Abstract: A method of transforming an input image from a hemispherical source to an output image in rectilinear coordinates is disclosed. The method includes receiving data representative of an input image originating from a hemispherical camera and having a size defined by an input image height and an input image width. Once the data is received, an output image width and output image height representative of a size of a rectilinear output image is calculated based on the size of the input image. A rectilinear output image is then generated by mapping input image pixels to locations within the width and height of the output image, without reference to the optical characteristics of the hemispherical camera.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method of detecting polarized identification indicia in real-time. A frame of image data is provided having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes polarized light intensity information. An intensity value is determined for each of the pixels from the polarized light intensity information. A first portion of the pixels having intensity values within an intensity range is selected. The pixels in the first portion having similar angle of linear polarization values within a tolerance range are analyzed, thereby detecting the polarized identification indicia in the image data.

Abstract: A method for generating a composite image includes receiving a separate image into a computer system, comparing the separate image to the composite image so as to generate a mismatch value, and modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing image frames in a video data stream. A weighted average or centroid of the intensity or hue associated with pixels vs. the horizontal and vertical position of each pixel is calculated for a reference frame in the video data stream. A corresponding centroid is calculated for a subsequent frame in the stream. This image frame is then translated so that the centroid of the subsequent frame and the centroid of the reference frame coincide, reducing artifacts from shaking of the video capture device. Alternatively, the video stream frames may be divided into tiles and centroids calculated for each tile. The centroids of the tiles of a subsequent frame are curve fit to the centroids of tiles in a reference frame. An affine transform is then performed on the subsequent frame to reduce artifacts in the image from movements of the video capture device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for preparing a composite image from a video data stream and for identifying changed features in two composite images. Frames from the video data stream are transformed to a projected 2D image, aligned with adjacent frames and overlapping areas are averaged to provide a higher apparent resolution. The composite image can be stored in real-time. As a second composite image is prepared of the same location at a later time, portions of the second image can be compared to corresponding portions of the stored image after the intensities of the images are equalized. Image areas whose absolute difference exceeds a threshold are again intensity equalized. Areas that are again above threshold can be flagged for further scrutiny, either by a human or by a machine that performs object recognition. In this way, composite video images of a scene can be prepared and compared in real-time.

Abstract: In a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for structuring digital video images in a computer system. The digital video images are capable of being displayed on a display device and contain addressable digital data that is addressable with respect to a reference point on the display device. The method may be embodied in computer code on a computer readable medium which is executed by a processor within the computer system. The computer code removes motion from a digital video image stream. By removing motion from the digital image stream, additional information and details can be observed which are spread out over multiple images when the images are displayed in sequence. The method begins by obtaining a first digital video image and a second digital video image. A subsection is defined within the first digital image at an addressable location relative to the reference point.

Abstract: A control system for use with one or more video surveillance cameras forming a video surveillance system. The control system includes a video database module wherein a database entry includes at least one sensor condition defining an alarm state for each camera. Additionally, there is an alarm condition module that receives one or more sensor signals from one or more sensors associated with a camera and retrieves the sensor condition defining an alarm state for the camera. The alarm condition module outputs an alarm signal if the alarm condition module determines that the one or more sensor signals meets the one or more sensor conditions. The control system is modular and may be distributed in a network environment. The control system also monitors the network bandwidth and can adjust the throughput of digital data representing the digital images in order to avoid any bandwidth limitations.

Abstract: A multiplexed motion picture stream (e.g., video) is demultiplexed. The motion picture stream contains one or more images from each of a plurality of camera sources. The process of demultiplexing the stream is automated and does not require user intervention. The stream is demultiplexed by identifying images within the image stream and comparing the images to representative images from camera sources. During comparison a mismatch value is determined and is compared to a mismatch threshold. If the mismatch value is below the mismatch threshold, the image is assigned to a channel associated with the camera. In some embodiments after demultiplexing, stored motion picture images of different channels can be viewed simultaneously at the same image by advancing to a given image of only one stored channel.