Abstract: An accessible pedestrian pushbutton station. The station includes an articulating rear mounting structure to facilitate accurate positioning of the station on either a curved or flat surface. Additionally, slots in the rear mounting structure allow for minor positional adjustments during installation. The crossing direction arrow is easily repositioned on the front of the station without disassembling the housing. After removing the screw-mounted arrow, the plunger can be turned clockwise or counter-clockwise using only a flat-head screw driver. The plunger is balanced between oppositely biased springs. The spring-balanced plunger indirectly actuates an offset piezo bender using a flexible spring actuator and a second, offset stem bumper. This protects the piezo bender from direct pressure and potential damage. The station includes an internal speaker and the housing includes bilateral sound vents to project the sound emitted by the speaker. Baffles may be inserted in one or both of the sound vents.

Abstract: A video surveillance system includes: an input configured to receive indications of images each comprising a plurality of pixels; a memory; and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the input and the memory and configured to: analyze the indications of the images; compare the present image with a short-term background image stored in the memory; compare the present image with a long-term background image stored in the memory; provide an indication in response to an object in the present image being disposed in a first location in the present image, in a second location in, or absent from, the short-term background image, and in a third location in, or absent from, the long-term background image, where the first location is different from both the second location and the third location.

Abstract: A pedestrian pushbutton for activating a traffic device. A plunger mounted in a housing impinges on a piezo element when pressed. O-rings between the bolts that secure the plunger to the housing and the housing bias the plunger inwardly. A foam disk under the piezo element, or a resilient stem bumper on the back of the plunger, or both, bias the plunger outwardly with a force about equal to the inwardly biasing force of the O-rings on the bolts. Thus, the opposing resilient members maintain the plunger at neutral buoyancy when at rest. An O-ring disposed between the edge of the plunger and the opening in the housing centers the plunger. The pushbutton may include light and sound assemblies to confirm to the pedestrian visually and audibly that the pushbutton has been engaged. The sound chamber may be tuned based on the Helmholtz formula to achieve an optimum frequency.

Abstract: A mounting bracket assembly for supporting a traffic control device on a mast arm or pole. The bracket includes a first clamp adapted to removably attach to the mast arm or pole or other elongate support, and is designed to be positioned vertically or horizontally. A second clamp is removably attachable to a strut member, such as a strut channel or tube.

Abstract: A sensor system according to an embodiment of the invention may process depth data and visible light data for a more accurate detection. Depth data assists where visible light images are susceptible to false positives. Visible light images (or video) may similarly enhance conclusions drawn from depth data alone. Detections may be object-based or defined with the context of a target object. Depending on the target object, the types of detections may vary to include motion and behavior. Applications of the described sensor system include motion guided interfaces where users may interact with one or more systems through gestures. The sensor system described may also be applied to counting systems, surveillance systems, polling systems, retail store analytics, or the like.

Abstract: A traffic control assembly comprising a length of flexible cable as a cable dampener. The cable may be formed of wire rope, which comprises a bundle of twisted wire strands, with a fitting at each end. The cable section has the ability to resist torsional movement and the ability to bend to a limited extent along its vertical axis in response to wind forces and to return to its resting or straight configuration like a spring as the wind subsides. This provides a dampening function between the components of the traffic control assembly to absorb impacts imposed by winds or moving objects so as to reduce the likelihood that the connection will break and disconnect or dislocate the signal or other traffic control device.

Abstract: Because GPS does not work indoors, mobile electronics devices that use GPS for activities do not work inside a building. An embodiment of the present invention uses ultrasonic tone generators in each room. The ultrasonic tone generators can be built into cameras or separate devices. Each device may emit a unique tone that has a high enough frequency that most people cannot hear the frequency or combination of frequencies. Using a built-in microphone on a mobile device, the incoming audio may be analyzed in the frequency domain to determine the loudest tone above the human hearing threshold. This tone may be mapped to a specific room that can then be sent to the mobile electronics device to perform any location-aware actions.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus disclosed herein may employ depth, visual, or motions sensors to enable three-dimensional people counting and data mining to enable an energy saving heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control system. Head detection methods based on depth information may assist people counting in order to enable an accurate determination of room occupancy. A pattern of activities of room occupancy may be learned to predict the activity level of a building or its rooms, reducing energy usage and thereby providing a cost savings.

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 articulating clamp assembly for traffic control assemblies that include luminaires. The clamp assembly includes first and second clamp members. The first clamp member includes a male tubular fitting for telescopically engaging a female fitting on the luminaire. The second clamp member is attachable to the end of a luminaire arm by a tenon sleeve, to the side of a pole with saddle plate, or to a simplex fitting with a simplex mounting bracket. The front ends of the first and second clamp members have inter-engaging serrated faces that allow adjustable engagement of the two clamp members to adjust the position of the luminaire. Each clamp member defines a continuous end-to-end conductor path, and the articulating ends are formed to create a continuous concealed conductor path through the joint. The tenon sleeve may include a U-bolt to secure it to the luminaire arm.

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.