# US 9,437,089 B2 · Monitoring camera and monitoring camera control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,089 B2 - Document ID: US9437089B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/018,604 - Filed: 2016-02-08 - Published: 2016-06-02 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-14 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yuichiro Mori; Yasuji Nakamura; Kazutaka Higuchi; Satoru Ooyabu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437089B2 ## CPC - G08B 13/1963: {Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]} - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G08B 13/196: using television cameras - G08B 13/19602: {Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction} - G08B 13/19606: {Discriminating between target movement or movement in an area of interest and other non-signicative movements, e.g. target movements induced by camera shake or movements of pets, falling leaves, rotating fan} - G08B 13/19608: {Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position} - G08B 13/19613: {Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion} - G08B 13/19652: {Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm} - G08B 13/19689: {Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera} - H04N 5/144: {Movement detection (for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20)} - H04N 7/188: {Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position (signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253)} - H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - H04N 23/66: Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices - H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image signal processing DSP subjects an image captured by an imaging element having a zoom lens to image processing for identifying a tracking target. In accordance with zoom information generated by the image signal processing DSP, the main CPU controls the zoom lens and controls a turn table that moves the imaging element in panning and tilting directions in accordance with pan and tilt information, to track the tracking target. During tracking of the tracking target, a determination is made, from information about movements of the tracking target generated by the image signal processing DSP, as to whether or not the target to be tracked has intruded the inside of the area from the outside. In a case where the target has intruded the inside of a preset area from the outside, an alarm command is produced when the target continually remains in the area for; e.g., one second. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitoring camera comprising: an imager having a lens; an image processor which identifies a tracking target in an image captured by the imager and generates tracking information; a main processor which tracks the tracking target in accordance with the tracking information generated by the image processor; and the main processor which determines, based on the tracking information generated by the image processor, whether or not the tracking target intrudes inside of a preset area from outside, and outputs an alarm only if the tracking target intrudes the inside of the preset area from the outside, wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target remains in the preset area, the main processor does not output the alarm, and wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target moves to the outside of the preset area, the main processor does not output the alarm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A monitoring camera system comprising at least two monitoring cameras according to claim 1, wherein the tracking target is tracked in an associated manner by supporting an alarm signal from one camera directly to the other camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A monitoring camera according to claim 1, wherein the main processor tracks the tracking target so that the tracking target is positioned at a center of the image captured by the imager. ### Claim 4 A monitoring camera control method comprising: identifying a tracking target in an image captured by an imager having a lens and generates tracking information; tracking the tracking target in accordance with the tracking information generated; and determining, based on the tracking information generated, whether or not the tracking target intrudes inside of a preset area from outside, and outputting an alarm only if the tracking target has intruded the inside of the preset area from the outside, wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target remains in the preset area, the alarm is not outputted, and wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target moves to the outside of the preset area, the alarm is not outputted. ### Claim 5 A monitoring camera comprising: an imager having a lens; an image processor which identifies a tracking target in an image captured by the imager and generates tracking information; a main processor which tracks the tracking target in accordance with the tracking information generated by the image processor; and the main processor which determines, based on the tracking information generated by the image processor, whether or not the tracking target intrudes inside of a preset area from outside, and outputs an alarm if the tracking target intrudes the inside of the preset area from the outside, wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target remains in the preset area, the main processor does not output the alarm, wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the outside of the preset area and the tracking target remains the outside of the preset area, the main processor does not output the alarm, and wherein, if tracking of the tracking target starts from the inside of the preset area and the tracking target moves to the outside of the preset area, the main processor does not output the alarm.