Systems and methods for video monitoring using linked devices

• US 8,531,522 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Systems Limited (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Horovitz, Itsik, Kiro, Shmuel, Sheffet, Or
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Angela
• Application Number:
  US12/245,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A subject can be tracking using a plurality of physical video monitoring or image acquisition devices deployed in a delimited area. A map represents the delimited area. Icons representing the physical monitoring devices can be placed and configured on the map representing the delimited area. Some or all of the placed and configured video monitoring devices can be logically linked together to form scenes. The video feed from the physical video monitoring devices may be recorded in stable storage. A layout for display of the video feeds may be selected. Upon playing the video feed, whether live or recorded, a subject can be tracked through the delimited area by selecting one of the video monitoring devices in one of the available scenes.

Claims

1. A video monitoring system for tracking an entity through a predetermined area, comprising:

a map representing the predetermined area, on which a plurality of icons are placed and configured, wherein each icon represents one of at least two video monitoring devices comprising a first video monitoring device and a second video monitoring device, the at least two video monitoring devices deployed in the predetermined area;

an interface configured to receive input specifying generation of a plurality of scenes, wherein generation of a first scene includes receiving input selecting a first icon of the plurality of icons representing a first physical video monitoring device as a main video monitoring device of the first scene and receiving input selecting a second icon representing a second physical video monitoring device of the first scene that is logically linked to the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene;

a video manager configured to generate the first scene and display the map and a navigation display based on the first scene including a first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second physical video monitoring device of the first scene; and

the interface further configured to accept input from a user to track an entity through the predetermined area

wherein the video manager is further configured to generate layout data for the first scene, the layout data identifying an arrangement of displays of video feeds from the at least two video monitoring devices, the arrangement of video feed displays displayed in the navigation display,

wherein the navigation display displays video from the at least two video monitoring devices and of the first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second physical video monitoring device of the first scene, and wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by successive selection of a display displayed on the navigation display,

wherein generation of a second scene includes selecting the second icon representing the second physical video monitoring device as a main physical monitoring device of the second scene and selecting a third icon representing a third physical video monitoring device of the second scene that is logically linked to the second physical video monitoring device of the second scene,

wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by successive selections of displays displayed on the navigation display, wherein selecting a display selects a scene to display on the navigation display, wherein the selected scene is a scene in which the selected display displays the main video monitoring device of the scene, and wherein video feed displays of a selected scene are added to the navigation display and video feed displays of a previous scene are removed from the navigation display, and

wherein the video manager is configured to display the first connection as a dashed elastic line.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising, a recorder, the recorder recording configured to record video feed data received from the at least two video monitoring devices to stable storage,

3. A method of tracking an entity through a predetermined area comprising:

acquiring a map representing a predetermined area to be monitored;

placing and configuring icons on the map, the icons representing a plurality of physical video monitoring devices deployed in the predetermined area;

receiving input specifying generation of a plurality of scenes, wherein generation of a first scene includes receiving input selecting a first icon of the plurality of icons representing a first physical video monitoring device as a main video monitoring device of the first scene and receiving input selecting a second icon representing a second physical video monitoring device of the first scene that is logically linked to the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene, and generation of a second scene includes selecting the second icon representing the second physical video monitoring device as a. main physical monitoring device of the second scene and selecting a third icon representing a third physical video monitoring device of the second scene that is logically linked to the second physical video monitoring device of the second scene;

displaying a navigation window representing the first scene on a computer monitor, the navigation window displaying a first video feed from the first physical video monitoring device, a second video feed from the second video monitoring device, and a first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second physical video monitoring device of the first scene in a layout specified by the first scene, wherein the first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second physical video monitoring device of the first scene is displayed in the navigation window as a dashed elastic line.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to receiving user input selecting the second video feed display on the navigation window, displaying a third video feed from the third video monitoring device on the navigation window in a layout specified for the second scene and removing the first video feed from the navigation window.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by selectively selecting a video feed display on the navigation window in which the entity appears in real time.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by selectively selecting a video feed display on the navigation window in which the entity appears, wherein video feeds from the first video monitoring device, the second video monitoring device and the third video monitoring, device persisted to stable storage are read from the stable storage.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising enlarging the video feed display from the main physical monitoring device and placing the enlarged, video feed display in a central position of the navigation window.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising fading in the third video feed display on the navigation window and fading out the first video feed display from the navigation window.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable program instructions that when executed:

acquire a map representing a predetermined area to be monitored, on which a plurality of icons are placed and configured, wherein each icon represents one of a plurality of physical video monitoring devices deployed in the predetermined area;

accept input from a user, the user input specifying generation of a plurality of scenes, wherein generation of a first scene includes receiving input selecting a first icon of the plurality of icons representing a first physical video monitoring device as a main video monitoring device of the first scene and receiving input selecting a second icon representing a second physical video monitoring device of the first scene that is lo6cally linked to the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene, and generation of a second scene includes selecting the second icon representing the second physical video monitoring device as a main physical monitoring device of the second scene and selecting a third icon representing a third physical video monitoring device of the second scene that is logically linked to the second physical video monitoring device of the second scene;

displaying a navigation window representing the first scene on a computer monitor, the navigation window displaying a first video feed from the first physical video monitoring device, a second video feed from the second video monitoring device, and a first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second Physical video monitoring device of the first scene in a layout specified by the first scene, wherein the first connection indicating the logical link between the first physical video monitoring device of the first scene and the second physical video monitoring device of the first scene is displayed in the navigation window as a dashed elastic line.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, comprising further computer executable program instructions that when executed:

in response to the user input further selecting the second video feed display on the navigation window, display a third video feed from the third video monitoring device on the navigation window in a layout specified by the second scene and removing the first video feed from the navigation window.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by selectively selecting a video feed display on the navigation window in which the entity appears in real time.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the entity is tracked through the predetermined area by selectively selecting a video feed display on the navigation window in which the entity appears, wherein video feeds from the first video monitoring device, the second video monitoring device and the third video monitoring device persisted to stable storage are read from the stable storage.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising further computer executable program instructions that when executed:

enlarge the video feed display from the main physical monitoring device and placing the enlarged video feed display in a central position of the navigation window.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising further computer executable program instructions that when executed:

fade in the third video feed display on the navigation window and fading out the first video feed display from the navigation window.