A coordinated surveillance
system uses a larger number of fixed
low resolution detection
smart camera devices and a smaller number of pan / tilt /
zoom controllable
high resolution tracking
smart camera devices. The set of detection cameras provide overall continuous coverage of the surveillance region, while the tracking cameras provide localized
high resolution on demand. Each monitor camera device performs initial detection and determines approximate GPS location of a moving target in its
field of view. A
control system coordinates detection and tracking camera operation. A selected tracking camera is controlled to focus in on, confirm detection, and track a target. Based on a verified detection, a guard
station is alerted and compressed camera video is forwarded to the guard
station from the camera(s). The guard
station can direct a patrol guard to the target using GPS coordinates and
a site map. Redundancy is provided by using multiple control units, each able to
handle the full load in the event of failure. Camera devices vote on the status of the control units. A failed detection camera device can be temporarily replaced by a tracking camera device in a back-up mode of operation thus maintaining full overall basic coverage of the surveillance region.