United States Patent [191
`Lai
`
`US005610580A
`Patent Number:
`[11]
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,610,580
`Mar. 11, 1997
`
`[54] MOTION DETECTION INIAGING DEVICE
`AND NIETHOI)
`
`5,155,474 10/1992 Park et al. ............................ .. 340/693
`5,382,943
`1/1995 Tanaka .................................. .. 340/693
`
`[76] Inventor: Joseph M. Lai, 1922 West 33rd
`Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia,
`Canada, V6M 1B4
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 511,435
`[22] Filed:
`Aug. 4, 1995
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`0585033A1 3/1994 European Pat. 011°. .
`0595709A1 5/1994 European Pat. OiT. .
`6-165181
`6/1994 Japan.
`Primary Examiner—Glen Swann
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Elbie R. de Kock
`
`Int. Cl.6 ................................................... .. G08B 13/18
`[51]
`[52] US. Cl.
`340/541; 340/553; 340/554;
`348/143; 348/155; 365/183; 396/427
`[53] Field of Search ................................... .. 340/553, 554,
`340/541; 343/143, 155; 365/1g3; 354/3
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A motion detection and imaging method and device 10 for
`carrying out the method are provided. The device 10 com
`prises :1 housing 12 containing a CCD 18 for providing
`digital image data, a lens 16 for focusing an image on the
`CCD 18 and a solid state non-volatile memory 24 for storing
`the digital image data. In one embodiment, the device
`includes a motion detector 26 for triggering the storage of
`the digital data.
`
`3,885,090
`4,942,464
`
`5/1975 Rosenbaurn ............................... .. 360/5
`7/1990 Milatz ................................... .. 340/541
`
`12 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`/0
`
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`QUARTZ
`22*’ CLOCK
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`30
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`24
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`20
`
`MAGNIFYING
`LENS
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`/ QM MEMORY
`OUTPUT
`INTERFACE
`
`34
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`‘ POWER
`SUPPLY
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`38
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`
`32
`
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`
`/
`
`MICROF’ROCESSOR
`
`36"
`
`BACKUP
`BATTERY
`
`/
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`30
`
`MOTION
`DETECTOR
`
`2 /
`6
`
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`40“?
`
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`= LlGHT
`/
`29
`
`Page 1 of 4
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`SAMSUNG EXHIBIT 1016
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`la1E3M
`
`7991
`
`5,610,580
`
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`Page 2 of 4
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`

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`5,610,580
`
`1
`MOTION DETECTION HVIAGING DEVICE
`AND METHOD
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to a motion detection and imaging
`device and method, suitable for security purposes for the
`surveillance of a protected area.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Various types of security systems for monitoring a pro
`tected area and making a recording of an image of a person
`entering the area, are known.
`Normally these systems are expensive and comprise V811‘ I
`ous inter-connected components in different locations and
`require on-site supervisory personnel. It is an object of the
`present invention to provide a self-contained unit which can
`easily be installed in an area to be monitored with no human
`intervention being required after installation until such time
`as the recorded images are required.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`According to the invention there is provided a motion
`detection and imaging device comprising a housing contain
`ing a CCD for providing digital image data, a lens for
`focusing an image to be observed on the CCD and a solid
`state non-volatile memory for storing said digital image
`data.
`The lens may comprise a wide angle lens assembly. The
`lens may include an electronic shutter.
`The device may further comprise means for controlling
`opening of the shutter at predetermined time intervals for
`intermittently focussing an image on the CCD.
`The device may further comprise a motion detector for
`triggering the storage of the digital data in the memory.
`The device may also comprise means for compressing the
`digital data prior to storage in the memory and means for
`decompressing the data after retrieval from the memory.
`The device may further comprise an electronic clock and
`calendar for timing and dating the digital data.
`The device may also include a source of illumination.
`Also according to the invention there is provided a motion
`detection and imaging method comprising the steps of
`focusing an image of an area being monitored on a CCD by
`means of a lens to provide digital image data and storing the
`data in a solid state non-volatile memory.
`The image of the area being monitored may be focused on
`the CCD intermittently at predetermined time intervals to
`provide digital image data of a series of separate still
`pictures which is stored in the memory.
`Further objects and advantages of the invention will
`become apparent from the description of a preferred
`embodiment of the invention below.
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
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`50
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`55
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The single drawing is a schematical representation of a
`motion detection and imaging device according to the inven
`tion.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`In the drawing, reference numeral 10 generally indicates
`a motion detection and imaging device. The device 10
`comprises a tamper resistant housing 12 provided with a
`
`65
`
`2
`transparent front 14. The housing 12 contains a wide angle
`lens assembly 16, a charge coupled imaging device (CCD)
`18, a microprocessor 20, a quartz crystal controlled clock
`and calendar 22, a memory bank 24 comprising one or more
`solid state non-volatile high density memory chips, a micro
`wave or ultrasound motion detector 26, an output interface
`28 and a light 29. Due to the disparity between the size of
`a wide angle lens image and the dirninitive size of a CCD,
`a magnifying lens 31 is placed in front of the CCD 18 so that
`the entire image from the lens assembly 16 will be recorded.
`The device 10 further includes a key-operated on/off
`switch 32, an AC to DC converter, voltage regulator and
`battery charger 34 and a backup battery 36. A secured AC
`power supply connection 38 is provided for connecting the
`converter/regulator/battery charger 34 to an external power
`supply.
`In the present example, the lens assembly 16 has a ?xed
`focal length and incorporates an electronic shutter controlled
`by the microprocessor 20. The lens assembly 16 is mounted
`in front of the magnifying lens 31 for focussing an image of
`a protected area on the CCD 18. The CCD 18 produces a
`digitized image, the data of which is fed to the micropro
`cessor 20. The digital image data is compressed by the
`microprocessor 20, using a suitable compression/decom
`pression algorithm, e.g. according to the JPEG (joint Pho
`tographic Experts Group) standard. The compressed data is
`then stored in the memory bank 24. The size of the memory
`bank 24 is determined by the number of images which are
`required to be stored, the resolution and grayscale of the
`images, as well as the compression/decompression algo
`rithm being employed.
`The microprocessor 20 is programmed to store the com
`pressed images sequentially on a ?rst in ?rst out basis so that
`the maximum number of the latest recorded images, depen
`dent on memory size, is available for retrieval.
`The microprocessor 20 is programmed to store the images
`at intervals, not continuously. Therefore, still images of the
`area being monitored will be stored at predetermined inter
`vals, which intervals may be selected to be relatively short,
`i.e. to provide a quick sequence of images, or the intervals
`may be longer, as desired. In order to achieve this, the
`microprocessor 20 will control the electronic shutter to open
`at the predetermined intervals.
`The storage of an image in the memory 24 is triggered by
`movement in the protected area, which is detected by the
`motion detector 26. The motion detector 26 also triggers the
`light 29, dependent on prevailing lighting conditions.
`The electronic clock and calendar 22 operate to provide a
`time and date for the stored images.
`The device 10 is operated by a voltage regulated DC
`power supply provided by the converter 34 from an external
`AC power source. The battery 36 serves as a back up should
`the AC power supply be interrupted.
`The device 10 incorporates circuits with self-diagnostic
`functions and external LED indicators 40 are provided to
`indicate various failure modes, as desired.
`In use, the housing 12 is installed in a location which is
`dif?cult to access but with a good view of the protected area
`to be monitored. Brackets 30 or other suitable means are
`provided on the housing 12 for mounting the housing 12 in
`position.
`The motion detector 26 will detect movement in the
`protected area being monitored. This triggers the operation
`of the device 10 to receive, compress and store the images
`of the area in the memory 24. In the event of a security
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`Page 3 of 4
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`5,610,580
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`breach, the device 10 can be detached and connected to a PC
`or laptop with the appropriate software for viewing the latest
`series of recorded images.
`The stored images are available for retrieval and decom
`pression for analysis or enhancement, using interpolation
`techniques. If desired, a hard copy output can be provided.
`The device 10 is provided as an integral standalone unit
`with all its components housed in the housing 12. It employs
`the low density imaging capability of a charge coupled
`device through a wide angle lens assembly with the high
`data storage density of a non-volatile memory chip(s).
`Instead of using a lens assembly with a ?xed focal length,
`provision may be made for auto-focussing of the lens
`assembly to provide for a better picture. Further re?nements
`may also be provided, such as for example, automatic
`control of the lens aperture and shutter speed dependent on
`the lighting conditions.
`While only preferred embodiments of the invention have
`been described herein in detail, the invention is not limited
`thereby and modi?cations can be made within the scope of
`the attached claims.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A motion detection and imaging device comprising a
`housing containing a CCD for providing digital image data,
`a wideangle lens assembly for focusing an image to be
`observed on the CCD, a magnifying lens between the
`wide-angle lens assembly and the CCD and a solid state
`non-volatile memory for storing said digital image data.
`2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lens
`assembly includes an electronic shutter.
`3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising
`means for controlling opening of the shutter at predeter
`mined time intervals for intermittently focussing an image
`on the CCD.
`4. A motion detection and imaging device comprising a
`housing containing a CCD for providing digital image data,
`a lens for focusing an image to be observed on the CCD, a
`solid state non-volatile memory for storing said digital
`image data and means for compressing the digital data prior
`to storage in the memory and means for decompressing the
`data after retrieval from the memory.
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`4
`5. The device according to claim 4, further comprising an
`electronic clock and calendar for timing and dating the
`digital data.
`6. A motion detection and imaging device comprising a
`housing containing a CCD for providing digital image data,
`a lens for focusing an image to be observed on the CCD, a
`solid state non—volatile memory for storing said digital
`image data and a motion detector for triggering the storage
`of the digital data in memory, wherein the housing is tamper
`resistant and has a transparent front and the lens and the
`motion detector are located adjacent the transparent front.
`7. A motion detection and imaging method comprising the
`steps of focusing an image of an area being monitored on a
`CCD by means of a lens to provide digital image data,
`compressing the data by means of a suitable compression
`algorithm and storing the compressed data in a solid state
`non-volatile memory.
`8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image of
`the area being monitored is focussed on the CCD intermit
`tently at predetermined time intervals to provide digital
`image data of a series of separate still pictures which is
`stored in said memory.
`9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising
`the step of initiating the storage of the digital data by means
`of a motion detection device which detects movement in the
`area being monitored.
`10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the lens
`comprises a wide angle lens assembly.
`11. The method according to claim ,7, further comprising
`the steps of measuring the light intensity in the area and
`illuminating the area if the light intensity is below a prede
`termined value.
`12. A motion detection and imaging method comprising
`the steps of focusing an image of an area being monitored on
`a CCD by means of a wide-angle lens assembly to provide
`digital image data, including the step of placing a magnify
`ing lens between the wide angle lens assembly and the CCD
`to capture the entire image from the wide angle lens assem
`bly for the CCD and storing the data in a solid state
`n0n~v01atile memory.
`
`Page 4 of 4