Abstract:
A method of searching recorded video from a surveillance camera comprising the steps of displaying a first timeline representing a first period of time, using a first user input to select a first time on the first timeline, using a second user input to display a second timeline, said second timeline having a shorter duration of time than said first timeline, using a third user input to select a second time on the second timeline, and using a fourth user input to display the video that was recorded at the second time.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     N/A 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     N/A 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to surveillance systems and, in particular, to a method of and apparatus for searching recorded video in a video surveillance system. 
     Video surveillance systems normally include a recorder for recording the video captured by the surveillance cameras. Initially, videocassette recorders were used for recording this data; however, the tapes could only be searched by having personnel review the tapes to find the portion of interest. This process was extremely time consuming and labor intensive. The development of digital video recorders improved the searching process with the use of algorithms to search for specific items, such as when an item has disappeared from the area being viewed by the video camera. However, the ability to quickly and easily find a specific video clip has not significantly improved; the process still requires personnel to review the video as with VCR tapes. Accordingly, there has been a long felt need in the art for a system and method of quickly searching through recorded video data to locate the video of interest. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of searching recorded video from a surveillance camera comprising the steps of displaying a first timeline representing a first period of time, using a first user input to select a first time on the first timeline, using a second user input to display a second timeline, the second timeline having a shorter duration of time than the first timeline, using a third user input to select a second time on the second timeline, and using a fourth user input to display the video that was recorded at the second time. 
     The present invention also provides an apparatus for searching recorded video from a surveillance camera comprising a display, a storage device for storing recorded video; a processor, and a user input device. The processor generates a first signal to display a first timeline representing a first period of time on the display. A user input device provides a first user input to the processor for selecting a first time on the first timeline and a second user input to the processor. In response to the second user input, the processor generates a second signal to display a second timeline on the display. The second timeline has a shorter duration of time than the first timeline. The user input device provides a third user input to select a second time on the second timeline and a fourth user input to select the display of video that was recorded at the second time. The processor accesses the storage device in response to the fourth user input to generate a signal to display the video that was recorded at the second time on the display. 
     In addition, the present invention provides a method of searching recorded video from a surveillance camera comprising the steps of displaying a first timeline representing a first period of time, using a first user input to select a first time on the first timeline, using a second user input to display a second timeline, the second timeline having a shorter duration of time than the first timeline, using a third user input to select a start point on the second timeline for recorded video to be exported, using a fourth user input to select an end point on the second timeline for recorded video to be exported, and using a fifth user input to initiate the exporting of the video data for the time period from the start point to the end point. 
     The present invention provides a quick and easy way to search recorded video to identify dates and times of recorded events and display those events or export them. A plurality of video recordings from a plurality of cameras can be displayed at one time with these recordings being synchronized so that all of the displayed videos were recorded at the same point in time. 
     Other advantages and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a video surveillance system utilizing the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a workstation utilizing the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view of a window from a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of a window from a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a window from a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic view of a window from a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view of a window from a screen display for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating a process for implementing the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating a process for implementing the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a video surveillance system  10  is shown in block diagram form. Video surveillance system  10  comprises a plurality of cameras from  1  through n, which are labeled  12 ,  14 , and  16 , connected to a network  18 . Network  18  can be a closed network, local area network or wide area network, such as the Internet. A digital video recorder  20  is also connected to network  18  for recording the video from cameras  12 ,  14 , and  16 . If desired, video surveillance system  10  can include a plurality of digital video recorders, which can be network video recorders or digital video recorders which can be connected directly to a display or workstation. As used herein, recorded video includes full-motion video and still photographs taken at intervals. Storage  22  is connected to network  18  to provide additional storage for recorded video which can be transferred from DVR  20  for short-term or long-term storage. Storage  22  can be connected to network  18  as shown or directly to DVR  20 , such as an expansion box. Workstation  24  is connected to network  18  to provide a user with a display and input capability. Workstation  24  can be a general purpose computer with software for implementing the present invention and provide a graphical user interface for searching recorded video data or it can be simply a display and user input device for accessing video surveillance system  10  and utilizing the video data search capabilities of the present invention. The graphical user interface software for searching the recorded video data can reside anywhere in the system such as, for example, DVR  20  or storage  22 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of workstation  24  for implementing the present invention. Processor  26  is connected to ROM  28 , RAM  30 , and storage  32 , which can be a hard disk drive, compact disc drive, optical drive, and the like. Processor  26  implements a software program for displaying a graphical user interface that is stored in ROM  28  or storage  32 . Processor  26  provides output signals to display  36  to display the graphical user interface for implementing the present invention. User input device  34  can be a mouse, jog/shuttle controller, keyboard, or other suitable input device connected to processor  26  to provide user input to search the stored video data according to the present invention. The recorded video data searched by workstation  24  can be stored in DVR  20  or storage  22  of video surveillance system  10 , or in storage  32 . 
     A graphical user interface for implementing the present invention is displayed in  FIG. 3 . Window  38  contains icons  40 ,  42 , and  44 , which graphically represent cameras  12 ,  14 , and  16  from  FIG. 1 . Window  46  is the area for the display of recorded video. Window  46  is shown in quad mode, i.e., a two by two matrix in which a different camera could be displayed in each quadrant; however, other configurations can be used as well as is known in the art. Window  48  contains a time graph  50  which, by way of example, shows the time period from September 2003 to September 2005. Line  52  shows the chosen point in time on time graph  50 . For illustration purposes, line  52  is shown at time Jul. 19, 2004—05:55:36 pm. Line  52  can be moved, for example, by using a mouse to move pointer  56  onto slider  54 , clicking a mouse button and moving slider  54  to the desired time and then releasing the mouse button. The scale of time graph  50  can be changed by the user, for example, by rotating the wheel on a mouse. 
     The scale of time graph  50  can be changed from years as shown in  FIG. 3  to months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds as shown respectively in  FIGS. 4-8 .  FIG. 4  shows the time period on time graph  50  from Jun. 17 through Sep. 29 of 2004.  FIG. 5  shows the time period on time graph  50  from Jul. 23 through Aug. 1 of 2004.  FIG. 6  shows the time period on time graph  50  from 11:46 am through 8:46 pm of Jul. 24, 2004.  FIG. 7  shows the time period on time graph  50  from 16:38 pm through 17:07 pm, i.e., 4:38 pm through 5:07 pm of Jul.  24 ,  2004 .  FIG. 8  shows the time period on time graph  50  from 4:54:37 pm through 4:55:06 pm of Jul. 24, 2004. As the mouse wheel is rolled, time graph  50  changes to the next scale or farther with a fluid motion. At the same time, slider  54  can be moved along time graph  50  to the desired point in time. If the mouse wheel is rotated in the opposite direction, time graph  50  changes to the next longer period of time, such as from seconds to minutes, or farther depending upon the amount of rotation of the mouse wheel. Accordingly, the user can move through time by moving slider  54  back and forth across time graph  50  and rotating the mouse wheel to zoom in or out in time as desired. 
     The scale of time graph  50  can be changed in other ways, such as by moving pointer  56  to icon  66  to go to a scale showing a shorter time period such as from hours to minutes or by moving pointer  56  to icon  68  to go to a scale showing a longer time period such as from hours to days. 
     Bar  58  indicates that video was recorded at that time. The width of bar  58  indicates the length of the recorded video, and depending upon the scale of time graph  50 , varying degrees of detail of recorded video are shown. This can be seen clearly by referring to  FIG. 8  where bar  60  indicates a segment of recorded video that is significantly longer than bar  62 . Depending upon the scale, bars  60  and  62  may be indicated as a single bar as the user zooms out in time or may not be shown at all. In addition, bar  58  can be displayed in different colors to indicate different types of recordings, such as an alarm event, motion detection event, or continuous recording such as on a recorded schedule. 
     Other user input devices can be used to interact with the graphical user interface, such as a jog/shuttle controller, keyboard and similar devices. Once slider  54  has been moved to the point of interest as shown in  FIG. 8 , the video segment of interest indicated by bar  64  can be displayed by clicking the mouse button. This process can be implemented in a number of ways, for example, by clicking the left or right mouse button, double clicking one of the mouse buttons or any other user input to signal processor  26  to retrieve and play the desired video. 
     The user selects the video data to be searched by selecting the camera of interest. The user moves pointer  56  onto the desired icon, i.e. one of icons  40 ,  42 , and  44 , clicks and holds a mouse button, drags the selected camera icon to time graph  50 , and then releases the mouse button to indicate to processor  26  that data for the selected camera should be displayed on time graph  50 . Other methods can be used for selecting the camera, for example, pointer  56  can be moved to icon  70  and the mouse button clicked to indicate to processor  26  that the user wishes to select a camera. The user then moves pointer  56  to one of icons  40 ,  42 , or  44  and selects the desired camera to be active on time graph  50 . Icon  72  can be used to indicate to processor  26  that the video recorded at the time selected on time graph  50  should be displayed. 
     In addition, the system and method of the present invention facilitates the exporting of selected video. The desired video can be searched as previously described. Once slider  54  has been moved to the beginning of the desired video clip, pointer  56  is moved to icon  74  and activated by a click of a mouse button. Slider  54  is then moved to the end of the desired video clip. Pointer  56  is then moved to icon  74  and activated again by a click of a mouse button to provide user input to processor  26  indicating the end of the video clip to be exported. Pointer  56  is then moved to icon  78 , and the user then clicks a mouse button to indicate to processor  26  to retrieve the selected video data from storage  32 , storage  22 , or DVR  20 , and provide the video data to the device selected by the user, for example, to a compact disc drive for recording on a compact disc or to network  18  for transmitting to another location connected to network  18 . To remove the export designations placed by the foregoing process, the user moves pointer  56  to icon  76  and clicks a mouse button. 
     Window  48  includes an indication of which camera is currently active on time graph  50 . Numeral  80  points to this indication, which is shown for illustration purposes as Camera  1 . Window  48  also contains an indication of the type of search is being displayed in window  46 . Numeral  82  indicates that a Quick Search is currently active, referring to the use the functions associated with time bar  50 . In addition, other types of searches can be performed by special algorithms, and is indicated by numeral  84  referring to Enhanced Search Results, which can be activated by moving pointer  56  to box  86  and clicking a mouse button. In addition, different screen configurations can be chosen by placing pointer  56  on the desired configuration, such as a 2×2 screen displayed indicated by numeral  88 . Any number of other screen configurations for window  46  can also be used, such as 1×1, 3×3, 4×4, 1×5, and 1×12 or other suitable screen configuration to meet the user&#39;s information display needs. 
     Multiple cameras can be selected and displayed in separate quadrants of window  46  with all of the displayed video being video that was recorded at the chosen point in time. The video streams are recorded separately along with an indication of the time the video was recorded. The cameras are synchronized by a system clock for surveillance system  10  that can reside in workstation  24 , DVR  20  or any suitable location on network  18  so that any combination of cameras can be selected for viewing the recordings at a selected point in time. This function can be implemented, for example, by using pointer  56  to drag the additional cameras to the desired quadrant of window  46  to indicate to processor  26  that the user also wants to view the recorded video, if any, from the additionally selected cameras that was recorded at the selected time on time graph  50 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the steps that a user goes through in utilizing the present invention. At block  100 , the user selects a display configuration for the video display window, for example, 2×2, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The user then selects the camera of interest to search the recorded video on time graph  50 . At blocks  104 ,  106 , and  108 , the user then moves slider  54  back and forth and zooms in or out in scale to select the time on time graph  50  at which the recorded video is to be displayed. At block  110 , the user provides a user input signal, such as clicking a mouse button to indicate to processor  26  that the display of the selected recorded video should be initiated. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the steps that processor  26  performs in waiting for, receiving, and responding to user input when the search function of the present invention has been initiated. At decision point  112 , processor  26  waits for an input from a user indicating that a video clip has been selected for display. If the appropriate user input is received, processor  26  displays the selected video clip at block  114 . If the appropriate user input is not received at decision point  112 , processor  26  checks to see if a change graph scale input has been received from a user at decision point  116 . If the appropriate user input is received, at block  118  processor  26  changes the graph scale. If the appropriate user input is not received at decision point  116 , then processor  26  returns to decision point  112  and the process continues until the search function has been discontinued by the user. 
     It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing disclosure.