Patent Publication Number: US-9426541-B2

Title: STB/DVR video surveillance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/225,717 filed Sep. 6, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/818,646 filed Jun. 15, 2007 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,035,686, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present application relates generally to digital video broadcasting systems. More particularly, example embodiments are directed to a system, method and machine readable medium for video surveillance within a video broadcast system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recent developments in digital technology have spurred the development and deployment of digital video broadcasting services. The digital video broadcasting services, including high quality video programming such high definition (HD) programs, are typically provided by satellite broadcasters, terrestrial broadcasters and cable broadcasters. More recently, digital broadcast programs have also been deployed via the Internet Protocol (IP) by major telecommunication providers. 
     Video broadcasters have traditionally distributed video broadcasts to viewers using a variety of broadcasting standards, including the analog National Television Standard Committee (NTSC) standard. More recently, with the constant expansion of the number of video broadcast channels, HD video broadcasts and provision of data, all of which have placed a premium on bandwidth for transmission, the distribution of video broadcasts has been achieved via digital standards, including the Advanced Technical Systems Committee (ATSC) standard. Other digital standards that are being used today include the Moving Picture Experts Group H.262 (MPEG-2) standard, the H.264 (MPEG-4) standard and the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard. 
     Digital video broadcasts are transmitted or distributed from the aforementioned video broadcasters via a variety of video distributions systems to an end user&#39;s digital set top box (STB) which decodes the digital video signal for display on a video display device (e.g., television). The digital video signal may be received by the STB via a satellite dish, a coaxial cable, a telephone line (including digital subscriber line (DSL)), Ethernet, local and wide area wireless technologies, and the like. 
     Recent advancements in digital video recording technology in set top boxes have further incorporated digital video recorder (DVR) functionality into the STB for recording digital video broadcasts to a digital storage medium (e.g., hard drive, optical storage, and the like) and playing back the recorded digital video broadcasts to the video display device. The DVR functionality operates using the EPG data for scheduling the recording of particular video broadcasts. 
     A variety of electronic surveillance systems have been employed for monitoring premises and detecting intruders. Operators of the aforementioned video distribution systems have continuously grappled with integration of different services via the video distribution systems to improve users&#39; experience and therefore retain users. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram of an example video broadcasting system that integrates video surveillance into the video broadcasting system; 
         FIG. 2  is a high-level diagram depicting an example connection of one more devices to a set top box/digital video recorder (STB/DVR) unit in accordance with  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is flowchart that illustrates an example method performed by the STB/DVR unit in notifying a remote system of a security event in accordance with  FIG. 1-2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is flowchart that illustrates an example method performed by the STB/DVR unit in recoding surveillance video of a security event in accordance with  FIGS. 1-2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an example embodiment of electronic program guide data that may be displayed by STB/DVR on a display device in accordance with  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is another example embodiment of electronic program guide data that may be displayed by STB/DVR on a display device in accordance with  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic representation of machine in an example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform anyone or more of the methodologies described herein in  FIGS. 1-6 , may be executed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An example system, method and machine readable medium for video surveillance within a video broadcast system are described. 
     In accordance with an example embodiment, there is provided a method, system and machine-readable medium for managing surveillance video at a broadcast video terminal device. The method comprises: detecting a security event associated with at least one surveillance video camera communicatively coupled to the broadcast video terminal device; and inserting a surveillance entry associated with storage of a surveillance video of each of the at least one surveillance video camera into an electronic program guide that includes at least one broadcast entry. 
     In accordance with another example embodiment, there is provided a method, system and machine-readable medium for managing surveillance video entries. The method comprises: receiving a request from a broadcast video terminal device to insert a surveillance entry into an electronic program guide, the surveillance entry associated with storage of a surveillance video captured by at least one surveillance video camera to the broadcast video terminal device; and inserting the surveillance video entry into the electronic program guide. 
     In accordance with yet another example embodiment, there is provided a method, system and machine-readable medium for playing a surveillance video. The method comprises: displaying an electronic program guide on a video display associated with a broadcast video terminal device, the electronic program guide including a surveillance entry; retrieving surveillance video associated with the surveillance entry from the broadcast video terminal device; and displaying the retrieved surveillance video on the video display device. 
       FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram of an example video broadcasting system  100  that integrates video surveillance into the video broadcasting system  100 . The video broadcasting system  100  includes remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114 , a central video head end (CHE)  120 , a regional video head end (RHE)  142 , and a set top box/digital video recorder (STB/DVR) unit  160  (e.g., broadcast video terminal device). The remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114  are communicatively interconnected to the CHE via network  118 . More specifically, personal computer (PC)  102  includes a communication module  104  interconnecting PC  102  via network  118 , wireless carrier system  106  includes a wireless system gateway module  108  to enable the wireless carrier system  106  to interconnect one or more mobile devices (not shown) such as cellular telephones via network  118 , email system  110  includes an email gateway  112  to enable the email system  110  to interconnect one or more email recipients via network  118 , and a security system  114  including a security system gateway  116  to interconnect the security system  114  via network  118 . 
     Further with reference to  FIG. 1 , the CHE  120  is in turn communicatively interconnected to a regional video head end (RHE)  142  via network  140 . Still in turn, the RHE  142  is communicatively interconnected to an end user&#39;s STB/DVR unit  160  via network  158 . It is noted that for clarity and simplicity of the depiction, only one CHE  120 , one RHE  142  and one STB/DVR unit  160  are described. However, the video broadcasting system  100  may include multiple CHEs  120 ; each CHE  120  may be interconnected to multiple RHEs  142 ; and each RHE  142  may be interconnected to multiple STB/DVR units  160  as may be desired. The network  118  interconnecting the remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  100  and  114  and the CHE  120  may be any conventional transfer control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) network and the like. The network  140  interconnecting the CHE  120  and the RHE  142  may be a long haul transport network (e.g., gigabit Ethernet network, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network, frame relay network) and the like. The network  158  interconnecting the RHE  130  and the STB  148  may be a network such as fiber to the home (FTTH), fiber to the node (FTTN), public switched telephone network (PSTN) (including digital subscriber line (DSL)), coaxial cable, hybrid fiber/coaxial, and combinations thereof Alternate networks and combinations thereof may also be employed to interconnect the remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110 ,  114  to the CHE  120 , CHE  120  to the RHE  142  and the RHE  142  to the STB/DVR unit  160 . 
     Now with particular reference to the video distribution of central video head end (CHE)  120  of  FIG. 1 , the CHE  120  includes an electronic program guide (EPG) database  122  that maintains EPG data for each of one or more STB/DVR units  160 . As will be described in greater detail below, the EPG database  122  maintains not only programming information (e.g., programming schedules) relating to broadcasts channels but also surveillance information relating to surveillance recordings (already recorded, currently being recorded, scheduled for recording) of the STB/DVR unit  160 . The EPG interface module  124 , receives out-of-band EPG data from out-of-band EPG source  138 , which aggregates and maintains EPG data from multiple broadcast networks (e.g., ABC, NBC, ESPN and the like), and updates the EPG database  122  for each related STB/DVR unit  160  with updated schedules. Other sources of EPG data are possible, such as in-band EPG data that may be extracted from video programming received by the central video reception module  130 , which is described in greater detail herein below. The EPG interface module  124  may also receive requests for EPG data maintained in EPG database  122  from STB/DVR unit  160 , query the EPG database  122  for appropriate EPG data (including programming and surveillance information) and return the retrieved EPG data to the STB/DVR unit  160 . The EPG data identifies video broadcasts in accordance with the ATSC standard A/ 65  (commonly referred to an event information table (EIT)), designating their respective time slots and broadcast channels (e.g., carrier frequencies coupled with transport stream identifier (TSID)). Similarly to the video broadcasts, the EPG data may identify the different video surveillance recordings, video surveillance being recorded and/or scheduled video surveillance recordings via a virtual broadcast channel (e.g., non-used broadcast channel) and time slot in the EPG data of EPG database  122 . It is noted that in addition to the EIT table, a plurality of other tables not enumerated here, which describe or identify surveillance recordings and associated features, may be provided in accordance with the ATSC standard A/65. 
     Further with reference to  FIG. 1 , the CHE  120  includes a messaging/video gateway module  126  interconnected via network  118  to remote devices  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114 . The messaging/video gateway module  126  of CHE  120  enables EPG data, messaging and video associated with surveillance via particular STB/DVR unit  160  to be available to, amongst others, the STB/DVR unit  160  and remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114 , as will be described in greater detail herein below. 
     Still further with reference to  FIG. 1 , the CHE  120  includes a central video reception module  130  that receives video programming of video broadcasts from multiple video sources, including off-air antenna  132 , satellite receiver  134 , as well as any other video sources  136 , which may include fiber feed sources, video servers and tape machines, which serve video programming The video programming received by the video reception module  130  may be in a variety of formats, including NTSC, ATSC, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DVB, Windows Media, baseband digital, and other available formats. The CHE  120  further includes a video distribution module  128  that cooperates with the video reception module  130  to distribute the video programming received by the video reception module  130  to a video broadcast/switch module  148  of a regional video head end (RHE)  142 , which is described in greater detail herein below. More specifically, the central video reception module  130  may decode (via one or more video decoders) (not shown) the video programming received in the aforementioned different formats into a standardized format. In turn, the video distribution module  128  may further encode (via one or more video encoders) (not shown) the video programming provided in the standardized format by the video reception module  130  into a digital format for ultimate distribution to the STB/DVR unit  160  (e.g., MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and the like). The video distribution module  128  may further multiplex (e.g., via statistical multiplexing) video broadcasts of multiple digital video broadcast channels over one carrier frequency allocation (e.g., 6 MHz or 8 MHz), which is a typical carrier frequency allocation that may be used for one analog channel. 
     Now with particular reference to video distribution of the regional video head end (RHE)  142  of  FIG. 1 , the RHE  142  includes a regional video reception module  150  that receives local video programming or broadcasts from multiple video sources, including off-air antenna  152 , satellite receiver  154  and other video sources  156 . The local video programming received by the regional video reception module  142  may be in a variety of formats, including NTSC, ATSC, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DVB, Windows Media, baseband digital, and other available formats. The other video sources  156  may include fiber feed sources, video servers and tape machines, which serve video programming In addition, the other video sources  156  may also include video programming received via telecom transport networks directly from a broadcaster (e.g., ABC, ESPN and the like) in any of the foregoing formats. The RHE  142  further includes a video distribution module  146  that cooperates with the regional video reception module  150  to distribute the local video programming received by the video reception module  142  to an end-user&#39;s STB/DVR unit  160 . Similarly to the central video reception module  130  of the CHE  120 , the regional video reception module  150  of the RHE  142  may decode (via video decoders) (not shown) the local video programming received in the aforementioned different formats into a standardized format. In turn, the video distribution module  146  may further encode (via video encoders) (not shown) the video programming provided in the standardized format by the regional video reception module  150  into a digital format for ultimate distribution to the STB/DVR unit  160  (e.g., MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and the like). The video distribution module  146  may further multiplex (e.g., via statistical multiplexing) video broadcasts of multiple digital video broadcast channels over one carrier frequency allocation (e.g., 6 MHz or 8 MHz). Still further, the video programming from the video distribution module  128  of the CHE  120  and the video programming from the video distribution module  146  of the RHE  142  are distributed to the video broadcast/switch module  148 , which broadcasts or switches channels of the video programming from the CHE  120  and the RHE  142  to a video receiver module  192  of the end-user&#39;s STB/DVR unit  160 . 
     Now with particular reference to the messaging/video gateway of the regional video head end (RHE)  142 , the messaging/video gateway module  144  of RHE  142  make available to or routes EPG data, messaging and surveillance video between appropriate STB/DVR unit  160  and one or more of the remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114  via messaging/video gateway module  126  of CHE  120 . More specifically, the RHE  142  may be communicatively interconnected to (e.g., may serve) plural STB/DVR units. 
     Now with particular reference video distribution of STB/DVR unit  160 , the STB/DVR unit  160  includes a video receiver module  192 , a tuning module  194  and a display module  196 . The video receiver module  192  receives video programming from the video broadcast/switch module  148  of the RHE  142 . Upon channel selection by a user via a remote control  198 , the tuning module  192  may select a particular channel from the video programming received by the video receiver module  192  (if multiple channels including the channel selected are being received) for display by the display module  196  on the display device  199 . Alternatively, upon channel selection by the user via the remote control  198 , the tuning module  192  may request the video receiver module  192  to request the video broadcast/switch module  148  to switch the video programming to the requested channel (if a non-requested channel is being received) for display by the display module  196  on the display device  199 . 
     Further with particular reference to video surveillance of the STB/DVR unit  160 , the STB/DVR unit  160  includes a communication subsystem  162  that facilitates STB/DVR unit  160  in communicating with remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114 , as well as with CHE  120  and RHE  142  via network communication module  166  and with local devices (described in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 2  hereinbelow) via device communication module  168 . The communication subsystem  162  includes an authentication module  164  that may authenticate remote systems  102 ,  106 ,  110  and  114  and local devices ( FIG. 2 ) to interact with the STB/DVR unit  160 , among other things, relating to video surveillance, via username/password and the like. The network communication module  166  is enabled to communicate with the messaging/video gateway module  144  of the RHE  142  via network  158 , while the device communication module  168  is enabled to communicate with local devices (e.g., STB, PC, camera, security system and the like) that may be interconnected to the STB/DVR unit  160  via a local network ( FIG. 2 ), wirelessly via connections such Bluetooth, 802.11 (Wi-Fi), infrared, and the like, or via wired connections such as Ethernet and the like. 
     Further with reference to video surveillance of the STB/DVR unit  160 , the STB/DVR unit  160  includes a surveillance subsystem  170  that may detect security events in the premises via event messages (or signals) from one or more cameras ( FIG. 2 ) or via event messages (or signals) from a local security system ( FIG. 2 ) interconnected to the STB/DVR unit  160 . More specifically, security event detection module  174  detects or receives event messages from the one or more cameras ( FIG. 2 ), via motion or sound detection, or from local security system ( FIG. 2 ), via one or more contact closures such as on windows, doors and the like. 
     Upon receipt of a security message from a video camera ( FIG. 2 ), the security event detection module  174  triggers a recording scheduling module  190  to schedule and begin recoding of a surveillance video from that the particular video camera, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. It is to be noted that the surveillance video that is recorded and later played back may include both video and audio. It is further to be noted the surveillance video may be a similar format to the broadcast video received by the STB/DVR unit 160 (e.g., MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and the like). Other formats may include QuickTime, Realplayer, and Motion JPEG. However, upon receipt of a security message from the local security system ( FIG. 2 ), the security event detection module  174  transmits the particular security message to the event/camera association module  176  which determines an association of the particular security message from the local security system with a particular video camera. The security message from the local security system may include an event code, a zone code or the like to indicate which contact closure has been opened. The event/camera association module  176  may maintain a file, a table or a database (not shown) that associates the event code, zone code or the like with a particular video camera (e.g., identified by an IP address or the like). The associations may be predetermined, providing mappings of contact closures to the video cameras. Therefore, upon receipt of the particular security message, the event/camera association module  176  obtains the particular video camera (e.g., IP address) identification and transmits the video camera identification to the security event detection module  174 . The security event detection module  174  triggers the particular video camera to start transmitting surveillance video and further triggers the recording scheduling module  190  to schedule and begin recoding of the surveillance video from that particular video camera. 
     Further with reference to the surveillance subsystem  170  of  FIG. 1 , the security event detection module  174  further transmits a request to a notification preference module  172  for a type of notification to be performed (e.g., recipient) for the particular security event that has been detected by the security event detection-module  174 . The notification preference module  172  may maintain a file, a table or a database (not shown) that associates the particular security event messages with one or more notifications to the performed. The notification preference module  172  identifies and returns to the security event detection module  174  the notifications that may be required. The security event detection module than triggers notification modules  178 - 182  to notify respective remote system  106 ,  110 ,  114 . Thus, upon a security event, in addition to the recoding of surveillance video via recoding/playback subsystem  184  (described in greater detail hereinbelow), the surveillance subsystem  170  may notify remote systems  106 ,  110  and/or  114  of the security event. That is, the security system notification module  178  may generate a notification message that includes security event data to the messaging/video gateway module  116  of the security system  114 . The mobile message notification module  180  may generate a mobile message that includes the security event and transmits the mobile message to the messaging/video gateway  108  of the wireless carrier system  106 , which it turn delivers it to a recipient mobile device. The email notification module  182  may generate an email message that includes the security event and transmits the email message to the email gateway  112  of the email system  110 , which in turn delivers the email message to a recipient mailbox. Upon receipt of one or more notifications to the remote systems  106 ,  110  and/or  114 , the recipient systems may by using a personal computer, such as PC  102 , access the STB/DVR unit  160  via authentication module  164  and may view the surveillance video from one or more cameras ( FIG. 2 ) via the network communication module  166  and device communication module  168 . 
     Still further with reference to  FIG. 1 , the STB/DVR unit  160  includes a recording/playback subsystem  184  that facilitates scheduling of surveillance video recordings, recording surveillance video as triggered by security events, playback of surveillance video recordings, and interfaces such recording with EPG data maintained in EPG database  122  of the CRE  120 . After the security event detection module  174  detects one or more security events, it triggers the recording scheduling module  190  to schedule recording of surveillance video from one or more video cameras corresponding to the security events (e.g., video camera associated with a particular security system Contact closure, motion/sound detection via a particular video camera, and the like). The recording scheduling module  190  requests a video recording/playback module  188  to start recording surveillance video from one or more video cameras corresponding to the security events. The video recording/playback module  188  may record the surveillance video from one or more video cameras in a form of one or more video files (e.g., each video file having a video filename) on a storage medium (e.g., hard disk, optical disk, and the like) of the STB/DVR unit  160 . Similarly to the video broadcasts, the surveillance video files may be recoded in MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and the like formats. The recording scheduling module  190  may associate each of the one or more surveillance video files with a virtual channel number for later replay via the STB/DVR unit  160 . The recording scheduling module  190  also transmits an update request (including video filenames, associated virtual channel numbers and start times) to the EPG module  186  to update the EPG data for the STB/DVR unit  160  with one or more entries corresponding to the surveillance video files being recorded from the one or more video cameras associated with the one or more security events. In response to receiving a request from the recording scheduling module  190 , the EPG module  186  transmits a request to the EPG interface module  124  of CRE  120  to update EPG data for the STB/DVR unit  160  with the one or more entries corresponding to the surveillance video from one or more video cameras associated with the security events. 
     Yet further with reference to  FIG. 1 , the recording scheduling module  190  further may request the video recording/playback module  188  to stop recording the surveillance video from the one or more video cameras corresponding to the security events if no additional security events associated with the one or more camera are triggered by the security event detection module  174  within a predetermined time period (e.g.,  30  minutes or the like) from the start time of a respective surveillance video recording. The recording scheduling module  190  transmits an update request (including video filenames, associated virtual channel numbers and stop times) to the EPG module  186  to update the one or more entries corresponding to the surveillance video files in EPG database  122  for the STB/DVR unit  160 . In response to receiving a request from the recording scheduling module  190 , the EPG module  186  transmits a request to the EPG interface module  124  of CHE  120  to update EPG data for the one or more entries corresponding to the surveillance video from one or more video cameras associated with the security events for the STB/DVR unit  160  with the corresponding stop times. 
     In addition with reference to  FIG. 1 , video recording/playback module  188  may playback surveillance video stored to the STB/DVR  160  via associated surveillance entry in the EPG data stored to EPG database  122 . Specifically, a user via remote control  198  may request STB/DVR unit  160  via EPG module  186  to retrieve the EPG data from EPG database  122  for the STB/DVR unit  160 , which may include one or more surveillance entries. The user may then select a surveillance video entry for playback from the EPG data via remote control  198 . The video recording/playback module  188  may then retrieve the surveillance video stored on STB/DVR unit  160  that is associated with the surveillance entry and play the surveillance video on the display device  199 . The playback is discussed with more particularity in reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6  below. 
       FIG. 2  is a high-level diagram depicting an example connection  200  of one more devices  204 ,  208 ,  212 ,  216  via a local network  202  to a set top box/digital video recorder (STB/DVR) unit  160  in accordance with  FIG. 1 . More specifically, each of the one or more video cameras  216  may connect to the device communication module  168  of STB/DVR unit  160  via communication module  224 , the local security system  212  may connect via communication module  214 , the personal computer (PC)  208  may connect via communication module  210  and the set top box (STB)  204  may connect via communication module  206 . The connections may be wired (e.g., Ethernet and the like) or wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared and the like). The STB  204  and PC  208  may request STB/DVR unit  160  via EPG module  186  to retrieve the EPG data from EPG database  122  for the STB/DVR unit  160 , which may include one or more surveillance entries, and may playback a recorded video file stored on STB/DVR unit  160  that is associated with the surveillance entry via video recording/playback module  188 . The STB  204  and PC  208  may also schedule recordings via recoding scheduling module  190  for surveillance recording at particular times. The local security system  212  may include one or more contact closures  213  about the premises that may be open upon an intruder entering the premises. The opening of one or more of the contact closures  213  triggers the communication module  212  to transmit one or more security event messages (or signals) to the STBID VR unit  160  to be detected to received by the security event detection module  174 . The video camera  216  also includes an audio/motion sensor  222  that may transmit one or more security event message (or signals) to the STB/DVR unit  160  to be detected by the security event detection module  174 . The audio/motion sensor  222  may also trigger capture of surveillance video. The video camera  216  also includes an image processor  218  that processes captured surveillance video (via video lens) and transmits the image-processed surveillance video to the image compressor  220  that compresses the surveillance video to MPEG-2, MPEG-4 or the like and transmits the surveillance video via communication module  224  to the STB/DVR unit  160 . It is noted that the image compressor  220  may also receive audio input via a microphone (not shown) and compress the surveillance video and audio to MPEG-2, MPEG-4 or the like for transmission to the STB/DVR unit  160 . 
       FIG. 3  is flowchart that illustrates an example method  300  performed by STB/DVR unit  160  in notifying a remote system  106 ,  110  and/or  114  of a security event in accordance with  FIGS. 1-2 . The method  300  starts at operation  320 . At operation  304 , the security event detection module  174  of the surveillance subsystem  170  of STB/DVR unit  160  detects a security event (e.g., from one or more video cameras  216  and/or local security system  212 ). At operation  306 , the security event detection module  174  determines via notification preference module  172  security notifications that are required. If no notifications are required the method continues at operation  314 . If it is determined that security notifications are required at operation  308 , then at operation  310  one or more of the notification modules  178 - 182  are triggered to generate one or more notification messages including event data from the security event. Thereafter, the notification modules  178 - 182  transmit the one or more notification messages via network communication module  166  to the respective remote systems  106 ,  110  and/or  114 . The method ends at operation  314 . 
       FIG. 4  is flowchart that illustrates an example method  400  performed by STB/DVR unit  160  in recoding- surveillance video of a security event in accordance with  FIGS. 1-2 . The method  400  begins at operation  402 . At operation  404 , the security event detection module  174  of the surveillance subsystem  170  of STB/DVR unit  160  detects security events from one or more video cameras  216  and/or local security system  212 . At operation  406 , the security event detection module  174  determines whether security events are from the security system  212 . If it is determined that the security events are not from the security system  212 , the method  400  continues at operation  412 . Alternatively, at operation  408 , security event detection module  174  determines via event/camera association module  176  one or more cameras  216  associated with the security events. Thereafter, at operation  410 , the security event detection module  174  triggers the determined video cameras to transmit surveillance video to the STB/DVR unit  160 . At operation  412 , the security event detection module  174  triggers the recoding scheduling module  190  to begin recoding surveillance video received from the video cameras  216  to a storage medium (not shown) (e.g., storage medium included in or associated with STB/DVR unit  160 ) via video recording/playback module  188 . At operation  414 , the recoding scheduling module  190  assigns or associates a virtual channel number with each surveillance video from the one or more cameras  126 . Thereafter, at operation  416  the recoding scheduling module  190  insets into or adds to the electronic program guide (EPG) data in EPG database  122  for the STB/DBR  160  virtual channel entries associated with each surveillance video from the one or more video cameras  216 . This may be accomplished by the recording scheduling module  190  requesting the EPG module  186  to request update of the EPG database  122  via EPG interface module  124 . The virtual channel entry may include the surveillance video&#39;s filename on the storage medium and start time of recording. At operation  418 , the recoding scheduling module  418  triggers the video recording/playback module  188  to stop recording the video from the one or more cameras  216  after expiration of a predetermined period of time from the security event (e.g.,  30  minutes and the like). At operation  420 , the recording scheduling module  190  via the EPG module  186  and EPG interface module  124  updates virtual channel entries in the EPG data of EPG database  122  for STB/DBR  160  with stop times. The method  400  ends at operation  422 . 
       FIG. 5  is an example embodiment of electronic program guide data  500  that may be displayed by STB/DVR  160  on a display device  199 , in accordance with  FIG. 1 . Upon selection by a user via the remote control  198 , the display module  196  may display a portion of the example electronic program guide data  500  from EPG database  122  to the user on the display device  168  for a current date  502 . The user may view other portions by scrolling through electronic program guide entries via the remote control  198 . The displayed portion may include a video broadcast portion  506  including plural video broadcast entries (e.g., channels  162  through  170 ) for a block of time  504  (e.g., from 2:00 PM to 3:330 PM) and surveillance video potion  508  (e.g., channels  701  through  704 ) including plural surveillance video entries  510 - 516 . A video broadcast entry from the video broadcast portion  506  or surveillance video entry (e.g., surveillance video entry  510 ) from surveillance video portion  508  may be highlighted by the user using, for example, the remote control  198 , and a description portion  518  there for is displayed on the display device  199 . For example, description portion  518  for video surveillance entry  510  indicates that a scheduled surveillance video recording was recorded on a particular date and for a particular length of time and is available for playback on a designated channel  701 . The user may select to play the highlighted surveillance video entry  510  by tuning to the designated channel (e.g.,  701 ) associated with the surveillance video entry. Upon receiving a channel selection from user that is designated for a surveillance video entry (e.g.,  510 ), the video receiver module  192  notifies the video recoding/playback module  188  to retrieve from STB/DVR  160  surveillance video that is associated with the surveillance entry and begin playback of the retrieved surveillance video to the designated channel and the video receiver module  192  tunes to the designated channel for surveillance video entry playback. The user may also choose to play the highlighted surveillance video entry  510  by selecting a designated button (not shown) on the remote control  198 , which similarly causes the video receiver module  192  to notify the video recoding and playback module  188  to retrieve from STB/DVR  160  surveillance video that is associated with the surveillance entry and play the surveillance video and to tune to the designated channel (e.g.,  701 ). Upon termination of the-surveillance video associated with the surveillance video entry  510  playback, the electronic program guide may be once again redisplayed on display device  199 . 
       FIG. 6  is another example embodiment of electronic program guide data  600  that may be displayed by STB/DVR  160  on the display device  199  in accordance with  FIG. 1 . This embodiment of the electronic program guide data  600  illustrates only surveillance event entries  602  (e.g., example surveillance event history). Upon selection by a user via the remote control  198 , the display module  196  may display the electronic program guide data  600  to the user on the display device  199 . Electronic program guide data  600  is stored in the EPG database  122  and may include one or more surveillance video entries  602  that have been recorded by the STB/DVR  160 . It should be noted that the surveillance video entries  602  are similar to entries  508  illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Each of the surveillance video entries  602  includes a designated channel  604 , a surveillance video entry description  606 , a date of surveillance video recording  608 , a start time  610  and a stop time  612  of surveillance video recording. A selected surveillance video entry  614  may be deleted via  616  or played back via  618  by selecting an appropriate button (not shown) on remote control  198 . Playback may be accomplished in a similar fashion described above in reference to  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic representation of machine in an example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform anyone or more of the methodologies discussed herein in  FIGS. 1-6 , may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform anyone or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     Further with reference to  FIG. 7 , the example computer system  700  includes a processor  702  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both), a main memory  704  and a static memory  706 , which communicate with each other via a bus  720 . The computer system  700  may further include a video display unit  710  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system  700  also includes an alphanumeric input device  712  (e.g., a keyboard), a user interface (UI) navigation device  714  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  716 , a signal generation device  718  (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device  708 . 
     Still further with reference to  FIG. 5 , the disk drive unit  716  includes a machine-readable medium  722  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions and data structures (e.g., software  724 ) embodying or utilized by anyone or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software  724  may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  704  and/or within the processor  702  during execution thereof by the computer system  700 , the main memory  704  and the processor  702  also constituting machine-readable media. The software  724  may further be transmitted or received over a network  726  via the network interface device  708  utilizing anyone of a number of well-known transfer protocols (e.g., HTTP). 
     Lastly with reference to  FIG. 7 , while the machine-readable medium  722  is shown in the example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform anyone or more of the methodologies of an example embodiment, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such a set of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media, and carrier wave signals. 
     Certain systems, apparatus, applications or processes are described herein as including a number of modules or mechanisms. A module or a mechanism may be a unit of distinct functionality that can provide information to, and receive information from, other modules. Accordingly, the described modules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Modules may also initiate communication with input or output devices, and can operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information). The modules be implemented as hardware circuitry, optical components, single or multi-processor circuits, memory circuits, software program modules and objects, firmware, and combinations thereof, as appropriate for particular implementations of various embodiments. 
     Thus, an example system, method and machine readable medium for video surveillance within a video broadcast system have been described. Although specific example embodiments have been described, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, show by way of illustration, and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. The embodiments illustrated are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived there from, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This Detailed Description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. 
     The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 
     In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate example embodiment.