Patent Application
20120307052
The present disclosure relates to a system and method to control surveillance cameras, and in an embodiment, but not by way of limitation, a system and method for thumbnail-based camera control.
Controlling video cameras is problematic for security/surveillance personnel. Current camera control interfaces require operators to change camera pan, tilt, or zoom by changing the value of each separately, often by literally changing the numeric value for the selected camera parameter. These values translate poorly, if at all, to what the operator actually sees on the system's video display unit. What security operators care most about are things moving on the ground (intruders), and the location of intruders on the ground.
An embodiment can be referred to as thumbnail-based camera control. This embodiment allows an operator to control the pan, tilt, and zoom parameters of a camera within the context of a video image thumbnail. The pan, tilt, and zoom controls are anchored within the thumbnail, thereby creating easy control and providing immediate visual feedback to the operator. In an embodiment, the zoom controls are anchored on the edge of the thumbnail. The image is also tied into a camera icon using a typical callout that identifies the camera related to the current video feed. That is, in the thumbnail-based embodiment, the current image and camera icon are tied together. Consequently, when the operator pans, tilts or zooms using the anchored controls, the icon changes appropriately, thereby providing reinforcing feedback to the user. The limits for the camera controls are also shown on the video feed and the anchor. For example, when the operator reaches the pan limit, the anchored control for pan changes a characteristic (such as color) and the icon on the image also changes a characteristic (such as a different shape and color). The thumbnail can also be moved and resized without losing context about the originating camera.
Referring to
At 930, an icon of the video sensing device and an icon of a representation of the field of view of the video sensing device are modified as a function of user input via the pan icon, the zoom icon, and the tilt icon. At 935, input via one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon causes an actual image of the video sensing device in the thumbnail, an icon of the video sensing device, and an icon of a footprint of the video sensing device to change synchronously. At 940, the pan icon comprises a circle or oval, thereby allowing a 360 degree pan of the video sensing device. At 945, a characteristic of the pan icon is changed when a pan limit of the video sensing device is reached, a characteristic of the tilt icon is changed when a tilt limit of the video sensing device is reached, and a characteristic of the zoom icon is changed when a zoom limit of the video sensing device is reached. At 950, one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon are configured such that a user can alter an increment of a change in the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device that is implemented by input via the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon.
At 955, input is received from a user, and a location of interest is displayed in the thumbnail as a function of the user input. At 960, an icon is displayed in the thumbnail indicating the location of interest, input is received from a user via the location of interest icon, and the pan, tilt, and zoom of the video sensing device is altered as a function of the input received via the location of interest icon so that the location of interest is displayed in the thumbnail. At 965, input is received from a user to disable a display of the location of interest in the thumbnail. At 970, a plurality of locations of interest is automatically scanned in the thumbnail. At 975, the plurality of locations of interest is automatically scanned on a periodic basis. At 980, input is received from a user to add a new location of interest in the thumbnail while the plurality of locations of interest in the thumbnail is being scanned by the video sensing device.
At 985, the pan icon comprises a pan bar, the zoom icon comprises a zoom bar, and the tilt icon comprises a tilt bar. At 990, one or more of the pan bar, the tilt bar, and the zoom bar are configured such that a user can alter an increment of a change in the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device that is implemented by movement along the pan bar, the tilt bar, and the zoom bar.
At 995, an identifier of the video sensing device and the pan, tilt and zoom parameters of the video sensing device are displayed in the thumbnail. At 997, one or more of the pan icon, tilt icon, and zoom icon comprise a control for an extreme pan, an extreme tilt, and an extreme zoom.
Example No. 1 is a system including a video sensing device, a computer processor coupled to the video sensing device, and a display unit coupled to the computer processor. The system is configured to display a field of view of the video sensing device as a thumbnail on a main display of an area, receive input from a user, wherein the input received from the user is received via one or more of a pan icon, a zoom icon, and a tilt icon, automatically calculate a change in one or more of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the input, alter one or more of the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the calculations, and display a new field of view of the video sensing device in the thumbnail as a function of the alteration of the pan, tilt, and zoom of the video sensing device.
Example No. 2 includes the features of Example No. 1 and optionally includes a system configured to modify an icon of the video sensing device and to modify an icon of a representation of the field of view of the video sensing device as a function of the user input via the pan icon, the zoom icon, and the tilt icon.
Example No. 3 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-2 and optionally includes a system wherein input via one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon causes an actual image of the video sensing device in the thumbnail, an icon of the video sensing device, and an icon of a footprint of the video sensing device to change synchronously.
Example No. 4 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-3, and optionally includes a system wherein the pan icon comprises a circle or oval, thereby allowing a 360 degree pan of the video sensing device.
Example No. 5 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-4 and optionally includes a system configured to change a characteristic of the pan icon when a pan limit of the video sensing device is reached, change a characteristic of the tilt icon when a tilt limit of the video sensing device is reached, and change a characteristic of the zoom icon when a zoom limit of the video sensing device is reached.
Example No. 6 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-5 and optionally includes a system wherein one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon are configured such that a user can alter an increment of a change in the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device that is implemented by input via the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon.
Example No. 7 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-6 and optionally includes a system configured to receive input from a user, and display a location of interest in the thumbnail as a function of the user input.
Example No. 8 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-7 and optionally includes a system configured to display an icon in the thumbnail indicating the location of interest, to receive input from the user via the location of interest icon, and to alter the pan, tilt, and zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the input received via the location of interest icon so that the location of interest is displayed in the thumbnail.
Example No. 9 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-8 and optionally includes a system configured to receive input from the user to disable a display of the location of interest in the thumbnail.
Example No. 10 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-9 and optionally includes a system configured to automatically scan among a plurality of locations of interest in the thumbnail.
Example No. 11 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-10 and optionally includes a system configured to automatically scan the plurality of locations of interest on a periodic basis.
Example No. 12 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-11 and optionally includes a system configured to receive input from a user to add a new location of interest in the thumbnail while the plurality of locations of interest in the thumbnail is being scanned by the video sensing device.
Example No. 13 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-12 and optionally includes a system wherein the pan icon comprises a pan bar, the zoom icon comprises a zoom bar, and the tilt icon comprises a tilt bar.
Example No. 14 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-13 and optionally includes a system wherein one or more of the pan bar, the tilt bar, and the zoom bar are configured such that a user can alter an increment of a change in the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device that is implemented by movement along the pan bar, the tilt bar, and the zoom bar.
Example No. 15 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-14 and optionally includes a system configured to display in the thumbnail an identifier of the video sensing device and the pan, tilt and zoom parameters of the video sensing device.
Example No. 16 includes the features of Example Nos. 1-15 and optionally includes a system wherein one or more of the pan icon, tilt icon, and zoom icon comprise a control for an extreme pan, an extreme tilt, and an extreme zoom.
Example No. 17 is a computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by a processor execute a process comprising displaying a field of view of a video sensing device as a thumbnail on a main display of an area, receiving input from a user, wherein the input received from the user is received via one or more of a pan icon, a zoom icon, and a tilt icon, automatically calculating a change in one or more of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the input, altering one or more of the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the calculations, and displaying a new field of view of the video sensing device in the thumbnail as a function of the alteration of the pan, tilt, and zoom of the video sensing device.
Example No. 18 includes the features of Example No. 17, and optionally includes instructions such that input via one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon causes an actual image of the video sensing device in the thumbnail, an icon of the video sensing device, and an icon of a footprint of the video sensing device to change synchronously.
Example No. 19 is a process including displaying a field of view of a video sensing device as a thumbnail on a main display of an area, receiving input from a user, wherein the input received from the user is received via one or more of a pan icon, a zoom icon, and a tilt icon, automatically calculating a change in one or more of a pan, a tilt, and a zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the input, altering one or more of the pan, the tilt, and the zoom of the video sensing device as a function of the calculations, and displaying a new field of view of the video sensing device in the thumbnail as a function of the alteration of the pan, tilt, and zoom of the video sensing device.
Example No. 20 includes the features of Example No. 19 and optionally includes a process wherein input via one or more of the pan icon, the tilt icon, and the zoom icon causes an actual image of the video sensing device in the thumbnail, an icon of the video sensing device, and an icon of a footprint of the video sensing device to change synchronously.
Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCS, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computer environments where tasks are performed by I/O remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
The system bus 23 can be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory can also be referred to as simply the memory, and, in some embodiments, includes read-only memory (ROM) 24 and random-access memory (RAM) 25. A basic input/output system (BIOS) program 26, containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 20, such as during start-up, may be stored in ROM 24. The computer 20 further includes a hard disk drive 27 for reading from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive 28 for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk 29, and an optical disk drive 30 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk 31 such as a CD ROM or other optical media.
The hard disk drive 27, magnetic disk drive 28, and optical disk drive 30 couple with a hard disk drive interface 32, a magnetic disk drive interface 33, and an optical disk drive interface 34, respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide non volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer 20. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any type of computer-readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), redundant arrays of independent disks (e.g., RAID storage devices) and the like, can be used in the exemplary operating environment.
A plurality of program modules can be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk 29, optical disk 31, ROM 24, or RAM 25, including an operating system 35, one or more application programs 36, other program modules 37, and program data 38. A plug in containing a security transmission engine for the present invention can be resident on any one or number of these computer-readable media.
A user may enter commands and information into computer 20 through input devices such as a keyboard 40 and pointing device 42. Other input devices (not shown) can include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 21 through a serial port interface 46 that is coupled to the system bus 23, but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 47 or other type of display device can also be connected to the system bus 23 via an interface, such as a video adapter 48. The monitor 40 can display a graphical user interface for the user. In addition to the monitor 40, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers.
The computer 20 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers or servers, such as remote computer 49. These logical connections are achieved by a communication device coupled to or a part of the computer 20; the invention is not limited to a particular type of communications device. The remote computer 49 can be another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above I/0 relative to the computer 20, although only a memory storage device 50 has been illustrated. The logical connections depicted in
When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer 20 is connected to the LAN 51 through a network interface or adapter 53, which is one type of communications device. In some embodiments, when used in a WAN-networking environment, the computer 20 typically includes a modem 54 (another type of communications device) or any other type of communications device, e.g., a wireless transceiver, for establishing communications over the wide-area network 52, such as the internet. The modem 54, which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus 23 via the serial port interface 46. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 20 can be stored in the remote memory storage device 50 of remote computer, or server 49. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of, and communications devices for, establishing a communications link between the computers may be used including hybrid fiber-coax connections, T1-T3 lines, DSL's, OC-3 and/or OC-12, TCP/IP, microwave, wireless application protocol, and any other electronic media through any suitable switches, routers, outlets and power lines, as the same are known and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
Video sensing device 60 is coupled to the processing unit 21 via system bus 23, and is coupled to the monitor 47 via the system bus 23 and the video adapter 48.
It should be understood that there exist implementations of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects, as may be readily apparent, for example, to those of ordinary skill in the art, and that the invention is not limited by specific embodiments described herein. Features and embodiments described above may be combined with each other in different combinations. It is therefore contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present invention.
The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. ยง1.72(b) and will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate example embodiment.
