System and method for automatic camera hand-off using location measurements

• US 9,979,901 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Systems Limited (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hazzani, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Suh, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/163,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20170013203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• 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 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving video images from a plurality of video cameras having respective fields of view that cover a geographical region. At a first time, first video images of an object may be output, where the images are captured by a first video camera selected from the plurality of video cameras. Location indications may be received, which specify a geographical location of the object in the geographical region and which are determined independently of the video images. At a second time subsequent to the first time, a second video camera from the plurality may be selected based on the location indications. The output may be switched to the second video images of the object, which are captured by the selected second video camera.

Claims

1. A method for capturing video of an individual moving through a network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras using location information obtained from a cellular network, the method comprising:

monitoring location indications transmitted by the cellular network for cellular communication, wherein the location indications locate a cellular phone communicating on the cellular network;

estimating the individual'"'"'s geographic location from the location indications;

querying an image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to obtain the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras;

selecting a PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is determined to capture the video of the individual based on the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras;

adjusting, automatically, a field-of-view of the PTZ camera based on the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to capture the video of the individual;

storing the video of the individual; and

repeating the monitoring, the estimating, the querying, the adjusting and the storing to automatically obtain a recording of the individual as the individual moves through the network of PTZ cameras.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the querying the image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated location to select the PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is likely to capture an image of the individual, comprises:

determining, based on a motion of the individual, a future location that the individual is likely to appear next; and

selecting a new PTZ camera that covers the future location.

4. A video surveillance system for capturing video an individual moving through a network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras using location information obtained from a cellular network, the system comprising:

a location tracking subsystem configured to;

monitor location indications transmitted by the cellular network for cellular communication, wherein the location indications correspond to a location of a cellular phone communicating on the cellular network;

a correlation system comprising a processor, wherein the correlation system'"'"'s processor is configured by software to;

receive the location indications from the location tracking system, and

estimate the individual'"'"'s geographic location from the location indications; and

a video subsystem comprising an image-to-location database, a video recorder, and a network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, wherein the video subsystem is configured by software to;

receive the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location from the location tracking system,

query the image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to obtain the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras;

select a PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is determined to capture the video of the individual based on the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras,

adjust, automatically, a field-of-view of the PTZ camera based on the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to capture the video of the individual, storing the video of the individual to the video recorder, and

repeating the monitoring, the estimating, the querying, the adjusting and the storing to automatically obtain a recording of the individual as the individual moves through the network of PTZ cameras.

5. The video surveillance system according to claim 4, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein to query the image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated location to select the PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is likely to capture an image of the individual, the video subsystem is configured by software to:

determine, based on a motion of the individual, a future location that the individual is likely to appear next; and

select a new PTZ camera that covers the future location.

7. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the computer to perform a method for capturing video an individual moving through a network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras using location information obtained from a cellular network, the method comprising:

monitoring location indications transmitted by the cellular network for cellular communication, wherein the location indications locate a cellular phone communicating on the cellular network;

estimating the individual'"'"'s geographic location from the location indications;

querying an image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to obtain the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras;

selecting a PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is determined to capture the video of the individual based on the individual'"'"'s position relative to the network of PTZ cameras;

adjusting, automatically, a field-of-view of the PTZ camera based on the individual'"'"'s estimated geographic location to capture the video of the individual;

storing the video of the individual; and

repeating the monitoring, the estimating, the querying, the adjusting and the storing to automatically obtain a recording of the individual as the individual moves through the network of PTZ cameras.

8. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the cellular phone is on but not in call operation.

9. The non-transitory tangible computer readable medium according to claim 7, wherein the querying the image-to-location database with the individual'"'"'s estimated location to select the PTZ camera from the network of PTZ cameras that is likely to capture an image of the individual, comprises:

determining, based on a motion of the individual, a future location that the individual is likely to appear next; and

selecting a new PTZ camera that covers the future location.