Cloud-based video monitoring

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a cloud-based video monitoring system comprising a camera and a network video recorder (NVR). During operation, the camera stores in a buffer last predetermined temporal segment of a video. The camera also stores a first video file in a local storage corresponding to an event detected by the camera. This first video file is non-overlapping with a second video file corresponding to the event and this second video file is stored in the NVR. The camera generates a third video file by pre-pending last predetermined temporal segment of a video prior to the event to the first video file and sends the third video file to the NVR.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a processor;   a memory;   a storage device;   a network interface device; and   a non-volatile storage device, coupled to the processor, storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 detecting a triggering event; 
 initiating, in response to detecting the triggering event, a local video recording in the storage device and a streaming of a video feed of the apparatus to a first network video recorder (NVR) via the network interface device, wherein the local video recording corresponds to the video feed and is stored in the storage device during the video recording, and wherein the streaming of the video feed comprises forwarding a set of packets comprising data of the video feed to the first NVR; 
 detecting a failure event that prevents the apparatus from streaming the video feed of the apparatus to the first NVR; and 
 in response to detecting the failure event, initiating a backup operation for the streaming of the video feed. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the failure event causes the first NVR to be unavailable to the apparatus;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes one or more of:
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus to a second NVR; and 
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus to a nearby second apparatus via a wireless link between the first and second apparatus. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second apparatus is a digital video camera and configured to store the video feed of the apparatus in a local non-volatile storage device in the second apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first NVR is configured to operate in a local area network of the apparatus and the second NVR is a cloud-based NVR. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a remote site includes a third NVR, and wherein the first and third NVRs duplicate each others recording;
 wherein the failure event causes the first NVR to be unavailable; and   wherein initiating the backup operation includes facilitating the duplicated video feed of the apparatus from the third NVR.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the failure event causes the apparatus to be unavailable;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes facilitating recorded video feed of the apparatus from one or more of: the first NVR and a nearby second digital video camera.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the failure event causes a wired connection to the apparatus to be unavailable;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes one or more of:
 in response to detecting a failure to a power source of the apparatus, using a second power source for the apparatus and operating in a power-saving mode; and 
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus via respective wireless links to one or more of: a nearby second apparatus, which is a digital video camera, and a second NVR. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the failure event is a failure to one or more of: the first NVR, a switch and/or links between the first NVR and the apparatus, a power source of the apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying a first frame of the video feed recorded by the first NVR from a control message from the first NVR;   generating, from the local video recording in the storage device, a local video segment from an initial frame of the local video recording to a frame immediately before the identified first frame;   generating, by the apparatus, a video file comprising a last temporal segment of the video stream prior to the triggering event and the local video segment; and   sending the generated video file to the first NVR.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises storing the local video recording in the storage device at a granularity of individual video segments of the local video recording. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for a digital video camera in a cloud-based video monitoring system, the method comprising:
 detecting a triggering event;   initiating in parallel, in response to detecting the triggering event, a local video recording in a local storage device of the digital video camera and a streaming of a video feed of the digital video camera to a first network video recorder (NVR), wherein the local video recording corresponds to the video feed and is stored in the local storage device during the video recording, and wherein the streaming of the video feed comprises forwarding a set of packets comprising data of the video feed to the first NVR;   detecting, by the digital video camera, a failure event that prevents the digital video camera from streaming the video feed of the digital video camera to the first NVR; and   in response to detecting the failure event, initiating a backup operation for the streaming of the video feed.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the failure event causes the first NVR to be unavailable to the apparatus;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes one or more of:
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus to a second NVR; and 
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus to a nearby second apparatus via a wireless link between the first and second apparatus. 
   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the second apparatus is a digital video camera and configured to store the video feed of the apparatus in a local non-volatile storage device in the second apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the first NVR is configured to operate in a local area network of the apparatus and the second NVR is a cloud-based NVR. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein a remote site includes a third NVR, and wherein the first and third NVRs duplicate each others recording;
 wherein the failure event causes the first NVR to be unavailable; and   wherein initiating the backup operation includes facilitating the duplicated video feed of the apparatus from the third NVR.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the failure event causes the apparatus to be unavailable;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes facilitating recorded video feed of the apparatus from one or more of: the first NVR and a nearby second digital video camera.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the failure event causes a wired connection to the apparatus to be unavailable;
 wherein initiating the backup operation includes one or more of:
 in response to detecting a failure to a power source of the apparatus, using a second power source for the apparatus and operating in a power-saving mode; and 
 streaming the video feed of the apparatus via respective wireless links to one or more of: a nearby second apparatus, which is a digital video camera, and a second NVR. 
   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 identifying a first frame of the video feed recorded by the first NVR from a control message from the first NVR;   generating, from the local video recording in the local storage device, a local video segment from an initial frame of the local video recording to a frame immediately before the identified first frame;   generating, by the apparatus, a video file comprising a last temporal segment of the video stream prior to the triggering event and the local video segment; and   sending the generated video file to the first NVR.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises storing the local video recording in the local storage device at a granularity of individual video segments of the local video recording. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory;   a lens segment comprising an image sensor to capture a video feed;   a network interface device;   a storage device; and   a trigger logic block to:
 detect a triggering event; and 
 initiate, in response to detecting the triggering event, a local video recording in the storage device and a streaming of the video feed to a first network video recorder (NVR) via the network interface device, wherein the local video recording corresponds to the video feed and is stored in the storage device during the video recording, and wherein the streaming of the video feed comprises forwarding a set of packets comprising data of the video feed to the first NVR; and 
   a backup logic block to:
 detect a failure event that prevents the apparatus from streaming the video feed of the apparatus to the first NVR; and 
 in response to detecting the failure event, initiate a backup operation for the streaming of the video feed.