System and method for prioritization of data file backups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10185628-B1
Application number	US-201715834933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2017
Priority date	Dec 7, 2017
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for prioritizing backups of data on cameras. In some examples, a camera records media content items captured by the camera and detects features within respective media content items captured by the camera. The camera tags the media content items with data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items and, based on the data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items, ranks the media content items to yield respective media content item rankings. Based on the respective media content item rankings, the camera selects one or more of the media content items for a prioritized remote backup and, in response to detecting a threat to the camera, sends, according to one or more rules defined for the prioritized remote backup, data associated with the one or more of the media content items to a network destination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
recording, by a camera at a particular site, media content items captured by the camera at the particular site;
detecting features within respective media content items from the media content items captured by the camera at the particular site;
tagging the media content items with data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items;
based on the data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items, ranking the media content items to yield respective media content item rankings;
based on the respective media content item rankings, selecting one or more of the media content items for a prioritized remote backup; and
in response to detecting a threat to the camera, sending, by the camera to a network destination, data associated with the one or more of the media content items, the data being sent according to one or more rules defined for the prioritized remote backup.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content items captured by the camera at the particular site comprise at least one of video files, audio files, image files, or sensor data, wherein the features detected within the respective media content items comprise objects, events or conditions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items comprises tags, the tags identifying at least one of the objects, the events, the conditions, a respective recording time of the respective media content items, a respective quality of the respective media content items, or a respective time of capture of the at least one of the objects, the events, or the conditions.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more rules defined for the prioritized remote backup comprise at least one of:
a first instruction to send data associated with a higher ranking media content item prior to a lower ranking media content item;
a second instruction to send lower-bit rate copies of content prior to higher-bit rate copies of the content, when the lower-bit rate copies are available;
a third instruction to send at least one of a content at a reduced frame rate or a full resolution screen shot of the content, prior to sending the content at a full frame rate; or
a fourth instruction to send a selected image extracted from a frame prior to sending the frame.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein ranking the media content items is based on the tags, and wherein ranking the media items comprises, for each respective media content item:
increasing a ranking of the respective media content item based on one or more events captured by the respective media content item;
decreasing the ranking of the respective media content item as the time of capture of the respective media content item is farther from a period of time associated with the one or more events;
increasing the ranking of the respective media content item based on one or more objects captured by the respective media content item;
increasing the ranking of the respective media content item based on one or more conditions captured by the respective media content item; or
decreasing the ranking of the respective media content item when the respective quality of the respective media content item is below a threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the objects, events or conditions comprise at least one of: a presence of an object, an obstruction of a field of view of the camera, a tampering event, activity at the particular site, a fire, a flood, and a physical impact to the camera.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the object comprises a human and the features detected within the respective media content items comprise at least one of physical characteristics of the human, an emotion of the human, a gesture of the human, a facial recognition of the human, a voice recognition of the human, an activity by the human, and a context associated with the human.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the activity by the human comprises at least one of interacting with another human, witnessing an event at the particular site, or interacting with a second object, the second object comprising at least one of a communications device, a recording device, or a physical object.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the context associated with the human comprises at least one of a first proximity of the human to one or more surrounding objects or a second proximity of the human to one or more surrounding events, the one or more surrounding objects comprising one or more humans, one or more recording devices, one or more vehicles, or one or more buildings, and the one or more surrounding events comprising a conversation, an accident, an attack, a physical impact on property, a noise, or a natural disaster.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the camera, one or more predetermined conditions at the particular site, the one or more predetermined conditions comprising at least one of a presence of an object, a characteristic of the object, a camera tampering event, an event, an activity at the particular site, a fire, or a flood;
based on the one or more predetermined conditions, determining a threshold risk of damage to the camera; and
based on the threshold risk of damage to the camera, detecting the threat to the camera.

11. A camera system comprising:
one or more processors; and
at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the camera system to:
record media content items captured by the camera at a particular site;
detect features within respective media content items from the media content items captured by the camera at the particular site;
tag the media content items with data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items;
based on the data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items, rank the media content items to yield respective media content item rankings;
based on the respective media content item rankings, select one or more of the media content items for a prioritized remote backup; and
in response to detecting a threat to the camera, send, to a network destination, data associated with the one or more of the media content items, the data being sent according to one or more rules defined for the prioritized remote backup.

12. The camera system of claim 11 , wherein the features detected within the respective media content items comprise objects, events or conditions, and wherein the data identifying the features detected within the respective media content items comprises tags identifying at least one of the objects, the events, the conditions, a respective recording time of the respective media content items, a respective quality of the respective media content items, or a respective time of capture of the at least one of the objects, the events, or the conditions.

13. The camera system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more rules defined for the prioritized remote backup comprise at least one of:
a first instruction to send data associated with a higher ranking media content item prior to a lower ranking media content item;
a second instruction to send lower-bit rate copies of content prior to higher-bit rate copies of the content, when the lower-bit rate copies are available;
a third instruction to send at least one of a content at a reduced frame rate or a full resolution screen shot of the content, prior to sending the content at a full frame rate; or
a fourth instruction to send a selected ima

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Snyder Ian Matthew
• Abalos Nicholas Dye
• Gleason Peter W

Classifications

• H04N7/188

  Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position (signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253) · CPC title

• G06F11/1464

  for networked environments · CPC title

• G06F11/1451 Primary

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• H04N7/181

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• G06F11/1461

  Backup scheduling policy · CPC title