Power-line communication based surveillance system

• US 7,450,638 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/624,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240.01, 375/240, 375/240.28, 375/240.02, 375/240.12, 348/143, 348/159
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/06 using power transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A surveillance system configured for communicating with video cameras and other devices connected over a power-line communication network, such as within a residence, or alternatively a commercial building. The system may be manufactured and installed at low cost without the need to route individual cables to each surveillance video camera or device. Bandwidth within the power-line communication network is preferably dynamically allocated to device streams by a server in response to predetermined and event-driven priorities. By way of example, remote communication is supported for allowing remote access to surveillance data and control of the surveillance system. The system may be implemented as a standalone unit or integrated within existing forms of electronics equipment, such as consumer electronics equipment including a television set, a set-top box, or other forms of video-enabled equipment that is adapted for performing power-line network communication.

Claims

1. A system for providing area surveillance, comprising:

at least one video imaging device configured for transmitting a video data stream as a signal over an AC power-line;

at least one bandwidth configuration setting associated with said at least one video imaging device;

said bandwidth configuration setting can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings which dynamically alter the bandwidth of said video data stream transmitted over said AC power-line;

a video display interface device;

means for receiving said video data stream from said AC power-line and controlling presentation of said received video data stream as passed to said video display interface device for storage or presentation to a user; and

means for dynamically allocating bandwidth over said AC power-line for said video imaging device as well as for additional video imaging devices, in response to remotely adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings associated with said at least one video imaging device.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said dynamically allocated bandwidth is responsive to the bandwidth needs of additional video imaging devices, or other devices, communicating over said AC power line.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth is performed in response to predetermined and event-driven settings.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth modulates the amount of bandwidth allocated to said video imaging device in response to a detected motion event.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said bandwidth related configuration of said video imaging device comprises at least one video control parameter selected from the group consisting essentially of color depth, image size, image resolution, and framing rate.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a mass-storage device configured for storing said video data streams received from said at least one video imaging device.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said video display interface comprises a computer server.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said computer server comprises:

a computer operating as a video server configured for communicating video data streams within a selectable bandwidth allocation over said AC power line with video imaging devices; and

a remote communication link within said computer server which is configured for communicating video signals received from at least one said video imaging device to a location beyond the communication range of said AC power line.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured for capturing user commands for controlling the collection and display of said video streams.

10. A system for providing area surveillance, comprising:

at least one video imaging device connected to an AC power-line and configured for generating a video data stream of an area under surveillance;

at least one bandwidth configuration setting within said at least one video imaging device;

said bandwidth configuration setting can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings which alter the bandwidth necessary for transmitting said video data stream over said AC power-line;

a computer server connected to said AC power-line and configured for receiving said video data stream and communicating said video data stream to a display device according to user preferences;

a data storage device coupled to said computer server configured for storing portions of said video data stream; and

a user interface within said computer server configured for capturing user preferences for controlling the collection and display of said video data streams;

wherein said computer server is configured to dynamically allocate bandwidth for video imaging devices in response to remotely adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings within said at least one video imaging device based on predetermined or event-driven settings.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth modulates the amount of bandwidth allocated to said video imaging device in response to a detected motion event.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth comprises modulating settings within said video imaging device which determine the bandwidth of the video data stream being output.

13. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein at least one setting of said video imaging device being modulated is selected from the group consisting essentially of color depth, image size, image resolution, and framing rate.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said user interface comprises an interface to a wireless remote control device.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said user interface comprises wired connections to user input selectors.

16. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said user interface comprises a connection through a remote communications link configured for communicating with a remote electronic device interacting with a user at a remote location.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, further comprising means of authenticating a user communicating through said remote communications link as said user interface.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein said means of authenticating comprises decrypting communications with said remote electronic device in response to the entry of a proper identifier.

19. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein said remote communications link is configured for communicating video signals received from said video imaging device to a location outside the extent of communication over said AC power-line.

20. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said video data streams comprise encoded video signals.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein said video signals are encoded according to a moving pictures expert group (MPEG) format.

22. An apparatus for imaging an area under video surveillance, comprising:

at least one image sensor configured for transmitting a video data stream as a signal over an AC power-line;

at least one bandwidth configuration setting associated with said at least one video imaging sensor;

said bandwidth configuration setting can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings which dynamically alter the bandwidth of said video data stream transmitted over said AC power-line; and

a communications interface coupled to said at least one image sensor and configured for communicating the video data stream from said at least one image sensor over an AC power-line with a server from which dynamic bandwidth allocations are received;

wherein video signals from said image sensor are subject to said dynamic bandwidth allocation in response to adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings based on commands received from the server prior to transmission of said video data stream through said AC power-line to said server.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said dynamically allocated bandwidth is responsive to predetermined or event-driven bandwidth needs.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth modulates the amount of bandwidth allocated to said video imaging device in response to a detected motion event.

25. A system as recited in claim 23:

wherein said dynamic allocation of bandwidth comprises modulating video control settings within said video imaging device which determine the bandwidth of the video data stream being output;

wherein at least one said video control setting is selected from the group consisting essentially of color depth, image size, image resolution, and framing rate.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising a means for encoding said video signals into a format according to a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) video format.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising a means for sensing motion and communicating said motion over said AC power-line to said server.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said means for sensing motion comprises a motion detector.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said means for sensing motion comprises extracting motion vectors when encoding said video signals into a format according to a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) video format.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising an encryption circuit for encrypting said video signals for communication over said AC power-line to said server.

31. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling video surveillance, comprising:

a power-line interface configured for communicating over an AC power-line with multiple remote video imaging devices which are configured for transmitting a video data stream as a signal over an AC power-line;

wherein at least one bandwidth configuration setting associated with each of the remote video imaging devices;

wherein said bandwidth configuration setting can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings which dynamically alter the bandwidth of said video data stream transmitted over said AC power-line; and

a user interface configured for capturing user preferences for controlling the collection and display of said video streams; and

a computer server configured for allocating bandwidth to remote video imaging devices and receiving video streams subject to said bandwidth allocation in response to adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings based on commands received by each remote video imaging device from the computer server prior to transmission of said video data stream from each remote video imaging device over said power-line interface, said computer server also configured to communicate said video streams for storage and/or display in response to said user preferences.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said computer server is configured with an internal storage device within which said video streams may be stored.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising a remote communications interface configured for communicating said video streams from said computer server to a user at a remote location beyond the range of said power-line interface.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said power-line interface, said user interface and said computer server are integrated within a set-top box, television, or video recording device.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising a television tuner coupled to said server for the reception of broadcast television, and cable based or satellite base video programming.

36. An apparatus for controlling video surveillance, comprising:

a power-line interface configured for receiving video data streams from multiple video imaging devices which are configured for transmitting a video data stream as a signal over an AC power-line;

wherein at least one bandwidth configuration setting associated with each of the remote video imaging devices;

wherein said bandwidth configuration setting can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings which dynamically alter the bandwidth of said video data stream transmitted over said AC power-line; and

a computer configured for communicating said video data streams to a display device; and

programming executable on said computer for,

interacting with a user for controlling the receipt and display of said video data streams, and

controlling the bandwidth of said video data streams generated by said video imaging devices when multiple video imaging devices are active;

wherein bandwidth is dynamically allocated for the video streams generated by the video imaging devices; and

wherein said dynamic allocation is performed in response to adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings based on commands received by each of the multiple video imaging devices prior to transmission of said video data stream.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 36, further comprising a data storage unit configured for storing said video data streams received from said video imaging devices.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said programming for said controlling of said bandwidth of said video data streams comprises:

receiving bandwidth requests within said computer from video imaging devices;

determining a bandwidth allocation based on predetermined, or event driven settings; and

communicating bandwidth controlling commands to said video imaging devices connected over said power-line interface.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein at least one said bandwidth controlling command controls a parameter selected from the group consisting essentially of color depth, image size, image resolution, and framing rate.

40. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program having executable instructions which, when executed by a controller for at least one video imaging device capable of receiving video streams over a power-line communication network and of outputting video streams to a display device, causes the controller to perform the steps comprising:

interacting with a user for controlling the receipt and display of video data streams;

controlling the bandwidth of said video data streams generated by the video imaging devices;

wherein at least one bandwidth configuration setting for each of the video imaging devices can be remotely adjusted to any of multiple settings for dynamically altering the bandwidth of the video data stream transmitted over the power-line communications network; and

communicating selected portions of the video signals from the video imaging device to a display device connected to the video imaging device;

wherein bandwidth is dynamically allocated within the video imaging devices in response to adjusting said bandwidth configuration settings based on commands received by the video imaging devices prior to transmission of said video data stream.

41. A method of providing area surveillance, comprising:

generating video signals within at least one video imaging device in response to video surveillance of one or more areas;

controlling at least one bandwidth configuration setting which determines the bandwidth necessary for transmitting said video signals;

communicating said video signals over an AC power line subject to a dynamic bandwidth allocation in response to said bandwidth configuration settings;

receiving said video signals within a computer server connected to said AC power line;

communicating said bandwidth configuration settings from said computer server to said at least one video imaging device; and

communicating selected portions of said video signals from said computer server to a display in response to predetermined or event driven criterion.