Video Surveillance Server Unicast Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video surveillance systems over computer networks face challenges such as inefficient bandwidth usage, frame rate degradation, lack of user authentication, and scalability issues with multicasting and web server approaches, particularly when cameras are hidden behind firewalls, and require complex configuration and management.
Innovation Solution
A system where video sources connect to a primary video server at a public address, allowing users to access cameras without revealing their IP addresses, with the server managing frame requests and distribution, authentication, and configuration, and enabling load balancing across multiple servers for scalability and fault tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If multicasting is used to distribute video streams, then real-time video distribution is improved, but bandwidth utilization deteriorates and user authentication capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments video distribution by creating separate unicast connections for each user instead of a single multicast stream. Each user receives video data through individual TCP connections to the camera, allowing independent bandwidth allocation and eliminating the need for authentication mechanisms required by multicast protocols.
2Speed
If multicasting is used to distribute video streams, then real-time video distribution is improved, but user authentication capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a video server as an intermediary between users and cameras. The server manages authentication and authorization before establishing unicast connections to cameras, thereby providing security without requiring multicast protocol support. The server acts as a mediator that handles authentication independently of the video distribution mechanism.
3Reliability
If web server approach is used for data pull method, then user authentication is improved, but frame rate and network bandwidth utilization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active unicast connections based on real-time user requests rather than maintaining fixed multicast groups. The video server can establish, modify, or terminate connections as needed, allowing flexible frame rate delivery to each user while maintaining authentication. This dynamic connection management enables better frame rate performance compared to static web server approaches.
4Speed
If multiple cameras share a local network with multicasting, then video distribution is improved, but network resource utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by delivering video data only to specific users who request it, rather than broadcasting to all devices. Each user receives video through dedicated unicast connections, so network resources are allocated based on actual demand rather than potential demand. This eliminates wasted bandwidth from cameras sharing networks when not all devices need video data.
5Reliability
If firewalls are used to protect local networks, then network security is improved, but video stream access and control capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having cameras push video streams outward through firewalls (which blocks control channels), the system inverts the approach by having users pull video streams through the firewall to the camera. This allows firewalls to remain in place for security while still enabling video access, as incoming connections are typically permitted while outgoing connections are blocked.
6Speed
If data push method is used for video distribution, then real-time delivery is improved, but adaptability to different user requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic unicast connections that can be independently adjusted for each user based on their specific requirements. The video server can modify frame rates, resolutions, and data transmission parameters for each connection individually, providing adaptability to different user needs while maintaining real-time delivery through active TCP connections.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention consists of a system and method for transferring video images from video sources to video receivers using a video server as an intermediary. The video server creates a list of all the requests from the video receivers for a video image from a video source. The video server requests the video image from the video source and then sends the video image to each video receiver on the list. The video source is only required to send one image for any number of requests from video receivers and the video sources and video receivers have no direct connection to each other. The load of handling many video sources and many video receivers can be distributed amongst multiple video servers.