Video surveillance system and method

• US 7,335,026 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2005
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telerobotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Telerobotics Corporation
• Inventors: Feldman, Brian, Goree, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Roanld
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin W
• Application Number:
  US10/907,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,045 Days
• Field of Search: 434 11- 27, 434/365, 463/1, 463/2, 463/40, 463/42, 463/49, 473/569, 473/570, 273/331, 446/456, 342/357.02, 703/6, 703/7, 382/103, 89/11.1
• US Class Current: 434/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 9/00 Systems for controlling missiles or projectiles, not provided for elsewhere

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention enable an operator to interact with a video surveillance system comprising at least one sensor. The sensor may be configured to operate as a simulated weapon, or may be replaced by or augmented with a real weapon and in either case the simulated or real weapon is controlled over a network. The network may comprise the local video surveillance network or a network linking with a remotely operated weapon system. The integration of an existing video surveillance system with a network of remotely operated weapons and/or weapon simulators enables use of the resources of either system by the other system and enables a passive video surveillance system to become an active projector of lethal or non-lethal force.

Claims

1. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor;

at least one weapon accessible via said at least one operator user interface coupled with said network or said video surveillance system; and

,

wherein said at least one weapon is aimed at said first sensor data output wherein said first sensor data output is associated with a video surveillance sensor.

2. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor; and

,

wherein said at least one sensor is a video camera residing on said network and external to said video surveillance system.

3. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor;

a serial interface or network addressable interface associated with said at least one sensor that receives commands sent via said video surveillance system or said network for controlling said first sensor and for obtaining sensor data output wherein said serial interface or said network addressable interface responds with data from said first sensor in a format that is compatible with said video surveillance system or said network;

a processor coupled with said serial interface or said network addressable interface and coupled with said at least one sensor;

said at least one sensor configured to operate as at least one simulated weapon coupled with said video surveillance system or said network wherein said at least one weapon control interface is configured to deliver a command to said at least one simulated weapon wherein said command is translated by said processor into a set of sensor commands to allow said at least one sensor to simulate the operation of at least one real weapon;

wherein said at least one simulated weapon and said at least one real weapon are interchangeable without alteration of said at least one operator user interface;

wherein said at least one weapon control interface is configured to operate, pan and tilt said at least one simulated weapon or said at least one real weapon wherein said at least one simulated weapon or said at least one real weapon comprise a rifle; and

,

wherein said at least one simulated weapon is a camera with a pan-tilt mechanism.

4. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor;

a serial interface or network addressable interface associated with said at least one sensor that receives commands sent via said video surveillance system or said network for controlling said first sensor and for obtaining sensor data output wherein said serial interface or said network addressable interface responds with data from said first sensor in a format that is compatible with said video surveillance system or said network;

a processor coupled with said serial interface or said network addressable interface and coupled with said at least one sensor;

said at least one sensor configured to operate as at least one simulated weapon coupled with said video surveillance system or said network wherein said at least one weapon control interface is configured to deliver a command to said at least one simulated weapon wherein said command is translated by said processor into a set of sensor commands to allow said at least one sensor to simulate the operation of at least one real weapon;

wherein said at least one simulated weapon and said at least one real weapon are interchangeable without alteration of said at least one operator user interface;

wherein said at least one weapon control interface is configured to operate, pan and tilt said at least one simulated weapon or said at least one real weapon wherein said at least one simulated weapon or said at least one real weapon comprise a rifle; and

,

wherein said at least one simulated weapon is a stationary camera without a pan-tilt mechanism, such that the pan-tilt simulation for said simulated weapon is simulated in software.

5. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor; and

,

wherein the system provides a control interface for monitoring simulation exercises, such that the control interface allows simulated weapons to be partially or fully disabled, or allows operator user interface devices to be partially or fully disabled, or allows simulated takeover of simulated weapons or operator user interface devices by hostile forces, or allows scoring of shots by simulated weapons against hostile forces.

6. A surveillance system comprising:

a network;

a video surveillance system;

at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output wherein said at least one sensor is coupled with said network or said video surveillance system and wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, where said computer system is coupled with said video surveillance system or said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface;

a communications protocol compatible with said network and said video surveillance system that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one sensor; and

,

wherein scoring of shots by simulated weapons against combatants is calculated using real and simulated weapon positions and aim directions and fire event time stamps and combatant locations and time stamps.

7. The surveillance system of claim 6 wherein knowledge of hostile forces locations is determined based on processing of video images received by sensors attached to said video surveillance system or said network.

8. A method for utilizing a surveillance system comprising:

coupling at least one sensor configured to produce a corresponding at least one sensor data output with a video surveillance system or a network wherein a first sensor selected from said at least one sensor produces a first sensor data output;

presenting at least one operator user interface configured to execute in a computer system having a tangible memory medium, wherein said computer system is coupled with said network and said at least one user interface is configured to communicate with said at least one sensor and present said at least one sensor data output and wherein said at least one operator user interface comprises at least one weapon control interface wherein said operator user interface is dynamically discoverable on said network;

communicating via a communications protocol compatible with said network that allows said at least one operator user interface to communicate with said at least one simulated weapon and allows for dynamic discovery of said at least one simulated weapon and said at least one operator user interface;

operating at least one weapon accessible via said at least one operator user interface coupled with said network or said video surveillance system; and

,

aiming said at least one weapon using said first sensor data output wherein said first sensor data output is associated with a video surveillance sensor.