Multi video device control and expansion method and apparatus

• US 7,881,585 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Reese, Daniel J., Bodell, Paul J., Camens, Douglas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/819,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,597 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/52, 386/54, 386/109, 386/112, 386/125, 386/107, 386/117, 348/153
• US Class Current: 386/200
• 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 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A digital video recorder-controller apparatus (DVRC) having a network port for transmitting and receiving digitized video signals and for controlling one or more other DVRCs, and/or digital video recorders (DVRs, e.g., DVRCs operating in slave-mode). A digital video system including a networked DVRC having cameras and a networked DVR having cameras. The DVR may be remote from the DVRC, yet video signals from the cameras of the both the DVR and the DVRC can be selected, viewed, and/or recorded at the DVRC'"'"'s location. A method for expanding a digital video system including providing at least one DVRC.

Claims

1. A first digital video recorder-controller apparatus (DVRC), comprising:

a network port for communicatively connecting the first DVRC with at least one other apparatus on a network, wherein the network port is an ethernet port;

wherein the first DVRC is adapted to transmit through the network port a first selection of digitized video signals, wherein the first selection includes one or more digitized video signals being transmitted to a first other apparatus on the network;

and wherein the first DVRC is further adapted to receive through the network port a second selection of digitized video signals, wherein the second selection includes one or more digitized video signals being transmitted by a second other apparatus on the network, wherein the second other apparatus is one of a digital video recorder (DVR) or a second DVRC;

wherein the first DVRC is adapted to facilitate designation of the digitized video signals of the second selection, and wherein the first DVRC is further adapted to transmit a first control signal to the second other apparatus, wherein the first control signal designates the one or more video signals of the second selection of digitized video signals to be transmitted by the second other apparatus.

2. The DVRC of claim 1, further comprising an integrated control panel having dedicated function buttons adapted to facilitate selecting one or more video signals of the first selection and of the second selection.

3. The DVRC of claim 1, further comprising an external control port, adapted to facilitate selecting one or more video signals of the first selection and of the second selection.

4. The DVRC of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of video-out ports adapted to display one or more video signals derived from the first selection or from the second selection;

and wherein the first DVRC is adapted to record one or more video signals of the second selection of digitized video signals.

5. The DVRC of claim 1, wherein the first other apparatus is a second DVRC on the network.

6. The DVRC of claim 1, wherein the second other apparatus is a digital video recorder (DVR).

7. The DVRC of claim 1, wherein the second other apparatus is a second DVRC operating in slave-mode on the network.

8. The DVRC of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of Analog video-in ports for receiving one or more video signals to be digitized to become one or more digitized video signals.

9. The DVRC of claim 1, further comprising at least one digital video-in port, for receiving one or more digitized video signals.

10. A digital video system, comprising:

an ethernet network;

a first plurality of video cameras operatively connected to a digital video recorder-controller apparatus (DVRC) on the network, the DVRC having;

a first ethernet network port for communicatively connecting the DVRC with at least one other apparatus on the ethernet network;

a first plurality of video-out ports adapted to facilitate the display of one or more video signals on one or more DVRC monitors;

wherein the DVRC is adapted to receive through the first network port a first selection of digitized video signals including one or more digitized video signals transmitted by a first other apparatus on the ethernet network; and

a second plurality of video cameras operatively connected to a digital video recorder (DVR) on the ethernet network, the DVR having;

a second plurality of video-out ports adapted to facilitate the display of one or more video signals on one or more DVR monitors;

a second network port for communicatively connecting the DVR with the DVRC on the ethernet network;

wherein the DVR is the first other apparatus on the network, and wherein the DVR is adapted to transmit through the second network port a second selection of digitized video signals, wherein the second selection of digitized video signals includes one or more digitized video signals of the first selection of digitized video signals; and

wherein the DVRC is further adapted to transmit a control signal to the DVR, the control signal designating the second selection of digitized video signals to be transmitted by the DVR.

11. The digital video recording system of claim 10, wherein at least one video camera of the first plurality of video cameras is an Analog video camera, and at least one video camera of the second plurality of video cameras is an Analog video camera.

12. The digital video system of claim 10, wherein the DVRC is adapted to output through the DVRC'"'"'s first plurality of video-out ports one or more of the digitized video signals of the second selection of digitized video signals.

13. The digital video system of claim 10, wherein the DVRC is adapted to record and store one or more of the digitized video signals of the second selection of digitized video signals.

14. A method for expanding a digital video system, comprising:

a) providing a first digital video recorder-controller apparatus (DVRC) having;

a DVRC network port, wherein the DVRC network port is an ethernet port;

at least one control panel;

wherein the first DVRC is adapted to receive through the DVRC network port a first selection of digitized video signals; and

a plurality of DVRC video-out ports adapted to facilitate the display of one or more video signals on one or more video monitors;

b) providing an ethernet network and connecting the first DVRC to the network; and

c) connecting a digital video recorder (DVR) to the ethernet network, the DVR having;

a plurality of DVR video-in ports, for receiving video signals from video cameras;

a DVR network port, wherein the DVR network port is an ethernet port;

wherein the DVR is adapted to transmit through the DVR network port a DVR selection of digitized video signals, wherein the DVR selection of digitized video signals includes one or more digitized video signals of the first selection of digitized video signals, and wherein the DVRC is adapted to transmit a control signal to the DVR, the control signal designating the DVR selection of digitized video signals to be transmitted by the DVR.

15. The method claim 14, wherein providing a DVRC includes modifying internal software of a DVR.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein c) is repeated by connecting additional DVRs to the network, whereby the digital video system is expanded to include at least one DVRC and a plurality of DVRs, each DVR having:

a plurality of DVR video-in ports, for receiving video signals from video cameras;

a DVR network port;

wherein each DVR is adapted to transmit through its DVR network port a DVR selection of digitized video signals, wherein each DVR selection of digitized video signals can include one or more digitized video signals of the first selection of digitized video signals; and

wherein the first DVRC transmits through the network a control signal to one or more of the plurality of DVRs.