Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to video surveillance systems and, more particularly, to controlling cameras used in a video surveillance system.  
         [0002]     Personal computers (PC) typically use a point-and-click input device, such as a mouse or trackball as a standard method for entering data and for navigating throughout computer programs and menus within those programs. At least some known video surveillance systems utilize complex and detailed menus for initializing and programming the PTZ cameras. Creating the menus using input features, such as buttons, drop-down list boxes, text fields, check boxes, that have become commonplace when operating PCs, facilitates interaction with the menus. Such input features also enable quicker and more understandable menu navigation for the user, thus increasing the ease of use of the surveillance system.  
         [0003]     At least some known modern video surveillance systems utilize controller keypads that have built-in joysticks for camera pan and tilt control and a switch to control various functions of the camera, for example, an iris control, a focus control, and a zoom control. The joystick and camera control switches control signal, which are transmitted to a decoder in the camera. The actual content of the control signal generated by the controller keypad may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and may vary within different products offered by the same manufacturer depending on configuration and/or specific equipment used. The common content of these signals is the information to control camera panning (left/right), tilting (up/down), and zooming (in/out) regardless of the specific content of the signal. However, menu driven initialization and programming of PTZ cameras may be hampered by different protocols used by each manufacturer or each product line.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     In one embodiment, a video surveillance system is provided. The video surveillance system includes an input device for generating a movement command, at least one camera configured to receive the movement command, wherein the at least one camera includes a decoder configured to decode the movement command into at least one of a pan command, a tilt command, and a camera control command, a menu code segment programmed to control a menu cursor using at least one of the received pan, tilt, and camera control commands, and a memory configured to store camera configuration parameters received from the menu, and a monitor configured to display at least one of an image generated by the at least one camera and a menu display generated by the at least one camera.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment, a computer readable medium encoded with a program code segment executable by a processor for controlling the operation of at least one camera is provided. The code segment is programmed to instruct the processor to receive a first movement command, decode the first movement command into at least one of a pan command, a tilt command, and a camera control command, receive a configuration command, and navigate a menu using a second movement command.  
         [0006]     In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a video surveillance system that includes at least one camera configured to receive a movement command from a controller is provided. The camera includes a configuration menu. The method includes decoding the movement command from the controller into at least one of a pan command, a tilt command, and a camera control command, selecting the at least one camera for configuration, and decoding a movement command from the controller into commands for navigating a camera configuration menu. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an exemplary video surveillance system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the camera shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a screen shot of an exemplary menu that may be used with camera shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an exemplary video surveillance system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Video surveillance system  100  includes a control panel  102 , a display monitor  104 , and a pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) video camera  106 . Typically, camera  106  is housed in an enclosure  108  having a dome  110  for protecting camera  106  from the environment where camera  106  may be located. Camera  106  may include capabilities to pan about a vertical axis  112 , tilt about a horizontal axis  114 , and control a lens assembly  116  to cause camera  106  to zoom, focus, and vary the amount of light entering the camera (iris control). In the exemplary embodiment, signals representing commands to control such capabilities are transmitted from control panel  102  through a control data line  118 . Image data signals are transmitted from camera  106  to display monitor  104  and a storage device  120  through a video data line  122 . In an alternative embodiment, signals representing commands and image data signals are transmitted concurrently through a single digital data/control line (not shown).  
         [0012]     Lens assembly  116  views an area of a location  124 , which may be remote from control panel  102  and is in a field of view  126  and along a viewing axis  128  of lens assembly  116 . Images of location  124  are converted by camera  106  into an electrical video signal, which is transmitted to display monitor  104 .  
         [0013]     In the exemplary embodiment, control panel  102  includes an X-Y control joystick  130  that is used to generate pan and tilt commands. A plurality of rocker-type switches  132  are used to control a zoom  134 , a focus  136 , and an iris  138  of lens assembly  116 . In an alternative embodiment, one or more camera control functions may be incorporated into joystick  130 . For example, zoom  134 , a focus  136 , and an iris  138  may be incorporated via buttons, triggers, or twist motions into joystick  130 . Control panel  102  also includes a numeric keypad  140  for entering numbers and values. In an alternative embodiment, control panel  102  may include an alpha or alphanumeric keypad (not shown) for entering text as well as numbers. Control panel  102  further includes a plurality of preset switches  142  that may be programmed to execute macros that automatically control the actions of camera  106  and/or lens assembly  116 . A plurality of buttons  144  may be used, for example, for predetermined control functions and/or user-defined functions, for example, a camera selection in a multi-camera video surveillance system. A display may be used to display a status of video surveillance system  100  or may be used to display parameters associated with a selected camera.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of camera  106  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). In the exemplary embodiment, camera  106  includes a decoder module  200  that receives commands from control panel  102  through control data line  118 . Decoder module  200  decodes the commands and transmits the decoded commands to various modules within camera  106 . For example, a command may be a movement command that includes commands such as a pan command, a tilt command, and a camera control command. The pan command may be transmitted to a pan motor  202 , the tilt command may be transmitted to a tilt motor  204 , and the camera control command may be transmitted to a zoom actuator  206 , an iris control (not shown), and a focus control (not shown). Other commands, such as a preset command and a configuration command may be decoded to provide commands to initiate actions to be carried out by camera  106 . For example, a preset command may be decoded to initiate execution of a macro stored in a memory  208  of a processor  210 . The macro may include a series of commands to be executed in a sequence to carry out a predetermined series of camera movements and operations.  
         [0015]     An image assembly  212  may convert light received through lens assembly  116  into electrical signals representative of an image of location  124 . The electrical signals may be transmitted to monitor  104  or storage device  120  through video data line  122 . In the exemplary embodiment, a line  214  may be used to transmit other video signals to monitor  104 . For example, processor  210  may be programmed to generate a menu of user selectable options for display on monitor  104 . When the menu is active, video signals from image assembly may be prevented from being transmitted through video data line  122 , for example, by removing a signal from a video output enable input  216  of image assembly  212 . Alternatively, when the menu is active, the video signals from image assembly  212  may be formatted such that the image represented by the video signals covers only a portion of a screen area of monitor  104 .  
         [0016]     Processor  210  receives programmed instructions, from software or firmware, and data from memory  208  and performs various operations using the data and instructions. Processor  210  may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) that performs arithmetic and logical operations and a control unit that extracts instructions from memory  208  and decodes and executes them, calling on the ALU when necessary. Memory  208  generally includes a random-access memory (RAM) and a read-only memory (ROM), however, there may be other types of memory such as programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). In addition, memory  208  may include an operating system, which executes on processor  210 . The operating system performs basic tasks that include recognizing input, sending output to output devices, keeping track of files and directories and controlling various peripheral devices.  
         [0017]     The term processor, as used herein, refers to central processing units, microprocessors, microcontrollers, reduced instruction set circuits (RISC), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), logic circuits, and any other circuit or processor capable of executing the functions described herein. Memory  208  may include storage locations for the preset macro instructions that may be accessible using one of the plurality of preset switches  142 .  
         [0018]     As used herein, the terms “software” and “firmware” are interchangeable, and include any computer program stored in memory for execution by processor  210 , including RAM memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory. The above memory types are exemplary only, and are thus not limiting as to the types of memory usable for storage of a computer program.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a screen shot of an exemplary menu  300  that may be used with camera  106  (shown in  FIG. 1 ). In the exemplary embodiment, menu  300  is a graphical user interface (GUI). In various alternative embodiments, menu  300  is a menu display other than a GUI. Menu  300  includes a title bar  302 , a menu bar  304 , a menu frame  306 , a macro menu select area  308 , a status display  310 , and may include a camera image monitor area  312 . Menu options, such as setup  314 , camera  316 , actions  318 , alarms  320 , control  322 , system  324 , and help  326  may be selected from menu bar  304  using a cursor  328 . In the exemplary embodiment, cursor  328  is moved with respect to menu  300  using joystick  130 . Pushing joystick in any direction with respect to control panel  102  causes a corresponding movement of cursor  328  with respect to menu  300 . To make selections in the various menu options display on menu  300 , zoom switch  134 , focus switch  136 , iris switch  138 , or other control switch may be actuated to generate a right mouse click and/or a left mouse click. This method allows control of cursor  328  using the familiar PC mouse control scheme.  
         [0020]     In the exemplary embodiment, macro menu select area  308  is used to program macros and enter camera, alarms, control, and system configuration parameters. A macro  330  may be selected, for example, programming  332  or display  334 . A macro serial number may be selected through an identifier dropdown list box  336 . A title for the selected macro may be displayed in a title box  338 . A step  340  of macro  330  may be set using a plurality of drop down list boxes  342  to define a step type  344 , a preset number  346 , a speed of action  348 , a transition  350 , and a duration  352 . A new step may be added to macro  330  using an add button  354 . A step  340  may be removed from macro  330  using a remove button  356 . Each step  340  may be moved up in order in macro  330  using moveup button  358  or moved down in order using movedown button  360 . Programming of macro  330  may be accepted by selecting an OK button  362 . Programming of macro  330  may be canceled by selecting a cancel button  364 .  
         [0021]     During operation, manipulation of joystick  130  generates movement commands, such as pan and tilt commands, which are encoded and transmitted to camera  106 . Manipulation of switches  134 ,  136 , and  138  also generates commands, which are encoded and transmitted to camera  106 . The commands are decoded at camera  106  and camera  106  is commanded to pan and tilt in accordance with the decoded commands. For example, zoom switch  134  sends a command to cause lens assembly to zoom in and zoom out. A configuration command may be generated at control panel  102  using a predetermined button or switch, such as a preset button, or a combination of buttons. The configuration command may be decoded in camera  106  to initiate execution of a software code segment in camera  106  that displays a menu on monitor  104 , decodes movement commands into a menu cursor movement command and decodes another predetermined command, for example, the zoom command into right and left mouse click commands for menu selection. Configuration parameters entered using menu  300  may be stored in a memory associated with and/or accessible to camera  106 . Such configuration parameters may be used by camera  106  and/or control panel  102  to control the operation of camera  106  and control panel  102 .  
         [0022]     Although the embodiments described herein are discussed with respect to a video surveillance system, it is understood that the alternate menu cursor and input control described herein may be used with other systems controlling electrical equipment.  
         [0023]     It will be appreciated that the use of first and second or other similar nomenclature for denoting similar items is not intended to specify or imply any particular order unless otherwise stated.  
         [0024]     The above-described embodiments of a video surveillance system provide a cost-effective and reliable means for controlling video cameras using an on board interface that permits a wide variety of control protocols to be used without programming, software patches, and hardware interfaces. More specifically, using commands that are normally generated by the control panel to operate the camera to navigate a menu for configuring the camera facilitates programming the camera and providing configuration parameters in a cost-effective and reliable manner.  
         [0025]     Exemplary embodiments of video surveillance systems and apparatus are described above in detail. The video surveillance system components illustrated are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of each system may be utilized independently and separately from other components described herein. For example, the video surveillance system components described above may also be used in combination with different video surveillance system components. A technical effect of the various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein include facilitating operation and maintenance of video surveillance system by permitting simple interchangeability and compatibility of cameras with a variety of base video surveillance systems.  
         [0026]     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Technology Category: 5