Method for configuring networked cameras

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9866787-B2
Application number	US-201213524925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2012
Priority date	Jun 21, 2011
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras includes sending a request to the plurality of networked cameras requesting information relating to enabled storage type of each networked camera, receiving a response from networked cameras. The response includes information relating to storage type enabled in networked camera. The method further includes determining storage type to use for each networked camera that are enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means, where the determining of storage type is performed based on the information relating to enabled storage types received from these networked cameras, and sending a storage instruction to each camera for which a storage type has been determined. The storage instruction instructs a camera to store captured images on a storage means of a specific type.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras, the method comprising:
sending, by a configuration computer, a request to the plurality of networked cameras wherein the request is requesting information relating to enabled storage type of each networked camera to set an initial configuration for the plurality of networked cameras;
receiving, at the configuration computer, a response from each networked camera, the response includes information relating to storage type enabled in each networked camera, wherein the information relating to the storage type indicates whether the networked camera uses at least one of a memory card or a Networked Storage Device (NSD) for storing images;
determining, at the configuration computer, storage type to use for each networked camera that are enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means, the determining of storage type are performed based on the information relating to enabled storage types received from each of the networked cameras as available, wherein the determining the storage type to use for each networked camera includes determining that a networked camera is to use a memory card of the networked camera if the response from the networked camera indicates that a memory card is enabled for storing in the networked camera and determining that a networked camera is to use a NSD if the response from the networked camera indicates an NSD type device is enabled for storing and memory card is not included in the response as enabled for storing; and
sending, by the configuration computer, a storage instruction to each networked camera for which a storage type has been determined to be used,
wherein the storage instruction instructs each camera to store captured images on the type of storage means determined to be used,
wherein the configuration computer is not a networked camera and is disconnected after setting the initial configuration.

2. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein the act of receiving a response includes receiving a response from each camera that is enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means.

3. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein the information relating to storage type further indicates if the camera is enabled to be generally connect to an NSD for storing data or that the camera is presently connected to a specific NSD.

4. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein the storage instruction further includes a network address to an NSD.

5. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein the act of determining storage type to use includes determining that all networked cameras that are enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means are to use a Networked Storage Device, NSD, as storage means if the response from any one of these networked cameras indicate that an NSD type device is enabled for storing and that a memory card is not included in the response as enabled for storing.

6. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein in the event no response is received from a particular networked camera, set a default indication for the particular networked camera.

7. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein in the event no response is received from a particular networked camera, indicate live view available for the particular networked camera.

8. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 1 , wherein in the event no storage type is available for a particular networked camera, indicate live view available for the particular networked camera.

9. A method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras, the method comprising:
requesting, by a configuration computer, from each of the plurality of networked cameras enabled storage type information to set an initial configuration for the plurality of networked cameras;
receiving, by the configuration computer, responses from the plurality of networked cameras, wherein a response includes enabled storage type information for a particular network camera, wherein the enabled storage type information indicates whether the networked camera uses at least one of a memory card or a Networked Storage Device (NSD) for storing images;
determining, by the configuration computer, based on a corresponding response, storage type for each networked camera that is enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means, wherein the determining the storage type to use for each networked camera includes determining that a networked camera is to use a memory card of the networked camera if the response from the networked camera indicates that a memory card is enabled for storing in the networked camera and determining that a networked camera is to use a NSD if the response from the networked camera indicates an NSD type device is enabled for storing and memory card is not included in the response as enabled for storing; and
sending, by the configuration computer, a storage instruction to set the initial configuration for each networked camera for which a storage type has been determined to be used, wherein the storage instruction instructs the networked camera to store captured images on the type of storage means determined to be used, and
disconnecting the configuration computer after setting the initial configuration.

10. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 9 , wherein the act of receiving a response includes receiving a response from each networked camera that is enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means.

11. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 9 , wherein the information relating to storage type further indicates if the camera is enabled to be generally connect to an NSD for storing data or that the camera is presently connected to a specific NSD.

12. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 9 , wherein the storage instruction further includes a network address to an NSD.

13. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 9 , wherein the act of determining storage type to use includes determining that all networked cameras that are enabled to autonomously store images at a storage means are to use a Networked Storage Device, NSD, as storage means if the response from any one of these networked cameras indicate that an NSD type device is enabled for storing and that a memory card is not included in the response as enabled for storing.

14. The method for configuring a plurality of networked cameras according to claim 9 , wherein in the event no response is received from a particular networked camera, set a default indication for the particular networked camera.

Assignees

• Rehn John
• Ståhl Joachim
• Hultqvist Sebastian
• Bengtsson Daniel
• Axis Ab

Inventors

• Rehn John
• Ståhl Joachim
• Hultqvist Sebastian
• Bengtsson Daniel

Classifications

• H04N5/772 Primary

  the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure · CPC title

• H04N7/181

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

• H04N5/765

  Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus · CPC title