Camera certification for video surveillance systems
Cameras for use in a video surveillance system that is controlled by a video management system (VMS) may have a variety of operating characteristics and capabilities. For a VMS to communicate effectively with each camera, a file must be created for use by the VMS to that specifies how to connect with and operate the camera according to the camera's available and functioning capabilities. The verification of the camera's available/functioning capabilities and the creation of the file is a resource-consuming process known as certification. Disclosed herein are systems and methods that automate the certification process to make certifying cameras more efficient and cost effective.
1. A method for certifying cameras for use by a video management system (VMS) of a video surveillance system, the method comprising:
providing a camera for certification;
obtaining one or more capabilities of the camera;
validating the one or more capabilities of the camera;
receiving results from the validation, wherein the results comprises a pass or a fail for each of the one or more capabilities of the camera;
selecting, from one or more capabilities that received a pass, capabilities for use with the VMS;
creating, based on the selected capabilities, a file for use by the VMS to operate the camera according to the selected capabilities, wherein based on the file, the camera is certified for use by the VMS;
providing a computer that is communicatively coupled to the camera via a network;
performing the obtaining, the validating, the receiving, the selecting, and the creating using the computer; and
displaying, via a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the computer, information corresponding to the obtaining, the validating, the receiving, the selecting, and the creating;
wherein the validating comprises:
selecting, using the GUI, one or more of the capabilities of the camera for testing;
wherein each test comprises:
performing a test for each of the one or more selected capabilities in sequence;
transmitting a message to the camera from the computer to perform an operation according to one of the selected capabilities;
receiving information at the computer from the camera, wherein the information comprises information from the camera resulting from the performed operation;
comparing the received information to an expected test result; and
determining a pass or a fail for the test based on the comparison.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is an IP camera.
3. The method according to claim 1 , the operation is one or more of device capability reporting, video streaming, audio streaming, motion detecting, output relay, dry contact input pan-tilt-zoom moving, camera tampering, and edge storage.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.
5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:
using the certified camera with the VMS of the video surveillance system according to the XML file.
6. A non-transitory system for certifying cameras for use by a video management system (VMS) of a video surveillance system, the system comprising:
a camera; and
a computer that is communicatively coupled to the camera via a network, wherein the computer includes a processor that is operated by software to:
obtain one or more capabilities of the camera for certification,
validate the one or more capabilities of the camera,
receive results from the validation, wherein the results comprises a pass or a fail for each of the one or more capabilities of the camera,
select, from one or more capabilities that received a pass, capabilities for use with the VMS, and
create, based on the selected capabilities, a file for use by the VMS to operate the camera according to the selected capabilities, wherein based on the file, the camera is certified for use by the VMS;
display, via a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the computer, information corresponding to the obtaining, the validating, the receiving, the selecting, and the creating;
wherein to validate, the processor is operated by software to:
receive a selection, from the GUI, of one or more of the capabilities of the camera for testing;
perform a test for each of the one or more selected capabilities in a sequence;
wherein for each test, the processor is operated by software to:
transmit a message to the camera to perform an operation according to one of the selected capabilities;
receive information from the camera, wherein the information comprises information from the camera resulting from the performed operation;
compare the received information to an expected test result; and
determine a pass or a fail for the test based on the comparison.
7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the camera is an IP camera.
8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is operated by software to obtain, validate, receive, select, and create within a period of less than 30 minutes.
9. The system according to claim 6 , the operation is one or more of device capability reporting, video streaming, audio streaming, motion detecting, output relay, dry contact input pan-tilt-zoom moving, camera tampering, and edge storage.
10. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.
11. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a VMS running on a computer that operates the camera in a surveillance system according to the XML file.
12. A computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
providing a camera for certification;
obtaining one or more capabilities of the camera;
validating the one or more capabilities of the camera;
receiving results from the validation, wherein the results comprises a pass or a fail for each of the one or more capabilities of the camera;
selecting, from one or more capabilities that received a pass, capabilities for use with the VMS;
creating, based on the selected capabilities, a file for use by the VMS to operate the camera according to the selected capabilities, wherein based on the file, the camera is certified for use by the VMS;
providing a computer that is communicatively coupled to the camera via a network; and
performing the obtaining, the validating, the receiving, the selecting, and the creating using the computer; and
displaying, via a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display of the computer, information corresponding to the obtaining, the validating, the receiving, the selecting, and the creating;
wherein the validating comprises:
selecting, using the GUI, one or more of the capabilities of the camera for testing;
performing a test for each of the one or more selected capabilities in sequence;
transmitting a message to the camera from the computer to perform an operation according to one of the selected capabilities;
receiving information at the computer from the camera, wherein the information comprises information from the camera resulting from the performed operation;
comparing the received information to an expected test result; and
determining a pass or a fail for the test based on the comparison.
13. The computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the camera is an IP camera.
14. The computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the operation is one or more of device capability reporting, video streaming, audio streaming, motion detecting, output relay, dry contact input pan-tilt-zoom moving, camera tampering, and edge storage.
15. The computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the file is an extensible markup language (XML) file.
16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15 , the method further comprising:
using the certified camera with the VMS of the video surveillance system according to the XML file.