Systems and methods for managing live video data

• US 9,172,918 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Palmer, Sally-Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belani, Kishin G
• Application Number:
  US12/525,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20100026811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,826 Days
• Field of Search: 348/159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for managing live video data. These include the likes of video management systems, camera servers, methods for providing access to video data, methods of operating camera servers, and software for allowing the implementation of such methods in a computer system. In overview, a video management system is configured such that, upon the failure of a camera server, cameras assigned to that server are automatically reassigned to a backup camera server.

Claims

1. A video management system including:

a plurality of cameras configured to provide live video data to a network;

a plurality of camera servers connected to the network, each camera server being configurable to make live video data available from an assigned subset of the plurality of cameras in real time to one or more clients;

wherein each camera server is configured to;

maintain data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a primary camera server for those cameras;

maintain data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a secondary camera server;

maintain data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server;

communicate camera server health change messages on the network in the case that the camera server has a change in health; and

execute a monitoring module configured to access input indicative of health change messages published on the network, and, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given one of the other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup;

update its data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras to include the assigned one or more cameras of that other camera server;

or

update its data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup to include one or more camera servers for which the given one of the other camera servers is assigned as a backup;

wherein the monitoring module is additionally configured to, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given other camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server, provide an alert signal indicative of a lack of backup;

the system further including a component configured to execute an automatic process such that a most recent camera server connecting to the network is, upon connection to the network, automatically configured in the same manner as a most recent camera server to leave the network, wherein the configuration includes;

determining, for the most recent camera server to leave the network, data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server; and

applying the determined data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server to the most recent camera server connecting to the network.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring module passively receives the input indicative of camera health change messages published on the network.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring module actively obtains the input indicative of camera health change messages published on the network.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined health change message indicates that the other given camera server is inferred to be failing to make the live video data available to the one or more clients.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the health change messages from a particular camera server are indicative of one or more of the following:

a status of the connection between the particular camera server and the network;

an operational status of the particular camera sever; and

an execution status of one or more services configured to run on the particular camera server.

6. A method for operating a camera server, the method including the steps of:

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a primary camera server for those cameras;

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which the camera server is assigned as a backup, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a secondary camera server;

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server;

communicating camera server health change messages on a network in the case that the camera server has a change in health; and

executing a monitoring module configured to assess input indicative of health change messages published on the network, and, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given one of the other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup;

update its data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras to include the assigned one or more cameras of that other camera server;

or

update its data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup to include one or more camera servers for which the given one of the other camera servers is assigned as a backup;

wherein the monitoring module is additionally configured to, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given other camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server, provide an alert signal indicative of a lack of backup;

wherein the method further includes operating a component configured to execute an automatic process such that a most recent camera server connecting to the network is, upon connection to the network, automatically configured in the same manner as a most recent camera server to leave the network, wherein the configuration includes;

determining, for the most recent camera server to leave the network, data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server; and

applying the determined data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server to the most recent camera server connecting to the network.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method of operating a camera server, the method including the steps of:

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a primary camera server for those cameras;

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which the camera server is assigned as a backup, such that the camera server is enabled to operate as a secondary camera server;

providing a data store configured to maintain data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server;

communicating camera server health change messages on a network in the case that the camera server has a change in health; and

executing a monitoring module configured to assess input indicative of health change messages published on the network, and, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given one of the other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup;

update its data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras to include the assigned one or more cameras of that other camera server;

or

update its data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup to include one or more camera servers for which the given one of the other camera servers is assigned as a backup;

wherein the monitoring module is additionally configured to, in the case of a predetermined health change message for a given other camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server, provide an alert signal indicative of a lack of backups

wherein the method further includes operating a component configured to execute an automatic process such that a most recent camera server connecting to the network is, upon connection to the network, automatically configured in the same manner as a most recent camera server to leave the network, wherein the configuration includes;

determining, for the most recent camera server to leave the network, data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server; and

applying the determined data indicative of an assigned one or more cameras, data indicative of one or more other camera servers for which it is assigned as a backup, and data indicative of another camera server which is assigned as a backup to the camera server to the most recent camera server connecting to the network.