Abstract: An integrated security system (10) for monitoring a premises (12) to detect an intrusion onto the premises comprises a video system for providing video representations of the premises, an alarm system for providing an indication of an intrusion onto the premises, an access control system for allowing authorized entrance onto the premises, a processing device connected to the video security system, the alarm system, and the access control system for producing a signal indicative of an intrusion onto the premises, and a monitoring center connected to the processing device for receiving the signal indicative of an intrusion onto the premises.

Abstract: A method of scanning recorded video images of a scene to locate those images in which there is a predetermined amount of activity. Images (I) of the scene are obtained over a period of time. Each of the images (SI) is compared to a reference image (RI) of the scene and a difference image (DI) is created for each comparison. A threshold test is applied to each image as a measure of the activity occurring in the scene at the time the image is obtained and the results of the test are stored with the image in a memory (18) of an image processing system (10). When the images are subsequently viewed, a viewing threshold related to the amount of activity occurring in the scene is established by the viewer. The test results for each stored image are then scanned to determine if the image meets the viewing criteria. If it does, the image is either displayed for viewing on a monitor (24) or a file (F2) is created for analysis.