Video surveillance system having a load distribution module

A load distribution method for video decoding in a video surveillance system comprising an operator client comprising a system memory, a plurality of display devices for displaying video data and resources for decoding of encoded video data for display, the resources including a plurality of GPUs, wherein each of the display devices is connected to a graphics output port of one of the GPUs, the method comprising sending a stream of video data to a decoding resource by:

• determining a first display device which is a display device the stream of video data is to be displayed on after decoding;
• determining a first GPU, wherein the first GPU is the GPU to which the first display device is connected;
• determining whether the first GPU is overloaded;
• when the first GPU is not overloaded, sending the stream of video data to the first GPU for decoding and displaying the video data on the first display device;
• and
• when the first GPU is overloaded, sending the stream of video data to a second GPU for decoding, and displaying the video data on the first display,
• wherein, when the stream of video data is sent to the first GPU for decoding, the first GPU decodes and renders frames of the video data and outputs the frames to the first display device via the graphics output port of the first GPU to the first display device;
• and
• when the stream of video data is sent to the second GPU, the second GPU decodes frames of the video data, copies the frames via the system memory to the first GPU and the first GPU renders the frames and outputs the frames to the first display device via the graphics output port of the first GPU to the first display device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program which, when executed causes an apparatus to perform a load distribution method for video decoding in a video surveillance system comprising an operator client comprising a system memory, a plurality of display devices for displaying video data and resources for decoding of encoded video data for display, the resources including a plurality of GPUs, wherein each of the display devices is connected to a graphics output port of one of the GPUs, the method comprising sending a stream of video data to a decoding resource by:

• determining a first display device which is a display device the stream of video data is to be displayed on after decoding;
• determining a first GPU, wherein the first GPU is the GPU to which the first display device is connected;
• determining whether the first GPU is overloaded;
• when the first GPU is not overloaded, sending the stream of video data to the first GPU for decoding and displaying the video data on the first display device;
• and
• when the first GPU is overloaded, sending the stream of video data to a second GPU for decoding, and displaying the video data on the first display,
• wherein, when the stream of video data is sent to the first GPU for decoding, the first GPU decodes and renders frames of the video data and outputs the frames to the first display device via the graphics output port of the first GPU to the first display device;
• and
• when the stream of video data is sent to the second GPU, the second GPU decodes frames of the video data, copies the frames via the system memory to the first GPU and the first GPU renders the frames and outputs the frames to the first display device via the graphics output port of the first GPU to the first display device.