Digital video logging system

• US 6,856,343 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qognify Ltd. (PSBU Midco SARL)
• Original Assignee: Nice Systems Limited (Nice Ltd)
• Inventors: Sheffer, Uri, Arazi, Nitzan, Rosen, Gilad
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/987,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.7/18, 375/240.01, 375/240, 348143-159, 348/512, 348/513, 386/54, 386/104
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• 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 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• 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 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

A digital video logging system including a logging apparatus able to synchronize at least two digitally formatted video input and digital storage apparatus to store the digitally formatted input is provided.

Claims

1. A method in operation of a surveillance system, the method comprising:

receiving video input from one or more video input devices and audio input from one or more audio input devices, said video input devices and said audio input devices coupled to a logging apparatus;

storing portions of said video input at different compression ratios; and

synchronizing at least a portion of inputs received from one or more of said video input devices and from one or more of said audio input devices to each other.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively providing at least a portion of said video input to a storage apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively providing at least a portion of said video input to an output apparatus.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

associating at least a portion of said video input with one or more data from a group including;

an input channel datum, a time datum, a date datum, a non-ambient characteristic datum and a trigger datum; and

storing said one or more data in a database.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

accepting a query comprising at least one of said data;

retrieving at least said portion of said video input associated with at least one of said data; and

providing at least said portion to an output apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a non-ambient characteristic associated with at least a portion of said video input; and

providing at least said portion to a storage apparatus subsequent to said non-ambient characteristic being detected.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively controlling said input video devices to provide said video input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling said input video devices comprises activating or deactivating said input video devices in accordance with a predetermined schedule.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling said input video devices comprises determining which portions of said video input are to be stored in a storage apparatus.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein controlling said input video devices comprises determining which compression ratios are to be used at specific times.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving infrared video input from an infrared input device; and

synchronizing at least a portion of inputs received from one or more of said video input devices and said infrared video input to each other.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving non-ambient input associated with a detected non-ambient characteristic from a detection device coupled to said logging apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving said non-ambient input from said detection device comprises receiving a signal being associated with sound, motion, heat or being transmitted by a transmitter.