U.S. patent application number 13/079835 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-11 for neighborhood camera linking system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honeywell International Inc.. Invention is credited to Lewin A. Edwards, Mike Garavuso, Jonathan Klinger.
Application Number | 20120257061 13/079835 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46965810 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120257061 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Edwards; Lewin A. ; et
al. |
October 11, 2012 |
Neighborhood Camera Linking System
Abstract
A method and apparatus for recording video. The method includes
the steps of a plurality of security systems within a predetermined
geographical area each detecting intruders within a respective home
of the predetermined geographic area, a camera associated with each
of at least some respective homes of the plurality of private
security systems, the camera recording video in a public area
surrounding the respective home of the security system, detecting
an intruder within a security system of the plurality of security
systems and activating the at least one camera within each of the
at least some security systems to record video in response to the
detected intruder.
Inventors: |
Edwards; Lewin A.; (Forest
Hills, NY) ; Klinger; Jonathan; (Great Neck, NY)
; Garavuso; Mike; (Lindenhurst, NY) |
Assignee: |
Honeywell International
Inc.
Morristown
NJ
|
Family ID: |
46965810 |
Appl. No.: |
13/079835 |
Filed: |
April 5, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/153 ;
348/E7.085 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B 13/00 20130101;
G06K 9/00771 20130101; H04N 7/181 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/153 ;
348/E07.085 |
International
Class: |
H04N 7/18 20060101
H04N007/18 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: a plurality of security systems within a
predetermined geographical area each detecting intruders within a
respective home of the predetermined geographic area; a camera
associated with each of at least some respective homes of the
plurality of private security systems, the camera recording video
in a public area surrounding the respective home of the security
system; detecting an intruder within a security system of the
plurality of security systems; and activating the at least one
camera within each of the at least some security systems to record
video in response to the detected intruder.
2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising saving the recorded
video from each of the at least some security systems in a
server.
3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising providing access to
the saved video by law enforcement personnel.
4. The method as in claim 2 further comprising coupling a camera to
each of the plurality of security systems.
5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising continuously
capturing and saving video from at least some of the cameras.
6. The method as in claim 5 further comprising providing access to
the saved video by users of each of the plurality of security
systems.
7. The method as in claim 6 further comprising analyzing the saved
video for indicia of identify of moving objects within a field of
view of each of the cameras.
8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the identity of moving objects
further comprises reading license plates of passing cars.
9. The method as in claim 8 wherein analyzing the identity of
moving objects further comprises performing face recognition of
passersby.
10. The method as in claim 9 wherein the face recognition further
comprising a user providing an image of a person living in one of
the homes of the plurality of security systems.
11. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of security systems each
located within a respective home of a predetermined geographic area
and that each detect intruders; one camera coupled at least some of
the plurality of private security systems, each recording video in
a public area surrounding the respective home of the security
system; a central monitoring station that receives an alarm message
indicating an intruder from an activated security system of the
plurality of security systems and that activates the at least one
camera within each of the at least some security systems to record
video in a public space surrounding the home in response to the
alarm message from the activated security system.
12. The apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a server that
receives and saves video images from the cameras in response to the
alarm message.
13. The apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a geoprocessor
that identifies a geographic location of each of the cameras.
14. The apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising an Internet
link sent by the geoprocessor to law enforcement personnel that
provides access to the saved video images.
15. The apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising a motion
detection processor that detects motion and an identifier of moving
objects in captured images.
16. The apparatus as in claim 15 further comprising a tracking
processor that receives notification of detected motion and the
identifier of the moving objects from the motion detection
processor and that tracks the identified moving objects.
17. The apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the identifier further
comprises a license number of an automobile.
18. The apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the identifier further
comprises facial characteristics of a person.
19. The apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising a processor
that identifies a most recent location of a child.
20. An apparatus comprising: a security system located within each
of a plurality of homes of a predetermined geographic area that
detect intruders; a camera disposed within each of the homes, the
camera recording video in a public area surrounding the home; a
central monitoring station that receives an alarm message
indicating an intruder from an activated security system of the
plurality of homes and that activates the camera within each of the
plurality of homes to record video in the public area in response
to the alarm message from the activated security system.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The field relates to security systems and more particularly,
to the recording of images related to security events.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Home security systems are generally known. Such systems
typically include one or more sensors to detect intruders.
[0003] Typically, the sensors are coupled to a common control panel
that allows the system to be armed and disarmed. The control panel
is usually provided with an audible alarm to alert occupants of the
home to the detection of an intruder. The control panel may also be
equipped to send an alarm message to a central monitoring station
in order to automatically summon police in the event of a
break-in.
[0004] In simple security systems, the sensors may simply include
one or more perimeter switches intended to be activated by the
opening of doors or windows of the home. In more sophisticated
system, motion detectors may be used to detect the movement of an
intruder.
[0005] Home security systems are also known to include video
imaging devices such as cameras. Such devices may be used to
capture images of intruders once an intrusion has been detected.
Alternatively, the frames of images may be continuously analyzed by
a computer in order to detect motion and to trigger an intrusion
alarm without any need for perimeter switches.
[0006] Alternatively, cameras may be mounted to monitor and record
images of public spaces outside of the home for later review after
a crime has occurred. However, intruders often notice such cameras
and obscure their images or use another route. Accordingly, a need
exists for better methods of controlling cameras that monitor
public spaces proximate homes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a security system network in
accordance with an illustrated embodiment; and
[0008] FIG. 2 is a geographic diagram of a neighborhood that shows
camera activation within the network of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a security network 10 shown
generally in accordance with an illustrated embodiment described
herein. Included within the network 10 is a number of homes 12, 14,
each protected by a security system 18, including an alarm panel
and a number of intrusion detection devices (e.g., perimeter
sensors, motion detectors, etc.).
[0010] The security systems 18 may each be connected to a central
monitoring station 20 via a hardwired connection 22, 24. The
security systems 18 may also be connected to the central monitoring
station 20 via a broadband Internet connection 26, 28 through the
Internet 30.
[0011] During operation, each of the security systems 18 may be
armed or disarmed in a normal manner by a user (e.g., the
homeowner, the homeowner's children, etc.). Once armed, the
security system may detect intruders via activation of an intrusion
sensor, activate a local audible alarm and send an alarm message to
the central monitoring station 30. The central monitoring station
20 may receive the alarm message and, in response, dispatch the
police.
[0012] Associated with at least some or all of the homes 12, 14 may
be a camera 32. The camera 32 may be of a type commonly referred to
as an Internet camera. The camera 32 may be mounted in an interior
or on an exterior of the home 12, 14 and monitor a public area 34,
36 directly proximate the house 12, 14.
[0013] In this regard, a number of vendors (e.g., Honeywell), sell
Internet-connected consumer video cameras that attach directly to a
home broadband network 26, 28. Homeowners frequently point such
cameras at exterior windows to view approach routes, monitor
deliveries, visitors, vehicles or outdoor pets, etc. Each such
camera only covers a small field of view, so any individual video
feed is not of great utility if a neighborhood emergency occurs.
For example, a rear window camera might catch a burglar approaching
the house, but it would probably not see the criminal's getaway
vehicle. A neighbor's camera might be looking directly at the
vehicle in question, but it would have no particular reason to
record the images, so important crime-fighting evidence would be
lost. Some consumer camera vendors provide a centralized
registration point (e.g., a website) that allows a user to save and
have exclusive access to the video from such devices.
[0014] Under one illustrated embodiment, the camera 32 is coupled
to a server 38 that allows remote control and access to (video
from) the camera 32 in a way that benefits the homeowner and the
homeowner's neighbors. These benefits are achieved on a number of
different levels. For example, during the registration/setup
process for each camera 32, the homeowner can designate that the
camera 32 faces a public space proximate the home, and elect either
to share the feed (video stream) with neighbors and law
enforcement, or with law enforcement only. Note that the identity
of neighbors can be automatically determined using the geolocation
of IP addresses of the camera and of the neighbors. The end goal is
that if there is any local incident (e.g., burglary, abduction
(Amber Alert), fire, etc.), a homeowner can visit the website of
the camera 32 within the server 38 and see not only his/her own
camera feeds, but also data from any nearby cameras that have been
shared by their owners. However, these feeds are not necessarily
public; they can be restricted to local residents, forming a sort
of "neighborhood watch" social network. Several
refinements/additions to this basic concept are described below.
Observe that the structure of the system 10 leads to cost-sharing
models that may encourage uptake of subscription services provided
hereunder. For instance, local law enforcement might subsidize the
fees for shared cameras, or a homeowners association might include
the cost in its normal dues.
[0015] The camera 32 may operate in a number of different modes,
where the modes may operate either separately or simultaneously.
The functional aspects of each of the modes may be provided via the
use of one or processors 40, 42 (located within the server 38 or
camera 32) operating under control of software (programs) 44, 46
loaded from a non-transitory computer readable medium (memory)
48.
[0016] The modes and operating characteristics of the programmed
processors 40, 42 may be structured via a set of steps, some of
which are optional. In this regard, the camera 32 may be provided
with a start up disk that allows set up of the camera 32 by
prompting the homeowner to open a subscriber account 50 (including
a website) within the server 38.
[0017] For example (and as a first step), when the customer is
setting up a new camera 32, he/she specifies an access level. In
this regard, a first (default) level is private. The private mode
is used for internally-faced cameras. In this case, the camera's
images will be available only to the individual subscriber
(homeowner). This is the default setting.
[0018] Alternatively, the camera 32 may be designated as available
for law enforcement use. In this case, the images from the cameras
32 are available to the individual subscriber and to local law
enforcement (where "law enforcement" might be defined as the
central station 20, the police precinct, a private security service
in a gated community, etc, depending on the application).
[0019] Alternatively, the camera 32 could be designated as
available for use by direct or close neighbors. In this case, the
images from the cameras 32 are available to the individual
subscriber, local law enforcement, and neighbors.
[0020] Alternatively, the camera 32 could be designated as
available for use by the public. In this case, the images from the
cameras 32 are available to anyone with access to appropriate
website within the server 38.
[0021] As a second step in set up of a camera 32, camera 32 may be
linked to the homeowner's security system 18. The homeowner may
choose this option and the link will be automatically established.
If this link is established, then an alarm event in the security
system for any home in the neighborhood (including the homeowner
selecting this option) will automatically trigger all cameras 32 in
the neighborhood to wake up and begin recording to memory 48.
[0022] As a third, optional step selected by the user, a processor
40, 42 within the user's account 50 may function as an additional
integration point. In this case, the account 50 may operate to link
the video from the camera 32 into the user's subscription to
various social networks, such as Facebook, Linked In, etc. For
example, a set up processor 40, 42 of the user's account 50 may
place a link on the user's Facebook page that is linked to video
from the camera 32. The customer may then choose to share the
camera feed with friends on that social network via that link. The
desired result is to extend the concept of "neighborhood watch" to
one's "virtual neighborhood" of friends, so that (for example)
geographically remote persons can be asked to help watch the user's
home 12, 14 while the user is away on a holiday without needing to
provide the login credentials of the account 50 directly to that
person.
[0023] As a fourth step, the user may be required to log into
his/her account 50 and select the format of the displayed
information. Operating in the background may be one or more
geolocation processors 40, 42. The geolocation processors 40, 42
operate to create links on webpages downloaded to a user that also
connect the user to the video feeds from cameras 32 of neighbors.
When the subscriber logs into his/her account 50, he/she will see
one or more Internet links that connect the subscriber to the feeds
and historical archive footage from his/her own cameras, and any
cameras that his/her neighbors have set up with the "Neighbors" or
"Public" access levels. These feeds may appear automatically upon
sign-in of the user into the user's account or the user may
activate a link at the beginning of each sign-in where sign-in
initiates collection and display of video images. The concept of
"neighbor" in this concept is defined by geolocation. The
geoprocessors 40, 42 may use third-party geolocation services such
as ip2location.com to retrieve and to provide a simple mapping of
IP address to latitude/longitude in order to identify neighbors and
to create the webpage links to the accounts 50 and video images
from cameras 32 of neighbors. Optionally, if the social networking
step above was elected, the subscriber will also see feeds from
his/her friends on that social network.
[0024] It should be noted here that the geolocation processors 40,
42 within the server 38 may also send an identifier of the camera
32 and/or IP address of the account 50 to the central monitoring
station 20. Using the geographical coordinates of the camera 32,
the central monitoring station is automatically able to associate
the camera 32 of the homeowner with the security system 18 of the
homeowner. Once the camera 32 is associated with the security
system 18, the central monitoring station is able to trigger the
recording of video from the camera 32 of a home in the event of
activation of the security system 18 during a break-in at the home.
The central monitoring station 20 is also able to activate cameras
32 of neighbors using the same process. The video images from the
camera 32 of the activated security system 18 and from neighbors
may be saved in a database of the server 38 along with an incident
identifier from the central monitoring station that allows the
saved video to be easily retrieved and reviewed by the homeowner of
the activated security system 18 or by police during a later
investigation by police.
[0025] Similarly, the geolocation of cameras 32 may be used by the
geolocation processors or a separate registration processor may
register the cameras 32 with local law enforcement organizations.
In this regard, registration may simply be by the geolocation
processor sending a street address and IP address of the camera 32
and/or account 50 thereby allowing the local law enforcement
organization to activate the camera 32 whenever a need arises.
[0026] As a fifth step, one or more processors 40, 42 operating in
the background may operate to detect that a camera has been
power-cycled, or physically moved, based on IP geolocation data.
When such an event is detected, the processor 40, 42 automatically
reset the access level to Private and resets neighbor relationships
so the user will no longer see any other "neighbor" camera feeds.
This is to prevent, for example, a burglar bringing a camera with
him to a given location, setting himself up as a neighbor at that
location using somebody's open Wi-Fi connection, then using this
neighbor relationship to carry out surveillance on a target
neighborhood.
[0027] As an optional sixth step, the cameras 32 may continuously
collect video images. One or more motion detection algorithms on a
motion detection processor 40, 42 within the cameras 32 can be used
to detect and allow a tracking processor 40, 42 within the server
38 to follow a moving object through the neighborhood. In this
case, the motion processors 40, 42 may analyze video from more than
one camera 32 to detect moving objects and the tracking processor
may correlate the movement of the detected object among cameras 32.
Combined with video analytics such as license plate number
recognition or facial recognition, this mode can provide useful
tracking capabilities.
[0028] For example, the motion detection and tracking processors
40, 42 may be used to accomplish direct tracking of
individuals/vehicles after an alarm, particularly when multiple
systems are linked as described in the second step. In this
application, an alarm in any linked system 18 will cause all nearby
cameras 32 to wake up and identify any features (license plates,
faces) they can see. Analytics software on a processor 40, 42 of
the server then allow the homeowner to follow the vehicle or person
through the neighborhood.
[0029] As a more specific example, motion detection and analytics
software operating on a processor 40, 42 within the camera 32 or
server 38 may provide an identifying characteristic of the moving
object (e.g., a license plate number). The identifying
characteristic may then be transferred to the tracking processor
40, 42 (operating at a system level) within the server 38. In this
regard, the tracking processor 40, 42 may receive identifying
characteristics from many different cameras 32. By comparing the
characteristics received from many different cameras 32, the
tracking processor 40, 42 is able to create a tracking file that
saves the identifying characteristic, an identifier of the camera
32 and a time when the identifier was detected by the camera 32.
The tracking processor 40, 42 may also save the raw video from each
camera 32 that shows the moving object during that time sequence as
proof of the context of detection.
[0030] The capability of tracking moving objects based upon
identifying characteristics can be very important for tracking the
activities of moving objects in general throughout the
neighborhood. This may allow police to later review such activity
to identify suspects of crimes that may not have been detected by
any security system 18 (e.g., a car theft outside a home 12, 14).
Alternatively, police personnel may download a particular
characteristic (e.g., a license number) to the server 38 and allow
a reporting processor 40, 42 within the server 38 to report any
incident of detection and locations and times of detection.
[0031] The motion detection and tracking processors 40, 42 may also
be used to enhance enforcement of restraining order or sex offender
rules. In this example, always-on cameras 32 and processors 40, 42
with face recognition capabilities can detect human faces and
compare the facial characteristics of detected faces with faces
within an offender database and trigger an email alert or other
type of alarm if a registered sex offender or a specific individual
with a restraining order either enters the neighborhood, in
general, or comes into view of a certain specific camera 32. This
may be done by the motion processors 40, 42 generating a set of
facial characteristics of each detected face of a human and
forwarding the facial characteristics to a face processor 40, 42
within the server 38 or police headquarters. Tracking of
individuals may be accomplished as discussed above.
[0032] In general, the server 38 may maintain its own database of
identification characteristics. This could be database of
identification characteristics of local sex offenders, license
plates of recently stolen cars or any other important identifier
local residents consider important to their safety.
[0033] In a similar manner, the motion detection and tracking
processors 40, 42 may be used to accomplish human tracking of a
specific person (e.g., in the case of an Amber Alert or "pre-Amber
Alert" tracking situation) based upon the concept of "where was my
child last seen? Similar to the previous use case, a homeowner may
ask "Where is my child?" In this case, it may be assumed that the
homeowner/parent has transferred an image of the child to the
server 38 from a computer in the home 12, 14 of the
homeowner/parent. In this case, remote video analytics of a child
tracking processor 40, 42 may be used to identify and indicate
through an alert sent to the computer of the parent's home 12, 14
which camera 32 in the neighborhood or in the whole network most
recently saw the given person (or a sequence of times and cameras
32 where the child was most recently seen). Note that the homeowner
is not seeing video from that remote location; he/she is only being
told "That face was most recently seen at the following location,
at the following time". The use case would be: The homeowner
registers the child's face with a system recognition and tracking
processor 40, 42 of the server 38. If the child goes missing,
before calling the police, the homeowner would query the processor
40, 42 to ask where that face was most recently seen. This might
avoid the need for police involvement; i.e. if the child was last
seen walking up to a friend's house (even if that house is a long
way away, as long as it has a camera 32), the next step would be to
call that house.
[0034] The motion detection and tracking processors 40, 42 may be
used for the benefit of sufferers of Alzheimer's disease. This is a
special case of the above examples. The "Amber Alert" application
may also be of interest for tracking dementia sufferers who might
randomly wander the neighborhood. The diagram of FIG. 2 shows an
example of the network of FIG. 1 in operation. All the houses in
this map have outward-facing cameras 32 with "neighbor" access
selected as described above. A burglary occurs at the corner of 2nd
Ave and 34th St (red circle) in FIG. 2. This homeowner has chosen
to link his alarm system 18 to the camera network of the server 38,
so the burglary event automatically wakes up cameras 32 in
neighboring houses. The homeowner receives an alert message of the
alarm and can access the cameras 32 inside the circle to see what
is happening in the area. The central station and local police
precinct can see all cameras in the entire area. By this method,
they can observe the criminal to get a physical description, and
they can follow him through his escape route. Note that even if the
burglar destroys the camera(s) 32 in the victim's house, or cuts
the Internet connection, it will not be feasible for him to disable
all the cameras 32 in the neighborhood.
[0035] A specific embodiment of a security system has been
described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the
security system is made and used. It should be understood that the
implementation of other variations and modifications of the
security system and its various aspects will be apparent to one
skilled in the art, and that the security system is not limited by
the specific embodiments described. Therefore, it is contemplated
to cover the present security system and any and all modifications,
variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and
scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed
herein.
* * * * *