EP0544770B1 - Überwachungssystem - Google Patents

Überwachungssystem Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0544770B1
EP0544770B1 EP91915509A EP91915509A EP0544770B1 EP 0544770 B1 EP0544770 B1 EP 0544770B1 EP 91915509 A EP91915509 A EP 91915509A EP 91915509 A EP91915509 A EP 91915509A EP 0544770 B1 EP0544770 B1 EP 0544770B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sensor
view
field
reflector
observed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP91915509A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0544770A1 (de
Inventor
David John Allen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill Ltd
Original Assignee
Hunting Engineering Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hunting Engineering Ltd filed Critical Hunting Engineering Ltd
Publication of EP0544770A1 publication Critical patent/EP0544770A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0544770B1 publication Critical patent/EP0544770B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
    • G08B13/18—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength
    • G08B13/189—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems
    • G08B13/194—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using image scanning and comparing systems
    • G08B13/196—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using image scanning and comparing systems using television cameras
    • G08B13/19617—Surveillance camera constructional details
    • G08B13/19626—Surveillance camera constructional details optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
    • G08B13/18—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength
    • G08B13/189—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems
    • G08B13/19—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using infrared-radiation detection systems
    • G08B13/193—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using infrared-radiation detection systems using focusing means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
    • G08B13/18—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength
    • G08B13/189—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems
    • G08B13/194—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using image scanning and comparing systems
    • G08B13/196—Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using image scanning and comparing systems using television cameras
    • G08B13/19617—Surveillance camera constructional details
    • G08B13/1963—Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]

Definitions

  • This invention relates to surveillance devices for use with security systems, and in particular but not exclusively to optical surveillance.
  • some or all channels may be multiplexed into one display, so that an operator views different areas by switching between channels.
  • a further problem with bulky observation cameras is that their size makes pan and tilt operations obvious to a would-be trespasser, who can thereby be assisted to evade the field of view. Also if their mass limits maximum pan and tilt rates it may not be possible to scan an area rapidly and efficiently enough in the event of an alarm.
  • a surveillance system so configured that the moving masses for pan and tilt are minimal in order to enhance speed of scan and for the moving elements to be enclosed to prevent their observation.
  • the system as a whole should preferably be potentially compatible with advanced, computer supported processing and display technology and be able to compete effectively in terms of operating costs and reliability with human operators.
  • DE-A-3825757 shows a surveillance system with a pivoting mirror, a sensor and a graphics processor.
  • the invention provides a surveillance system comprising at least one reflector capable of reflecting a field of view of varying azimuthal angle, at least one sensor for receiving reflected images, means for selecting the azimuthal angle of the field of view to be observed and a graphics processing system, characterised in that the means for selecting the azimuthal angle of the field of view to be observed comprises at least one of: means for altering the azimuthal angle of the reflector; means for altering the sensor position or actuation to detlect images from a selected azimuthal angle; and means for altering signal monitoring or switching of the sensor or sensors, and the graphics processing system effects a vector translation of the image signals in accordance with the selected azimuthal angle of the field of view.
  • Alteration of the reflector position preferably comprises rotation, for example the reflector may be rotated about two orthogonal axes, generally vertical and horizontal, in order to vary respectively the azimuthal and elevational angles of the field of view that is monitored (or line of sight).
  • the reflector is formed to have a sufficient elevational field of view to not require movement and the reflector is only mounted for azimuthal rotation.
  • the sensor may be rotated or translated. It is particularly convenient to utilise sensor translation to provide change in monitored elevation. This may be achieved by the reflector providing a larger field of view, at least in elevation, than the sensor area.
  • the senor may comprise a group of sensors or a sensor having separately operable zones, and different areas may be activated instead of sensor movement.
  • Sensor signal monitoring may be altered by selectively activated different ones or areas of a compound sensor or by varying the times of response.
  • the reflector may be arranged, by its shape or by constant rotation to provide a scan of a substantial azimuthal field of view. Selective activation of sensor areas or instance of response may be used to determine the azimuthal angle that is monitored.
  • the graphics processing system preferably presents an image to a viewer that is easy to comprehend in that it is 'normalised' to correspond to an image that resembles direct viewing or displays information relating to detection of change.
  • a surveillance system comprises a mirror 1 which reflects an image of an external scene 5 on to a sensor 7, which may be a camera sensor, an electro-optical device or part of an integrated electronic processing circuit forming part of an ultimate video display.
  • the plane mirror 1 rests in a horizontal bearing 2 so that it is free to move under the influence of a servo motor (not shown) to control the angle ⁇ between a line 3 normal to the plane of the mirror, and horizontal plane 4.
  • the external scene 5 reflected at the plane mirror is imaged by a lens 6 on to the imaging sensor 7.
  • the particular area of the scene can be changed in the vertical plane by adjustment of the angle ⁇ under servo control.
  • Horizontal adjustment of the area of the scene is similarly achieved by rotation about vertical line Y-Y.
  • the vertical line Y-Y passes through the axis 2 of vertical rotation of the plane mirror, the centre of the focusing lens and the centre of the imaging sensor.
  • the detailed method by which such translation can be achieved is not, of itself, a feature of this invention.
  • One method is to store each frame of image data in a digital frame store, and then to read out the data in the required staggered sequence to counteract the image rotation on the sensor and present an erect image to the viewer.
  • the delays imposed by such processing are small and the final image is capable of presentation in a substantially real time basis.
  • the image of the scene produced in the plane of the sensor can be significantly larger than the sensitive area of the sensor. Selection of the scene for display from this extended field of view can then be achieved by movement of the sensor.
  • the elevation scene segment may be selected by relative movement of the sensor in the plane X-X, and the pan or azimuth scene changed by circumferential movement of the sensor centred on the lens axes.
  • tilting action of the mirror to change the sightline in the vertical plane is eliminated by having an enlarged vertical field of view for the mirror with movement of the sensor used for vertical scanning. This enables reduced mass and mechanical complexity in the mirror mounting arrangement, which only provides azimuthal scanning.
  • Figures 2 (a) and (b) show similar arrangements to that of Figure 1, except that the mirrors are curved in the vertical plane so as to modify the optical characteristics of the elevation (tilt) process.
  • a mirror having a more complex profile in the vertical scan direction, or indeed, in the azimuth plane may be utilised to compensate for geometric distortion or to impart some required optical feature to the system.
  • Curved mirrors may also be utilised with fixed vertical mirror angles, again using sensor movement to vary the field of view.
  • the benefits of the systems described are reduction of moving masses, simplicity of design and manufacture, and because of this correspondingly higher angular movement rates can be achieved.
  • Use of reflectors other than simple plane mirrors enables selective changes to images that may be helpful, for example, the resolution of the sensor may be distributed over the image as a function of range.
  • the aspect ratio or other features in the final image presented to an observer may be restored to normal viewing presentation, if required, by suitable graphics processing.
  • Angular sensors at the mirror axes, or sensor may be utilised to provide suitable vector and other control signals for the graphics processing.
  • Compound sensors consisting of a plurality of discrete sensors or sensors with selectively operable areas may be utilised, selective activation of the individual sensors or areas being used to augment or replace sensor movement. Signals indicative of the area activated or sensor are also provided to the graphics processor.
  • FIG 3 shows schematically a further embodiment in which multiple mirrors or a multi-faceted mirror is employed to produce multiple images from the scene around the system.
  • This system may be regarded as a compound grouping of several mirrors and sensors like those in Figures 1 and 2, with each mirror covering a smaller scanning area, and hence enabling faster changes by switching from one mirror to another with only a small angular adjustment.
  • the mirrors reflect scenes from their different fields of view on to one or more suitably placed image sensors. If it is required to rotate the mirror assembly to redirect the line of sight, either as part of a routine scan or to track a movement, a discrete group of, for example four sensors located below a four faceted mirror, is rotated through a limited angular range to re-align a sensor with a mirror. With this arrangement only relatively small angular rotation capability is required, e.g. 90° maximum for a four sensor arrangement.
  • the multi-faceted mirrors may be rotated continuously at a high speed, and the nearest of the sensors angularly relocated to define an effective and required line of sight. Since the mirrors would under this condition be rotating, the corresponding images would describe a circle in the plane of the sensors, and it would be necessary to gate or strobe the selected sensor to produce a 'snapshot' of the image acceptably free from movement and blur.
  • a strobe may eliminate the need for graphic rotation. Stroboscopic monitoring of the sensor may be provided within the graphics processor.
  • a particular advantage of this embodiment is high slew rates because the constantly rotating mirrors would not need acceleration after running up and only limited movement is required of the lightweight imaging sensors (less than 90° for a four sensor group) to redirect the sightline enabling rapid alterations in azimuth bearing.
  • the use of multiple mirrors and sensors effectively reduces the extent of the angular steps involved. Such a system would be compatible with a need for a rapid repetitive scanning but less convenient for 'continuous' angular tracking.
  • Figure 4 illustrates an all around surveillance device with a static mirror replacing a rotating or rotatable mirror of the previous embodiments.
  • the mirror may have a plane sectional profile, or be shaped in the manner of Figure 2a or 2b, or be a combination.
  • An imaging sensor lies beneath the mirror and acquires a 360° panoramic view of the scene around the the device, the vertical profile of the mirror defining the vertical swathe of the scene effectively 'swept out' around the device and presented to the sensor.
  • such a mirror may be provided with vertical movement. Arrangements with less than a 360° azimuthal range may also be useful when 360° viewing is not required.
  • Graphics processing by means of unit 9 may be used with this embodiment of the invention to select a suitable angular segment and process it for presentation to an observer.
  • the full 360° image may be 'cut and processed' by appropriate graphics operations, before presentation as a continuous strip to an observer. Selective activation of compound sensors may also be used.
  • Figure 4 overcomes the problem in Figure 3 of continuous angular tracking by the use of a more complex but static mirror formed as a surface of revolution of a mirror of a profile such as those shown in Figures 1 or 2. Such a mirror would produce (ideally) a circular image at the sensor, having a radius corresponding to the vertical angle subtended by the mirror, and a 360° range about the system centre line. A sensor smaller than the complete reflected image may be used and rotated to change the field of view.
  • Images from a mirror of this type may be difficult to comprehend directly as a display by an observer, but could be used by an automatic processing system to detect significant changes or movement in scene detail such as the advent of intruders. This may be achieved by automatic frame comparison techniques.
  • a fast slewing mirror as described with respect to Figures 1 or 2 could then be quickly directed to the coordinates of any such disturbance to facilitate closer examination.
  • the graphics processing device provides the signals to the fast slewing mirror and displays either the image from that mirror or a readout indicative of information relating to the frame comparison.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Studio Devices (AREA)
  • Closed-Circuit Television Systems (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Überwachungssystem, das zumindest einen Reflektor, der geeignet ist, ein Sichtfeld mit einem sich ändernden Seitenwinkel zu reflektieren, zumindest einen Sensor zum Empfangen reflektierter Bilder, eine Einrichtung zum Auswählen des Seitenwinkels des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds und ein Grafikverarbeitungssystem aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Einrichtung zum Auswählen des Seitenwinkels des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds aufweist, zumindest eine von:
    einer Einrichtung zum Ändern des Seitenwinkels des Reflektors;
    einer Einrichtung zum Ändern der Sensorlage oder -betätigung, so daß Bilder von einem ausgewählten Seitenwinkel erfaßt werden; und
    einer Einrichtung zum Ändern der Signalüberwachung oder zum Schalten des Sensors oder der Sensoren
    und daß das Grafikverarbeitungssystem eine Vektorübertragung der Bildsignale entsprechend dem ausgewählten Seitenwinkel des Sichtfelds bewirkt.
  2. Überwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, bei dem entweder die Sensorlage geändert wird, so daß der Höhenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds geändert wird, oder ein anderer Sensor oder eine andere Sensorzone aktiviert wird, so daß der Höhenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds ausgewählt wird.
  3. Überwachungssystem nach einem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei dem der Reflektor beweglich ist und der Sensor beweglich ist, und zwar wahlweise betätigbar, oder eine Vielzahl Sensoren schaltbar ist, so daß der Seitenwinkel und der Höhenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds auswählbar ist.
  4. Überwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, bei dem der Reflektor eine mehrfach- facettierte Oberfläche aufweist und der Reflektor und der Sensor gedreht werden, so daß das zu beobachtende Seitensichtfeld ausgewählt wird.
  5. Überwachungssystem nach einem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei dem der Reflektor kontinuierlich gedreht wird und Sensorsignale stroboskopisch überwacht werden.
  6. Überwachungssystem nach Anspruch 5, bei dem die Synchronisation des stroboskopischen Überwachens mit dem Sensor, den Sensoren oder dem Sensorbereich variiert wird, so daß der Seitenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds ausgewählt wird.
  7. Überwachungssystem nach Anpruch 1, bei dem der Reflektor geformt ist Bilder von einem Sichtfeld mit einer im wesentlichen azimuthalen Verteilung zu reflektieren und der Sensor oder die Sensoren wahlweise bewegt oder überwacht werden, so daß der Seitenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds ausgewählt wird.
  8. Überwachungssystem nach Anspruch 7, bei dem der Reflektor eine Oberfläche mit einer Kurvenkrümmung aufweist.
  9. Überwachungssystem nach einem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei dem das Grafikverarbeitungssystem Signale, die den Seitenwinkel des zu beobachtenden Sichtfelds anzeigen, von Winkelsensoren empfängt, die dem Reflektor und/oder dem Sensor oder den Sensoren zugeordnet sind.
EP91915509A 1990-08-25 1991-08-22 Überwachungssystem Expired - Lifetime EP0544770B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9018709 1990-08-25
GB909018709A GB9018709D0 (en) 1990-08-25 1990-08-25 Surveillance devices
PCT/GB1991/001425 WO1992003806A1 (en) 1990-08-25 1991-08-22 Surveillance system

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0544770A1 EP0544770A1 (de) 1993-06-09
EP0544770B1 true EP0544770B1 (de) 1997-01-08

Family

ID=10681244

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP91915509A Expired - Lifetime EP0544770B1 (de) 1990-08-25 1991-08-22 Überwachungssystem

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0544770B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69124097T2 (de)
GB (2) GB9018709D0 (de)
WO (1) WO1992003806A1 (de)

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DE19757497C2 (de) * 1997-12-23 2002-07-11 Deutsch Zentr Luft & Raumfahrt Optische Überwachungsvorrichtung
CN1404682A (zh) * 2000-08-25 2003-03-19 皇家菲利浦电子有限公司 跟踪一幅数字图象中的一个感兴趣的目标的方法和装置
US7168618B2 (en) 2004-08-12 2007-01-30 International Business Machines Corporation Retail store method and system
US9092808B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2015-07-28 International Business Machines Corporation Preferred customer marketing delivery based on dynamic data for a customer
US8831972B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2014-09-09 International Business Machines Corporation Generating a customer risk assessment using dynamic customer data
US9361623B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2016-06-07 International Business Machines Corporation Preferred customer marketing delivery based on biometric data for a customer
US9626684B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2017-04-18 International Business Machines Corporation Providing customized digital media marketing content directly to a customer
US9031857B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2015-05-12 International Business Machines Corporation Generating customized marketing messages at the customer level based on biometric data
US8812355B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2014-08-19 International Business Machines Corporation Generating customized marketing messages for a customer using dynamic customer behavior data
US8775238B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2014-07-08 International Business Machines Corporation Generating customized disincentive marketing content for a customer based on customer risk assessment
US9846883B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2017-12-19 International Business Machines Corporation Generating customized marketing messages using automatically generated customer identification data
US8639563B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2014-01-28 International Business Machines Corporation Generating customized marketing messages at a customer level using current events data
US9031858B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2015-05-12 International Business Machines Corporation Using biometric data for a customer to improve upsale ad cross-sale of items
US9685048B2 (en) 2007-04-03 2017-06-20 International Business Machines Corporation Automatically generating an optimal marketing strategy for improving cross sales and upsales of items
US8065200B2 (en) 2007-11-26 2011-11-22 International Business Machines Corporation Virtual web store with product images
US8019661B2 (en) 2007-11-26 2011-09-13 International Business Machines Corporation Virtual web store with product images
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2247592B (en) 1994-10-05
GB2247592A (en) 1992-03-04
DE69124097D1 (de) 1997-02-20
EP0544770A1 (de) 1993-06-09
WO1992003806A1 (en) 1992-03-05
GB9018709D0 (en) 1990-10-10
GB9118157D0 (en) 1991-10-09
DE69124097T2 (de) 1997-08-14

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