(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0025599 A1
`(43) Pub. Date: Feb. 6, 2003
`
`Monroe
`
`US 20030025599A1
`
`(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`COLLECTING, SENDING, ARCHIVING AND
`RETRIEVING MOTION VIDEO AND STILL
`IMAGES AND NOTIFICATION OF
`DETECTED EVENTS
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: David A. Monroe, San Antonio; TX
`(US)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`Jackson, Walker L.L.P.
`112 E. Pecan
`suite 2100
`
`SanAntonio, TX 78205 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`09/853,274
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`May 11, 2001
`
`Publication Classification
`
`Int. Cl.7
`(51)
`(52) us. Cl.
`
`....................................................... G08B 1/00
`......................... 340/531; 340/541; 340/540;
`340/519; 340/521; 709/200;
`709/207
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method for identifying the occurrence of an event at a
`remote location; prioritizing the event; and then; based on
`the priority; forwarding the event to selected stations on a
`network incorporates a scheme for tagging the event with
`the location; type and priority of event at the point where a
`sensor picks up the event. Event data is then forwarded only
`to selected stations on the network as required by a priority
`hierarchy. This permits a large amount of data to be collected
`at the site of a sensor while minimizing transmission of the
`data to an as-needed basis; reducing the overall bandwidth
`requirements of the system. In one aspect; legacy device
`signals; appliance signals and video and still image data
`generated at a remote location includes is collected on a
`preselected basis for defining and transmitting an original
`condition to the remote location. Subsequent data is com-
`pared to the data representing the original condition. The
`transmitted data may be tagged with unique identifying
`components. The transmitted data is stored for archival;
`search and retrieval. A notification signal may also be
`generated and based on prioritization may be forwarded to
`selected recipients. Notification is also visually indicated on
`map and other graphic display monitors.
`
`'
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`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 1
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`Page 1
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 1 0f 23
`
`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 2
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 2 0f 23
`
`US 2003/0025599 A1
`
`PRIOR SCENE
`
`CURRENT SCENE
`
`23
`
`24
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`
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`
`
`# OF
`
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`
`DIFFERENCE SCENE
`
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`
`DIFFERENCE HISTOGRAM
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 3 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified v. Olivistar
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 4 0f 23
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 5
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`Page 5
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 5 0f 23
`
`US 2003/0025599 A1
`
`51
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`Unified v. Olivistar
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`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 6 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 7
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 7
`
`
`
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`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 8
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 8
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`
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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 8 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 9
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`Page 9
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 9 0f 23
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`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 10
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 10
`
`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 10 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 1 1
`
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`Page 11
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 11 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 12
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Page 12
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 12 0f 23
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 13
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Page 13
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 13 0f 23
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 14 0f 23
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 15
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Page 15
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 15 0f 23
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 16 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`PHOTOTELESIS
`
`IDLE -.
`
`NE-W IMAGE IS RECEIVED
`
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`
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`
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`
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`T0 DESIGNATED STATIONS
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`DEFINED
`
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`FIG. 16
`
`NO
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`
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`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 17 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Page 18
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 18 0f 23
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`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 19
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Page 19
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 19 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 20 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 21 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Feb. 6, 2003 Sheet 22 0f 23
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
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`US 2003/0025599 A1
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`Feb. 6, 2003
`
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING,
`SENDING, ARCHIVING AND RETRIEVING
`MOTION VIDEO AND STILL IMAGES AND
`NOTIFICATION OF DETECTED EVENTS
`
`BACKGROUND OF INVENTION:
`
`[0001]
`
`1. Field of Invention
`
`[0002] The subject invention is generally related to the
`collection, sending, archiving and retrieving of event data,
`including video and image data, and is specifically directed
`to a method for detecting, archiving, and researching said
`events and for notification of such events on a near real-time
`basis.
`
`[0003]
`
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`
`[0004] Security of public facilities such as schools, banks,
`airports, arenas and the like has been a topic of increasing
`concern in recent years. Over the past few years, a number
`of violent incidents including bombings, shootings, arson,
`and hostage situations have occurred. In addition, agencies
`responsible for public security in these facilities must cope
`with more commonplace crimes, such as drug dealing,
`vandalism, theft and the like.
`
`[0005] Such facilities frequently employ monitoring and
`surveillance systems to enhance security. This has been
`common practice for a number of years. Such systems
`generally have a centralized monitoring console, usually
`attended by a guard or dispatcher. A variety of sensors,
`cameras and the like are located throughout the facility.
`These detectors and sensors, or devices, are utilized to
`collect information at remote locations and initiate a local
`alarm, store the information for later retrieval or forward the
`information to a remote location for storage and/or near real
`time review and/or later search and retrieval. Almost all of
`such devices can be used in some form of managed network
`where one or more devices may be used in combination to
`provide a surveillance scheme over an area to be monitored.
`In prior art systems, the signal generated by each type of
`device was used locally, or if part of a network, was sent
`over a dedicated network to a remote collection point for that
`type of device. For example, prior art alarm systems can be
`monitored locally or remotely by a monitor console. Video
`surveillance systems are typically monitored locally or
`recorded by local video tape recorders.
`
`[0006] These prior-art monitoring devices often use tech-
`nologies that not ‘intelligent’ in the modem sense;
`they
`merely provide an ‘ON/OFF’ indication to the centralized
`monitoring system. The appliances also are not ‘networked’
`in the modem sense; they are generally hard-wired to the
`centralized monitoring system via a ‘current loop’ or similar
`arrangement, and do not provide situational data other than
`their ON/OFF status.
`
`[0007] Video surveillance systems in common use today
`are particularly dated—they are generally of low quality,
`using analog signals conveyed over coaxial or, occasionally,
`twisted-pair cabling to the centralized local monitoring
`facility. Such visual information is generally archived on
`magnetic tape using analog video recorders. Further, such
`systems generally do not have the ability to ‘share’ the
`captured video, and such video is generally viewable only on
`the system’s control console.
`
`[0008] Prior art systems have typically employed analog
`cameras, using composite video at frame rates up to the
`standard 30 frames/second. Many such systems have been
`monochrome systems, which are less costly and provide
`marginally better resolution with slightly greater sensitivity
`under poor lighting conditions than current analog color
`systems. Traditional video cameras have used CCD or
`CMOS area sensors to capture the desired image. The
`resolution of such cameras is generally limited to the stan-
`dard CCTV 300-350 lines of resolution, and the standard
`480 active scan lines.
`
`[0009] Such cameras are deployed around the area to be
`observed, and are connected to a centralized monitoring/
`recording system via coaxial cable or, less often, twisted-
`pair (UTP) wiring with special analog modems. The signals
`conveyed over such wiring are almost universally analog,
`composite video. Baseband video signals are generally
`employed, although some such systems modulate the video
`signals on to an RF carrier, using either AM or FM tech-
`niques. In each case, the video is subject to degradation due
`to the usual causes—crosstalk in the wiring plant, AC
`ground noise, interfering carriers, and so on.
`[0010] More recently, security cameras have employed
`video compression technology, enabling the individual cam-
`eras to be connected to the centralized system via telephone
`circuits. Due to the bandwidth constraints imposed by the
`public-switched telephone system, such systems are typi-
`cally limited to low-resolution images, or low frame rates, or
`both. Other more modern cameras have been designed for
`“web cam” use on the Internet. These cameras use digital
`techniques for transmission, however their use for security
`surveillance is limited by low resolution and by slower
`refresh rates. These cameras are also designed for used by
`direct connection to PCs, such as by Printer, USB or
`Firewire Ports. Thus the installation cost and effectivity is
`limited with the unwieldy restriction of having to have a PC
`at each camera.
`
`[0011] Prior-art surveillance systems are oriented towards
`delivering a captured video signal to a centralized monitor-
`ing facility or console. In the case of analog composite video
`signals, these signals were transported as analog signals over
`coaxial cable or
`twisted-pair wiring,
`to the monitoring
`facility. In other systems, the video signals were compressed
`down to low bit rates, suitable for transmission over the
`public-switched telephone network or the Internet.
`[0012] Each of these prior-art systems suffers functional
`disadvantages. The composite video/coaxial cable approach
`provides full-motion video but can only convey it to a local
`monitoring facility. The low-bit rate approach can deliver
`the video signal to a remote monitoring facility, but only
`with severely degraded resolution and frame rate. Neither
`approach has been designed to provide access to any avail-
`able video source from several monitoring stations.
`[0013] Another commonplace example is the still-image
`compression commonly used in digital cameras. These com-
`pression techniques may require several seconds to com-
`press a captured image, but once done the image has been
`reduced to a manageably small size, suitable for storage on
`inexpensive digital media (e.g., floppy disk) or for conve-
`nient transmission over an inexpensive network connection
`(e.g. via the internet over a 28.8 kbit/sec modem).
`[0014] Prior-art surveillance systems have been oriented
`towards centralized monitoring of the various cameras.
`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 25
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`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 25
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`While useful, this approach lacks the functional flexibility
`possible with more modern networking technologies.
`
`[0015] Video monitoring and surveillance of locations or
`areas for security, safety monitoring, asset protection, pro-
`cess control, and other such applications by use of closed
`circuit television and similar systems have been in wide-
`spread use for many years. The cost of these systems has
`come down significantly in recent years as the camera and
`monitor components have steadily dropped in cost while
`increasing in quality. As a result, these systems have pro-
`liferated in their application and are proving extremely
`useful for both commercial and residential applications.
`
`[0016] These “closed circuit television” systems typically
`consist of a monochrome or color television camera, a
`coaxial cable, and a corresponding monochrome or color
`video monitor, optional VCR recording devices, and power
`sources for the cameras and monitors. The interconnection
`
`of the camera and monitor is typically accomplished by the
`use of coaxial cable, which is capable of carrying the 2 to 10
`megahertz bandwidths of baseband closed circuit television
`systems. There are several
`limitations to coaxial cable
`supported systems. First, the cable attenuates by the signal
`in proportion to the distance traveled. Long distance video
`transmission on coaxial cable requires expensive transmis-
`sion techniques. Second, both the cable, per se, and the
`installation is expensive. Both of these limitations limit
`practical use of coaxial closed circuit systems to installations
`requiring less than a few thousand feet of cable. Third, when
`the cable cannot be concealed is not only unsightly, but is
`also subject to tampering and vandalism.
`
`[0017] Other hardwired systems have been used, such as
`fiber optic cable and the like, but have not been widely
`accepted primarily due to the higher costs associated with
`such systems over coaxial cable. Coaxial cable, with all of
`its limitations, remains the system of choice to the present
`day. Also available are techniques using less expensive and
`common twisted pair cable such as that commonly used for
`distribution of audio signals such as in telephone or office
`intercom applications. This cable is often referred to as UTP
`(twisted pair) or STP (shielded twisted pair) cable. Both
`analog and digital configurations are available. Both analog
`and digital techniques have been implemented. This general
`style of twisted pair cable but in a more precise format is also
`widely used in Local Area Networks, or LAN’s, such as the
`10Base-T Ethernet system, 100 Base-T, 1000 Base-T and
`later systems. Newer types of twisted pair cable have been
`developed that have lower capacitance and more consistent
`impedance than the early telephone wire. These newer types
`of cable, such as “Category 5 ” wire, are better suited for
`higher bandwidth signal transmission and are acceptable for
`closed circuit video applications with suitable special digital
`interfaces. By way of example, typical audio voice signals
`are approximately 3 kilohertz in bandwidth, whereas typical
`video television signals are 3 megahertz in bandwidth or
`more. Even with the increased bandwidth capability of this
`twisted pair cable, the video signals at base band (uncom-
`pressed) can typically be distributed directly over twisted
`pair cable only a few hundred feet. In order to distribute
`video over greater distances, video modems (modulator/
`demodulators) are inserted between the camera and the
`twisted pair wiring and again between the twisted pair
`wiring and the monitor. Twisted pair cable is lower in cost
`than coaxial cable and is easier to install. For the longest
`
`the video signals are
`distances for distribution of video,
`digitally compressed for transmission and decompressed at
`the receiving end.
`
`[0018] Wireless systems utilizing RF energy are also
`available. Such systems usually consist of a low power UHF
`transmitter and antenna system compatible with standard
`television monitors or receivers tuned to unused UHF chan-
`
`nels. The FCC allows use of this type of system without a
`license for very low power levels in the range of tens of
`milliwatts. This type of system provides an economical link
`but does not provide transmission over significant distances
`due to the power constraints placed on the system. It is also
`highly susceptible to interference due to the low power
`levels and share frequency assignments. The advantage of
`this system over hardwired systems is primarily the ease of
`installation. However, the cost is usually much higher per
`unit, the number of channels is limited and system perfor-
`mance can be greatly affected by building geometry or
`nearby electrical interference. Further, the video is not as
`secure as hardwired systems. The video may be picked up by
`anyone having access to the channel while in range of the
`transmitter and is thus, easily detected and/or jammed.
`
`[0019] Because of the inherent limitations in the various
`closed circuit television systems now available, other media
`have been employed to perform security monitoring over
`wider areas. This is done with the use of CODECs (com-
`pressors/decompressors) used to reduce the bandwidth.
`Examples include sending compressed video over standard
`voice bandwidth telephone circuits, more sophisticated digi-
`tal telephonic circuits such as frame relay or ISDN circuits
`and the like. While commonly available and relatively low
`in cost, each of these systems is of narrow bandwidth and
`incapable of carrying “raw” video data such as that produced
`by a full motion video camera, using rudimentary compres-
`sion schemes to reduce the amount of data transmitted. As
`
`previously discussed, full motion video is typically 2 to 10
`megahertz in bandwidth while typical low cost voice data
`circuits are 3 kilohertz in bandwidth.
`
`[0020] There are known techniques for facilitating “full
`motion” video over common telecommunication circuits.
`
`The video teleconferencing (VTC) standards currently in use
`are: Narrow Band VTC (H.320); Low Bitrate (H.324);
`ISO-Ethernet (H.322); Ethernet VTC (H.323); ATM VTC
`(H.321); High Resolution ATM VTC (H.310). Each of these
`standards has certain advantages and disadvantages depend-
`ing upon the volume of data, required resolution and costs
`targets for the system. These are commonly used for video
`teleconferencing and are being performed at typical rates of
`128K, 256K, 384K or 1.544M bit for industrial/commercial
`use. Internet teleconferencing traditionally is at much lower
`rates and at a correspondingly lower quality. Internet VTC
`may be accomplished at 33.6 KBPS over dial-up modems,
`for example. Video teleconferencing is based on video
`compression, such as the techniques set forth by CCITT/ISO
`standards, Internet standards, and Proprietary standards or
`by MPEG standards. Other, sometimes proprietary, schemes
`using motion wavelet or motion JPEG compression tech-
`niques and the like are also in existence. There are a number
`of video teleconferencing and video telephone products
`available for transmitting “full motion” (near real-time)
`video over these circuits such as, by way of example,
`systems available from AT&T and Panasonic. While such
`devices are useful for their intended purpose, they typically
`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 26
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 26
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`are limited in the amount of data, which may be accumulated
`and/or transmitted because they do not rely on or have
`limited compression. There are also devices that transmit
`“live” or in near real-time over the Internet, such as Quick-
`Cam2 from Connectix, CU-See-Me and Intel products uti-
`lizing the parallel printer port, USB port, Firewire port, ISA,
`PCI card, or PCMCIA card on a laptop computer. Many of
`these are personal communications systems do not have the
`resolution, the refresh rate required or the security required
`to provide for good surveillance systems. NetMeeting from
`Microsoft and Proshare software packages from Intel also
`provide low quality personal image distribution over the
`Internet.
`
`[0021] All of the current low cost network products have
`the ability to transmit motion or “live” video. However, such
`products are limited or diflicult, if not impossible, to use for
`security applications because the resolution and refresh rate
`(frame rate) of the compressed motion video is necessarily
`low because of limited resolution of the original sample and
`the applications of significant levels of video compression to
`allow use of the low bandwidth circuits. The low resolution
`
`of these images will not allow positive identification of
`persons at any suitable distance from the camera for
`example. The low resolution would not allow the reading of
`an automobile tag in another example.
`
`[0022] As these devices, particularly digital video cameras
`and encoders, come in more widespread use within a system,
`the amount of bandwidth required to transmit continuous,
`“live” images from an array of cameras is staggering. This
`is even a greater problem when retrofitting current facilities
`where it is desired to use current wiring or to incorporate
`wireless networking techniques. Even where the conduits
`are of sufficient capacity to handle the data load, storage and
`retrieval becomes an enormous task. It is, therefore, desir-
`able to provide a system capable of maximizing the infor-
`mation available via a security system while at the same time
`minimizing transmission and storage requirements.
`
`is desirable to
`In many security applications it
`[0023]
`monitor an area or a situation with high resolution from a
`monitor located many miles from the area to be surveyed. As
`stated, none of the prior art systems readily available accom-
`modates this. Wide band common carriers such as are used
`
`in the broadcast of high quality television signals could be
`used, but the cost of these long distance microwave, fiber or
`satellite circuits is prohibitive.
`
`[0024] None of the prior art systems permit structured and
`controlled notification based on the identification of events
`
`as they occur. Even those that do permit some limited
`notification, for example, alarm systems sending a telephone
`signal to a monitoring station, do not provide detailed event
`information. Such systems are more global in configuration,
`simply sending a notification that an event has occurred at a
`monitored facility.
`
`SUMMARY OF INVENTION
`
`[0025] The system of the subject invention is a sophisti-
`cated situational awareness system that is network based.
`The elements of the system include digital surveillance
`information collection, information processing system, auto-
`mated dispatch, logging, remote access and logging. The
`system consists of intelligent sensors, servers, and monitor
`stations all interconnected by wired and wireless network
`
`connections over potentially wide geographic areas. The
`system includes a variety of system appliances such as
`surveillance cameras, sensors and detectors and accommo-
`dates legacy equipment, as well. Traditional information is
`collected, analyzed, archived and distributed. This includes
`raw sensor data such as images, video, audio, temperature,
`contact closure and the like. This information has been
`
`traditionally collected by legacy closed circuit television
`systems and alarm systems. The system digitizes all of this
`information and distributes it to the monitor stations and to
`
`a notification processor. The processor analyzes the infor-
`mation and dispatches security and/or administrative per-
`sonnel based upon events such as motion detection or a
`triggered sensor in a particular area in a particular time
`window when the system is “armed”. Administrative and
`maintenance triggers may also be generated.
`[0026] The subject invention is directed to a method for
`identifying the occurrence of an event at a remote location,
`qualifying the event as to its type, prioritizing the event, and
`then, based on the qualification and the priority, forwarding
`the event to selected stations on a network. Basically, the
`location, type and priority of event are “tagged” at the point
`where a sensor picks up the event and event data is then
`forwarded only to selected stations on the network as
`required by a qualification system and a priority hierarchy.
`This permits a large amount of data to be collected at the site
`of a sensor while minimizing transmission of the data to an
`“as-needed” basis, reducing the overall bandwidth require-
`ments of the system and focusing the notification to the
`specific individuals or organizations
`that need to be
`involved. As an example, while periodic data may be
`gathered at a sensor, only data indicating a change in
`condition will be transmitted to various monitoring stations.
`In addition, monitoring stations are selected based on pre-
`established hierarchy, typically managed by a system server.
`[0027] On aspect of the invention provides for continuous
`or selective monitoring of a scene with live video to detect
`any change in the scene while minimizing the amount of
`data that has to be transmitted from the camera to the
`
`monitoring station and while at the same time maximizing
`storage, search and retrieval capabilities. Another aspect of
`the invention is a method of event notification whereby
`detected events from sensors, sensor appliances, video appli-
`ances, legacy security alarm systems and the like are pro-
`cessed and a comprehensive and flexible method of notify-
`ing individuals and organizations is provided using a
`plurality of methods, such as dial up telephones, cellular and
`wireless telephones, pagers, e-mail to computers, digital
`pagers, cellular phones, wireless PDA’s, and other wireless
`devices, and direct network notification to workstations
`based on I/P addressing such as to workstations, digital
`pagers, digital cellular phones, wireless PDA’s and other
`network and wireless devices. The preferred embodiments
`of the invention are directed to a method for collecting,
`selecting and transmitting selected scene data available at a
`camera to a remote location includes collecting the image
`data on a preselected basis at the camera and defining and
`transmitting an original scene to the remote location. Sub-
`sequent data of the scene is compared to the data represent-
`ing the scene in its original state. Only subsequent data
`representing a change is the original scene is transmitted.
`Each transmitted data scene may be tagged with unique
`identifying data. The transmitted data is stored for archival,
`search and retrieval. The selection scheme of the invention
`
`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 27
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`Unified Exhibit 1003
`Unified v. Olivistar
`Page 27
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`Feb. 6, 2003
`
`also permits notification of the detected events to be sent via
`a network to selected monitoring stations.
`
`[0028] The system of the subject invention has a wide
`range of versatility, beginning with normal default modes
`that make the system fully operational and including pro-
`grammable modes for customizing the