Surveillance system and network system

• US 20030095042A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chiho Kitahara, Minoru Koizumi, Tomoichi Ebata, Toshiichiro Sasaki, Yoshiaki Adachi
• Original Assignee: Chiho Kitahara, Minoru Koizumi, Tomoichi Ebata, Toshiichiro Sasaki, Yoshiaki Adachi
• Inventors: Sasaki, Toshiichiro, Ebata, Tomoichi, Adachi, Yoshiaki, Kitahara, Chiho, Koizumi, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 6,693,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

In order to allow efficient use of bandwidth in communication paths in a surveillance system, the surveillance system has an operation unit which assigns fixed bandwidths to each of the communications taking place between camera nodes, which transfer image data at a uniform rate, and monitor nodes. A fixed bandwidth is assigned to, all communications taking place between the operation unit and sensor nodes, which generate alarm information at a non-uniform rate. If there is an increase in network traffic, bandwidth allocations, for communication between the camera nodes and the monitor nodes are reassigned so that bandwidth for these communications is reduced. The camera nodes use the bandwidth assigned to the camera nodes to transfer image data. The sensor nodes transfer alarm information using any bandwidth.

Claims

1. A surveillance system that monitors transfer of data comprising:

an input node capturing a state of a item to be monitored;

an output node outputting information representing said state of said item to be monitored;

a control node controlling said input node and said output node; and

network transferring data between said input node, said output node, and said control node;

wherein said control node determines a transfer capacity for a first type of data to be transferred uniformly over time, a total of said transfer capacity being no greater than a prescribed amount smaller than a total transfer capacity of said network;

if said input node, said output node, or said control node performs said first type of data transfers, said data is transferred at a transfer rate corresponding to said determined transfer capacity; and

if said input node, said output node, or said control node performs a second type of data transfer for non-uniform transfer over time, said data is transferred at a transfer rate corresponding to an available capacity of said network.