Video surveillance system and method

• US 7,304,662 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1997
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visilinx Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Visilinx Incorporated
• Inventors: Sullivan, Patrick J., Sawaf, Ziad
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US08/889,889
• Time in Patent Office: 3,801 Days
• Field of Search: 348140-180, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 705 43- 47
• US Class Current: 348/150
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs

Abstract

A video surveillance system includes clients coupled to servers using a network. The clients generate data, video, and optionally audio. Using the network, clients communicate in real-time the data, video, and optionally audio to the servers for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on the financial transactions occurring at the clients. The video surveillance system also supports receiving stored data upon connection between the clients and the servers.

Claims

1. A video surveillance system, comprising:

a client operable to perform a financial transaction, the client further operable to generate data from the financial transaction, the client having a camera operable to generate video of the financial transaction, the client operable to transmit the data and video using a communications network; and

a server coupled to the client using the communications network, the server operable to receive the data and video from the client and to display the video and data in real-time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client comprises a point-of-sale device and the financial transaction comprises the sale of an item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the client comprises an automated teller machine and the financial transaction comprises a cash withdrawal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the client comprises a microphone operable to generate audio of the financial transaction, the client operable to transmit data, video, and audio over the communications network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server forms a data window from the data and a video window from the video and overlays the data window on the video window.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server presents data from a plurality of financial transactions as a plurality of data windows, presents video from a plurality of video sources as a plurality of video windows, and associates the data windows with the corresponding video windows.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server receives user input to specify one of the data windows to display the video window associated with the specified data window.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the server associated with the financial transaction automatically switches the video window to the video associated with the data in response to the presence or content of data.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the server displays the appropriate video window and data window upon changes in one of the plurality of video windows.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the client stores accumulated data and video of the financial transaction and transmits the data and video when the client communicates with the server.

11. A video surveillance method, comprising:

performing a financial transaction;

generating data from the financial transaction;

generating video of the financial transaction;

transmitting data and video in real-time from a client using a communications network;

receiving the data and video at a server using a communications network; and

presenting data and video on a display at the server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the client comprises a point-of-sale device and the financial transaction comprises the sale of an item.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the client comprises an automated teller machine and the financial transaction comprises a cash withdrawal.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

generating audio of the financial transaction; and

transmitting the audio to the server.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of presenting comprises:

presenting data in a data window as a representation of the financial transaction;

presenting video in a video window; and

overlaying the data window on the video window.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of presenting comprises:

presenting data as a plurality of data windows associated with a plurality of financial transactions;

presenting video as a plurality of video windows associated with a plurality of video sources; and

associating the data window with the corresponding video window.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of updating the video window and the data window in response to the presence or content of the data in one of the plurality of data windows.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of updating the video window and the data window in response to a change in one of the plurality of video windows.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a user selection; and

updating the video window and the data window in response to the selection.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

storing accumulated financial data and associated video in a digital file at the client;

transmitting the digital file from the client to the server upon connection of the client to the server.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital file contains financial records accumulated since last connection.