Systems and methods for managing and displaying video sources
A video system for video surveillance or video monitoring includes a video source, a video control system, and a video management system. The video management system is configured to receive configuration data and generate maps based on the configuration data, wherein at least one of the maps is associated with the video source. The video management system displays the map associated with the video source and displays a graphical symbol on the map which indicates the location of the video source. The video management system then receives a selection of the video source, receives information associated with the selected video source, and displays the received information.
1. A method of operating a video system for video surveillance, the method comprising:
receiving configuration data;
generating a plurality of maps based on the configuration data;
selecting, from the plurality of maps, a map of an area, the map of the area including graphical symbols indicating the location of video sources in the area;
displaying the map of the area;
receiving a selection of a location anywhere in the map of the area apart from the locations of the graphical symbols;
based on the selected location, choosing, automatically, video sources that cover the selected location;
receiving video streams associated with the chosen video sources; wherein the chosen video sources may be in different geographic location; and
displaying each of the received video streams in a window overlaid on the map of the area, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user, wherein the video streams are displayed simultaneously in adjacent windows overlaid in the map of the area displayed on a single monitor, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is operational, wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is active, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the video streams is live video from a different video camera.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: selecting one video stream, from one of the displayed video steams; displaying a set of control functions for the selected video stream; and receiving a selection from the set of control functions.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the set of control functions includes a function to change a tilt of the video camera corresponding to the selected video source.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the set of control functions includes a function to change a pan of the video camera corresponding to the selected video source.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the set of control functions includes a function to change a zoom of the video camera corresponding to the selected video source.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the set of control functions includes a function to power cycle the video camera corresponding to the selected video source.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the video streams displayed are displayed as a thumbnail view.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: selecting one of the displayed video streams, from the thumbnail view; and displaying the selected video stream in a full screen view.
10. A video system for video surveillance comprising:
a plurality of video sources;
a video control system; and
a video management system with a processor, wherein the processor
receives configuration data,
generates a plurality of maps based on the configuration data,
receives a selection of a map of an area, the map of the area (i) selected from the plurality of maps and (ii) including graphical symbols indicating the location of video sources in the area,
displays the map of the area,
receives a selection of a location anywhere in the map of the area apart from the locations of the graphical symbols,
based on the selected location, automatically determines video sources that cover the selected location,
receives video streams associated with the chosen video sources from the video control system wherein the chosen video sources may be in different geographic locations, and
displays each of the received video streams in a window overlaid on the map of the area, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user; wherein, the video streams are displayed simultaneously in adjacent windows overlaid on the map of the area displayed on a single monitor, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is operational, wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is active, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
11. The video system of claim 10 , wherein each of the video streams is live video from a different video camera.
12. The video system of claim 11 , wherein the video management system is further configured to:
receive a selection of one displayed video stream;
display a set of control functions for the video source corresponding to the selected video stream; and
receive a selection from the set of the control functions.
13. The video system of claim 12 , wherein the set of control functions includes functions to change a tilt, to change a zoom, to change a pan, and to power cycle the selected video source.
14. The video system of claim 10 , wherein each of the video streams displayed are displayed as a thumbnail view.
15. The video system of claim 14 , wherein the video management system is further configured to:
receive a selection of one of the displayed video streams, from the thumbnail view; and
display the selected video stream in a full screen view.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a video management system, direct the video management system to:
receive configuration data;
generate a plurality of maps based on the configuration data;
receive a selection of a map of an area, the map of the area (i) selected from the plurality of maps and (ii) including graphical symbols indicating the location of video sources in the area;
display the map of the area;
receive a selection of a location anywhere in the map of the area apart from the locations of the graphical symbols;
based on the selected location, automatically choose video sources that cover the selected location;
receive video streams associated with the chosen video sources; wherein the chosen video sources may be in different geographic locations; and
display each of the received video streams, in a window overlaid on the map of the area, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user, wherein the video streams are displayed simultaneously in adjacent windows overlaid on the map of the area displayed on a single monitor, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is operational, wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is active, further wherein each graphical symbol on continual display in the map of the area to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein each of the video streams is live video from a different video camera.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a video management system, direct the video management system to:
receive a selection of one displayed video stream;
display a set of control functions for the video source corresponding to the selected video stream; and
receive a selection from the set of the control functions.
19. The video system of claim 18 , wherein the set of control functions includes functions to change a tilt, to change a zoom, to change a pan, and to power cycle the selected video source.
20. The video system of claim 16 , further having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a video management system, direct the video management system to:
receive a selection of one of the displayed video streams; and
display the selected video stream in a full screen view.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of maps have a hierarchical relationship such that one map in the hierarchy provides a more detailed view of one area of another map in the hierarchy.
22. The video system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of maps have a hierarchical relationship, such that one map in a hierarchy provides a more detailed view of one area of another map in the same hierarchy.
23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of maps have a hierarchical relationship, such that one map in a hierarchy provides a more detailed view of one area of another map in the same hierarchy.