SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRACKING AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE

Abstract

A system and method for identifying and tracking one or more targets of interest. The system may include multiple collection systems for capturing information related to visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures associated with the targets at selected locations. The system may also include an intelligence system for determining a target of interest based on information related to visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures and for tracking the target of interest.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRACKING AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 125,557, filed on December 15, 2020. INCORPORATION AS A REFERENCE The description of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 125,557, filed on December 15, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, as if set forth in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION In one respect, this description focuses on surveillance systems and methods, and more specifically, on surveillance systems and methods that facilitate the collection and correlation of electronic signatures and / or visual identifiers. Other aspects are also described. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems are typically used to identify vehicles at selected locations, for example, to detect traffic violations, collect tolls, etc. However, existing ALPR systems are quite expensive and are generally used for vehicle identification on highways, in parking lots, and at other vehicle access points. Furthermore, such systems are generally not used for identifying and / or tracking people separate from their vehicles. Additionally, these systems can have difficulty determining who is driving or is a passenger in a given vehicle. It has been observed that there is a need for surveillance systems and methods that can be used in conjunction with, or instead of, existing ALPR systems to provide more accurate, reliable and / or consistent identification or tracking of vehicles, as well as of people associated or not associated with the vehicles. The present description is directed to the above problems and other related problems of the relevant technique. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, this description includes surveillance systems and methods for collecting and correlating electronic signatures and / or visual identifiers to build intelligence databases that can facilitate the tracking and association of indicators of a common location and the movement of targets across selected geographic areas or locations. Targets generally refer to people, vehicles (e.g., a car), or both, such as one or more people inside a vehicle. However, targets may include other objects, such as one or more electronic devices (e.g., cell phones or other communication devices), REID and other sensors or transmission devices internal to vehicles or added aftermarket, and / or various other similar devices, without departing from the scope of this description. According to some aspects, a surveillance system is provided that is capable of using a variety of electronic signal sensors as standalone collection systems or in conjunction with ALPR systems (including new and existing ALPR systems in the field), to capture and catalog electronic signals, such as radio frequency (RF) signals, Bluetooth® and other signals from various types of electronic devices, as events occurring in proximity to these sensors, substantially in real time.The system will generally capture the identification information in such collected signals / transmissions as electronic signatures, and catalog them in a database with certain identifying characteristics, such as, but not limited to, location data such as geographic coordinates, timestamps, data of the signal source manufacturer or device, source type and unique ID, etc., allowing these captured events / electronic signatures to become unique, identifiable and searchable.The system will include programming, including one or more developed correlation and search engines, configured to evaluate and combine detected single events with other cataloged events to develop correlated information related to the intersection of multiple defined electronic signatures (generated or developed from the captured events) that occurred at a specific time and location or geographic area. In the various modalities, electronic signal sensors will be used in conjunction with ALPR systems in the areas, allowing the surveillance system to develop a subset of electronic signals associated with a license plate read at a specific point in time and at an identified or recorded location.Once the surveillance system has collected records of correlated electronic signatures associated with a license plate, it can be enabled to subsequently detect the likely presence of a vehicle and its license plate at an identified location, with or without the use of a camera. Furthermore, if deployed in locations not typically associated with vehicular traffic, the surveillance system will be able to identify and catalog known electronic signatures that are not associated with the vehicles they are typically associated with. According to the aspects of this description, a surveillance system may include a plurality of collection systems or setups, each located in selected geographic areas or locations. The collection systems are generally configured to capture or facilitate the collection of information related to visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures associated with targets in, or moving around, the selected areas / locations. In some configurations, collection systems may include at least one sensor configured to collect or otherwise capture information related to the visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures of the targets. Visual identifiers may include vehicle visual identifiers, such as license plate information or other visual or image-based information associated with the vehicles (e.g., decals, patterns, component part positions, parts added after the sale, damage, and / or various other markings, etc.) that can be used to distinguish, identify, detect, or otherwise differentiate a target vehicle, etc.Electronic signatures may include an electronic signal or combinations of electronic signals that are derived from electronic transmission devices and that are associated with and / or can uniquely identify targets in, or moving around, selected areas / locations. Furthermore, in some aspects, the surveillance system may include an intelligence system that communicates with multiple collection systems. The intelligence system is configured to receive information collected or captured by these systems (for example, real-time time-stamped data points or information packets when targets come into proximity to the collection point systems) and to identify and / or track targets based on this received information. In these modalities, the intelligence system may include one or more classification and search engines and an intelligence database communicating with them. The one or more classification and search engines may be configured to identify or extract electronic signatures associated with targets using information collected by the collection systems, and catalog them in the intelligence database with certain identifying characteristics (e.g., geographic coordinates, timestamps, source manufacturer, source type, and unique ID, etc.), allowing these electronic signatures to become unique, identifiable, and searchable. The surveillance system is configurable to track, map, catalog, and otherwise analyze the movements of targets in real time, as the electronic signals they emit occur in proximity to the data collection systems. The tracking information generated can be used to help confirm and / or authenticate the identification of a potential target, and can also be configured to generate alerts or notifications when certain targets are in proximity to the data collection systems. One or more ranking and search engines can infer relationships between electronic devices and targets, based on the consistency of the correlation to identify / extract the electronic signatures associated with the targets. For example, one or more classification and search engines can use the frequency and consistency of electronic signals to determine the relative certainty of the association between electronic transmission devices and targets, in order to develop electronic signatures of the targets. That is, if the certainty or relative probability that a certain electronic signal or combination of electronic signals is associated with a target meets a prescribed threshold, the one or more classification and search engines can identify an electronic signal or combination of electronic signals as a specific electronic signature associated with that target. One or more sorting and searching engines can be configured to filter or otherwise alter received electronic signatures, for example, to reduce signal noise and facilitate the identification or extraction of uniquely identifying electronic signatures. In these modalities, one or more sorting and search engines can be configured to locate the receipt of a visual identifier and the correlated electronic signature to track the target. Additionally, or as an alternative, one or more classification and search engines will be configured to associate electronic identification signatures with visual identifiers, such as a vehicle identification number, to enable independent tracking and location identification of targets based on the associated electronic identification signatures. That is, once the system has records of correlated electronic signatures associated with a specific vehicle identification number, for example, a specific vehicle registration number, the intelligence system will be able to detect the likely presence of a vehicle and its associated registration number without visual information, for example, without the use of a camera. In addition, collection systems can be placed in locations or areas not associated with vehicular traffic, so that the intelligence system will be able to identify and catalog known electronic signatures away from the vehicles with which they have typically been associated, for example, to track, map, etc., people or electronic devices away from vehicles. In each modality, at least one sensor in each collection system may include a plurality of sensor assemblies. The sensor assemblies may include one or more cameras or camera systems configured to capture or facilitate the collection of information related to vehicle identifiers, such as visual information related to a vehicle license plate or other visual vehicle identifiers. In addition, the sensor assemblies may include one or more antennas or other signal receivers configured to capture information related to electronic signatures. The one or more antennas may include a plurality of antennas, such as a Bluetooth® antenna, a Wi-Fi antenna, an RFID antenna, or other RF antennas, or combinations thereof, configured to capture information related to the electronic signals associated with the targets. In some configurations, collection systems can be used in conjunction with Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) systems in certain areas, allowing the intelligence system to develop a subset of electronic signals—an electronic signature—associated with a license plate read at a specific point in time and location. The electronic data points from less expensive collectors can then be used to provide more accurate tracking than an ALPR alone. In some modalities, the surveillance system can be configured to capture sample information from a target's electronic signature, associate that information with the target's identification, and then search for or alert about receipts of similar electronic signature information in one of the collection point systems. In additional modes, the surveillance system can be configured to allow searching or scanning the suspect's electronic signatures to find known location data points, based on the database history, placing the suspect at those locations and times. In still other modes, the surveillance system can be configured to allow marking specific electronic signatures with a target and then alerting or searching the history of those specific electronic signatures in the database, placing the target in various locations. In additional modalities, the surveillance system can also indicate or determine changes in the association or movement of suspects or other individuals of interest, based on variations in electronic signatures associated with a target or targets. Various objects, features, and advantages of the present description will become evident to those experienced in the technique, upon review of the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It will be noted that, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the elements illustrated in the Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated in relation to others. The modalities that incorporate the teachings of this description are shown and described with respect to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a surveillance system, according to the present description. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary collection point system of the surveillance system in Figure 1. Figures 3A-3G show exemplary screenshots of a surveillance system interface, according to Figure 1. Figure 4 is a flowchart that illustrates the operation of a surveillance system, according to the modalities of the present description. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following description, in conjunction with the Figures, is provided to aid in understanding the teachings described herein. The description focuses on the specific implementations and modalities of the teachings and is provided to help illustrate them. This focus should not be interpreted as limiting the scope or applicability of the teachings. Figure 1 provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary modality of a surveillance system 10, for collecting and correlating electronic signatures and visual identifier information to build intelligence databases that facilitate tracking and associating indications of common location and movement of targets 11, across selected geographic areas or locations. As shown in Figure 1, the surveillance system 10 includes a plurality of collection systems or assemblies 12 located in selected geographic areas or locations. The collection systems 12 will generally be configured to capture or facilitate the collection of information related to visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures associated with targets 11. Targets 11 will generally include people 30, vehicles 22, or a combination of both, in and / or moving around the selected areas or locations. Targets 11 may also include electronic transmitting devices or other objects, without departing from the scope of this description. The collection systems 12 may be located at various collection points or locations around a specific geographic area, such as a municipality, county, other public or private areas, or combinations thereof (see Figures 3A-3B).Figure 1 further shows an embodiment in which each collection system 12 includes a sensor or sensor assembly 16 configured to collect or otherwise capture information related to the visual identifiers and / or electronic signatures of the targets 11. The sensor or sensor assembly 16 may therefore include one or more cameras or camera systems 18 configured to capture or facilitate the collection of information related to vehicle identifiers, such as visual or image information related to a vehicle license plate 20 22 and / or other visual vehicle identifiers, which may be used to distinguish, detect and / or identify or otherwise confirm the identity of a target vehicle.For example, in some respects, such vehicle markings may include, but are not limited to, signs, decals, bumper stickers, plates other than the license plate, patterns, position or configuration of component parts, damage to the vehicle such as scratches, dents, repair marks, etc., and their location on the vehicle, small marks or symbols or other indications on vehicle components, as well as various other identifiable visual markings, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the camera system 18 may also include an Automatic License Plate Reader (“ALPR”) integrated into or otherwise associated with a collection system 12, or the surveillance system 10 may include an ALPR in addition to, or instead of, one or more collection systems 12. In addition, or as an alternative, the at least one sensor or sensor assembly 16 may also include an antenna, antenna system, or a plurality of antennas 24, configured to capture or otherwise receive electronic signals from electronic transmitting devices 26, associated with the objectives 11 for the identification / extraction of electronic signatures. The at least one sensor or sensor assembly 16 may include additional sensors, such as IR sensors or other light sensors, without departing from the present description. Electronic transmission devices 26 include, but are not limited to, electronic transmission devices associated with a vehicle, such as vehicle components including, but not limited to, tire pressure sensors or other vehicle sensors installed by the manufacturer or after the sale, vehicle stereo or entertainment systems, vehicle navigation systems, vehicle infotainment systems, self-inductive vehicle guidance or driver assistance systems, vehicle Wi-Fi access points, other components of internal or external vehicle systems, etc...and may also include electronic transmitting devices associated with individuals 30 or other types of targets, including, but not limited to, cell phones and / or other communication devices, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, fitness trackers, wireless headphones, RFID tags (e.g., key cards, library books, resource tags, platform transmitters, pet collars), Wi-Fi access points, and other personal electronic devices. Each sensor or sensor assembly 16 is configured to capture or collect signals transmitted by, or otherwise derived from, the electronic transmitting devices 26 when the targets 11 are in proximity to the collection systems 12. The collection systems 12 may be configured to receive the signals at a prescribed or selected proximity to them.For example, in some modes, the collection systems could be configured to search for and receive signals transmitted within approximately 60.96 meters (200 feet) of the collection systems; whereas in other modes, such as to reduce or limit extraneous noise or to help filter such noise, shorter intervals of the signals may also be used; that is, in some locations, the collection systems may be configured to receive signals transmitted within approximately 30.48 meters (100 feet) of the collection systems, and in still other modes or locations, signals transmitted within approximately 15.24 meters (50 feet) of the collection systems. Other variable intervals may also be used. Furthermore, the surveillance system 10 includes an intelligence system 40 that communicates with the plurality of collection systems 12. The intelligence system 40 is configured to receive information collected or captured by the collection systems 12 and to identify and / or track targets 11 based on this received information. The intelligence system 40 can communicate wirelessly with the collection systems 12, for example, via a public or private network using Wi-Fi, a cellular network, etc. Alternatively, the intelligence system 40 and one or more of the collection systems 12 can be connected via one or more wired connections.In this respect, when targets 11 come into proximity with collection systems 12, the collection systems 12 will collect visual and / or electrical signal information associated with targets 11 and transmit data points or information packets 38, for example, time-stamped and location-related information, related to the collected visual and / or electrical signal information to the intelligence system 40. The collection systems 12 can be configured to transmit the data points or packets 38 substantially simultaneously or generally in real time, when targets 11 come into proximity with the collection systems 12.For example, collection systems 12 can send a data point containing the information corresponding to each electronic signal or visual identifier as it is captured, or they can send a data packet containing the information corresponding to multiple electronic or visual identifiers received. In addition, or alternatively, collection systems 12 can transmit the data points or packets 38 at specific time intervals, such as every few seconds, minutes, hours, etc., or at other times or intervals after the electronic signals or visual identifiers are captured, without departing from the scope of this description. Figure 1 further shows that the intelligence system 40 will include programming, including a correlation and search engine 42 and an intelligence database 44. The correlation and search engine 42 is configured to identify or extract the electronic signatures associated with the targets 11 using visual and / or electrical signal information collected in the collection systems 12. For example, the correlation and search engine 42 is configured to assimilate or process the data points / data packets 38 to associate or correlate the visual identifiers with the signals received from the electronic device to facilitate the identification or extraction of the electronic signatures that identify the targets 11.Electronic signatures may include information related to electronic signals collected from electronic transmission devices 26 or combinations of electronic signals collected from electronic transmission devices 26 that uniquely identify targets 11. For example, and not exclusively, a combination of one or more signals from a plurality of electronic transmission devices (e.g., a watch, cell phone / communication device, headphones, etc.) may include an electronic signature that uniquely identifies a person; a combination of one or more signals from a plurality of transmission components of a vehicle (e.g., a vehicle sensor, infotainment system, etc.).) may include an electronic signature that uniquely identifies a vehicle, or one or more signals from an electronic transmission device may include an electronic signature that uniquely identifies that electronic device. The correlation and search engine 42 can also be configured to filter or otherwise alter received electronic signatures (or related information) to reduce or decrease signal noise and facilitate the identification or extraction of unique electronic signatures. For example, the correlation and search engine 42 can apply filtering (e.g., linear or nonlinear filters, dynamic noise reduction, etc.) to collected electronic signals to substantially decrease, reduce, or eliminate stationary and variable noise and other values ​​that cannot be usefully correlated with the objectives 11, allowing the unique electronic signal values ​​to be extracted. Furthermore, the correlation and search engine 42 is configured to catalog electronic signatures in the intelligence database 44 with specific identifying characteristics, allowing these electronic signatures to become unique, identifiable, and searchable. Identifying characteristics may include, but are not limited to, geographic coordinates, timestamps, source manufacturer, source type, and unique ID, etc. The correlation and search engine 42 can also be configured to build catalogs or groupings of independent data points / data packages 38 in the intelligence database 44, which allow correlation analysis to show which otherwise anonymous or non-unique electronic signals appear consistently with the objectives 11. The surveillance system 10 can thus identify, track, map, catalog, etc.The presence and / or movements of targets 11 in real time, since the electronic signals derived from it occur in proximity to the collection systems 12. The surveillance system 10 can also generate alerts or notifications when certain targets 11 are in proximity to the collection systems 12. Furthermore, the surveillance system 10 also allows searches or queries of the intelligence database 44, for example, to investigate the locations or movements of suspects or other persons of interest. In the various modes, the correlation and search engine 42 can use algorithms, models, etc., to infer relationships between electronic transmission devices 26 and targets 11, based on the consistency or probability of correlation between visual identifiers and electronic signals from the electronic transmission devices. For example, the correlation and search engine 42 can be configured to evaluate and combine single collection events in collection systems 12 with other events cataloged in the intelligence database 44, to develop correlated information related to the intersection of multiple collected / captured electronic signals that occurred at a specific time and in a specific area or geographic location.And, the correlation and search engine 42 can use the frequency and / or consistency of the electronic signals received in the collection systems 12 to determine the relative certainty of the association of the electronic transmission devices 26 and the targets 11, to develop the electronic signatures for the targets 11. The correlation and search engine 42 can be programmed to determine the likelihood or probability that a specific electronic signal or combination or set of electronic signals is associated with a target 11, and if the determined likelihood or probability meets a prescribed / selected likelihood or probability threshold, the engine 42 will identify and / or extract an electronic signal or combinations of electronic signals as an electronic signature or electronic signatures to be associated with that target 11. In one modality, the likelihood or probability threshold can be approximately 70% or more (e.g., above 75%, above 80%, above 85%, above 90%, above 95%, above 98%, etc.) that a signal or combination / set of signals is associated with a particular target 11. In some configurations, the correlation and search engine 42 can be configured to determine or identify a location where a visual identifier and a correlated electronic signature match, enabling the tracking and / or verification of targets 11 at that location. Alternatively, the correlation and search engine 42 can be configured to associate electronic identification signatures with visual identifiers, such as a vehicle visual identifier, to allow independent tracking and identification of the location of targets 11 based on the associated electronic identification signatures.For example, once the correlation and search engine 42 has records of correlated electronic signatures associated with a specific vehicle visual identifier, such as a vehicle license plate number, the correlation and search engine 42 will be able to detect the likely presence of a vehicle 22 and its associated license plate 20 without visual information, such as without using a camera. Furthermore, the collection systems 12 can be located in areas not associated with vehicular traffic, so that the intelligence system will be able to identify and catalog known electronic signatures, even when they are far from the vehicles 20 with which they are typically associated. In this regard, in the various modalities, collection systems 12 can be used in conjunction with existing ALPRs in certain areas or locations, allowing the intelligence system 10 to develop a subset of electronic signatures associated with a license plate read at a specific point in time and location. For example, one or more collection systems 12 can be located near or in close proximity to an existing ALPR to enable the correlation or association of received electronic signals with license plate readings at or near an identified location. Alternatively, an existing ALPR can be modified or retrofitted to include the collection point system components to enable the collection of electronic signals with license plate readings.Furthermore, in some modalities, collection systems 12 with or near cameras 18 or ALPR can be used in conjunction with collection systems 12 without cameras or ALPR, as generally indicated in Figure 1. As a result, electronic data points 38 from the less expensive collection systems 12 can be used to provide more accurate tracking than ALPR alone.That is, lower-cost collection systems can increase the density of potential identification data collection beyond ALPR or camera records, allowing data from both types of collection systems to be combined (e.g., ALPR data identifying the target can be supplemented with additional target data such as an electronic signature or other identifying information) to provide more detailed intelligence and increased accuracy in verifying or authenticating potential targets, including providing personnel (e.g., law enforcement, security, or other personnel) with increased confidence in the locations of potential criminals, stolen vehicles, or other vehicles of interest. Additionally or alternatively, camera-less (or camera-based) collection systems can be placed in areas or locations that are inaccessible by vehicle, such as on trains, nearby railways, around public buildings, etc., to allow the collection of electronic signals from people who are far from their vehicle, for example, to catalog, track, map, etc., their positions or movements. The intelligence system 40 generally includes one or more processors, controllers, CPUs, etc., and one or more memories, such as RAM, ROM, etc., communicating with the one or more processors. The collection and search engine 42 may include computer programming instructions stored in the one or more memories, which can be accessed and executed by the one or more processors to facilitate the execution of their processes, for example, information correlation, target identification and tracking 11, intelligence database search 44, etc. Figure 2 shows an exemplary collection system 12. As shown in Figure 2, the sensor or sensor assembly 16 of the collection system 12 is a plurality of sensor assemblies that includes one or more cameras or camera systems 18 and an antenna assembly 24. The one or more cameras or camera systems 18 are generally configured to capture or facilitate the collection of information related to vehicle license plates 20, such as image, video, or other visual information from which a license plate number or other license plate information (e.g., status, registration information, etc.) can be extracted or otherwise identified, e.g., using optical character recognition (“OCR”) or other character or feature recognition processes.In some modalities, a collection point 12 system will include an Automatic Vehicle License Plate Reader (“ALPR”) configured to capture license plate information. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, antenna assembly 24 is configured to capture or otherwise receive a plurality of different types of electrical signals, such as Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, RFID, or other radio frequency (“RF”) signals. Specifically, antenna assembly 24 has a plurality of antennas, including a Bluetooth® antenna 50, a Wi-Fi antenna 52, and an RFID antenna 54. However, antenna assembly 24 may include other RF antennas or other antennas configured to capture or receive other types of signals or combinations thereof, without departing from the scope of this description. Moreover, in other embodiments, infrared (IR) beams, barcodes, and / or other types of scanning or signaling devices may also be used. Figure 2 also shows a vehicle 22 with a plurality of transmitting electronic devices 26 associated with it, including a Bluetooth® vehicle tire pressure gauge 56, a navigation system 58, and a Bluetooth® vehicle interface 60 (e.g., as part of a vehicle infotainment system). A person 30 in the vehicle 20 carries or otherwise possesses a plurality of transmitting electronic devices 26, including a Bluetooth® smartwatch 62, a smartphone 64, an RFID access card 66, and wireless headphones 68. Accordingly, when the vehicle 20 enters the prescribed proximity of the collection point system 12, the camera 18 will capture visual information associated with the vehicle 20, e.g., the license plate number “ABC1234”.The plurality of antennas 24 can further capture or otherwise receive electronic signals derived from electronic transmission devices 26 associated with the vehicle 20 (i.e., the vehicle's Bluetooth® tire gauge 56, a navigation system 58, and an interface). Bluetooth® of the vehicle 60) and the electronic transmission devices 26 associated with the person 30 (i.e., a Bluetooth® watch 62, a smartphone 64, an RFID access card 66, and wireless headphones 68). The collection system 12 will then transmit a plurality of data points 38 to the intelligence system 40, each of which includes information related to the captured electronic signals and the time, date, and location at which they were collected. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the data points 38 may include captured visual information, such as the license plate number, with associated collection information of time, date, and location; and captured electrical signal information, including, but not limited to, the device manufacturer, device type, signal type, etc., with associated collection information of time, date, and location, etc.Location information may include geographic information, such as GPS or other coordinates, and additionally or alternatively, may include information that identifies the collection point system 12 that collected the visual and / or electrical signal information. The correlation and search engine 42 can process information from received data points or data packets to correlate received signal information with visual information to develop electronic signatures that uniquely identify vehicle 20 or person 30, based on received electrical signals or combinations thereof, and can also populate the intelligence database 44 with the signature information that identifies vehicle 20 or person 30. Operators can then search or query the intelligence database 44, for example, using a user interface 100, as shown in Figures 3A-3G, for identification, mapping, tracking, etc., of vehicle 20 and person 30. In some modalities, the surveillance system 10 can be configured to capture an electronic signature and associated information from a target 11, and can associate such electronic signature and associated information with the target's identification, e.g., license plate number or other visual identifier, with the correlation and search engine 42, and then allow searches or provide alerts or notifications of receipts of similar information from the electronic signature in one or more of the collection systems 12. For example, surveillance system 10 can be configured to allow searches or scans of one or more specific electronic signatures associated with a target 11, which may include a suspect or person of interest, and provide search results including known location data points in the intelligence database 44, placing the suspect at those locations and times. Search results may include maps or other images 102 showing the collection systems 12 that captured the electronic signals associated with the one or more electronic signatures sought, for example, indicating the presence of the selected target or movements around a prescribed location or area (Figures 3A-3B and 3G). In addition, or as an alternative, the search results may include groupings or listings of the search results, which associate the one or more electronic signatures sought with information related to the collection systems that captured the electronic signals associated with the one or more electronic signatures sought (Figures 3C and 3G). These groupings or listings may include captured images (e.g., images of the person, vehicle, vehicle license plate, etc.), temporal information (e.g., the date and time the visual or signal information was collected), the visual identifier (e.g., license plate number), location information (e.g., GPS coordinates, state, city, etc.), information identifying the collection point system, collection statuses (e.g., normal reading, error, etc.), and so on. In other configurations, the surveillance system 10 can be configured to allow tagging or other association of specific electronic signatures with a selected target or targets, and then alert or search the history of those specific electronic signatures in the intelligence database, placing the selected targets in more locations than an ALPR alone. For example, an investigator can determine an electronic signature or electronic signatures that are associated with a target 11, for example, by using readings of electronic signals from electronic transmitting devices possessed by the suspect in custody or other capture of electronic signals from the suspect's electronic transmitting devices.The investigator can then enter the electronic signatures (or related information) associated with the target into surveillance system 10, to determine which collection systems 12 captured those signatures, e.g., to establish a verifiable record / proof that the suspect or others were at, or near, a crime scene and / or to show other incriminating movements or locations of the suspect, such as location or movement patterns, useful in tracing the perpetration of a crime.Investigators can also input specific time periods or intervals, and the surveillance system 10 can provide listings of the electronic signatures or visual identifiers received on various collection systems 12 within the input time period / interval, or it can provide maps or other images showing the movements of targets 11 within the input time period, based on their electronic signatures received on collection systems 12. By using such a system, investigators can potentially be helped in narrowing down a group of suspects, aiding their investigations. Furthermore, surveillance system 10 can generate an alarm or alert when the specified electronic signature is captured on one or more of the collection point systems 12 to alert of the presence of target 11 on or near the collection point system 12. The alarm or alert can be provided to the operator of surveillance system 10 and / or local authorities, such as law enforcement or other third parties. In some modalities, target 11 can be selected based on a specific criterion associated with the target, such as an arrest warrant, Amber or Silver Alert, expired registration, immigration violation, etc., and when the tagged electronic signatures are collected on one or more of the collection systems 12, the appropriate authorities can be notified. The surveillance system 10 can also be configured to perform searches or analyses of a convoy, indicating the electronic transmission devices, that is, based on their electronic signatures, which typically travel with a vehicle registration number, as generally indicated in Figures 3D-3F. For example, as shown in Figures 3D-3F, the surveillance system 100 can provide listings of the electronic signatures that are commonly associated with a target registration number.An investigator can search one or more of the associated electronic signatures, in addition to the target's license plate, to capture locations where the target may have traveled when the license plate was not read. This expands the search for a particular target's movements beyond a specific vehicle, capturing location data for a vehicle with a license plate that may have been altered or otherwise unread. For example, an investigator may have noticed that a particular vehicle's license plate was captured up to 20 times, and that 19 of those 20 times, a unique RFID electronic signature was also received. The surveillance system then allows the investigator to search for other locations where the unique RFID electronic signature was received, enabling them to track a person in places where their vehicle's license plate was not read or captured, thus broadening the investigation. In still other modes, the surveillance system can further indicate or determine changes in the association or movement of suspects, based on variations in the electronic signatures associated with a target. For example, based on unique electronic signatures, the surveillance system can indicate whether a particular individual is moving or was moving in a particular vehicle or vehicles, which can allow investigators to determine if the suspects were actually in a vehicle at a particular time. Furthermore, the surveillance system can indicate whether the targeted individual or a bystander is in a vehicle or other structure, based on the electronic signatures associated with it. Figure 4 illustrates a method for operating the surveillance system 10 according to one embodiment of the present description. Unless otherwise specified, the actions of method 400 may be carried out using a controller computing device, a processor, or another component of the surveillance system. The method illustrated in Figure 4 may also be implemented on other computing systems and / or devices, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, method 400 may be included in one or more programs, protocols, or instructions loaded into the memory of the surveillance system and executed by the controller computing device or by one or more processors of the surveillance system. The order in which the operations are described is not intended as a limitation, and any number of the described blocks may be combined in any order and / or in parallel to implement them. As discussed previously, the surveillance system will include a plurality of collection systems. Each collection system may include a sensor, camera, or any device capable of determining whether a target is in the vicinity of the surveillance system and capturing identification information for that target. Each collection system will further be located at a known or selected location (e.g., at known GPS coordinates), and as stated in 402-406, if a target is detected to be within range of one or more collection systems, the collection systems will capture the identification information associated with the target and transfer such captured identification information for each detected target to the controller's computing device or another controller of the surveillance system. As stated in blocks 402 and 406, each collection system will search for targets within its detection range. Each collection system may determine that a target is within its detection range based on various visual identifiers (for example, captures by the Automatic Vehicle License Plate Reader of the license plate, make, and model of the vehicle, or other visual identifiers), or based on the capture of electronic signals that define one or more electronic signatures associated with each target. One or more collection systems may be located in close proximity to one another, so that a target can be identified by the captured visual indicators, by the electronic signature, or a combination of both. For example, as stated in block 402, a visual collection system of a The collection system (for example, an ALPR system) will search for targets that come within its detection range, and if a target is found to be within range, a visual identifier of the target will be captured, as shown in block 404. In one mode, such a capture may include a portrait, photograph, image, or other action that records a visual identifier of a target. The target, in such examples, may include a vehicle or a person. Once the collection system captures the visual identifier, it can transfer the capture to the surveillance system. If a target is not within range of the visual ID collection system, or after the visual identifier is captured, the surveillance system can determine whether a device is within range of an additional collection system, such as an electronic signal collection system, as described in block 406. The electronic signal collection system may include an antenna or other means for detecting different types of electronic signals. For example, the antenna may detect a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signal. In such cases, the simple detection of these signals may be sufficient to indicate that a target or device is within range, and the corresponding electrical signal can then be captured. In block 408, if the device is within range of the electronic signal collection system, the electronic signal collection system will capture one or more electronic signals emanating from the target or an electronic device connected to the target. These signals will be used to define the electronic signature of the target or the target device. In one mode, the collection system may transmit a request to the target device and store the corresponding response or relevant data within the response as an electronic signature (for example, the electronic signature includes data describing or identifying the device). In another mode, the detected signal from the device may include the relevant information. Thus, the collection system may detect the signal and then store the device signal within the monitoring system.In another mode, the collection system can analyze and / or transmit the relevant data of such a signal to the surveillance system. In block 410, the surveillance system can identify targets using one or more electronic signatures. The surveillance system can analyze the captured data related to different targets and / or devices. Based on time, proximity, and number of occurrences, the surveillance system can determine if a device is associated with a target and, in some cases, identify the target. In other words, the surveillance system can use multiple electronic signatures found, typically associated with a particular target, to identify that specific vehicle. In block 412, the surveillance system will correlate visual identifiers with the target's electronic signature. The surveillance system can review or analyze captured visual identifiers and electronic signatures at specific times, locations, and / or in proximity to the collection system. Based on this captured data, the surveillance system can associate one or more of the captured electronic signatures with a particular target. For example, Bluetooth headphones might be detected at a specific time and location each day. Additionally, vehicle identification patterns (e.g., decals, dents, etc.) might be captured at that same time and location. Thus, the surveillance system can generate an indicator to be stored along with the captured electronic signature and the captured vehicle identifier. The indicator might show that the headphones are associated with that particular vehicle. In block 414, the surveillance system can determine targets of interest. Many (e.g., hundreds or thousands) signals and images can be captured in a short period. Many of these data points may be irrelevant or may pertain to targets that are not of interest. The surveillance system can identify a target of interest from such data collected daily, based on known identifiers of the target (e.g., license plate number or identifying marks on a vehicle, on a stolen vehicle list, or on a watch / blacklist). Data related to a target of interest can be stored and saved for potential analysis, while the remaining data can be deleted or not stored in the surveillance system. In block 416, the surveillance system will also monitor multiple data collection systems (10) for captured signals or images associated with the identified targets of interest. The surveillance system will receive additional data points from collection systems at other known or selected locations for the detection of such identified targets of interest at those additional locations. The movement of such targets of interest between a series of known locations can be determined in real time, or a record of such movements can be compiled. In one mode, the surveillance system can include several of the 15 targets of interest. The surveillance system can track each one over a particular time period or in another manner. The preceding description illustrates and generally describes several variations of the present description. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the construction discussed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the description as revealed herein, and that all material contained in the preceding description or shown in the accompanying drawings is intended to be illustrative and should not be taken in a limiting sense. Furthermore, the scope of the present description should be interpreted to cover various modifications, combinations, additions, alterations, etc., and the variations described above, which should be considered within the scope of the present description.Consequently, several features and characteristics of the present description, as discussed herein, may be selectively interchanged and applied to other forms of the description, illustrated and unillustrated, and furthermore, numerous variations, modifications and additions may be made to them, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present description, as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A surveillance system, comprising: one or more collection systems, each comprising one or more sensors configured to capture information relating to the visual identifiers of a plurality of targets and electronic signals associated with the plurality of targets; and an intelligence system, in communication with the one or more collection systems, the intelligence system being configured to: receive, from the one or more collection systems, one or more of the information relating to the visual identifiers or at least one electronic signal captured by the one or more sensors and associated with the plurality of targets, catalog the at least one captured electronic signal, associated with one or more identifying characteristics, to develop thereby one or more identified electronic signatures, identify one or more targets of interest,based on a correlation of at least one occurrence of one or more of the information related to the visual identifiers with at least one identified electronic signature, and track the one or more targets of interest using updated real-time information, related to additional captures of one or more visual identifiers of the one or more targets of interest or one or more identified electronic signatures of the plurality of targets, at the selected locations, by means of one or more additional collection systems.

2. The surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the one or more collection systems further comprise an automatic license plate reader, located in one or more of the selected locations.

3. The surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more collection systems comprises a sensor assembly, including a set of sensors, each configured to detect and capture one or more electronic signals associated with the plurality of targets.

4. The surveillance system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor assembly includes one or more of a Bluetooth® antenna, a Wi-Fi antenna, a REID antenna, or another RF antenna.

5. The surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more collection systems further comprises one or more cameras, configured to capture at least one of the plurality of vehicle identifiers from the plurality of targets.

6. The surveillance system according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle identifiers include one or more license plates, decals, patterns, component part positions, parts added after sale, damage, and various other markings.

7. The surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein the intelligence system further comprises a classification and search engine configured to determine the relationships between the identified electronic device generating the captured electronic signals and the targets of interest, based on information relating to the visual identifiers of an identified target of interest and the relative location and time of receipt of at least one electronic signature for the identified target of interest.

8. The surveillance system according to claim 7, wherein the determination of each relationship between the identified electronic devices and the targets of interest further comprises determining whether a relative certainty value exceeds a prescribed threshold, wherein the relative certainty value is based on the determination of one or more captured electronic signals being associated with the identified target of interest.

9. The surveillance system according to claim 8, wherein the relative certainty value is further based on a frequency and consistency of the electronic signals.

10. The surveillance system according to claim 1, wherein the intelligence system further comprises a user interface.

11. The surveillance system according to claim 10, wherein the user interface comprises one or more screens configured to display one or more of the visual identifiers and electronic signatures associated with each of the identified targets of interest, the relationships between the identified targets of interest and one or more electronic devices associated with the electronic signatures, or the routes or planned routes of the targets of interest.

12. A surveillance system, comprising: one or more collection systems, each comprising a series of sensors configured to capture in real time, information relating to the visual identifiers of a plurality of targets and electronic signatures of the plurality of targets; and an intelligence system in communication with the one or more collection systems, the intelligence system being configured to: receive, from the one or more collection systems, information relating to the visual identifiers and electronic signatures, determine an association between one or more of the plurality of targets and the electronic signatures captured by the one or more collection systems, and identify a target of interest from the plurality of targets, based on the determined association between the target of interest and the electronic signatures.

13. The surveillance system according to claim 13, wherein the identification of the target of interest is further based on known information relating to visual identifiers or electronic signatures determined to be associated with the target of interest.

14. The surveillance system according to claim 14, wherein the known information includes the vehicle identifiers comprising one or more of a license plate number, decals, patterns, component part positions, parts added after sale, damage, other markings, or combinations thereof.

15. A method for identifying and tracking targets, comprising: capturing, in real time, via a plurality of collection systems, the visual identifiers of a plurality of targets and the electronic signatures of a plurality of electronic devices; identifying at least some of the plurality of targets, by means of one or more of the electronic signatures; correlating at least a portion of the visual identifiers and electronic signatures and determining the associations between each of the plurality of targets identified by one or more of one or more of the identified electronic devices with one or more of the captured visual identifiers and electronic signatures; identifying, via an intelligence system, one or more targets of interest, based on the associations between one or more of the plurality of targets and one or more of the plurality of electronic devices;and 10 track, via the intelligence system, the one or more targets of interest, based on real-time updated captures associated with the one or more targets of interest; 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the real-time captures associated with the one or more targets of interest include updated captures of the visual identifiers and electronic signatures of the electronic devices associated with the one or more targets of interest, at successive times and locations.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: displaying, via a user interface in communication with the intelligence system, the real-time geographical locations of one or more targets of interest.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: 20 displaying, via the user interface in communication with the intelligence system, the associations between one or more of the plurality of targets and one or more of the plurality of electronic devices.

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