Patent Application
20100223466
It is known in the art that processors as disclosed in the conclusion adapted by software programs provide means.
We define an asset to be a full record of data that elaborates an event as defined by a policy transmitted to an event recordation client from the event recordation server. Non limiting examples of assets include high resolution digital images or video streams but could be detailed data or logs. We define a reference to be a summary of an asset that is relatively compact. Non-limiting examples of references include an event type and a time stamp, a low resolution image of a face, license plate, or a photograph or a text report such as generated by character recognition, object recognition, pattern recognition, or facial recognition codes.
Thus it can be appreciated that what is needed is a server apparatus which supports immediate timely upload of references and delayed, and optional upload of assets according to demand, policies, and analysis clients operating on references.
Within the scope of the present patent application we define an event as the collection of meta-data and assets which represent the recordation of an occurrence of interest at a point of recordation terminal (PORT). The present invention comprises a secure event server comprising:
a event recordation server circuit,
The invention also includes a location server and a storage manager circuit,
The invention also includes an analysis server coupled to analysis clients. In an embodiment, an analysis server provides access to references, meta-data, and assets to an analysis client which may be a person or a program performing such non-limiting examples of analysis as follows: an image or character recognition function, a facial recognition function, object permanence or impermanence detection or motion detection.
This server provides seamless access to assets which may be in any one of a plurality of states. It provides using a location server, command server, and storage server:
This server stores assets encrypted and selectively decodes assets on demand at either server or analysis client depending on analysis client capabilities.
This server supports event recordation clients which are point of recordation terminals (PORTs) which utilize only PORT initiated transactions for both assets and command interactions. This server comprises a switchboard to allow multiple servers to track status of connection, to issue commands on command channel, and to influence asset data transfer channel by sending policies.
This server automatically manages PORT configurations, including managing software configuration, dynamic status, service configuration, user preferences, and computational algorithms.
A highly secure event server receives and stores encrypted assets and references to those assets over a public wide area network. A system selectively decrypts assets to authenticated mutually unconscious users, and retrieves, decrypts and serves certain assets from high-volume storage, distributed storage, or in transit. The method controls a plurality of recordation clients and a plurality of analysis engines transmitting policies and commands, requesting upload of assets, and obtaining status solely by receiving client initiated sessions.
The server is adapted to operate coupled through a network to a network attached event recordation client comprising
In an embodiment the server apparatus further provides, using a location server, a command server, and a event recordation server:
In an embodiment the apparatus further provides means for policy distribution to public network attached event recordation apparatus by a processor adapted by a program product and a network interface.
In an embodiment the means for policy distribution comprises a software update circuit providing code to define meta-data to be uploaded.
In an embodiment the means for policy distribution comprises a software update circuit providing code to define an event to be recorded.
In an embodiment the means for policy distribution comprises a software update circuit providing code to define an asset to be stored and transmitted.
In an embodiment the apparatus further provides means for quantifiably provable provenance through
The invention comprises a method for operating a public network attached event recordation asset server comprising:
The present invention comprises a method for operating an event recordation system provisioning a quantifiably provable provenance process comprising the steps of:
In an embodiment the method further comprises
on an event recordation client apparatus:
The present invention comprises a method for operating a event server apparatus, the apparatus comprising a command server, a network interface, a storage manager, an event recordation server; the method comprising the steps:
The present invention comprises a method for operating an event server apparatus, the apparatus comprising a command server, a network interface, a storage manager, an event recordation server; the method comprising the steps:
In an embodiment the method further comprises the step of
in processing an analysis server request for an asset, responding to a client request with a command to priority upload an asset related to the reference whereby an asset already in transit by bandwidth shaped upload is completed by priority upload.
In an embodiment the asset is digitally signed within the event recordation client apparatus for quantifiably provable provenance the method further comprises the steps:
In an embodiment whereby the asset is received and stored in encrypted format within the event recordation client apparatus for privacy and not decrypted until accessed by authenticated analysis client the method further comprises the steps:
In an embodiment the asset is both encrypted for privacy and digitally signed for provenance by the method further comprising the steps:
In an embodiment an event further comprises a server recognized event which is initiated by a process within the server further comprising the steps:
In an embodiment the invention comprises a network attached event recordation server comprising:
In an embodiment the invention comprises a public network attached event recordation asset server apparatus comprising
wherein said storage manager circuit maintains location information for every asset among three classes: in transit between the recordation client and the server, stored at the storage server, or stored at the event recordation client.
The invention comprises a method for operating an event recordation system over a public network comprising a quantifiably provable provenance process comprising the steps of:
on an event recordation client apparatus:
The invention comprises an event server apparatus comprising:
a event recordation server circuit
In an embodiment the apparatus further provides means such as a processor coupled to a network interface, for transmitting an update to a event recordation client apparatus comprising configuration for determining an event, performing analysis, uploading meta-data, and transmitting a reference.
In an embodiment the apparatus further provides means such as a command server and a network interface for forcing an immediate event determination to a selected event recordation client apparatus.
In an embodiment the apparatus further comprise an authentication and decryption circuit,
and means for receiving and storing an asset in a digitally signed format;
which prevents modification of the time of day, the asset, or the identification of the event recordation apparatus without detection,
whereby provenance of the asset is quantifiably measurable and proven.
In an embodiment the apparatus further comprise
an authentication and decryption circuit, and
means such as a circuit for receiving and storing an asset in an encrypted format without decrypting it;
whereby an asset may be transmitted through a public network and stored in a shared use server without revealing the contents to unauthenticated or unauthorized parties sharing the network or server apparatus.
In an embodiment the command server comprises a circuit to
In an embodiment, the invention comprises a method for operating a system, the system comprising,
In an embodiment the method for operating a public network attached event recordation asset server further comprises distributing a policy to a public network attached event recordation apparatus wherein a policy is a computer executable instruction to adapt a processor to transform data tangibly encoded on computer readable media.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on object recognition rules.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on facial recognition rules.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on object placement or movement.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on duration of occupancy within a part of an image field.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on a repetition of motions.
In an embodiment the policy determines an event based on motion detection and time of day & day of week.
In an embodiment the policy determines which meta data is transmitted by type of event.
In an embodiment the policy determines if a low resolution video frame is included in a reference.
In an embodiment the policy determines if a high resolution image is included in an asset.
In an embodiment the policy determines the immediacy of transmitting an asset to a server.
In an embodiment the policy determines the immediacy of transmitting a reference to a server.
In an embodiment the apparatus further comprises means such as a circuit, software, or processor adapted by a program product. for transmitting an update to a event recordation client apparatus configuration for determining an event, performing analysis, uploading meta-data, and transmitting a reference.
In an embodiment the apparatus further comprises means for forcing an event determination to a selected event recordation client apparatus.
In an embodiment the event recordation server circuit further comprises a circuit:
The present invention comprises a secure event server comprising:
a event recordation server circuit,
In an embodiment the analysis server comprises a circuit:
Referring now to
Each location server 200 presents a fixed IP address which allows PORTs to establish a client session without needing domain name system (DNS) service.
Each camera server 400 connects a plurality of PORTs with asset and command connections. The camera server comprises
Each storage server 600 comprises a
The command server 500 converts required action from other servers and configurations into sequences of command transactions sent to PORTs, handles error cases, and interacts with the location server 200 to determine which camera server to use for each PORT. The command server comprises a
In an embodiment the analysis server 800 provides a mechanism for user access to references, assets, and PORT configuration. The analysis server comprises
In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises at least one event recordation server coupled to both the command server and to the storage server, an event recordation server comprising:
In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises
The method of operating a location server comprises
The method of operating a location server further comprises:
In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises
In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises
In an embodiment, the method further comprises
In an embodiment, the method further comprises
The present patent application discloses a highly secure shared event server receiving and storing encrypted assets and references to those assets over a public wide area network. This system selectively decrypts and transmits references and assets to authenticated mutually unconscious users, and retrieves, decrypts and transmits certain assets from high-volume storage, distributed storage, or in transit. The method provides for controlling a plurality of event recordation terminals and a plurality of analysis engines, transmitting policies and commands, requesting upload of assets, and obtaining status solely by receiving client initiated sessions.
The present invention may be easily distinguished from conventional systems by serving cameras as clients and receiving hypertext transfer protocol POST method requests. The present invention may be easily distinguished from conventional systems by using public networks between the camera and the server and encrypting each cameras video streams with a key unique to each camera and storing the encrypted videos streams and only decrypting the video streams using a public key upon demand of a user. The present invention may be easily distinguished from conventional systems by allocating bandwidth and distributing a bandwidth policy to each camera which autonomously uploads references and assets according to the bandwidth policy. The present invention may be easily distinguished from conventional systems by reallocating bandwidth among all cameras when a user requests a video stream asset from a certain camera.
The present invention may be easily distinguished from conventional systems by its isolation of the user from management over the physical location of assets. Assets are automatically moved among and retrieved from the server, the point of recordation or in-flight to the server. To enjoy the economy of using public networks and high-volume storage but still provide the best security, the invention encrypts data from the point of recordation through storage and only decrypts it exclusively for an authenticated user. A further distinguishing security advantage is passively receiving client initiated sessions from the point of recordation terminals for all management, configuration, and data transfer channels.
The present invention is easily distinguished from conventional system by allowing one or more PORTs to function effectively over lower bandwidth Internet connections and with less impact on other applications using the connection than conventional solutions, while providing effective and timely access to all events recorded by the PORT.
The present invention is easily distinguished from conventional systems by at least:
It is distinctly pointed out that a conventional network security solution such as Secure Sockets Layer Certificates protects only during the transport and fails to accomplish the objective of the present invention. An asset transported by SSL would be stored at the server in unprotected form vulnerable to viewing by unauthorized persons. Nor does an SSL certificate establish a chain of evidence or quantifiably provable provenance from a specific camera as the origin of a video stream. Reencrypting or signing the asset at the server after transport encryption and decryption would fail to provide provenance and ensure security.
The techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them to provide means for the following:
an analysis server circuit comprising
The techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. The techniques can be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
Method steps of the techniques described herein can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program to perform functions of the invention by operating on input data and generating output. Method steps can also be performed by, and apparatus of the invention can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). Modules can refer to portions of the computer program and/or the processor/special circuitry that implements that functionality.
Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, other network topologies may be used. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a CIP of Ser. No. 12/395,437 filed Feb. 27, 2009 U.S. Pat. No. ______ issued ______ by the present inventor which is incorporated by reference. A co-pending CIP of this application is ______ which supports related video claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12395437 | Feb 2009 | US |
| Child | 12551239 | US |
