Security camera system with multi-directional mount and method of operation
A security camera system includes a base unit and sensor modules for generating image data. The base unit includes several mounting sockets arranged at different elevational and azimuthal directions around the base unit, and the sensor modules attach to the mounting sockets. Each mounting socket includes a socket ID, which is used to stitch together the image data from different sensor modules. The sensor modules are powered wirelessly via induction and communicate wirelessly with the base unit via wireless transceivers and antennas. The security camera system is capable of automatic detection of the location of the sensor modules, as the socket IDs for the mounting sockets to which the sensor modules are attached are identified by various means including wireless beacons, signal strength positioning and/or triangulation, or via a temporary provisioning bubble that arranges socket ID designators in fields of view of each of the attached sensor modules.
1. A security camera system, comprising:
a base unit including a mounting dome having a plurality of mounting points;
a plurality of wireless transmitters for transmitting wireless signals, wherein each wireless transmitter is positioned on the base unit at a varying distance from each of the plurality of mounting points;
a plurality of sensor modules for attaching to the base unit at the plurality of mounting points and generating image data, the plurality of sensor modules comprising a plurality of wireless receivers for detecting the wireless signals, and a plurality of signal strength modules for generating signal strength information based on the wireless signals;
a first positioning module associated with the base unit and configured to determine first positions of the plurality of sensor modules based on the signal strength information received from each of the plurality of sensor modules, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules has a different distance from the first positioning module;
a second positioning module configured to determine second positions for the plurality of sensor modules based on performing a triangulation method using the signal strength information from the first positioning module to identify which mounting point each sensor module is attached to, wherein the triangulation method further comprises calculating location information for each of the plurality of sensor modules, and retrieving socket IDs from a socket location table for each of the plurality of sensor modules based on the location information; and
a transparent bubble that is secured to the base unit to encase the mounting dome, the plurality of wireless transmitters, the plurality of sensor modules, the first positioning module, and the second positioning module;
wherein the base unit combines the image data from the plurality of sensor modules with corresponding elevation and azimuth information to generate security video information based on the first and second positions and transmits the security video information to a network video distribution system to be stitched together.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first positioning module determines the first positions of the plurality of sensor modules by comparing the signal strength information to expected signal strength information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first positioning module determines the first positions of the plurality of sensor modules by generating location information indicating locations of the plurality of sensor modules with respect to the plurality of wireless transmitters based on the signal strength information and comparing the location information to expected location information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wireless transmitters are integral with or attached to the base unit.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wireless transmitters are positioned at predetermined distances away from the base unit.
6. A method for configuring a multi-sensor security camera system, comprising:
transmitting wireless signals using one or more wireless transmitters attached to a base unit of the multi-sensor security camera system, wherein the base unit includes a mounting dome having a plurality of mounting points and a plurality of sensor modules each attached to a respective one of the plurality of mounting points, wherein each wireless transmitter is positioned on the base unit at a varying distance from each of the plurality of mounting points;
generating signal strength information, based on the wireless signals, using a plurality of signal strength modules each attached to the base unit at a respective one of the plurality of mounting points;
determining first positions of the plurality of sensor modules based on receiving the signal strength information from each sensor module using a positioning module, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules has a different distance from the positioning module;
determining second positions for the plurality of sensor modules based on performing a triangulation method using the determined signal strength information to identify which mounting point each sensor module is attached to, wherein the triangulation method further comprises calculating location information for each of the plurality of sensor modules, and retrieving socket IDs from a socket location table for each of the plurality of sensor modules based on the location information;
generating image data using the plurality of sensor modules;
combining the image data from the plurality of sensor modules with corresponding elevation and azimuth information to generate security video information based on the first and second positions; and
transmitting the security video information to a network video distribution system to be stitched together, wherein a transparent bubble is secured to the base unit to encase the mounting dome, the one or more wireless transmitters, the plurality of sensor modules, and the positioning module.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising determining the first positions of the plurality of sensor modules by comparing the signal strength information to expected signal strength information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising determining the first positions of the plurality of sensor modules by generating location information indicating locations of the plurality of sensor modules with respect to the one or more wireless transmitters based on the signal strength information and comparing the location information to expected location information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points.
9. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the one or more wireless transmitters are integral with or attached to the base unit.
10. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the one or more wireless transmitters are positioned at predetermined distances away from the base unit.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first positioning module determines to which mounting point each sensor module is attached by comparing the signal strength information generated by each sensor module to expected signal strength information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points on the base unit and returning identification information for a mounting point associated with the expected signal strength information that best matches the signal strength information generated by each sensor module.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the expected signal strength information includes expected signal strength measurements of respective wireless signals transmitted by each wireless transmitter and recorded at the first and second positions of the plurality of sensor modules associated with each of the plurality of mounting points.
13. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each wireless transmitter of the plurality of wireless transmitters has a different position on the base unit, or each wireless transmitter being a predetermined distance from the base unit.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the first positioning module is configured to determine to which mounting point each sensor module is attached by generating location information indicating a calculated location of a respective sensor module with respect to the plurality of wireless transmitters based on the signal strength information, comparing the location information to expected location information stored for each of the plurality of mounting points on the base unit, and returning identification information for a mounting point associated with the expected location that matches the calculated location for the sensor module.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the expected location information includes the positions of the plurality of sensor modules with respect to the plurality of wireless transmitters, the positions being associated with different mounting points.
16. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor modules are attached to the base unit such that optical axes of the plurality of sensor modules extend radially from a center of the mounting dome of the base unit in different elevational and azimuthal directions corresponding to the first and second positions of the plurality of sensor modules associated with the plurality of mounting points to which the plurality of sensor modules are attached, and the base unit determines the elevation and azimuth information based at least in part on the first and second positions and configuration information, wherein the mounting dome comprises a hemispherical shape.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the elevation and azimuth information is used to stitch together the image data captured by the plurality of sensor modules.
18. The system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the plurality of wireless transmitters are positioned at predetermined distances away from the base unit.
19. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mounting points are tiled across an entire outer surface of the mounting dome without any regions between the plurality of mounting points.
20. A security camera system, comprising:
a base unit including a mounting dome having a plurality of mounting points;
a plurality of wireless transmitters for transmitting wireless signals, wherein each wireless transmitter is positioned on the base unit at a varying distance from each of the plurality of mounting points;
a plurality of sensor modules for attaching to the base unit at the plurality of mounting points and generating image data, the plurality of sensor modules comprising a plurality of wireless receivers for detecting the wireless signals, and a plurality of signal strength modules for generating signal strength information based on the wireless signals;
a first positioning module associated with the base unit and configured to determine first positions of the plurality of sensor modules based on the signal strength information received from each of the plurality of sensor modules, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules has a different distance from the first positioning module; and
a second positioning module configured to determine second positions for the plurality of sensor modules based on performing a triangulation method using the signal strength information from the first positioning module to identify which mounting point each sensor module is attached to, wherein the triangulation method further comprises calculating location information for each of the plurality of sensor modules, and retrieving socket IDs from a socket location table for each of the plurality of sensor modules based on the location information;
wherein the base unit combines the image data from the plurality of sensor modules with corresponding elevation and azimuth information to generate security video information based on the first and second positions and transmits the security video information to a network video distribution system to be stitched together.