Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 2172024
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR SAFEGUARDING PRIVACY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains generally to improvements in
methods and apparatus for gathering and preserving information.
More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved video or
audio recording apparatus for use by professionals in a client
contact setting.
The practice of many activities, particularly those of a
professional nature such as medicine, psychiatry, and law involve
a practitioner and a client (or subject) in which the practitioner
provides treatment, consultation, diagnosis, analysis and advice to
the client. Often, the procedure is conducted in a private and
confidential manner. Occasionally, controversies arise concerning
the conduct and service of the practitioner which result in claims
and litigation brought by clients. Proof of the conduct complained
of usually depends solely on the memories and testimony of the
participants and such evidence is usually perceived as being biased
and not completely credible. Corroborating evidence of the events
in question, particularly when gathered in the regular course of
business, would be very helpful in establishing the facts. This,
in the long run, may reduce the number of malpractice claims
2~ litigaced, the cos~ of malpractice insurance and the overall cost
of medical services It would also tend to act as a prophylactic
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measure, thus chilling bad conduct by practitioners and false
claims by clients.
What is called for, then, is a surveillance system of cameras,
microphones or both. In the prior art, surveillance systems have
been used in banks, retail establishments and casinos to provide a
measure of security. None of the prior art security systems is
suitable in a professional office setting, however, since client
matters must be kept private. Surveillance, as has been done in
the prior art, and the need for privacy are simply not
reconcilable. A subject or patient would not be likely to allow a
delicate or embarrassing procedure to be performed in an office
with cameras or microphones which were likely to violate that
patient's need for privacy.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide
an improved method and apparatus for gathering and preserving
information, with minimal intrusion on the office setting and
maximum preservation of privacy as each situation allows and
dictates.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved method and apparatus generating and recording video andjor
audio signals from within an office area to be monitored.
Still another o~ject of the present invention is to provide an
improved apparatus for producing and replaying a video or audio
2~ record of the ac~ivity and lnteraction of a practitioner and
subject. In one embodimen~ e svstem is not under the control or
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the practitioner or the subject but instead is intermittently
activated for brief periods which are separated in time by longer
idle periods of random length.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an
5 improved video and/or audio surveillance system which selects a
mode of operation in response to a selected condition in the
observed area, such as the presence of someone in the area
A further object of the present invention is to provide an
apparatus which is simple and unobtrusive, which records the time
and date of each recorded interval, which is highly efficient in
the use of the recording medium, and which provides a record of
collected information that can be stored efficiently for historical
archive purposes.
A surveillance system in accordance with the present invention
is operable within an activity area, or office, containing a
subject and a practitioner. The system includes one or more
transducers such as video cameras viewing the practitioner or audio
pickups or microphones exposed to the activity area, where the
video cameras and pickups have video and audio output signals
respectively. The system also includes a single recorder for
recording each camera or pickup at random times for brief
intervals. A plurality of cameras or pickups may be recorded
serially or in random order. Preferably, the controller is
inaccessible to the practitioner.
2~ (VCR3 employina magnetic tape cassettes may ~e controlled by ~
controller The recorder can be adjusred for different tape
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advance speeds including an active mode at a normal speed
(preferably an EP speed or a slower speed consistent with desired
resolution and acceptable capacity) and a dormant mode at a slow
time lapse speed, for example, averaging between a frame a minute
S and several minutes; in the dormant mode, the interval between
frames is randomized. Additionally, a time and date signal
generator is provided which is independent of the recorder speed
and which applies a date signal to the recorder to provide the time
and date in a corner of each frame of the video picture t for
evidentiary purposes. The field of the camera may be positioned to
cover the entire activity area and may include a power zoom lens
which can be remotely controlled.
With the present invention, a permanent record may be
provided of the activity and conduct of a practitioner and sub~ect
within an area of activity, to provide evidence of the facts of a
recorded event. This method of gathering evidence will provide
randomly time lapsed images or sound segments to show the absence
of inappropriate service while minimizing the intrusio~, to
preserve privacy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and additional objects, features and advantages
of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art
from ~he following detailed description of a preferred embodiment,
taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig 1 illustrates a block diagram of all apparatus embodying
t~le present invention
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Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the connections between
the controller, transducers and the recorder, for the multi-
transducer embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIP~ION
Turning now to a more detailed description of the invention
and referring to Fig. 1, which illustrates a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally
designates a surveillance area in which there is a practitioner P,
(which may be a psychiatrist, medical doctor, consultant,
professional or non-professional person or the like) and a subject
S, (which may be a patient or other participant) interacting with
the practitioner P. The area 10 may be an office, laboratory,
consulting chamber, hospital room or the like.
A video camera 11 having a motor-powered zoom lens 12 may be
mounted in a hidden position which is hidden and is pre~erably
remotely adjustable about vertical and horizontal axes to vary the
direction of aim for the optical zoom lens 12. Thus, by
controlling the orientation of camera 11 and the viewing field of
zoom lens 12, the full surveillance area 10 may be viewed (or any
part thereof) which may include practitioner P or subject S or
both. A wireless remote-controlled receiver 13 (of known
construction) has output signals which are applied to siave mo~or
controls in the camera 11 for adjusting the orientation of the
camera 11 and the angle of view of lens 12. An optional remote
2~ control transmir~er 1~ (accessibie to someone, preferablv not oniy.o the practitioner ~ transmits selected signals ~o receiver 13
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which responds to such signals to produce the output signals to the
camera 11 which control camera 11 and lens 12. The remote control
transmitter 14 is schematically represented as being within the
office area 10, but may be positioned anywhere, or omitted from the
system.
A microphone 16 may be installed where it is exposed to and
picks up sounds from within surveillance area 10 and transduces
them to output electrical audio signals.
For purposes of this description and the following claims,
however, the term transducer is defined as any sensor which
converts physical stimuli such as light or sound into information
signals for playback or storage; video cameras and microphones are
two types of transducers. The purpose of the system is
surveillance, this may be video only, audio only or video and audio
together.
The system also preferably includes a time and date
signal generator 17 which is constantly running to provide time and
date output signals to the recorder. The output video signals from
camera 11, microphone 16 and the time and date generator are fed to
and combined in a signal mixer network 18.
The combined signal output of signal mixer 18 is fed to the
input of a time delay memory network 19 for generating a delayed
transducer output signal. The time delay memory network output is
fed to a high capacity magnetic tape or other high capacity
recorder 20. Recorder 20 may be a VCR with a hign capacity
replaceable ~ape casse.te. Tl~e -ecorder may be swltcned berween ~
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first mode, generating a contir.uous rec~rding at a selected speed
and a time-lapse random mode, ~hich may average between a rrame a
minute and a frame (or two or a dozen) per several minutes.
For recording, the speed control input is selectively
connected to a normal recording speed signal generator 21 or a
random time lapse (random period) signal generator 22 by way of a
double throw switch 23 which is controllable by remote control 14
through remote receiver 13.
Switch 23 may, in another embodiment, be a three-position
switch having a normal speed position a time-lapse position, as
above, and a third null position 34.
Thus, the following basic elements are used, transducers
such as a camera 11 or microphone 16, a recorder 20, and a
controller 30. The controller 30 includes a time date generator
17, a signal mixer 18, a time delay memory network 19, a speed
control 21, and a time lapse signal generator 22, the controllable
switches 23 and 26, the optional remote receiver 13 and the control
network 27.
The time lapse signal generator 22 generates a first random
period (or interval) and a second random period (or interval).
The time lapse signal generator may periodically produce the first
random length period and periodically produce a second random
length period which is shorter than the ~irst random length period.
The second random length period begins at the end of the first
randcm length period. The rst random length period represents
the idl2 time OL- ~he ~ransducer ard the seconà random length period
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~ .
represents the enabled or activated time for the transducer.
Thus, when switch 23 is in the position which corresponds to the
time lapse position, recorder 2C records a random number of video
frames (or a random number of seconds of audio) which is followed
5 by an idle interval of no recording.
A video display monitor 24 may be unobtrusively located within
the office area 10 for convenient viewing by the practitioner P.
The monitor may be mounted upon a desk or chair occupied by the
practitioner and has its signal input connected by way of two
position switch 26 which is selectively connectable to the input or
output of the time-delay memory network 19.
In an alternative embodiment, the switch 23 is not under the
control of the practitioner. Instead, the switch is initially in
the state connecting the recorder control input to the time lapse
signal generator 22 which results in intermittent recording of
randomly spaced frames Switch 23 is then switched to the normal
recording speed by a control network 27 that is responsive to a
motion sensor 32, which senses sound, infrared (heat) or other
desired conditions in area 10. The normal recording then continues
for a pre-determined time interval following each such sensing.
In a second alternative embodiment, the switch is initially in
a null position 34. When switch 23 is in the null position 34, the
recorder 20 is disabled and no recording takes place un~il the
position of switch 23 is changed to another position. Then, if a
2~ persorl walks in~o the area 10, switch 23 is switched tG the sta~e
connecting the recorder control input to the time lapse s gnai
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,, .
generator 22 by the control network 27 which is responsive to
motion sensor 32 that senses the desired condition in area 10. The
recording then continues (at random intervals and for random
duration), for a pre-determined time following each such sensing.
This embodiment is most efficient in consumption of recording
media, since the area is sampled only for ~rief intervals and then
only when a person is in the office area. By efficiently using the
recording media, requirements for media and archiving space are
optimized.
Turning now to Fig. 2, it is illustrated that a number of
modifications are possible. A controller 100 is connected to a
recorder for processing signals from a plurality of transducers
104, 106, 108, 110. This controller has the same structure as the
controller 30, described above, but is adapted to process output
signals from a plurality of transducers, and has the additional
capability to selectively enable the transducers 104, 106, 108 and
110. The multi-transducer controller 100 is preferably configured
as a programmable controller or a micro-controller personal
computer. Operating control software may then be customlzed to a
particular user's application.
These transducers 104, 106, 108, 110, may be video cameras,
audio microphones or other such devices commonly used in
surveillance systems. Any combination of these types of
transducers may he deploye~, depending upon a user~s .eeds rhe
transducers :nay be deployed one per office area o~ several to an
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area The multi-transducer system 120 may also be used with ~he
detection sensors 122, 124 which are used to determine whether a
person has entered an area, as above In configuring the system,
a user may choose to configure some areas with both transducers and
detection sensors while configuring other more critical areas with
only transducers.
In the multi-transducer embodiment, it is possible to time-
multiplex several output signals from several transducers,
respectively, onto one recording. The order in which the output
signals from transducers are recorded may be randomized ~he
period for which each transducer's signal is recorded may be varied
randomly, as well. Finally, it is possible to operate the entire
system 120 intermittently, thereby having intervals of time where
none of the transducers are operating. This would allow the system
to be operated with minimal consumption of recording media
Turning back now to Fig. 1, the use of a single camera
embodiment can be illustrated. In normal use, the position of
switch 23 may be remotely switched by the remote controller 14 to
the time-lapse signal generator position and the field of lens 12
and the orientation of camera 11 may also be remotely adjusted to
view the full area 10. Tape recorder 20 thus operates in the time-
lapse mode and produces video pictures at a very slow and
intermittent rate. Successive picture frames may be separated in
time by an interval which is between a few seconds and a few
minutes ~ach or the victure frames includes a ti~e and date
indication which may appear ln a corner o. the picture displayed
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from the recordinq.
It may also be desirahle to allow the practitioner to select
the mode of continuous recording. When it is desired to produce a
continuous motion picture and accompanying sound, the practitioner
remotely directs the camera and adjusts the zoom lens 11 to the
desired area and switches switch 23 to the normal speed control
position. The adjusted field of view and frame speed may be
observed in display monitor 24 which may be connected to the input
or output of time delay network 19. The camera orientation and
zoom lens field may be continuously or intermittently remotely
adjusted by practitioner P who may determine the adjustment by
viewing monitor 24. It may be desirable to have the practitioner
P always in the view of lens 12 along with the subject S. Upon
the conclusion of the practitioner-subject meeting, the switch 23
can be switched to the time lapse generator position until the next
meeting is to be recorded.
Tape recorder 20 may advantageously function only to record
upon non-erasable tape and may employ a replaceable tape cassette
shaped or otherwise coded to be useable only by tape recorder 20
and no other conventional tape recorder. Recorder 20 may further
include a mechanism which locks the tape cassette in an operating
position whereby the cassette can be removed only by an authorized
person having a proper key or code. This kind of security measure
would exclude cassette replacement by the practitioner.
In addition, certain situations may necessi~ate the entire
system being locked to the practitioner and accessible only tC~ ar
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authorized and security-bonded individual
The foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the
present invention along with a number of possible alternatives.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
modifications of the described embodiments may be made without
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. The
invention is therefore not restricted to the embodiments disclosed
above, but is defined in the following claims.
