Automated Camera Guard Tour with Event-Driven Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Security camera systems often miss events of interest due to manual operation, automated guard tours being ineffective, and video analytics struggling with multiple objects or distractions from uninteresting events.
Innovation Solution
Implementing intelligent guard tours with video analytics that initiate dwell timers and track timers to automatically identify and prioritize objects of interest, preventing distraction by unimportant events, and adjusting the camera's field of view to search for new objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If automated guard tours are implemented to cover multiple fields of view, then the camera system can monitor more areas, but it may miss events occurring at wrong set points or between set points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static guard tour set points to dynamic event-driven tracking. The camera system dynamically adjusts its field of view based on detected events, moving from predetermined positions to event-based positioning. This allows the system to maintain comprehensive coverage while reliably capturing events as they occur anywhere in the monitored area.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses video content analysis to detect events and provides feedback to the camera control system. When an event is detected, the system responds by initiating tracking mode, adjusting zoom levels, and repositioning the camera to follow the event. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures events are captured reliably while maintaining broad area coverage through the guard tour framework.
2Productivity
If video analytics are used to automatically track objects of interest, then the system can prioritize relevant events, but it may become distracted by uninteresting objects or events
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes tracking parameters including dwell time thresholds, zoom levels, and tracking activation criteria. By adjusting these parameters based on event characteristics and context, the system can distinguish between interesting events warranting tracking and uninteresting distractions, maintaining both efficiency and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system initiates tracking for multiple detected events simultaneously but applies different tracking intensities and durations. Not all detected objects receive equal attention - the system selectively tracks events based on their significance, using partial tracking for less important events and full tracking for critical events, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring reliable tracking of important events.
3Measurement precision
If the camera system zooms in to capture details of objects, then detail visibility improves, but the field of view becomes too narrow to capture surrounding events
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system dynamically adjusts zoom levels based on event characteristics and distance. When an event is detected, the system calculates the appropriate zoom level to maintain the event within the field of view while capturing sufficient detail. The zoom level is continuously adjusted as the event moves, ensuring both detail visibility and contextual awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple camera systems positioned at different locations and angles to monitor the same area. When one camera zooms in on an event, other cameras maintain wider field of view to capture surrounding context. This multi-dimensional approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve detailed views and broad coverage through spatial distribution of cameras.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for automated operation of a camera system provides for a positioning system that moves the camera system to a field of view to search for objects or events of interest to track. If objects or events of interest are detected prior to the expiration of a dwell timer, the dwell timer is interrupted and tracking of the objects or events of interest is initiated. To prevent the security camera from being distracted indefinitely by unimportant objects, the positioning system changes the field of view of the security system upon expiration of a track timer. Alternatively, if the security camera does not identify an object to track prior to expiration of a dwell timer, then the positioning system changes the field of view of the camera system to search for other objects or events of interest.