Method and System for Performing Video Flashlight

A surveillance system for a site, said system comprising:

• a plurality of cameras each generating a respective data stream, each data stream including a series of video frames each corresponding to a real-time image of a part of the site, each frame having a time stamp indicative of a time when the real-time image was made by the associated camera;
• a recorder receiving and recording the data streams from the cameras;
• a video processing system connected with the recorder and providing for playback of said recorded data streams therefrom, said video processing system having a renderer that during playback of the recorded data streams renders images for a view from a playback viewpoint of a model of the site and applies thereto the recorded data streams from at least two of the cameras relevant to the view;
• the video processing system including a synchronizer receiving the recorded data streams from the recorder system during playback, said synchronizer distributing the recorded data streams to the renderer in synchronized form so that each image is rendered with video frames all of which were taken at the same time.

An immersive surveillance system comprising:

• a plurality of cameras each producing a respective video of a respective portion of a site;
• an image processor connected with the plurality of cameras and receiving the video therefrom, said image processor producing an image rendered for a viewpoint based on a model of the site and combined with a plurality of said videos that are relevant to said viewpoint;
• a display device coupled the image processor and displaying the rendered image;
• and
• a view controller coupled to the image processor and providing thereto data defining the viewpoint to be displayed, said view controller being coupled with and receiving input from an interactive navigational component that allows a user to selectively modify the viewpoint, said navigational component constraining the modification of the viewpoint to a preselected set of viewpoints.

A method for an immersive surveillance system having a plurality of cameras each producing respective video of a respective part of a site, and a viewing station with a display device displaying images so as to be viewed by a user, said method comprising:

• receiving from an input device data indicating a selection of a viewpoint and field of view for viewing at least some of the video from the cameras;
• identifying a subgroup of one or more of said cameras that are in locations such that those cameras can generate video relevant to the field of view;
• transmitting the video from said subgroup of cameras to a video processor;
• generating with said video processor a video display by rendering images from a computer model of the site, wherein said images correspond to the field of view from said viewpoint of the site in which at least a portion of at least one of the videos is overlaid onto the computer model;
• displaying said images to a viewer;
• and
• causing the video from at least some of the cameras that are not in said subgroup to not be transmitted to the video rendering system and thereby reducing the amount of data being transmitted to the video processor.

A method for a surveillance system for a site having a plurality of cameras each generating a respective data stream of a series of video frames each corresponding to a real-time image of a part of the site, said method comprising:

• recording the data streams of said cameras on one or more recorders, said data streams being recorded together in synchronized format, and with each frame having a time stamp indicative of a time when the real-time image was made by the associated camera;
• communicating with said recorders so as to cause said recorders to transmit the recorded data streams of said cameras to a video processor;
• receiving said recorded data streams and synchronizing the frames thereof based on the time stamps thereof;
• receiving from an input device data indicating a selection of a viewpoint and field of view for viewing at least some of the video from the cameras;
• generating with said video processor a video display by rendering images from a computer model of the site, wherein said images correspond to the field of view from said viewpoint of the site in which at least a portion of at least two of the videos is overlaid onto the computer model;
• wherein, for each image rendered the video overlayed thereon is from frames that have time stamps all of which indicate the same time period;
• and
• displaying said images to a viewer.

A method for a surveillance system for a site having a plurality of cameras each generating a respective data stream of a series of video frames each corresponding to a real-time image of a part of the site, said method comprising:

• transmitting the recorded data streams of said cameras to a video processor;
• receiving from an input device data indicating a selection of a viewpoint and field of view for viewing at least some of the video from the cameras;
• generating with said video processor a video display by rendering images from a computer model of the site, wherein said images correspond to the field of view from said viewpoint of the site in which at least a portion of at least two of the videos is overlaid onto the computer model;
• and
• displaying said images to a viewer;
• receiving input indicative of a change of said viewpoint and/or field of view, said input being constrained such that an operator can only enter changes of the point of view or the viewpoint to a new field of view that are limited subset of all possible changes, said limited subset corresponding to a path through said site.