WO2023285169A1

WO2023285169A1 - Monitoring device having a plurality of cameras, method and computer program for monitoring

Info

Publication number: WO2023285169A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/068248
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christoph BURGER-SCHEIDLIN
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-07-16
Filing date: 2022-07-01
Publication date: 2023-01-19
Also published as: DE102021207641A1

Abstract

A monitoring device (1) having a plurality of cameras (2a, b), wherein the cameras (2a, b) each have a recording region (5a, b) and are designed to record monitoring data for the recording region (5a, b), the recording regions (5a, b) forming a portion of a monitoring region (3), and the recording regions (5a, b) recorded by the cameras (2a, b) together forming a monitored region (6), wherein the cameras (2a, b) are designed to be movable and/or are configured to move and/or shift the recording region (5a, b) in the monitoring region (3), characterised by a control module, wherein the control module is designed, in the event of a user-induced movement (8) and/or shifting of the recording region (5a, b) of one of the cameras (2a, b), to control at least one of the cameras (2a, b) and to move and/or shift the associated recording region (5a, b), the control module being designed to control the at least one camera (2a, b) such that the monitored region (6) satisfies a monitoring condition.

Description

description

title

Surveillance device with a plurality of cameras, methods and

Computer program for monitoring

State of the art

A surveillance device with a plurality of cameras is proposed, the cameras each having a recording area and being designed to record surveillance data. The recording areas form a subset of a surveillance area. The cameras are designed and/or set up to move and/or shift their recording area in the monitoring area.

The monitoring of monitored areas is used in a wide variety of applications. Both in the private and commercial sector, for example to monitor a factory or a company building, and in the public sector, for example to monitor airports, train stations or public buildings. In this case, cameras are often widely distributed over the entire surveillance area, with the cameras preferably being mobile, in particular PTZ cameras. By moving the cameras, for example to track a person, an area that was originally monitored is no longer monitored.

For example, publication US 20180376074 A1 discloses a system for tracking moving objects in a scene. The system provides a control unit for driving the PTZ camera to track the moving object.

Disclosure of Invention The invention relates to a surveillance device with a plurality of cameras having the features of claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for surveillance, a computer program and a storage medium. Preferred and/or advantageous embodiments result from the dependent claims, the description and the attached figures.

A monitoring device is proposed. The monitoring device comprises a plurality of cameras, in particular at least four, preferably at least ten and in particular at least 100 cameras. The cameras are preferably movable cameras, in particular swiveling cameras and/or PTZ cameras (Pan Tilt Zoom). The cameras are arranged, for example, in a building or outside to monitor a surveillance area. The monitoring device is designed, for example, for object recognition, person recognition, person and/or object tracking. The monitoring device is preferably designed for use in the public sector, for example for monitoring an airport, a public building or an outdoor area. In particular, the monitoring device is designed for use in a commercial environment, for example for monitoring a shop, shopping center, company building or multi-storey car park.

The cameras each have a recording area. The recording area is, for example, the area that can be optically monitored by the camera and/or for which images and/or videos can be recorded. The cameras are each designed to provide and/or record surveillance data for their recording area. The monitoring data preferably includes images, videos and/or audio data. The recording areas each form a subset of a monitoring area. For example, the surveillance area is the entire area of a building or an outdoor area that is to be monitored and/or recorded using the surveillance device and/or the cameras. The recording areas recorded by the cameras of the monitoring device together form a monitored area. For the monitored area are thus in particular Monitoring data provided. The monitored area also forms a subset of the monitored area, in particular the monitored area forms a real subset of the monitored area.

The cameras are designed and/or set up to be movable, pivotable and/or zoomable, for example as PTZ cameras. The cameras are designed and/or set up to allow and/or enable shifting, movement, panning and/or zooming of the recording area. For example, the camera is panned, moved and/or camera parameters, such as zoom and/or focal length, are changed for this purpose. In particular, shifting and/or moving a camera is possible independently of another camera. In other words, the mobility of the cameras makes it possible to capture and/or record different sections and/or areas of the surveillance area with the cameras. In particular, a change, deformation, enlargement and/or reduction of the monitored area is possible by shifting and/or moving the recording areas.

The monitoring device includes a control module. In particular, the cameras each include a control module. The control module is designed to control at least one of the cameras during and/or after a user-induced movement of one of the cameras, in particular one of the other cameras, and/or displacement of the recording area of one of the cameras, in order to move the recording area belonging to this controlled camera. move and/or change. The control module is designed to control the at least one controlled camera in such a way that the monitored area obtained after the control satisfies a monitoring condition. In other words, the control module is designed to change, compensate and/or adapt the change in the monitored area resulting from the user-induced movement by controlling at least one camera to move the associated recording area in such a way that the monitored area obtained after the control satisfies the monitoring conditions . Specifically, the monitoring condition is configurable, adjustable, and/or selectable from a set of selectable monitoring conditions. For example, the monitoring condition calls for maximizing the monitored area. Alternatively and/or additionally, the monitoring condition requires that a predetermined or specifiable section of the monitored area must be monitored as a monitored area or that other areas are less relevant to the monitoring. Furthermore, a surveillance condition may require that objects or persons of the original surveillance area must be in the surveillance area obtained after the activation. For example, the monitored area is rasterized with raster elements, the monitoring condition requiring, for example, the recording of specific raster elements.

The invention is based on the consideration that a user-induced movement, for example the pursuit of a person or the targeted viewing of a section by a user, leads to a change in the monitored area. The change often does not meet desired requirements or quality standards, so that tracking and/or compensation by one of the other cameras is necessary. The monitoring device thus ensures that after a user-induced change, other cameras follow, so that the resulting monitored area satisfies at least one monitoring condition.

An embodiment of the invention provides that the user-induced movement emanates from and/or is based on a first camera with a first recording area. In particular, the camera that executes a user-induced movement can be referred to as the first camera with the first recording area. The user-induced movement shifts and/or moves the first recording area within the surveillance area, so that a section of the surveillance area originally recorded by the first camera is no longer monitored and/or no longer forms a first recording area. The portion no longer monitored by the first capture area is referred to as the surveillance area portion migrated from the first capture area. The monitoring condition is formed, for example, that at least one of the cameras is controlled, from the first Recording area hiked surveillance area section record by one of the cameras.

It is optionally provided that a monitoring area map, an arrangement and/or distribution of the cameras, camera parameters and/or assembly parameters is/are provided to the control module. In particular, the cameras are provided with the monitoring area map, the arrangement of the cameras, the camera parameters, in particular their own and/or the other cameras, and the assembly parameters. The control module is designed to carry out, manage and/or plan the activation and/or the fulfillment of the monitoring condition based on the monitoring area map, the arrangement of the cameras, the camera and/or assembly parameters. For example, based on the monitoring area map and the knowledge of the arrangement of the cameras, the control module can select and/or control the camera for tracking and/or shifting its recording area.

It is particularly preferred that the cameras each include a control module. The control module of a camera is designed in particular to control its own camera after a user-induced movement and/or displacement of the recording area of another of the cameras. In this case, in particular, a user-induced movement of another of the cameras is made available to the control modules of the cameras. In particular, the monitoring area map, the arrangement of the cameras, the camera and mounting parameters are provided to the control modules of the cameras.

It is particularly preferred that the cameras are each designed to communicate and/or provide, in particular to provide communication modules, a user-induced movement and/or a shifting of their recording area to the other cameras. The communication modules are, for example, clouds and/or nodes of a data connection between the cameras of the monitoring device. For example, the first camera notifies the other cameras that it is performing a user-induced movement, for example that it is no longer recording a grid area, for example grid element F1, so that the other cameras based their information on this If necessary, can track the recording area, so that the corresponding grid area, for example Fl, is resumed if the monitoring of this area is required to meet the monitoring conditions.

In particular, it is provided that the cameras are each designed to inform the other cameras and/or communication modules of a movement and/or shifting of their recording area caused and/or controlled by the control module. In particular, the movement and/or shifting controlled by the control module can be communicated by the respective camera as a resultant moving and/or shifting induced by the user. In particular, this results in a dynamic system for monitoring the monitoring area with the condition that the monitoring condition is satisfied.

It is particularly preferred that the cameras are each designed for object recognition and/or object detection. For example, the object recognition and/or detection is based on a neural network and/or machine learning algorithm. Object recognition is used in particular to recognize stationary objects in the recording area. The object recognition is applied in particular to the surveillance data, in particular images and/or videos. For example, object recognition conditions can be required in this way, for example for recognizing a specific type of object, a specific size, specific location and/or position of the object in the recording area. The control module is designed, for example, to control the displacement and/or the movement based on the detected object or objects. For example, a recognized object will no longer be in the first recording area due to the user-induced movement, so that the control by the control module while complying with the monitoring condition requires the recording of the object that is no longer recorded by another camera.

For example, a monitoring condition requires that the detected stationary objects remain in the monitored area, for example, that the cameras are controlled in such a way that the stationary objects detected before the user-induced movement return to the area after the control monitored area. In this case, preferably stationary objects, pieces of furniture and/or facilities are used.

It is particularly preferred that the control module is designed to determine an object connection vector based on at least two recognized objects. The control module is designed, for example, to control the cameras for movement and/or displacement based on the object connection vector, in particular using a scaling factor. For example, the user-induced movement based on the same object connection vector is communicated and/or provided to the other cameras.

In particular, the control module is designed to determine and/or set a coordinate system based on at least three recognized objects. The objects used for this purpose are preferably arranged in an edge area of the recording area of the user-induced moving camera, especially for determining the object connection vector. The cameras are preferably tracked, moved and/or displaced on the basis of the determined and/or specified coordinate system.

In particular, it is provided that the control module is designed to use the detected objects in a peripheral area of the recording area of the user-induced moving camera.

In particular, it is provided that the control module draws on and/or uses object clusters as recognized objects. An object cluster is understood to mean, in particular, a collection of the same or different objects in a section of the monitoring area and/or recording area. For example, a focal point or center point of the objects of the object cluster is used for further use, for example for determining the coordinate system and/or the object connection vector.

A further subject matter of the invention is a method for monitoring a surveillance area with a plurality of cameras. The cameras each record a recording area and provide surveillance data. The recording areas are each a subset of the Surveillance area, the union of the recording areas form a monitored area. The cameras are designed to be movable, for example pivotable. By moving and/or panning, the recording area of the respective camera can be moved and/or shifted in the surveillance area. If one of the cameras performs a user-induced movement, for example by tracking a camera when tracking a person, at least one of the cameras is controlled to move and/or shift its recording area. The actuation for moving and/or shifting takes place in particular in such a way that the monitored area obtained in this way satisfies a monitoring condition.

A further subject matter of the invention is a computer program comprising instructions which cause the monitoring device to carry out the method for monitoring the monitored area.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

Further advantages, effects and configurations result from the accompanying figures and their description. show:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a monitoring device;

FIG. 2 shows a monitoring device with control based on static objects;

FIG. 3 shows a monitoring device with activation based on a displacement vector;

FIG. 4 shows a monitoring device with control based on an object-based coordinate system;

FIG. 5 shows a monitoring device with control based on object clusters. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a monitoring device 1 with a plurality of cameras 2a, b. The monitoring device 1 is designed to monitor a monitoring area 3, the monitoring area 3 forming a stage with actors 4a, b. The cameras 2a, b each have a recording area 5a, b, which together form a monitored area 6. The monitored area 6 forms a subset of the monitored area 3. The monitoring device 1 includes at least one control module, for example a central control module, or the cameras 2a, b each include their own control module. The cameras 2a, b are movably arranged and/or set up such that their recording area 5a, b is displaceable, movable and/or movable.

For example, the actor 4a moves according to the movement 7 in the surveillance area 3. To record the actor 4a, the camera 2a performs a user-induced movement 8, so that the recording area 5a shifts accordingly. Due to this user-induced movement, an area 9 will no longer be in the receiving area 5a. For example, however, a monitoring condition requires that this area 9 be recorded continuously. The control module is designed to control the camera 2b to move its recording area 5b, in particular in the displacement direction 10, so that the area 9 is located in the recording area 5b when it falls out of the recording area 5a. The resulting monitored area then satisfies the monitoring condition.

For example, the control module is controlled in such a way that the missing area 9 is recorded directly by the camera 2b.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a monitoring device 1 designed essentially according to FIG. 1. Stationary objects 11a, b are used to control the camera 2b by the control module. For example, the recordings of the cameras 2a, b are examined for the presence of stationary objects 11a, b. For example, the user-induced movement 8 results in the object 11a, a bucket on the stage, moving out of the recording area 5a, with the object 11b, a flower, also moving out of the recording area 5a at a later point in time and further movement 8. The control module is the camera 2b to be controlled in such a way that the object 11a, b is recorded in the recording area 5b and the monitoring condition is thus satisfied.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a monitoring device 1, which is designed essentially in accordance with the previous exemplary embodiment. The control module is designed to determine a displacement vector 12, the displacement vector 12 connecting the stationary objects 11a, b. The control module is designed to carry out and/or define the shift based on the shift vector 12 . For improved execution and/or definition, FIG

Exemplary embodiment in which a coordinate system 13 is determined based on 3 stationary objects 11a, b, c, which coordinate system is used by the control module to define and/or carry out the displacement of the recording area 5b. To avoid inaccuracies, for example based on perspectives, in an exemplary embodiment according to FIG

Objects to object clusters 14a, b used, based on the object clusters 14a, b of the displacement vector 12 or the coordinate system 13 are determined.

Claims

Expectations

1. Monitoring device (1) with a plurality of cameras (2a, b), wherein the cameras (2a, b) each have a recording area (5a, b) and are designed to record monitoring data for the recording area (5a, b), wherein the recording areas (5a, b) form a subset of a monitored area (3), the recording areas (5a, b) recorded by the cameras (2a, b) together forming a monitored area (6), the cameras (2a, b) are designed to be movable and/or set up to move and/or shift the recording area (5a, b) in the monitoring area (3), characterized by a control module, wherein the control module is designed to respond to a user-induced movement (8) and/or shift of the recording area (5a, b) of one of the cameras (2a, b), to control at least one of the cameras (2a, b), to move and/or shift the associated recording area (5a, b), wherein the control module is designed to at least one came ra (2a, b) to be controlled in such a way that the monitored area (6) satisfies a monitoring condition.

2. Monitoring device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the monitoring condition includes and/or requires a maximization of the monitored area (6).

3. Monitoring device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the user-induced movement (8) and/or displacement is based on a first camera (2a) with a first recording area (5a), the monitoring condition being a recording of a monitoring area section which by the user-induced movement (8) and/or displacement from the first recording area (5a) hiked, includes and/or requires.

4. Monitoring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a monitoring area map, an arrangement of the cameras (2a, b), camera and/or assembly parameters is/are provided to the control module for controlling the shifting and/or moving.

5. Monitoring device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a plurality of control modules, wherein the cameras (2a, b) each comprise a control module.

6. Monitoring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cameras (2a, b) are designed to communicate user-induced movement (8) and/or shifting to the other cameras (2a, b) and/or a communication module .

7. Monitoring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cameras (2a, b) are designed to communicate a movement and/or displacement controlled by the control module to the other cameras (2a, b) and/or a communication module .

8. Monitoring device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cameras (2a, b) are designed to use object recognition for recognizing a stationary object (11a, b) in their recording area (5a, b) on the surveillance data , wherein the control module is designed to control the shifting and/or moving based on the detected objects.

9. Monitoring device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the monitoring condition includes and/or demands the preservation of recognized stationary objects (11a, b) in the monitored area (6).

10. Monitoring device (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the control module is designed to assign an object connection vector (12) based on at least two recognized objects determine, wherein the control module is designed to control the cameras (2a, b) for movement and/or displacement based on the object connection vector (12).

11. Monitoring device (1) according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the control module is designed to determine a coordinate system based on at least three detected objects, the control module being designed to use the cameras (2a, b) for movement and /or to control displacement based on the coordinate system.

12. Monitoring device (1) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the control module is designed to use object clusters (14a, b) as recognized objects.

13. Method for monitoring a surveillance area (1) with a plurality of cameras (2a, b), the cameras (2a, b) each recording a recording area (5a, b) and providing surveillance data, the recording areas (5a, b) each form a subset of the monitored area (3), the combination of the recording areas (5a, b) forming a monitored area (6), the cameras (2a, b) being movable and/or pivotable, the moving and/or The recording area (5a, b) of the respective camera (2a, b) can be moved and/or shifted in the monitoring area (3) by pivoting, with at least one camera (2a, b) being able to perform and/or performing a user-induced movement (8). based on the user-induced movement (8) of the cameras (2a, b), another of the cameras (2a, b) is controlled to move and/or shift its recording area (5a, b) in such a way that the resulting monitored area Area (6) after moving and/or shifting a monitoring condition is sufficient.

A computer program comprising instructions which cause the monitoring device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 to carry out the method according to claim 13.

15. Computer-readable medium on which the computer program according to claim 14 is stored.