Central monitoring/managed surveillance system and method
A method for remotely monitoring a first location. The method includes providing surveillance equipment at the first location. Data is transmitted from the security equipment via IP connectivity to a second location that is remote from the first location. The data is monitored in real-time from the second location.
1. A method of performing remote surveillance comprising:
detecting a first event at a first location via surveillance equipment;
detecting a second event at the first location via the surveillance equipment; and
alerting a central server at a second location via IP connectivity in response to the first and second events occurring within a predetermined time limit.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first event is detected by a first surveillance device and the second event is detected by a second surveillance device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined time limit is less than about one second such that the first and second events occur about simultaneously.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second events are detected by a single surveillance device.
5. A method of performing remote surveillance comprising:
detecting a first event at a first location via surveillance equipment;
assigning a first timestamp at a central server upon detecting the first event;
detecting a second event at the first location via surveillance equipment;
assigning a second timestamp at the central server upon detecting the second event;
comparing the first timestamp and second timestamp at the central server to see if a predetermined delay has passed and whether a lifetime has not expired; and
playing a global voice prompt at the first location if the central server has determined that the predetermined delay has been passed.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second event takes place at a location other than the first location.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined delay is between 1 and 5 seconds.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the predetermined delay is about 3 seconds.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surveillance equipment is at least one of a camera, a motion detector, a panic button, a door sensor, a sensor, and any combination thereof.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing communications equipment at the first location;
transmitting data from the surveillance equipment via IP connectivity to the second location;
monitoring the data in real-time from the second location;
transmitting an audio signal from the second location to the communications equipment at the first location; and
receiving an audio signal from the communications equipment from the first location at the second location.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising recording and centralizing the data.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising recording the data via a digital video recorder.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the digital video recorder includes a digital video recorder server adapted to communicate via the internet with the central server.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location is remote from the first location.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing, via a microphone at the first location, bi-directional communication with the second location.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time limit is between 1 and 5 seconds.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined time limit is about 3 seconds.
18. The method of claim 5 , wherein the surveillance equipment is at least one of a camera, a motion detector, a panic button, a door sensor, a sensor, and any combination thereof.