System and method for capturing, storing, analyzing and displaying data related to the movements of objects

摘要

A system and method for the capture and storage of data relating to the movements of objects, in a specified area and enables this data to be displayed in a graphically meaningful and useful manner. Video data is collected and video metadata is generated relating to objects (persons) appearing in the video data and their movements over time. The movements of the objects are then analyzed to detect the movements within a region of interest. This detection of movement allows a user, such as a manager of a store, to make informed decisions as to the infrastructure and operation of the store. One detection method relates to the number of people that are present in a region of interest for a specified time period. A second detection method relates to the number of people that remain or dwell in a particular area for a particular time period. A third detection method determines the flow of people and the direction they take within a region of interest. A fourth detection method relates to the number of people that enter a certain area by crossing a virtual line, a tripwire.

主权项

1. A method operable on a computer that is coupled to a memory containing video data of a prescribed physical area, the method responsive to the movement of objects in the prescribed physical area, the method comprising:
identifying objects in the prescribed physical area by querying the video data, wherein the objects that are identified are moving in the prescribed physical area; specifying by a user, a direction arrow completely within the prescribed physical area, wherein the direction arrow is superimposed on a user-selected portion of an image of the prescribed physical area; determining a number of objects that move in a direction of the specified direction arrow; and generating a visually perceptible output of the number of objects that move in the direction of the specified direction arrow, such that a movement path of each of the respective numbers of objects is superimposed on the user-selected portion of the image of the prescribed physical area.