Process and format for reliable storage of data

• US 20040231001A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kisliakov, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A process (500) for storing video and text data samples, is disclosed. The process (500) may be implemented within a video surveillance system (100). The system (100) comprises video cameras (110, 111, 112 and 113) connected to a communications network (2220), such as the Internet or an Intranet. Each of the cameras (110, 111, 112 and 113) is independently responsible for the capture of video data. The system (100) also comprises a viewer (2200) for processing and displaying captured video data.

Claims

1. A method of storing data, said method comprising the steps of:

generating at least one media file for storing data as one or more data samples; and

generating at least one index file for storing information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file, said media file further comprising additional information interspersed throughout said media file, wherein said additional information describes at least one property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

2. A method according claim 1, wherein said image information is used exclusively for reconstruction of said index file.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said additional information comprises a timestamp indicating capture time of an associated sample.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said additional information comprises a resolution of an associated sample.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information of said index file comprises frame rate variation information.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said additional information is stored as one or more dedicated samples of said media file.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said media file is configured in accordance with the Microsoft™

AVI™

file format.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said index file is configured in accordance with the Apple™

QuickTime™

file format.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data is video data.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data is text data.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said data is video data and associated text data.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said video and associated text data is captured for security purposes.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein each video sample is a separate JPEG file.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of copies of a corresponding text string are included in each text sample of said media file.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein a first copy of said text string is configured in accordance with the AVI™

file format.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein a second copy of said text string is configured in accordance with the QuickTime™

file format.

20. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of inserting one or more empty samples into said media file to compensate for any missed samples.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said index file contains a track referencing at least said media file.

3-5. -5. (Cancelled).

22. A method of storing video and associated text data, said method comprising the steps of:

generating at least one media file in accordance with a first file format, said media file being configured for storing said video and associated text data as one or more data samples; and

generating at least one index file in accordance with a second file format, said index file being configured to store information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file; and

adding additional information interspersed throughout said media file, said media file including said additional information being readable by a media player corresponding at least to said first file format, wherein said additional information describes at least a property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said additional information is used exclusively for reconstruction of said index file.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein said additional information comprises a timestamp indicating capture time of an associated sample.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein said additional information comprises a resolution of an associated sample.

29. A method according to claim 22, wherein said information of said index file comprises frame rate variation information.

30. A method according to claim 22, wherein said additional information is stored as a dedicated sample of said media file.

31. A method according to claim 22, wherein said first format is the Microsoft™

AVI™

file format.

32. A method according to claim 22, wherein said second file format is the Apple™

QuickTime™

file format.

33. A method according to claim 22, wherein said video and associated text data is captured for security purposes.

24-26. -26. (Cancelled).

34. A method of storing at least text data in one or more files as one or more data samples, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a text string in said file corresponding to at least one of said samples, in accordance with a first predetermined data format;

generating at least one copy of said text string; and

storing said copy of said text string in said file in accordance with a second predetermined data format.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said first predetermined format is the Microsoft™

AVI™

file format.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein said second predetermined format is the Apple™

QuickTime™

file format.

37. An apparatus for storing data, said apparatus comprising:

media file generation means for generating at least one media file for storing data as one or more data samples; and

index file generation means for generating at least one index file for storing information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file, said media file further comprising additional information interspersed throughout said media file, wherein said additional information describes at least one property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

38. An apparatus for storing video and associated text data, said apparatus comprising:

media file generation means for generating at least one media file in accordance with a first file format, said media file being configured for storing said video and associated text data as one or more data samples; and

index file generation means for generating at least one index file in accordance with a second file format, said index file being configured to store information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file; and

image information adding means for adding additional information interspersed throughout said media file, said media file comprising said additional information being readable by a media player corresponding at least to said first file format, wherein said additional information describes at least one property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

39. An apparatus for storing at least text data in one or more files as one or more data samples, said apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a text string in said file corresponding to at least one of said samples, in accordance with a first predetermined data format; and

generation means for generating at least one copy of said text string, said copy of said text string being stored in said file in accordance with a second predetermined data format.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for storing data, said program comprising:

code for generating at least one media file for storing data as one or more data samples; and

code for generating at least one index file for storing information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file, said media file further comprising additional information interspersed throughout said media file, wherein said additional information describes at least one property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

41. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for storing video and associated text data, said program comprising:

code for generating at least one media file in accordance with a first file format, said media file being configured for storing said video and associated text data as one or more data samples; and

code for generating at least one index file in accordance with a second file format, said index file being configured to store information indicating the configuration of said one or more data samples of said media file; and

code for adding additional information interspersed throughout said media file, said media file including said additional information being readable by a media player corresponding at least to said first file format, wherein said additional information describes at least one property of said data samples and allows for reconstruction of said index file upon corruption thereof.

42. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having recording thereon a computer program for storing at least text data in one or more files as one or more data samples, said program comprising:

code for storing a text string in said file corresponding to at least one of said samples, in accordance with a first predetermined data format;

code for generating at least one copy of said text string; and

code for storing said copy of said text string in said file in accordance with a second predetermined data format.