System for a plurality of video cameras disposed on a common network

Abstract

A plurality of cameras are adapted to utilize Ethernet network protocol for the physical layer and UDP/IP for the network and transport layers permitting multiple compressed signals representing different degrees of image resolution, compression type of compressed bit rate to be simultaneously transmitted. These multiple video streams may be combined into one composite stream for network transmission or may be maintained as separate and distinct video or still frame streams throughout the network. The digitizer, compressor and network interface can be integral to a camera or can be a separate unit. Video or images networked in this manner may be selective viewed on an operator console or may be received by a network server for storage, analysis and subsequent retrieval.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.