System and method for capturing and delivering video images

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system and method for providing, over a network, updated and accurate video segments of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. At least one camera forms a part of the system receiving a set of instructions to capture a video segment of a predetermined duration at predetermined time intervals. Users of the system request video segments or video streamed from a selected camera, which is subsequently transmitted by the system, over a network, for viewing by the user. The services of the system may be provided at a domain server, a local remote server, at a customer's location, or may be cloud based.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of economically providing from at least one camera near real-time video segments of changing conditions at the camera's selected location, with low bandwidth requirements, to a different location or to large numbers of people, the method comprising:
 providing at least one such camera at such selected location, the camera operative to capture video segments in response to a request;   providing a local remote server, having a connection to the camera; the local remote domain server operative to wait for a first time interval of non-capture to pass and then to request the camera to capture a video segment;   providing a remote domain server at a second location; the local remote server operative to send the video segment, via a wide-area computer network, to the remote domain server; the remote domain server operative to retain the video segment at least until the first time interval has passed again;   providing a video display unit at such different location, the remote domain server operative to send the video segment, to the video display unit, via the wide-area computer network, in response to a request from the video display unit for the video segment;   whereby the video segment of current conditions in near real-time but non-real-time, non-live streaming, may be provided to the video display unit upon request; and   requesting the video segment from the camera.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video segment has a duration of no more than 60 seconds, and
 wherein the first time interval of non-capture has a duration of at least 5 minutes and no more than 30 minutes.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video segment has a duration of no less than 5 seconds and no more than 30 seconds, and
 wherein the first time interval of non-capture has a duration of at least 5 minutes and no more than 20 minutes.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video segment has a duration of no less than 5 seconds and no more than 15 seconds, and
 wherein the first time interval of non-capture has a duration of at least 10 minutes and no more than 15 minutes.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video segment is formatted in one member selected from the group consisting of: MPEG, Flash, SWF, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, and OGG-Theora, and other video formats now known or later devised. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote domain server is operative to image process the video segment by means of one member selected from the group consisting of: digital cropping, renaming, setting an output size, separating into shorter video segments, compiling the video segment into a video stream, applying a mask, applying a logo, encoding for more efficient transmission, applying a date and time stamp, converting to a different video format, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a larger single video segment is cropped to output multiple video segments of multiple separate and distinct views of the camera, without the camera panning. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deleting the video segment from the local remote server after transmission to the remote domain server.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 deleting the video segment from the remote domain server after the second passage of the time interval of non-capture and the arrival of a second video segment for storage.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wide-area network further comprises: the internet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is capable of responding to requests for pan, tilt and zoom. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the camera is capable of responding to a request for a pan and capture by panning to a second view of current conditions, and capturing the second view as a second view video segment, and further wherein the local remote server is operative to send the second view video segment via the wide-area network to the remote domain server, and yet further wherein the remote domain server is operative to store both the video segment and the second view video segment and send either video segment to the video display unit via the wide-area network, depending upon which view is requested by the video display unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the camera is capable of responding to a request for a pan and capture by panning to a plurality of views of current conditions, and capturing the plurality of views as a plurality of video segments, and further wherein the local remote server is operative to send the plurality of video segments via the wide-area network to the remote domain server, and yet further wherein the remote domain server is operative to store both the video segment and the plurality of video segments and send any video segment to the video display unit via the wide-area network, depending upon which video segment is requested by the video display unit. 
     
     
         14 . A system for economically providing from at least one camera near real-time video segments of changing conditions at the camera's selected location, with low bandwidth requirements, to a different location, the system comprising:
 at least one such camera at such selected location, the camera operative to capture video segments in response to a request;   a local remote server, having a connection to the camera; the local remote domain server operative to wait for a first time interval of non-capture to pass and then to request the camera to capture a video segment;   a remote domain server; the local remote server operative to send the video segment, via a wide-area computer network, to the remote domain server; the remote domain server operative to retain the video segment at least until the first time interval has passed again;   a video display unit at such different location, the remote domain server operative to send the video segment, to the video display unit, via the wide-area computer network, in response to a request from the video display unit for the video segment;   whereby the video segment of current conditions in near real-time but non-real-time, non-live streaming, may be provided to the video display unit upon request.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the video segment has a duration of no more than 60 seconds, and
 wherein the first time interval of non-capture has a duration of at least 5 minutes and no more than 30 minutes.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the remote domain server is operative to image process the video segment by means of one member selected from the group consisting of:
 cropping, renaming, setting an output size, separating into shorter video segments, compiling the video segment into a video stream, applying a mask, applying a logo, encoding for more efficient transmission, applying a date and time stamp, converting to a different video format, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 the local remote server operative to delete the video segment from the local remote server after transmission to the remote domain server.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the wide-area network further comprises: the internet. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the camera is capable of responding to a request for a pan and capture by panning to a second view of current conditions, and capturing the second view as a second view video segment, and further wherein the local remote server is operative to send the second view video segment via the wide-area network to the remote domain server, and yet further wherein the remote domain server is operative to store both the video segment and the second view video segment and send either video segment to the video display unit via the wide-area network, depending upon which view is requested by the video display unit. 
     
     
         20 . A computer implemented method of providing over a computer network a near-real-time video segment selected from at least one camera, the method comprising:
 capturing a first video segment from such camera after the first elapse of a first pre-determined time interval;   transmitting the first video segment to a remote domain server for storage;   thereafter providing the first video segment upon request;   after the second elapse of the first pre-determined time interval, capturing a second video segment and transmitting the second video segment to the remote domain server for storage;   thereafter providing the second video segment upon request.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the first pre-determined time interval is at least 5 minutes but not more than 30 minutes, and the first and second video segments are at least 5 seconds and not more than 60 seconds in length. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the camera is capable of capturing a plurality of views of current conditions, and capturing the plurality of views as a plurality of video segments, and further wherein the camera is operative to send the plurality of video segments via the wide-area network to the remote domain server, and yet further wherein the remote domain server is operative to store both the video segment and the plurality of video segments and send any video segment to the video display unit via the wide-area network, depending upon which video segment is requested by the video display unit.