Methods of connecting network-based cameras to video stations, and corresponding video surveillance systems, video stations, and network-based cameras

• US 8,976,262 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signal Communications Limited (CircuTech International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Signal Communications Limited (CircuTech International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ho, Ka Ho, Tse, Ching Hok, Lu, Ka Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US13/994,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20130265422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/222.1, 348/207.1, 348/207.99, 348/207.11, 455/39, 455/40, 455/41.2, 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 709201-203, 340/571, 340/539.1
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Methods of connecting network-based cameras to video station such that the ownership between the network-based camera with the respective connected socket can be locked, such that at any time, each of the at least one socket can lock ownership of only one network-based camera, and receives video from the only one network-based camera with ownership locked by the respective socket. As the socket of the current invention can now engage into “locking” relationship with only one network-based camera with camera-identification tag acceptable to the video station, and preferably with the lock key, the chance of spoofing can be substantially reduced.

Claims

1. A method of connecting at least one network-based camera to a video station, said video station having at least one socket for connecting said network-based camera, said method including the steps of:

a) sending a camera-advertising signal from the network-based camera to the video station for notifying the presence of the network-based camera, said camera-advertising signal includes a camera-identification tag for identification of the network-based camera;

b) if the network-based camera is in an unlock state, locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket; and

c) if the network-based camera is in a lock state and is not locked by the respective socket, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station

such that at any time, each of the at least one socket

can lock ownership of only one network-based camera; and

receives video from the only one network-based camera with ownership locked by the respective socket.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

a1) after receiving the camera-advertising signal, determining whether the camera-identification tag is acceptable to the video station; and

a2) if the camera identification tag is not acceptable to the video station, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps b) and c) include the steps of

sending an ownership-locking-query signal from the video station to the network-based camera for querying whether ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket can be locked;

after the network-based camera receives the ownership-locking-query signal,

sending an accept-locking signal from the network-based camera to the video station if the network-based camera is in the unlock state;

or

sending a reject-locking signal from the network-based camera to the video station if the network-based camera is in the lock state and is not locked by the respective socket;

if the accept-locking signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station, locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket and establishing a video connection for sending video from the network-based camera to the video station; and

if the reject-locking signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station or if the camera-identification tag is not acceptable to the video station, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal includes a lock key for decrypting data transmission between the network-based camera and the video station.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the step of broadcasting a station-discovery signal from the video station before the camera-advertising signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station, said station-discovery signal including a station-identification tag for the identification of the video station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal further includes any one of the camera-identification tag, the station-identification tag, a set of assigned networking settings, or their combinations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of locking ownership of the network-based camera by the respective connected socket includes the steps of

recording at least one of the following:

recording the camera-identification tag at the respective connected socket; and

recording the station-identification tag at the network-based camera

selecting a set of unique networking settings at the video station as the assigned networking settings in the ownership-locking signal.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the step of updating the network-based camera with the set of assigned networking settings.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera-advertising signal further includes any one of a set of camera networking settings, camera-locking status, or their combinations.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

sending a heart-beat signal from the network-based camera to the respective connected socket for maintaining ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket; and

if the heart-beat signal is not received within a predetermined period of time, unlocking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket and terminating connection between the network-based camera and the respective connected socket.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based camera is connected to said at least one socket through a network cable.

12. A video surveillance system having at least one network-based camera and a video station incorporating the method of claim 1.

13. A method of controlling connection between at least one network-based camera to a video station, a camera-advertising signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station for notifying the presence of the network-based camera, said camera-advertising signal includes a camera-identification tag for identification of the network-based camera, said video station having at least one socket for connecting said network-based camera, said method including the steps of:

1) if the network-based camera is in an unlock state, locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket; and

2) if the network-based camera is in a lock state and is not locked by the respective socket, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station

such that at any time, each of the at least one socket

can lock ownership of only one network-based camera; and

receives video from the only one network-based camera with ownership locked by the respective socket.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the steps of:

1a) after receiving the camera-advertising signal, determining whether the camera-identification tag is acceptable to the video station; and

1b) if the camera identification tag is not acceptable to the video station, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the steps 1) and 2) includes the steps of:

if the camera-identification tag is acceptable to the video station, sending an ownership-locking-query signal from the video station to the network-based camera for querying whether ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket can be locked;

if an accept-locking signal from the network-based camera is received by the video station, locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket and establishing a video connection for sending video from the network-based camera to the video station; and

if a reject-locking signal from the network-based camera is received by the video station or if the camera-identification tag is not acceptable to the video station, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal includes a lock key for decrypting data transmission between the network-based camera and the video station.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of broadcasting a station-discovery signal from the video station before the camera-advertising signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station, said station-discovery signal including a station-identification tag for the identification of the video station.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal further includes any one of the camera-identification tag, the station-identification tag, a set of assigned networking settings, or their combinations.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of locking ownership of the network-based camera by the respective connected socket includes the steps of

recording the station-identification tag at the network-based camera;

and

selecting a set of unique networking settings at the video station as the assigned networking settings in the ownership-locking signal.

21. A video station for a video surveillance system incorporating the method of claim 13.

20. The method of claim wherein the network-based camera is connected to said at least one socket through a network cable.

22. A method of connecting at least one network-based camera to a video station, said video station:

having at least one socket for connecting said network-based camera,

can locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket if the network-based camera is in an unlock state, and provide the network-based camera with a lock key for decrypting data transmission between the network-based camera and the video station and

can terminate connection between the network-based camera and the video station if the network-based camera is in a lock state and is not locked by the respective socket

said method including the steps of;

a) sending a camera-advertising signal from the network-based camera to the video station for notifying the presence of the network-based camera, said camera-advertising signal includes a camera-identification tag for identification of the network-based camera;

b) recording the lock key at the network-based camera if an ownership-locking-query signal from the video station is received, and the network-based camera is in a unlock state

such that at any time, each of the at least one socket

can lock ownership of only one network-based camera; and

receives video from the only one network-based camera with ownership locked by the respective socket.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal is sent from the video station to the network-based camera for querying whether ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket can be locked, said method further including the steps of:

after the network-based camera receives the ownership-locking-query signal,

sending an accept-locking signal from the network-based camera to the video station if the network-based camera is in the unlock state;

or

sending a reject-locking signal from the network-based camera to the video station if the network-based camera is in the lock state and is not locked by the respective socket;

if the accept-locking signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station, locking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket and establishing a video connection for sending video from the network-based camera to the video station; and

if the reject-locking signal is sent from the network-based camera to the video station or if the camera-identification tag is not acceptable to the video station, terminating connection between the network-based camera and the video station.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the ownership-locking-query signal further includes any one of the camera-identification tag, the station-identification tag, a set of assigned networking settings, or their combinations.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of locking ownership of the network-based camera by the respective connected socket includes the step of recording the station-identification tag at the network-based camera.

26. The method of claim 25 further including the step of updating the network-based camera with the set of assigned networking settings.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the camera-advertising signal further includes any one of a set of camera networking settings, camera-locking status, or their combinations.

28. The method of claim 22 further including the steps of:

sending a heart-beat signal from the network-based camera to the respective connected socket for maintaining ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket; and

if the heart-beat signal is not received within a predetermined period of time, unlocking ownership of the network-based camera with the respective connected socket and terminating connection between the network-based camera and the respective connected socket.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the network-based camera is connected to said at least one socket through a network cable.

30. A network-based camera for a video surveillance system incorporating the method of claim 22.