Method and system for video monitoring

• US 8,631,226 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Rachamadugu, Sreenivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh, Jaweed A
• Application Number:
  US11/617,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,574 Days
• Field of Search: 713/100, 725/144, 725/145
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An approach is provided for video monitoring. A video server records an event to output a video master and to generate a video proxy of the master. A monitoring server transmits the video proxy to a central monitoring system that is configured to correlate the video proxy with other video proxies from a plurality of sources.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first video proxy of a first master surveillance video of a monitored event, captured by a first monitoring system;

receiving a second video proxy of a second master surveillance video of the monitored event, captured by a second monitoring system, wherein the first and second video proxies are of lower resolution than the first and second master surveillance videos;

correlating video information, associated with the first video proxy and the second video proxy, to determine a level of correlation;

generating, based on the level of correlation, an alert related to the monitored event;

storing the first master surveillance video and the second master surveillance video in a database;

receiving a request for access to a mapped portion of the first master surveillance video or the second master surveillance video based on frame information derived from the correlating, and

transmitting the mapped portion to the first monitoring system and the second monitoring system in response to the request.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the alert to the first monitoring system and the second monitoring system.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the correlating is an activity of a workflow.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein, when the first video proxy is generated in a first format that is compatible with the first monitoring system, and the second video proxy is generated in a second format that is compatible with the second system, the first format being different from the second format, the method further comprising:

converting the first video proxy into the second format, or

converting the second video proxy into the first format.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first monitoring system includes a local database, the first monitoring system being configured to compare content of the local database, related to the monitored event, with the first video proxy.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the second monitoring system includes a local database configured to store video information, the second monitoring system being configured to compare content of the local database, related to the monitored event, with the second video proxy, the comparison being concurrent with the comparison performed by the first monitoring system.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the database is a centralized database.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first master surveillance video and the second master surveillance video are output from live feeds of the monitored event.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request is processed by a workflow engine configured to determine a format of the mapped portion in response to the request, the method further comprising:

transmitting the mapped portion, at a specified time, in the determined format.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first video proxy is received by a network device including a handheld computer, a wireless personal digital assistant (RDA) device, or a personal computer.

11. A system comprising:

a first processing module configured to receive a first video proxy of a first master video of an event under surveillance, obtained at a first monitoring system, and to receive a second video proxy of a second master video of the event under surveillance, obtained at a second monitoring system, wherein the first and second video proxies are of lower resolution than the first and second master videos;

a second processing module configured to correlate video information associated with the first video proxy and the second video proxy, to determine a level of correlation, and generate, based on the level of correlation, an alert related to the event under surveillance; and

a database configured to store the first video master and the second video master, and receive a request for access to a mapped portion of the first video master or the second video master based on frame information derived from the correlation, and the first processing module being further configured to transmit the mapped portion to the first monitoring system and the second monitoring system in response to the request.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the second processing module is further configured to transmit the alert to the first monitoring system and the second monitoring system.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the correlation is an activity of a workflow.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein, when the first video proxy is generated in a first format that is compatible with the first monitoring system and the second video proxy is generated in a second format that is compatible with the second monitoring system, the first format and the second format being different, the second processing module being further configured to:

convert the first video proxy into the second format, or

convert the second video proxy into the first format.

15. A system according to claim 11, wherein the first monitoring system includes a local database, the first monitoring system being configured to compare content of the local database, related to the event under surveillance, with the first video proxy.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the second monitoring system includes a local database, the second monitoring system being configured to compare content of the local database, related to the event under surveillance, with the second video proxy, the comparison being concurrent with the comparison performed by the first monitoring system.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein the database is a centralized database.

18. A system according to claim 11, wherein the first video master and the second video master are output from live feeds of the event under surveillance.

19. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a workflow engine configured to process the request to determine a format of the mapped portion in response to the request, and transmit the mapped portion to the first monitoring system at a specified time and in the determined format.

20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the first video proxy is received by a network device including a handheld computer, a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) device, or a personal computer.

21. A method comprising:

recording an event, under surveillance, to output a high resolution video master;

generating a lower resolution video proxy, relative to the video master;

transmitting the video proxy to a central monitoring system that is configured to correlate the video proxy with other video proxies, received from a plurality of sources of other recordings of the event under surveillance;

receiving, from the central monitoring system, an alert related to the event under surveillance, based on a level of correlation, between the video proxy and at least one of the other video proxies, determined at the central monitoring system;

receiving a request for access to a mapped portion of the high resolution video master based on frame information derived from the correlating of the video proxy with the at least one other video proxy, and

transmitting the mapped portion in response to the request.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the central monitoring system is further configured to coordinate output of the alert to the plurality of sources.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting the video master to the central monitoring system for storage.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising:

reviewing the video proxy for a desired sequence of frames; and

transmitting a request, to the central monitoring system, for a portion of the stored video master corresponding to the desired sequence.

25. A system comprising:

a video server configured to record an event, under surveillance, to output a video master and to generate a video proxy of the video master; and

a monitoring server configured to;

transmit the video proxy to a central monitoring system that is configured to correlate the video proxy with other video proxies from a plurality of sources associated with recordings of the event under surveillance, and

receive, from the central monitoring system, an alert related to the event under surveillance, based on a level of correlation, between the video proxy and at least one of the other video proxies, determined at the central monitoring system;

receive a request for access to a mapped portion of the video master based on frame information derived from the correlating of the video proxy with the at least one other video proxy, and

transmit the mapped portion in response to the request.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the central monitoring system is further configured to coordinate output of the alert to the monitoring server and the plurality of sources.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the video server is further configured to transmit the video master to the central monitoring system for storage.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to review the video proxy for a desired sequence of frames, and to transmit a request, to the central monitoring system, for a portion of the stored video master corresponding to the desired sequence.