System for a plurality of video cameras disposed on a common network

• US 20060136972A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Baird, John, Metzger, Raymond, Hollida, Ray, Alvarado, Adrian, Monroe, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,576,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A plurality of cameras are adapted to utilize Ethernet network protocol for the physical layer and UDP/IP for the network and transport layers permitting multiple compressed signals representing different degrees of image resolution, compression type of compressed bit rate to be simultaneously transmitted. These multiple video streams may be combined into one composite stream for network transmission or may be maintained as separate and distinct video or still frame streams throughout the network. The digitizer, compressor and network interface can be integral to a camera or can be a separate unit. Video or images networked in this manner may be selective viewed on an operator console or may be received by a network server for storage, analysis and subsequent retrieval.

Claims

1. A surveillance system having a plurality of video cameras disposed on a common network adapted for communicating with a computer system via a common network, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of cameras;

b. a digitizer for each camera;

c. a network interface for each camera;

d. each camera communicating with a computer system through the network interface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a compressor associated with each camera in advance of the network interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is an archival server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system is a personal computer connected to the network.