surveillance system of claim 19 wherein the first lidar and the second lidar monitor movement of the objects within the same entire area.