Abstract: Every prescribed unit of video data is analyzed to estimate a degree of influence of pictures represented by every prescribed unit of video data on a viewer. For example, every prescribed unit of three-dimensional video data is analyzed to estimate a degree of influence of a depth in three-dimensional pictures represented by every prescribed unit of three-dimensional video data on a viewer. Information is generated which represents the estimated influence degree. Every prescribed unit of video data and the generated information are outputted while they are related to each other.

Abstract: An imaging unit captures images of the retroreflective sheets worn on both legs. A multimedia processor detects step and jump of a player on the basis of the pictures obtained by the image capturing to reflect to a video image and thereby the interactive system is constituted. It is possible to support a user so as to continuously perform a stepping exercise while reducing an economical burden of the user and realizing the space saving.

Abstract: A system and method of notifying a remote client of a sensor triggering event and providing data related to the sensor triggering event to the remote client. The method has the steps of receiving a first notification signal indicating that a sensor has been triggered; identifying a data recording device associated with the triggered sensor wherein the data recording device records video data; identifying a client device designated to receive the video data when the sensor has been triggered; transmitting to the client device a second notification signal indicating that the sensor has been triggered; receiving an acknowledgement signal from the client device; and transmitting the video data to the client device.

Abstract: A moving object detection device accurately detects moving objects. The device includes a motion vector calculation section calculating motion vectors from an input image; a motion vector removal section removing a motion vector having high randomness from the calculated motion vectors; a motion vector accumulation section temporally accumulating each motion vector not removed by the motion vector removal section, and calculating an accumulated number of occurrences and an accumulated value of each motion vector; and a moving object detection section determining, based on the calculated accumulated value and calculated accumulated number of occurrences of each motion vector, whether each motion vector corresponds to a moving object.

Abstract: An airport security system includes a scanner scanning and time stamping an article of identification of an individual passing into a secure terminal area. The system further includes security cameras generating respective video signals of overlapping zones of coverage of the secure terminal area. The video signals are recorded and received in a controller generating a seamless video signal therefrom. Reversing of the seamless video signal allows visual tracking of a security breach in the secure terminal area from the time of breach identification scan and time stamp. Faster than real time forwarding of the seamless video signal allows tracking of the security breach from the time stamp to the breacher's present location within the secure terminal area.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus, a method, and a medium for displaying contents according to motions by identifying the direction of a sensed motion and moving the content region in a direction opposite to the identified direction or moving the background region in the identified direction. The apparatus including a motion sensing unit to sense a motion; a display control unit to adjust a position of an image region with reference to a direction of the sensed motion; and a display unit to display a content and a background according to the adjusted position, wherein the image region comprises a content region having the content and a background region having the background.

Abstract: A networked digital security system is disclosed that preferably includes a centralized administrator web server coupled via a communication network such as the Internet to a plurality of customer servers and-a plurality of customer work stations. The centralized web server advantageously provides a point of control and management of the networked digital security system. The customer servers and customer work stations are preferably located at the customer's monitored sites. The customer servers are coupled to one or more intelligent camera units, which are preferably fully integrated intelligent units that gather, analyze, and transmit video, audio, and associated detected alarm event information to their associated customer server and the administrator web server. The camera units also include an intelligent automatic gain controller, an encoder buffer controller, and a network bandwidth priority controller. The system supports several compression algorithm standards.

Abstract: A signal processing system distributes an input signal over a plurality of shaped signal distribution structures that are interconnected with a plurality of shaped signal pickup units. The signal distribution structures and/or the signal pickup units include delay lines. The shape of the signal distribution structures and the shape of the signal pickup units and the configuration of the interconnections between the shaped structures and the pickup units determine the type of analysis performed on the signals. The signal possessing is distributed across the shaped structures. Input information is diffracted or spread, such that statistical correlations can be found by reconverging the diffracted information. Signals propagated through the system can be a combination of analog, digital and pulse signals. Optionally, feedback is used to amplify or attenuate earlier stages, such that outputs or actions are based on the relative importance of the input signals.

Abstract: A tracking start-and-stop determining unit of a tracking processing unit determines whether to start or stop tracking based on a predetermined condition. During tracking, a sampling unit 29 creates or eliminates particles using a probability density distribution estimated for the previous image frame. A first to nth model tracking units transit the particles according to motion models respectively assigned, and observe the likelihood of a candidate curve corresponding to each particle with respect to an edge image generated by an image processing unit. A tracking integration unit determines a motion model which causes the highest likelihood, and estimates a probability density distribution using an observation likelihood based on the motion model.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for detecting scene events in an imaged sequence by analysis of occlusion of user-defined regions of interest in the image. The present invention is based on the multi-scale groups of nearby pixel locations employing contrast functions, a feature that is invariant to changing illumination conditions. The feature allows the classification of each pixel location in the region of interest as occluded or not. Scene events, based on the occlusion of the regions of interest, are defined and subsequently detected in an image sequence. Example applications of this invention are automated surveillance of persons for security, and automated person counting, tracking and aisle-touch detection for market research.

Abstract: A motion adaptive image processing apparatus includes a classifier to classify a current field of a sequence of in put fields into one or more class regions, a calculator to calculate a variance based on pixel values of pixels located in a predetermined region around a certain pixel of the current field, a threshold calculator to calculate a maximum variance and a minimum variance which are pre-set according to the one or more class regions, the threshold calculator calculating a threshold based on the calculated maximum variance and the minimum variance, a motion calculator to calculate a motion change of an image using a previous field and a next field of the current field in the sequence of the input fields, and a weight calculator to calculate the weight to be applied to the certain pixel based on the calculated threshold and the calculated motion change of the image.

Abstract: The Video Motion Anomaly Detector addresses the problem of automatically detecting events of interest to operators of CCTV systems used in security, transport and other applications, processing CCTV images. The detector may be used in a number of ways, for example to raise an alarm, summoning a human operator to view video data, or to trigger selective recording of video data or to insert an index mark in recordings of video data.

Abstract: An image qualification method. A movements-determining method utilizes the image qualification, the image qualification method of which requires only an image frame to determine if the image frame is qualified. Thus, the image qualification proceeds in real time. The image qualification counts peaks of images of the frame to determine if a number of the peaks exceed a certain number, depending on application.

Abstract: System and method for monitoring the activity of a person within a compound, comprising at least two predefined areas, characterized in that the system comprises means for detecting a person within the first predefined area, to verify the presence of a person within the first predefined area, means for activating the sensor of the first predefined area, means for deactivating the sensor of the first predefined area, to verify if there is activity of the person within the first predefined area, to verify the presence of the person within the second predefined area, means for activating the sensor of the second predefined area, means for deactivating the sensor of the second predefined area, to verify if there is activity of the person within the second predefined area; means for starting a counter of a predetermined period of time and means for generating an inactivity person alarm.

Abstract: A video monitoring system for monitoring an area includes a number of image capture units, a processing unit, and a storage system. The number image capture units capture a number of images. The storage system examines the number of images to find a face in the images, obtains a location where an intruder is located, estimates possible next locations according to the geographical features of the area, adjusts the corresponding cameras at the possible next locations, and notifies security guards to go to the next possible locations in advance.

Abstract: Acceleration of a set of three frames of video with N movers may be determined by generating an inverse Fourier transformation of a differential phase correlation matrix of the three frames. The resultant acceleration estimate may be integrated with the velocity and offset estimates for the second frame so as to provide an offset estimate for the third frame. The third frame may then be co-registered with a reference frame. This process may be repeated for subsequent frames so that subsequent frames may also be registered to the reference frame so that video jitter that was caused by platform shake may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A method that determines whether a detected event is a significant event requiring action in a video surveillance system. Determined event attributes and object attributes are analyzed to determine if the potential event should trigger an action by the surveillance system. If the potential event should trigger an action, at least one action is triggered. Actions may include relevant event attribute and object attribute information. Potential event may include events detected by a sensor, or external events communicated by an external system to the surveillance system. Event attributes may include location and type of the potential event. Object attributes may include an identification of an object, and attributes associated with the identified object. If an object cannot be positively identified, object attributes may include potential object identifications or determined group associations of the object.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a plurality of images. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) an event detector configured to detect at least one true target in the plurality of images using a threshold based on average and peak pixel values, (2) an image processor configured to define at least one corresponding region-of-interest for the at least one true target, (3) at least one display configured to display the plurality of images on at least one display and (4) a region-of-interest display separate from the at least one display and configured to display the at least one region-of-interest.

Abstract: Method and system for image data analysis, by making use of a Terrain Map Summary Element (TMSE) data structure, in which a Terrain Map data structure provides processed primitive data about each 2×2 kernel of pixels from an original image. The new TMSE is a hierarchical multiple-level or tiered structure of such Terrain Map elements, in which each successive Terrain Map level summarizes, for example, 16 lower level elements or member. By providing such a hierarchical nature of the map elements, richness is enhanced by each higher element because every element of each successively higher level map summarizes the data from elements of the lower level map. For example, in a five-level Terrain Map Summary Element structure according to the disclosure, each element or member of the fifth level contains information summarizing data about 256K pixels.

Abstract: A system for compensating image misregistration between at least two image sensors includes a first image sensor and a second image sensor which are disposed on a platform and are configured to provide first and second output images, respectively. The system also includes a motion sensor and a processor. The motion sensor senses movement of the platform. The processor calculates a lag time between the first and second image sensors based on first and second processing delay times of the first and second image sensors, respectively. The processor also calculates an image offset based on the lag time and the movement of the platform sensed by the motion sensor and offsets one of the first or second output image with respect to the other one of the first or second output image based on the image offset. A fuser combines the offset image with the non-offset image.

Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring high-resolution images by steering a pan-tilt-zoom camera at targets detected in a fixed camera view is provided. The system uses automatic or manual calibration between multiple cameras. Using automatic calibration, the homography between the cameras in a home position is estimated together with the effects of pan and tilt controls and the expected height of a person in the image. These calibrations are chained together to steer a slave camera. The manual calibration scheme steers a camera to the desired region of interest and calculates the pan, tile and zoom parameters accordingly.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying video in a residence. An indication of an alert is received as communicated from a security system of a residence. The indication of the alert is communicated to a cellular telephone. A selection of a television communicated from the cellular telephone is received. The television is selected from multiple televisions located within the residence. A command is communicated to display one or more images on the selected televisions.

Abstract: A method of determining motion in a set of input images comprises registering the images in the set to identify stationary background content therein and generating difference images based on the registered images. The input images are segmented into regions and local motion within each of the regions is estimated. A determination as to whether the regions include moving content or static content is determined based on the difference images and the estimated local motion within the regions.

Abstract: A method of managing video data storage in a video surveillance system is disclosed. The disclosed methods extend the amount of calendar time for which video and image data can be stored on a storage device. The disclosed methods apply decision criteria, such as rules, configuration data and preferences, to support intelligent automatic reduction of stored surveillance data such that images and video data of most interest are maintained while less important data is deleted, compressed or archived.

Abstract: The invention provides a face region estimating device capable of extracting a person's face region even when an illumination environment, for example, is changed and persons with different skin colors are contained in a picked-up image taken by a camera. The face region estimating device includes: a mobile body detecting unit for extracting the outline of a mobile body from the picked-up image and for generating an object distance image composed of pixels corresponding to a distance in which the mobile body exists; a head region setting unit for setting a head region based on the pixel distribution in the object distance image corresponding to a predetermined range on the basis of a pixel position at the upper part of the outline; and a face region extracting unit for extracting the person's face region from the picked-up image based on the color distribution in the picked-up image corresponding to the head region.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for analyzing, managing and cataloguing video tracks generated by a video surveillance system. Systems and methods operating in accordance with the present invention receive video tracks from a video surveillance system; analyze them for particular categories of, for example, objects or events, assign unique identifying tags to the video tracks; and save them in highly-cross-referenced databases so that video tracks containing, for example, particular objects or events can be easily searched for and recalled. In addition, the present invention provides browsing facilities for viewing events that have just elapsed, events that are occurring in near real-time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a monitoring image recording apparatus capable of searching image data stored in a hard drive at high speeds. In this invention, video signals input from cameras 10 are detected by motion detector 14, and the difference of search results is stored in a hard drive 18 as incidental information of image data. When playing, based on the incidental information of image data, it is determined whether or not a motion is present within a set range. If motion is present, image data stored in the hard drive 18 is output to a monitor television 23.

Abstract: A fully digital camera system provides high-resolution still image and streaming video signals via a network to a centralized, server supported security and surveillance system. The digital camera for collects an image from one or more image transducers, compressing the image and sending the compressed digital image signal to a receiving station over a digital network. A plurality of image transducers or sensors may be included in a single camera unit, providing array imaging such as full 360 degree panoramic imaging, universal or spherical imaging and field imaging by stacking or arranging the sensors in an array. The multiple images are then compressed and merged at the camera in the desired format to permit transmission of the least amount of data to accomplish the desired image transmission. The camera also employs, or connects to, a variety of sensors other than the traditional image sensor.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analyses performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analyses can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analyses may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: A scalable architecture for providing real-time multi-camera distributed video processing and visualization. An exemplary system comprises at least one video capture and storage system for capturing and storing a plurality of input videos, at least one vision based alarm system for detecting and reporting alarm situations or events, and at least one video rendering system (e.g., a video flashlight system) for displaying an alarm situation in a context that speeds up comprehension and response. One advantage of the present architecture is that these systems are all scalable, such that additional sensors (e.g., cameras, motion sensors, infrared sensors, chemical sensors, biological sensors, temperature sensors and like) can be added in large numbers without overwhelming the ability of security forces to comprehend the alarm situation.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analyses performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analyses can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analyses may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analyses performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analyses can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analyses may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analyses performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analyses can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analyses may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analysis performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analysis can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analysis may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: An electronic camera system includes a photographing ordering system and a photographing system. The photographing system includes an image sensor which photographs a subject and generates an image signal; a camera-side communication unit which communicates with the photographing ordering system; a subject judging unit which judges whether or not the subject is the person to be photographed based on the person identifying data when or after the subject is photographed; an image processing unit which generates the image data with the image signal; and a camera-side control unit which extracts the image data of which the person to be photographed has been photographed based on a judged result of the subject judging unit and transmits the extracted image data to the photographing ordering system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for video surveillance with at least one video camera which can be directed into different positions by a remote controlled pan and/or tilt and/or zoom unit and with at least one video signal receiving device, which comprises means for demultiplexing the video Signals of the video camera in such a way that the at least one video signal receiving device receives video Signals generated by the video camera while remaining in one of the different positions only.

Abstract: There is provided an image processor and a method thereof for high-speed compensation for taken-image blurs produced by camera shakes or the like. In the first instance, a motion-detecting area is selected for each of two images taken by an image sensor. When projective data is calculated by means of computing in a predetermined direction pixels of the motion-detecting areas, the motion vector between the two images can be acquired based on the projective data. The image correlativity between the two images is then calculated in the direction that the motion vector designates; and the amount of pixel displacement between the two images is calculated based on the correlativity values acquired by the calculation.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are described for improving marker identification within a motion capture system. For example, a system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a plurality of cameras configurable for a motion capture session, each of the cameras having an illuminating device for generating light and a lens for capturing light reflected off of one or more retro-reflective markers used for the motion capture session; and a plurality of pieces of polarized material coupled over the illuminating device and the lens of each of the cameras, wherein for each individual camera, either a first orientation or a second orientation for the polarized material is selected based on which other cameras are within the individual camera's field of view and the orientation of the polarized material used for the other cameras, the first orientation being perpendicular to the second orientation.

Abstract: A video-based monitoring system has a video recording device having a field of view, wherein plural zones are defined within the field of view of the video recording device, each zone having an algorithm corresponding to movement in that zone, and a processing unit for receiving and processing video data from the video recording device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for the unsupervised learning of events contained within a video sequence, including apparatus and interfaces for implementing such systems and methods, are disclosed. An illustrative method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of providing a behavioral analysis engine, initiating a training phase mode within the behavioral analysis engine and obtaining a feature vector including one or more parameters relating to an object located within an image sequence, and then analyzing the feature vector to determine a number of possible event candidates. The behavioral analysis engine can be configured to prompt the user to confirm whether an event candidate is a new event, an existing event, or an outlier. Once trained, a testing/operational phase mode of the behavioral analysis engine can be further implemented to detect the occurrence of one or more learned events, if desired.

Abstract: A method and a system for false alarm reduction in motion detection by scanning cameras. A method for reducing false alarms in scanning camera facilitated motion detection of an object, includes: setting a camera to observe a predefined area; continuously or non-continuously scanning by the camera of the said area for any motion; pausing the camera's scanning if a new motion is detected; analyzing the motion if it has not disappeared, while keeping the object within the camera's field of view; providing an alarm and possibly showing the motion if a motion that should be reported is obtained; and tracking the motion for a period of time at the discretion of the operator.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a capturing unit that captures a motion picture at one of a plurality of frame rates; a buffer that temporary stores the motion picture captured by the capturing unit; a signal generation unit that generates a signal used for specifying a core frame that is to be subjected to a resolution enhancement processing, while the capturing unit captures the motion picture at a first frame rate; a capturing control unit that controls the capturing unit to capture the motion picture, after the core frame specified by the signal, at a second frame rate that is higher than the first frame rate; a reference frame determination unit that determines a frame stored in the buffering unit at the second frame rate as a reference frame; and an image processing unit that performs the resolution enhancement processing by converting the core frame into a high-resolution frame by reference to the reference frame determined by the reference frame determination unit.

Abstract: A data streaming system comprises: one or more streaming sources, one or more streaming clients, a network connecting said streaming sources and said clients, and a level of service selector able for each data stream to monitor the network, the respective streaming source and the respective streaming client to control streaming to the respective streaming client to define a level of service of the data stream. For a video stream the level of service may define the frame rate, the resolution, the overall quality or a level of masking used.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a virtual fence provided using a plurality of video cameras. A method for providing a virtual fence in accordance with an embodiment includes: positioning a plurality of video cameras about a perimeter to be monitored, the perimeter comprising a plurality of designated areas; for each of the designated areas: capturing video data of the designated area using at least one video camera; analyzing the captured video data to detect an event; and sending at least one of image or video data to a central facility only in response to the detection of the event.

Abstract: Surveillance system and surveillance method for detecting intruders. An image-pickup unit takes an image of a predetermined area, a person detection unit detects, on the basis of the taken image, information concerning people pictured in the image, radio terminal units are held and carried by people, radio reception units receive signals transmitted by radio from the radio terminal units present in the predetermined area, a terminal detection unit detects information concerning the radio terminal units on the basis of the received signals and an intruder decision unit detects information concerning an intruder on the basis of the information concerning the detected persons and the information detected in connection with the radio terminal units.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of detecting the beginnings and endings of scenes in video media, especially videotapes of “Reality TV” scenes, are disclosed. The video medium defines an array of pixels, and comprises a sequence of video frames. Each frame has a set of pixel data values for representing an image, with each pixel data value being associated with a pixel. Exemplary methods and apparatuses select a plurality of video frames from the video medium, and obtain the pixel data values of a subset of pixels of each selected frame. The pixel subsets of at least one pair of successive frames have a difference in the selection of pixels. A dispersion signal representative of the dispersion in the obtained pixel data values over a set of sequential frames is generated, and a signal is generated to indicate an end of a scene when the dispersion signal falls below a threshold level.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for augmenting the identification of objects tracked in a sequence of images using active devices. In one embodiment, encoded information transmitted from active devices, such as a PDA, is decoded from the sequence of images to provide identifying information to a tracked region of interest. In another embodiment, motion information transmitted from active devices is associated with regions of interest tracked between images in the sequence of images. In a further embodiment, these embodiments operate together to minimize possible signal interference.

Abstract: A bracket for holding of cylindrical tanks such as emergency breathing tanks adjacent to a wall surface or behind a seat surface in a detachable manner with positive engagement released by an operative release line. An upper and lower securement strap are secured together at an engaging tab which straps extend around the tank when the tab is engaged and can be easily released for rapid exit. A webbing extends between the upper and lower securement straps for minimizing any entanglements or catching of the straps on protruding portions of the tank.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device having a transmitter function for transmitting data to outside through a network. The integrated circuit device includes: an image change detection circuit which receives pixel-unit image data captured by imaging means in time series, sets one or more areas in an image represented by the image data, and detects in real time whether or not a change has occurred in the image in units of the areas to generate a change detection signal; and a destination set/change section which sets or changes a destination of the image based on the change detection signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to count people appearing in an image are disclosed. One disclosed method reduces objects appearing in a series of images to one or more blobs; for each individual image in a set of the images of the series of images, represents the one or more blobs in the individual image by one or more symbols in a histogram; and analyzes the symbols appearing in the histogram to count the people in the image.