Systems and methods for managing and displaying video sources

1. A method of operating a video system for video surveillance, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of site maps, wherein each map includes a map of at least one area;

selecting, from the plurality of site maps, the map of the at least one 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; 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, 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 , the method further comprising:

receiving a set of information associated with each of the chosen video sources; and

displaying the received set of information for at least one of the chosen video sources to the user.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the set of information includes at least one of a camera identification, a scene description, a department covered by the video source, and a background image of a scene covered by the video source.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the orientation of each video source in the area.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the surroundings of each video source in the area.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map of the area depicts the spatial relationship between each video source in the area.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the potential range of directions for each video source in the area.

8. 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:

displays a plurality of site maps, wherein each map includes a map of at least one area,

receives a selection, from the plurality of site maps, the map of the at least one area, the map of the area 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, 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, 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.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor of the video management system further:

receives a set of information associated with each of the chosen video sources, and

displayed the received set of information for at least one of the chosen video sources to the user.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the set of information includes at least one of a camera identification, a scene description, a department covered by the video source, and a background image of a scene covered by the video source.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the orientation of each video source in the area.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the surroundings of each video source in the area.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the map of the area depicts the spatial relationship between each video source in the area.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the potential range of directions for each video source in the area.

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:

display a plurality of site maps, wherein each map includes a map of at least one area;

receive a selection, from the plurality of site maps, the map of the at least one area, the map of the area 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 determine video sources that cover the selected location;

receive video streams associated with the chosen video sources; 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, 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.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , further having program instructions stored therein that, when executed by a video management system, direct the video management system to:

receive a set of information associated with each of the chosen video sources; and

display the received set of information for at least one of the chosen video sources to the user.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the set of information includes at least one of a camera identification, a scene description, a department covered by the video source, and a background image of a scene covered by the video source.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the orientation of each video source in the area.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the map of the area graphically depicts the surroundings of each video source in the area.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the map of the area depicts the spatial relationship between each video source in the area.