Video Feed Authentication via Projected Illuminated Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Video cameras used for security monitoring are vulnerable to attacks that interfere with the capturing or transmission of video streams, such as displaying a still image or tapping into communications links to transmit a looped video, which can go undetected by human or automated monitors.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a projector and an analyzer circuit to form and authenticate an illuminated pattern within the video camera's field of view, where the pattern encodes a numerical value, such as time, and is verified in the video stream, with the analyzer taking mitigation actions if the pattern is absent or incorrect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If video cameras are used for security monitoring, then surveillance capability is provided, but vulnerability to attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by projecting an illuminated pattern before the video camera captures the scene. The analyzer circuit checks for the presence of this pre-projected pattern in the captured video stream, ensuring the camera is not being fooled by a still image or looped video. This preliminary verification action prevents attacks before they can compromise the surveillance system.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If an illuminated pattern is projected and authenticated in the video stream, then attack detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illuminated pattern serves multiple functions: it acts as an authentication marker to detect attacks, provides a reference for the analyzer circuit to verify video stream integrity, and can be used to identify the temporal and spatial characteristics of the scene. This multi-functionality improves attack detection capability while avoiding the need for separate complex authentication mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The illuminated pattern acts as an intermediary element between the video camera and the analyzer circuit. Instead of directly analyzing the video stream for authenticity, the system uses the projected pattern as a mediator that the camera captures and the analyzer then verifies, simplifying the authentication process while maintaining high detection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively detects and prevents attacks by ensuring the presence of the expected illuminated pattern in the video stream, thereby securing the video feed and alerting security personnel or automated systems to potential compromises.
Implementation Method 1
a first projector configured to form an illuminated pattern within a first field of view of a video camera
Implementation Method 2
the video camera is configured to capture the illuminated pattern within the first field of view
Implementation Method 3
the first analyzer circuit may be configured to determine whether the illuminated pattern is present in a video stream produced by the video camera
Data Source
AI summary
Video cameras are used for monitoring, e.g., for security, in various applications, such as monitoring property, or ingress or egress points from buildings. Such video cameras may be vulnerable to various kinds of attack, which may seek to interfere with the capturing of a video stream by the camera, or with the subsequent transmission of the video stream. As such, systems and methods for authenticating video feeds are provided.