Intelligent Video Tours

• US 20080294990A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascvid IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: VidSys Incorporated
• Inventors: Morris, Stephen Jeffrey, Bartolini, David Emmanuel, Staubly, Victoria Diane
• Granted Patent: US 8,356,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/173 face re-identification, e.g. recognising unknown faces across different face tracks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Intelligently crafting a dynamic video tour using a plurality of video devices selected in real time is provided. A list of attributes is received, the list of attributes describing at least one characteristic of a video device. A list of factors is continuously received, the list of factors describing one or more events, an event occurring at a point in time. A subset of the plurality of video devices is selected, based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors. The subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors. Video is displayed from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, the displayed video changing over time as the selected subset changes over time.

Claims

1. A method of intelligently crafting a dynamic video tour using a plurality of video devices selected in real time, comprising:

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing at least one characteristic of a video device;

continuously receiving a list of factors, the list of factors describing one or more events, an event occurring at a point in time;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors; and

displaying video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, the displayed video changing over time as the selected subset changes over time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein continuously receiving a list of factors comprises:

receiving a first list of factors, the first list of factors describing a first set of events, an event in the first set of events occurring at a point in time;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received first list of factors;

and wherein the method comprises;

receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events;

creating a second list of factors based on the first list of factors and the received event data, the second list of factors describing a second set of events, the second set of events includes one or more events described by the received event data; and

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving event data comprises:

receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events; and

assigning a weight to one or more items of received event data, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that item of received event data;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors, wherein weights assigned to events described by the second list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising:

prior to selecting, assigning a weight to one or more factors in the list of factors, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that factor;

wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors, and wherein weights assigned to factors in the list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a list of attributes comprises:

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes including one or more locations of a video device, a location describing an area of interest to be included in a tour;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the locations included in the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the locations included in the list of attributes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying comprises:

dividing the selected subset of the plurality of video devices into a plurality of groups;

assigning, to each group in the plurality of groups, a display priority, the display priority indicating how often video from the video devices in that group should be displayed; and

displaying loops of video as a tour, the video in a loop taken from video devices in groups associated with that loop, the groups associated with a loop determined according to the display priority assigned to those groups, such that a group with a higher priority is always included in each loop, and a group with a lower priority is included in a number of loops less than the total number of loops.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a list of attributes comprises:

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing video devices associated with recorded video;

and wherein continuously receiving a list of factors comprises;

receiving event data, the event data describing occurrences of one or more events that occurred in the past and were captured on recorded video;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received event data, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of attributes or in the received event data;

and wherein displaying comprises;

displaying recorded video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, each item of recorded video in the tour beginning at a first point in time prior to the occurrence of an event captured on that recorded video and ending at a second point in time after the occurrence of the captured event.

8. A computer program product, stored on computer readable medium, for intelligently crafting a dynamic video tour using a plurality of video devices selected in real time, comprising:

computer program code for receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing at least one characteristic of a video device;

computer program code for continuously receiving a list of factors, the list of factors describing one of more events, an event occurring at a point in time;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors; and

computer program code for displaying video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, the displayed video changing over time as the selected subset changes over time.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein computer program code for continuously receiving a list of factors comprises:

computer program code for receiving a first list of factors, the first list of factors describing a first set of events, an event in the first set of events occurring at a point in time;

and wherein computer program code for selecting comprises;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received first list of factors;

and wherein the computer program product comprises;

computer program code for receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events;

computer program code for creating a second list of factors based on the first list of factors and the received event data, the second list of factors describing a second set of events, the second set of events includes one or more events described by the received event data; and

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein computer program code for receiving event data comprises:

computer program code for receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events; and

computer program code for assigning a weight to one or more items of received event data, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that item of received event data;

and wherein computer program code for selecting comprises;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors, wherein weights assigned to events described by the second list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 comprising:

prior to selecting, computer program code for assigning a weight to one or more factors in the list of factors, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that factor;

wherein computer program code for selecting comprises;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors, and wherein weights assigned to factors in the list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein computer program code for receiving a list of attributes comprises:

computer program code for receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes including one or more locations of a video device, a location describing an area of interest to be included in a tour;

and wherein computer program code for selecting comprises;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the locations included in the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the locations included in the list of attributes.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein computer program code for displaying comprises:

computer program code for dividing the selected subset of the plurality of video devices into a plurality of groups;

computer program code for assigning, to each group in the plurality of groups, a display priority, the display priority indicating how often video from the video devices in that group should be displayed; and

computer program code for displaying loops of video as a tour, the video in a loop taken from video devices in groups associated with that loop, the groups associated with a loop determined according to the display priority assigned to those groups, such that a group with a higher priority is always included in each loop, and a group with a lower priority is included in a number of loops less than the total number of loops.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein computer program code for receiving a list of attributes comprises:

computer program code for receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing video devices associated with recorded video;

and wherein computer program code for continuously receiving a list of factors comprises;

computer program code for receiving event data, the event data describing occurrences of one or more events that occurred in the past and were captured on recorded video;

and wherein computer program code for selecting comprises;

computer program code for selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received event data, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of attributes or in the received event data;

and wherein computer program code for displaying comprises;

computer program code for displaying recorded video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, each item of recorded video in the tour beginning at a first point in time prior to the occurrence of an event captured on that recorded video and ending at a second point in time after the occurrence of the captured event.

15. A computer system comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a network interface;

a display; and

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor, the display, and the network interface, allowing communication there between;

wherein the memory of the computer system is encoded with a dynamic touring application, that when executed in the processor, provides a dynamic touring process that

intelligently crafts a dynamic video tour using a plurality of video devices selected in real time, by causing the computer system to perform operations of;

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing at least one characteristic of a video device;

continuously receiving a list of factors, the list of factors describing one or more events, an event occurring at a point in time;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors; and

displaying video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, the displayed video changing over time as the selected subset changes over time.

16. The computer system of claim 15 wherein continuously receiving a list of factors comprises:

receiving a first list of factors, the first list of factors describing a first set of events, an event in the first set of events occurring at a point in time;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received first list of factors;

and wherein the computer system comprises;

receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events;

creating a second list of factors based on the first list of factors and the received event data, the second list of factors describing a second set of events, the second set of events includes one or more events described by the received event data; and

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein receiving event data comprises:

receiving event data, the event data describing an occurrence of one or more events; and

assigning a weight to one or more items of received event data, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that item of received event data;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the created second list of factors, wherein weights assigned to events described by the second list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

18. The computer system of claim 15 comprising:

prior to selecting, assigning a weight to one or more factors in the list of factors, an assigned weight corresponding to the event described by that factor;

wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of factors, and wherein weights assigned to factors in the list of factors influence the selection of video devices included in the subset of the plurality of video devices.

19. The computer system of claim 15 wherein receiving a list of attributes comprises:

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes including one or more locations of a video device, a location describing an area of interest to be included in a tour;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the locations included in the received list of attributes and the received list of factors, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the locations included in the list of attributes.

20. The computer system of claim 15 wherein displaying comprises:

dividing the selected subset of the plurality of video devices into a plurality of groups;

assigning, to each group in the plurality of groups, a display priority, the display priority indicating how often video from the video devices in that group should be displayed; and

displaying loops of video as a tour, the video in a loop taken from video devices in groups associated with that loop, the groups associated with a loop determined according to the display priority assigned to those groups, such that a group with a higher priority is always included in each loop, and a group with a lower priority is included in a number of loops less than the total number of loops.

21. The computer system of claim 15 wherein receiving a list of attributes comprises:

receiving a list of attributes, the list of attributes describing video devices associated with recorded video;

and wherein continuously receiving a list of factors comprises;

receiving event data, the event data describing occurrences of one or more events that occurred in the past and were captured on recorded video;

and wherein selecting comprises;

selecting a subset of the plurality of video devices based upon the received list of attributes and the received event data, wherein the subset changes over time due to one or more changes in the list of attributes or in the received event data;

and wherein displaying comprises;

displaying recorded video from the selected subset of the plurality of video devices as a tour, each item of recorded video in the tour beginning at a first point in time prior to the occurrence of an event captured on that recorded video and ending at a second point in time after the occurrence of the captured event.