Method and apparatus of controlling a plurality of video surveillance cameras

• US 7,649,938 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Wen-hsiung, Wu, Fang, Graham, Philip R., Pelton, Gregory D., Eisenberg, Blane A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/970,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20060088092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240, 375/240.01, 375/240.12, 375/240.29, 348/143, 348/159, 348/211.3
• 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 13/19667 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: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/14 Coding unit complexity, e.g. amount of activity or edge presence estimation H04N19/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/179 the unit being a scene or a shot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• 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, a method, and a software product to control a plurality of surveillance video camera/encoder combinations. The method includes receiving a plurality of encoded video streams from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination, and accepting a measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream. Each measure is obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination. The method further includes assigning output bit rates for each encoded stream according to the accepted level of activity such that a maximum overall bit rate is not exceeded. One version is for controlling camera/encoder combinations that accept remote bit rate control, and a second is for controlling camera/encoder combinations that send at a pre-set bit rate. One version includes a network connection between the camera/encoder combinations, and the method or apparatus for central control.

Claims

1. A method of operating an apparatus configured to process one or more video streams, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of encoded video streams, each stream received over a packet network from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination of a plurality of camera/encoder combinations, each respective surveillance camera/encoder combination coupled to the packet network, at least some of the camera/encoder combinations being configured to accept a remotely generated bit rate control to set an output bit rate of the encoded stream from the camera/encoder combination;

receiving from each camera/encoder combination a measure of level of activity for each encoded video stream, wherein the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations determines and provides the measure, each measure obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination;

assigning an output bit rate to the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations according to an accepted level of activity such that a total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed a maximum overall bit rate; and

sending control information over the packet network such that a respective bit rate control is provided to each of the camera/encoder combinations that accept a remotely generated bit rate control, wherein the respective bit rate control sets the output bit rate for each respective camera/encoder combination such that the total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed the maximum overall bit rate.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of the camera/encoder combinations output their respective encoded video stream at a respective pre-set bit rate, the method further comprising:

transcoding the encoded video streams from the at least some of the camera/encoder combinations from the respective pre-set bit rate to assigned bit rates.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the pre-set bit-rate of at least one of the encoded streams from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations is locally set at the location of the camera/encoder combination according to at least one local criterion of a set of local criteria consisting of motion detected at a local motion detector, the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the measure of the level of activity for each stream is determined at the corresponding camera/encoder combination, the method further comprising:

receiving the measures of the level of activity for each stream from the respective surveillance camera/encoder combinations.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

receiving at least one local measure from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations, the local measure being at least one of a set of local measures consisting of;

the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output,

wherein the assigning of the bit rate for any camera/encoder combination for which at least one of the local measures is received uses one or more of the received local measures.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the receiving of the measures of the level of activity for at least some of the streams is over the packet network.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining the measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream from the stream received from the corresponding camera/encoder combination.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the received streams or transcoded versions thereof are stored in a storage device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the accepting of a measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream further includes receiving information on the location in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output of any area of relatively high activity.

10. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a processing system coupled to a packet network cause carrying out of a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of encoded video streams, each stream received over the packet network from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination of a plurality of camera/encoder combinations, each respective surveillance camera/encoder combination coupled to the packet network, at least some of the camera/encoder combinations being configured to accept a remotely generated bit rate control to set an output bit rate of the encoded stream from the camera/encoder combination;

receiving from each camera/encoder combination a measure of level of activity for each encoded video stream, wherein the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations determines and provides the measure, each measure obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination;

assigning an output bit rate to the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations according to an accepted level of activity such that a total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed a maximum overall bit rate; and

sending control information over the packet network such that a respective bit rate control is provided to each of the camera/encoder combinations that accept a remotely generated bit rate control, wherein the respective bit rate control sets the output bit rate for each respective camera/encoder combination such that the total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed the maximum overall bit rate.

11. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 10, wherein at least some of the camera/encoder combinations output their respective encoded video stream at a respective pre-set bit rate, and wherein the method further comprises:

transcoding the encoded video streams from the at least some of the camera/encoder combinations from the respective pre-set bit rate to assigned bit rates.

12. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the pre-set bit-rate of at least one of the encoded streams from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations is locally set at the location of the camera/encoder combination according to at least one local criterion of a set of local criteria consisting of:

motion detected at a local motion detector, the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output.

13. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the measure of the level of activity for each stream is determined at the corresponding camera/encoder combination, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the measures of the level of activity for each stream from the respective surveillance camera/encoder combinations.

14. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at least one local measure from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations, the local measure being at least one of a set of local measures consisting of;

the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output,

and wherein the assigning of the bit rate for any camera/encoder combination for which at least one of the local measures is received uses one or more of the received local measures.

15. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiving of the measures of the level of activity for at least some of the streams is over a packet network.

16. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream from the stream received from the corresponding camera/encoder combination.

17. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the received streams or transcoded versions thereof are stored in a storage device.

18. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the accepting of a measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream further includes receiving information on the location in the video of any area of relatively high activity.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of encoded video streams, each stream received from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination of a plurality of camera/encoder combinations, each respective surveillance camera/encoder combination coupled to a packet network, at least some of the camera/encoder combinations including means for accepting a remotely generated bit rate control to set an output bit rate of the encoded stream from the camera/encoder combination;

means for receiving from each camera/encoder combination a measure of level of activity for each encoded stream, wherein the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations determines and provides the measure, each measure obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination;

means for assigning an output bit rate to the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations according to an accepted level of activity such that a total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed a maximum overall bit rate; and

means for sending control information over the packet network such that a respective bit rate control is provided to each of the camera/encoder combinations that accept a remotely generated bit rate control, wherein the respective bit rate control sets the output bit rate for each respective camera/encoder combination such that the total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed the maximum overall bit rate.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein at least some of the camera/encoder combinations output their respective encoded video stream at a respective pre-set bit rate, the apparatus further comprising:

means for transcoding the encoded video streams from the at least some of the camera/encoder combinations from the respective pre-set bit rate to assigned bit rates.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the pre-set bit-rate of at least one of the encoded streams from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations is locally set at the location of the camera/encoder combination according to at least one local criterion of a set of local criteria consisting of:

motion detected at a local motion detector, the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the measure of the level of activity for each stream is determined at the corresponding camera/encoder combination, the apparatus further comprising:

means for receiving the measures of the level of activity for each stream from the respective surveillance camera/encoder combinations.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

means for receiving at least one local measure from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations, the local measure being at least one of a set of local measures consisting of;

the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video of the encoded camera/encoder combination output,

wherein the means for assigning of the bit rate for any camera/encoder combination for which at least one of the local measures is received uses one or more of the received local measures.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the means for receiving of the measures of the level of activity for at least some of the streams is for receiving over a packet network.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining the measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream from the stream received from the corresponding camera/encoder combination.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising means for storage such that the received streams or transcoded versions thereof are stored in the means for storage.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the means for accepting a measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream further includes means for receiving information on the location in the video of any area of relatively high activity.

28. An apparatus comprising:

at least one receiver coupled to a packet network and configured to receive a plurality of encoded video streams over the packet network, each stream being from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination of a plurality of camera/encoder combinations, each respective surveillance camera/encoder combination coupled to the packet network, at least some of the camera/encoder combinations being configured to accept a remotely generated bit rate control to set an output bit rate of the encoded stream from the camera/encoder combination;

a video rate controller coupled to the at least one receiver and configured to receive from each camera/encoder combination a measure of level of activity for each encoded video stream, wherein the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations determines and provides the measure, each measure obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination, the video rate controller further configured to assign an output bit rate to the encoder of each of the camera/encoder combinations according to an accepted level of activity such that a total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed a maximum overall bit rate; and

at least one transmitter coupled to the video rate controller configured to send control information over the packet network such that assigned bit rates are provided as respective bit rate controls to each of the camera/encoder combinations that accept a remotely generated bit rate control, wherein the respective bit rate control sets the output bit rate for each respective camera/encoder combination such that the total bit rate of all encoded streams does not exceed the maximum overall bit rate.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein at least some of the camera/encoder combinations are configured to output their respective encoded video stream at a respective pre-set bit rate, the apparatus further comprising:

at least one transcoder coupled to the at least one receiver and to the video rate controller, the at least one transcoder arranged to accept the encoded video streams from the at least some of the camera/encoder combinations, to accept the respective assigned bit rates, and to transcode from the respective pre-set bit rate to the respective assigned bit rates.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the pre-set bit-rate of at least one of the encoded streams from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations is locally set at the location of the camera/encoder combination according to at least one local criterion of a set of local criteria consisting of motion detected at a local motion detector, the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video from the camera/encoder combination.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the measure of the level of activity for each stream is determined at the corresponding camera/encoder combination, and wherein the receivers are further configured to receive the measures of the level of activity for each stream from the respective surveillance camera/encoder combinations.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31,

wherein the receivers are further configured to receive at least one local measure from at least one of the camera/encoder combinations, the local measure being at least one of a set of local measures consisting of:

the local time of day, time of the week, time of the year, and the amount of light in the video from the camera/encoder combination, and

wherein the video rate controller is arranged to set the bit rate for any camera/encoder combination for which at least one of the local measures is received using one or more of the received local measures.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, further comprising:

a motion detector configured to determine the measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream from the stream received from the corresponding camera/encoder combination.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least one receiver includes a network interface configured to receive at least some of the encoded streams over a packet network.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, further comprising a storage subsystem such that the received streams or transcoded versions thereof are stored in the means for storage.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the video rate controller is further configured to accept for at least some of the received encoded video streams information on the location in the video frame of any area of relatively high activity.