Patent Publication Number: US-2006007310-A1

Title: Surveillance system and surveillance method

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 93120664, filed Jul. 9, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a surveillance system and a surveillance method, and more particularly, to a surveillance system and a surveillance method for the protection of privacy.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      With increasing numbers of social activities, people have a greater need for security in both the work and home environment. The setting of a surveillance system is particularly common for city dwellers in an effort to prevent unexpected crimes or accidents. The surveillance system can automatically record environmental states, and can be a tool for collecting evidence when crimes are committed. It can also effectively prevent common crimes.  
      However, the omnipresent monitors sometimes invade personal privacy. When the surveillance system works, it sometimes records unnecessary scenes. For example, an ordinary street monitor records the scenes inside windows when monitoring buildings. The activities inside windows are personal, and this sort of content is not necessary for a surveillance system. Besides, recordation through windows of personal activities violates personal privacy. In some countries, shooting personal activities through windows is illegal. A conventional surveillance system is an unfriendly system because it does not deal with the inappropriate scenes recorded thereby.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Therefore, one objective of the present invention is to provide a surveillance system and a surveillance method, which can monitor the environment and safeguard privacy.  
      Another objective of the present invention is to provide a surveillance system and a surveillance method, which can automatically interfere with an unnecessary part of the image and display a necessary part of the image.  
      According to the aforementioned objectives, the present invention provides a surveillance system. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surveillance system includes a video recorder and a video processing module. The video recorder records a scene and generates an original video signal. The scene includes an area in need of coverage, such as a window of a house. The video processing module receives the original video signal. The video processing module performs an interference process on part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage and generates a post-processing video signal for displaying on a display. The interference process prevents the part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage from being identified.  
      According to the aforementioned objectives, the present invention provides a surveillance method. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surveillance method includes the following steps. Firstly, a scene is recorded to generate an original video signal, in which the scene includes an area in need of coverage, such as a window of a house. Next, an interference process is performed on part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in original video signal to generate a post-processing video signal. The part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in post-processing video signal cannot be identified. Then, the post-processing video signal is stored in a storage medium.  
      The present invention comprises the following advantages. Because an interference process is performed on a part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in the original video signal to interfere with the unnecessary part of the image and keep the necessary part of the image by the video processing module, the environment can be monitored, and the privacy can be protected. Furthermore, the present invention can eliminate unnecessary damage before the image is displayed on a display or a storage medium. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a diagram showing an example of an original video signal;  
       FIG. 2B  illustrates a diagram showing an example of a post-processing video signal; and  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart showing a surveillance method in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a surveillance system  100  includes a video recorder  102  and a video processing module  104 . The video recorder  102  is used to record a scene  106  to generate an original video signal  108 . The scene  106  includes areas  107  and  109  in need of coverage. The areas  107  and  109  in need of coverage may be, for example, windows  112  and  114  of a house  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Users can select areas in need of coverage, and the present invention is not limited to the application regarding windows.  
      The video processing module  104  receives the original video signal  108 . The video processing module  104  performs an interference process on a part of the image displaying the areas  107  and  109  in need of coverage in the original video signal  108  to generate a post-processing video signal  116  for displaying on a display  118 . The interference process prevents the part of the image displaying the areas  107  and  109  in need of coverage from being identified.  
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a diagram showing an example of an original video signal. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 A, the original video signal  108  is displayed as the scene  106  shown in  FIG. 2A . The scene  106  shot by the surveillance system  100  near by the house  110  may include the surrounding environment and the house  110 .  
      The surveillance system  100  is installed to monitor the house  110  and thereby prevent the house  110  from being illegally entered. However, when the video recorder  102  shoots the house  110 , it shoots the scenes inside the windows  112  and  114 . The activities inside the windows  112  and  114  are personal, and this sort of content is not necessary for the surveillance system  100 . Besides, taking personal activities inside windows violates personal privacy. In some countries, shooting personal activities inside windows is illegal.  
      In view of this reason, the video processing module  104  performs an interference process on part of the image displaying the windows  112  and  114  in the original video signal  108  to generate a post-processing video signal  116  for displaying on the display  118 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates a diagram showing an example of a post-processing video signal. Referring to  FIG. 2B , parts  202  and  204  of the image represent the window  112  and  114  shown in  FIG. 2A , respectively. The video processing module  104  performs an interference process on the parts  202  and  204  of the image. For example, the interference process can be performed by mosaicing the parts  202  and  204  of the image with software, or by removing the parts  202  and  204  of the image with software. In another example, the video processing module  104  performs a covering process on the parts  202  and  204  of the image.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , the video recorder  102  records the scene  106  by a static record method or a kinetic record method. In the kinetic record method, the video recorder  102  turns regularly. When the video recorder  102  performs a kinetic recording, the locations of the parts  202  and  204  of the image are changed with time, so that the video processing module  104  can calculate the locations of the parts  202  and  204  of the image changed with time in advance, and then perform an interference process on the parts  202  and  204  of the image.  
      The surveillance system  100  may include a storage medium  120  for storing the post-processing video signal  116 . The storage medium  120  may be a magnetic tape or a hard disc. The video processing module  104  may be a computer, for example.  
      The aforementioned surveillance system is executed according to a method.  FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart showing a surveillance method in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the surveillance method includes the following steps. Firstly, a scene is recorded to generate an original video signal (step  302 ), in which the scene includes an area in need of coverage. Next, an interference process is performed on a part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in original video signal to generate a post-processing video signal (step  304 ). The part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in post-processing video signal cannot be identified. Then, the post-processing video signal is displayed on a display and/or stored in a storage medium (step  306 ). The details of the method are the same as described in the embodiment of the surveillance system  100 , and are not described in detail herein.  
      According to the aforementioned description, the present invention comprises the following advantages. Because an interference process is performed on a part of the image displaying the area in need of coverage in the original video signal to interfere with the unnecessary part of the image and record the necessary part of the image by the video processing module, the environment can be monitored, and privacy can be protected. Furthermore, the present invention can eliminate unnecessary damage before the image is displayed on a display and/or stored in a storage medium.  
      As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.