High-resolution panoramic television surveillance system with synoptic wide-angle field of view

Claim 2

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system having a wide-angle synoptic field of view and comprising an image-sensing station, wherein said image-sensing station comprises a) imaging-sensor means for collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image, having a line-format field of view, b) means for effecting rotation of said imaging-sensor means about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field, and c) image-data delivery means for continuously delivering said image data from said image-sensing station, wherein said data delivery means comprises d) rotary-joint data-transmission means for effecting data transmission between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises a rotary-joint data link selected from among the group consisting of: i) an optical-waveband electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and beam-forming optics mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said optical-waveband signal transmitter for transmitting a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming optics being responsive to said optical-waveband beam for propagating said optical-waveband signal; and an optical-waveband receiver comprising beam-collecting optics mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said optical-waveband beam of light which contains said optical signal; ii) an optical-fiber electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a single linear optical-fiber structure comprising two co-aligned lengths of fiber-optic cable whereby: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and said first length of fiber-optic cable coupled to said optical-waveband signal transmitter and mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data through said first length of fiber-optic cable; and an optical-waveband receiver and said second length of fiber-optic cable optically coupled to said optical-waveband receiver and mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said optical-waveband signal; iii) a radio-frequency electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: a radio-frequency signal transmitter and a beam-forming antenna mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said radio-frequency signal transmitter transmits a single radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains a radio-frequency signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming antenna being responsive to said radio-frequency electromagnetic power propagates said radio-frequency electromagnetic power; and a radio-frequency receiver comprising a beam-collecting antenna mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains said radio-frequency signal; iv) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear electrical-conductor path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a coaxial electrical cable comprising two co-aligned lengths whereby said first length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a wideband electrical signal which contains said image data; concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid in electrical contact with said first length of electrical coaxial cable and responsive to said wideband electrical signal propagate said wideband electrical signal; and a second length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and in electrical contact with said concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid receives said wideband electrical signal.

Claim 3

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises an imaging sensor selected from among the group consisting of a visual-waveband imaging sensor, an infrared-waveband imaging sensor, and an ultraviolet-waveband imaging sensor.

Claim 4

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors.

Claim 5

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means provides simultaneous bidirectional data flow for simultaneous transmission of image data, instrumentation data regarding the status and condition of system elements mounted on the rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, and data to control the operation of system elements mounted on said rotatable portion.

Claim 6

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaged wide-angle field is substantially 360° in width and said rotation-effecting means provides continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

Claim 7

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an image-monitoring station comprising e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display, f) display buffer-storage means for storing the image data for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, g) a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, and h) an observer-personnel position, whereby the combined operation of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, enables continuous synoptic evaluation of the panoramic scene at said observer-personnel position.

Claim 8

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises a plurality of imaging-sensor channels of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic arrays of visual monitor displays.

Claim 9

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said image-data-processing means further performs continuous semi-automatic detection of candidate targets from the full panoramic synoptic scene for display to said observer-personnel position by said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays.

Claim 10

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said visual monitor displays are of a long-persistence type such that said long-persistence characteristic comprises said display buffer-storage means.

Claim 11

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an image-monitoring station comprising e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation recording, and f) an image-data recorder for continuously recording the collected image data whereby the image data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.

Claim 12

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system having a wide-angle synoptic field of view which is substantially 360° in width and comprising an image-sensing station and an image-monitoring station, wherein said image-sensing station comprises a) imaging-sensor means for collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image, having a line-format field of view, b) means for effecting rotation of said imaging-sensor means about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width, and c) image-data delivery means for continuously delivering said image data from said image-sensing station, wherein said data delivery means comprises d) rotary-joint data-transmission means for effecting data transmission between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises a rotary-joint data link selected from among the group consisting of: i) an optical-waveband electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and beam-forming optics mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said optical-waveband signal transmitter transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming optics being responsive to said optical-waveband beam for propagating said optical-waveband signal; and an optical-waveband receiver comprising beam-collecting optics mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said optical-waveband beam of light which contains said optical signal; ii) an optical-fiber electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a single linear optical-fiber structure comprising two co-aligned lengths of fiber-optic cable whereby: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and a first said length of fiber-optic cable coupled to said optical-waveband signal transmitter and mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data through said first length of fiber-optic cable; and an optical-waveband receiver and said second length of fiber-optic cable optically coupled to said optical-waveband receiver and mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said optical-waveband signal; iii) a radio-frequency electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: a radio-frequency signal transmitter and a beam-forming antenna mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station said radio-frequency signal transmitter transmits a single radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains a radio-frequency signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming antenna being responsive to said radio-frequency electromagnetic power propagates said radio-frequency electromagnetic power: and a radio-frequency receiver comprising a beam-collecting antenna mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains said radio-frequency signal; iv) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear electrical-conductor path substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a coaxial electrical cable comprising two lengths whereby said first length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a wideband electrical signal which contains said image data; concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid in electrical contact with said first length of electrical coaxial cable and responsive to said wideband electrical signal propagate said wideband electrical signal; and a second length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and in electrical contact with said concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid receives said wideband electrical signal; and v) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link comprising wideband electrical sliprings, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display, f) display buffer-storage means for storing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, g) a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays for displaying said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width, and h) an observer-personnel position, whereby the combined operation of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, enables continuous synoptic evaluation of the entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width at said observer-personnel position.

Claim 13

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system having a wide-angle synoptic field of view which is substantially 360° in width and comprising an image-sensing station and an image-monitoring station, wherein said image-sensing station comprises a) imaging-sensor means for collecting a "live" television-like synoptic panoramic surveillance image, having a line-format field of view, b) means for effecting rotation of said imaging-sensor means about an azimuthal scan-rotation axis at a predetermined angular rate whereby image data is continuously collected from a synoptic wide-angle unobstructed panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width, and c) image-data delivery means for continuously delivering said image data from said image-sensing station, wherein said data delivery means comprises d) rotary-joint data-transmission means for effecting data transmission between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises a rotary-joint data link selected from among the group consisting of: i) an optical-waveband electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and beam-forming optics mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, said optical-waveband signal transmitter transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming optics being responsive to said optical-waveband beam for propagating said optical-waveband signal; and an optical-waveband receiver comprising beam-collecting optics mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said optical-waveband beam of light which contains said optical signal; ii) an optical-fiber electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a single linear optical-fiber structure comprising two co-aligned lengths of fiber-optic cable whereby: an optical-waveband signal transmitter and a first said length of fiber-optic cable coupled to said optical-waveband signal transmitter and mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a single optical-waveband beam of light which contains an optical-waveband signal which contains said image data through said first length of fiber-optic cable; and an optical-waveband receiver and said second length of fiber-optic cable optically coupled to said optical-waveband receiver and mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station for receiving said optical-waveband signal; iii) a radio-frequency electromagnetic-radiation-beam rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear physical channel path, substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises: a radio-frequency signal transmitter and a beam-forming antenna mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station said radio-frequency signal transmitter transmits a single radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains a radio-frequency signal which contains said image data and said beam-forming antenna being responsive to said radio-frequency electromagnetic power propagates said radio-frequency electromagnetic power: and a radio-frequency receiver comprising a beam-collecting antenna mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station receives said transmitted radio-frequency electromagnetic power beam which contains said radio-frequency signal; iv) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link which comprises a single linear electrical-conductor path substantially parallel to said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means and substantially coincident with said azimuthal scan-rotation axis of said image-sensing means, for transporting said image data to said non-rotatable portion and which comprises a coaxial electrical cable comprising two lengths whereby said first length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said rotatable portion of said image-sensing station transmits a wideband electrical signal which contains said image data; concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid in electrical contact with said first length of electrical coaxial cable and responsive to said wideband electrical signal propagate said wideband electrical signal; and a second length of electrical coaxial cable mounted to said non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and in electrical contact with said concentric contained volumes of high-electrical-conductivity fluid receives said wideband electrical signal; and v) an electrically conducting rotary-joint data link comprising wideband electrical sliprings, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises e) image-data-processing means for processing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display, f) display buffer-storage means for storing the image data from said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width for uninterrupted display between image collection cycles by a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, g) a synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays for displaying said entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width, and h) an observer-personnel position, whereby the combined operation of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays, enables continuous synoptic evaluation of the entire synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width at said observer-personnel position.

Claim 14

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises an imaging sensor selected from among the group consisting of a visual-waveband imaging sensor, an infrared-waveband imaging sensor, and an ultraviolet-waveband imaging sensor.

Claim 15

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors.

Claim 16

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means comprises an electromagnetic radiation-beam rotary-joint data link.

Claim 17

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotary-joint data-transmission means provides simultaneous bidirectional data flow for simultaneous transmission of image data, instrumentation data regarding the status and condition of system elements mounted on the rotatable portion of said image-sensing station, and data to control the operation of system elements mounted on said rotatable portion.

Claim 18

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said rotation-effecting means provides continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

Claim 19

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the imaging-sensor means comprises a plurality of imaging sensors, and wherein said image-monitoring station comprises a plurality of imaging-sensor channels of said image-data-processing means, said display buffer-storage means, and said synoptic panoramic arrays of visual monitor displays.

Claim 20

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said image-data-processing means further performs continuous semi-automatic detection of candidate targets from the full synoptic wide-angle panoramic field which is substantially 360° in width for display to said observer-personnel position by said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays.

Claim 21

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said visual monitor displays are of a long-persistence type such that said long-persistence characteristic comprises said display buffer-storage means.

Claim 22

A high-resolution panoramic television surveillance system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said image-data-processing means further comprises an image-data recorder for continuously recording the collected image data whereby the data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.

Claim 25

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the image data is collected in at least one of the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavebands.

Claim 26

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said surveillance image is collected using a plurality of line-format field of view image-sensing channels.

Claim 27

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said data transmission of collected image data between a rotatable portion of said image-sensing station and a non-rotatable portion of said image-sensing station employs an electromagnetic beam.

Claim 28

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said rotation is effected by continuous unidirectional scan rotation.

Claim 29

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the image data is collected using a plurality of line-format field of view channels, and wherein said image-monitoring station provides a plurality of image-sensing channels of said image-data processing, buffer storing, and displaying.

Claim 30

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle synoptic panoramic region which is substantially 360° in width, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said step of processing said image data into a form suitable for surveillance-evaluation display further comprises performing semi-automatic detection of candidate objects, or targets, to be displayed.

Claim 31

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the step of buffer-storing said processed image data is effected by employing long-persistence type visual monitor displays in said synoptic panoramic array of visual monitor displays for displaying the processed image data with uninterrupted display between image collection cycles.

Claim 32

A method for immediately detecting the presence and location of any object of interest for surveillance evaluation, within a very wide-angle panoramic region, as claimed in claim 21, wherein said step of processing said image data further comprises the step of continuously recording the collected image data whereby the data can be evaluated off-line at a later time.