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: 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: 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: 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: According to at least one example embodiment, a method and corresponding apparatus of pruning video data comprise detecting motion areas within video frames of the video data based on short-term and long-term variations associated with content of the video data. Motion events, associated with the content of the video data, are then identified based on the motion areas detected, corresponding filtered motion areas, and variation patterns associated with the video data. Based on the motion events identified, a storage pattern for storing video frames of the video data is determined. The video frames are stored according to the determined storage pattern.

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: A security system images a large amount of data through routine use which is difficult to transfer or share. In one embodiment, through the use of a cloud-based video service and an application program interface, the methods and systems disclosed herein comprise accepting a communication that identifies parameters associated with a video on a video server accessible via a network. The methods and systems further cause the video server to transfer the video via the network to a cloud-based video service location in response to the communication, and transmit a notification to a receiving party (or cause the cloud-based video service location to transmit the notification) in concert with the transfer of the video, which provides availability information of the video at the cloud-based service location. The methods and systems facilitate video sharing amongst parties.

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: 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 the views captured by the cameras connected to the network. The database is indexed by one or more classes according to tags characterizing the views obtained by each camera. In response to a user search string, the string is robustly interpreted against the classes and other indicators to search the database and determine a selection of views. The server causes the selection of views to be transmitted to a user interface, where a user can remotely monitor an environment through the selected views.

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.

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.

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: Embodiments of the disclosure provide for systems and methods for searching video data for events and/or behaviors. An inference engine can be used to aide in the searching. In some embodiments, a user can specify various search criteria, for example, a video source(s), an event(s) or behavior(s) to search, and an action(s) to perform in the event of a successful search. The search can be performed by analyzing an object(s) found within scenes of the video data. An object can be identified by a number of attributes specified by the user. Once the search criteria has been received from the user, the video data can be received (or extracted from storage), the data analyzed for the specified events (or behaviors), and the specified action performed in the event a successful search occurs.

Abstract: A method of summarizing events in a video recording includes evaluating at least one video recording to identify event that violate at least one rule. The method further includes excerpting a fragment of the at least one video recording. The fragment contains a depiction of the event. The method also includes causing the fragment to be included in a summary video recording. The rules may relate to a threshold amount of motion in a physical space being recorded in the at least one received video recording, or a threshold duration of motion in a physical space being recorded in the at least one received video recording.

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.