Video security system

• US 5,923,364 A
• Filed: 04/17/1998
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxpro Systems Pty Ltd (MDI Inc)
• Inventors: Jackson, Andrew William, Rhodes, Scott Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/061,281
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/159, 348/153, 348/479, 348/563, 348/600, 348/213, 348/518, 360/5
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/084 with signal insertion during the horizontal blanking interval only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A video security system (10) capable of monitoring and recording fixed and moving targets and recording management information into a video signal such that the text can be removed from the video image produced by the video signal at playback of the recorded video signal. The VSS (10) allows a camera (70b) to switch (toggle) between two or more view positions of interest and to set the view positions into memory by pressing a single switch. The cameras (70b) are controlled to move rapidly, but accurately, between the positions within controlled parameters of speed and acceleration--including a period of substantially zero acceleration between changes in the rate of acceleration.

Claims

1. A video recording system, comprising:

a video camera for generating video signals;

a first video recording unit for receiving and recording the video signals from said video camera;

a second video recording unit for receiving and recording the video signals from said video camera; and

a controller connected to direct the video signals from said video camera to at least one of said first video recording unit and said second video recording unit, said controller generating a log indicating which of said first video recording unit and said second video recording unit received the video signals from said video camera for recording and the time period that said respective video recording unit received the video signals from said video camera.

2. The video recording system according to claim 1, wherein the log generated by said controller is a printed log.

3. A video recording system, comprising:

a video camera for generating video signals;

a primary video recording unit for receiving the video signals from said video camera, said primary video recording unit further having a record mode of operation for recording the video signals from said video camera;

a back-up video recording unit for receiving and recording the video signals from said video camera; and

a controller connected to sense when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, said controller further directing the video signals from said video camera to said back-up video recording unit upon sensing that said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation.

4. The video recording system according to claim 3, wherein said primary video recording unit generates an alarm signal when the primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation by sensing the alarm signal from said primary video recording unit.

5. The video recording system according to claim 3, wherein said back-up video recording unit has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller further places the back-up video recording unit into the back-up unit record mode of operation up on sensing when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation.

6. The video recording system according to claim 3, wherein said controller further generates a log indicating which of said primary video recording unit and said back-up video recording unit received the video signals from said video camera for recording and the time period that said respective video recording unit received the video signals from said video camera.

7. The video recording system according to claim 6, wherein the log generated by said controller is a printed log.

8. A video recording system, comprising:

a video camera for generating video signals;

a primary video recording unit for receiving the video signals from said video camera, said primary video recording unit having a record mode of operation for recording of the video signals from said video camera;

a plurality of back-up video recording units for receiving the video signals from said video camera, each of said plurality of back-up video recording units having an available status when said respective back-up video recording unit is available to record the video signals from said video camera; and

a controller connected to sense when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, said controller further directing the video signals from said video camera to one of said plurality of back-up recording units which is in the available status for recording upon sensing that said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation.

9. The video recording system according to claim 8, wherein said primary video recording unit generates an alarm signal when the primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation by sensing the alarm signal from said primary video recording unit.

10. The video recording system according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller places the one of said plurality of back-up video recording units receiving the video signals from said video camera into the back-up unit record mode of operation upon sensing when said primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation.

11. The video recording system according to claim 8, wherein said controller further generates a log indicating which of said primary video recording unit and said plurality of back-up video recording units received the video signals from said video camera for recording and the time period that said respective video recording unit received the video signals from said video camera.

12. The video recording system according to claim 11, wherein the log generated by said controller is a printed log.

13. The video recording system according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when one of said plurality of back-up video recording units receiving the video signals from said video camera is not in the back-up unit record mode of operation directs the video signals intended for the one of said plurality of back-up video recording units not in the back-up unit record mode of operation to the next available one of said plurality of back-up video recording units.

14. The video recording system according to claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units generates a back-up alarm signal when the back-up video recording units is not in the back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when each of said plurality of back-up video recording units is not in the back-up record mode of operation by sensing the back-up alarm signal from the respective one of said plurality of back-up video recording units.

15. A video recording system, comprising:

a plurality of video cameras for generating video signals;

a plurality of primary video recording units for receiving the video signals from an associated one of said plurality of video cameras, each of said plurality of video recording units having a record mode of operation for recording the video signals from the associated one of said plurality of video cameras;

a back-up video recording unit for receiving and recording the video signals from said plurality of video cameras; and

a controller connected to sense when any particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation, said controller further directing the video signals from the one of said plurality of primary video cameras associated with the particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units that is not in the record mode of operation to said back-up video recording unit upon sensing that the particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation.

16. The video recording system according to claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of primary video recording units generates an alarm signal when the respective primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when each of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation by sensing the alarm signal from the respective one of said plurality of primary video recording units.

17. The video recording system according to claim 15, wherein said back-up video recording unit has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller places the back-up video recording unit into the back-up unit record mode of operation upon directing video signals to said back-up video recording unit.

18. The video recording system according to claim 15, wherein said controller further generates a log indicating which of said plurality of primary video recording units and said back-up video recording unit received the video signals from each of said plurality of video camera for recording and the time period that said respective video recording unit received the video signals from the respective one of said plurality of video cameras.

19. The video recording system according to claim 18, wherein the log generated by said controller is a printed log.

20. A video recording system, comprising:

a plurality of video cameras for generating video signals;

a plurality of primary video recording units for receiving the video signals from an associated one of said plurality of video cameras, each of said plurality of video recording units having a record mode of operation for recording the video signals from the associated one of said plurality of video cameras;

a plurality of back-up video recording units for receiving the video signals from said plurality of video cameras, each of said back-up video recording units having means for placing it in an available status when said respective back-up video recording unit is available to record the video signals from one of said plurality of video cameras; and

a controller connected to sense when any particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation, said controller directing the video signals from the one of said plurality of video cameras associated with the particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units that is not in the record mode of operation to one of said plurality of back-up video recording units being in the available status for recording upon sensing that the particular one of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation.

21. The video recording system according to claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of primary video recording units generates an alarm signal when the respective primary video recording unit is not in the record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when each of said plurality of primary video recording units is not in the record mode of operation by sensing the alarm signal from the respective one of said plurality of primary video recording units.

22. The video recording system according to claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller has means for placing the one of said plurality of back-up video recording units receiving the video signals from the one of said plurality of video cameras associated with the primary video recording unit not in the record mode of operation into the back-up unit record mode of operation.

23. The video recording system according to claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units has a back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when each of said plurality of back-up video recording units is not in the back-up unit record mode of operation and directs the video signals intended for the one of said plurality of back-up video recording units not in the back-up unit record mode of operation to the next available one of said plurality of back-up video recording units.

24. The video recording system according to claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of back-up video recording units generates a back-up alarm signal when an associated one of the back-up video recording units is not in the back-up unit record mode of operation, and wherein said controller senses when each of said plurality of back-up video recording units is not in the back-up record mode of operation by sensing the back-up alarm signal from the respective one of said plurality of back-up video recording units.

25. The video recording system according to claim 20, wherein said controller generates a log indicating which of said plurality of primary video recording units and said plurality of back-up video recording units received the video signals from each of said plurality of video cameras for recording and the time period that said respective video recording unit received the video signals from said respective video camera.

26. The video recording system according to claim 25, wherein the log generated by said controller is a printed log.