Multi-Resolution Video Storage for Law Enforcement Evidence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video surveillance systems in law-enforcement vehicles compress video data to reduce storage needs, but this often results in reduced clarity of images, making it difficult to identify critical details like license plates or facial features, which is problematic for evidence use in trials.
Innovation Solution
A method that compresses video data to multiple resolution levels, allowing for the storage of high-priority events at higher resolution and lower-priority events at lower resolution, with the option to discard or flag lower-resolution data when storage space is needed, using a combination of hardware and software compressors and user-selectable event categories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If video data is compressed to reduce storage needs, then storage space is efficiently utilized, but image clarity is reduced making it difficult to identify critical details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments video data into multiple resolution levels (first resolution level and second resolution level), where the first level maintains higher image clarity and the second level provides lower resolution for storage efficiency. This segmentation allows the system to store and retrieve appropriate resolution levels based on event priority, resolving the contradiction between storage space utilization and image clarity preservation.
2Measurement precision
If video data is stored at high resolution to maintain clarity, then image quality is preserved for evidence use, but storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic storage system where the resolution level of stored video data is not fixed but adapts based on event priority. High-priority events are stored at the first (higher) resolution level to maintain clarity, while low-priority events are stored at the second (lower) resolution level to conserve storage space. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by making storage quality contingent on the importance of the recorded event.
3Reliability
If all video data is retained at high resolution, then complete evidence quality is maintained, but storage capacity is quickly exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different resolution levels to different portions of video data based on their priority classification. Rather than uniformly applying high resolution to all data, the system selectively maintains high resolution (first level) only for high-priority events that require evidentiary quality, while using lower resolution (second level) for routine or low-priority events. This resolves the contradiction between maintaining evidence quality and preserving storage capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes compressing digital data of video images to a second resolution level and storing the digital data at a plurality of resolution levels. The plurality of resolution levels include a first resolution level and the second resolution level. The first resolution level is greater than the second resolution level. The method also includes receiving a category selection, responsive to the received category selection, determining whether the digital data stored at least the first resolution level is needed, responsive to a determination that the digital data stored at least the first resolution level is not needed, performing one of the following: discarding the digital data determined to not be needed; and flagging the digital data determined to not be needed to be discarded later.