Wireless integrated security controller

• US 20060200845A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew C. Reedy, Sloan B. Foster
• Original Assignee: Armida Technologies Corporation (HBMG, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawrence, William, Foster, Sloan B., Reedy, Matthew C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19667 Details realated to data compression, encryption or encoding, e.g. resolution modes for reducing data volume to lower transmission bandwidth or memory requirements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for improved video transmission, particularly in security settings. An improved security controller combines the interfaces and functionality for high quality video delivery over often less-than-perfect wireless networks, multi-camera analog/digital video controllers and encoders, multi-frequency wireless camera support, connectivity for serial controllers, network switching, and distributed digital video recording with optional object and motion detection. The video transmission in enhanced using wireless adaptive video encoding, mobile viewing optimization, and wireless bandwidth improvement.

Claims

1. An integrated security controller comprising:

a communications controller;

a wireless transceiver;

a data input port for receiving a first digital video stream from a digital camera; and

a second data input port for receiving an analog video stream from an analog camera;

wherein said communications controller digitizes and encodes the analog video stream, thereby generating a second digital video stream.

2. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said communications controller encapsulates said digital video streams using wireless adaptive video encoding.

3. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated security controller is in communication with a panic button, said panic button adaptable to transmitting an alarm over a wireless network.

4. The integrated security controller of claim 1, further comprising automatic failover to an alternative communications mode when said controller detects that a primary wireless communication mode has failed.

5. The integrated security controller of claim 4, wherein said failover is accompanied by an automatic adjustment of a frame rate of one or more of said digital video streams corresponding to a smaller bandwidth that is available over said alternative communication mode.

6. The integrated security controller of claim 5, wherein said alternative communications mode is selected from the group of CDMA, GPRS, EDGE and EV-DO.

7. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated security controller encrypts one or more of said digital video streams.

8. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated security controller encrypts one or more of said digital video streams using Advanced Encryption Standard—

FIPS 197 encryption.

9. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated security controller encrypts said first and said second digital video streams.

10. The integrated security controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated security controller encrypts said first and said second digital video streams using Advanced Encryption Standard—

FIPS 197 encryption.

11. A method for improving transmission of video information over a wireless network comprising:

applying erasure coding to a digital video data stream;

interleaving data at the transmitter, wherein said interleaving resequences a set of data packets before transmitting them to a receiver;

allocating blocks based upon detection of one or more errors;

monitoring a health of said network;

applying a MAC layer protocol enhancement; and

receiving selective acknowledgement from said receiver.

12. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said video data stream has a plurality of frames, and said applying erasure coding step is performed selectively based upon a determination of which of said plurality of frame are sufficiently important.

13. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said video data stream has a plurality of frames and is compressed using MPEG4 compression.

14. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 13, wherein said applying erasure coding step is performed selectively to I frames.

15. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said monitoring comprises sensing the state of a wireless channel.

16. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said monitoring comprises measuring one or more of the following parameters:

round trip time (RTT), packet loss rate, bit rate, retries and link quality.

17. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said applying a MAC layer protocol enhancement comprises using User Datagram Protocol.

18. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 17, wherein said applying a MAC layer protocol enhancement further comprises multicasting.

19. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 18, wherein said applying a MAC layer protocol enhancement further comprises using point coordinated function.

20. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said video information comprises security video.

21. The method for improving transmission of video information of claim 11, wherein said wireless network comprises a home media gateway.