Surveillance System Superimposed Control Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video surveillance systems require operators to divide attention between camera images and dedicated control interfaces, reducing monitoring efficiency and increasing reaction time to events, due to the lack of integrated ergonomics for controlling equipment within the monitoring station.

Innovation Solution

A video surveillance system with a graphical interface generation module that superimposes identification elements of equipment onto camera images, allowing for direct control via a command interface, and featuring modes for displaying geometric information and virtual objects, enhancing operator interaction and control without needing to switch between interfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a dedicated control interface is used for equipment control, then equipment control functionality is provided, but operator attention is divided between images and interface, reducing monitoring efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment control accessibilityVSAvoidmonitoring efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the dedicated control interface with the camera image display by superimposing graphical interface elements directly onto the video feed. This allows operators to control equipment and monitor scenes simultaneously without switching between separate interfaces, resolving the contradiction by combining monitoring and control functions into a single unified display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a graphical interface layer as a new dimension overlaid on the traditional video display. This layered approach allows control elements to coexist with visual monitoring content without blocking critical information, enabling both monitoring efficiency and control accessibility to be maintained simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If a dedicated control interface is used for equipment control, then equipment control functionality is provided, but operator reaction time to events is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment control accessibilityVSAvoidreaction time to events
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By merging control interface elements with the live video feed, the system eliminates the time required to switch between monitoring and control interfaces. Operators can immediately interact with equipment controls while maintaining visual awareness of the monitored scene, significantly reducing reaction time to emerging events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The graphical interface elements are pre-positioned and continuously displayed on the video feed, allowing operators to have control options immediately available without needing to navigate through separate menus or interfaces when events occur. This preliminary preparation of control access reduces response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If graphical interface elements are superimposed on camera images, then operator interaction is enhanced, but interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator interactionVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The graphical interface is segmented into distinct functional elements (identification elements, control elements, information elements) that are selectively displayed and organized based on operational context. This modular segmentation manages complexity by presenting only relevant controls and information at any given moment while maintaining enhanced interactivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The graphical interface elements are dynamically adjusted based on operational state, equipment type, and user interaction. Elements appear, disappear, or change position according to the monitored scene and control requirements, reducing perceived complexity while maintaining comprehensive interactivity when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2811465B1Video surveillance system
Publication Date: 2016.05.11 THALES SA
  • EP2811465B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2811465B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A video survaillance system, characterised in that it comprises a chamber (14, 16, 18) suitable for distributing the images, a remotely controlled device (12, 13), at least one surveillance station (20, 22), which comprises input means (48), display means (46) for the display of a temporal sequence of images distributed by each camera (14, 16, 18), and an interface-generating module (56) configured to generate a graphic interface superimposed over the images. The interface generation module (56) is configured for generating and displaying, via the graphic interface, an identification element of the device (12, 13) which is directly superimposed over said device, so that the identification element is superimposed over the equipment (12, 13) and the images, due to the fact that the identification element is selectively activatable via the input means (48) to allow the element to be displayed on the graphical interface of a control interface, said control interface being useful for remotely controlling at least one device (12, 13), as well as to the fact that the video system comprises control means (60) for controlling each device (12, 13 ) based on the information entered by a user via the control interface..