Patent Application
20120092501
1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to network device controlling systems and methods, and more particularly, to a computing device and a method for adjusting resolutions of Internet Protocol (IP) cameras.
2. Description of related art
Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are stand-alone devices which allow users to view real-time, full motion videos of remote monitored areas. Presently, each IP camera in a network records video data of a monitored area with a fixed resolution. The recorded video data from all IP cameras distributed in a network are often transmitted and are stored in a monitor computer via the network. One problem is that, if the fixed resolution of an IP camera is too high, the video data recorded by the IP camera may occupy a large amount of storage space of the monitor computer. However, if the fixed resolution of the IP camera is too low, images captured by the IP camera may not be clear enough to identify if a suspicious element appears in the monitored area.
The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
In general, the word “module,” as used hereinafter, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, such as, for example, Java, C, or Assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware. It will be appreciated that modules may comprised connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device.
As shown in
The first setting module 111 is operable to set a first resolution of an IP camera 30 for capturing images of the monitored area. For example, the first resolution may be set as 560 pixels×420 pixels.
The data receiving module 112 is operable to receive an initial image of the monitored area captured by the IP camera at the first resolution. For example, the data receiving module 112 receives the initial image, which is captured at the first resolution of 560 pixel×420 pixel, as shown in
The second setting module 113 is operable to set a monitoring region of the monitored area in the initial image, and set an alert level of an image deviation for the monitoring region. For example, a “region 1” in the initial image shown in
For example, the image deviation may be computed as follows: dividing the monitoring region into predetermined equal divisions (e.g. 20 equal divisions), if no deviations occur in the monitoring region in the real-time image compared to the initial image, the image deviation of the later captured image is: 0/20=0%; if deviation occurs in two equal divisions of the 20 equal divisions, the image deviation of the real-time image is: 2/20=10%. The alert level is a threshold value for triggering adjusting the resolution of the IP camera 30.
The data receiving module 112 is further operable to receive a first real-time image of the monitored area captured by the IP camera 30 at the first resolution. In one embodiment, all images captured by the IP camera 30 at the first resolution is regarded as first real-time images. For example, the IP camera 30 may capture the first real-time image as shown in
The detection module 114 is operable to compare the first real-time image with the initial image, determine whether a suspicious activity appears in the monitored area by determining whether the image deviation of the first real-time image exceeds the alert level. For example, if the image deviation of the monitoring region in the first real-time image exceeds the alert level 25%, the detection module 114 determines that a suspicious activity appears in the monitoring region. The suspicious activity may be suspects, or abnormal events such as fire.
The resolution adjustment module 115 is operable to generate and send a first control command to the IP camera 30 via the network 20, to automatically adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from the first resolution to a second resolution, in response that a suspicious activity appears in the monitored area. The IP camera 30 uses the second resolution to capture second real-time images of the monitored area. For example, if a suspicious activity appears in the monitoring region, the resolution adjustment module 115 may adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from 560 pixels×420 pixels (lower resolution) to 720 pixels×540 pixels (higher resolution) according to the first control command, so that the IP camera 30 captures clearer images of the monitored area.
The detection module 114 is further operable to compare a second real-time image with the initial image, and determine whether the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitored area by determining whether the image deviation of the second real-time image exceeds the alert level. For example, if the image deviation of the second real-time image compared to the initial image does not exceed the alert level, the detection module 114 determines that the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitored area.
The resolution adjustment module 115 is further operable to generate and send a second control command to the IP camera 30 via the network 20, to automatically adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from the second resolution to the first resolution, in response that the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitored area. Then, the IP camera 30 uses the first resolution to capture first real-time images of the monitored area, which occupy less storage space of the storage device 12. For example, if the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitoring region, the resolution adjustment module 115 may adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from 720 pixels×540 pixels to 560 pixels×420 pixels according to the second control command.
In block S101, the first setting module 111 sets a first resolution of an IP camera 30 for capturing images of the monitored area. For example, the first resolution may be set as 560 pixels×420 pixels. The first setting module 111 may set the same first resolution for all IP cameras 30 in the network 20, or set unique first resolution for each IP camera 30 in the network 20.
In block S103, the IP camera captures an initial image of the monitored area at the first resolution, the data receiving module 112 receives the initial image and stores the initial image in the storage device 12. For example, the initial image shown in
In block S105, the second setting module 113 sets a monitoring region of the monitored area in the initial image, and sets an alert level of an image deviation for the motion detection region. For example, a “region 1” in the initial image shown in
In block S107, the data receiving module 112 receives a first real-time image of the monitored area captured by the IP camera at the first resolution. For example, the IP camera 30 may capture a first image as shown in
In block S109, the detection module 114 determines whether a suspicious activity appears in the monitored area by determining whether the image deviation of the first real-time image exceeds the alert level. If the image deviation of the monitoring region in the first real-time image does not exceed the alert level (such as 25%), the procedure returns to block S107. If the image deviation of the monitoring region in the first real-time image exceeds the alert level (such as 25%), the procedure goes to block S111.
In block S111, the detection module 114 determines that a suspicious activity appears in the monitoring region, and the resolution adjustment module 115 generates and sends a first control command to the IP camera 30 via the network 20, to automatically adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from the first resolution to a second resolution. For example, if a suspicious activity appears in the monitoring region, the resolution adjustment module 115 may adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from 560 pixels×420 pixels to 720 pixels×540 pixels, so that the IP camera 30 captures clear images of the monitored area. The suspicious activity may be suspects, or abnormal events such as fire.
In block S113, the IP camera 30 captures a second real-time image of the monitored area at the second resolution, the data receiving module 112 receives and stores the second real-time image in the storage device 12. The detection module 114 compares the second real-time image with the initial image, to determine an image deviation of the second real-time image.
In block S115, the detection module 114 determines whether the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitored area by determining whether the image deviation of the second real-time image exceeds the alert level. If the image deviation of the second real-time image compared to the initial image still exceeds the alert level (such as 25%), the detection module 114 determines that the suspicious activity has not disappeared, the procedure goes to block S113. Otherwise, if the image deviation of the second real-time image compared to the initial image does not exceed the alert level (such as 25%), the procedure goes to block S117.
In block S117, the detection module 114 determines that the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitored area, and the resolution adjustment module 115 generates and sends a second control command to the IP camera 30 via the network 20, to automatically adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from the second resolution to the first resolution. Then, the IP camera 30 uses the first resolution to capture first real-time images of the monitored area, which occupy less storage space of the storage device 12. For example, if the suspicious activity has disappeared from the monitoring region, the resolution adjustment module 115 may adjust the resolution of the IP camera 30 from 720 pixels×540 pixels to 560 pixels×420 pixels.
Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99134971 | Oct 2010 | TW | national |
