A Design Methodology for Effective Application of Pan-Tilit Cameras in Alarm Assessment Systems

Effective application of pan-tilt cameras in alarm assessment systems requires that the overall system design be such that any threat for which the system is designed will be within the field of view of the camera for a sufficiently long time for the assessment of the alarm to be performed. The assessment of alarms in large, unobstructed areas requires a different type of analysis than traditionally used for clear zones between fences along fixed perimeters where an intruder's possible location is well defined. This paper presents a design methodology which integrates the threat characteristics, sensor detection pattern, system response time, and optics geometry considerations to identify all feasible locations for camera placement for effective assessment of large, unobstructed areas. The methodology also can be used to evaluate tradeoffs among these various considerations to improve candidate designs.