Patent Grant
10388132
Law enforcement and other public safety personnel patrol various locations in an attempt to detect and prevent crime. Patrolling personnel use portable electronic devices to aid them in the performance of their duties. Such devices are able to determine and report geolocation data for patrolling personnel to dispatch and other systems. Patrols are most effective when patrolling personnel are able to fully observe the locations being patrolled. Also, in some embodiments, the presence of a patrol may deter crime in an area until the patrol leaves the area. Thus, a patrol may leave an area after observing no criminal activity only to later learn that criminal activity occurred shortly after their departure.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
As noted above, law enforcement and other public safety personnel patrol locations to prevent or detect crime. Criminals and other wrongdoers prefer not to attract the attention of law enforcement and, therefore, often use lookouts and conceal themselves when such patrols approach their vicinity. When concealed suspects are not detected by the patrols, the patrols are ineffective. To increase the effectiveness of the patrols at both deterring and detecting crime, embodiments described herein provide for, among other things, systems and methods for surveillance-assisted patrol.
Using such embodiments, stationary surveillance cameras are used to capture a reference image of a location when a patrol approaches a location and suspects or other wrongdoers are likely to be concealed from patrols. Suspects who have not concealed themselves (or who have begun to re-emerge) are detected by comparing the reference image with images captured before or after the patrol approaches the location. Accordingly, by comparing surveillance data between when a patrol is present in an area and when the patrol has left the area, suspects may be detected that otherwise would have gone undetected.
One example embodiment provides surveillance-assisted patrol system. The system includes an image capture device having a field-of-view associated with a location, a patrol object, and a server communicatively coupled to the image capture device and the patrol object. The server includes a transceiver and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive geolocation data for the patrol object. The electronic processor is configured to determine, based on the geolocation data, whether the patrol object is within a predetermined distance from the location. The electronic processor is configured to, in response to determining that the patrol object is within a predetermined distance from the location, capture a reference image of the location via the image capture device. The electronic processor is configured to access a second image corresponding to the location. The second image is captured via the image capture device at a different time than the reference image. The electronic processor is configured to compare the reference image to the second image to determine a difference between the reference image and the second image. The electronic processor is configured to, in response to determining the difference, transmit, via the transceiver, a patrol alert to an electronic device.
Another example embodiment provides a method for surveillance-assisted patrol. The method includes receiving, with an electronic processor, geolocation data for a patrol object. The method includes determining, with the electronic processor, based on the geolocation data, whether the patrol object is within a predetermined distance from a location. The method includes, in response to determining that the patrol object is within a predetermined distance from the location, capturing a reference image of the location via an image capture device. The method includes accessing a second image corresponding to the location, the second image captured at a different time than the reference image. The method includes comparing the reference image to the second image to determine a difference between the reference image and the second image. The method includes, in response to determining the difference, transmitting, via a transceiver, a patrol alert to an electronic device.
For ease of description, some or all of the example systems presented herein are illustrated with a single exemplar of each of its component parts. Some examples may not describe or illustrate all components of the systems. Other example embodiments may include more or fewer of each of the illustrated components, may combine some components, or may include additional or alternative components.
The camera 102 is an electronic image capture device for capturing images and video streams. The camera 102 has a field-of-view 112, which defines the area depicted in images captured by the camera 102. The camera 102 is positioned such that the field-of-view 112 includes a portion of or the entire location 114. The camera 102 captures images by, for example, sensing light in at least the visible spectrum. In some embodiments, the camera 102 captures other types of images (for example, infrared images, thermal images, and the like). The camera 102 may be a surveillance camera, a traffic camera, or another suitable image capture device. The camera 102 communicates the captured images and video streams (image files) to the server 106 via, for example, the communications network 110. In some embodiments, the captured images have timestamps. In some embodiments, a timestamp may be embedded in the image file by the camera 102, such as metadata. In other embodiments, a timestamp may be communicated as a separate file from the image file or may be assigned by the server 106 upon receipt of an image file. The terms “image” and “images,” as used herein, may refer to one or more digital images (for example, visible spectrum images, thermal images, infrared images, and the like) captured by the camera 102. Also, in some embodiments, the camera 102 may be a stereoscopic camera. In such embodiments, the camera 102 can capture three-dimensional information about the location 114. In some embodiments, three-dimensional information may be captured using radar sensors or infrared ranging sensors (not shown).
As described in more detail below, the server 106 is configured to automatically detect and identify objects in captured images of the location 114. For example, as illustrated in
The patrol object 104 is an electronic device used by a public safety agency to patrol geographic areas, including the location 114. The patrol object 104 is capable of automatically reporting geolocation data for the patrol object 104 to the server 106. In some embodiments, the geolocation data is produced by the patrol object 104. In such embodiments, the patrol object includes global navigation satellite system. The global navigation satellite system receives radiofrequency signals from orbiting satellites using one or more antennas and receivers to determine geo-spatial positioning (for example, latitude, longitude, altitude, and speed) for the patrol object based on the received radiofrequency signals. Global navigation satellite systems are known, and will not be described in greater detail. In some embodiments, the global navigation satellite system may operate using the GPS (global positioning system). Alternative embodiments may use a regional satellite navigation system, and/or a land-based navigation system in conjunction with, or in place of, the global navigation satellite system. In some embodiments, the geolocation data may be received by the patrol object 104 from another device (for example, a global navigation satellite system of a vehicle).
The patrol object 104 may be a portable two-way radio, a smart telephone, a portable computing device, a vehicle-mounted communications or computing device, a vehicle control system of a police vehicle, or the like. Also, in some embodiments, the patrol object 104 may be an autonomous device, such as an aerial drone, an autonomous vehicle, or the like.
The server 106, described more particularly below with respect to
The electronic processor 202 is a microprocessor or other suitable electronic device configured to obtain and provide information (for example, from the memory 204 and/or the communication interface 206), and process the information by executing one or more software instructions or modules stored in non-transitory medium. For example, the electronic processor 202 may be configured to retrieve and execute instructions from the memory 204, which may include random access memory (“RAM”), read only memory (“ROM”), other types of non-transitory computer readable medium, or a combination thereof. The software can include firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The electronic processor 202 is configured to retrieve from the memory 204 and execute, among other things, software related to the control processes and methods described herein.
As noted above, the memory 204 can include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. In some embodiments, the memory 204 includes a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area can include combinations of different types of memory. In the embodiment illustrated, the memory 204 stores, among other things, a video analytics engine 208. The video analytics engine 208 analyzes images (for example, images captured by the camera 102) to, among other things, identify and detect objects within the images, such as by implementing one or more object classifiers. In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 is configured to operate the video analytics engine 208 to detect the location of one or more patrol objects (for example, beat patrol officers or law enforcement vehicles) by analyzing captured images received from the camera 102 and other sources. For example, the electronic processor 202 may detect a vehicle in an image and identify it from the markings as a particular patrol object.
The communication interface 206 may include a wireless transmitter or transceiver for wirelessly communicating over the communications network 110. Alternatively or in addition to a wireless transmitter or transceiver, the communication interface 206 may include a port for receiving a cable, such as an Ethernet cable, for communicating over the communications network 110 or a dedicated wired connection. In some embodiments, the server 106 communicates with the camera 102, the patrol object 104, or both through one or more intermediary devices, such as routers, gateways, relays, and the like. As noted above, the server 106 receives captured images from the camera 102, and, as described in detail below, the electronic processor 202 included in the server 106 is configured to analyze and compare the captured images.
As noted above, suspects and other wrongdoers may attempt to conceal themselves when public safety patrols (for example, a foot patrol officer or a squad car) travel through or stop in an area (for example, the location 114). The patrols, therefore, may not detect any suspicious activity while in the area. However, the wrongdoers or suspects reemerge when the patrol has left the area. Thus, crimes may be committed in an area or criminal suspects may not be apprehended in an area despite the presence of law enforcement in the same area. As a consequence, there is a need for methods for surveillance-assisted patrols, which can direct patrols to an area based on the presence of wrongdoers, suspects, or other problematic situations.
Accordingly,
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 determines whether the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance from the location 114 based on the geolocation data (received at block 302) for the patrol object 104. For example, the electronic processor 202 may determine whether the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance by comparing latitude and longitude for the patrol object 104 (included in the received geolocation data) with the latitudinal and longitudinal boundaries for portion of the location 114 that is within the field-of-view 112. Alternatively or in addition, the electronic processor 202 may determine whether the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance from the location 114 by detecting the patrol object 104 in an image captured by the camera 102. As noted above, the geolocation data may include direction and velocity information for the patrol object 104 (for example, the patrol object 104 is moving toward the location 114 at a speed of 25 miles per hour). In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 determines from the direction and velocity data whether and when the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance.
In some embodiments, when the patrol object 104 is not within the predetermined distance from the location 114 (at block 306), the electronic processor 202 continues to receive and process geolocation data (at block 302) as described above. However, in response to determining that the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance from the location 114 (at block 306), the electronic processor 202 captures a reference image of the location 114 via the camera 102 (at block 308).
Returning to
In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 generates a plurality of images by periodically capturing an image of the location 114 from the camera 102, or by periodically extracting an image from a video stream received from the camera 102. In some embodiments, captured images (including reference images) include timestamps. As noted above, the images may be timestamped by camera 102 when they are captured, by the server 106 when the images are received or extracted, or by another suitable means. In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 selects the second image 600 from the plurality of images based on the timestamps. For example, the electronic processor 202 may select an image captured at a time before or after the reference image 500 was captured (at block 308).
To detect whether concealed suspects were present during a patrol, the electronic processor 202 compares the reference image 500 to the second image 600 to determine a difference between the images (at block 312). In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 determines a difference using the video analytics engine 208. In one example, the electronic processor 202 may use the video analytics engine 208 to detect a first plurality of objects (the pedestrian 116 and the automobile 118, but not the concealed suspect 120) in the reference image 500. Similarly, the electronic processor 202 may use the video analytics engine 208 to detect a second plurality of objects (the pedestrian 116, the automobile 118, and the unconcealed suspect 120) in the second image 600. The electronic processor 202 may then compare the first plurality of objects to the second plurality of objects to determine the difference (in this example, the suspect 120). In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 compares the reference image 500 to more than one second image 600 to determine a difference.
In some embodiments, when the electronic processor 202 does not determine a difference between the images (at block 314), the electronic processor 202 continues to receive and process geolocation data for the patrol object 104 (at block 302).
When the electronic processor 202 determines a difference between the images (at block 314), the electronic processor 202 transmits, via a transceiver (for example, the communication interface 206), a patrol alert to an electronic device. In one example, the electronic processor 202 transmits the patrol alert to the patrol object 104 (via the communications network 110) that recently passed through the location 114. The patrol alert may instruct the patrol object 104 to return to the location 114. The patrol alert may be presented by the patrol object 104 to a user of the patrol object 104 as a haptic alert, an audio alert, a visual indication (for example, activating an LED), a text-based message, a graphical indication (for example, on a graphical user interface), or some combination of the foregoing. In another example, the electronic processor 202 transmits the patrol alert to a computer aided dispatch console, wherein the patrol alert instructs a dispatcher to send a patrol object to the location 114. In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 transmits a patrol alert to a plurality of patrol objects that may be able to respond to the location 114. For example, the electronic processor 202 may transmit the patrol alert to all patrol objects located within a particular distance or within a particular response time from the location 114.
In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 compares differences detected between the images 500 and 600 to a threshold to determine whether a patrol alert should be sent. For example, to account for minor differences between the reference image 500 and the second image 600, the electronic processor 202 may be configured to ignore differences that do not satisfy a particular threshold. As one example, the electronic processor 202 may be configured to generate and transmit a patrol alert only when one or more people are detected in the second image 600 but not in the reference image 500, when a vehicle is detected in the second image 600 but not in the reference image 500, or the like.
In some embodiments, the electronic processor 202 uses patrol alert timer to determine for how long to monitor a location after a patrol object has passed through the location. In one example, in response to determining that the patrol object 104 is within the predetermined distance from the location 114, the electronic processor 202 may establish a patrol alert timer (for example, five minutes). While the patrol alert timer has not expired, the electronic processor 202 may repeatedly access second images 600 and compare the second images 600 with the reference image 500 (at blocks 310-316). In some embodiments, the patrol alert timer is established after the patrol object 104 has left the location 114 (that is, when the patrol object 104 is no longer within the predetermined distance from the location 114).
Accordingly, by tracking the position of a patrol object, the systems and methods described herein are configured to focus surveillance on locations where patrol objects have recently passed through to detect suspicious behavior to may occur shortly after a patrol object has left an area. Thus, surveillance resources can be efficiently and effectively used to detect and stop criminal activity.
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.
The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” “including,” “contains,” “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a,” “has . . . a,” “includes . . . a,” or “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially,” “essentially,” “approximately,” “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used.
Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature 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 addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require 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 Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
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