Video monitoring system, video monitoring method, and video monitoring system building method

• US 9,648,286 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoshinaga, Tomoaki, Matsubara, Daisuke, Yoneji, Kenichi, Yamauchi, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): RAHAMAN, MOHAMMED S
• Application Number:
  US14/471,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/96 Management of image or video recognition tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/53 Recognition of crowd images, e.g. recognition of crowd congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

It is an objective of the present invention to reduce processing loads for video analysis utilizing information throughout the facility. A video monitoring system according to the present invention simulates a flow of a moving object within a video captured by multiple monitoring cameras, calculates a parameter correlated with a processing load for movement analysis of the moving object according to the simulation result, and specifies a processing scheme that is capable of reducing the processing load according to a correspondence relationship between the parameter and the simulation result (refer to FIG. 2).

Claims

1. A video monitoring system comprising:

an analyzer process that analyzes a movement of a moving object in a video captured by multiple of cameras;

a simulator process that simulates, according to an analysis result by the analyzer, a flow of the moving object in an area captured by the multiple of cameras;

a control signal generator process that generates a control signal for switching a processing scheme used by the analyzer when performing the analysis according to a simulation result by the simulator; and

a pattern table that describes a combination pattern of processing schemes used by the analyzer when analyzing the video captured by each of the cameras,

wherein the combination pattern is configured to indicate a ratio of (a) a processing load when the analyzer performs the analysis with a given processing scheme having a given processing load, with respect to (b) a processing load when the processing scheme with a highest processing load is used,

wherein the control signal generator (a) calculates, from the simulation result, a parameter that is correlated with a processing load when the analyzer acquires the analysis result, (b) specifies the combination pattern corresponding to the simulation result according to the calculated parameter, and (c) generates the control signal corresponding to the specified combination pattern,

and wherein the analyzer switches the processing scheme according to the control signal generated by the control signal generator.

2. The video monitoring system according to claim 1,

wherein the simulator outputs a first simulation result acquired by performing the simulation based on the analysis result acquired by the analyzer according to the combination pattern,

wherein the simulator outputs a second simulation result acquired by performing the simulation based on the analysis result acquired by the analyzer using a second processing scheme having a processing load of the analyzer which is higher than that defined by the combination pattern,

wherein the pattern table describes multiple combination patterns,

and wherein the control signal generator acquires the first simulation result for multiple of the combination patterns, calculates a matching degree between the first simulation result and the second simulation result as the parameter, and generates the control signal that instructs the analyzer to use the combination pattern corresponding to the first simulation result having a highest one of the matching degree.

3. The video monitoring system according to claim 2,

the video monitoring system further comprising a control signal determinator process that determines a control signal to be employed among multiple of the control signals generated by the control signal generator,

wherein the control signal generator generates the control signal that instructs to perform the analysis using each of one or more of the combination patterns,

wherein the simulator performs the simulation according to the analysis result corresponding to each of the control signals generated by the control signal generator,

and wherein the control signal determinator employs a control signal among multiple of the control signals generated by the control signal generator having a highest one of the matching degree.

4. The video monitoring system according to claim 2,

wherein the control signal determinator acquires an objective processing load which is an objective value of the processing load of the analyzer,

and wherein the control signal determinator specifies one or more of the control signals that achieves the processing load at or below the objective processing load, and employs a control signal among the specified multiple control signals having a highest one of the matching degree.

5. The video monitoring system according to claim 1,

the video monitoring system further comprising map data that describes map information of the area captured by the multiple cameras,

wherein the control signal generator calculates, as the parameter, a numerical value that is a numerical value related to the moving object at a point on the map data and that decreases a processing load when the analyzer acquires the analysis result,

and wherein the control signal generator specifies the point where the processing load is predicted to be decreased according to the parameter and the map data, and decreases the processing load at the point according to the prediction.

6. The video monitoring system according to claim 5,

wherein the pattern table describes multiple relationship patterns between the parameter and the combination pattern,

wherein the control signal generator acquires an objective processing load which is an objective value of the processing load of the analyzer,

and wherein if the processing load does not reach at or below the objective processing load even by generating the control signal using any one of the relationship pattern described in the pattern table, the control signal generator generates the control signal that instructs to cumulatively apply other one of the relationship pattern.

7. The video monitoring system according to claim 6,

wherein if the parameter does not match with any one of the relationship pattern described in the pattern table, the control signal generator generates the control signal that instructs to reduce the processing load for a predetermined one of the camera regardless of the relationship pattern.

8. The video monitoring system according to claim 3,

the control signal generator and the control signal determinator intermittently repeat an operation where the control signal generator generates the control signal and where the control signal determinator determines the control signal to be employed.

9. The video monitoring system according to claim 1,

wherein the control signal generator generates the control signal that instructs the camera to reduce the processing load according to the combination pattern,

and wherein the camera reduces the processing load according to the control signal.

10. The video monitoring system according to claim 1,

the video monitoring system further comprising a storage unit that stores the analysis result by the analyzer in a storage device,

wherein the control signal generator generates the control signal that instructs the storage unit to reduce a data size of the analysis result according to the combination pattern,

and wherein the storage unit reduces the data size of the analysis result according to the control signal.

11. The video monitoring system according to claim 1,

the video monitoring system further comprising a sensor that detects a physical state of the area captured by the camera or of a peripheral area of the area,

wherein the simulator performs the simulation using the physical state detected by the sensor.

13. A method for building the video monitoring system according to claim 1, comprising:

a step of installing multiple cameras in the region;

an analysis step where the analyzer analyzes a movement of a moving object in a video captured by the camera;

a simulation step where the simulator simulates a flow of the moving object in the area captured by the multiple cameras according to an analysis result by the analyzer; and

a removal step removing, from the area, the camera causing a processing load of the analyzer and the simulator lower than a predetermined value, or the camera causing a lowest processing load of the analyzer and the simulator among the multiple cameras,

wherein the analysis step, the simulation step, and the removal step are repeated until a number of the cameras installed in the area reaches at or lower than an objective number of camera.

12. A video monitoring method comprising:

a step of reading a pattern table that describes a combination pattern of processing schemes used when analyzing a movement of a moving object in a video captured by multiple of cameras;

an analysis step of analyzing a movement of a moving object in a video captured by each of the multiple cameras;

a simulation step of simulating, according to an analysis result in the analysis step, a flow of the moving object in an area captured by the multiple of cameras; and

a control signal generation step of generating a control signal for switching a processing scheme used in the analysis step when performing the analysis according to a simulation result in the simulation step,

wherein the combination pattern is configured to indicate a ratio of (a) a processing load when performing the analysis in the analysis step with a given processing scheme with a given processing load, with respect to (b) a processing load when the processing scheme with a highest processing load is used,

wherein in the control signal generation step, (a) calculating, from the simulation result, a parameter that is correlated with a processing load when acquiring the analysis result in the analysis step, (b) specifying the combination pattern corresponding to the simulation result according to the calculated parameter, and (c) generating the control signal corresponding to the specified combination pattern,

and wherein the analysis step switching the processing scheme according to the control signal generated in the control signal generation step.