The invention relates to a monitoring system and in particular to the use of a vehicle camera system of a vehicle monitoring a region of interest.
Vehicles such as cars or trucks can comprise a vehicle camera system, wherein the vehicle camera system has several cameras mounted at different positions of the vehicle to capture images. The camera images can be used to show the driver the surroundings of the vehicle. For instance, the generated camera images supplied to the video camera system are displayed on a screen at the driver's seat and can support the driver when steering the vehicle during a maneuver such as parking the vehicle in a parking lot.
It has been proposed to use camera images supplied by the vehicle camera system in a vehicular anti-theft system capable of supplying images of a vehicle status. U.S. 2005/0275510 A1 describes a vehicular anti-theft system, wherein cameras mounted at positions inside or outside the vehicle capture images showing a status near a driver's seat and outside surroundings of the vehicle. A control device is coupled to the cameras, wherein the control device comprises a control unit coupled with a sensor that detects whether an abnormal situation occurs with the vehicle and coupled with an alarming unit that is capable of issuing an alarm signal. The control device further comprises a video signal switching unit coupled to the cameras and being controlled by the control unit, wherein the video signal switching unit selects one image to be output from the plurality of cameras. An image transmitting unit is coupled to the video signal switching unit and the control unit, wherein based on the control demands of the control unit the image transmitting unit dials a number of a remote mobile phone and sends the selected camera image to the remote mobile phone.
The conventional vehicular anti-theft system according to the state of the art described in U.S. 2005/0275510 A1 is used to monitor the surroundings of the vehicle and the inside of the vehicle to protect the vehicle from being stolen. The sensor detects an abnormal situation occurring with the vehicle. The sensor can be a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor for anti-theft monitoring. The sensor of the anti-theft system of U.S. 2005/0275510 A1 is adapted to detect an abnormal situation, for example someone attempting to steal the vehicle. The control unit simultaneously activates the alarming unit to issue warning signals and does activate the cameras to take pictures. Captured pictures can sequentially be selected by the video signal switching unit and output to the image transmitting unit.
Accordingly, in the conventional vehicular anti-theft system, the cameras are only activated if the sensor checks an abnormal situation. As long as no abnormal situation is detected, the cameras are not activated and remain unused.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system which makes use of vehicle cameras of a vehicle camera system in a normal situation of the vehicle for fulfilling additional tasks.
This object is achieved by a monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention comprising the features of claim 1.
According to the first aspect, a monitoring system is provided comprising at least one vehicle camera connected to a vehicle camera system of a vehicle, wherein said vehicle camera supplies camera images of at least one region of interest in the vicinity of said vehicle to said vehicle camera system which is adapted to process the received camera images and to generate a video image if it is detected that an object is entering the region of interest on the basis of the processed camera images.
With the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention the vehicle cameras of a vehicle being parked for instance in front of an object such as a house or building generate continuously camera images of a region of interest, ROI, in the vicinity of the vehicle. The vehicle camera system processes the received camera images to detect whether an object has entered the region of interest. This object can be for example a person entering the region of interest. If an object is entering the region of interest, then a video image is generated on the basis of the received camera images. The monitoring system according to the first aspect can be employed as an intruder alarm system for a house or a home located in a region of interest, ROI, in the vicinity of the parking vehicle. Consequently, the monitoring system of the present invention cannot only be used for antitheft protection of the vehicle itself, but also for antitheft protection of other entities located in a region of interest close to the vehicle. The detection of an object is done by processing the camera images without needing an additional intrusion sensor.
In a possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the present invention, the vehicle camera system further generates an alarm signal if it is detected that an object, for instance a moving person, is entering the region of interest or its physical movements or motion shows a suspicious behaviour.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the generated video image and the generated alarm signal is sent by the vehicle camera system to a master device of a user via a wireless link.
In a possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the present invention, the master device is adapted to control vehicle cameras via the wireless link.
In a possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the master device is adapted to control a viewing angle and/or a zoom level of the vehicle cameras.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the master device is connected to a data network.
In a further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the present invention, the vehicle is parked in front of a building located in the region of interest which is monitored by at least one vehicle camera of said vehicle to detect a person entering the region of interest.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to present invention, a horn of said vehicle is activated in response to the generated alarm signal to provide an acoustic alarm.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, in response to the generated alarm signal, an alarm message is transmitted to said master device of the user and/or to a terminal of a police station and/or to a terminal of a security station located close to the region of interest.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the alarm message further comprises position data of the current position of the parked vehicle provided by a navigation system of the vehicle.
In a further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the police station and/or security station closest to the region of interest is selected on the basis of the position data of the parked vehicle and the alarm message is automatically sent at least to a network address of a terminal of the selected closest police station and/or security station.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the transmitted video image comprises real time video data provided by the vehicle camera.
In a still further possible embodiment of the monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the monitoring system is remotely activated or deactivated via the wireless link by the master device or by a control terminal device of the user or by a police or security station terminal.
The invention further provides according to a second aspect a vehicle comprising a monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
In a possible embodiment of the vehicle according to the second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle is a car of a private person.
In a still further possible embodiment, the vehicle is a police car or a car of a security service provider.
In a still further possible embodiment, the vehicle is a truck or a bus.
In the following, possible embodiments of the monitoring system of the vehicle according to different aspects of the present invention are described in more detail with reference to the enclosed figures.
The vehicle camera system 3 comprises at least one microprocessor or central processing unit evaluating the received camera images to detect automatically a moving object entering the region of interest ROI. The moving object can be for instance a person P approaching the door D of the building B as illustrated in
In a possible embodiment also the motion speed and/or movement pattern of an entering person P is evaluated to detect a suspicious behavior of the person such as moving faster than normal or moving slower than normal.
In a possible embodiment any object or person P entering the region of interest is regarded as a suspicious object. In another embodiment only objects which cannot be automatically recognized and/or which show a suspicious motion pattern are regarded as suspicious objects.
If a suspicious object has entered the region of interest ROI, the vehicle camera system 3 generates in a possible embodiment automatically an internal alarm signal to take further action. In a possible embodiment, a horn of the vehicle 2 is activated in response to the generated internal alarm signal to provide an external acoustic alarm to notify persons in the vicinity of the vehicle 2 such as neighbors or pedestrians. In a possible embodiment, the generated video image and the generated alarm signal is sent by the vehicle camera system 3 to a master device 5 via wireless link. The master device 5 is a mobile device such as a smartphone or a laptop which can be carried by a user. The user can be for instance a person owning or renting the building B within the region of interest ROI.
In a possible embodiment, the master device 5 is adapted to control the vehicle cameras 4 via the wireless link. The wireless link can be a link between a transceiver of the vehicle 2 and a base station of an access network which is connected to a backbone data network. In a possible embodiment, the master device 5 has a display for receiving the video images generated by the vehicle camera system 3. In a possible embodiment, the master device 5 is adapted to control for instance a viewing angle and/or a zoom level of one or several vehicles cameras 4 generating the camera images to get a better view on the suspicious moving object entering the region of interest ROI. The user looking at the display of the master device 5 can decide by viewing at the video images, whether the moving suspicious object forms any kind of danger to the monitored entity such as the building B shown in
In a possible embodiment, in response to the generated internal alarm signal, an alarm message is transmitted to the master device 5 of the user and the video image is then displayed on the display of the master device 5. In a still further possible embodiment, the alarm message generated by the vehicle camera system 3 is also sent to a terminal of a police station or a security station located close to the region of interest ROI. The alarm message can comprise position data of the current position of the vehicle 2 provided by a navigation system of the vehicle 2. For instance, if the vehicle 2 is parked in front of a building B, the position data coordinates provided by the navigation system are attached to the alarm message and transmitted to a terminal of the police station and/or to a terminal of the security station located closest to the region of interest ROI. It is possible that the police station or security station being closest to the region of interest ROI is selected by a selection unit within the vehicle 2 on the basis of the position data of the parked vehicle 2. The alarm message is then sent in a possible implementation to a network address of a terminal of the selected closest police station and/or closest security station. In an alternative embodiment, the alarm message generated by the vehicle camera system 3 is transmitted to one or several dedicated network addresses which can be configured by the user. The generated alarm message can be transmitted simultaneously with the generated video image in a video image stream to the selected or configured network address of a terminal. The transmitted video image can comprise real-time video data provided by at least one vehicle camera 4 of the vehicle 2. In a possible embodiment, the monitoring system 1 is remotely activated or deactivated via the wireless link by the master device 5 or by a control terminal device of the user or by a control terminal device of a security or police station terminal. In a possible embodiment, the security service provider may be notified by the monitoring system 1 in response to the alarm message to check the region of interest ROI and to deactivate later the monitoring system 1 if no problematic situation at the region of interest can be verified.
In a further possible embodiment, the master device 5 can activate actuators and/or sensor devices within the region of interest ROI if the received video image shows a suspicious object or person entering the region of interest ROI. For instance, the master device 5 may automatically activate floodlights within the region of interest ROI to improve the visibility and/or to scare off the entering person.
As can be seen in
G1. The rear camera 4-2 of the vehicle 2 monitors the door entrance D1. The property of the user is fenced by a fence F1. The left camera 4-4 of the vehicle 2 monitors the building B1 of the user. The right camera 4-3 of the vehicle 2 monitors the building B2 of a neighbor surrounded by a fence F2. The car of the neighbor 2B can be parked on the street as illustrated in
In a further possible embodiment, the monitoring system 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention is not used as an intruder alarm system, but as a CCTV system. For instance, the rear camera 4-2 of the vehicle 2A, as shown in
The cameras can be connected by Wi-Fi to a PC/tablet app which has a screen that allows the user to determine what is on that screen. The user can zoom in to an area, pan to another area, wherein this zoom/pan can be carried out by the software not actually moving the lenses/camera. The view seen on the screen is then the same as if the user had a normal camera pointing in that direction. Even if the camera is a 190 degree field of view mirror camera pointing towards the ground, the user does not need to see a fish-eye distorted image. The software can correct the fish-eye and perspective, i.e. make the image the same as if a normal camera were used and not a 190 degree fish-eye camera. As well as the user defining the views in this manner, the user can then set up his/her app to show several of these views (from different cameras or another region from the same camera). The user can determine how these views are displayed on the PC/tablet app's screen, e.g. the user can cycle through views with each view displayed for a few seconds, or make for instance a quad display with four views next to each other on the same screen.
In a possible embodiment, the captured video images can be recorded as evidence. In a possible embodiment, the camera images and the generated video image can be stored in a video data memory of the monitoring system 1.
Accordingly, with the monitoring system 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention, vehicle cameras 4-i can be used for an additional wide range of purposes, in particular as part of an intruder alarm system or as part of a CCTV system. The monitoring system 1 works without additional sensors for activating the video camera system 3. The received camera images are processed by the vehicle camera system 3 to detect suspicious objects entering the region of interest ROI. If a suspicious object is detected by evaluating the camera images, a video image is generated and supplied to the master device 5 of the user. By not relying on additional sensors, the complexity of the monitoring system 1 is reduced and the reliability of the monitoring system 1 is increased.
Another application of the monitoring system 1 is the supervision of a crowd of people comprising suspicious persons such as hooligans walking along a predetermined route or street, wherein several cars each equipped with the monitoring system 1 are parked along the observed street. Lateral cameras 4 of the parked vehicles 2 can provide camera images of sections of the route to supervise the complete region of interest formed by the observed street. In this embodiment the monitoring system 1 forms a crowd control system.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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14163910 | Apr 2014 | EP | regional |