WO2010005152A1

WO2010005152A1 - Security system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2010005152A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/007410
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tae Woong Ahn
Original assignee: Tae Woong Ahn
Priority date: 2008-07-09
Filing date: 2008-12-15
Publication date: 2010-01-14
Also published as: KR100968137B1; KR20100006302A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a security system and a security method using the same. The security system continuously photographs a monitoring space with a photoelectric conversion sensor to acquire images, analyzes the acquired images, and drives an IR sensor to obtain a thermal image when movement in the monitoring space is detected. When a monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image, a still image is acquired from the photoelectric conversion sensor and a call to a previously inputted telephone number of a recipient is made to transmit the acquired still image through a wireless transceiver, and then a user terminal receives and displays the transmitted still image. With the present invention, since it is possible to configure a system only with a security unit into which various equipments such as a camera are integrated and a terminal which a user carries usually, effects of easy installation and low cost can be obtained.

Description

Description SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a security system and a security method using the same, and more particularly, to a security system configured of a security unit and a user terminal and a security method using the same.

Background Art [2] In recent, a security system is popularized in various places requiring security such as a house, an office and a factory. [3] In this security system, a CCTV or the like is installed in every place through which trespass can be made and, when the trespass of an outsider is detected by various sensors, an alarming sound is generated and the trespass of the outsider is reported to a private security company to lead a private security guard to move to the corresponding area using a motor vehicle.

[4] However, the conventional security system has following problems.

[5] First, installation is very difficult since various equipments and sensors are required to configure the security system. [6] Second, it takes high cost for a user to maintain the security system since the installed equipments and sensors are high-priced equipments and the movement of the private security guard requires an additional cost. [7] Further, the conventional product is very difficult to change its installation place once it is installed. [8] Accordingly, there is a need for a security system which can be simply configured in any place only with low-priced equipments.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem [9] Therefore, in order to solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a security system with easy installation and low cost which is configured of a security unit having various equipments, such as a sensor, integrated therein and a communication terminal generally used by a user, and a security method using the same.

Technical Solution [10] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a security system, comprising: a security unit having a photoelectric conversion sensor for acquiring images by continuously photographing a monitoring space, an infrared (IR) sensor for acquiring a thermal image by photographing the monitoring space with IR, a wireless transceiver and a unit controller for analyzing the acquired images and driving the IR sensor to acquire the thermal image when movement in the monitoring space is detected and controlling the wireless transceiver so as to acquire a still image from the photoelectric conversion sensor and transmit the acquired still image by calling to a previously inputted telephone number of the recipient when a monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image; and a user terminal for receiving and displaying the still image transmitted from the security unit.

[11] The unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate a photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to acquire the still image when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image.

[12] The security unit further includes a storing unit, and the unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate a photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to acquire the still image when the movement in the monitoring space is detected, controls so that the acquired still image is stored in the storing unit for a predetermined time of data amount, and analyzes the still images stored in the storing unit to select a still image in which a face of the monitoring object is shown and controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit the selected still image when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image.

[13] When a SMS message is received from the user terminal through the wireless transceiver, the unit controller performs a previously set operation according to the received SMS message.

[14] The unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate the function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to re-acquire still image of the present state regardless of invasion sensing and controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit the re-acquired still image when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting re-photographing, or controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit a motion picture of the photoelectric conversion sensor when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting the motion picture.

[15] The unit controller cancels the monitoring mode of the photoelectric conversion sensor when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting cancelation of the monitoring mode.

[16] The unit controller changes the photoelectric conversion sensor into the monitoring mode when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting changing of the monitoring mode.

[17] The security unit further includes a plurality of sensor modules respectively provided with the photoelectric conversion sensor and the IR sensor, and the unit controller analyzes the photographed images acquired from the each of the wireless sensor modules and controls the IR sensor so as to acquire the thermal image from the sensor module in which the movement is detected when the movement in the monitoring space is detected.

[18] At least one of the plurality of the sensor module includes a gas detection sensor for detecting gas leakage, and the unit controller controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit a SMS message for alarming the gas leakage to the user terminal when the amount of the gas detected by the gas detection sensor exceeds a predetermined amount.

[19] Also, the present invention provides a security method, comprising: acquiring image by photographing a monitoring space with a photoelectric conversion sensor; analyzing the acquired images and driving an infrared (IR) sensor for obtaining a thermal image when movement in the monitoring space is detected; acquiring a still image from the photoelectric conversion sensor and making a call to a previously inputted telephone number of a recipient through a certain of communication way to transmit the still image through a wireless transceiver when a monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image; and receiving and displaying the transmitted still image by a user terminal.

[20] The security method further comprise performing, when a SMS message is received from the user terminal through the wireless transceiver, a previously set operation according to the received SMS message.

[21] The certain of communication way is CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, RevisionA,

HSDPA, HSUPA, Wibro, WiFi or satellite.

Advantageous Effects

[22] With the present invention as described above, since it is possible to configure a system only with a security unit into which various equipments such as a sensor are integrated and a terminal which a user carries usually, effects of easy installation and low cost can be obtained.

[23] Also, with the present invention as described above, images for objects except for a trespasser are not acquired because of using an IR sensor and thus only the trespasser can be transmitted to the user terminal. Therefore, unnecessary images are not acquired.

[24] Further, with the present invention as described above, since it is possible to select only the image in which a face of a monitoring object and transmit it to the user terminal, the user can surely confirm the trespasser and thus help an arrest of a criminal.

[25] Furthermore, with the present invention as described above, since it is possible to control the security unit from a distant place only by sending a simple SMS message, separate connection to a sever for the control of the security unit is not required. Brief Description of Drawings

[26] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[27] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a security system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[28] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the security unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of sensor modules;

[29] FIG. 4 illustrates receipt of a SMS message from the user terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 illustrates operation according to the received SMS message;

[30] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a security method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[31] FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of operation according to a SMS message received from the user terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

[32] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[33] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a security system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[34] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a security system 1000 includes a security unit 100 and a user terminal 200.

[35] The security unit 100 is installed in a place such as a lobby of an apartment house, an entrance of a house and a security zone where trespass of an outside therethrough is worried to monitor movement of the outsider. When a trespasser is photographed by the security unit 100, the photographed image is immediately transmitted to the user terminal 200.

[36] The transmitted image is received by the user terminal 200 and displayed on a display part of the user terminal 200 so that the user can see the image. Here, the terminal 200 can be any one of equipments (e.g. a cellular phone, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a personal data assistant (PDA)) capable of receiving and displaying the image.

[37] Also, the user can be a security guard who manages an apartment house, a resident of a house or a private security guard.

[38] Next, the security unit will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the security unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[39] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the security unit 100 includes a photoelectric conversion sensor 10, an infrared (IR) sensor 20, a wireless transceiver 30, a storing unit 40, a gas detection sensor 50 and a unit controller 60.

[40] The photoelectric conversion sensor 10 acquires the image while continuously photographing the monitoring space (e.g. a lobby of an apartment house, an entrance of a house and a security zone).

[41] This photoelectric conversion sensor 10 can be a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor which converts the image exposed on a sensor into an electric signal and transmits (or stores) the electric signal, a contact image sensor (CIS) sensor which obtains data through continuous conversion of incident light, or a CMOS sensor.

[42] Here, the CCD sensor measures amount of light charged in respective R-G-B sensors

(capacitors) using a filter for the evaluation of colors and converts the measured amount into digital signals. The incident light is electrically divided into R-G-B or divided into R-G-B primary colors using separate primary color filter. That is to say, the R-G-B sensors are arranged in the CCD in a mosaic manner and the respective sensors measure and store the amount of the incident light.

[43] This CCD sensor enables fine expression and delicate color matching but is of high- price. On the contrary, the CIS sensor is adapted for quick image storing since it transmits the data through parallel transmission, but is inferior in precise expression. Accordingly, the preferred photoelectric conversion sensor 10 is a CMOS sensor.

[44] The IR sensor 20 photographs the monitoring space with IR to acquire a thermal image.

[45] This IR sensor 20 is a sensor which uses an IR dry plate and is used in taking of a distant view, taking of a thermal photograph by a special thermosensitive element, measurement of an irradiance and detection of a minute temperature difference.

[46] Also, these photoelectric conversion sensor 10 and the IR sensor 20 can be configured into a sensor module, as illustrated in FIG. 3, so as to eliminate a dead zone in the monitoring space. Accordingly, when a plurality of wireless sensor modules al, a2, a3 is installed in respective places, it is possible to effectively monitor the space though the space to be monitored is wide. Here, control of the plurality of the sensor modules al, a2, a3 can be collectively performed in the (united) unit controller A.

[47] The wireless transceiver 30 transmits the image information to the user terminal 200 and receives a SMS message transmitted from the user terminal 200.

[48] The storing unit 40 stores a plurality of still images.

[49] The gas detection sensor 50 detects gas leakage in the monitoring space. This gas detection sensor 50 can be installed separately from the sensor or be installed in one of the plurality of the sensor modules.

[50] The unit controller 60 can control the wireless transceiver 30 so as to analyze the images photographed by the photoelectric conversion sensor 10, drive the IR sensor 20 when movement in the monitoring space is detected, and acquires the still image from the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 and make a call to a user's telephone number previously inputted (i.e. the telephone number of the user terminal) and transmit the acquired still image when the monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the taken thermal image.

[51] Here, the unit controller 60 controls the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 so as to operate photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 to acquire a still image when the monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image. That is to say, a motion picture function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 is operated in a normal condition and the photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 is operated to acquire a still image only when the monitoring object is detected.

[52] Also, the unit controller 60 can control the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 so as to operate the photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 to acquire a still image when movement in the monitoring space is detected, control so that the acquired still image is stored in the storing unit 40 for a predetermined time or data amount, control so as to analyze the still images stored in the storing unit 40 to select a still image in which a face of the monitoring object is shown and transmit the selected image when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image.

[53] Also, the unit controller 60 can control the IR sensor so as to analyze the acquired images photographed from each of the plurality of the sensor modules and obtain, when the movement in the monitoring space is detected, a thermal image from the camera module by which the movement is detected, and can control the wireless transceiver 30 so as to transmit a SMS message for alarming the gas leakage to the user terminal 200 when the amount of the gas detected by the gas detection sensor exceeds a predetermined amount.

[54] FIG. 4 illustrates receipt of a SMS message from the user terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 illustrates operation according to the received SMS message.

[55] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the security unit 100 can perform a previously set operation according to a SMS message received from the user terminal 200 present in a distant place.

[56] That is to say, the unit controller 60 of the security unit 100 can perform the previously set operation according to the received SMS message when the SMS message is received from the user terminal 200 through the wireless transceiver 30.

[57] The operation to be performed according to the SMS message will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[58] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the unit controller 60 can turn on (monitoring state) the operation of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 when the received SMS message is a power-on (monitoring mode on) message (for example, a SMS message "0").

[59] Also, the unit controller 60 can turn off (cancel the monitoring state) the operation of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 when the received SMS message is a power-off (monitoring mode off) message (for example, a SMS message "1").

[60] Further, the unit controller 60 can control the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 so as to operate the photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 to re- acquire still image of the present state regardless of invasion sensing and control the wireless transceiver 30 so as to transmit the re-acquired still image when the received SMS message is request for re-photographing (for example, a SMS message "2").

[61] Furthermore, the unit controller 60 can control the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 so as to operate the motion picture function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 to acquire the currently photographed motion picture and control the wireless transceiver 30 so as to transmit the acquired motion picture when the received SMS message is request for a motion picture (for example, a SMS message "3").

[62] While operations of power-on, power-off, re-photographing and motion picture using the SMS messages "0","l","2","3" are described in the above description, other operations can be performed using other SMS messages as following tables 1 to 3.

[63] Table 1

[Table 1] [Table ]

[64] Table 2 [Table 2] [Table ]

[65] Table 3 [Table 3] [Table ]

[66] FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart of a security method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [67] First, the monitoring space is continuously photographed with the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 to acquire images (SlOO). [68] Next, the acquired images are analyzed and, when movement in the monitoring space is detected (if "Yes" in S200), the IR sensor 20 is driven to acquire a thermal image (S300).

[69] Next, when a monitoring object is detected from a temperature distribution of the taken thermal image (if "Yes" in S400), a still image is acquired from the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 (S500). [70] At this time, when the movement in the monitoring space is detected, the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 can be controlled so that a photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 is operated to acquire a still image and the storing unit 40 can be controlled so that the acquired still image is stored in the storing unit 40 for a predetermined time. Also, when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image, the still images stored in the storing unit 40 can be analyzed to select the still image in which a face of the monitoring object is shown.

[71] Next, a call to a previously inputted telephone number of a recipient (a number of the user terminal 200) through a certain of communication way is made to transmit the acquired still image through the wireless transceiver 30 (S600). Here, the certain of communication way is CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, RevisionA, HSDPA, HSUPA, Wibro, WiFi or satellite.

[72] Finally, the user terminal 200 receives and displays the transmitted still image

(S700).

[73] As such, the user can, since he/her can receive and confirm the still image transmitted from the security unit 100 through the terminal 200 which he/her carries usually, easily confirm the trespasser who trespasses on the monitoring space even in an outside.

[74] Also, in configuration of the security system 1000, since the user can confirm the trespasser from the distant place, through the terminal which he/her carries usually, once the security unit 100 is installed in the monitoring space, it is possible to configure a security system of low cost only with equipments having more simple structures than the conventional equipments. Further, once a predetermined amount of photograph in which the movement is detected is transmitted, there is no operation for a time set by the user and monitoring function is enabled again after the set time is elapsed. Accordingly, unnecessarily much information is not transmitted.

[75] FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of operation according to a SMS message received from the user terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[76] First, when a SMS message is received from the user terminal 200 through the wireless transceiver 30 of the security unit 100 (if "Yes" in SlO), the unit controller 60 determines whether the SMS message is "0" and turn on (monitoring mode on) the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 (S30) if the SMS message is determined to be "0"(if "Yes" in S20).

[77] Meanwhile, if the SMS message is determined not to be "0" (if "No" in S20), the unit controller 60 determines whether the SMS message is " 1" and turn off (monitoring mode off) the photoelectric conversion sensor 10 (S50) if the SMS message is determined to be " l"(if "Yes" in S40).

[78] Meanwhile, if the SMS message is determined not to be " 1 " (if "No" in S40), the unit controller 60 determines whether the SMS message is "2" and acquire a still image in a current state again (S70) if the SMS message is determined to be "2"(if "Yes" in S60).

[79] Finally, if the SMS message is determined not to be "2" (if "No" in S60), the unit controller 60 determines whether the SMS message is "3" and operate the motion picture function of the photoelectric sensor 10 to acquire a motion picture in current state (S90) if the SMS message is determined to be "3 "(if "Yes" in S 80).

[80] As such, the user can easily control the security unit 100 even in a distant place only by sending a simple SMS message. That is to say, when controlling the security system 1000 from the outside, since the security unit 100 is operated according to a content of a SMS message by sending the simple SMS message without connecting to a separate security server, it is possible to simply and conveniently remote control the security unit 100.

[81] Furthermore, since there is no need to connect to a separate security server and thus anyone who can write a SMS message can remote control the security unit 100 in a simple manner, it can be an effective manner for every user who is not easy to connect a wireless internet. Industrial Applicability

[82] While the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A security system, comprising: a security unit having a photoelectric conversion sensor for acquiring images by continuously photographing a monitoring space, an infrared (IR) sensor for acquiring a thermal image by photographing the monitoring space with IR, a wireless transceiver and a unit controller for analyzing the acquired images and driving the IR sensor to acquire the thermal image when movement in the monitoring space is detected and controlling the wireless transceiver so as to acquire a still image from the photoelectric conversion sensor and transmit the acquired still image by calling to a previously inputted telephone number of the recipient when a monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image; and a user terminal for receiving and displaying the still image transmitted from the security unit.

[2] The security system according to claim 1, wherein the unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate a photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to acquire the still image when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image.

[3] The security system according to claim 1, wherein the security unit further includes a storing unit, and the unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate a photographic function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to acquire the still image when the movement in the monitoring space is detected, controls so that the acquired still image is stored in the storing unit for a predetermined time of data amount, and analyzes the still images stored in the storing unit to select a still image in which a face of the monitoring object is shown and controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit the selected still image when the monitoring object is detected from the temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image.

[4] The security system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when a SMS message is received from the user terminal through the wireless transceiver, the unit controller performs a previously set operation according to the received SMS message.

[5] The security system according to claim 4, wherein the unit controller controls the photoelectric conversion sensor so as to operate the function of the photoelectric conversion sensor to re-acquire still image of the present state regardless of invasion sensing and controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit the re- acquired still image when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting re-photographing, or controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit a motion picture of the photoelectric conversion sensor when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting the motion picture.

[6] The security system according to claim 4, wherein the unit controller cancels the monitoring mode of the photoelectric conversion sensor when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting cancelation of the monitoring mode.

[7] The security system according to claim 4, wherein the unit controller changes the photoelectric conversion sensor into the monitoring mode when the received SMS message is a signal for requesting changing of the monitoring mode.

[8] The security system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the security unit further includes a plurality of sensor modules respectively provided with the photoelectric conversion sensor and the IR sensor, and the unit controller analyzes the photographed images acquired from the each of the wireless sensor modules and controls the IR sensor so as to acquire the thermal image from the sensor module in which the movement is detected when the movement in the monitoring space is detected.

[9] The security system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of the sensor module includes a gas detection sensor for detecting gas leakage, and the unit controller controls the wireless transceiver so as to transmit a SMS message for alarming the gas leakage to the user terminal when the amount of the gas detected by the gas detection sensor exceeds a predetermined amount.

[10] A security method, comprising: acquiring image by photographing a monitoring space with a photoelectric conversion sensor; analyzing the acquired images and driving an infrared (IR) sensor for obtaining a thermal image when movement in the monitoring space is detected; acquiring a still image from the photoelectric conversion sensor and making a call to a previously inputted telephone number of a recipient through a certain of communication way to transmit the still image through a wireless transceiver when a monitoring object is detected from temperature distribution of the acquired thermal image; and receiving and displaying the transmitted still image by a user terminal.

[11] The security method according to claim 10, further comprising: performing, when a SMS message is received from the user terminal through the wireless transceiver, a previously set operation according to the received SMS message.

[12] The security method according to claim 10, the certain of communication way is CDMA, GSM, GPRS, WCDMA, RevisionA, HSDPA, HSUPA, Wibro, WiFi or satellite.