Computer-vision based security system using a depth camera

Abstract

A method for securing an environment. The method includes obtaining a two-dimensional (2D) representation of a three-dimensional (3D) environment. The 2D representation includes a 2D frame of pixels encoding depth values of the 3D environment. The method further includes identifying a set of foreground pixels in the 2D representation, defining a foreground object based on the set of foreground pixels. The method also includes classifying the foreground object, and taking an action based on the classification of the foreground object.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for configuring a depth-sensing monitoring system, comprising:
 obtaining, from a depth-sensing camera, a first two-dimensional (2D) representation of a three-dimensional (3D) environment, wherein the first 2D representation comprises a 2D frame of pixels encoding depth values of the 3D environment;   obtaining, from a video camera, a second 2D representation of the three-dimensional (3D) environment, wherein the second 2D representation comprises a 2D frame of pixels encoding one selected from a group consisting of color values and brightness values of the 3D environment;   identifying, in the first 2D representation, regions that are within a tracking range of the depth-sensing camera; and   displaying, in the second 2D representation, the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 ,
 wherein the depth-sensing camera and the video camera are co-aligned; and   wherein there is a correspondence between the first 2D representation and the second 2D representation.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 displaying, in the second 2D representation, regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth sensing camera,
 wherein regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth sensing camera are displayed in a second format, different from a first format used for displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth sensing camera. 
 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 ,
 wherein displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera in a first format comprises displaying the regions that are within the tracking range in color; and   wherein displaying the regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera in a second format comprises displaying the regions that are outside the tracking range in black and white.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera comprises:
 displaying a boundary that separates the regions that are within the tracking range from the regions that are outside the tracking range.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera is performed during an initial setup of the depth-sensing monitoring system. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the displaying of the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera is performed upon request by a user. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera are displayed on a portable device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the portable device is one selected from a group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising receiving, from a user, configuration commands for selecting, in the second 2D representation, a volume of an environment to be monitored in the first 2D representation. 
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, that enable a depth-sensing monitoring system to
 obtain, from a depth-sensing camera, a first two-dimensional (2D) representation of a three-dimensional (3D) environment, wherein the first 2D representation comprises a 2D frame of pixels encoding depth values of the 3D environment;   obtain, from a video camera, a second 2D representation of the three-dimensional (3D) environment, wherein the second 2D representation comprises a 2D frame of pixels encoding one selected from a group consisting of color values and brightness values of the 3D environment;   identify, in the first 2D representation, regions that are within a tracking range of the depth-sensing camera; and   display, in the second 2D representation, the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera.   
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 ,
 wherein the depth-sensing camera and the video camera are co-aligned; and   wherein there is a correspondence between the first 2D representation and the second 2D representation.   
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32  further comprising instructions that enable the depth-sensing monitoring system to display, in the second 2D representation, regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth sensing camera,
 wherein the regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth sensing camera are displayed in a second format, different from a first format used for displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth sensing camera. 
 
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 ,
 wherein the instructions that enable the depth-sensing monitoring system to display the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera comprise instructions to display the regions that are within the tracking range in color; and   wherein the instructions that enable the depth-sensing monitoring system to display regions that are outside the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera comprise instructions to display the regions that are outside the tracking range in black and white.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions that enable the depth-sensing monitoring system to display the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera comprise instructions to:
 display a boundary that separates the regions that are within the tracking range from the regions that are outside the tracking range.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the displaying the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera is performed during an initial setup of the depth-sensing monitoring system. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the displaying of the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera is performed upon request by a user. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the regions that are within the tracking range of the depth-sensing camera are displayed on a portable device. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 39 , wherein the portable device is one selected from a group consisting of a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop. 
     
     
         41 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 32  further comprising instructions that enable the depth-sensing monitoring system to receive, from a user, configuration commands for selecting, in the second 2D representation, a volume of an environment to be monitored in the first 2D representation.