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The Power of Slew-to-Cue Surveillance Capability

Traditional video surveillance consists of a large number of cameras feeding back to a simple “command center” comprised of a security guard viewing a large bank of monitors. This presents workload issues for the guard. Studies show that an individual can effectively view the bank of monitors for an average of 20 minutes. If a typical shift for a security guard is eight hours, how effective is the security for the remaining seven hours and forty minutes?

Camera Surveillance

It is left to the security guard to find a potential threat on one of the many monitors and than start a series of operations to determine if the threat warrants action or not. In most cases, the first action to occur is the security guard must orient themselves to determine where the potential threat is. This is often very difficult when dealing with a bank of monitors displaying imagery from different cameras at different locations and a myriad of viewing angles.

After the location is resolved, action can be taken to address the potential threat. The guard will most likely call a mobile team which can reach the potential threat and intervene. Simultaneously, the guard in the command center must continuously relay the location of the threat to the mobile team.

As the intruder continues to move, the entire problem is made more difficult as the command center operator will have to try to control the cameras via joystick and relay coordinates at the same time. It becomes increasingly difficult as the intruder transfers from one camera’s field of view to another. Additional and valuable time will be lost in reacquiring the target on a different camera, each with typically a limited field of view.

Slew-to-Cue Surveillance

A more effective and strategic solution combines ground-based radars, pan and tilt imagers (visible CCD and thermal) and software technology to automate many of the critical challenges that the security guard faces. As a result, the guard will be able to give the proper attention to relaying the pertinent information to all necessary individuals. This solution will detect moving objects and automatically slew the camera to the place the object in its field of view. In addition, the camera will track the object as it moves across the area. If the tracked object moves out of the field of view of one camera, it will be picked up automatically by another camera and tracking will continue seamlessly.

All of this information will be displayed in a command and control center that will consist of a map of the entire location. Once an object is detected by the radar, the tracks will appear on the geospatial map so the guard knows the exact location of the threat as well as its relative location to landmarks in his perimeter. As the threat moves around the entire location, the map is constantly updated to indicate real time location for the intruder. Meanwhile the cameras are automatically following the intruder, providing a real time video display in the command and control center which offers the operator a clear assessment of the target.

Summary

Depending on the terrain and shape of the perimeter that you are interested in protecting, various radars can be networked together in an integrated solution. Use of ground based radars reduces the numbers of cameras that must be deployed. The 360 degree surveillance capability of ground radars allows multiple targets to be tracked, and cameras to be used to selectively view areas of interest. This greatly simplifies a perimeter design, as well as the installation and maintenance of camera only systems.

Radars have the capability of detecting a moving person at distances up to 5,000 meters and when matched with thermal imagers, people can be recognized up to 3,000 meters. With specific integrated options you can customize your solution by choosing the radars, CCD and thermal imagers which best suit the area you wish to protect. Slew to cue can also be performed utilizing other sensors. For example, if an access control location is breached, the system can be designed to slew a camera immediately to view the door that was breached.

With slew to cue functionality, you can optimize your security solution to ensure that you do not miss any potential threats. The command and control center is simplified providing automatic detection and assessment and allowing the operator to focus on making an appropriate response. These are effective tools in perimeter surveillance allowing for the most efficient and effective use of valuable security assets.

• Slew to Cue Surveillance