Patent ID: 7348895

Claim:
A system for detecting an incident, comprising: a processor for determining a probable or impending occurrence of an incident at a location; an input for receiving images representing the location; a buffer, receiving said images, and storing at least a portion of said images commencing at or before a determination of a probable or impending occurrence by said processor, said buffer having substantially less capacity than would be required for continuous persistent storage of all of said images; and a communication link to a communications network, employing a protocol ensuring reliable transmission of information through cryptographic means, for selectively securely and reliably communicating with a remote location, at least a portion of said images stored in said buffer and at least information identifying the location, and control signals from the remote location to be processed by said processor for controlling at least communications through said communications link; wherein information stored in said buffer for a period after said probable impending occurrence is selectively preserved at least until an acknowledgement of successful receipt of an unaltered portion of said images at the remote location is received, the information received at the remote location is sufficient to establish a forensically valid record, and information stored in said buffer substantially before and substantially after said probable impending occurrence is purged from said buffer and is not selectively preserved.