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, wherein the configuration data includes information about video sources, information about the location of the video sources, and information about sites in which the video sources are installed;
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 the video sources in the area;
displaying the map of the area;
receiving a selection of a location anywhere on the map of the area;
based on the selected location, receiving information associated with the video sources that cover the selected location, wherein the information is data about each video source; and
displaying the received information in a window overlaid on the map of the area, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user, 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 is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
making the selection of the location by moving a cursor over at least one of the graphical symbols.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information comprises video for each of the video sources.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each graphical symbol in the map of the area displays a range of motion of a video camera corresponding to each of the video sources.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein an orientation of each of the graphical symbols indicates a direction in which each of the video sources are pointed.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information comprises data identifying each of the video sources.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information comprises data which describes a scene covered by each of the video sources.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information comprises a background image of a scene covered by each of the video sources.
9. 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, wherein the configuration data includes information about video sources, information about the location of the video sources, and information about sites in which the video sources are installed,
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 on the map of the area,
based on the location, receives information associated with the video sources that cover the selected location from the video control system, wherein the information is data about each video source; and
displays the received information in a window overlaid on the map of the are, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user, 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 is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
10. The video system of claim 9 wherein the selection of the location comprises moving a cursor over at least one of the graphical symbols.
11. The video system of claim 9 wherein the received information comprises video from each of the video sources.
12. The video system of claim 9 wherein an orientation of each of the graphical symbols indicates the orientation of each of the video sources.
13. The video system of claim 9 wherein the received information comprises a background image of a scene covered by each of the video sources.
14. The video system of claim 9 wherein the received information comprises data which identifies each of the video sources.
15. 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, wherein the configuration data includes information about video sources, information about the location of the video sources, and information about sites in which the video sources are installed;
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 on the map;
receive information associated with the video sources associated with the chosen location wherein the information is data about each video source; and
display the received information in a window overlaid on the map of the area, such that the graphical symbols are still visible to a user, 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 is visually distinguished to indicate if the corresponding video source is available.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the received information comprises video for each of the video sources.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the received information comprises data identifying each of the video sources.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the received information comprises data which describes a scene covered by each of the video sources.
19. 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.
20. The video system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of 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.
21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of maps have a hierarchical relationship, such that one map in a hierarchy provides a more details view of one area of another map in the same hierarchy.