Abstract: An observation system for masking a privacy zone and method thereof are provided. The observation system has a camera part that photographs a certain observation area. An operation part receives a user-set command for selecting a privacy zone among the observation area, where the privacy zone requires no observation. A control part outputs a control signal for setting a mask area that masks the privacy zone according to the user-set command. An area set part generates a plurality of vertexes forming the mask area according to the control signal. An image signal process part uses a mosaic scheme to masks the privacy zone photographed by the camera part according to the mask area formed by the plurality of vertexes set by the area set part. An output part displays the mask area masked by the image signal process part. Therefore, the privacy zone photographed from the camera part is not displayed on a screen.

Abstract: A monitoring system and method is provided that can detect and capture an image at a monitored position as an analog video signal, and in response, convert the analog video signal into a digital video signal for enlargement, analysis and storage of detected facial images therein. The system includes a candidate area detection unit for comparing a color difference signal level of the converted digital video signal with a reference range, a control unit for outputting a zooming control signal and a face detection unit for detecting a face video signal from the enlarged images. A compression/recording unit is provided for then compressing and recording the detected face image video signal, and allowing a user to easily perform a search for a subject's face when searching recorded video data.

Abstract: An observation system for masking a privacy zone and method thereof are provided. The observation system has a camera part that photographs a certain observation area. An operation part receives a user-set command for selecting a privacy zone among the observation area, where the privacy zone requires no observation. A control part outputs a control signal for setting a mask area that masks the privacy zone according to the user-set command. An area set part generates a plurality of vertexes forming the mask area according to the control signal. An image signal process part uses a mosaic scheme to masks the privacy zone photographed by the camera part according to the mask area formed by the plurality of vertexes set by the area set part. An output part displays the mask area masked by the image signal process part. Therefore, the privacy zone photographed from the camera part is not displayed on a screen.

Abstract: A monitoring system and method that can detect and capture an image at a monitored position as an analog video signal, and in response, convert the analog video signal into a digital video signal for enlargement, analysis and storage of detected facial images therein.. The system comprises a candidate area detection unit for comparing a color difference signal level of the converted digital video signal with a reference range for detecting at least one skin color candidate area. The system further comprises a control unit for outputting a zooming control signal to the image-capturing unit to capture enlarged images of each detected skin color candidate area and a face detection unit for detecting a face video signal from the enlarged images. A compression/recording unit is provided for then compressing and recording the detected face image video signal, and allowing a user to easily perform a search for a subject's face when searching recorded video data.