IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0479744
(2009-06-05)
|
등록번호 |
US-8237574
(2012-08-07)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Anderson, David Bradford
- Barnett, John Thomas
- Hakes, Donald Lee
- Loss, Keith Roger
- Gormican, James Paul
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
▼
An above-water system provides automatic alerting for possible drowning victims in swimming pools or the like. One or more electro-optical sensors are placed above the pool surface. Sequences of images are digitized and analyzed electronically to determine whether there are humans within the image,
An above-water system provides automatic alerting for possible drowning victims in swimming pools or the like. One or more electro-optical sensors are placed above the pool surface. Sequences of images are digitized and analyzed electronically to determine whether there are humans within the image, and whether such humans are moving in a manner that would suggest drowning. Effects due to glint, refraction, and variations in light, are offset automatically by the system. If a potential drowning incident is detected, the system produces an alarm sound, and/or a warning display, so that an operator can determine whether action must be taken.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the system comprising: a) a passive sensor, positioned above a surface of a pool, the sensor comprising means for receiving an image of the pool,b) means for digitizing images received from the sensor,c) a programmable computer
1. A system for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the system comprising: a) a passive sensor, positioned above a surface of a pool, the sensor comprising means for receiving an image of the pool,b) means for digitizing images received from the sensor,c) a programmable computer connected to receive data from the digitizing means, the computer being programmed to analyze the images to determine whether the images indicate a presence of a drowning victim in the pool, andd) means for alerting an operator of the presence of a drowning victim,wherein the computer comprises means for compensating for refraction of images caused by water in the pool,wherein the computer is further programmed to compare sequential images to determine which portions, if any, of said images are artifacts caused by glint, and to remove such portions from said images. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises means for analyzing digitized images to detect human forms, and to detect whether said human forms are displaying movements consistent with possible drowning. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein there are at least two sensors, and wherein the computer comprises means for comparing images received by the sensors so as to compute a distance to an object in said images. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises means for enhancing quality of images by extracting principal components of the images, wherein said principal components are non-correlated, and analyzing at least some of said principal components to derive information about the images. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises: e) a spectral processor for decomposing each image into principal components,f) a spatial processor which receives input from the spectral processor, the spatial processor comprising means for detecting predetermined shapes in the images, andg) a temporal processor which receives input from the spatial processor, the temporal processor comprising means for analyzing sequences of images and for detecting the presence of predetermined movements of said predetermined shapes in said sequences of images. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein said predetermined shapes comprise human forms, and wherein said predetermined movements comprise vertical movements and vertical movements with rotation. 7. A system for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the system comprising: a) a passive sensor, positioned above a surface of a pool, the sensor comprising means for receiving an image of the pool,b) means for digitizing images received from the sensor,c) a programmable computer connected to receive data from the digitizing means, the computer being programmed to analyze the images to determine whether the images indicate a presence of a drowning victim in the pool, andd) means for alerting an operator of the presence of a drowning victim,wherein the computer comprises means for compensating for refraction of images caused by water in the pool,wherein the computer comprises:e) a spectral processor for decomposing each image into principal components,f) a spatial processor which receives input from the spectral processor, the spatial processor comprising means for detecting predetermined shapes in the images, andg) a temporal processor which receives input from the spatial processor, the temporal processor comprising means for analyzing sequences of images and for detecting the presence of predetermined movements of said predetermined shapes in said sequences of images,wherein the computer is further programmed to compare sequential images to determine which portions, if any, of said images are artifacts caused by glint, and to remove such portions from said images. 8. A method for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the method comprising: a) forming a sequence of digital images of a pool, each image being formed by a sensor positioned above a surface of the pool,b) analyzing said images to determine whether the images indicate a presence of a drowning victim in the pool, andc) alerting an operator of the presence of a drowning victim, wherein step (b) includes compensating for refraction of images caused by water in the pool,further comprising comparing sequences of images to determine which portions, if any, of said images are artifacts caused by glint, and removing such portions from said images. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) includes analyzing said images to locate human forms in the images, and to detect whether said human forms are displaying movements consistent with possible drowning. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein there are at least two sensors, and wherein step (b) includes comparing images received by the sensors so as to compute a distance to an object in said images. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) includes enhancing quality of images by extracting principal components of the images, wherein said principal components are non-correlated, and analyzing at least some of said principal components to derive information about the images. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) includes: d) decomposing each image into principal components,e) analyzing each image component produced in step (d) to detect predetermined shapes in said image component, andf) analyzing sequences of image components obtained from step (e) to detect predetermined movements of said predetermined shapes in said sequences of image components. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said predetermined shapes are selected to be human forms, and wherein said predetermined movements are selected from the group consisting of vertical movements and vertical movements with rotation. 14. A system for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the system comprising: a) a passive sensor, positioned above a surface of a pool, the sensor comprising means for receiving an image of the pool,b) means for digitizing images received from the sensor,c) a programmable computer connected to receive data from the digitizing means, the computer being programmed to analyze the images to determine whether the images indicate a presence of a drowning victim in the pool, andd) means for alerting an operator of the presence of a drowning victim,wherein the computer comprises:e) a spectral processor for decomposing each image into principal components,f) a spatial processor which receives input from the spectral processor, the spatial processor comprising means for detecting predetermined shapes in the images, andg) a temporal processor which receives input from the spatial processor, the temporal processor comprising means for analyzing sequences of images and for detecting the presence of predetermined movements of said predetermined shapes in said sequences of images,wherein the computer is further programmed to compare sequential images to determine which portions, if any, of said images are artifacts caused by glint, and to remove such portions from said images. 15. A method for monitoring swimming pools for possible drowning victims, the method comprising: a) forming a sequence of digital images of a pool, each image being formed by a sensor positioned above a surface of the pool,b) analyzing said images to determine whether the images indicate a presence of a drowning victim in the pool, andc) alerting an operator of the presence of a drowning victim,further comprising comparing sequences of images to determine which portions, if any, of said images are artifacts caused by glint, and removing such portions from said images.
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