DE102015218376A1 - Camera-based monitoring device for monitoring a surveillance area and method - Google Patents

Abstract

In surveillance systems, cameras are used to observe areas to be monitored. The image material of the cameras is subsequently automated or evaluated manually. Especially common are cameras that work in the visible wavelength range. A monitoring apparatus 1 is proposed with a first camera device 3, wherein the first camera device 3 is designed for image acquisition of a surveillance area U in an infrared wavelength range and for outputting first image data, with a second camera device 4, the second camera device 4 for image acquisition in the monitoring area U in a VIS wavelength range and for outputting second image data, with a lighting device 5 for illuminating the monitoring area U for the second camera device 4, and with a control device 2, wherein the control device is a control module 9 for controlling the lighting device 5 and the second camera device 4, so that the second camera device 4 detects the illuminated by the illumination device 5 monitoring area U and outputs as illuminated second image data, wherein the control device 2 is a detection module 8 for detecting a moving and / or thermal object O in the first image data, wherein the detection module 8 is designed to trigger the control module 9 automatically in the detection of the object O in the first image data and / or manual triggering of the control module to a user 9, so that illuminated, second image data are recorded.

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a monitoring device with a first camera device, wherein the first camera device is designed for image acquisition of a surveillance area in an infrared wavelength range and for outputting first image data, with a second camera device, wherein the second camera device for image acquisition in the surveillance area in a VIS and / or NIR wavelength range and for outputting second image data, with an illumination device for illuminating the surveillance area for the second camera device, and with a control device, wherein the control device has a control module for controlling the illumination device and the second camera device, such that the second camera device detects the illumination area illuminated by the illumination device and outputs it as illuminated second image data. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for monitoring a monitoring area with this monitoring device.

In surveillance systems, cameras are used to observe areas to be monitored. The image material of the cameras is subsequently automated or evaluated manually. Especially common are cameras that work in the visible wavelength range. These cameras correspond in wavelength sensitivity to the human eye. However, like the human eye, these cameras suffer from the disadvantage that they can not provide usable image data in the dark or at night without illumination. For this reason, it is common to combine such cameras with lighting to illuminate the monitored area.

Another way to go infrared cameras that absorb thermal radiation, for example, hot device parts can be recorded without additional illumination with the infrared camera.

The publication DE 101 15 267 A1 , which is probably the closest prior art, discloses a method for monitoring a wind turbine. For monitoring cameras of different types are used with and without illumination. In particular, cameras are used for capturing an image in the visible light range, whose illumination can also come from separate light sources. On the other hand, it is also proposed that one of the optical pickups can be designed as an infrared sensor (infrared camera), so that even without illumination thermally critical parts of the wind turbine can be monitored.

Disclosure of the invention

In the context of the invention, a monitoring device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 9 is proposed. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to a monitoring device, in particular a camera-based monitoring device, which is suitable and / or designed for monitoring a monitoring area. The surveillance area may be an indoor area or an outdoor area.

The monitoring device has a first camera device, wherein the first camera device is spectrally sensitive in an infrared wavelength range, so that it can perform an image capture of the monitoring range in the infrared wavelength range. Particularly preferably, the infrared wavelength range is arranged outside the wavelength range visible to humans (VIS).

The first camera means is adapted to output first image data showing the monitoring area in the infrared wavelength range. The first image data are formed, for example, in each case as individual images, in particular two-dimensional individual images, and / or as a video sequence from the individual images.

The monitoring device has a second camera device, which images in the monitoring area in a VIS and / or NIR wavelength range, ie in a visible, visible in particular for human wavelength range (VIS) and in an area that is slightly in the infrared range goes (NIR) allowed. The VIS wavelength range is in the visible range for humans and lies in particular or predominantly between 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The NIR wavelength range is in particular or predominantly between 700 nm and 1000 nm. For example, the second camera device comprises a CCD or a CMOS chip as a sensor for image acquisition. The second camera device is designed to output second image data. The second image data are preferably formed as individual images, in particular as two-dimensional individual images, and / or as a video sequence from the individual images.

The monitoring device has at least one illumination device for illuminating the monitoring area for the second camera device. The wavelength range of the light emitted by the illumination device is thus matched to the VIS and / or NIR wavelength range of the second camera device, so that the second camera device is sensitive to the wavelength range of the emitted light of the illumination device.

The monitoring device has a control device. The control device can be arranged centrally or decentrally. The control device can be designed as a digital data processing device or as a plurality of digital data processing devices, such as microcontrollers, DSPs, etc. The control device can also be represented in software and implemented, for example, as a computer program. The modules belonging to the control device can be realized both centrally and decentrally, circuit-wise and / or by software technology.

The control device has a control module, which is designed to control, in particular synchronized control, the illumination device and the second camera device. In particular, the control module is designed to control the second camera device and the illumination device such that the second camera device detects the illumination area illuminated by the illumination device and records it as illuminated second image data. The illumination device and the second camera device can be controlled directly and / or in parallel by the control module. Alternatively, the illumination device and the second camera device are driven serially.

The control device also has a detection module for detecting a moving and / or thermal object in the first image data. The detection of the object may, for example, be done by searching for image areas in the first image data representing a predetermined temperature. For example, the detection module can be tuned in that image areas with a temperature between 20 and 50 degrees are searched in the first image data so that a person can be detected as the object, in particular as the thermal object.

Alternatively or additionally, the detection module can be designed to detect a moving object in the first image data. In this alternative, an object is first detected in the first image data and tracked over a plurality of individual images as part of an object tracking. If the object meets predefinable conditions during object tracking, the object can be detected by the detection module as a moving object. In particular, the detection module operates via a digital image processing for the detection of the moving and / or thermal object.

The detection module is configured to trigger the control module in an automated manner in response to the detection of the object in the first image data, so that the control module controls the illumination device and the second camera device in order to record illuminated second image data. Alternatively or additionally, the detection module is designed to offer a user a manual triggering of the control module, in particular a monitoring personnel, so that illuminated, second image data are recorded.

It is an idea of the invention that camera devices operating in the VIS wavelength range are available in high resolution and at low cost. However, in the dark or at night, these camera devices require the additional illumination means to illuminate the surveillance area sufficiently and / or to avoid underexposed image data. However, it may be considered disturbing if the lighting device is permanently activated in the dark and / or at night. In addition, the continuous activation of the lighting device increases the energy consumption of the monitoring device considerably. By contrast, the first camera device, which operates in the infrared wavelength range, can record the surveillance area independently of an additional illumination device in the dark or at night. However, the resolution of such camera devices is very limited. In particular, an identification of persons is not possible because the thermal images in the VIS area are not suitable.

Against this background, the invention proposes that the object is selectively detected on the basis of its movement or on the basis of its light emission / thermal emission via the first camera device and the illumination device and the second camera device are activated in response to the detection of the object so that it illuminates capture second image data from the surveillance area. The illuminated second image data are then provided in sufficient resolution with sufficient illumination. In other words, the illumination device and the second camera device are activated when an object has been detected via the first camera device.

In addition to the advantage of improved detection of the object by the detection of the object in In a first step and the verification of the object in a second step, the monitoring device also has the advantage that a quenching effect is achieved by the sudden activation of the illumination device. In this way, for example, intruders can be distributed in the surveillance area as objects.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first camera device is tuned to detect persons as the object. In particular, the first camera device is sensitive in a MIR and / or in the FIR wavelength range. The MIR range (mid-infrared range) extends from 3 microns to 10 microns, the FIR (far-infrared range) ranges from 50 to 1000 microns. By choosing these wavelength ranges, a person appears as the object in the first image data as a luminous object, so that it can be easily detected and possibly tracked.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the viewing areas of the first and the second camera device are arranged overlapping and / or can be arranged. It is possible on the one hand that the first and the second camera device are arranged stationary. However, it is also possible for one or both camera devices to be movable, for example designed as a PTZ camera (pan-tilt-zoom). In this case, it is preferred that the control module is also designed to control the second camera device in such a way that it is directed to the portion of the surveillance area in which the object was detected.

In a structurally particularly advantageous embodiment, the first and the second camera device and the illumination device are arranged in a common housing and / or on a common base. In this embodiment, the monitoring device can be mounted particularly easily by a user. Further, especially when the first, the second camera device and the illumination device are arranged stationary in the housing or on the base, it is possible to calibrate or adjust the monitoring device manufacturer, so that the user can already access a calibrated or pre-adjusted monitoring device ,

In one possible development of the invention, the monitoring device, in particular the control device, has an extraction module, wherein the extraction module is designed to extract image regions from the illuminated second image data which correspond to the position of the object in the first image data. Thus, for example, as part of the detection of the object in the first image data, a position of the object in the surveillance area is detected at the same time and transmitted to the extraction module so that it can select the corresponding image area in the illuminated second data.

Optionally, it is possible for the monitoring device, in particular the control device, to have a human-machine interface (MMS), wherein the detection module is designed to control the human-machine interface upon detection of the object in the first image data, so that a signal for the user to offer or display manual triggering. The human-machine interface can also have an input option for the user, so that the user can manually trigger the control module. The man-machine interface may be formed as a combination of a signal light and a switching device, but is preferably designed as a computer screen with an input device, such as an input device. a mouse, a touchpad, etc. formed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the illumination device is designed as a flashlight device. The flash device is designed to output one or more flashes of light, in particular with a length of less than 0.1 s. In particular, the energy and / or focusing of the flash of light is dimensioned such that a detected object is also at a greater distance, e.g. greater than 20m, preferably greater than 50 m is sufficiently illuminated to capture this with the second camera device. The flashlight device produces a particularly strong deterrent effect, since, starting from a dark surrounding area, lighting is suddenly very strong.

Alternatively or additionally, the illumination direction is designed for a location-selective illumination. In this case, it is possible for only a part of the monitoring area to be selectively illuminated, in particular object position-dependent, as a function of the position of the detected object. Thus, the illumination device may be e.g. also be designed as a controllable illumination laser or other illumination source, which is controlled so that its laser light is selectively directed to the position of the detected object. The beam guide may e.g. via controllable mirrors or lenses, in particular adaptive optical elements.

Another object of the invention relates to a method for monitoring a monitoring area with the monitoring device, as described above or according to one of the preceding claims. In a first step, a moving and / or thermal object is detected in the first image data. In a second step, illuminated second image data are recorded by the object.

In a first alternative of the invention, the second step is triggered automatically. In a second alternative of the invention, the second step is manually triggered by a user.

Further features, advantages and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 a schematic block diagram of a monitoring device as an embodiment of the invention;

2 a flowchart and a graphical illustration of a method for monitoring a monitoring area with the monitoring device.

The 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a monitoring device 1 as an embodiment of the invention. The monitoring device 1 has a control device 2 as well as two camera devices 3 . 4 and a lighting device 5 on which in a common housing 6 are arranged. The housing 6 with the camera facilities 3 . 4 is positioned so that the camera devices 3 . 4 can observe a monitoring area U. In particular, a field of view S1 of the first camera device 3 overlapping or even congruent to a field of view S2 of the second camera device 4 arranged.

The first camera device 3 works in an infrared wavelength range. In particular, the first camera device operates 3 in a MIR or FIR wavelength range. The first camera device 3 With regard to the selectivity of the wavelength range, it is designed such that these persons can record as luminous objects on the basis of their own body radiation, that is to say temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius. The first camera device 3 takes the first image data.

The second camera device 4 On the other hand, it is designed as a particularly cost-effective camera which operates in a VIS and / or NIR wavelength range. The VIS wavelength range is in the visible range for humans and is approximately between 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers. The NIR wavelength range is between 700 nm and 1000 nm. The second camera device 4 takes up second image data.

The lighting device 5 is aligned so that this at least with the field of view S2 of the second camera device 4 overlaps. The lighting device 5 emits light in a wavelength range in which the second camera device 4 is sensitive. Thus, the lighting device 5 be used to illuminate the monitoring area U, so that the second camera device 4 even in a dark surveillance area by the illumination of the lighting device 5 Illuminated second image data can record. The lighting device 5 is designed in particular as a flashlight device.

The 2 schematically shows a flowchart and a graphic illustration to illustrate the operation of the monitoring device 1 , In the graphic illustration is again the case 6 with the first and second camera device 3 . 4 and the lighting device 5 shown.

The monitoring area U in the 2 is as a street area with a fence 7 shown. In the street area of the surveillance area U, a person is represented as an object O. As can be seen from the black background, the monitoring device works 1 especially beneficial at night or in the dark. In particular, the brightness ratios are such that, without further illumination, no meaningful images from the second camera device 4 can be included.

In a first step 100 detects the first camera device 3 the monitoring area U with an object O, which is formed in this example as a person, and detects the object O optionally based on the body radiation of the object and / or based on the movement of the object O. If the object O was detected positive, is in a second step 200 the second camera device 4 and the lighting device 5 controlled, so the lighting device 5 the surveillance area U and in particular the object O illuminated and the second camera device 4 illuminated second image data from the object O can record. The illuminated second image data can be further processed as part of the monitoring.

This sequence of processes ensures that even under dark lighting conditions the surveillance area U can be fundamentally monitored without additional illumination, and only when the object O is detected positively, the illumination device is briefly illuminated 5 and the second camera device 4 to be activated. The brief activation of the illumination device 5 also has the advantage that the object O - in the event that it has penetrated illegally - from the light emission from the lighting device 5 is deterred.

In the 1 is a possible embodiment of the monitoring device 1 shown. Thus, first image data is acquired from the first camera device 3 to the control facility 2 and in this to a detection module 8th to hand over. In the detection module 8th The first image data are evaluated. It is possible on the one hand for the evaluation to be carried out by the detection of the thermally luminous object O. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to evaluate a plurality of first image data and thereby to detect a movement of the object O within the scope of an object tracking.

If the detection module 8th the object O has detected positively in the monitoring area U, a trigger signal T is sent to a control module 9 Posted. The control module 9 is formed, on the one hand the lighting device 5 to activate, in particular to send out one or more flashlights. Further, the control module 9 formed, the second camera device 4 to activate, so that illuminated second image data from the surveillance area with the object O by the second camera device 4 be recorded.

Alternatively or in addition to an automatic triggering, it is also possible that the detection module 8th a signal S to a human-machine interface 11 passes. The detection module 8th is trained in MMS 11 to control a signal so that a user, for example surveillance personnel, is informed of the positive detection of an object O in the monitoring area U. This can, for example, a lamp 12 or via a screen, an acoustic signal, etc. take place. The MMS 11 also has an input option, such as a key 13 or a mouse, etc., to allow the user the control module 9 trigger manually. Once the user presses the button 13 etc. is pressed, a manual trigger signal MT from the MMS 11 to the control module 9 Posted. Upon receipt of the manual trigger signal MT, the lighting device 5 and the second camera device 4 - As previously described in connection with the trigger signal T - activated.

Optionally complementary points the control device 2 an extraction module 14 which is configured to extract an image section from the illuminated second image data, wherein the image section matches the position of the image in the detection module 8th detected object O corresponds. The extracted image section can be accessed via an interface 15 for example, to be handed over to the supervisor for review.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10115267 A1 [0004]

Claims (11)

Monitoring device ( 1 ) with a first camera device ( 3 ), wherein the first camera device ( 3 ) for image acquisition of a surveillance area (U) in an infrared wavelength range and for outputting first image data, with a second camera device ( 4 ), wherein the second camera device ( 4 ) for image acquisition in the monitoring area (U) in a VIS and / or NIR wavelength range and for outputting second image data, with a lighting device ( 5 ) for illuminating the monitoring area (U) for the second camera device ( 4 ), as well as with a control device ( 2 ), wherein the control device is a control module ( 9 ) for controlling the illumination device ( 5 ) and the second camera device ( 4 ), so that the second camera device ( 4 ) by the illumination device ( 5 ) and outputs illuminated second image data, characterized in that the control device ( 2 ) a detection module ( 8th ) for detecting a moving and / or thermal object (O) in the first image data, wherein the detection module ( 8th ) is formed, in the detection of the object (O) in the first image data, the control module ( 9 ) to trigger automatically and / or a manual triggering of the control module ( 9 ), so that illuminated, second image data are recorded. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the infrared wavelength range comprises a MIR wavelength range and / or a FIR wavelength range. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the viewing areas (S1, S2) of the first and the second camera device ( 3 . 4 ) are arranged overlapping and / or can be arranged. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and the second camera device ( 3 . 4 ) and the illumination device ( 5 ) in a common housing ( 6 ) and / or are arranged on a common basis. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an extraction module ( 14 ), wherein the extraction module ( 14 ) is adapted to extract image areas from the illuminated second image data corresponding to the position of the object (O). Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a human-machine interface ( 11 ), wherein the detection module ( 8th ) is formed, in the detection of the object (O) in the first image data, the human-machine interface ( 11 ), so that a signal is issued to offer manual triggering. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the illumination device ( 5 ) is formed as a flash device. Monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the illumination device ( 5 ) is designed for a location-selective illumination, wherein only a part of the surveillance area is illuminated as a function of the position of the detected object. Method for monitoring the monitoring area (U) with the monitoring device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in a first step in the first image data, the moving and / or thermal object (O) is detected and in a second step, illuminated second image data are recorded. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the second step is triggered automatically. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the second step is triggered manually.

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