Patent Application
20110149080
The invention pertains to security systems which include video surveillance cameras. More particularly, the invention pertains to such systems, and associated methods where cameras can be automatically associated with a respective server, and the user need not make the association.
A typical Network Video Recorder (NVR) system in the surveillance industry consists of many video servers and cameras. The cameras are configured to the different video servers present in the NVR system at a particular moment. The cameras are tightly associated with a particular video server.
There are various problems with the design of
There is thus a continuing need to provide improved and more convenient ways in which the video cameras could be associated with a selected server.
While embodiments of this invention can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, as well as the best mode of practicing same, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
In embodiments of the invention, a surveillance system is provided where a camera will be configured relative to a network video recorder (NVR) system rather than to a video server. The underlying architecture of NVR system will implement the dynamic association of the cameras and the video servers. In one aspect of the invention, there is no need for the user to choose an appropriate video server from available video servers.
A logical layer can be provided as an interface to a plurality of video servers. This interface can associate the cameras with the video servers. This association can be maintained dynamically based on the different run time scenarios in the NVR system. The logical layer, or interface, will interact with other components of this NVR system and keep track of the dynamic association of cameras and video servers.
Thus, as described above, embodiments of the invention address Video Server Failure. In case one video server is down in the NVR system, cameras associated with this video server can be reassigned to other video servers. Hence, those cameras will also be monitored. Automatic load sharing among video servers results in an allocation process where loads will be distributed optimally among all video servers in the NVR system. In case, any one video server becomes overloaded, its associated cameras (and hence load) can be shared by others.
Additionally, users can easily add more cameras. Where a user wants to add new cameras into the NVR system, he/she does not need to worry about which video server to choose. The video system interface will automatically process and then make this selection. This will reduce user efforts as well as chances of common mistakes while choosing the video servers. Further embodiments facilitate system changes and modifications. In existing NVR systems, users at times need to change the number of cameras and settings (e.g. deleting/adding cameras or change in the camera configurations). Such changes in known system require manual adjustments and efforts to ensure that the resulting system is optimal. Embodiments of the invention will automatically change the required association settings to utilize the video server resources optimally.
System 10 includes a plurality of video cameras 12 which can be distributed throughout the region R. The members of the plurality 12, such as 12-1, -2 . . . -M can be digital or analog without limitation. The details of the cameras are not limitations of the invention.
System 10 also includes a network video recording system NVR. The recording system NVR includes a plurality of video servers 14 and an interface 18.
The interface 18 includes a plurality of camera input ports 18i-1 . . . -M and a plurality of video server output ports 18o-1 . . . -N. Interface 18 automatically associates a camera, such as 12-l with a video server, such as 14-j. The cameras are thus associated with the over all system NVR and not with a specific server.
In one aspect of the invention, a user can request the NVR system to add a camera by communicating, for example with interface 18. In response thereto, as described in more detail below, the interface 18 will automatically determine which server the camera's output signals are to be allocated to or associated with. Alternately, if one of the servers, such as 14-j fails, the interface 18 can automatically reallocate the cameras associated with that server among the remaining members of the plurality 14.
The interface 18 can also include control circuits 24 which are coupled to the switch 22 and which automatically establish transmission paths between input ports, such as 18i-j and an associated output port, such as 18o-l. The control circuits 24 can be implemented with one or more programmable processors, such as 24a, and associated control software stored on a computer readable medium 24b. Optional camera status input signals 26a and server status signals 26b can be coupled to the control circuits 24 to enable the control circuits 24 to monitor the functionality and status of each of the cameras 12 and each of the servers 14. Control signals, not shown, can be coupled between the control circuits and each of the cameras and servers.
A graphical user interface 30 can be coupled to the control circuits 24. The interface 30 can include a display device 32 and a user input device, such as a keyboard 34, along with associated control software to enable a user to request that one or more cameras be added, removed or reallocated. Control circuits 24 can also respond to camera associated status inputs 26a or server status inputs 26b as those of skill in the art would understand.
Camera information can be obtained, as to the next camera to evaluate, as at 106. A video server can be obtained from the respective list as at 108. System 18 can determine if the resources of the respective server as available to provide service to the respective camera, as at 110. If so, that server can be associated with that camera as at 112.
Interface 18 can then determine if the list of cameras that need to be associated with a server is empty as at 114. If so, the process 100 can terminate, at least temporarily, and/or await additional inputs. If not. The identification of the next camera can be obtained from the list, as at 116, for processing. If the server resources are not available to service the current camera, as at 110, then the identification information for the next server on the list can be obtained, as at 118 for processing and evaluation.
Alternately, where the control circuits 24 have detected a server failure, as at 120, the cameras associated with that server can be added to the list of cameras to be processed for service, as at 122. That defective server can then be removed from the list of available servers, as at 124, and the cameras can be allocated among the remaining servers.
Those of skill in the art will understand that variations of the processing 100 come within the spirit and scope of the invention. The user can also request that additional cameras be added to the list of those needing service and such can be assigned to a server in accordance with processing 100 or a variation thereof.
In summary, advantages of embodiments of the invention include:
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
