Portable Panoramic Surveillance System for First Responder Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surveillance systems are too complex and expensive for frontline responders, such as police, soldiers, and firefighters, making it difficult for them to access information about potential dangers within a building or structure before entry.
Innovation Solution
A portable surveillance system comprising a remote sensor apparatus with wide-angle image sensors, a wireless transceiver, and a processor that generates panoramic views by blending images from multiple sensors, allowing for real-time data collection and display on a portable receiver, which can be paired with various sensors for environmental data overlay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing surveillance systems are used to provide information about interior locations before entry, then safety and information quality improve, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the surveillance function into multiple distributed sensor nodes that can be independently deployed. Each node captures images from a specific location, and the overall surveillance coverage is achieved by combining data from multiple segmented units rather than using a single complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multiple image sensors to capture redundant views of the same environment from different positions. By copying the sensing function across multiple nodes and combining the captured images, the system achieves comprehensive surveillance while keeping individual components simple and affordable.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple image sensors are used to capture panoramic views, then field of view and information completeness improve, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having multiple sensors simultaneously capture images of the same scene from different locations. This parallel data collection approach allows the system to gather comprehensive panoramic information without requiring sequential processing, reducing overall processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges images captured by multiple sensors through alignment and blending operations. By combining the data from multiple image sensors into a single panoramic view, the system achieves a wide field of view while managing processing complexity through integrated processing algorithms.
3Speed
If real-time data collection and display are implemented, then response time and operational effectiveness improve, but system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by collecting and transmitting image data at regular intervals rather than continuously. This approach provides real-time situational awareness for operational decision-making while reducing computational load and system complexity compared to continuous real-time processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for a surveillance system including a remote sensor apparatus a portable receiver. The method includes receiving, at the portable receiver, image data collected simultaneously from a plurality of image sensors installed in the remote sensor apparatus. The method also includes processing, at the portable receiver, the received image data by, for each of the first plurality of captured images, detecting image features and performing feature matches by matching control points across neighboring images based on a control-point assumption that the control points are relevant only in areas of field of view overlap. The areas of field of view are determined by positions of the plurality of image sensors and a field of view of a wide-angle lens fitted with each of the plurality of image sensors. The method further includes generating a panoramic view by blending the processed first plurality of captured images.