KR20060059729A - Remote video and audio monitoring device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote video and audio surveillance apparatus and method combining a digital video recorder device that converts a video image to digital, compresses it, and stores it on a hard disk drive, and an Observation System, which is a security surveillance device. It is about. The present invention not only performs a general digital video recorder function, but also converts and compresses a video signal and a two-way audio signal from an observation camera at an installed location for security surveillance to be stored on a hard disk drive for later retrieval. By providing efficient monitoring.

Observation System, Digital Video Recorder, Observation Camera

Description

The apparatus and method for remote video and audio monitoring

1 is a block diagram of an observation system according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram of a digital video recorder according to the prior art.

3 is a block diagram of an observer digital video recorder according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart for recording an acoustic signal according to the present invention.

******** Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawing *********

100: Observation camera 110: Observation system

111: video multiplexer 112: central processing unit

113: audio control block 114: monitor

115: microphone 116: speaker

120: video cassette recorder 200: digital video recorder

210: video decoder 220: audio codec

230: video audio compression decompression unit 240: video encoder

250: central processing unit 260: hard disk drive

300: Observation camera 310: External input

320: Observation digital video recorder

321: video decoder 322: audio codec

323: Video audio compression decompression unit 324: Video encoder

325: central processing unit 326: hard disk drive

327: Video input unit 328: Audio input unit

329: alarm input unit 330: microphone

331: speaker

The present invention relates to an observation system, which is a conventional analog video and sound monitoring device, and more particularly, to a digital video recorder device that performs A / D conversion on a digital conversion process and then compresses, stores, monitors, and searches a hard disk drive. The present invention relates to a remote video and audio surveillance apparatus and method for connecting an existing observation system to one system.

1 is a view schematically showing an observation system which is a video image surveillance apparatus according to the prior art. Observation system 110 is a device that receives the video and audio signals from the plurality of observation camera 100 to create a multi-screen image through the video multiplexer 111 to show on the monitor 114 for convenient monitoring. In addition, the audio output of the channel or the channel to be monitored can be monitored by the internal speaker 116 or the audio channel of the alarm channel or the channel to which the alarm occurs. At this time, the interface with the camera is configured to integrate the necessary input and output, such as camera power, video input, audio input and output, alarm input to a single connector to facilitate installation. The observer camera 100 used with the observer system may be directly powered by the observer system, and is provided with audio input / output, an alarm input, and the like to fit the observer interface as well as a video output of a general camera.

The observer system 110 thus receives a selected audio input using a multi-screen function for simultaneously viewing multiple channels and a two-way dialogue with the channel being monitored, listening to the speaker 116 or using the built-in microphone 115. By outputting audio through it, it is possible to have a video chat with the monitoring place. However, in order to preserve the contents of the multi-screen video or video conversation, conventionally, an analog signal has been output and stored in a video tape of the VCR 120 provided separately.

2 shows an example of the configuration of the digital video recorder 200. After converting the analog video signal and the audio signal of several channels into digital using the video decoder 210 and the audio codec 220, the video audio compression and recovery unit 120 is compressed and then the hard disk through the central processing unit 250 The device stores the data in the drive 260, restores and retrieves the data if necessary, and displays the data through the video encoder 240. The number of channels provided is usually composed of 4 channels, 8 channels, 9 channels, 16 channels video and audio input and output. In this case, the channel refers to each of the video inputs that the digital video recorder 200 can accept.

When an alarm input occurs or a motion occurs in the video image input, the preset video and audio may be recorded and recorded, and the necessary data may be searched by a search program separately provided in the central processing unit 250.

When the digital video recorder digitally converts and compresses and stores the data in the hard disk drive 260, it can be recorded and stored for a long time as compared to the video tape of the existing VCR 120. It's easy. Remote monitoring is also possible via the network.

In the observation system 110 according to the related art, the VCR 120 is used as a means for performing security surveillance or storing a video. However, when video and audio are stored on the videotape through the VCR 120, the videotape, which is a storage medium, needs to be replaced at regular intervals, making maintenance difficult and the image quality vary depending on the state of the videotape. Will be needed. In addition, there was a problem that the search is difficult because the data must be found sequentially.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and by providing an apparatus combining an observing system and a digital video recorder, not only performs the conventional observation function but also adds the function of a digital video recorder to provide security surveillance. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for enabling efficient security surveillance by digitally converting, compressing, storing, and retrieving digital video signals and bidirectional audio signals from an observation camera installed at an installation site. .

Observation digital video recorder according to the present invention for achieving the above technical problem has the function of the conventional observation system, it is configured in the form of combining the digital video recorder function. It includes a video input unit, an audio input unit, an audio input unit, an alarm input unit, a video decoder, an audio codec, a video audio decompression unit, and a video encoder that can selectively receive video, audio, and alarm inputs of an observer camera.

 In the present invention, a microphone and a speaker are included for the conversation function of the observer, so that the surveillance image and the bidirectional sound signal of the observer system can be controlled, converted into a digital signal, compressed and stored, and then searched if necessary.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating an observer digital video recorder system according to the present invention. The present invention uses an observation digital video recorder 320 developed according to the present invention, such as an observation camera 300 according to the observation system and an external input 310 such as a video signal by a general surveillance camera. Can be transformed, compressed and stored for later retrieval and efficient security surveillance.

 Observation camera 300 is a camera for performing the monitoring mission according to the observation system is configured to enable the monitoring and data transmission of the security location through the audio information, alarm output as well as image information. The external input 310 includes an image input by a general surveillance camera, an audio input collected by an external microphone installed separately from the observation camera 300, and an alarm input generated according to a monitoring situation. The observer digital video recorder 320 according to the present invention is configured to process the observer camera 300 and normal video and audio inputs, including the functions required by a conventional digital video recorder system.

That is, the observer digital video recorder 320 includes a video decoder 321 for converting an externally input image signal to digital, and an audio codec for converting an externally input sound signal to digital ( 322, the video decoder 321 and the audio codec 322 include a video and audio compression restoring unit 323 which serves to compress the digitally converted video and audio information or restore the compressed information to the original information. It is configured by.

In the video input unit 327 of the observer digital video recorder 320 according to the present invention, any one of an image input by the observer camera 300 or an image input 310 by a general surveillance camera is input, that is, to be recorded. It is configured to select a video input or to input two video inputs at the same time. In this case, a composite signal or an S-Video signal may be used as the video input signal of the observing camera 300 selected by the video input unit 327 and the video input signal of a general surveillance camera. A typical surveillance camera may be a surveillance camera commonly referred to as a closed circuit television (CCTV), and an input signal of the CCTV may be a PAL or NTSC system.

The audio input unit 328 of the observer digital video recorder 320 according to the present invention may be any one of a sound input collected by audio attached to the observer camera 300 or a general sound input collected by a separate external microphone. The input may be configured to select a sound input to be recorded, or may be configured to simultaneously input two sound inputs.

According to the present invention, as the conversation mode is enabled, not only the two-way audio signal can be transmitted and received, but also the contents of the conversation can be recorded. In order to implement the conversation mode, it is assumed that an internal microphone 330 and a speaker 331 are built in the observer digital video recorder 320 to collect external sound input and transmit user sound information. The sound information collected by the observer camera 300 when collecting the external sound input may be collected by a microphone built in the observer camera 300 or through a separate microphone for the observer camera 300. Normal external sound input collection is collected through a separate microphone for a conventional surveillance camera.

In addition, the alarm input unit 329 of the observer digital video recorder 320 performs an operation of recording, recording, or outputting an alarm output or an alarm output set at the occurrence of an alarm for an observation alarm or a general alarm input. Will be performed. The alarm input includes a function to select one of both the alarm input of the observation camera and the general alarm input signal, or both.

The interface that connects the Observation camera directly to the digital video recorder uses a connector configured to connect the video input, audio input, audio output, alarm input and power output terminal.

Meanwhile, the video input unit 327, the audio input unit 328, and the alarm input unit 329 are controlled by the central processing unit 325, and the volume control of the speaker 331 is performed through a variable resistor.

The video decoder 321 converts the analog video signal of the video input 310 by the observation camera 300 selected by the video input unit 327 and / or the video input 310 of the conventional surveillance camera into a digital video signal. In charge of.

The audio codec 322 is responsible for converting a bidirectional sound signal into a digital signal or an analog signal. When receiving a sound signal from the monitoring target, it is in charge of digital conversion and if necessary, it is compressed and stored in the hard disk.

The video audio compression decompression unit 323 is responsible for compressing the video information or the sound information converted into the digital signal by the video decoder 321 or the audio codec 322, or to restore the compressed video information or sound information. In order to compress video information, H.261 or MPEG II technology is generally applied and H.264 or MPEG IV may be used. The video audio decompression unit 323 may be implemented as a single chip, but in some cases, may be implemented as a single chip including the video decoder 321 or the audio codec 322. In addition, the video audio decompression unit 323 and the central processing unit 325 may be implemented as a single chip. The compressed image or compressed sound information of the video audio decompression unit 323 may be stored in the hard disk of the hard disk drive 326 through the central processing unit 325. The video encoder 324 converts the digital image information restored by the video audio decompression unit 323 into analog image information and provides the same to the user.

As described above, the video signal obtained by the observer camera 300 and / or the general surveillance camera is received by the video input unit 327 and then stored in the hard disk of the hard disk drive 326 through digital conversion and compression. As a result, the normal monitoring function is performed.

On the other hand, the conversation mode in which the two-way audio signal transmission and reception is started by the operation of the microphone of the observer digital video recorder 320 by the user and, if necessary, it is possible to record the conversation contents. When recording a conversation, an audio signal, which is an analog signal, is converted into a digital signal by the audio codec 322 and then stored in the hard disk of the hard disk drive 326 through the central processing unit 325. If a sound signal of the observer camera 300 is selected as a target to be recorded by the user, a sound input that is an external signal collected by a speaker built in the observer camera 300 or a separate speaker may be recorded. . In the case of switching to the conversation mode during recording of the external signal, the CPU 325 controls the audio input unit 328 to record the microphone sound input by the user so that the bidirectional sound input can be recorded.

4 is a flowchart for recording an acoustic signal according to the present invention.

When the audio input signal received from the observer camera 300 and the general audio input signal monitored by the normal surveillance camera are received by the observer digital video recorder 320, the audio of the observer digital video recorder 320 is received. The input unit 328 determines which of the external sound input signals to receive and then selects it (S100). In some cases, the audio input unit 328 may input both sound input signals. It is determined whether the external sound input signal input by the user is a sound input signal received from the observer camera 300 (S200), and if it is not a sound input signal received from the observer camera 300, a general surveillance camera. Recording the general sound input signal collected by (S300).

If the external sound input signal input by the user is a sound input signal received from the observation camera 300, the sound input signal of the observation camera 300 is recorded and the sound input of the received observation camera 300 is received. The signal is connected to the internal speaker of the observer digital video recorder 320 (S400). The user can not only receive a sound signal of the monitoring target selected by the user through the speaker, but also enable two-way conversation with the monitoring target through a microphone built in the observer digital video recorder 320.

On the other hand, the video input unit 160 is selected from the video input signal received from the observation camera 300 and the video input signal collected by the normal surveillance camera, that is, the monitoring target selected when the external sound signal is selected by the audio input unit 328 Video input signals from the camera can also be recorded. Therefore, the video and sound information of the monitoring target selected by the user can be stored at the same time.

When the sound input signal received from the observation camera 300 is selected and connected to the speaker, the user may select whether to operate the conversation mode (S500). As described above, in the conversation mode in which the two-way audio signal is transmitted and received, the conversation function is started by operating the microphone of the observer digital video recorder 320, and the conversation contents can be recorded when necessary.

When the chat mode is selected and the chat function is operated, the sound signal provided to the user by being connected to the microphone 330 installed inside the observer digital video recorder 320 is a sound input signal received from the observer camera 300. As a user, the user may record a two-way sound signal, that is, the received sound input signal and the user's transmitted sound signal (S600). When the conversation function does not operate as the conversation mode is not selected, only the sound input signal received from the observation camera 300 is recorded (S700).

This makes it possible to compress and store video and audio data of a desired channel on a hard disk drive, and retrieves it when necessary for convenient and efficient security and surveillance.

The technical spirit of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this is by way of example only and not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, it is obvious that any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and imitations without departing from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

 According to the present invention, the Observation Digital Video Recorder not only performs a Digital Video Recorder function but also digitally converts the video signal and the two-way sound signal from the Observation Camera in the installed place for security surveillance. The ability to compress, store, and monitor the hard disk drive provides the ability to simultaneously record video and audio information to be monitored and retrieve it later for efficient security and surveillance.

Claims (5)

A remote video and sound monitoring apparatus connected to first and second monitoring means for performing sound and video surveillance, A video input unit for inputting a video signal from the first monitoring means and / or a video signal from the second monitoring means; An audio input unit for inputting a sound signal from the first monitoring means and / or a sound signal from the second monitoring means; A converter for converting a video signal and an audio signal input by the video input unit or the audio input unit into a digital signal and then compressing or restoring the compressed digital signal; A video encoder for converting the digital video signal of the converter into an analog video signal and providing the same to the user; A data storage unit for storing the digital signal compressed by the converter by a central processing unit; Sound output means for receiving a sound signal selected by the audio input unit through the conversion unit and providing the same to a user; And a sound input means for transmitting a user's voice signal to the first monitoring means or the second monitoring means in the conversation mode. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion unit A video decoder for converting an image signal selected by the video input unit into a digital signal; An audio codec for converting a sound signal selected by the audio input unit into a digital signal or an analog signal; And And a video audio compression decompression unit for compressing the digital signal converted by the video decoder or the audio codec or restoring a compressed digital file stored in the memory unit. The remote video and audio monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm input unit for inputting alarm information from the first monitoring means or alarm information from the second monitoring means. The method of claim 1, wherein the video and audio decompression unit and the central processing unit are implemented as one chip. In the remote video and sound monitoring method connected to the first monitoring means and the second monitoring means for performing sound and video surveillance, Selecting a reception target sound input by an audio input unit; Determining whether the receiving object sound input is a sound input from a first monitoring means; Recording the received sound input if the sound object to be received is not the sound input from the first monitoring means; Recording the received sound input and connecting it to a speaker when the sound input to be received is a sound input from the first monitoring means; Recording a received sound input from the first monitoring means connected to a speaker when the talk mode is not in a talk mode; Remote video and audio monitoring method comprising the step of recording the two-way transmission and reception sound signal in the conversation mode.

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