Video Router and Method of Automatic Configuring Thereof

Abstract

A video router comprises a multiple port Ethernet switch that may used to connect at least one Internet Protocol (IP) camera; a power over Ethernet unit that supplies power to the at least one connected IP camera; at least one network interface; and a central processing unit (CPU) capable of running a routing software that automatically discovers and configures the at least one connected IP camera.

1 . A video router, comprising:
 a multiple port Ethernet switch, wherein at least one Internet Protocol (IP) camera is connected to alt least one port of the multiple port Ethernet switch;   a power over Ethernet unit, wherein the power over Ethernet unit supplies power to the at least one connected IP camera;   at least one network interface; and   a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the CPU is capable of running a routing software.   
   
   
       2 . The video router of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit. 
   
   
       3 . The video router of  claim 2 , wherein the routing software is stored on the storage unit. 
   
   
       4 . The video router of  claim 2 , wherein the storage unit is a hard drive. 
   
   
       5 . The video router of  claim 2 , wherein the storage unit is a solid state storage device. 
   
   
       6 . The video router of  claim 2 , wherein video stream from the at least one connected IP camera is saved in the storage unit. 
   
   
       7 . The video router of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface is an Ethernet interface. 
   
   
       8 . The video router of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface. 
   
   
       9 . The video router of  claim 1 , comprising two network interfaces. 
   
   
       10 . The video router of  claim 9 , wherein a first network interface is connected to the multiple port Ethernet switch, and a second network interface is connected to a wide area network. 
   
   
       11 . The video router of  claim 1 , wherein the routing software automatically discovers and configures the at least one connected IP camera. 
   
   
       12 . The video router of  claim 11 , wherein the discovery and configuration of the at least one IP camera comprising:
 detecting manufacture and model information of the at least one connected IP camera;   assigning IP address for the at least one connected IP camera; and   automatically loading a driver compatible to the detected at least one connected IP camera.   
   
   
       13 . The video router of  claim 12 , wherein the driver is retrieved from a networked location. 
   
   
       14 . The video router of  claim 12 , wherein the driver is stored in a storage unit accessible from the video router. 
   
   
       15 . The video router of  claim 12 , wherein the discovery and configuration of the at least one IP camera further comprising:
 receiving video stream from the at least one connected IP camera, and   controlling the at least one connected IP camera with a proper control set.   
   
   
       16 . The video router of  claim 11 , wherein the routing software further provide a communication link to a surveillance server. 
   
   
       17 . The video router of  claim 16 , wherein video stream from the at least one connected IP camera is transmitted to the surveillance server. 
   
   
       18 . The video router of  claim 16 , wherein the communication link is implemented using a tunneling protocol. 
   
   
       19 . A video router, comprising:
 a multiple port Ethernet switch, wherein at least one Internet Protocol (IP) camera is connected to at least one port of the multiple port Ethernet switch;   a power over Ethernet unit, wherein the power over Ethernet unit supplies power to the at least one connected IP camera;   a first network interface connecting to the multiple port Ethernet switch;   a second network interface connecting to a wide area network; and   a central processing unit (CPU) capable of running a routing software, wherein the routing software automatically discovers and configures the at least one connected IP camera.   
   
   
       20 . The video router of  claim 19 , wherein the discovery and configuration of the at least one IP camera comprising:
 detecting manufacture and model information of the at least one connected IP camera;   assigning IP address for the at least one connected IP camera;   automatically loading a driver compatible to the detected at least one connected IP camera;   receiving video stream from the at least one connected IP camera, and   controlling the at least one connected IP camera with a proper control set.