Video analytics method and system

Abstract

A method for performing video analytics comprises capturing video data using a video source disposed at an acquisition end. The captured video data is stored at the acquisition end, and non-adjacent single frames of the captured video data are transmitted from the acquisition end to a server via an IP network. The non-adjacent single frames of captured video data are transmitted one at a time at known time intervals, or a burst of a plurality of non-adjacent single frames is transmitted at another known time interval. At the server, video analytics is performed on a current one of the non-adjacent single frames for detecting an actionable event relative to a previous one of the non-adjacent single frames. In response to detecting an actionable event, a signal for requesting previously stored video data captured between the current one of the non-adjacent single frames and the previous one of the non-adjacent single frames is transmitted to the acquisition end via the IP network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 capturing video data at a known frame rate using a video source disposed at an acquisition end and coupled to a wide area network for remote communication;   storing video data at the known frame rate at the acquisition end;   automatically analyzing a content of the video data to determine a result of the analysis;   based on the result of the analysis automatically transmitting a portion of the stored video data via the wide area network to a remote server for storage thereof; and   based on the result of the analysis automatically other than transmitting another portion of the stored video data via the wide area network to the remote server for storage thereof.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the analysis is performed remote to the acquisition end. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the remote server is provided less than the video data stored at the acquisition end. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the analysis is performed on the less than the video data stored at the acquisition end. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the less than the video data stored at the acquisition end comprises encoded video data having a frame rate lower than the known frame rate of the video data stored at the acquisition end. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the less than the video data stored at the acquisition end comprises encoded video data having lower bandwidth than the data stored at the acquisition end. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 capturing first video data at a first known frame rate using a first video source disposed at a first acquisition end and coupled to wide area network for remote communication;   capturing second video data at a second known frame rate using a second video source disposed at a second acquisition end and coupled to the wide area network for remote communication;   storing the first video data at the first known frame rate at the first acquisition end;   storing the second video data at the second known frame rate at the second acquisition end;   automatically analyzing a content of the second video data from the second video source to determine a result of the analysis;   based on the result of the analysis automatically transmitting a portion of the stored first video data from the first video source via the wide area network to a remote server for storage thereof; and   based on the result of the analysis automatically other than transmitting another portion of the stored first video data from the first video source via the wide area network to the remote server for storage thereof.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the analysis is performed remote to the second acquisition end. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the remote server is provided less than the second video data stored at the second acquisition end. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the analysis is performed on the less than the second video data stored at the second acquisition end. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the less than the second video data stored at the second acquisition end comprises encoded video data having a frame rate lower than the second known frame rate of the second video data stored at the second acquisition end. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the less than the video data stored at the second acquisition end comprises encoded video data having lower bandwidth than the second video data stored at the second acquisition end. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 capturing video data at a known frame rate using a video source disposed at an acquisition end;   transmitting non-adjacent single frames of the captured video data to at least one computer of a plurality of different computers via an IP network, the at least one computer determined to be currently inactive;   using the at least one computer of the plurality of different computers, performing video analytics on the non-adjacent single frames of the captured video data provided thereto; and,   detecting an actionable event based on a result of the video analytics performed by the at least one computer of the plurality of different computers.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the non-adjacent single frames are transmitted at a rate that is substantially slower than the known frame rate. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising providing an alarm signal in response to detecting the actionable event within the captured video data. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the non-adjacent single frames are transmitted at a rate that is substantially slower than the known frame rate.