Video Data Archiving via I-Frame Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video surveillance systems face challenges in efficiently archiving large amounts of video data, particularly in multi-channel applications, due to the need for significant system resources to process and store full-motion video, which hampers real-time recording and performance.
Innovation Solution
The system preprocesses video data by separating it into I-frames and P/B-frames, storing only I-frames for long-term archival storage, allowing for efficient archiving without reprocessing, and utilizing two circular buffers with different overwrite periods to maintain full-motion video capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full-motion video is stored at maximum field rate for long-term archiving, then video quality and motion continuity are maintained, but storage resources and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential I-frames from the video stream for long-term archiving, separating them from the full video data. This extraction principle reduces storage requirements by up to 80% while maintaining the ability to reconstruct video sequences by combining I-frames with P-frames from the short-term buffer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments video data into two distinct components: I-frames stored in long-term archival storage and P-frames stored in short-term circular buffers. This segmentation allows the system to maintain video quality for archiving purposes while significantly reducing the storage burden for long-term retention.
2Quantity of substance
If video data is processed to reduce file size before archiving, then storage resources are saved, but system performance and real-time recording capability are hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary separation of I-frames and P-frames during the initial recording phase, routing I-frames directly to archival storage while P-frames go to short-term buffers. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent reprocessing and file reloading, maintaining full real-time recording performance while achieving compression.
3Quantity of substance
If only I-frames are stored for long-term archiving, then storage resources are reduced significantly, but video playback and reconstruction become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses P-frames stored in short-term circular buffers as intermediaries to bridge the gap between archived I-frames and complete video reconstruction. When playback is needed, the system retrieves I-frames from archival storage and combines them with corresponding P-frames from the short-term buffer, providing a simple reconstruction mechanism that maintains video quality.
4Duration of action of moving object
If short-term buffers retain video data for extended periods, then full-motion video capability is maintained longer, but storage resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffer management where the retention period for P-frames in short-term buffers is adjusted based on system needs. The circular buffers automatically overwrite old data when full, providing flexible short-term storage that maintains full-motion video capability for configurable periods while preventing indefinite accumulation of video data.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for and method of storing video data comprising receiving an MPEG video stream comprising l-frames and P-frames, separating the I- frames from the P-frames, storing the l-frames and the P-frames separately, and providing information so that the l-frames and the P-frames can be combined to produce a full-motion video.