Intelligent video network protocol

Abstract

Software capabilities of a video analytics device are obtained. The software of the video analytics device is configured. An output from the video analytics device is received. The output is sent to a user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system comprising a communication layer independent of and disposed between a device and an application running on a computer, wherein:
 the device includes a plurality of channels;   the device includes a video analytics capability;   the device and the application communicate with each other via a physical network;   the communication layer has a video analytics communication protocol and an application program interface; and   the video analytics communication protocol includes:
 protocol data, 
 device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics capability of the device and video analytics output formats of the device, 
 channel configuration data comprising information indicating respective sets of analytics capabilities supported by the plurality of channels, 
 rule management data, 
 event output data, 
 user management data, and 
 video analytics metadata output data comprising metadata generated by the device and including target descriptions for targets detected and output mechanisms. 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the protocol data comprises information regarding the capabilities of the communication protocol including supported data formats, transports, and authentication mechanisms. 
     
     
         3 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication protocol further includes view management data comprising a list of views for the device. 
     
     
         4 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the rule management data comprises information regarding rules for the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         5 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the event output data comprises an alert or a count. 
     
     
         6 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the target descriptions comprise data regarding targets detected by the device. 
     
     
         7 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sets of analytics capabilities limit capabilities of the plurality of channels based on respective licenses of the plurality of channels; and   the application is operable to retrieve information of the licenses from the device via the communication layer.   
     
     
         8 . The communication system of  claim 7 , wherein for each channel of the plurality of channels, the respective license includes information indicating one or more of the following:
 enablement of the video analytics,   a calibration requirement,   a type of video analytics for which the channel is licensable,   a maximum number of rules supported by the channel,   a maximum number of views the supported by the channel, and   alerts or counts output by the channel.   
     
     
         9 . A method for communication between a device with video analytics capability and an application running on a computer, the device and the application sending messages to each other via a physical network, the method comprising:
 disposing a communication layer between the device and the application, the communication layer including a video analytics protocol and an application program interface, the communication layer being independent of the physical network; and   sending the messages between the device and the application using the video analytics protocol, the messages including:
 protocol data, 
 device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics supported by the device and includes video analytics output formats, 
 channel configuration data comprising information identifying video analytics channels on the device, and video analytics capabilities of the channels, 
 rule management data, 
 event output data, and 
 video analytics metadata output data comprising metadata generated by the device and including target descriptions for targets detected and output mechanisms defined according to the communication protocol. 
   
     
     
         10 . The communication method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining events that occurred during post real-time analysis by analyzing the metadata. 
     
     
         11 . A method for communication in a video analytics system including a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
 sending a message from a device to other devices in the system via a video analytics protocol independent of the system, the message including:
 protocol data, 
 device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics supported by the device, including video analytics output formats, 
 channel configuration data comprising information about each video analytics channel on the device, including a list of video analytics channels and supported video analytics capabilities for each channel, 
 rule management data, 
 event output data, and 
 video analytics metadata output data comprising metadata generated by the device and including object descriptions for objects detected and output mechanisms; 
   receiving at the device messages from one or more of the other devices in the system via a video analytics protocol independent of the system, the received message including
 protocol data, 
 device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics supported by the device, including video analytics output formats, 
 channel configuration data comprising information identifying video analytics channels on the device, and video analytics capabilities of the channels, 
 rule management data, 
 event output data, 
 user management data, and 
 video analytics metadata output data comprising metadata generated by the device and including object descriptions for objects detected and output mechanisms; and 
   setting up the system of devices based on the exchanged messages.   
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 an interface that couples any one of a plurality of video analytics devices to any one of a plurality of user devices;   the interface being independent of the user device and video analytics devices transmitting protocol data;   device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics supported by the device, including video analytics output formats; and   channel configuration data comprising:
 information about each video analytics channel on the device, including a list of video analytics channels and supported video analytics capabilities for each channel, 
 rule management data, 
 event output data, and 
 metadata output data comprising metadata generated by the device and including object descriptions for objects detected and output mechanisms between any one of the plurality of video analytics devices to any one of the plurality of user devices. 
   
     
     
         13 . A communication system for communication between a device with video analytics capabilities and an application running on a computer, the device and the application communicating with each other via a physical network, the communication system comprising a communication layer disposed directly between the device and the application and having a video analytics communication protocol and an application program interface. 
     
     
         14 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the video analytics protocol communication includes protocol data comprising information regarding capabilities of the video analytics protocol including supported data formats, transports, and authentication mechanisms; and   the video analytics protocol determines how to establish communication to the device using the video analytics protocol based on a user input.   
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol includes event output data comprising an alert or count that is generated by the video analytics and retrievable by polling, pushing or streaming by an application. 
     
     
         16 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol including device configuration data comprising information about the video analytics supported by the device and includes video analytics output formats and that may be modified via the application program interface. 
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol including channel configuration data defining at least part of the video analytics capability and comprising information about each video analytics channel on the device, including a list of video analytics channels and supported video analytics capabilities for each channel. 
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol including user management data comprising pre-defined roles for users. 
     
     
         19 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol including rule management data identifying video analytic rules that are active for each channel. 
     
     
         20 . The communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the video analytics communication protocol including metadata output data generated by the device and including object descriptions for objects detected and output mechanisms.