Timeline Synchronization for Multi-Camera Video Surveillance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video surveillance systems face inefficiencies when managing multiple concurrent views, requiring users to manually synchronize playback cursors across independent timelines, which is time-consuming and error-prone, especially when dealing with hundreds of cameras.
Innovation Solution
The system allows for linking multiple views/subviews to synchronize the playback cursor across associated timelines, enabling users to set a playback point in one 'Master View' to automatically sync across linked views/subviews, while maintaining independent timeline resolutions and control functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple concurrent views are used to display video data from multiple cameras, then the user can monitor more cameras simultaneously, but the user must manually synchronize playback cursors across independent timelines which is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent timelines into a single shared timeline that is commonly referenced by all views. This allows the playback cursor position to be automatically synchronized across all views without manual intervention, while still allowing each view to independently select and display video data from different cameras. The shared timeline acts as a common time reference that resolves the synchronization problem.
2Ease of operation
If each view has an independent timeline for controlling playback, then each view can be controlled independently, but the user must manually locate and set the playback cursor to the same point in time in each view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independent timelines into a single shared timeline that serves all views. Each view maintains its independent camera selection and display configuration, but all views reference the same timeline for time positioning. This reduces the system from multiple independent timelines to a single shared timeline, simplifying the overall structure while preserving view independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared timeline serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides time positioning for all views, enables automatic synchronization of playback cursors across views, and allows each view to independently control which cameras are displayed. This universal timeline replaces multiple specialized timelines, reducing complexity while maintaining functionality.
3Reliability
If a single shared timeline is used for multiple views, then playback cursor synchronization is automatic, but the user loses the ability to have different timeline resolutions for different views
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the timeline functionality into two independent parts: a shared timeline that provides common time positioning and automatic synchronization, and view-specific display parameters including timeline resolution that can be independently configured for each view. This segmentation allows the timeline to serve as a universal reference while permitting each view to have its own resolution settings for optimal display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different qualities to different parts of the system: the shared timeline maintains a standard resolution for synchronization purposes, while each view can have its own timeline resolution setting optimized for its specific display requirements. This local quality approach allows automatic synchronization to function reliably while maintaining flexibility in how each view displays the timeline.
Data Source
AI summary
A video surveillance system and methods for operating that sets the timeline for multiple views of video data from different cameras to playback separately from one another or to be linked so as to synchronize their playback. Placement and selection of a playback cursor to a particular point in a timeline of master view will cause linked views to automatically move to and synchronize to the same point in their associated timelines, and when the video data is being transmitted from multiple cameras to cause the cameras displaying the linked views to update so that the video data associated with each camera is updated to the selected point in time from the linked master view. Timeline resolutions for linked views are not affected by linking or unlinking views.