Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a surveillance system with intelligently interchangeable cameras. The system includes multiple bases, each with a respective base identifier, and multiple cameras configured to learn the respective base identifiers while in proximity with a respective base. The cameras in the system are configured to employ a camera configuration corresponding with the respective learned base identifier. Each camera in the system employs the appropriate camera configuration for its placement in the system because each camera employs the camera configuration associated with the base identifier learned by the camera. This allows the cameras to be easily replaced, swapped, and moved throughout the surveillance system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transformations between image and map coordinates, such as those associated with a video surveillance system, are described herein. An example of a method described herein includes selecting a reference point within the image with known image coordinates and map coordinates, computing at least one transformation parameter with respect to a location and a height of the camera and the reference point, detecting a target location to be tracked within the image, determining image coordinates of the target location, and computing map coordinates of the target location based on the image coordinates of the target location and the at least one transformation parameter.

Abstract: Surveillance cameras can be used in many buildings accessible to the public to deter criminal activity and promote public safety. Apparatus and corresponding methods, of the disclosed embodiments of the invention promote installation and use of such surveillance devices through an improved camera mounting module and power supply unit using a solar module having solar cells. An example embodiment of the surveillance devices includes an imaging device, power supply unit employing a solar module having solar cells, and a mounting module coupled to the imaging device, the solar cells being configured with the mounting module to collect light and provide available power to the power supply unit. The disclosed surveillance device, and corresponding process of performing surveillance, minimizes installation and maintenance costs and times associated with surveillance systems.

Abstract: A method of video coding includes receiving a video image having a plurality of pixels, selecting a plurality of Gaussian models for each pixel, classifying each pixel as a background or foreground pixel, determining if an object is always moving locally by detecting if an object is always moving within a predetermined distance and changing the direction of moving frequently for a second predetermined period of time, removing an object from classification as an object and ignoring motion of the object if the object is always moving locally, marking the area that the object moves within as a noisy area on a noise mask buffer, updating background models based on motion detection and noise filtering, updating current and evolving background images, and coding the current background image, background update blocks and objects for transmission.

Abstract: People detection can provide valuable metrics that can be used by businesses, such as retail stores. Such information can be used to influence any number of business decisions such a employment hiring and product orders. The business value of this data hinges upon its accuracy. Thus, a method according to the principles of the current invention outputs metrics regarding people in a video frame within a stream of video frames through use of an object classifier configured to detect people. The method further comprises automatically updating the object classifier using data in at least a subset of the video frames in the stream of video frames.

Abstract: Switch boxes and other such utility boxes must some time be monitored by video. And most of the time, they are behind a door for security and safety reasons In order to image them, the imaging system must then be located very close to them, that is, inside the enclosure. Disclosed herein are systems and corresponding methods for imaging and monitoring utility panel elements arranged on a utility surface. Example embodiments include an optical focusing element to focus rays from utility panel elements and image the elements onto an imaging plane that is non-parallel with a utility surface, and an imaging surface configured to acquire a representation of the image. Example systems and corresponding methods provide for thermal imaging of utility panel elements at close proximity to the elements and within an enclosure. An advantage of these systems and methods is that utility panel elements such as fuses and switches may be imaged even when located within an enclosure and remotely monitored.

Abstract: Techniques are described for tracking moving objects using a plurality of security cameras. Multiple cameras may capture frames that contain images of a moving object. These images may be processed by the cameras to create metadata associated with the images of the objects. Frames of each camera's video feed and metadata may be transmitted to a host computer system. The host computer system may use the metadata received from each camera to determine whether the moving objects imaged by the cameras represent the same moving object. Based upon properties of the images of the objects described in the metadata received from each camera, the host computer system may select a preferable video feed containing images of the moving object for display to a user.

Abstract: An image display method includes: receiving, from a single camera, first and second image information for first and second captured images captured from different perspectives, the first image information having a first data density; selecting a portion of the first captured image for display with a higher level of detail than other portions of the first captured image, the selected portion corresponding to a first area of the first captured image; displaying the selected portion in a first displayed image, using a second data density relative to the selected portion of the first captured image; and displaying another portion of the first captured image, in a second displayed image, using a third data density; where the another portion of the first captured image is other than the selected portion of the first captured image; and where the third data density is lower than the second data density.

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing video content includes one or more video input modules each adapted to receive a video signal from a video source, and a video combiner for receiving the video signals from the one or more video inputs and generating a video packet data stream. The apparatus also includes at least one video output module adapted to transmit the video packet data stream, and a processor coupled to the video combiner and the at least one video output. The processor cooperates with one or both of the video combiner and the at least one video output to transcode at least a portion of the video packet data stream.

Abstract: A cloud-based network service provides intelligent access to surveillance camera views across multiple locations and environments. A cloud computing server maintains a database of time periods of interest captured by the cameras connected to the network. The server also maintains defined motion data associated with recorded video content. Video segments are generated from the recorded video content according to both the motion data and the time periods of interest. The server causes the video segments to be transmitted to a user interface, where a user can remotely monitor an environment through the video segments.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a master camera that may record master metadata regarding an object of interest and communicate the master metadata to a slave camera. The slave camera may zoom, pan, or tilt to isolate and record more detailed image data regarding the object of interest based on the master metadata. In addition, the slave camera may record slave metadata regarding the object of interest. The master and slave metadata may be stored associated with the recorded image data enabling a later search for the object of interest to be expedited. The recorded image data including the object of interest may be identified with greater ease as it may be guided by the master or slave metadata, or a combination thereof. According to embodiments presented herein, processing time for searching and identifying an object of interest may be reduced by enabling a search on the metadata associated with image data, rather than by searching the image data itself.

Abstract: An image capture system includes: an image capture unit configured to capture a first image frame comprising a set of pixels; and a processor coupled to the image capture unit and configured to: determine a normalized distance of a pixel characteristic between the first image frame and a second image frame for each pixel in the first image frame; compare the normalized distance for each pixel in the first image frame against a pixel sensitivity value for that pixel; determine that a particular pixel of the first image frame is a foreground or background pixel based on the normalized distance of the particular pixel relative to the pixel sensitivity value for the particular pixel; and adapt the pixel sensitivity value for each pixel over a range of allowable pixel sensitivity values.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for determining a zooming factor for a camera in a pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) camera tracking system to enable a camera to keep an object at a constant size within the camera's viewing area, despite changes in the object's distance from the camera. This provides a complement to a camera's pan and tilt tracking of the moving object. For example, a PTZ camera tracking system that determines an object to track, utilizes information regarding images of the object of interest are used to determine a zooming factor (or other zooming value) for a camera in the PTZ camera tracking system. This information includes variables such as tilt angles of one or more cameras and a reference zooming factor.

Abstract: An example method for processing visual communications at a video camera according to the disclosure includes analyzing video content captured by the video camera to identify a visual command presented to the camera by a user in the field of view of the camera, executing the visual command identified from the video content captured by the video camera, wherein executing the visual command includes setting one or more operating parameters of the video camera, determining a command completion indication corresponding to whether the command was successfully executed, and providing a command completion indication, corresponding to the command completion indication, to the user.

Abstract: A method of dynamically controlling the use of a video analysis program in a video surveillance system having a plurality of video sources connected to a network comprising: providing a video analysis program to the video surveillance system, allowing the video analysis program to be used with a predetermined number of video sources, and allowing the use of the video analysis program to be transferred from one of the plurality of video sources to another of the plurality of video sources provided that the total number of video sources using the video analysis program at one time is less than the predetermined number of video sources.

Abstract: Surveillance systems may be found in both private and public spaces. In private spaces, they can be designed to help provide and monitor secure premises. Similarly, public spaces may also use surveillance systems to determine an allocation of public resources. A camera surveillance system according to an embodiment of the invention uses advanced image processing techniques to determine whether an object moving across a scene is a person. The camera surveillance system achieves an accurate and efficient classification by selectively processing a set of features associated with the object, such as features that define an omega shape. By selectively processing the set of features associated with the object, the methods and systems described herein reduce the computational complexity of standard image processing/object detection techniques.

Abstract: Network cameras employing advanced video analytics are increasingly being used in both public and private settings. Unlike fixed surveillance cameras, pan/tilt/zoom cameras provide a dynamic field-of-view. Some regions within a given field-of-view can be designated as private and may not be recorded. A window-blanking feature, according to an embodiment of the invention, enables an ability to block out defined portions of the video where a privacy zone may otherwise appear. Through use of the embodiment, consistent privacy is provided during dynamic surveillance to ensure compliance with privacy regulations or contractual arrangements relating to use of a surveillance camera having a privacy zone within the given field-of-view.

Abstract: A method of improving video performance in video surveillance system having a wireless encoder connected to a video surveillance network by a wireless access point device comprises the steps of allocating channel bandwidth to the wireless encoder from the wireless access point device, transmitting packets of video data from the wireless encoder to the wireless access point device, transmitting signals from the wireless access point device to the wireless encoder, monitoring the strength of the signals received by the wireless access point device, the strength of the signals received by the wireless encoder, and the number of lost packets of video data transmitted from the wireless encoder to the wireless access point device, sending a request from the wireless encoder to the wireless access point device to change the bit transmission rate of the wireless encoder if the strength of the signals received by the wireless access point device is less than a first threshold, if the strength of the signals received b

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, computer readable media and other implementations, including a method to calibrate a camera that includes capturing by the camera a frame of a scene, identifying features appearing in the captured frame, the features associated with pre-determined values representative of physical attributes of one or more objects, and determining parameters of the camera based on the identified features appearing in the captured frame and the pre-determined values associated with the identified features.