Remote sharing of CCTV control ports for network users

• US 20040105461A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ortega InfoSystems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ortega InfoSystems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jen, Henry, Pan, Albert
• Application Number:
  US10/234,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20040105461A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A control device is provided to share data communication ports and control Close Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) Matrix Switches for network users. The control device issues a command to a Central Command Dispatch Server (CCDS). The control device identifies a best route to dispatch the command. The control device dispatches the command to a CCTV matrix switch via an appropriate data communication port according to the best route.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a Central Command Dispatch Server (CCDS) receiving a general command from a plurality of network users and identifying a best route to dispatch the general command;

an interface server receiving the dispatched command from the CCDS and converting the dispatched command into a vendor specific protocol data; and

a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) matrix switch receiving the vendor specific protocol data from the interface server via data communication ports, so that the network users can share the serial ports.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CCDS includes a plurality of Central Port Resource Agents (CPRAs).

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each CPRA represents one of the data communication ports.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the CPRA includes a usage information of the data communication port.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the CCDS identifies the best route by querying the CPRAs.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the CCDS dispatches the general command to an appropriate data communication port according to the best route.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the CCDS includes a cache to reuse the CPRA.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface server includes a cache to avoid a duplicated camera inputs and monitor output switching.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CCDS and the interface server are included in a computer.

10. A method comprising:

issuing a command to a Central Command Dispatch Server (CCDS);

identifying a best route to dispatch the command; and

dispatching the command to a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) matrix switch via an appropriate data communication port according to the best route.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising converting the command into a vender specific protocol data.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising sharing data communication ports by a plurality of network users.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the CCDS includes a plurality of Central Port Resource Agents (CPRAs).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the CPRA includes a usage information of the data communication port.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the best route includes querying the CPRAs.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the CCDS includes a cache to reuse the CPRA.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a Central Command Dispatch Server (CCDS) receiving a command;

means for identifying a best route to dispatch the command; and

means for dispatching the command to a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) matrix switch via an appropriate data communication port according to the best route.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for converting the command into a vender specific protocol data.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising means for sharing data communication ports by a plurality of network users.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the CCDS includes a plurality of Central Port Resource Agents (CPRAs).

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the CPRA includes a usage information of the data communication port.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for identifying the best route includes means for querying the CPRAs.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the CCDS includes a cache to reuse the CPRA.

24. A computer readable medium containing executable instruction which, when executed in the process system, causes the system to perform a method for sharing data communication ports by a plurality of network users, the method comprising:

issuing a command to a Central Command Dispatch Server (CCDS);

identifying a best route to dispatch the command; and

dispatching the command to a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) matrix switch via an appropriate data communication port according to the best route.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising converting the command into a vender specific protocol data.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the CCDS includes a plurality of Central Port Resource Agents (CPRAs).

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the CPRA includes a usage information of the data communication port.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein identifying the best route includes querying the CPRAs.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the CCDS includes a cache to reuse the CPRA.