Television – Special applications – Observation of or from a specific location
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-11-27
Kelley, Chris (Department: 2613)
Television
Special applications
Observation of or from a specific location
C348S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323897
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a network surveillance video camera system using a network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A network surveillance video camera system using a network for monitoring a remote image with a video camera and a display monitor is known.
Japanese patent application provisional publication No. 9-16685 discloses a remote monitor system using a data link ISDN. Japanese patent application provisional publication No. 7-288806 discloses that a traffic amount is measured and the resolution is determined in accordance with the traffic amount. U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,167 discloses a video monitor system including a transmitting medium, video cameras, monitors, a VTR, and a control portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a superior network surveillance video camera system.
According to the present invention there is provided a network surveillance video camera system using a network including: a plurality of video camera units, each having a different address and generating video data, each including a motion detector for detecting a motion of an image from the video data and a communication circuit for communicating with the network to transmit the video data and an output of the motion detector; a data storing terminal, having a different address and a communication circuit for communicating with the network, for receiving and storing the video data from the video camera units through the network; a display terminal, having a different address and a communication circuit for communicating with the network, for displaying the video data from the data storing terminal and the video camera units; and a control server coupled to the network having a different address for automatically communicating with the network to control the addresses of the video camera units, the data storing terminal, and the display terminal.
In the network surveillance video camera system, at least one of the video camera units may further include a memory for storing the video data and a traffic detector for detecting a traffic amount of the network, comparing the traffic amount with a reference, and transmitting, to the display terminal, only a portion of the video data regarding that the motion detector detects the motion when the traffic amount exceeds the reference.
In the network surveillance video camera system, at least one of the video camera units may further include a microphone for generating sound data and a traffic detector for detecting a traffic amount of the network, comparing the traffic amount with a reference, and transmitting the sound data to the display terminal as well as inhibiting to transmit the video data when the traffic amount exceeds the reference. The display terminal may further include a speaker for reproducing the sound data.
In the network surveillance video camera system, at least one of the video camera units may further include a memory for storing the video data in response to the motion detector, a sensor input circuit for receiving a sensor signal, and a thinning circuit for thinning the video data in the memory to transmit the thinned video data to the network.
In the network surveillance video camera system, each of the video camera units may include: a sensor input circuit for receiving a sensor signal; and an alarm signal generation circuit for generating alarm data in response to the sensor signal and the motion detector to transmit the alarm data and data regarding the alarm data including the sensor signal to the control server. The control server may further include: a data base for storing sets of the alarm data and the data regarding the alarm data; an input circuit for inputting keyword data and mark data; a searching circuit for searching the alarm data in the data base in accordance with the keyword; and a data base control circuit for storing the mark data in response to the input circuit with correspondence with one of the sets of the alarm data to inhibit searching circuit from searching the one of the sets of alarm data corresponding to the mark data.
In the network surveillance video camera system, each of the video camera units may further include: a pivoting unit for changing an optical axis of the video camera unit in accordance with control data; and a position data generation circuit for generating position data of the pivoting unit; a time data generation circuit for generating time data; an alarming circuit responsive to a sensor signal and the motion detector for generating alarm data and alarm type data and transmitting the alarm data, the alarm type data, alarm sub-data including the position data and the time data, and the address of the video camera unit. The control server may further include: a table storing relation between addresses of the video camera units and data of installation places of the video camera units; and a control circuit for receiving the alarm data from one of the video camera units, obtaining the position data and the data of installation place of the one of video camera units which transmits the alarm data and transmitting the alarm data, the alarm type data, the data of installation place of the one of the video camera units, and alarm sub-data including the position data and the time data, and the address of the one of video camera units to the display terminal.
In the network surveillance video camera system, at least one of the video camera units may further include a microphone for receiving a sound signal around the each video camera unit and generating sound data from the sound signal, a comparator for comparing a level of the sound data with a reference, an alarm circuit for generating alarm data when the level exceeds the reference, and a switch for either transmitting the alarm data or not transmitting the alarm data to the network.
In the network surveillance video camera system, at least one of the video camera units may include a CCD imager for successively generating the video data with an exposure interval and a brightness level detector for detecting a brightness level, and an exposure control circuit for changing the exposure interval from a first exposure interval to a second exposure interval which is longer than the first exposure interval and for changing a transmitting interval of the video data from a first interval to a second interval which is longer than the first interval to prevent the video camera unit from transmitting the same field or frame of video data twice, when the brightness level is less than the reference brightness level.
In the network surveillance video camera system, the control server may generate an address table of the plurality of video camera units and transmit the address table to the data storing terminal. The data storing terminal may further include a memory for receiving and storing the address table and a monitoring circuit for monitoring the network to receive and store the video data from the video camera units within the network surveillance video camera system.
In the network surveillance video camera system, the control server may generate an address table of the plurality of video camera units and transmit the address table to the display terminal. The display terminal may further include a memory for receiving and storing the address table and a monitoring circuit for monitoring the network to receive and display the video data from the video camera units within the network surveillance video camera system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4249207 (1981-02-01), Harman et al.
patent: 4777526 (1988-10-01), Saitoh et al.
patent: 4814869 (1989-03-01), Oliver, Jr.
patent: 4945367 (1990-07-01), Blackshear
patent: 5091780 (1992-02-01), Pomerleau
patent: 5479206 (1995-12-01), Ueno et al.
patent: 5671009 (1997-09-01), Chun
patent: 5680123 (1997-10-01), Lee
patent: 5745167 (1998-04-01), Kageyu et al.
patent: 5774569 (1998-06-01), Waldenmaier
patent: 5923364 (1999-07-01), Rhodes et al.
patent: 5995139 (1999-11-01), Lee
patent: 6021120 (2000-02-01), Beyda et al.
patent
Higashimura Mamoru
Kogane Haruo
Nakamura Manabu
Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz
Kelley Chris
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Wong Allen
LandOfFree
Network surveillance video camera system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Network surveillance video camera system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Network surveillance video camera system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2618056