Abstract:
Systems that can track an object as it moves across the field of view of the security device, integrate transaction data with the object information, and can identify events that trigger an alert and methods for using the systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to security systems and methods for using security systems, and, more particularly, to security systems tracking objects across cameras in environments including mobile POS components. 
         [0002]    A number of systems, using a number of cameras, enable identifying an object and following the object as it moves from one camera to another camera. Such systems find applications in airport security and similar situations. 
         [0003]    In retail environments, the point of sale (POS) area is typically strongly monitored and movement in and out of that area is tracked. Recent developments have given rise to Mobile POS components where transactions occurred at any point in the environment A customer can make multiple mobile PUS transactions and stop at multiple points in the environment. The mobile environment can give rise to situations where alert should be triggered. 
         [0004]    The other similar environments having the same needs. 
         [0005]    There is a need for systems that can track an object as it moves across the field of view of the security device, integrate transaction data with the object information, and can identify events that trigger an alert. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Systems that can track an object as it moves across the field of view of the security device, integrate transaction data with the object information, and can identify events that trigger an alert and methods for using the systems are disclosed herein below. 
         [0007]    In one or more embodiments, the method of these teachings includes acquiring and recording an image of an object from one camera of a number of security cameras; each camera from the number of security cameras having position information and calibrated to identify other cameras from the number of security cameras in the vicinity of the each camera, providing the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, linking the object with transaction data from a mobile transaction component (also referred to as a mobile POS component), tracking the object from the one camera to another camera in the vicinity of the one camera as the object moves, providing video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object to a server; the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object being stored at a database, utilizing the server to determine whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and utilizing the server to manage alerts. 
         [0008]    In one instance, the predetermined criteria includes completing a transaction at the mobile POS component. 
         [0009]    In one or more instances, the label is used in tracking the object from the one camera to the other camera; the label and the object constituting a labeled object. 
         [0010]    In one or more embodiments, the system of these teachings includes a number of security cameras; each camera from the number of security cameras having position information and calibrated to identify other cameras from the number of security cameras in the vicinity of each camera; an image of an object being acquired and recorded by one security camera from the number of security cameras, a server, a database, the database having information for logic methods, one or more processors, and one or more computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein; the computer readable code, when executed in the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to receive the image of the object, provide the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, link the object with transaction data from a mobile POS component, and provide video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object to the server. This server includes one or more other processors and one or more other computer usable medium that has computer readable code embodied therein, which, when executed by the one or more other processors, causes the one or more other processors to receive the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object, store the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object in the database, determine, using the logic methods, whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and manage alerts. 
         [0011]    For a better understanding of the present teachings, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and detailed description and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of components of one embodiment of the system of these teachings; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a chart that shows the key components and their relationship with other components in the present teachings; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a chart that shows the device interaction between the components of  FIG. 1  (also referred to as cameras or alarm system) and the server in the present teachings; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  represents a chart of the sub-components contained in the mobile transaction component as set forth in the present teachings; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram representation of a portion of the server (or remote console) of these teachings. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out these teachings. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of these teachings, since the scope of these teachings is best defined by the appended claims. Although the teachings have been described with respect to various embodiments, it should be realized these teachings are also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
         [0018]    As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
         [0019]    Except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” 
         [0020]    In one or more embodiments, the system of these teachings includes a number of security cameras; each camera from the number of security cameras having position information and calibrated to identify other cameras from the number of security cameras in the vicinity of each camera; an image of an object being acquired and recorded by one security camera from the number of security cameras, a server, a database, the database having information for logic methods (computer readable code for the logic methods being stored in the database), one or more processors, and one or more computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein; the computer readable code, when executed in the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to receive the image of the object, provide the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, link the object with transaction data from a mobile transaction component (also referred to as a mobile point-of-sale (POS) component), and provide video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object to the server. This server includes one or more other processors and one or more other computer usable medium that has computer readable code embodied therein, which, when executed by the one or more other processors, causes the one or more other processors to receive the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object, store the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object in the database, determine, using the logic methods, whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and manage alerts. 
         [0021]    In one instance, the identifier provides a label for the object, where the label is used in tracking the object from the one camera to the other camera. The label and a object constitute a labeled object. In another instance, the predetermined criteria includes completing a transaction at the mobile POS component. 
         [0022]    In a further instance, when the field of view (FOV) of each one camera overlaps the field of view of one or more other cameras, after the object is initially acquired, labeled and tracked by one of the cameras, tracking of the labeled object is handed from the one camera to the other, when the labeled object moves into the field of view of the other camera. 
         [0023]    In one or more embodiments, in managing alerts, the computer readable code in the other computer usable medium at the server, causes, when executed in the one or more other processors, the one or more other processors to determine, using the logic methods stored in the database, whether an alert has occurred, determine, using the logic methods, a type of alert, merge an identifying ID with the alert type, determining a location of the alert and transmit the merged ID and the alert type and location to a predetermined site. 
         [0024]    A component of one embodiment of the system of the present teachings is shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment shown therein, an object (a customer)  35  is moving along two structures  25  (such as displays, shelves, etc.) a number of cameras  15  are disposed above the object  35  and the structures  25 . Each camera has a field of view (FOV)  20  in the embodiment shown there fields of view  20  are overlapping. Each camera has position information as to the position of the camera and is calibrated to identify other cameras in the vicinity, in one instance, the calibration identifies the cameras in the vicinity that have overlapping fields of view. A mobile transaction terminal  30  is disposed in the aisle between the two structures  25 . 
         [0025]    In one exemplary embodiment, typical of many retail environments, the two structures are shelves containing merchandise, the mobile transaction terminal  30  is a mobile POS terminal and the object  35  is a consumer. As a consumer moves along the aisle, an image of the consumer  35  is acquired by at least one of the cameras  15 . As the consumer stops, makes a transaction (such as a purchase) at the mobile PUS terminal  30 , the image of the consumer is provided with an identifier (label) which becomes a characteristic of the image of that object (consumer). As a consumer moves from the field of view of one camera to the field of view of another camera, the image of the consumer is tracked and the image of the object is linked with transaction data from the mobile POS terminal  30 . Video data for the consumer and the transaction data link to the consumer is provided to a server. At this server, it is determining whether the event, the trajectory of the consumer after the transaction at the mobile POS term, requires an alert. An Exemplary embodiment of a possible situation that may require an alert is a consumer stopping at locations with similar products as that involved in the mobile POS transaction and selecting one similar product. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the system of the present teachings, Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the embodiment shown therein, the components shown in  FIG. 1 , referred to as image acquisition devices (cameras),  110  provide data through a communication network  130 , labeled as an Internet (although any communication network including local area communication networks could be used), to a server  140 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , a device Gateway  120  and a remote console  125  are shown as optional (dotted) components. In one instance, some of the functions could be performed at the remote console  125  while, in another instance, all of the functions can be performed at the server  140 . The term image acquisition devices, as used above, includes the mobile transaction terminal. The mobile terminal aspects of the system of these teachings are included in the component labeled image acquisition devices  110  and in the application that the server is adapted to perform (being adapted by having computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein that when executed by a processors causes the server to perform the functions). (Without the mobile terminal aspects, the system of  FIG. 2  has the same appearance as a Web based security system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,508,355, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and for all purposes.) 
         [0027]    In one or more embodiments, the method of these teachings includes acquiring and recording an image of an object from one camera of a number of security cameras; each camera from the number of security cameras having position information and calibrated to identify other cameras from the number of security cameras in the vicinity of the each camera, providing the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, linking the object with transaction data from a mobile transaction component (also referred to as a mobile POS component), tracking the object from the one camera to another camera in the vicinity of the one camera as the object moves, providing video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object to a server; the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object being stored at a database, utilizing the server to determine whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and utilizing the server to manage alerts. 
         [0028]    In one instance, the predetermined criteria includes completing a transaction at the mobile POS component. 
         [0029]    In another instance, the mobile POS component receive location data from a location providing system (for example, but not limited to, GPS). The location data for the mobile POS component is also linked to the object through linking to the image of the object. 
         [0030]    In one or more instances, the label is used in tracking the object from the one camera to the other camera; the label and the object constituting a labeled object. 
         [0031]    In a further instance, when the field of view (FOV) of each one camera overlaps the field of view of one or more other cameras, the field of view of the one camera, tracking of the labeled object is handed from the one camera to the other, when the labeled object moves into the field of view of the other camera. 
         [0032]    In one instance, the server  140  (or the remote console  125 ) includes a detected region labeling component (or computer readable code to implement that function). The detected region labeling component could be, for example, a component as described in Multiscale Conditional Random Fields for Image Labeling, Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, or in U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,020 B2, Apparatus and method for generating object-labeled image in video sequence, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and for all purposes. After the detected region has been labeled, the detected region can be tracked during motion (see, for example, Real-Time Object Tracking and Classification Using a Static Camera, Proceedings of the IEEE ICRA 2009 Workshop on People Detection and Tracking Kobe, Japan, May 2009, Section 14.6, Motion Tracking, in chapter 14, Machine Vision Book available at http://www.cse.usf.edu/˜rlk/MachineVisionBook/MachineVision.files/MachineVision_Chapter 14.pdf, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and for all purposes). The detected region can also be tracked during motion using the methods described in unman Kang, Isaac Cohen and Gerard Medioni, Continuous Tracking Within and Across Camera Streams, Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE Computer Society Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR &#39;03) and in Isaac Cohen, Yunqian Ma, Ben Miller, Associating Moving Objects Across Non-overlapping Cameras: A Query-by-Example Approach, 2008 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,374, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety and for all purposes. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a mobile transaction (POS) component. It should be noted that other embodiments are also within the scope of these teachings. The mobile transaction (PUS) component shown in  FIG. 4  includes an antenna  304  configured to send receive signals over a network. The antenna  304  is operatively connected to a communication module  308  that provides an interface between the antenna and the network and one or more processors  312 . The one or more processors  312  are configured to execute machine readable code which is stored on computer readable media  316  (such as a memory, as shown), The one or more processors  312  are also configured to store computer readable code in the computer readable media  316 . The mobile transaction (POS) component shown in  FIG. 4  also has a display  334  configured to present information, such as portions of the one or more video data streams, to a user and a data acquisition device (such as a scanner and or camera)  336 . The data acquisition device allows acquiring data for a transaction. A user interface  330  is configured to receive user input and the input to the one or more processors  312 . In one instance, the user interface  330  is configured as part of the display  334 , as, for example, in a touch screen display. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  outlines the various components and the corresponding pathways incorporated into the server  140 . The server  140  provides for the determination of whether an alert is required, the determination the type of alert and the managing of alerts. Upon receiving the video data for the object (the image of the object) from the component in  FIG. 1  (referred to as alarm system)  110 , the object is provided with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria, is linked with the transaction data from the mobile POS component, and is tracked from one camera to another camera, functions which are performed by either the server  140  or the remote console  125 . The video data (including the location data of each camera) and transaction data linked to the object are provided to the server  140  and whether the video data transaction data represent an alarm is determined  205 . The determination is performed using the logic methods stored in the database  135 . 
         [0035]    If the signal represents an alarm alert ( 210 ,  FIG. 3 ), there are three major steps: 1) determine the Alert Type ( 220 ,  FIG. 3 ); 2) merge ID with Alert Type ( 230 ,  FIG. 3 ); and 3) transmit the alert via an appropriate avenue to a Monitoring Site, a designated site or a combination of the above, or all of them at once. ( 270 ,  FIG. 3 ). The logic stored in the database  135  is used to determine the type of alert, wherein the stored logic selects a user designated reaction to the type of alert. In one embodiment, once the alarm&#39;s nature is determined, it is then necessary to merge  230  the industry standard protocol with a Location ID database to determine which system or site is receiving the alert, Once the type of alert and the location of the alert are determined, it is then necessary to alert the Monitoring Site  170  (or a designated site, or all of them at once) via the Internet  130 . Many Monitoring Sites utilize telephone lines to receive alerts and, as such, it might be necessary to utilize a Smart Phone Emulator  250  so the telephone signals can be passed via the Internet and be properly received by the Monitoring Site or other receiving site. If, however, the Monitoring Site (or other receiving site) can receive and interpret IP signals, the alert can also be transmitted directly  260  to the Monitoring Site  170  via the Internet. 
         [0036]    In one exemplary embodiment of the stored logic, these teachings not being limited only to the exemplary embodiment, the user designated reaction is to review purchases at exit and the logic receives information on the location and time spent at location as the consumer&#39;s image is tracked over a number of cameras and also receives information on the transaction, and location of the transaction, at the mobile POS terminal, Based on the information the logic identifies whether an alert has occurred or not. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, the server  140  of these teachings includes one or more processors ( 360 ,  FIG. 5 ), one or more communication devices for communicating over a network ( 385 ,  FIG. 5 ), one or more computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein causing the one or more processors to perform the method of the present teachings ( 380 ,  FIG. 5 ). In one instance, the server also includes another computer usable medium having the database  350  described hereinabove embodied therein, One embodiment of the general structure of the server  140  is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0038]    In embodiments in which the functionality is completely embodied in the server  140 , the computer readable code embodied in the one or more computer usable media ( 380 ,  FIG. 5 ), when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to receive the image of the object, provide the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, link the object with transaction data from a mobile transaction component (also referred to as a mobile point-of-sale (POS) component), provide video data for the object and the transaction data link, receive the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object, store the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object in the database, determine, using the logic methods, whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and manage alerts. 
         [0039]    In embodiments in which the remote console  125  is used, the general structure of the remote console  125  is the structure presented in  FIG. 5  without the database  350 . In those embodiments, the computer readable code embodied in the one or more computer usable media in the remote console  125 , when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to receive the image of the object, provide the object with an identifier if the object meets predetermined criteria; the identifier provided to the object being a characteristic of the object, link the object with transaction data from a mobile transaction component (also referred to as a mobile point-of-sale (POS) component), provide video data for the object and the transaction data link to the server. In those embodiments, the computer readable code embodied in the one or more computer usable media of the server, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to receive the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object, store the video data for the object and the transaction data link to the object in the database, determine, using the logic methods, whether an event requiring an alert has occurred and manage alerts. 
         [0040]    For the purposes of describing and defining the present teachings, it is noted that the term “substantially” is utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The term “substantially” is also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. 
         [0041]    Elements and components described herein may he further divided into additional components or joined together to form fewer components for performing the same functions. 
         [0042]    Each computer program may be implemented in any programming language, such as assembly language, machine language, a high-level procedural programming language, or an object-oriented programming language. The programming language may be a compiled or interpreted programming language. 
         [0043]    Each computer program may be implemented in a computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage device for execution by a computer processor. Method steps of the invention may be performed by a computer processor executing a program tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium to perform functions of the invention by operating on input and generating output. 
         [0044]    Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CDROM, any other optical medium, any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, all of which are non-transitory. As stated in the USPTO 2005 Interim Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications for Patent Subject Matter 1300 Off. Gaz. Pat, Office 142 (Nov. 22, 2005), “On the other hand, from a technological standpoint, a signal encoded with functional descriptive material is similar to a computer-readable memory encoded with functional descriptive material, in that they both create a functional interrelationship with a computer. In other words, a computer is able to execute the encoded functions, regardless of whether the format is a disk or a signal.”Although the invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, it should be realized these teachings are also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.