1. A method for automatic surveillance of a monitored area via an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving region of interest (ROI) data indicative of spatial location of regions of interest in a scene;
receiving object of interest (OOI) data indicative of characteristics of one or more objects potentially situated within the scene;
calculating a repeated sequence of lines of sight (LOS) of a video imaging device, wherein the calculating of the sequence is carried out by weighting: the OOI data; properties of the video imaging device; and properties of the aerial vehicle,
automatically pointing the video imaging device at the scene based on the calculated repeated sequence of LOS;
applying automatic feature detection algorithms to the video images of the regions of interest, based on OOI data;
issuing an alert upon detection of the one or more objects in the scene that are associated with the OOI data,
wherein the characteristics comprise at least one of: visual features, tempo spatial behavior, and location within the scene.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the automatically determined order of viewing is optimized.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of automatically scanning the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest comprises video motion detection.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of automatically scanning the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest comprises constructing a stitched image of the region of interest.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more characteristics of the object of interest is selected from a group of object characteristics which consists of: shape, dimensions, texture, color, luminance, orientation, location, relative location to other known objects, detection of motion, direction of motion and speed.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alert is selected from a group of alerts that consists of: displaying a still image of the detected object, pointing the line of site of the imaging device at the object of interest, marking the detected object on a displayed image, providing an indication to an operator, providing information.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging device is mounted on an elevated platform.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the platform comprises a platform selected from a group of platforms consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a manned aircraft, a tower, a post, a tethered balloon.
9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of automatically scanning the selected region of interest is performed on the platform.
10. An apparatus for automatic surveillance of a monitored area, the apparatus comprising:
an aerial vehicle-mounted video imaging device connected to a pointing mechanism;
a processor; and
a user interface,
wherein the user interface is configured to: (i) receive region of interest (ROI) data indicative of spatial location of regions of interest in a scene; and (ii) receive object of interest (OOI) data indicative of characteristics of one or more objects potentially situated within the scene;
wherein the processor is configured to calculate a repeated sequence of lines of sight (LOS) of a video imaging device, wherein the calculating of the sequence is carried out by weighting: the OOI data properties of the video imaging device; and properties of the mobile platform;
wherein said pointing mechanism is configured to automatically point the video imaging device at the scene based on the calculated sequence of LOS;
wherein the a processor is further configured to: (i) apply automatic feature detection algorithms to the video images of the one or more regions of interest, based on OOI data; and (ii) issue an alert upon detection of the one or more objects in the scene that are associated with the OOI data;
wherein the characteristics comprise at least one of: visual features, tempo spatial behavior, and location within the scene.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the automatically determined order of viewing is optimized.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the imaging device comprises a video camera.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is adapted to automatically scan the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest using video motion detection.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the processor is adapted to construct a stitched image of the region of interest.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said one or more characteristics of the object of interest is selected from a group of object characteristics which consists of: shape, dimensions, texture, color, luminance, orientation, location, relative location to other known objects, detection of motion, direction of motion and speed.
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the alert is selected from a group of alerts that consists of: displaying a still image of the detected object, pointing the line of site of the imaging device at the object of interest, marking the detected object on a displayed image, providing an indication to an operator, providing information.
17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the imaging device is mounted on an elevated platform.
18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the platform comprises a platform selected from a group of platforms consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a manned aircraft, a tower, a post and a tethered balloon.
19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein a component of the processor that is adapted to automatically scan the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest and upon detection issue an alert is mounted on the platform.
20. The system according to claim 10, wherein the calculating of the sequence by the processor further includes allocating a corresponding period of time for viewing a respective ROI and a frequency at which the respective ROI is to be revisited.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the video imaging device has an adjustable field of view (FOV), wherein the FOV is adjusted in real time based on the OOI and the ROI data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus for the artificial respiration of a patient, the respirator or anesthesia apparatus comprising:
a gas delivery means;
a breathing air line system including at least one gas line;
at least one gas mixing means with a mixed gas tank having at least two inlet openings, each of the inlet openings having a shut-off member for separately feeding at least two different gases to be mixed into the mixed gas tank to form a mixed gas and for subsequently feeding the mixed gas into the breathing air line system, the mixed gas tank having at least two separate outlet openings for releasing the mixed gas from the mixed gas tank and for subsequently feeding mixed gas from the mixed gas tank into the breathing air line system.
2. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a mixed gas line is arranged at each of the at least two outlet openings so that the mixed gas released from the at least two outlet openings flows through the at least two mixed gas lines before being introduced into the breathing air line system.
3. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least two mixed gas lines open into a mixed gas collection line and the mixed gas collection line opens into the breathing air line system.
4. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the at least two mixed gas lines have different volumes for a pneumatic time delay between the at least two outlet openings and the breathing air line system.
5. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the volume of at least one of the mixed gas lines is larger than the volume of another of the mixed gas lines by one of at least 1.1, 1.5, 2, 3 or 5 times.
6. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gases to be mixed, which are introduced into the mixed gas tank through the at least two inlet openings with the shut-off member each can be introduced into the mixed gas tank intermittently.
7. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shut-off members are controlled such that only one shut-off member is alternatingly opened.
8. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein:
there is a volume difference between the at least two mixed gas lines;
the difference of the volumes of the at least two mixed gas lines corresponds with a deviation of less than 70%, 50%, 30% or 20%, to the volume of the mixed gas, which flows during an opening time of one of the shut-off members through the outlet opening.
9. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least two mixed gas lines is arranged at least partly within the mixed gas tank to form a buffer tank.
10. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least two mixed gas lines have different volumes for a pneumatic time delay between the at least two outlet openings and the breathing air line system andor the mixed gas collection line.
11. A process for mixing at least two different gases in a respirator or anesthesia apparatus, the process comprising the steps of:
providing a respirator or anesthesia apparatus with a gas delivery means, a breathing air line system including at least one gas line and at least one gas mixing means with a mixed gas tank having at least two inlet openings, each of the inlet openings having a shut-off member for separately feeding at least two different gases to be mixed into the mixed gas tank to form a mixed gas and for subsequently feeding the mixed gas into the breathing air line system, the mixed gas tank having at least two separate outlet openings for releasing the mixed gas from the mixed gas tank and for subsequently feeding mixed gas from the mixed gas tank into the breathing air line system;
introducing at least two gases to be mixed into a mixed gas tank;
mixing the at least two gases in the mixed gas tank;
releasing the mixed gas from the mixed gas tank;
introducing the mixed gas into the breathing air line system wherein the mixed gas is released from the mixed gas tank separately at the at least two separate outlet openings.
12. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the mixed gas released from one outlet opening of the at least two separate outlet openings is fed continuously to the breathing air line system with a time difference in relation to the mixed gas that is released from another outlet opening of the at least two separate outlet openings and fed to the breathing air line system.
13. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus for the artificial respiration of a patient, the respirator or anesthesia apparatus comprising:
a breathing air line system including at least one gas line;
a mixed gas tank having a first inlet opening and a second inlet opening and having a first outlet opening and a second outlet opening;
a first shut-off member at the first inlet opening for separately feeding a gas to be mixed into the mixed gas tank via the first inlet opening;
a second shut-off member at the second inlet opening for separately feeding a gas to be mixed into the mixed gas tank via the second inlet opening;
a first mixed gas line connected to the first outlet opening and connected to the breathing air line system for releasing mixed gas from the mixed gas tank into the breathing air line system; and
a second mixed gas line connected to the second outlet opening and connected to the breathing air line system for releasing mixed gas from the mixed gas tank into the breathing air line system.
14. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the at least two mixed gas lines have different volumes to provide a pneumatic time delay between mixed gas traveling from the first outlet opening to the breathing air line system and mixed gas traveling from the second outlet opening to the breathing air line system.
15. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a mixed gas collection line, the first mixed gas line and the second mixed gas line being connected to the breathing air line system via the mixed gas collection line.
16. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the volume of at least one of the mixed gas lines is larger than the volume of another of the mixed gas lines by one of at least 1.1, 1.5, 2, 3 or 5 times.
17. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein:
the first shut-off member and the second shut off member are controlled to open the first shut-off member while the second shut-off member is closed and to open the second shut off member while the first shut-off member is closed;
the gases to be mixed, which are introduced into the mixed gas tank through the first inlet opening and the second inlet opening with the first shut-off member and the second shut off member, are introduced into the mixed gas tank intermittently.
18. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein:
the different volumes of the two mixed gas lines correspond to a deviation of a volume of gas which flows during an opening time of a shut-off member.
19. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein at least one of the first mixed gas line and second mixed gas line is arranged at least partly within the mixed gas tank to form a buffer volume.
20. A respirator or anesthesia apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the at least first mixed gas line and the second mixed gas line have different volumes for a pneumatic time delay between gas travel time from the first outlet opening to the breathing air line system and from the second outlet opening to the breathing air line system.