Abstract: A method and system are provided for configuring or provisioning a digital video surveillance system (DVSS) element, such as a digital video recorder (DVR). Implementations described herein use a scannable device identifier, such as a bar code or a quick response (QR) code, to uniquely identify a DVSS element. Rather than relying on a technician connecting a laptop to the DVSS element using a direct wired connection, or on the availability of network connectivity, the bar code of the DVSS element is scanned, optionally a network name is assigned and a network password is calculated based on the scannable device identifier. A direct wireless connection is established between a mobile communications device and a wireless transceiver at the DVR. An authentication screen is displayed to enable the configuration connection and provide access to configuration functions for configuring or provisioning the DVSS element.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for configuring or registering an edge device with a video management server (VMS) in a digital video network. The edge device initiates a registration process and sends an unsolicited pre-registration request, including edge-device-specific configuration information, to the VMS. This is in contrast to known approaches in which the VMS initiates registration. The VMS automatically pre-registers the edge device based on the received unsolicited pre-registration request. An edge device registration activator is displayed for the pre-registered edge device. In response to activation or selection of the edge device registration activator, the VMS registers the pre-registered device to the VMS using the edge-device-specific configuration information received in the unsolicited pre-registration request. The registration can be performed in a single operation, without the VMS having to gather further information. The edge device can be configured to more than one VMS at a time.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for discriminating areas of content from areas of noise in difference images of a digital video sequence. This allows the fewest bits possible to be used to encode areas of noise according to a video compression algorithm. The method comprises computing a difference frame from current image data and a reference frame; comparing at least one component of a candidate block within the difference frame to a threshold value to discriminate between content and noise; and encoding the candidate block if content is detected.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for configuring or registering an edge device with a video management server (VMS) in a digital video network. The edge device initiates a registration process and sends an unsolicited pre-registration request, including edge-device-specific configuration information, to the VMS. This is in contrast to known approaches in which the VMS initiates registration. The VMS automatically pre-registers the edge device based on the received unsolicited pre-registration request. An edge device registration activator is displayed for the pre-registered edge device. In response to activation or selection of the edge device registration activator, the VMS registers the pre-registered device to the VMS using the edge-device-specific configuration information received in the unsolicited pre-registration request. The registration can be performed in a single operation, without the VMS having to gather further information. The edge device can be configured to more than one VMS at a time.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for content management in a video surveillance system. The present disclosure provides content management by which a video management system (VMS) can provide transparent access to video content recorded on edge device storage. The video content access is provided without transferring or copying the video content from the edge device storage to the VMS storage. This access is provided to a client within the VMS framework, without requiring any user intervention to switch or reconfigure connections. The present disclosure also provides a VMS service reflector arranged to reflect services provided by the VMS by having the client establish direct connections to the edge devices when a connection to the VMS is unavailable. The functionality is still provided in the framework of the VMS, and the direct connections are closed when the VMS connection is restored.

Abstract: A mobile event data recorder is described providing a contained environmental control system for a hard drive module for use in, or with, a vehicle. A hard drive housing with multiple hard drives and a vibration isolation system are provided within a hard drive module chassis. The vibration isolation system simultaneously provides triaxial isolation in each of two different orientations of the hard drive module. First and second vibration isolators connect the hard drive housing with adjoining walls of the chassis, the first and second vibration isolators positioned to achieve a natural resonant frequency suitable to isolate frequencies in the hard drive operating range, taking into account the forces that will be applied to the vehicle. The natural resonant frequency can be about 10 Hz or less, in order to isolate the hard drives from frequencies of greater than about 10 Hz.

Abstract: A method and system for encoding and recording data in a multi-stream format when the data is initially captured. The multiple streams of data can be combined to provide a high quality, or high resolution, representation, while a reduced subset of the streams can provide a lower quality, or lower resolution, representation. Data storage requirements can be reduced, by deleting one or more of the streams, when there is no longer a need for retention of the data at the higher quality.

Abstract: An environmental control system, or data pack, is provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The system allows for audio and video recording on hard drive media in situations where temperature, vibration and humidity would otherwise have prevented the use of such technology. The system can be used in conjunction with an event recorder for use in motor vehicles, trains and the like. The environmental control system includes a thermoelectric module connected to the hard drive and to a housing. The thermoelectric module is for transferring heat between the hard drive and the housing in response to an applied voltage in order to maintain a hard drive temperature within a hard drive operable temperature range. The vehicle operating temperature range includes temperatures outside the hard drive operable temperature range.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic camera health monitoring, such as for a camera in a video surveillance system. The system preferably provides substantially continuous monitoring and detection of camera malfunction, due to either external or internal conditions. Camera malfunction is detected when a computed camera health measurement exceeds a malfunction threshold. The camera health measurement is computed based on a comparison of a current camera health record to a plurality of stored camera health records obtained in a learning mode, which characterize known states of normal camera operation. Aside from monitoring camera health, methods of the present invention can also be used to detect an object being added to or removed from a scene, or to detect a change in lighting in a scene, possibly caused by a defective light fixture.

Abstract: A video surveillance system and related architecture are provided. According to the architecture, a central server is not required, since server functionality is distributed in the system elements. A video camera arranged to capture video data includes a storage device handler configured to record the captured video data directly on a storage device. An indexer is arranged to query the storage devices in the system for new or modified video surveillance information and arranged to index the video surveillance information stored in the storage devices. Each element in the system, whether a camera, encoder, etc., can be viewed as a video surveillance host having at least one surveillance module. The hosts together form virtual network that can easily and unobtrusively be incorporated into an existing network infrastructure. This distributed approach eliminates the single point of failure.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for automatic calibration of a video camera by providing automatic perspective calculation. A calibration object detector is arranged to detect a calibration object in video data representing a scene observed by a video camera, and arranged to gather object data for the detected calibration object at a multiplicity of positions, such as three or more positions. The calibration object detector can include an automatic moving object detector and/or a static object detector. An automatic plane calculator is in communication with the calibration object detector and arranged to calculate the perspective of the camera based on gathered object data for at least one calibration object at a multiplicity of positions. The automation provided can enhance the operation of video analytics systems and reduce errors that can be introduced when an unskilled operator manually enters parameters on which the perspective is estimated.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for counting moving objects in a digital video stream. In contrast to known computationally-expensive methods, areas of motion are determined by threshold subtracting a current video frame from a short term average video scene. An object box surrounding an object is determined by threshold subtracting the current video frame from a long term average video scene. Coordinates of the moving object are identified by associating the area of motion with the object box, if it overlaps the area of motion, to define a moving object box. An event counter can be incremented when the moving object box is in a buffer zone in the current frame, and was in a detection zone in an earlier frame, and was initially detected in a buffer zone on the opposite side of the detection zone.

Abstract: A mobile event data recorder is described providing a contained environmental control system for a hard drive module for use in, or with, a vehicle. A hard drive housing with multiple hard drives and a vibration isolation system are provided within a hard drive module chassis. The vibration isolation system simultaneously provides triaxial isolation in each of two different orientations of the hard drive module. First and second vibration isolators connect the hard drive housing with adjoining walls of the chassis, the first and second vibration isolators positioned to achieve a natural resonant frequency suitable to isolate frequencies in the hard drive operating range, taking into account the forces that will be applied to the vehicle. The natural resonant frequency can be about 10 Hz or less, in order to isolate the hard drives from frequencies of greater than about 10 Hz.

Abstract: A task-based video analytics system and method are provided, which can include dynamic allocation and sharing of video analytics resources. Video analytics tasks are created in response to trigger information, which can be based on stored business rules, events and/or data of interest. The tasks are forwarded to a video analytics task manager, which manages and distributes tasks to appropriate video analytics resources according to parameters such as scheduling, priority and/or events. Video from the appropriate video source, either a video stream or stored video, is only obtained after the video analytics task is received at the video analytics resource. Video analytics are performed on the video itself, not on video metadata. Data mining of non-video metadata can be used to identify stored video of interest. Configuration tuning can be used to modify a business rule and validate whether the modified rule would affect previous correct data.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic camera health monitoring, such as for a camera in a video surveillance system. The system preferably provides substantially continuous monitoring and detection of camera malfunction, due to either external or internal conditions. Camera malfunction is detected when a computed camera health measurement exceeds a malfunction threshold. The camera health measurement is computed based on a comparison of a current camera health record to a plurality of stored camera health records obtained in a learning mode, which characterize known states of normal camera operation. Aside from monitoring camera health, methods of the present invention can also be used to detect an object being added to or removed from a scene, or to detect a change in lighting in a scene, possibly caused by a defective light fixture.