GEMINI-N Surveillance System

The GEMINI-N Surveillance System is a multiple camera surveillance system specifically designed to support remote surveillance for safeguards applications. The System is designed to collect digital surveillance data from up to eight GEMINI-N camera modules. Although the GEMINI-N was specifically designed for unattended operations, a modem can be easily integrated to allow the system to operate in a remote monitoring mode. In this mode of operation, surveillance data can be acquired, examined and reviewed from anywhere in the world. The main components of the GEMINI-N system include the main console, camera module, and power supply.

GEMINI-N MAIN CONSOLE

The main console collects authenticated digital images from up to eight GEMINI-N cameras and stores them on the PC-Card flash storage. Additionally, the user can set camera parameters from the main console, while a graphical interface provides the user with a visual indicator that the system is functioning properly.

The main console consists of the following:

• Industrial computer
• LCD Monitor
• Keyboard with trackball
• Ethernet HUB with fiber optic converters
• 24 V Battery backup system
• Up to eight – PCMCIA adapters
• AC Mains outlet

All components of the GEMINI-N main console are housed in a compact, sealable, tamper-resistant enclosure. For system set-up or to service the GEMINI-N, the internal components of the main console are readily accessible through the front panel.

GEMINI-N CAMERA MODULE

The GEMINI-N camera module offers two modes of operation: time lapsed or motion detection. Images are sampled at two second intervals and are transmitted via Ethernet to the main console for storage. In the event a network connection cannot be established, images are stored on an optional backup flash memory card until the network connection can be re-established.

The GEMINI-N camera module consists of:

• UTP-to-Fiber optic converter
• Delta 2000/E motherboard
• Low light camera
• Commercial frame-grabber
• Local backup storage capability on a flash PC-Card

All camera components are housed in a sealed, tamper resistant enclosure.

The digitizing process is accomplished by bringing the analog camera video signals into the frame-grabber. The frame-grabber digitizes the analog camera inputs at a very rapid rate and applies a sequence of motion detection filters to each picture if this option is selected. The combination of high speed sampling with rigorous filters ensures that motion is detected very rapidly and that “false alarms” are minimized. Pictures containing motion are stored in separate directories from “state-of-health” pictures so that the inspector can determine very rapidly whether any events worthy of review have occurred.

To establish a continuous surveillance baseline, state-of-health images are recorded at a predetermined interval; ranging from one-minute to 24 hours, without regard to whether motion is detected. All saved images will be tagged with time, date, camera serial number and reason for trigger. This system provides an audit trail that confirms that the system was actively processing pictures. The GEMINI-N is able to run two days on batteries with one camera attached at a five-minute fixed interval frequency.