Abnormality detection and surveillance system

Abstract

A surveillance system having at least one primary video camera for translating real images of a zone into electronic video signals at a first level of resolution. The system includes means for sampling movements of an individual or individuals located within the zone from the video signal output from at least one video camera. Video signals of sampled movements of the individual is electronically compared with known characteristics of movements which are indicative of individuals having a criminal intent. The level of criminal intent of the individual or individuals is then determined and an appropriate alarm signal is produced.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for determining criminal activity by an individual within a field of view of a video camera, said method comprising:
 sampling the movements of an individual located within said field of view using said video camera to generate a video signal;   electronically comparing said video signal of said video camera with known characteristics of movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent;   determining the level of criminal intent of said individual, said determining step being dependent on said electronically comparing step; and   generating a signal indicating that a predetermined level of criminal intent is present as determined by said determining step.   
     
     
       2. A method for determining criminal activity by an individual within a field of view of at least one video camera, the method comprising:
 generating, using said at least one video camera, at least one video signal of the individual within the field of view of the at least one video camera;   sampling a relative movement, from one or more images captured by said at least one video camera of said field of view, of the individual with respect to a moved, movable or moving object captured by said at least one video camera of said field of view;   electronically comparing the sampled relative movement of the individual with known characteristics of movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent;   determining a level of criminal intent of the individual based on the compared sampled movement of the individual; and   generating a signal indicating that a predetermined level of criminal intent is present if the determined level of criminal intent of the individual establishes that the predetermined level of criminal intent is present.   
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the relative movement of the individual with respect to the object comprises an arm movement, a leg movement, an arm joint movement, a leg joint movement, an elbow movement, a shoulder movement, a head movement a torso movement, a hand movement, a foot movement, or combinations thereof, of the individual. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 3, wherein sampling the relative movement of the individual with respect to the object further comprises sampling an edge of an arm, a leg, an elbow, a shoulder, a head, a torso, a hand, a foot, or combinations thereof, of the individual. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 2, wherein electronically comparing the sampled relative movement of the individual with respect to the object with known characteristics of movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent comprises correlating a track of the sampled relative movement to known characteristics of movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 2, wherein electronically comparing the sampled relative movement of the individual with respect to an object with known characteristics of movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent comprises pattern matching of the sampled relative movement to known movements that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual comprises detecting a speed, a direction, a jerkiness, or combinations thereof, of the sampled relative movements of the individual with respect to the object. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual further comprises detecting a change of velocity, a change in acceleration, a jerkiness, or combinations thereof, of the sampled relative movements of the individual with respect to the object. 
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual further comprises detecting a change of velocity, a change in acceleration, a jerkiness, or combinations thereof, of the sampled relative movements of the individual with respect to the object. 
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the video signal of the individual generated within the field of view of the video camera comprises a first resolution,
 the method further comprising generating a second video signal of the individual within the field of view of a second video camera, the video signal comprising a second resolution, the first resolution being lower than the second resolution.   
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
 generating an audio signal of the individual;   sampling the audio signal of the individual; and   electronically comparing the sampled audio signal of the individual with known characteristics of sounds that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent, and   wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual is further based on a result of electronic comparing of the sampled audio signal of the individual with the known characteristics of sounds that are indicative of an individual having criminal intent.   
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 11, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual comprises detecting a speed, a direction, a jerkiness, a change of velocity, a change in acceleration, or a combination thereof, of the sampled relative movements of the individual with respect to the object. 
     
     
       13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the video signal of the individual generated within the field of view of the video camera comprises a first resolution,
 the method further comprising generating a second video signal of the individual within the field of view of a second video camera, the video signal comprising a second resolution, the first resolution being lower than the second resolution.   
     
     
       14. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual further comprises detecting one or more of a recognized word and a recognized expression. 
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 3, wherein the object comprises at least one body part of the individual or at least one identified object. 
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one body part of the individual comprises a hand, an arm, an elbow, a shoulder, a head, a torso, a leg or a foot. 
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the object comprises a weapon. 
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 2, further comprising controlling a second video camera in response to the signal indicating that a predetermined level of criminal intent is present. 
     
     
       19. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sampled relative movement of the individual with respect to the object comprises a movement of the object with respect to the individual, a lack of a movement of the object with respect to the individual, a jerkiness of motion of the object with respect to the individual, or a jerkiness of motion of an individual with respect to the object, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       20. The method according to claim 2, further comprising sensing the relative movement of the individual using ladar or radar. 
     
     
       21. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the level of criminal intent of the individual further comprises determining the temperature difference between the individual and the object. 
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 2, wherein sampling the relative movement of the individual with respect to the object further comprises sampling an edge of an arm, a leg, an elbow, a shoulder, a head, a torso, a hand, a foot, or combinations thereof, of the individual. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 2, further comprising a segmentation step. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 2, wherein the known characteristics of movements that are indicative of the individual having criminal intent are reference values.