Abstract: A control system for use with one or more video surveillance cameras forming a video surveillance system. The control system includes a video database module wherein a database entry includes at least one sensor condition defining an alarm state for each camera. Additionally, there is an alarm condition module that receives one or more sensor signals from one or more sensors associated with a camera and retrieves the sensor condition defining an alarm state for the camera. The alarm condition module outputs an alarm signal if the alarm condition module determines that the one or more sensor signals meets the one or more sensor conditions. The control system is modular and may be distributed in a network environment. The control system also monitors the network bandwidth and can adjust the throughput of digital data representing the digital images in order to avoid any bandwidth limitations.

Abstract: A multiplexed motion picture stream (e.g., video) is demultiplexed. The motion picture stream contains one or more images from each of a plurality of camera sources. The process of demultiplexing the stream is automated and does not require user intervention. The stream is demultiplexed by identifying images within the image stream and comparing the images to representative images from camera sources. During comparison a mismatch value is determined and is compared to a mismatch threshold. If the mismatch value is below the mismatch threshold, the image is assigned to a channel associated with the camera. In some embodiments after demultiplexing, stored motion picture images of different channels can be viewed simultaneously at the same image by advancing to a given image of only one stored channel.