Automatic detection and prioritized image transmission system and method

Claim 1

A video image compression system for automatically detecting a target in an area of interest and transmitting a digital image of the target wherein a digital image of nontarget information in the area of interest is automatically reduced in size before transmission thereof comprising: a target detector for searching an area of interest, said target detector detecting at least one of an acoustic, seismic, infrared, electromagnetic, trip-wire, and visual signal related to potential targets; a system controller for evaluating whether a signal from potential targets detected by said target detector is related to a target, said system controller comprising, i) means for evaluating signals from potential targets to determine whether such signals identify a target, ii) means for determining a direction to an identified target, iii) means for using the determined direction to establish a target box within which the identified target is located, and iv) means for following target movement and retaining the target in said target box; a camera system that receives commands from said system controller for moving said camera system to said target box so that said camera system has said target box in a field of view, said camera system comprising, i) means for automatically adjusting the field of view and focus of said camera system so that an image of said target box and a portion of an adjacent area of interest can be generated by said camera system, and ii) means for generating a digital signal representing said target box and said adjacent area of interest; said system controller further comprising, v) means for reducing the size of said digital signal of the adjacent area of interest that is to be transmitted, vi) means for providing instructions for moving said camera system as said target box moves so that said target box is maintained in said camera system field of view, and vii) means for designating a new adjacent area of interest uncovered by movement of said target box for transmission; and means for transmitting on a radio frequency said digital signal of said target box and said reduced size digital signal of said adjacent area of interest.

Claim 9

A method of automatically detecting a target in an area of interest and transmitting a digital image of the target wherein a digital image of nontarget information in the area of interest is reduced in size before transmission thereof, the method comprising the steps of: a) searching an area of interest with an automated target detector, the target detector detecting at least one of an acoustic, seismic, infrared, electromagnetic, trip-wire, and visual signal related to a potential target; b) upon detection of signal related to a potential target by the target detector, evaluating the detected signal in a system controller to determine whether the potential target is a target; c) upon determination that the potential target is a target, determining in the system controller a direction to the target; d) the system controller using the determined direction to establish a target box within which the target is located and thereafter retained by following target movement; e) providing a signal from the system controller to a camera system for moving the camera system so that the camera system has the target box in the camera system field of view; f) automatically adjusting the field of view and focus of the camera system so that an image of the target box and a portion of an adjacent area of interest may be generated by the camera system; g) generating a digital signal of the image of the target box and adjacent area of interest with the camera system; h) reducing the size of the digital signal of the adjacent area of interest; i) transmitting the digital signal of the target box and the reduced size signal of the adjacent area of interest; j) providing signals from the system controller for moving the field of view of the camera system as the target box moves so that the target box is maintained in the camera system field of view; and k) transmitting the digital signal of a new adjacent area of interest uncovered by the movement of the target box.

Claim 10

A method of automatically detecting a target in an area of interest and transmitting a digital image of the target wherein a digital image of nontarget information in the area of interest is reduced in size before transmission thereof, the method comprising the steps of: a) searching an area of interest with an automated target detector, the target detector detecting at least one of an acoustic, seismic, infrared, electromagnetic, trip-wire, and visual signal related to a potential target; b) upon detection of signal related to a potential target by the target detector, evaluating the detected signal in a system controller to determine whether the potential target is a target; c) upon determination that the potential target is a target, determining in the system controller a direction to the target; d) the system controller using the determined direction to establish a target box within which the target is located and thereafter retained by following target movement; e) providing a signal from the system controller to a camera system for moving the camera system so that the camera system has the target box in the camera system field of view; f) automatically adjusting the field of view and focus of the camera system so that an image of the target box and a portion of an adjacent area of interest may be generated by the camera system; g) generating a digital signal of the image of the target box and adjacent area of interest with the camera system; h) reducing the size of the digital signal of the adjacent area of interest; i) transmitting the digital signal of the target box and the reduced size signal of the adjacent area of interest; j) providing signals from the system controller for moving the field of view of the camera system as the target box moves so that the target box is maintained in the camera system field of view; and k) transmitting the digital signal of a new adjacent area of interest uncovered by the movement of the target box.