Systems and methods for managing video data

• US 10,038,872 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Worrill, Joshua, Laycock, Graeme, Masters, Amelia, Flannery, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Philip
• Application Number:
  US14/237,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

DVM system is configured to include an incident trigger, which is actuated either manually or automatically in response to an “incident”. In the case of manual actuation, the definition of an incident may be subjectively determined by an operator (for example based on training and/or protocols). In the case of automatic actuation, an incident is defined by predefined criteria (for example a signal from analytics software, and alarm, or the like). In response to the actuation of the trigger, an incident identifier is defined. During the period of actuation, a plurality of recordings is automatically made, based on an incident recording protocol. These recordings are all associated with the incident identifier. The automation allows an operator to, at the time of the incident, focus on factors other than ensuring important video evidence is being recorded (such as following a subject through a building by looking at various cameras).

Claims

1. A method, performed by a computing device, for controlling a Digital Video Management (DVM) system, the method comprising:

configuring the DVM system to operate in a normal mode of operation, whereby recordings are made manually and in response to a set of automated recording triggers;

providing an incident trigger which is configured to be selectively actuated;

in response to actuation of the incident trigger, defining a unique incident identifier;

during a period of time for which the incident trigger is actuated, configuring the DVM system to cease operation in the normal mode of operation, and instead operate in an incident recoding mode of operation, wherein operating in the incident recording mode of operation includes applying an incident recording protocol, thereby to automatically make recordings in accordance with the incident recording protocol, wherein the recordings made automatically in accordance with the incident recording protocol include recordings that are not made automatically in the normal mode of operation, wherein applying the incident recording protocol comprises;

(i) monitoring a user interaction with a DVM client thereby to identify a set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client;

(ii) triggering recordings of live video data responsive to the monitoring of the set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client, such that a set of recordings is made that directly corresponds with what the user viewed; and

(iii) associating each of the recordings made whilst in the incident recording mode of operation with the unique incident identifier and storing the recordings in association with the unique incident identifier in a database, wherein the recordings associated with the unique incident identifier are identified and retrieved from the database based on a user query including the unique incident identifier.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of one or more cameras include a camera for which live video is displayed in a major video display object and one or more cameras for which live video is displayed in respective minor video display objects.

3. A method according claim 1 wherein applying the incident recording protocol includes making recordings of activity at a DVM client.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein making recordings of activity at the DVM client includes making recordings of one or more screen images presented to a user of the DVM client.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the one or more screen images define a video of what is presented to the user of the DVM client during the period of time for which the incident trigger is actuated.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein applying the incident recording protocol includes associating all image snapshots created at a DVM client with the incident identifier.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the incident trigger is selectively manually actuated by a user of a DVM client.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the incident trigger is automatically actuated in response to predefined criteria being met.

9. A method according to claim 1 comprising providing an incident review interface via a DVM client for providing a user with access to all of the recordings associated with a given incident identifier.

10. A Digital Video Management (DVM) system configured to perform a method comprising:

providing an incident trigger;

in response to actuation of the incident trigger;

defining a unique incident identifier;

configuring the DVM system to cease operation in the normal mode of operation, and instead operate in an incident recoding mode of operation, wherein operating in the incident recording mode of operation includes applying an incident recording protocol, thereby to automatically make recordings in accordance with the incident recording protocol, wherein the recordings made automatically in accordance with the incident recording protocol include recordings that are not made automatically in the normal mode of operation, wherein applying the incident recording protocol comprises;

(i) monitoring a user interaction with a DVM client thereby to identify a set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client;

(ii) triggering recordings of live video data responsive to the monitoring of the set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client, such that a set of recordings is made that directly corresponds with what the user viewed; and

(iii) associating each of the recordings made whilst in the incident recording mode of operation with the unique incident identifier and storing the recordings in association with the unique incident identifier in a database, wherein the recordings associated with the unique incident identifier are identified and retrieved from the database based on a user query including the unique incident identifier.

11. A DVM system according to claim 10 comprising:

a plurality of camera servers, wherein each camera server is configured to make available video data from an assigned one or more video streaming units; and

a plurality of video streaming units, wherein each streaming unit is configured to stream, onto a network, video data for a respective camera.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the set of one or more cameras include a camera for which live video is displayed in a major video display object and one or more cameras for which live video is displayed in respective minor video display objects.

13. A system according claim 10 wherein applying the incident recording protocol includes making recordings of activity at a DVM client.

14. A tangible non-transitive carrier medium carrying computer executable code that, when executed via one or more processors, allows the performance of a method comprising:

configuring a Digital Video Management (DVM) system to operate in a normal mode of operation, whereby recordings are made manually and in response to a set of automated recording triggers;

providing an incident trigger;

in response to actuation of the incident trigger, defining a unique incident identifier;

during a period of time for which the incident trigger is actuated, configuring the DVM system to cease operation in the normal mode of operation, and instead operate in an incident recoding mode of operation, wherein operating in the incident recording mode of operation includes applying an incident recording protocol, thereby to automatically make recordings in accordance with the incident recording protocol, wherein the recordings made automatically in accordance with the incident recording protocol include recordings that are not made automatically in the normal mode of operation, wherein applying the incident recording protocol comprises;

(i) monitoring a user interaction with a DVM client thereby to identify a set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client;

(ii) triggering recordings of live video data responsive to the monitoring of the set of one or more cameras for which live video is being viewed by the user of the DVM client, such that a set of recordings is made that directly corresponds with what the user viewed; and

(iii) associating each of the recordings made whilst in the incident recording mode of operation with the unique incident identifier and storing the recordings in association with the unique incident identifier in a database, wherein the recordings associated with the unique incident identifier are identified and retrieved from the database based on a user query including the unique incident identifier.

15. A tangible non-transitive carrier medium according to claim 14 wherein the set of one or more cameras include a camera for which live video is displayed in a major video display object and one or more cameras for which live video is displayed in respective minor video display objects.

16. A tangible non-transitive carrier medium according to claim 14 wherein applying the incident recording protocol includes making recordings of activity at a DVM client.