Patent ID: 8390685

Claim:
A method for providing a virtual fence, comprising: positioning a plurality of video cameras about a perimeter to be monitored, the perimeter comprising a plurality of designated areas and completely encircling an area, wherein positioning a plurality of video cameras comprises: providing a series of poles about the perimeter to be monitored, wherein each designated area comprises an area between a respective pair of the poles; mounting a pair of video cameras on each of the poles, wherein a first of each pair of video cameras mounted on each pole is directed toward a previous pole in the series of poles, and a second of each pair of video cameras mounted on each pole is directed toward a next pole in the series of poles, such that an overlap in coverage between the video data of the first and second video cameras of each pair of video cameras is provided in each designated area; for each of the designated areas: capturing video data in a thin strip in the designated area using a pair of the video cameras on two adjacent poles; analyzing the captured video data to detect an event; and sending at least one of an alarm, image data, or video data to a central facility only in response to the detection of the event.