Video Stream Segmentation Using Virtual Planes for Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surveillance cameras often cause privacy concerns for adjacent property owners, leading to potential camera removal or sub-optimal placement, as existing masking techniques are not effectively perceived by all parties and only consider parallel screens.
Innovation Solution
Generating two separate video streams using measured depth information to create a virtual plane, allowing each party to access only their side of the scene, with independent credentials and a system comprising a camera device, video stream controller, and service component for negotiation and segmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a virtual plane is placed in the scene to divide regions, then privacy assurance for affected parties is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to depth information processing and multiple video stream generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the scene into multiple regions using a virtual plane, creating separate video streams for different parties. This segmentation allows each party to view only their designated region, directly addressing privacy concerns while maintaining surveillance functionality through structured division of the visual field.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces depth information as an additional dimension to separate video streams. By utilizing measured depth data, the system creates virtual planes in three-dimensional space that project onto the two-dimensional image plane, enabling privacy分区 without blocking the physical camera view.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If masking techniques are used to screen out certain areas, then privacy for one party is improved, but the perception of privacy by affected parties deteriorates because masking is not evident to them
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying masking to a single video stream, the patent segments the video feed into multiple unmasked streams, each showing different regions to different parties. This eliminates the need for masking while ensuring each party only receives visual information relevant to their side of the property boundary.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If screens are placed parallel to the image plane to block certain areas, then privacy screening is achieved, but the versatility of the solution deteriorates because it only works for parallel orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves from two-dimensional parallel screens to three-dimensional virtual planes defined by depth information. This allows virtual planes to be oriented at any angle relative to the camera and property boundaries, providing flexible privacy zoning that adapts to various installation geometries and boundary configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of virtual plane parameters including position, orientation, and depth. By changing these parameters, the privacy zones can be reconfigured to match different property boundaries, camera positions, and surveillance requirements without physical reinstallation.
4Device complexity
If a single video stream is used for surveillance, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to provide differentiated views for different parties deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single surveillance video stream into multiple segmented streams, each containing only the portion of the scene relevant to a specific party. This segmentation enables differentiated privacy protection while maintaining a unified surveillance system that captures the complete scene.
Data Source
AI summary
At least one method, apparatus, system and readable medium for generating two video streams from a received video stream are provided herein. A scene captured by the received video stream is divided into a first region and a second region by placing a virtual plane in the scene. The regions of the scene represented in the received video stream are assigned to at least one of two output video streams, the first region being assigned to at least a first output video stream and the second region to at least a second output video stream according to the virtual plane. Pixel data assigned to each output video stream is encoded to generate the two video streams.