SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREDICTION OF THREATENED POINTS OF INTEREST

• US 20130342346A1
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Systems Limited (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hazzani, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 9,607,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

Embodiments that are described herein provide improved methods and systems for predicting threatened POIs. In some embodiments, an automated location tracking system tracks the locations of one or more target individuals. The locations of the target individuals may be tracked, for example, by tracking the cellular phones of the targets, or using various other automated location tracking techniques. Based on the tracked locations, a prediction system anticipates the future locations of the targets. Over time, the system uses this information to progressively narrow down the list of possibly-threatened POIs.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining one or more Points Of Interest (POIs) in a given geographical area;

defining one or more target individuals at one or more of the POIs;

receiving from an automated location tracking system tracked locations of the target individuals in the given geographical area;

based on the tracked locations, progressively narrowing down, over time, using a computer, a predicted subset of the POIs at which the target individuals are expected to meet a predetermined criteria; and

indicating the progressively narrowed-down predicted subset of the POIs to an operator.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined criteria is an illegitimate action.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the tracked locations comprises receiving respective estimated locations of mobile communication terminals operated by the target individuals.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises predicting respective trajectories of the target individuals in the given geographical area, and narrowing down the predicted subset of the POIs based on the predicted trajectories.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more target individuals comprise only a single target individual, and wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises finding one or more of the POIs that are in proximity to a predicted trajectory of the target individual.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more target individuals comprise multiple target individuals, and wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises finding an intersection point of the predicted trajectories, and finding one or more of the POIs that are in proximity to the intersection point.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein predicting the trajectories comprises determining the predicted trajectories based on characteristic location profiles of the target individuals.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises identifying a threatened region within the given geographical area, and finding one or more of the POIs that are located inside the threatened region.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises receiving an indication that one or more of the POIs are mentioned in monitored communication of the target individuals, and defining the subset of the POIs based on the indication.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein narrowing down the predicted subset comprises receiving a verification of an accuracy of the subset of the POIs, and modifying the subset based on the verification.

11. Apparatus, comprising:

a memory, which is configured to hold a definition of one or more Points Of Interest (POIs) in a given geographical area, and a definition of one or more target individuals at one or more of the POIs; and

a processor, which is configured to receive tracked locations of the target individuals in the given geographical area, to progressively narrow down, over time, based on the tracked locations, a predicted subset of the POIs at which the target individuals are expected to meet a predetermined criteria, and to indicate the progressively narrowed-down predicted subset of the POIs to an operator.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined criteria is an illegitimate action.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive the tracked locations by receiving respective estimated locations of mobile communication terminals operated by the target individuals.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to predict respective trajectories of the target individuals in the given geographical area, and to narrow down the predicted subset of the POIs based on the predicted trajectories.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the one or more target individuals comprise only a single target individual, and wherein the processor is configured to narrow down the predicted subset by finding one or more of the POIs that are in proximity to a predicted trajectory of the target individual.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the one or more target individuals comprise multiple target individuals, and wherein the processor is configured to narrow down the predicted subset by finding an intersection point of the predicted trajectories, and finding one or more of the POIs that are in proximity to the intersection point.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine the predicted trajectories based on characteristic location profiles of the target individuals.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to narrow down the predicted subset by identifying a threatened region within the given geographical area, and finding one or more of the POIs that are located inside the threatened region.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication that one or more of the POIs are mentioned in monitored communication of the target individuals, and to define the subset of the POIs based on the indication.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive a verification of an accuracy of the subset of the POIs, and to modify the subset based on the verification.