Video Collection System with Automated Metadata Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for managing video data from body-wearable cameras are inefficient and require significant administrative and technical burdens for collection and storage.

Innovation Solution

A video collection system comprising body-wearable cameras, camera docks, and a video collection manager that allows for selective storage and transmission of video data, using metadata analysis to determine what data to save, transfer, and delete, with beacons and proximity tags controlling recording and storage based on location and user-specific criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If body-wearable video cameras are deployed to capture events, then event documentation capability is improved, but administrative and technical burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent documentation capabilityVSAvoidadministrative and technical burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service operation through automated metadata analysis and selective video transfer. The camera docks automatically analyze metadata from body-wearable cameras, determine which videos meet retention criteria, and transfer selected videos to central storage without requiring manual administrative intervention. This automation eliminates the need for staff to manually manage video collection, thereby reducing administrative burden while maintaining reliable event documentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The camera dock serves as an intermediary device between body-wearable cameras and central storage systems. It automatically receives videos from multiple body-wearable cameras, analyzes their metadata, and selectively transfers only relevant videos to central storage. This intermediary function simplifies the overall system architecture by automating the selection and transfer process, reducing the technical burden on administrators while ensuring reliable event capture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If all video data is transferred and stored centrally, then data availability is improved, but data transfer and storage burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata transfer and storage burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the necessary video data for central storage by analyzing metadata and applying retention criteria. Instead of transferring all video data, the camera docks identify and extract only those videos that meet predefined criteria (such as containing specific events, locations, or time periods). This selective extraction reduces the quantity of data requiring central storage and transfer while ensuring that all relevant information remains available when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial action by transferring only a subset of videos that meet retention criteria rather than all videos. The metadata analysis enables the system to identify and transfer only the necessary portion of video data, reducing storage burden while maintaining data availability for relevant events. This partial transfer approach balances data availability requirements with storage efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Quantity of substance

If video data is selectively stored based on metadata analysis, then storage efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera dock performs self-service by automatically analyzing video metadata and applying retention criteria without requiring external intervention. The system autonomously determines which videos should be retained based on metadata content, transfer them to central storage, and delete others. This self-service capability improves storage efficiency through selective retention while avoiding the need for complex manual management systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The camera dock acts as an intelligent intermediary that automatically analyzes metadata and makes selection decisions. By embedding the metadata analysis and selection logic in the dock itself, the system achieves efficient selective storage without requiring complex centralized management infrastructure. The intermediary dock handles the complexity locally, simplifying the overall system architecture while improving storage efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If manual video management is implemented, then system simplicity is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidvideo data management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service automation where camera docks automatically receive videos from body-wearable cameras, analyze their metadata, apply retention criteria, and transfer selected videos to central storage. This automation eliminates the need for manual video management operations, dramatically improving productivity in video data management while maintaining system simplicity through standardized automated processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The camera dock serves as an automated intermediary that handles the entire video selection and transfer process. By automating metadata analysis and video selection at the dock level, the system achieves high productivity in video management without requiring manual intervention. This automated intermediary function maintains operational simplicity while dramatically improving management efficiency compared to manual processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11711487B2Comprehensive video collection and storage
Publication Date: 2023.07.25 DIGITAL ALLY INC
  • US11711487B2 patent drawing
  • US11711487B2 patent drawing
  • US11711487B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A video collection system comprising a body-wearable video camera, a camera dock, and a video collection manager. The camera dock is configured to interface with the body-wearable video camera having a camera-memory element. The camera dock includes a dock-memory element configured to receive and store video data from the camera-memory element. The video collection manager is communicatively coupled with the camera dock. The camera dock sends at least a portion of the video data to the video collection manager.