Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to data management and, more particularly, to a system of optimizing and managing and storing a plurality of incoming data streams in an efficient and cost-effective manner. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Current data management systems for storing incoming data streams typically interface to at least one internal hard drive through a SATA (Serial AT Attachment) or a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) connection. Typically, due to the large capacity and data throughput requirements, the hard drives employed in these systems are high capacity mechanical hard disk drives (HDD). As a result, current technology for capturing multiple incoming data streams limits the life cycle of HDD and their MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) and requires constant repairs because the HDDs are prone to wear out or break due to the 24/7 high demands of the video recording system. Further, the incoming data is typically stored in a random access manner negatively affecting data recording speed and creates substantial fragmentation on the HDDs which further limits the speed that data can be recorded. Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive and robust data management process which can increase the life cycle, reliability of the data (via redundant buffers) and the amount of data and number of separate streams the equipment employed can process at the same time. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a data capture system generally comprising a CPU (central processing unit), high speed data bus, a high speed non-mechanical storage device optimized for speed and random access, storage device interface, and a storage device optimized for data storage size, sequential write and cost. The data capture system is also optionally coupled an external high capacity storage system optimized for data storage size, sequential write and cost, equipped with hot swappable enclosures to provide endless data storage options. An intelligent FIFO process is used to transfer data from the high speed storage device to the storage device and from the storage device to the external storage device minimizing fragmentation and optimized for data sequential writes moving data to storage devices. The data may be further optimized while moving between 3 types of devices by the business process before transfer in order to reduce the amount of data needing to be transferred. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a hardware configuration of the data management system. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart showing how data is stored using the hardware configuration of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention presently in place. Such description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the invention presented to reference in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts. 
         [0007]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , depicted is a hardware diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention showing data system  100  receiving a plurality of incoming data streams  102 . Preferably, data streams  102  are video data streams which are received from a video surveillance system with multiple cameras. However, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the data streams can be from any high output data source. Each data stream  102  generally represents the output from one source device, such as a video recording device. However, it should be apparent that each data stream  102  could also contain the combined data from multiple devices. 
         [0008]    Data system  100  generally comprises CPU (central processing unit)  104 , high speed data bus  106 , high speed non-mechanical storage device  108 , storage device interface  110 , and storage device  112 . Data system  100  is also preferably coupled to an external storage device  114 . The various components of data system  100  are preferably contained in a single device, such as a desktop system. However, it should be apparent that the various components of data system  100  could be contained in multiple devices or distributed over a local area network (LAN). Data system  100  may also embody various form factors such as a laptop, a smart device, a tablet, or a smart phone. 
         [0009]    Data system  100  may include a user interface, a display, and an input device enabling a user to interface with the user interface. Data system  100  includes a program product including a machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, data system  100  to perform programmed steps. The program product may include software which may either be loaded onto data system  100  or accessed by data system  100 . The loaded software may include an application on a smart device. The loaded software may be accessed by the data system  100  using a web browser. Data system  100  may access the loaded software via the web browser using the internet, an extranet, intranet, host server, internet cloud, and the like. The loaded software may include processing software to manage the incoming data streams which will be described in detail later. The loaded software is preferably stored on high speed non-mechanical storage device  108 , storage device  112 , or external storage device  114 . 
         [0010]    Data streams  102  are received initially in data system  100  at CPU  104 . CPU  104  packetizes the incoming data streams and forwards them as data packets to high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  over high speed data bus  106 . High speed data bus  106  can be any high speed interface including, but not limited to, PCI, PCIe, mPCIe, and M.2. 
         [0011]    High speed non-mechanical storage device  108  is preferably a solid-state drive (SSD) with a PCI Express interface. Although SSDs currently cost more than HDDs, they have several advantages. First, SSDs require less power to operate and have no moving parts. Further, the file copy and write speeds for SSDs is generally above 200 MB/s and as high as 500 MB/s for newer drives. Further, file opening on a SSD is up to 30% faster than that on a HDD. These particular advantages allow high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  to store a much higher number of incoming data streams (e.g., 50+) than a HDD is capable of (e.g., 16 Max). Further, the data can be written to the SSD with little to no fragmentation whereas constant writing to a HDD often leads to high levels of fragmentation. Further, SSDs have a PCI Express interface (32 bit) interface whereas HDDs typically have a SAS or SATA interface (1 bit). The faster interface allows for quicker transfer of data between CPU  104  and high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  over high speed data bus  106 . 
         [0012]    It should be obvious to one skilled in the art that high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  is not limited to being a SSD. Any high speed storage device, current or contemplated, can successfully be used in data system  100  as long as the advantages provided by the SSD are maintained or surpassed. 
         [0013]    After a certain period of time, the data packets are organized and transferred to storage device  112  over storage device interface  110 . Storage device interface  110  is preferably a SATA or SAS interface. This transfer is accomplished using an intelligent First-In-First-Out (FIFO) process. Generally, the intelligent FIFO process organizes the data packets on high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  into regularly sized pieces and transfers these pieces to storage device  112  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0014]    Storage device  112  is preferably a HDD having a storage capacity equal to or greater than that of high speed non-mechanical storage device  108 . Because the data is moved from high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  to storage device  112  in a controlled manner using the intelligent FIFO process, fragmentation on storage device  112  is reduced or eliminated. Faster, because the data is written to storage device  112  in a controlled manner, random writes are eliminated and the speed of writes to storage device  112  is greatly increased (i.e., by up to a factor of 8× or more). The intelligent FIFO process also allows for storage device  112  to be a lower cost device, such as an HDD, than high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  (e.g., because storage device  112  does not have to accommodate random writes). 
         [0015]    The same intelligent FIFO process is also utilized to move the oldest data packets from storage device  112  to external storage device  114 . The connection to external storage device  114  from data system  100  may be any suitable connection such as a USB connection, a serial connection, a network connection, etc. Preferably, external storage device  114  is also a HDD. In some embodiments, as the newest data packet arrives at external storage device  114 , the oldest existing data packet is erased to free up room. Further, in some embodiments, external storage device  114  becomes full, it may be removed for archival purposes. The external storage device  114  can then be labeled with the data contained thereon (e.g., “Contains data from Apr. 20, 2015-Apr. 27, 2015”) and stored in a safe repository. Then, after a certain amount of time determined by a user, the same external storage device  114  can be reused with data system  100  after the data located thereon is no longer needed. 
         [0016]    An advantage of data system  100  is that if high speed non-mechanical storage device  108 , storage device  112 , or external storage device  114  fails, there is an approximate backup of the data on the other two devices that did not fail. This is because the intelligent FIFO process is constantly transferring data between the three devices in a continuous manner. Further, data system can easily be repaired by replacing the failed component. 
         [0017]    A further advantage of data system  100  over other current data storage devices is that the life span of storage device  112  and external storage device  114  is greatly increased (by as much as a factor of 3×). This is because data is only written to these devices using the intelligent FIFO process. That is, data is only written to these devices in large blocks at precise and known locations on the HDD. This reduces the amount that the head of the HDD needs to move during writing which greatly increases life span. 
         [0018]    Next, with reference to  FIG. 2 , shown in a flowchart depicting the process used from receiving data streams  102  until the eventual transfer of data to external storage  114 . First, data streams  102  are received at CPU  104  at step  202 . Here, the data may be further compressed (e.g., using H. 264  or other methods). Next, at step  204 , CPU  104  packetizes the received data streams  102  into one or more data packets. The data packets are then transferred to high speed non-mechanical storage device  108  over high speed data bus  106  in step  206 . Before the data packets are transferred to storage device  112  using the intelligent FIFO process, the data packets to be transferred are optimized in step  208  according to various predefined rules. 
         [0019]    For example, the received data streams  102 , in the instance that the data streams are video streams, may contain a high resolution video and a low resolution video. In certain instances, the high resolution video is deleted to reduce the amount of data that is transferred to storage device  112 . For example, the data packets may be analyzed to determine if any movement is detected in the video stream. If no movement is detected, the high resolution vide is deleted (e.g., because there is nothing in the scene). The time stamp in the video may be analyzed to determine how to process the video. For example, if the time stamp indicates that the video was taken during a predetermined range of hours (e.g., 11 PM-12 AM), only the high resolution video is transferred and the low resolution video is deleted. It should be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the data packets may be optimized using various rules to reduce the amount of data that is subsequently transferred to storage device  112 . HD streams could be eliminated from cameras that after specific time already lapsed do not require HD level of details (service rooms, back office). In case of an robbery incident, HD footage from all cameras may be very important. 
         [0020]    Next, the oldest optimized data packet is transferred to storage device  112  over storage device interface  110  in step  210 . This process is repeated until storage device  112  reaches a predetermined capacity (e.g., 90% full). If the capacity is reached at decision  212 , transfer of data from storage device  112  to external storage device  114  begins using the intelligent FIFO process in step  214  (i.e., the oldest data packet is transferred to external storage device  114  as previously described). 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, data system  100  may alert a user when external storage device is at or near full capacity. This allows a user to swap external storage device  114  for another device if desired. If a user does not swap out external storage device  114  after it is full, the oldest data packet is simply deleted as a new data packet is received from storage device  112 . 
         [0022]    The foregoing description and accompanying Figures illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. That is, additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Technology Category: 3