PT/PT-Z camera command, control and visualization system and method
System and method for collection, control and display of cameras and images. Software may direct the cameras to targeted images automatically or manually. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be used to identify targets and automatically direct one or more cameras to focus on a target. Images taken by one or more cameras may then be stored and displayed for later viewing or live streamed. Images may be aggregated to create up to a three hundred sixty-degree (360) view. Images may be conventional, thermal or infrared. Image parameters, such as sharpness and gain, may be adjusted in real-time at the camera level or during post processing on merged/panorama images to provide a consistent merged image for the end user. One or more cameras may be controlled by clicking on an image, including the generated panoramic 360 image, or a map overlaid with images and other data. Three dimensional (3D) models may be created by the software from the images taken by the cameras. Visualizations and map overlays may be created from the data collected.
1. A monitoring system, comprising:
a plurality of digital image-capturing devices, said digital image-capturing devices positioned in an area for which monitoring is desired;
one or more displays for presenting images captured by one or more of said digital image-capturing devices and image data to users of said monitoring system;
a user interface;
control software configured to: (i) change directional orientation of said plurality of digital image-capturing devices; (ii) cause said plurality of digital image-capturing devices to capture images; (iii) cause said images to be analyzed to identify objects of interest and locations thereof; and (iv) alert personnel of said objects of interest and said locations thereof;
wherein said control software is further configured to: provide a virtual camera feed by commanding one of said plurality of digital image-capturing devices to repeatedly cycle between different user specified locations, capture an image at each location and return the images to each user within a set time period; and
wherein said images captured at each location are displayed on said one or more displays simultaneously including highlighted features corresponding to matching camera target lines on a map whereby a user can quickly view which image corresponds to which direction a camera is directed.
2. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said control software is further configured to use machine learning and/or artificial intelligence to analyze said images.
3. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said digital image-capturing devices comprise static, pan, tilt, and/or zoom functionality.
4. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said area for which monitoring is desired includes wild fire zones.
5. The monitoring system of claim 1 further comprising one or more APIs to communicate with 3rd party systems.
6. The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said highlighted features are colored boxes.
7. A monitoring system, comprising:
a plurality of digital image-capturing devices, said digital image-capturing devices positioned in an area for which monitoring is desired;
one or more displays for presenting images captured by one or more of said digital image-capturing devices and image data to users of said monitoring system;
a user interface;
control software configured to: (i) cause an image of a target location to be captured; (ii) use AI to analyze said captured image by comparing said captured image to previously captured images of said target location; (iii) responsive to an object of interest being detected by said AI in said captured image, determine a location of said object of interest; (iv) transmit an alert regarding said object of interest to personnel; and (v) display said object of interest on a display interface and/or map;
wherein said control software is further configured to: provide a virtual camera feed by commanding one of said plurality of digital image-capturing devices to repeatedly cycle between different user specified locations, capture an image at each location and return the images to each user within a set time period; and
wherein said images captured at each location are displayed on said one or more displays simultaneously including highlighted features corresponding to matching camera target lines on a map whereby a user can quickly view which image corresponds to which direction a camera is directed.
8. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein step (iii) involves (a) precise camera location data and camera position settings in conjunction with a digital elevation model and/or (b) a comparison of landmarks in said image to a stored map.
9. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein said location of said object of interest is GPS-based.
10. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein step (iv) includes transmission of object of interest imagery and location information related thereto.
11. The monitoring system of claim 7 wherein said highlighted features are colored boxes.