CONTENT AWARE STORAGE OF VIDEO DATA

• US 20090219411A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Videolq Incorporated
• Inventors: Marman, Douglas H., Saptharishi, Mahesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,872,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Video analytics and a mass storage unit are contained in a camera housing of a video camera. The video analytics analyzes video data produced by the video camera and detects whether there is an occurrence of a defined event of interest. The video data representing the field of view of the scene observed by the video camera are stored in the mass storage unit. The stored video data include video data of first and second qualities. The first quality represents the occurrence in a field of view of the video camera of the defined event of interest detected by the video analytics. The second quality represents the nonoccurrence in the field of view of the defined event of interest detected by the video analytics. Storing video data of first and second qualities reduces system storage capacity demands.

Claims

1. A method of implementing video storage in a video camera producing video data representing a field of view of a scene observed by the video camera, the video camera including a camera housing and is adapted for connection to a network communication system, comprising:

defining an event of interest for detection by analysis of the video data produced by the video camera;

providing the video camera with video analytics and a mass storage unit, the video analytics and mass storage unit contained in or forming part of the camera housing;

causing the video analytics to analyze the video data produced by the video camera and detect whether there is an occurrence of the event of interest; and

storing in the mass storage unit the video data representing the field of view of the scene observed by the video camera, the stored video data including video data of a first quality and video data of a second quality, the first quality representing the occurrence in the field of view of the event of interest detected by the video analytics and the second quality representing nonoccurrence in the field of view of the event of interest detected by the video analytics.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the storing of the video data representing the field of view includes selective storage of the video data of the first quality and the video data of the second quality when the video analytics detects the occurrence of the event of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the storing of the video data representing the field of view includes, when the video analytics detects the nonoccurrence of the event of interest, storing the video data of the second quality and, when the video analytics detects the occurrence of the event of interest, storing the video data of the first quality and the video data of the second quality.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the event of interest constitutes a first event of interest, in which the nonoccurrence of the first event of interest comprises a second event of interest, and in which the storage of the video data representing the field of view includes storing the video data in response to detection by the video image processor of the occurrences of the first and second events of interest.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the video data of the first quality is of higher quality level than that of the video data of the second quality.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the network communication system includes a remote storage unit for archival storage of video data, and further comprising supplying from the video camera to the remote storage unit the video data of the first quality.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the video camera constitutes a first video camera of the network communication system, and the network communication system further comprises a second video camera that contains the remote storage unit.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the network communication system includes a central monitoring station, and further comprising sending an alert from the video camera to the central monitoring station in response to detection by the video analytics of an occurrence of the event of interest.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the network communication system includes a central monitoring station, and further comprising, in response to detection by the video analytics of an occurrence of the event of interest, supplying from the video camera to the central monitoring station a video clip file representing the event of interest.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting at least some of the video data stored in the mass storage unit to prevent unauthorized playback.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the occurrence and nonoccurrence of the event of interest constitute two events of multiple events of interest, and further comprising:

defining multiple content security levels in which one or more of the multiple content security levels is associated with each of the multiple events of interest; and

assigning to each user of the network communication system one or more user security levels, each user security level corresponding to one or more of the content security levels so that a user can access a segment of video data representing an event of interest when a content security level associated with the event of interest corresponds with a user security level assigned to the user.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the occurrence and nonoccurrence of the event of interest constitutes two events of multiple events of interest, and further comprising:

defining multiple video data retention policies based on the multiple events of interest such that certain ones or combinations of the multiple events of interest are retained in the mass storage unit for corresponding lengths of time.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the event of interest includes motion detected within the field of view of the video camera.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the event of interest includes motion of a blob detected within the field of view of the video camera.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the event of interest includes recognizing a predefined object and tracking movement of the predefined object.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the video analytics uses geometric calibration to recognize the object as the object moves to various portions of the field of view.

17. The method of claim 1, in which the video analytics compensates for lighting and scene changes to accurately detect whether the event of interest is being captured.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the video data are continuously encoded at a second bit rate and encoded at a first bit rate and at the second bit rate simultaneously when the event of interest is being detected.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the mass storage unit includes a hard-disk drive memory, in which the video camera is further provided with solid state memory functioning as a storage buffer for the video data produced by the video camera, and further comprising:

operating the hard-disk drive memory normally in a powered-down state;

storing the video data in the storage buffer as the video data are produced by the video camera, the storing of the video data in the storage buffer taking place during a first time interval;

causing the hard-disk drive memory to operate in a powered-up state;

transferring to and storing in the hard-disk drive memory in the powered-up state a portion of the video data stored in the storage buffer, the storing of the portion of the video data in the hard-disk drive memory taking place during a second time interval that is substantially shorter than the first time interval;

returning the hard-disk drive memory to the powered-down state after completion of the transfer of the video data; and

for a total hard-disk drive storage time representing a sum of the second time intervals and a total buffer storage time representing a sum of the first time intervals over an operational lifetime of the hard-disk drive memory, the total hard-disk drive storage time spent transferring to and storing a portion of the video data in the hard-disk drive memory is substantially less than the total buffer storage time spent storing the video data in the storage buffer.

20. A method of reducing video data storage and network bandwidth requirements of a distributed network video surveillance system that includes network communication paths between network video imaging devices and network video data stores, the network video imaging devices producing video data representing fields of view of scenes under observation by the video imaging devices, and the network video data stores storing video information corresponding to the video data produced by the network video imaging devices, comprising:

associating with each of multiple ones of the network video imaging devices a content-aware video data storage system that is capable of selective storage of video data produced by its associated network video imaging device, the content-aware video data storage system including video analytics that analyzes the content of the video data and local video data stores that store portions of the video data in response to the analysis by the video analytics; and

delivering from the content-aware video data storage system of each of the multiple network video imaging devices, through the network communication paths, to the network video data stores, video data corresponding to the portions of video data stored in the local video data stores to provide a managed amount of video data representing at a specified quality level the fields of view of the scenes, the managed amount of the video data consuming substantially less network bandwidth and fewer data storage resources than those which would be consumed by delivery to the network video stores the video data produced by the network video imaging devices at the specified quality level and in the absence of analysis by the video analytics.

21. The method of claim 20, in which each of the network video imaging devices includes a housing and the content-aware video data storage system associated with each network video imaging device is contained within or is part of the housing.