Method and apparatus for operating a video system

• US 8,982,209 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognyte Technologies Israel Ltd. (Cognyte Software Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Verint Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Pardue, William David
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUO, KATE H
• Application Number:
  US12/915,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method for operating a video source is provided. The method includes capturing video data comprising a plurality of frames of a scene, and identifying a first frame from the plurality of frames that includes a first aspect of an activity occurring within the scene. The method also includes subsequent to identifying the first frame, identifying at least a second frame from the plurality of frames that includes a second aspect of the activity occurring within the scene, and transferring the first frame and the second frame for delivery to storage.

Claims

1. A method for operating a video system, the method comprising:

capturing video data comprising a plurality of frames of a scene;

identifying a first frame from the plurality of frames that includes a first aspect of an activity occurring within the scene;

subsequent to identifying the first frame, identifying at least a second frame from the plurality of frames that includes a second aspect of the activity occurring within the scene;

analyzing images from frames of the scene one time when the images are originally captured;

wherein the image is divided into macroblocks, and further wherein the scene includes a moving object, and processing the video data to determine an optimal motion vector for the moving object, wherein the optimal motion vector identifies the location of an identical macroblock in a reference image;

saving results of that analysis as searchable metadata;

transferring the first frame and the second frame for delivery to storage;

associating timestamps with the first and second frames;

transferring the timestamps with the first acid second frames for delivery to storage;

retrieving the first frame and its associated timestamp from storage;

setting a timer based on the timestamp associated with the first frame,

displaying the first frame on a display, and starting the timer;

retrieving the second frame and its associated timestamp from storage;

processing the timestamp associated with the second frame to determine a timer value for displaying the second frame; and

displaying the second frame on the display when the timer reaches the timer value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the activity occurring in the scene.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the activity is a person moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a profile of the person.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the activity is an object moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a view of an orientation of the object.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the activity is an automobile moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a view of a license plate of the automobile.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the video data is captured at a maximum capture rate of a video capture device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second aspect is different than the first aspect of the activity.

8. A video system comprising:

a video capture device configured to capture video data comprising a plurality of frames of a scene;

a memory configured to store video data; and

a video processor coupled with the video capture device and the memory, configured to;

identify from the plurality of frames a first frame that includes a first aspect of an activity occurring within the scene;

subsequent to identifying the first frame, identify at least a second frame from the plurality of frames that includes a second aspect of the activity occurring within the scene;

analyze images from frames of the scene one time when the images are originally captured, wherein the image is divided into macroblocks, and further wherein the scene includes a moving object, and processing the video data to determine an optimal motion vector for the moving object, wherein the optimal motion vector identifies the location of an identical macroblock in a reference image;

save results of that analysis as searchable metadata;

transfer the first frame and the second frame to the memory;

associate timestamps with the first and second frames;

transfer the timestamps with the first and second frames to the memory retrieve the first frame and its associated timestamp from the memory;

set a timer based on the timestamp associated with the first frame;

display the first frame on a display, and starting the timer;

retrieve the second frame and its associated timestamp from the memory;

process the timestamp associated with the second frame to determine a timer value for displaying the second frame; and

display the second frame on the display when the timer reaches the timer value.

9. The video system of claim 8, wherein the video processor is further configured to:

identify the activity occurring in the scene.

10. The video system of claim 9, wherein the activity is a person moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a profile of the person.

11. The video system of claim 9, wherein the activity is an object moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a view of an orientation of the object.

12. The video system of claim 9, wherein the activity is an automobile moving within the scene, and the second aspect is a view of a license plate of the automobile.

13. The video system of claim 9, wherein the video data is captured at a maximum capture rate of a video capture device.

14. The video system of claim 8, wherein the second aspect is different than the first aspect of the activity.