초록 ▼

A PC-based system for monitoring and storing representative images from video cameras may be utilized for security or other monitoring applications. Camera inputs from digital or analog sources are individually and independently digitized and displayed at a first set of image sizes, sampling rates,

A PC-based system for monitoring and storing representative images from video cameras may be utilized for security or other monitoring applications. Camera inputs from digital or analog sources are individually and independently digitized and displayed at a first set of image sizes, sampling rates, and frame rates, and may be stored in digital form on various recording media at a second set of image sizes, sampling rates, and frame rates, and these two sets of sizes and rates may or may not be identical. Provisions are included for adding detection or alarm systems which will automatically alter image size, sampling rate and/or frame rate of an individual input source, or activate other physical responses. In addition to security system monitoring, further applications of the invention are disclosed for process monitoring in manufacturing environments and also for applications in videoconferencing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A video storage and display system, comprising: a plurality ofone or more video cameras, each outputting a signal representative of a video image;means to receive the signals from each camera and digitally compress the images;two forms of high-capacity storage media, one being randomly searchable

1. A video storage and display system, comprising: a plurality ofone or more video cameras, each outputting a signal representative of a video image;means to receive the signals from each camera and digitally compress the images;two forms of high-capacity storage media, one being randomly searchable while the other continues to store the digitally compressed image; anda computer configured to receive the digitally compressed images, the computer being interfaced to the following devices: a display screen,means to receive externally derived operator commands, andthe high-capacity storage media, and wherein the computer is programmed to perform the following functions: display the digitally compressed images from the cameras in different windows on the display screen, each window being associated with an update rate and dimensions in pixels,vary the dimensions and the ratespatial parameters and temporal parameters at which a particular image is updated in its window in accordance with one of the externally derived commands,store the digitally compressed images in the high-capacity storage mediummedia, andvary the dimensions and the ratespatial parameters and temporal parameters at which a particular image is stored in accordance with one of the externally derived commands. 2. The video storage and display system of claim 1, further including means associated with the computer for controlling the operation of one or more of the video cameras. 3. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein the means to digitally compress the image from a particular camera is disposed at the location of the camera. 4. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein the means to digitally compress the image from a particular camera is disposed at the location of the computer. 5. The video storage and display system of claim 1, further including a separate computer associated with each camera, the computers being networked together over a common communication bus, enabling an operator situated at a particular computer to display the images gathered by other cameras in separate windows on that operator's display screen. 6. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein one or both of the high-capacity storage mediummedia comprises a magnetic tape. 7. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein one or both of the high-capacity storage mediummedia comprises a magnetic disk. 8. The method of simultaneously displaying and storing multiple video images, comprising the steps of: receiving video images from a plurality of sources;digitizing one or more of the images if not already in digital form;displaying at least certain of the digitized images in separate windows on a display device, using a first, predetermined frame rate and resolution associated with each window; andsimultaneously storing the displayed images using a second, predetermined frame rate and resolution associated with each image. 9. The method of claim 812, further including the step of receiving a command to set the frame rate and resolution associated with the display and storage of a particular image. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the command is based upon an operator input. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the command is based upon an external stimulus. 12. The method of simultaneously displaying and storing multiple video images, comprising the steps of: receiving video images at a personal computer based system from a plurality ofone or more sources;digitizing one or moreany of the images if not already in digital form using an analog-to-digital converter;displaying at least certain of the digitized images in separate windows on a personal computer based display device, using a first set of temporal and spatial parameters associated with each image in each window;simultaneously storing the displayed imagesconverting one or more of the video source images into a data storage format using a second set of temporal and spatial parameters associated with each image; andsimultaneously storing the converted images in a storage device. 13. The method of claim 12, the temporal parameters including frame rate. 14. The method of claim 12, the spatial parameters including image dimension in pixels. 15. A video storage and display system, comprising: a plurality ofone or more video cameras, each outputting a signal representative of a video image;means to receive the signals from each camera and digitally compress the images; anda computer configured to receive the digitally compressed images, the computer being interfaced to the following devices: a display screen,means to receive externally derived operator commands including means for sensing a deviation from the normal-state image scene associated with at least one of the video cameras, the existence of the deviation being used as the basis for generating an externally derived command, anda high-capacity storage medium, and programmed to perform the following functions: display the digitally compressed images from the cameras in different windows on the display screen, each window being associated with an update rate and dimensions in pixels,vary the dimensions and the ratespatial parameters and temporal parameters at which a particular image is updated in its window in accordance with one of the externally derived commands,store the digitally compressed images in the high-capacity storage medium, andvary the dimensions and the ratespatial parameters and temporal parameters at which a particular image is stored in accordance with one of the externally derived commands. 16. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein one or more video images or camera control signals are received through a network connection. 17. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the high-capacity storage media comprises a removable or permanent magnetic disk, a removable or permanent magneto-optical disc, a removable optical disc or a removable or permanent semiconductor-based device. 18. The video storage and display system of claim 1, wherein the temporal parameters include frame rate and the spatial parameters include image dimension in pixels. 19. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more video images or camera control signals are received through a network connection. 20. The method of claim 12, wherein the high-capacity storage medium comprises a removable or permanent magnetic disk, a removable or permanent magneto-optical disc, a removable optical disc or a removable or permanent semiconductor-based device. 21. The method of claim 12, including a display device associated with each source and a communication capability enabling an operator situated at the display for one source to view images, in separate windows, gathered by one or more different source. 22. The video storage and display system of claim 15, further including a device for remotely controlling the operation of one or more of the video cameras. 23. The video storage and display system of claim 15, wherein one or more video images or camera control signals are received through a network connection. 24. The video storage and display system of claim 15, wherein the high-capacity storage medium comprises a removable or permanent magnetic disk, a removable or permanent magneto-optical disc, a removable optical disc or a removable or permanent semiconductor-based device. 25. The video storage and display system of claim 15, further including a memory for storing the sensed deviation information in conjunction with the image data. 26. The video storage and display system of claim 15, further including: a computer and display device associated with each video camera; andcommunication capability enabling an operator situated at the display device associated with one camera to view images, in separate windows, gathered by one or more different cameras. 27. The video storage and display system of claim 15, wherein the temporal parameters include frame rate and the spatial parameters include image dimension in pixels. 28. A video storage system, comprising: one or more video sources, each outputting a signal representative of a video image;means to receive the signals from each source and digitally compress the images;two forms of a high-capacity video storage media; anda computer interfaced to the following devices: an input to receive externally derived operator commands, andthe high-capacity storage media, andwherein the computer is programmed to perform the following functions: store the digitally compressed images in the high-capacity storage media, andvary the spatial parameters and temporal parameters at which a particular image is stored in accordance with one of the externally derived commands. 29. The video storage system of claim 28, wherein the high-capacity storage media include one medium being randomly searchable, and with the other being serially searchable. 30. The video storage system of claim 28, wherein one or more video images is received through a network connection. 31. The video storage system of claim 28, wherein the high-capacity storage media comprises a removable or permanent magnetic disk, a removable or permanent magneto-optical disc, a removable optical disc or a removable or permanent semiconductor-based device. 32. The video storage system of claim 28, wherein the temporal parameters include frame rate and the spatial parameters include image dimension in pixels. 33. A digital video recording and monitoring system configured for use with a display device, comprising: one or more inputs for receiving video material characterized by having spatial parameters and temporal parameters;circuitry for digitally compressing the video material;a first video storage medium which is randomly addressable;a second video storage medium which is serially addressable;an output for delivering the video material to the display device;a user control; andprocessing hardware or software operative to perform the following functions under user control: a) store the digitally compressed video material in one or both of the first and second video storage media, andb) output the video material for monitoring to the display device. 34. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the processing circuitry is operative to simultaneously store the digitally compressed video material in the first and second video storage media. 35. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the first video storage medium is a magnetic disk. 36. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the second video storage medium is a magnetic tape. 37. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the processing circuitry further permits searching of the video material previously recorded on the first storage medium while continuing to store the material on the second storage medium. 38. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the spatial parameters and temporal parameters of the video material in the first or second storage medium are different from the spatial parameters and temporal parameters of the video material delivered to the display device. 39. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, further including one or more video cameras interfaced to the one or more inputs. 40. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, further including: a plurality of video cameras interfaced to the one or more inputs; andthe video material from different cameras is visible in different windows on the display device. 41. The digital video recording and monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the temporal parameters include frame rate and the spatial parameters include image dimension in pixels.