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PIXELPRO SERIES
Installation Manual
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Installation Manual
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Ganz PixelPro Series Interface Manual

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H.264 NETWORK CAMERA
VCA Interface Manual
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Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
Getting Started .......................................................................................................................... 3
VCA Feature Packages ............................................................................................................... 5
Accessing VCA Configuration ..................................................................................................... 7
Activation................................................................................................................................... 9
Enabling VCA ........................................................................................................................... 13
Enable VCA ...................................................................................................................... 13
Object Tracking ................................................................................................................ 13
Abandoned/Removed Object Detection ......................................................................... 15
Counting Line ................................................................................................................... 16
Smoke & Fire Detection ................................................................................................... 16
Camera Shake Cancellation ............................................................................................. 16
Configuration of Zones and Rules ........................................................................................... 19
Tracking Display ............................................................................................................... 19
Properties Inspector ........................................................................................................ 19
Event History ................................................................................................................... 20
Display Blobs .................................................................................................................... 20
Display Objects in Multiple Colors ................................................................................... 20
Display Non-Alarmed Objects.......................................................................................... 21
Display Object Height ...................................................................................................... 21
Display Object Speed ....................................................................................................... 21
Display Object Area ......................................................................................................... 21
Display Object Classification ............................................................................................ 21
Display Object Wait Time (VCApro only) ......................................................................... 21
Display Object Color Signature (VCApro only) ................................................................ 21
Creating a Zone or Line .................................................................................................... 22
Editing Zones and Lines ................................................................................................... 23
Adding and Removing Nodes .......................................................................................... 23
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Detection Rules ............................................................................................................... 25
Object Presence ............................................................................................................... 25
Object Direction .............................................................................................................. 26
Object Enter and Exit ....................................................................................................... 26
Object Appear and Disappear ......................................................................................... 27
Object Dwell .................................................................................................................... 28
Object Stopped ................................................................................................................ 29
Object Class ..................................................................................................................... 29
Object Tailgating .............................................................................................................. 30
Abandoned and Removed Object ................................................................................... 32
Object Speed ................................................................................................................... 35
Counting Line ................................................................................................................... 35
Smoke Detection ............................................................................................................. 40
Fire Detection .................................................................................................................. 41
Object Colour Filter ......................................................................................................... 43
Counters .................................................................................................................................. 45
Incremental Counters ...................................................................................................... 46
Decremental Counters .................................................................................................... 46
Occupancy Counters ........................................................................................................ 46
Counter Storage and Reporting ............................................................................................... 47
Database Service ............................................................................................................. 47
Reporting Service............................................................................................................. 47
Enable Database Service ................................................................................................. 48
DB Storage ....................................................................................................................... 48
Total DB Size .................................................................................................................... 48
Database Table Configuration ......................................................................................... 48
Database Management ................................................................................................... 49
Tabular Reporting ............................................................................................................ 50
Bar Graph Reporting ........................................................................................................ 51
CSV Export ....................................................................................................................... 52
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Predefined Requests ....................................................................................................... 53
Command Request .......................................................................................................... 54
Camera Calibration .................................................................................................................. 59
Camera Calibration Topics ............................................................................................... 59
3D Graphics Overlay ........................................................................................................ 59
Mouse controls ................................................................................................................ 59
Other Graphical Tools ...................................................................................................... 60
Step 1: Find some people in the scene ............................................................................ 62
Step 2: Adjust tilt angle and camera height .................................................................... 63
Step 3: Verify the setup ................................................................................................... 63
Tip: If it all goes wrong .................................................................................................... 64
Object Classification ................................................................................................................ 67
Tamper Detection .................................................................................................................... 69
Advanced Tamper Detection Settings ............................................................................. 69
Scene Change Detection .......................................................................................................... 71
Manual Scene Change Detection Settings ....................................................................... 71
Burnt-in Annotation ................................................................................................................ 73
Object Configuration ....................................................................................................... 73
Counter Configuration ..................................................................................................... 74
System Configuration ...................................................................................................... 74
PTZ Configuration and AutoTracking ....................................................................................... 77
Camera Preset Number for VCA Home Position ............................................................. 77
Enable VCA Only at Home Position ................................................................................. 77
Return to Home Position Following Manual Override .................................................... 78
Maximum Tracking Time ................................................................................................. 79
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Maximum Hold-on Time .................................................................................................. 79
Allow Manual Override (User Control) ............................................................................ 79
Auto-tracking Initiation ................................................................................................... 79
PTZ Profile Configuration................................................................................................. 80
Creating a New PTZ Profile .............................................................................................. 80
Editing an Existing PTZ Profile ......................................................................................... 81
Removing a PTZ Profile .................................................................................................... 86
Auto-calibrating a PTZ Profile .......................................................................................... 86
Stabilizer .................................................................................................................................. 89
Stabilizer Configuration ................................................................................................... 89
Border In-fill ..................................................................................................................... 89
Camera Installation Mode ............................................................................................... 90
Auto Disable .................................................................................................................... 90
Performance .................................................................................................................... 91
Maximum Frame Shift ..................................................................................................... 91
Generating External Event Notifications ................................................................................. 93
Load and Save VCA Settings .................................................................................................... 95
Advanced VCA Settings............................................................................................................ 97
Event .............................................................................................................................. 100
Object ............................................................................................................................ 100
Counting ........................................................................................................................ 100
Statistics ......................................................................................................................... 101
Do not send empty metadata packets .......................................................................... 101
Blob ................................................................................................................................ 101
Tamper Diagnostics ....................................................................................................... 101
Counting Line Diagnostics ............................................................................................. 101
More Information .......................................................................................................... 101
Minimum Tracked Object Size ....................................................................................... 102
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Minimum Alarm Object Display Time ........................................................................... 102
Minium Object Display Time ......................................................................................... 102
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Introduction
VCAsys is a real-time video analytics engine that utilizes advanced image processing algorithms to turn video into actionable intelligence. At the core of the product is an advanced object tracking engine that continually tracks moving and stationary targets. The tracking engine features built-in robustness to environmental nuisance conditions such as changing illumination, moving foliage, rippling water, etc.
VCAsys is a generic name for a suite of analytics products that include:
VCApresence: continually tracks moving and stationary targets and generates real-
time alerts of object presence in multiple overlapping detection zones.
VCAsurveillance: continually tracks and classifies moving and stationary targets and
features a full suite of rule-based filters including: enter, exit, appear, disappear, stopped objects, directionality constraints, object counting, loitering, object type and object speed. Multiple filters are supported on any combination of multiple overlapping detection zones.
VCApro: includes all of the features of VCAsurveillance, in addition to an advanced
people tracking engine optimized for tracking people in cluttered indoor scenes such as retail scenarios. Includes specific high-accuracy counting functions optimized for use in busy scenes.
A full range of packages: optimized for specific scenarios. See the VCA Feature
Packages topic for detailed information about the packages available for different
platforms.
Using the intuitive web-based configuration application, it's possible to quickly and easily define rules that generate real-time alerts when triggered. The alerts are available in all formats supported by the hardware on which it is enabled.
This user guide will help you get VCAsys configured for your application quickly, as well as lead you through some of the advanced features provided by the product.
Version 2.0.0
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Getting Started
In order to get up and running as fast as possible, the following steps should be executed:
Locate a unit that supports VCAsys and ensure it is upgraded to a firmware version
that contains the VCAsys engine.
Obtain an activation code for the feature set required. The different feature levels
available for different platforms are described in the VCA Feature Packages topic.
Connect power, network and input video. Activate the VCAsys engine. Calibrate the unit [VCAsurveillance only]. Configure the detection rules. Configure the alert output format.
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VCA Feature Packages
VCA functionality is available in a range of different packages and on different platforms. The license types available for IP and PC platforms are listed in the following table.
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Accessing VCA Configuration
All configuration of the VCAsys engine is performed by accessing the VCA section of the unit setup page:
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Activation
Activation
Some features of VCAsys must be activated before they can be used. Activating VCAsys consists of the following two steps:
Obtaining an activation code from your hardware supplier. Applying an Activation code to the unit.
Obtaining an Activation Code
Before VCAsys can be enabled, it must be activated. Typically, an activation code is supplied by the hardware provider, upon receipt of a valid product token, and a unique hardware ID generated by the unit on which VCAsys is to be activated.
The activation process is outlined as illustrated:
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Applying an Activation Code to a Unit
Once an activation code has been received from your hardware supplier, it's simply a case of entering the code on the appropriate web page. Select the the Activation menu:
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Activation
Enter the activation code and click "Apply". If the activation code is valid, the activated features will be displayed in the "Installed Licenses" box.
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Enabling VCA
Switching VCA On and Off
By default, VCA is disabled. In order to enable VCA it must be activated. Select the VCA menu and then the Enable/Disable sub menu. Tick the Enable check box under Analytics and select the required mode.
Enable VCA
Check/Uncheck to enable/disable the VCA functionality at a global level. If unchecked, ALL VCA functionality will be disabled.
Object Tracking
Check/Uncheck to enable/disable the object tracking engine. When checked, there are 2 modes of object tracking available, optimized for different applications:
Surveillance Tracking
Optimized for intrusion detection and general purpose outdoor object detection and tracking. When objects are in close proximity to each other they are more likely to be tracked as a single object than separate entities. Consumes fewer system resources than the People Tracking engine.
People Tracking
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Optimized for tracking people in indoor cluttered scenes. Exhibits higher performance when people are in close proximity to each other - people are tracked even when one person is obscured by the other.
NOTE:
The People Tracking engine consumes more system resources than the Surveillance
Tracking engine. Therefore, the encoded frame rate may be reduced if this mode is selected.
Best performance is achieved when the camera has been correctly calibrated. The People Tracking engine requires a VCApro license.
The following illustration highlights the difference in performance between the two modes:
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Enabling VCA
Abandoned/Removed Object Detection
Check/Uncheck to enable/disable abandoned/removed object detection. When checked, a background process to detect abandoned and removed objects is enabled.
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NOTE: The use of abandoned object detection may degrade the ability of the tracking engine to track moving targets through occlusions. Therefore, this feature should only be enabled if the detection of abandoned or removed objects is necessary.
Counting Line
Check/Uncheck to enable/disable the counting line functionality. The counting line functionality requires a VCApro, VCAcount or VCAaccess license.
Smoke & Fire Detection
Check/Uncheck to enable/disable the smoke and fire detection functionality. The smoke & dire detection functionality requires a VCAsmoke&fire license.
NOTE: The smoke and/or fire detection filter does not comply with any detection standards and should not be used as a safety device. It should be installed in addition to certified safety devices and used only to supply additional information.
Camera Shake Cancellation
The camera shake cancellation function is used to improve the VCA performance with cameras that are prone to shake. By default, camera shake cancellation is disabled. If your installation suffers from camera shake problems, enable this function to improve the VCA performance. If camera shake is not an issue in your installation, best performance will be achieved with this setting disabled.
NOTE: Only enable the features which are necessary for the deployment scenario. Since each feature consumes a portion of system resources, enabling features which are not required may degrade the overall system performance.
Enabling Metadata Streaming
In order to visualize the VCA output, metadata streaming must be enabled for RTP. Select System Options and then the RTSP/RTP sub menu:
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Enabling VCA
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Configuration of Zones and Rules
In order to create some useful output, it is necessary to configure detection zones and detection rules. The detection zones and rules are configured by selecting VCA and then the Zones and Rules sub menu:
Tracking Display
The tracking display window shows all moving and stationary targets that are currently being tracked by the engine. Objects that have triggered a rule are displayed in red. Conversely, objects that have not triggered a rule are displayed in yellow.
This snapshot shows a detection zone, in red and a detection line, in green.
The tracking display window is useful for predicting how the rules will operate. By examining how the trails of the objects intersect the detection zones and lines, it is possible to determine how the rule can be optimally configured.
Properties Inspector
The properties inspector allows the user to assign detection rules to detection zones and detection lines. Available rules will depend on the features available and settings applied, and may include the following:
Object presence Object entered Object exited Object appeared Object disappeared
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Object stopped Object dwell Object direction Object speed Object tailgating Counting line Abandoned/removed object Smoke detection Fire detection Object colour filer
Event History
The event history control shows the history of objects that have triggered rules and generated alarms.
Customizing the Tracking Display
The tracking display window can be customized to show various levels of tracking data. Simply right click on the tracking display window and select the Display option:
Display Blobs
By default, the blobs are not displayed. It's possible to switch the blob display on in order to observe how the algorithm performs in different scenarios. Moving blobs are displayed in blue, as illustrated in the figure. Blobs that correspond to abandoned/removed objects are displayed in pink. See the Abandoned/Removed objects topic for further information. Smoke blobs are displayed in white and fire blobs are displayed in red.
Display Objects in Multiple Colors
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Select this option to toggle between 2-color display mode (alarmed objects in red, non­alarmed objects in yellow), or multi-color displayed mode. In multi-color display mode, objects are displayed in a color selected by the system.
Display Non-Alarmed Objects
By default, all objects are displayed: alarmed objects in red; and non-alarmed objects in yellow. The display of non-alarmed objects and their trails helps optimally configure the rules by allowing the user to see how the detection zones and object trails intersect. Uncheck this item to switch the display of non-alarmed objects off.
Display Object Height
Check this option to display the object height. This option is only available when the camera has been calibrated.
Display Object Speed
Check this option to display the object speed. This option is only available when the camera has been calibrated.
Display Object Area
Check this option to display the object area. This option is only available when the camera has been calibrated.
Display Object Classification
Check this option to display the object classification. This option is only available when the camera has been calibrated.
Display Object Wait Time (VCApro only)
Check this option to display the amount of time that the object has spent inside a zone. Useful for measuring customer dwell times in specific areas of the scene. Note that the statistics metadata option must be enabled in the Advanced Settings page.
Display Object Color Signature (VCApro only)
Check this option to display the color signature of the object. Note that the color signature metadata option must be enabled in the Advanced Settings page, and the People Tracking mode must be selected on the Enable/Disable page.
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Creating Detection Zones and Lines
In order to detect events of interest, detection zones and lines must be defined. Detection zones define an area of interest. Detection lines are similar to detection zones but they define a perimeter instead of a region.
Creating a Zone or Line
To create a zone, either double click the left mouse button or right click and select Zone/Line... Create zone:
To create a line, right click and select Zone/Line... Create line:
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Editing Zones and Lines
Zones and lines can be edited to be any shape or size. Zones and lines are controlled by manipulating "nodes" that represent the zone/line vertices. To change the shape of a zone or line, simply grab a node with the left mouse button and drag it to the desired location:
Adding and Removing Nodes
Zones and lines can be tailored to any scenario by simply adding more nodes to define the shape required. To add a node, simply double click on the zone or line at the point where the new node should be added. Nodes can be deleted by right clicking on the node and selecting Node... Remove node:
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Non Detection Zones
In some situations, especially where the scene is busy, objects tracked in some areas can interfere with detection zones in other areas. For example, on a windy day, moving foliage can generate false alarms that in some situations could be tracked through a detection zone. In order to minimize such issues, it is possible to configure "non-detection" zones, where nothing is detected or tracked.
Detection Rules
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Detection Rules
Once some detection zones and/or lines have been configured, it's possible to define some detection rules that apply to the zones/lines. By default, zones and lines are automatically configured to detect object presence.
The rules are defined in the Properties Inspector:
The properties inspector is context-sensitive to the zone selected. As different zones/lines are selected, so the properties inspector changes to reflect the rules currently configured on that zone. Defining a rule is a simple matter of checking the box next to the rule required. In all cases, the rules are configured with sensible default values. Of course, these can be customized to suit the detection scenario. The selection of multiple rules on a detection zone is supported.
Object Presence
Enable the object presence rule on the selected zone by checking the Presence box in the properties inspector and click apply.
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Objects that are present inside a zone or pass through a line will trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
Object Direction
Enable the object direction rule on the selected zone by checking the Direction Filter box in the properties inspector. Adjust the direction and acceptance angle to suit the detection scenario.
Objects that travel in the configured direction (within the limits of the acceptance angle) through a zone or over a line trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
Object Enter and Exit
Enable the object enter and exit detection by checking the corresponding check boxes in the properties inspector and click apply.
An object entered alarm is raised when an object crosses from the outside to the inside of a detection zone. Conversely, an object exited alarm is raised when an object crosses from the inside to the outside of a detection zone:
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Object Appear and Disappear
Enable the object appear and disappear detection by checking the corresponding check boxes in the properties inspector and click apply.
An object appear alarm is raised when an object appears inside a detection zone. Note that this is different from object entered detection since the object must be initially detected inside the zone without entering, e.g. people appearing in a doorway, or cars appearing from an underground carpark.
Conversely an object disappear alarm is raised when an object disappears inside a detection zone. Again, this is different from object exit detection since the object must be tracked into the zone and then disappear without exiting the zone.
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Object Dwell
Enable the object dwell rule on the selected zone by checking the Dwell box in the properties inspector and click apply.
Objects that dwell inside a zone for longer than the defined amount of time will trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Object Stopped
Enable the object stopped rule on the selected zone by checking the Stopped box in the properties inspector and click apply.
Objects that are stopped inside a zone for longer than the defined amount of time will trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
The stopped time can be configured by simply clicking in the Time box on the rule control and editing the value in-place.
Object Class
Once the camera has been calibrated, it's possible to include or exclude specific object types in the detection rules.
Select and enable an Object Filter by checking the box. Select whether the rule should include or exclude the object type. Select the object type to include or exclude.
Apply the changes.
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In this example, the rule has been configured to include detection of people only. As illustrated, the person generates an alarm, but the vehicle is filtered out and does not trigger the alarm.
Object Tailgating
Enable the object tailgating rule on the selected zone by checking the Object Tailgating box in the properties inspector. Adjust the time threshold to set the minimum allowable time between successive object detections.
Object tailgating is defined as an object crossing a line or zone within a certain time after an object has already crossed the line or zone. If an object crosses a line or zone, and another object crosses the same line or zone within the specified time window, the Object Tailgating filter will be triggered.
In this example, Object 1 is about to cross a detection line. Another object (Object 2) is following closely behind. The tailgating detection threshold is set to 5 seconds. That is, any object crossing the line within 5s of an object having already crossed the line will trigger the Object Tailgating filter.
Object 2 crosses the line within 5 seconds of Object 1. This triggers the Object Tailgating filter.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Object Tailgating Trigger
The tailgating filter can use either the tracking engine or the counting line as trigger sources for tailgating detection. Since the counting line exhibits higher performance when detecting multiple objects crossing a line, best performance will be obtained when the trigger is set to "Counting Line". If a counting line filter is already configured on the line, then the trigger is automatically set to "Counting Line".
Note that a VCApro, VCAaccess or VCAcount license is required to enable the counting line.
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Abandoned and Removed Object
VCAsys can be configured to generate an alert highlighting an abandoned or removed object. Suspicious objects can be detected when carried into the scene and planted by a person as well as when dropped or thrown into the scene.
Ensure that abandoned/removed object detection is enabled by checking the "Abandoned/removed object detection" box on the VCA Enable/Disable page.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
NOTE: The algorithm used for abandoned and removed object detection is the same in each case: it cannot differentiate between abandoned or removed objects. This is a fundamental limitation of the algorithm and arises because it just analyses how blocks of pixels change with respect to a background model that is constructed over time. When an object is inserted into the background (abandoned) it looks the same to the algorithm as when an object is removed from the background.
Enable the abandoned/removed object rule on the selected zone by checking the Abandoned/Removed Object box in the properties inspector. An object that is left inside a zone for longer than the configured time period will trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
The following figure illustrates the abandoned/removed object detection rule detecting a removed bicycle.
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Stationary Object Hold-on Time
The stationary object hold-on time is the time which the tracker will keep tracking an object once it has been detected as stationary or abandoned/removed. After an abandoned/removed object has been detected, the object will continue to be tracked for the time configured determined by the stationary object hold-on time. The default value is 60 seconds, but this can be changed on the advanced settings page.
Diagnostic Data
In order to evaluate the performance of the abandoned/removed object detection and troubleshoot issues in challenging circumstances, it's possible to enable the display of blobs. The blobs show the underlying pixels detected as "interesting" by the algorithm. Note that the blobs must be enabled to be transmitted in the metadata on the advanced settings page for them to visible on the annotation overlay.
Moving blobs are displayed in blue whereas blobs that correspond to abandoned or removed objects are displayed in pink.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Object Speed
Enable the object speed rule on the selected zone by checking the Speed Filter box in the properties inspector. Adjust the lower and upper speed limits to suit the detection scenario.
Objects that travel within the bounds of the configured speeds, through a zone or over a line trigger the rule and raise an alarm.
Note that the camera must be calibrated for this function to be available.
Counting Line
A counting line is a detection filter optimized for bi-directional object counting (e.g. people or vehicles) in busier detection scenarios. Examples of such applications may include:
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People counting with overhead cameras in a retail environment. Vehicle counting with overhead cameras on public highways.
The counting line filter can be enabled when the unit has been configured with VCAcount/VCAaccess/VCAadvanced/VCApro license. In some scenes such as entrance with camera over-head installed, the counting line typically will generate a higher accuracy count than using the counters provided as part of VCAsurveillance.
NOTE: The maximum number of counting line filters that can be applied per video channel is 5.
Enabling the Counting Line
Enable the counting line filter on a detection line in the desired direction(s) by checking the appropriate box in the properties inspector. An event is generated every time an object crosses the line in the selected direction. If multiple objects cross the line together, multiple corresponding events are generated. The events generated by the counting line can be tied to counters in the normal manner.
Assigning Counters to Counting Lines
A counting line by itself simply generates events when an object to be counted is detected. In order to actually count the events, counters (one for each direction) can be created and configured to count the events generated by the line. To create counters, see the Counters topic.
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Calibrating the Counting Line
Configuration of Zones and Rules
In order to generate accurate counts, the counting line requires calibration. Unlike VCAsurveillance, this cannot be performed at a general level for the whole scene using the 3D calibration tool. This is because the counting line is not always placed on the ground plane: it may be placed at any orientation at any location in the scene. For example, a counting line could be configured vertically with a side-on camera view.
Instead of the 3D calibration tool, the counting line has its own calibration setting. Two bars equidistant from the centre of the line represent the width of the expected object. This allows the counting line to reject noise and also count multiple objects.
To calibrate the counting line:
Select the counting line with the mouse. Check the "Width Calibration" box under the Counting Line rule in the property
inspector.
Use the mouse wheel or drag the calibration markers to adjust the distance between
the calibration markers until the distance is approximately the size of the objects to be counted.
The calibration width is displayed on the property inspector under the counting line
rule. The figure which is displayed is the calibration width expressed as a percentage of the image width. This figure can also be edited to change the calibration width.
The small markers on either side of the big markers indicate the minimum and
maximum width which is counted as a single object.
Apply the settings.
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Shadow Filter
The counting line features a shadow filter which is designed to remove the effects of object shadows affecting the counting algorithm. Shadows can cause inaccurate counting results by making an object appear larger than its true size or by joining two or more objects together. If shadows are causing inaccurate counting, the shadow filter should be enabled by selecting the "Shadow Filter" check box for the line. It is recommended that the shadow filter only be enabled when shadows are present because the algorithm can mistake certain parts of an object for shadows and this may lead to worse counting results.
Calibration Diagnostics Mode
To enable the user to more accurately configure the calibration for the counting line, there is a diagnostics feature which can be enabled to provide feedback of the counting results. To enable this mode, select the "Metadata Format" ->"Counting Line Diagnostics" on the VCA
Advanced Settings page .
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
When the diagnostics metadata is enabled, the diagnostics will appear as black and white lines on either side of the counting line on the Zones and Rules page. Each line represents an object which was detected by the counting algorithm. The width of the line shows the width of the object detected by the line. The last 5 detections are displayed for each direction with the latest one appearing closest to the counting line. Each detection is counted as a number of objects based on the current width calibration. This is shown as follows:
Black line: Event not counted Solid white line: Event counted as one object Broken white line: Event counted as multiple objects indicated by the number of line
segments.
Using the feedback from the diagnostics, the width calibration can be fine tuned to count the correct sized objects and filter out spurious detections.
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Smoke Detection
Enable the smoke detection filter by checking the Smoke Detection box in the properties inspector. If smoke is detected inside the corresponding detection zone alerts are raised in the alarm log window. The Time setting specifies how long smoke should be detected for, before the smoke detected event is raised.
WARNING
The smoke detection filter does not comply with any detection standards and should not be used as a safety device. It should be installed in addition to certified safety devices and used only to supply additional information.
Diagnostic Data
In order to evaluate the performance of the smoke detection and troubleshoot issues in challenging circumstances, it's possible to enable the display of smoke blobs. The blobs show the underlying pixels detected as potentially being smoke by the algorithm. Note that the blobs must be enabled to be transmitted in the metadata on the advanced settings page for them to visible on the annotation overlay.
Blobs that are potentially detected as smoke are displayed in white.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Fire Detection
Enable the fire detection filter by checking the Fire Detection box in the properties inspector. If fire is detected inside the corresponding detection zone alerts are raised in the alarm log window. The Time setting specifies how long fire must be detected for, before the fire event is raised.
WARNING
The fire detection filter does not comply with any detection standards and should not be used as a safety device. It should be installed in addition to certified safety devices and used only to supply additional information.
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Diagnostic Data
In order to evaluate the performance of the fire detection and troubleshoot issues in challenging circumstances, it's possible to enable the display of fire blobs. The blobs show the underlying pixels detected as potentially being fire by the algorithm. Note that the blobs must be enabled to be transmitted in the metadata on the advanced settings page for them to visible on the annotation overlay.
Blobs that are potentially detected as fire are displayed in red.
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Configuration of Zones and Rules
Object Colour Filter NOTE: The object colour filter requires a VCApro license, and the Tracking mode must be set
to People Tracking on the VCA Enable/Disable page.
Enable the object colour filter by checking the corresponding box in the properties inspector and click apply.
Specify the colour and threshold (amount of colour within an object) detection properties.
An object colour filter alarm is raised when an object that contains more than the specified threshold of the specified colour is tracked inside the zone.
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Object Colour Signature
For every object that's tracked, a colour signature is calculated and transmitted in the metadata stream. The colour signature can be displayed as an overlay on the screen to help the selection of the parameters for the colour filter.
In order for the colour signature to be displayed, the colour signature must be enabled in the metadata settings on the advanced page and the option to display the colour signature should be selected.
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Counters
Counters
VCAsys also supports object counting. Any combination of detection zones or lines can be assigned to a counter. Counters can be configured to perform any combination of incremental, decremental or occupancy counting. Counter configuration is managed through the properties inspector in a similar way to the zone configuration.
Topics in this section:
Creating Counters Assigning Rules to Counters
Creating Counters
To create a counter simply click the right mouse button and select Counters... Add Counter.
The counter name can be changed by clicking in the Name box on the rules control.
Assigning Rules to Counters
Counters count triggers generated by rule violations. For example, if it is required to count the number of objects entering a zone, a zone must initially be configured to raise an alarm every time an object enters it. The zone can then be assigned to a counter and the counter will count the objects according to the type of counting required (increment, decrement, occupancy).
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In this example the red zone is configured to trigger when object travelling in the north direction are detected. The counter has been configured to increment the count whenever the zone (Zone 0) is triggered. Currently two objects have been counted.
Incremental Counters
When a zone is assigned to an incremental counter, the count will increment by 1 every time the zone is triggered.
Decremental Counters
When a zone is assigned to a decremental counter, the count will decrement by 1 every time the zone is triggered.
Occupancy Counters
When a zone is assigned to an occupancy counter, the counter displays the number of active triggers in the zone. E.g. if there are 2 objects in the zone that triggered the detection rule, then the count will display 2.
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Counter Storage and Reporting
Counter Storage and Reporting
The counter storage and reporting service allows the device to store the values of any configured counters at regular intervals in up to 4 on-board databases. Any of the databases can be queried by the user to generate tables, graphs and reports of the data stored in the database. The database interface also supports direct connections from Microsoft Excel in order to allow further processing within Excel.
The counter storage and reporting configuration is accessed by clicking the Counter Reporting link from the device menu.
NOTE: A VCApro or VCAcount license is necessary in order to take advantage of the counter storage and reporting functionality.
The configuration of the counter storage and reporting module comprises 2 areas:
The database service The reporting service
Database Service
The database service manages up to 4 databases. It logs the values of all configured counters to the database at pre-configured, regular intervals. See the Database Service Configuration
page for more details.
Reporting Service
The reporting service allows the user to query the databases and generate graphs, tables, reports and even export the data into Microsoft Excel for further processing. See the
Reporting Service page for more details.
Database Service
The database service is responsible for logging all of the counter values at regular intervals to up to 4 database tables.
To access the Database Service configuration page, click the Database Service tab under the Counter Reporting menu option.
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Enable Database Service
The control for enabling/disabling the database service. This also functions as the master switch for all other counting and reporting functions - if the database service is not enabled, none of the other services will function.
DB Storage
Allows the user to select where the database tables are stored in physical memory. It's possible to select internal flash, SD card or USB memory stick. If the selected memory device is not available, internal flash will be used instead. The in use: label shows which storage medium is currently being used to store the database tables.
Total DB Size
The maximum size of the database when internal flash is selected as the storage medium is 512KB. The display shows how much storage is in use out of the total available. If the configuration of the database tables would cause the storage requirement to exceed the maximum the user is warned before the settings can be applied.
Database Table Configuration
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The database allows up to 4 tables to be configured (0-3). Each table can sample the counter values at different intervals, thus allowing reports that cover different granularities and time windows to be generated by the user.
Tables must be enabled in-order. For example, Table 0 must be enabled before Table 1 can be enabled.
Sampling Interval
How frequently the counter values are sampled and stored to the database. Specified in minutes.
Roll-over Count
The total number of records to store in the database table. When this number of records have been added to the table, the table wraps-around and overwrites the oldest data.
Max Roll-over Time
Shows the maximum time that the table will hold counting data for. Calculated as follows:
Max Roll-over Time (minutes) = Sampling Interval x Roll-over Count
Database Management
Functions for managing the database.
Clear
Wipes all data from all database tables.
Backup
Allows the user to download a backup of the database tables into a file that can be restored at a later date.
Restore
Restore a previously downloaded backup back into the database tables.
Reporting Service
The reporting service is the user-interface into the counter storage and reporting functionality. It allows the user to query the database service to generate reports, tables and even export data to Microsoft Excel for further analysis.
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The essence of the counter reporting page is to select the query parameters and then select whether it should be displayed as a table, bar or exported to CSV. There are a number of pre-defined requests that offer quick and easy way to get started.
Every element on the counter reporting page has context-sensitive help: just hover the mouse over the item in question to get detailed information about the values that can be entered into that field.
Tabular Reporting
Enter the query parameters and click the Table button. The data is displayed as a table:
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Bar Graph Reporting
Clicking the Bar button pops up a new window with a bar graph of the results. The colour of each bar matches the colour of the counter on the Zones & Rules configuration page.
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CSV Export
Clicking the CSV button offers a file that contains the results of the query in comma­separated-variable format.
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Predefined Request
From
To
Default Sampling Period
One hour
now - 1 hour
now
1 minute (Table 0)
Today
today @ 0:00
now
10 minutes (Table
1)
Yesterday
yesterday @ 0:00
today @ 0:00
10 minutes (Table
1)
One day
now - 1 day
now
10 minutes (Table
1)
This week
sunday @ 0:00
today
60 minutes (Table
2)
Last week
Last sunday @ 0:00
Last saturday @ 24:00
60 minutes (Table
2)
One week
now - 1 week
now
60 minutes (Table
2)
This month
1st of this month
now
1 day (Table 3)
Last month
1st of last month
Last day of last month
1 day (Table 3)
Predefined Requests
The counter reporting service has a number of pre-defined requests that reflect the most common usage scenarios. It's possible to just select one of these pre-defined requests and click one of the reporting modes directly to generate a report in a very short amount of time. The requests available are:
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Option
Details
Example
Absolute date and time
YYYY/MM/DD hh:mm
2011/10/21 09:00 Seconds
Decimal integer
3600 (=1 hour)
now
The current time
now means 2011/10/21 09:00
today
0:00 on the current day
today means 2011/10/21 0:00
yesterday
0:00 on the day before today
yesterday means 2011/10/20 0:00
sunday, monday,..
Any day of the week @ 0:00
thursday means 0:00 on the previous Thursday
this_week
0:00 on the first day of the week
this_week means 0:00 on the previous Sunday
last_week
0:00 on the first day of last week
last_week means 0:00 on the Sunday before last
this_month
0:00 on the first day of this month
this_month means 0:00 on the first day of this month
last_month
0:00 on the first day of last month
last_month means 0:00 on the first day of last month
Example
Meaning
now
2011/05/23 14:20
today
2011/05/23 00:00
now-01:00
2011/05/23 13:20
today 04:00
2011/05/23 04:00
today-04:00
2011/05/22 20:00
In each case, the predefined queries populate the rest of the fields on the page, so it's simple to use a predefined query and then change just a couple of fields to customise it.
Command Request
In addition to using the predefined requests it's possible to select all query parameters manually to query any combination of data. The options available are described in the following section.
Time
The time bounds of the query. Specify the from and to times in the fields provided. The syntax is as follows:
Time and dates can also be modified and combined with the simple arithmetic operators + and - to perform querying relative to predefined keywords. Examples of the use of the operators are as follows.
Assuming that the current time is 2011/05/23 14:20 Monday
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yesterday+3600
2011/05/22 01:00
sunday 06:00
2011/05/22 06:00
Counter ID
Details
Example
active
All currently displayed counters
1,4,5,6
all
All counters
0-19
one of 0-19
An individual counter id
1
Sorting order
Details
descending
The newest records are returned first
ascending
The oldest records are returned first
Value Type
Details
absolute
The actual counter values are returned
difference
The difference between this and the previous sample is returned
Counter ID
Allows specification of which counters are included in the request, can be any one of:
Table (Sampling)
Specifies the table to query. The sampling interval in minutes is displayed in parentheses.
Sorting Order
Specifies how to order the results returned from the query. Can be one of:
Value Type
Specifies the results returned should be absolute counts or the difference between the current and previous sample. Can be one of:
Request
Click one of these buttons to generate either a table, bar chart or CSV output based on the specified query parameters.
Request URI
The Request URI is the link that identifies the query specified by the field values. It's possible to copy and paste this link in any browser to generate a data table that contains the results of the query. One specific application of this method is to import the data as a real-time feed into Microsoft Excel. See the Importing Data to Microsoft Excel topic for more information.
Importing Data into Microsoft Excel
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The counter reporting service is compatible with Microsoft Excel's Import Data From Web function which allows users to extract a real-time data feed from one or many cameras and then use Excel's powerful data analysis functions to perform further data processing.
On the counter reporting page, set up the query to generate the data view required. Then copy the URI from the Request URI box to the clipboard.
Open up Excel and import the data feed as illustrated below:
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The data is then displayed in Excel and can be processed further. In this example, the three counters have been added to a bar chart.
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Camera Calibration
Camera Calibration
Camera calibration is required in order for the VCA engine to classify objects into different object classes. Once the camera has been calibrated, the engine can infer real-world object properties such as speed, height and area and classify objects accordingly.
Camera Calibration Topics
Calibration Page Elements Calibrating a Camera Advanced Calibration Parameters Vertical Field of View Measurement Units
Calibration Page Elements
The following describes the purpose of each element of the calibration page. To get started calibrating straight away, see the Calibrating a Camera topic.
3D Graphics Overlay
During the calibration process, the features in the video image need to be matched with a 3D graphics overlay. The 3D graphics overlay consists of a green grid that represents the ground plane. Placed on the ground plane are a number of 3D mimics that represent the dimensions of a person with the current calibration parameters. The calibration mimics are used for verifying the size of a person in the scene.
Mouse controls
The calibration parameters can be adjusted as follows:
Click and drag the ground plane to change the tilt angle. Use the mouse wheel to adjust the camera height. Drag the slider to change the vertical field of view.
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Other Graphical Tools
There are a number of other graphical tools that can be used to make the calibration process simpler and more accurate.
Horizon Display
The horizon can be displayed by right clicking and checking the menu option. If the horizon is visible in the video, it is possible to use this to set the tilt angle. Drag the grid until the horizon in the video matches the graphical horizon.
Additional Mimics
Additional mimics can be added to verify the calibration configuration. Select the Add Mimic option from the menu.
Grid Transparency
By default the ground plane is displayed in transparent mode such that the video is clearer. The transparent grid can be toggled by selecting the corresponding menu option.
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Virtual Ruler
The calibration configuration control supports a virtual ruler. This can be useful for measuring distances along the ground plane to objects of known size such as road lane widths, car park space widths etc. The virtual ruler is effectively a "measurement stick" that measures the distance between two points along the ground plane (not heights).
To use the virtual ruler, simply right click anywhere a point on the ground plane to anchor one end of the ruler and select the option from the menu. It is then possible to move the other end of the ruler around the ground plane to measure the distance between the anchor point and the current mouse position.
To exit from the virtual ruler mode, click the right button. The ruler disappears.
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Calibrating a Camera
Calibrating a camera is necessary in order to estimate object parameters such as height, area, speed and classification. If you know the height, tilt angle and vertical field of view corresponding to your installation, you can simply type the parameters in the appropriate boxes and apply the changes.
If however, you do not know, or are unable to find out the camera parameters, this topic provides a step-by-step guide to calibrating a camera.
Step 1: Find some people in the scene
Find some people, or some people-sized objects in the scene. Try to find a person near the camera, and a person further away from the camera. It is useful to use the Video Control button to pause the video so that the mimics can be accurately placed. Place the mimics on top of or near the people. Enter in the known height or estimated height.
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Step 2: Adjust tilt angle and camera height
Now, adjust the camera tilt angle and vertical field of view until both mimics are approximately the same size as a real person at that position in the scene. If an estimated height is entered then adjust this along with the other two parameters.
Click and drag the ground plane to change the tilt angle, use the mouse wheel to adjust the camera height and drag the slider to change the vertical field of view.
The 3 calibration parameters will be reflected in the edit boxes in the Camera Setup section of the web page.
Apply the changes:
Once the changes have been applied, the Calibration Status reflects whether the operation was successful, and if so, in which mode the camera is calibrated.
Step 3: Verify the setup
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Once you are happy that the scene is correctly calibrated, verify the settings by dragging the mimics around and comparing them to other people or people-sized objects in the scene.
The more locations in the scene where the calibration is verified, the more accurate the calibration will be.
The 3 calibration parameters can be fine-tuned in the same way as detailed in Step 2.
Refer to the Camera Page Elements Topic for information regarding additional calibration tools that can help improve the accuracy of the calibration.
Once the settings have been successfully applied, objects in the scene are annotated with height, area, speed and classification. To change the measurement units between Metric and Imperial, please refer to the Measurement Units Topic.
Tip: If it all goes wrong
If you find that the mimics get lost or disappear due to an odd calibration configuration, the process can be restarted by clicking the "Restore Defaults" button.
Advanced Calibration Parameters
The advanced calibration parameters allow the ground plane to be panned and rolled without affecting the camera calibration parameters. This can be useful to visualize the calibration setup if the scene has pan or roll with respect to the camera.
Note that the pan and roll advanced parameters only affect the orientation of the 3D ground plane so that it can be more conveniently aligned with the video scene, and does not actually affect the calibration parameters.
To use the advanced parameters click on the advanced parameters button. Drag the pan and roll slider controls to change the pan and roll of the ground plane.
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Vertical Field of View
The vertical field of view is required when calibrating a camera. If you know the vertical field of view of the camera it can be entered directly. If however, you don't know the vertical field of view, it can be determined from the following table, given the vertical image dimension and its focal length:
If you are unable to determine the vertical field of view for your camera from the above table, leave the field of view at its default setting, 40°.
Measurement Units
The height, area and speed annotation can be displayed in metric or imperial units. By default the system displays metric units. To change the measurement units, select the Advanced settings page and change the Measurement Units option. Apply the changes.
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Object Classification
Object Classification
VCAsys can perform object classification once the camera has been calibrated. The object classification is based on properties extracted from the object including object area and speed. VCAsys comes pre-loaded with the most common object classes, and in most cases these will not need to be modified.
In some situations it might be desirable to change the classification parameters, or add new object classes.
To adjust the object class settings, select the Classification page and the object class to modify:
Adjust the minimum and maximum object speed and area, and apply the changes.
Objects that do not fit into any class are labelled as "Unclassified".
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Tamper Detection
Tamper Detection
The Tamper Detection module is intended to detect camera tampering events such as bagging, de-focusing, moving the camera, etc. This is achieved by detecting large persistent changes in the image.
The output of the tamper detection algorithm is displayed as red blocks on the image. The red area is where the algorithm has detected that the image has changed from its reference image. Once enough of the image has changed and remained so for a certain length of time, a tamper alarm is triggered.
Note: In order to see the output of the tamper detection on the image, Tamper Debug metadata must be enabled on the VCA -> Advanced page. Please refer to Advanced Settings for more information.
Advanced Tamper Detection Settings
In the advanced tamper detection settings it is possible to change the thresholds for the area of the image which must be changed and the length of time it must be changed for before the alarm is triggered.
Tampered Duration until Alarm: The length of time that the image must be
persistently changed before the alarm is triggered.
Tampered Screen Area: Percentage area of the image which must be changed for
tampering to be triggered.
If false alarms are a problem the duration and/or area should be increased so that large transient changes such as a close object temporarily obscuring the camera do not cause false alarms.
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Suppress alarm on lights on/off:
Large fast changes to the image lighting such as switching on/off indoor lighting can cause false tamper alarms. Enable this option if this is likely to be a problem in the area where the camera is installed. However, this option will reduce sensitivity to genuine alarms so it is not recommended if fast light changes are not likely to be a problem
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Scene Change Detection
Scene Change Detection
The Scene Change Detection page allows the user to adjust the settings of the scene change detection algorithm. The scene change detection module resets the tracking algorithm when it detects a large persistent change in the image. This prevents the tracking algorithm from detecting image changes as tracked objects which can be potential sources of false alarms.
There are 3 options for the scene change mode:
Automatic: Default setting. Uses the recommended settings. Manual: Allows the user to adjust the parameters used by the scene change
detection algorithm.
Disabled: Scene change detection is disabled.
Note: In order to see the output of the scene change detection on the image, Scene Change diagnostics metadata must be enabled on the VCA -> Advanced page. Please refer to
Advanced Settings for more information. It's only possible to see the detection diagnostic
data when in Manual mode.
Manual Scene Change Detection Settings
In the manual mode the following settings are available:
Changed Time: The length of time that the image must be persistently changed
before the scene change is triggered and the tracking algorithm is reset.
Changed Screen Area: Percentage area of the image which must be changed for the
scene change to be triggered and the tracking algorithm to be reset.
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If false scene change detections are a problem, the time and/or area should be increased so that large transient changes such as a close object temporarily obscuring the camera do not cause false scene change detections.
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Burnt-in Annotation
Burnt-in Annotation
The Burnt-in Annotation setting allows the VCA annotation to be burnt in to the raw video stream. The annotation can include tracked objects, counters and system messages. The Burnt-in Annotation can be enabled for compressed video streams or the analogue video output, if supported.
Object Configuration
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Select the object properties to display. The object text size can be changed according to the user's preferences. Objects can be displayed in either two-color or multi-color mode. In two­color mode, select the display colors for objects in alarm and objects not in alarm. In multi­color mode, the object colors are selected automatically by the system.
Counter Configuration
Select the counter properties to display. The counter text size can be changed according to the user's preferences.
System Configuration
Select whether to display system messages. The system message text size can be changed according to the user's preferences.
The following image illustrates how burnt-in annotation is applied to the video:
The different text sizes available are illustrated below:
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PTZ Configuration and AutoTracking
PTZ General Configuration
PTZ General Configuration allows configuration of general VCA PTZ support. This extends the VCA functions to work with PTZ cameras. The general PTZ configuration for VCA is controlled by the settings highlighted in the red box in the figure below.
Camera Preset Number for VCA Home Position
This text box specifies the PTZ camera preset number for VCA home position. Since the VCA configuration is scene dependent (e.g. zone configuration is only valid when the PTZ is pointing at the same position), the VCA can be configured such that all VCA functionality is related to a single PTZ preset. This is the so-called "camera preset for VCA home position".
Enable VCA Only at Home Position
When checked, VCA will be only enabled when camera is at the VCA home preset position. If the PTZ is moved by the user or any other function, the VCA is inhibited until the camera is returned to the VCA home preset position. Note that the camera can be configured to return to the home preset position automatically (see below).
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Return to Home Position Following Manual Override
When checked, the PTZ camera will automatically return to the VCA home position following user control of the camera (manual override) after the specified timeout has elapsed.
NOTE: If this function is disabled and the VCA is enabled only at the preset home position, VCA will not be automatically re-enabled. The only way to re-enable VCA in this mode is to manually return the camera to the VCA home preset position.
PTZ Auto-tracking Configuration
PTZ auto tracking allows a compatible PTZ camera to track a moving subject in real-time. When a subject is detected, the PTZ camera zooms in on the subject and moves to track it such that it remains in view of the camera.
The PTZ auto tracking is configured by the controls highlighted in the red box in the figure below.
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Maximum Tracking Time
Defines the maximum time that a subject is tracked for by the PTZ camera. Even if a subject is being tracked by the PTZ camera, the PTZ camera will stop auto tracking (and return to the VCA home preset position if configured) if this time elapses.
Maximum Hold-on Time
If a subject is lost by the autotracking algorithm, or comes to rest (becomes stationary), this defines the amount of time the PTZ camera will stay in that position trying to re-acquire the subject before returning to the VCA home preset position. If the subject starts moving again, or is reacquired, autotracking continues until the maximum tracking time (above) elapses.
Allow Manual Override (User Control)
When manual override is enabled, the auto-tracking algorithm will release control of the PTZ and stop controlling the PTZ camera if a user sends a manual PTZ command. The auto­tracking algorithm will reset when no user PTZ commands have been sent for the specified period.
When manual override is disabled, all user PTZ commands will be ignored if auto-tracking is in progress.
Note: In the case of autotracking, user PTZ commands refer to the PTZ commands sent through the camera or encoder HTTP or web interface. Currently it's not possible to detect commands sent directly on the RS-485/422/232 bus and user commands sent in this way may cause undefined or erratic PTZ behavior if autotracking is also enabled.
Auto-tracking Initiation
PTZ autotracking can be initiated in three different ways:
Start tracking when any object is detected:
The auto-tracking will start automatically and track the first object detected by the VCAsys tracking engine (normally from the VCA home preset position). The "Start auto tracking when any selected rule triggered" checkbox should be unchecked to enable this mode.
Start tracking when an existing VCA rule is triggered:
The auto-tracking will start automatically when any one of the VCA rules in the "selected rules" list is triggered. This provides a powerful way to filter out the objects of interest that are selected for autotracking and exclude any other objects. The "Start auto tracking when any selected rule triggered" checkbox should be checked to enable this mode and the rules that should initiate autotracking should be present in the "selected rules" list on the right hand side.
Start tracking when initiated manually by the user (Manual Lay-on):
It is also possible for the user to manually initiate PTZ autotracking. This feature is useful if the operator spots something of interest and would like the PTZ autotracking to take over the job of tracking the subject automatically.
Manual lay-on can be achieved in two ways:
By selecting a target that is already being tracked by the VCA engine. In
this case the target will be highlighted with a bounding box on the user display. Simply double click the target while holding the shift key and PTZ autotracking will be initiated on the selected target.
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By drawing a box around any portion of the image. Simply hold the
shift key and click to drag out the target area. PTZ autotracking will be initiated on the area indicated.
Autotracking in progress:
PTZ Profile Configuration
PTZ Profile Configuration
Since every PTZ camera has different characteristics and a different response (e.g. pan/tilt speeds vary according to the manufacturer), this has to be accounted for by means of a PTZ "profile". The PTZ profile is a collection of camera specific settings that define the characteristics of a particular PTZ camera.
The device contains profiles for cameras that have already been tested, but new profiles can be created and/or uploaded if the camera does not appear in the list of pre-tested profiles.
PTZ profile configuration consists of four main subject areas:
1. Creating a new PTZ profile
2. Editing an existing PTZ profile
3. Removing a user created PTZ profile
4. Auto-calibrating a PTZ profile for a given PTZ camera
Creating a New PTZ Profile
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There are two steps to create a new PTZ Profile:
1. Enter the name of the new PTZ profile to be created in the text box.
2. Click the "Create" button.
The new PTZ profile will be created and stored in the list of available PTZ profiles.
Editing an Existing PTZ Profile Note: Only PTZ profiles that have been created by the user can be edited. There are a
number of PTZ profiles that come as standard and these cannot be changed by the user.
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PTZ General Info
Specifies general information related to the PTZ camera profile.
Version
The PTZ profile version.
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Description
Detailed description for the PTZ profile, normally contains camera manufacturer and model number.
Protocol
The PTZ protocol for the current camera. Please refer to "IO Configuration"->"UART"->"PTZ Protocol" for all supported PTZ protocols.
PTZ Auto-tracking Parameters Minimum pan/tilt speed
The minimum value (as specified via the HTTP API) at which the camera starts to move in pan & tilt directions. In most cases this value will be 0 since most cameras have a linear relationship of min->max speed over the range 0-100. However, some cameras may exhibit non-linearities and may not start moving until they reach a pre-defined minimum threshold.
Maximum pan/tilt speed
The maximum speed that should be used by the PTZ algorithm to control the pan/tilt motors as a percentage of the maximum speed of the PTZ camera. It should be set to correspond to a pan/tile movement of 30°/sec when the camera is fully zoomed out.
Tip: If your camera oscillates back and forth or overshoots a target when tracking, try reducing this value.
Pan/tilt speed gain
The gain factor to control the speed of pan/tilt. This parameter cannot be automatically determined and needs to be determined according to the following manual process:
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No movement (dead) zone
Percentage of screen width/height in the centre of the image where the PTZ won’t attempt to track the subject, normalized as a percentage(0-100%). In most cases this value does not need to be adjusted and values of between 15-20% should give satisfactory results.
Minimum target size for zooming in
Minimum target size (percentage of image width/height) to trigger the camera to zoom-in, normalized as a percentage (0-100%). Any object size smaller than this value will cause the camera to zoom in. The default value is 20%.
Maximum target size for zooming out
Maximum target size (percent of image width/height) to trigger the camera to zoom-out, normalized as a percentage (0-100%). Any object size larger than this value will cause the camera to zoom out. The default value is 50%.
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Zoom speed
Camera zoom speed (percentage of maximum camera zoom speed) for both zoom in and out, normalized as a percentage (0-100%). Controls how fast the camera zooms in and out.
Where the camera only supports a fixed zoom speed, this value needs to be set to anything other than 0. If no zooming in/out is required, set this value to 0.
Zoom time gain
Gain factor that controls how long to zoom in/out for. The default value for this parameter is
1. It is not recommended to use a value larger than 5.
Tip: If the camera zooms in too far, try decreasing this value. If it doesn't zoom far enough, try increasing it.
Support absolute positioning
Check this box if the camera supports moving to an absolute position (e.g. P,T,Z).
From an API perspective, this box should be checked if the API command apantiltzoommove is supported.
If the camera supports absolute positioning, then the initial target lock-on phase can be faster since the camera moves directly to the estimated absolute position (P,T,Z) instead of zooming in gradually.
Maximum optical zoom value
Specifies the maximum optical zoom value for the camera (e.g. 36 for a 36x optical zoom camera). This parameter only has an effect when absolute positioning is enabled. Please refer to the camera specification.
Camera movement latency
The time delay (in milliseconds) that it takes from issuing a PTZ command for the camera to complete that command. The default value is 500ms.
Minimum time between two PTZ commands
The minimum time (in milliseconds) between two adjacent PTZ commands. This depends on both the PTZ protocol and the zoom module. For example, for Pelco Spectra IV SE using pelco-d protocol, this value needs to be larger than 300ms.
Tip: If PTZ commands appear to go missing (i.e ignored), try increasing this value.
Start-up commands
Any commands that should be executed on startup (e.g. to disable digital zoom). They should be specified according to the HTTP API syntax for either ptz2.fcgi or serial2.fcgi.
Example: The following HTTP-API comands will perform the function (stop the PTZ camera moving) for a camera that is configured to use the Pelco-D protocol.
ptz2.fcgi?apantiltzoommove=0,0,0
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serial2.fcgi?write=ff010000000000
Removing a PTZ Profile
To remove a user created PTZ profile:
1. Select the user created PTZ profile to be deleted in the drop down box.
2. Click the "Delete" button.
Note: Only PTZ profiles that have been created by the user can be removed. There are a number of PTZ profiles that come as standard and these cannot be changed by the user.
The PTZ profile will be deleted from the list of PTZ profiles.
Auto-calibrating a PTZ Profile
As well as being able to calibrate a PTZ camera manually, it's also possible for the device to try and calibrate the camera automatically. Depending on the type of camera, all, some or none of the PTZ calibration variables can be determined automatically.
Note: Whether a camera can be automatically calibrated or not is highly dependent on the specific camera in question. In most cases, auto-calibration should be used as a starting point to determine as many variables as possible, and then each variable should be adjusted as necessary (see how to edit a PTZ profile).
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PTZ Configuration and AutoTracking
Calibrating a camera automatically
Select the PTZ profile that should be calibrated. Click the Calibrate button to start the process. Wait for the process to complete (can be up to 5 minutes). You should notice the
PTZ camera moving about at this point while the system tries to determine the tracking parameters.
Once the process is complete, each parameter will be labelled as follows:
- The parameter was successfully determined. - The parameter could not be automatically determined - manual
calibration required.
Each parameter labelled with a red cross will need to be determined manually.
Note that even after a camera has been automatically calibrated, its autotracking performance may not be optimal. Manual determination of parameters can yield better tracking results in some situations.
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Stabilizer
Stabilizer
The video stabilizer utilizes advanced digital image stabilizing algorithms to minimise the effects of camera shake. The stabilizer is enabled and configured using the pages under the Stabilizer tab in the left menu. If the stabilizer functionality has been enabled by providing a VCA Stabilizer license, the option to enable the stabilizer will appear in the Enable/Disable page. Enabling or disabling the stabilizer will cause a few seconds pause as the system is re­configured.
Stabilizer Configuration
When the stabilizer is enabled an additional configuration page is available under the Stabilizer tab. The default options are suitable for most applications and you can make use of the stabilizer functionality without modifying this page. Some installations, however, may benefit from different configurations. The figure shows the configuration page; the parameters are explained below.
Border In-fill
In order to keep the output frames steady and aligned to a reference frame, the output frames are shifted with respect to the input frames. As the camera moves around, so the
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Printed Documentation
output frames are shifted to keep the image features aligned to previous frames. This results in areas for which there is no image data available. The Border In-fill combo box lets you select what happens to those areas of the image. There are 5 options available:
Fast Fade: [Default] Newer frames are composited on top of older frames. The old
frames are faded away to black quickly. This mode is most suited to PTZ and fixed cameras.
Slow Fade: Newer frames are composited on top of older frames. The old frames are
faded away to black slowly.
No Fade: Newer frames are composited on top of older frames. The old frames are
not faded away. Suitable for fixed cameras where there is minimal movement by people and cars around the edge of the scene.
Fixed: A fixed size black border is present on all sides which blanks out the moving
edges of the image. The size of the borders is equal to the maximum frame shift (see below).
None: Old frames are not displayed. Regions of the output image for which there is
no available data are filled with black
Camera Installation Mode
The camera installation mode has 3 options:
Fixed/PTZ: [Default] The stabilization algorithm parameters are optimized to give
the best stabilization results for fixed/PTZ cameras.
In vehicle/Hand held: The stabilization algorithm parameters are optimized to give
the best stabilization performance for cameras where the camera fixture experiences continued, large displacements or scene changes. E.g. when shot from a moving vehicle.
Low Frequency Stabilization: The Fixed/PTZ and In vehicle/hand held stabilization
modes are designed to allow tracking of intentional camera panning by not stabilizing low frequency movements (< 1Hz). The Low Frequency mode has a lower cut-off frequency to allow better low frequency stabilization at the expense of worse tracking of intentional movement. This mode will automatically switch to the higher frequency mode when excessive movement in one direction is detected in order to allow better tracking of intentional movement. Once this movement has stopped it will revert back to the low frequency mode.
Auto Disable
There are 2 options for Auto Disable - neither is selected by default:
Pan/Tilt: This option disables the stabilization when excessive pan or tilt motion is
detected. This makes it easier to control pan/tilt cameras because the Stabilizer ceases to oppose operator pan/tilt commands above the threshold. Once panning stops, there is a 3 second timeout period before stabilization is reactivated.
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Stabilizer
Low Detail: When this option is enabled, the algorithm is disabled when a scene
with insufficient detail for reliable stabilization is detected. This prevents the image
position 'hunting’ when there is very little scene detail or features. For example,
when the camera is pointed at a completely blank wall the stabilized image will jump around slightly because it is locking on to the random video noise. Similar hunting problems can occur in other situations where a large part of the scene lacks suitable detail for Stabilizer lock.
Performance
Performance setting of the algorithm. Better stabilization performance comes at the expense of higher DSP load. The default setting is low.
Maximum Frame Shift
This is the maximum amount in image pixels that the algorithm will shift the frame horizontally and vertically in either direction from the normal position. Both horizontal and vertical shifts are configurable in the range [24 - 256], the default is 128.
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