Network video recorder system

• US 20120113265A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Razberi Secure Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Tom Galvin
• Inventors: Galvin, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• 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

An apparatus and method is presented for network video management and recording of video signals and video analytics generated by a network of IP-enabled cameras. A set of IP cameras are connected in a LAN to a network video recorder further connected by LAN or WAN to a set of client stations. The client station operates a hybrid program including a web-browser and a native application operating on a computer. The network video recorder operates a media recorder to store video streams from the IP cameras into a media database and further operates a relational database for storing camera configuration data, device drivers, event information and alarms. The network video recorder includes a zero configuration networking discovery service for automatically detecting and downloading default configurations to the cameras. Client stations can stream video directly from IP cameras, receive recorded video streams and query the relational database for cameras and events.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a network video recorder including a first processor;

a set of security devices connected to the network video recorder by a first IP network;

an IP client station including a second processor, a display, a memory and a storage device;

the IP client station connected to the network video recorder by a second IP network;

an update server connected to the IP client station by a third IP network;

the network video recorder further including;

a mass storage device in communication with the first processor, on which a first set of program instructions are stored;

a flash memory device for storing a boot program;

the first set of program instructions, when executed by the first processor, perform the steps of;

creating and operating a relational database on the mass storage device;

storing and characterizing security devices, a set of events, a set of alarms and a set of video metadata in the relational database;

creating and operating a media database on the mass storage device;

storing a first set of streaming video sessions from the set of security devices to the mass storage device, as a set of stored video sessions, using the media database;

accessing the set of stored video sessions on the mass storage device by accessing the media database;

creating and operating a web server further programmed to communicate with the IP client station via the second IP network;

creating and operating a database groomer service for the relational database and the media database, the database groomer service further programmed to create a set of XML metadata files for the set of events and for the set of stored video sessions, and to relate the set of events to the set of stored video sessions in the relational database and media database;

creating and operating a scheduler service;

creating and operating an IP network discovery service further programmed to perform the steps of;

automatically detecting the set of security devices;

logging the detected set of security devices into the relational database; and

, loading a set of default configurations from the relational database to the set of security devices;

creating and operating a media recorder to communicate with the first and second IP networks;

coordinating the media recorder with the database groomer, the media database, the scheduler service, and the set of security devices;

the media recorder recording the first set of streaming video sessions to the media database based on the scheduler service;

creating and operating an event manager service which is further programmed to perform the steps of;

detecting the set of events;

logging the set of events into the relational database;

when a pre-defined event trigger matches to one event of the set of events, alerting the scheduler service to schedule, with the media recorder, a video recording of a video stream from a security device;

creating and operating an alarm delivery service in communications with the event manager service and programmed with the step of delivering alarm messages to a group of system users;

transmitting a second set of streaming video sessions from the set of security devices to the IP client station via the first and third IP networks.

transmitting the stored set of video sessions from the media database to the IP client station using the media recorder;

a second set of program instructions stored in the memory of the second processor that, when executed by the second processor, performs the steps of;

creating and operating a hybrid web browser means for communicating with the network video recorder,

configuring and controlling the transmission of the set of events and the first set of streaming video sessions from the security system devices to the network video recorder; and

,

configuring and controlling the transmission of the second set of streaming video sessions from the security system devices to the IP client station.

2. A method for implementing a security system for a set of IP-enabled security devices connected by an Ethernet network to a set of local Ethernet ports on a network video recorder having a set of Ethernet controllers attached between the set of local Ethernet ports and a processor, the network video recorder including a memory and a storage device also connected to the processor, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading a hybrid client program from the network video recorder to an IP client station;

receiving a set of configuration preferences from the IP client station;

the network video recorder searching the network for a set of IP-enabled security devices connected at the local Ethernet ports;

the Ethernet controllers reporting device data on the set of IP-enabled security devices connected to the set of local Ethernet ports;

the network video recorder automatically provisioning each device in the set of IP-enabled security devices with a device-specific configuration;

the network video recorder receiving a set of video streams, a set of event transactions, and a set of alarm transactions with a scheduler service;

the network video recorder storing the set of video streams in a media database; and

,

the network video recorder storing the set of event transactions and set of alarm transactions in the relational database.

3. The method of claim 2 including the additional step of the Ethernet controllers controlling power to the set of IP-enabled security devices by supplying power to each IP-enabled security device through the local Ethernet ports over a set of PoE Ethernet cables in the Ethernet network.

4. The method of claim 2 including the additional steps of:

providing a user login and authentication in the IP client station;

discovering a set of attached network video recorders;

assigning a profile to the set of attached video recorders;

selecting a primary network video recorder from a set of attached network video recorders;

executing a graphical user interface in the IP client station; and

,

managing the set of attached network video recorders, managing a superset of IP-enabled security devices connected to the set of attached network video recorders and managing video stream recording process from the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

opening a camera tree view in the graphical user interface;

displaying the set of attached network video recorders, the superset of IP-enabled security devices, a set of security views and and a set of security tours in the camera tree view;

opening a dialog to manage the set of attached network video recorders;

opening a dialog to manage the superset of IP-enabled security devices;

opening a dialog to manage the set of security views; and

,

opening a dialog to manage the set of camera tours.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

selecting a set of cameras from the superset of IP-enabled security devices, each camera associated to a video stream in a set of video streams;

specifying an order of display;

specifying a dwell time between displays; and

,

serially displaying the set of video streams according to the order of display and the dwell time between displays.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

selecting a set of camera views from the superset of IP-enabled security devices;

defining a layout of video panels wherein each video panel is assigned to a camera view in the set of camera views; and

,

displaying the layout of video panels in the graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

selecting a camera from the set of IP-enabled security devices determining if the selected camera is equipped with PTZ functions;

if the selected camera is equipped with PTZ functions, performing a set of mechanical PTZ functions; and

,

if the selected camera is not equipped with PTZ functions performing a set of digital zoom functions.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of performing a set of mechanical PTZ functions conditionally comprises the following steps, based on the selected camera specific PTZ capability, the steps including:

controlling zoom;

controlling pan;

controlling tilt;

controlling iris;

controlling focus; and

,

controlling speed of movement.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of performing a set of mechanical PTZ functions includes the steps:

identifying a set of preset camera positions; and

,

moving the camera to at least one position in the set of preset camera positions.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of performing a set of mechanical PTZ functions includes the steps:

providing an external joystick for the IP client station; and

,

controlling the PTZ functions with the joystick.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of performing a set of digital zoom functions includes a step of adjusting a zoom box in the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 4 further including the steps of:

displaying an alarm panel;

setting a period of time;

setting a set of event types for which to receive alarms;

setting a queue size;

selecting a set of cameras from the set of IP-enabled security devices from which to receive alarms; and

receiving and displaying alarms in the alarm panel as a list of alarms according to the period of time, the set of event types, the queue size and the selected set of cameras.

discontinuing the reception of alarms from the selected set of cameras; and

,

playing back a recorded video stream stored on the network video recorder by selecting an alarm.

14. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a video search dialog;

selecting a set of cameras to be included in a video search;

specifying a layout of video panels in the video search;

specifying an event criteria in the video search;

specifying a time base in the video search;

transmitting the video search to the network video recorder;

receiving search results from the network video recorder as a set of video streams; and

,

displaying the set of video streams in the layout of video panels.

17. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a network video recorder administration screen in the graphical user interface;

executing a camera management tool;

executing a network video recorder manager tool;

executing a system preferences tool;

managing a custom scheduler service; and

,

displaying a set of network video recorder logs;

18. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of the network video recorder automatically provisioning each IP-enabled security device with a device-specific configuration comprises the additional steps of:

the network video recorder transmitting an IP address to the camera;

the network video recorder receiving a broadcast message from the camera;

the network video recorder configuring camera characteristics based on information received from the camera;

the network video recorder synchronizing the camera'"'"'s time base;

the network video recorder configuring an event delivery address for the camera; and

,

the network video recorder configuring motion detection characteristics for the camera.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of the network video recorder automatically provisioning each IP-enabled security device with a device-specific configuration comprises the additional steps of:

the network video recorder configuring a video streaming session between the camera and the network video recorder; and

,

the network video recorder receiving streamed video in the video streaming session;

20. The method of claim 19 including the additional step of:

the network video recorder configuring a real time streaming protocol (RTSP) video streaming session between the camera and the network video recorder.

15. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a slider panel to track multiple video streams from the set of video streams;

providing a set of playback controls on the slider panel;

exporting a video stream to a local storage device on the IP client station from the slider panel; and

,

synchronizing the set of video streams using the slider panel.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of displaying an event panel in the graphical user interface based on the search results and including a history of events in the event panel.