# US 2021/0344875 A1 · Method and system for identifying a video camera of a video surveillance environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0344875 A1 - Document ID: US20210344875A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/863,034 - Filed: 2020-04-30 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30 - Assignees: Genetec Inc. - Applicants: Genetec Inc. - Inventors: Frédéric DUBOIS; Yannick NADEAU; Marc-André BEAUDOIN; Mélanie TRUCHON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344875A1 ## CPC - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - G06V 10/751: {Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching} - G06V 20/46: {Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames} - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G08B 13/19645: {Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over} - G08B 13/1968: {Interfaces for setting up or customising the system} - H04N 7/025: Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame {(transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088)} - H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Methods, systems, devices and computer readable media for identifying a video camera of a video surveillance system are provided. A plurality of video streams of a plurality of video cameras are obtained. At least one video camera of the plurality of video cameras captures a visual identifier outputted by a mobile device. The visual identifier is detected in at least one video stream of the plurality of video streams based on searching for the visual identifier in the plurality of video streams. The at least one video camera capturing the visual identifier is identified from the at least one video stream having the visual identifier detected therein. Identification information of the at least one video camera capturing the visual identifier is transmitted to the mobile device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for identifying at least one video camera of a video surveillance environment by a server in communication with a plurality of video cameras, the method comprising: obtaining, at the server, a plurality of video streams of the plurality of video cameras, at least one video camera of the plurality of video cameras capturing a time-varying visual identifier outputted by a mobile device; processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams to detect the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device in at least one video stream of the plurality of video streams based on searching for the time-varying visual identifier in the plurality of video streams, wherein the time-varying visual identifier is unique to the mobile device such that the time-varying visual identifier is different from at least another time-varyinq visual identifier of another mobile device in the video surveillance environment to allow the server to identify the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier; identifying, at the server, the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device from the at least one video stream having the visual identifier detected therein; and transmitting, by the server, camera identification information of the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier to the mobile device. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device is a flashing light pattern outputted by a light source of the mobile device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern for the mobile device to output for requesting identification of the at least one video camera that captures the time-varying visual identifier; transmitting, by the server, visual identification information to the mobile device for the mobile device to at least in part generate the flashing light pattern based on the visual identification information; and wherein processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams comprises searching in the plurality of video streams for the flashing light pattern determined by the server to detect the flashing light pattern in the at least one video stream. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the visual identification information transmitted to the mobile device from the server comprises a maximum frequency for the flashing light pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the visual identification information transmitted to the mobile device from the server comprises a minimum frame rate configuration of the plurality of video cameras. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: determining, at the server, a minimum frames rate configuration of the plurality of video cameras; and wherein determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern comprises determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern based on the minimum frame rate configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein searching for the time-varying visual identifier in the plurality of video streams comprises searching in the plurality of video streams, by the server, for the flashing light pattern based on identifying light features in the plurality of video streams and comparing the light features to an expected flashing light pattern associated with the mobile device, and wherein detecting the flashing light pattern comprises identifying the at least on video stream having the light features corresponding within a level of certainty to the expected flashing light pattern associated with the mobile device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the server, location information from the mobile device; and selecting, at the server, the plurality of video streams from a set of video streams based on the location information. ### Claim 10 A server for identifying at least one video camera of a video surveillance environment, the server in communication with a plurality of video cameras, the server comprising: at least one processing unit; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for: obtaining, at the server, a plurality of video streams of the plurality of video cameras, at least one video camera of the plurality of video cameras capturing a time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device; processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams to detect the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device in at least one video stream of the plurality of video streams based on searching for the time-varying visual identifier in the plurality of video streams, wherein the time-varying visual identifier is unique to the mobile device such that the time-varying visual identifier is different from at least another time-varying visual identifier of another mobile device in the video surveillance environment to allow the server to identify the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier; identifying, at the server, the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device from the at least one video stream having the visual identifier detected therein; and transmitting, by the server, camera identification information of the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier to the mobile device. ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The server of claim 10, wherein the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device is a flashing light pattern outputted by a light source of the mobile device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The server of claim 12, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern for the mobile device to output for requesting identification of the at least one video camera that captures the time-varying visual identifier; transmitting, by the server, visual identification information to the mobile device for the mobile device to at least in part generate the flashing light pattern based on the visual identification information; and wherein processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams comprises searching in the plurality of video streams for the flashing light pattern determined by the server to detect the flashing light pattern in the at least one video stream. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The server of claim 13, wherein the visual identification information transmitted to the mobile device from the server comprises a maximum frequency for the flashing light pattern. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The server of claim 13, wherein the visual identification information transmitted to the mobile device from the server comprises a minimum frame rate configuration of the plurality of video cameras. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The server of claim 13, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: determining, at the server, a minimum frame rate configuration of the plurality of video cameras; and wherein determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern comprises determining, at the server, the flashing light pattern based on the minimum frame rate configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The server of claim 12, wherein searching for the time-varying visual identifier in the plurality of video streams comprises searching in the plurality of video streams, by the server, for the flashing light pattern based on identifying light features in the plurality of video streams and comparing the light features to an expected flashing light pattern associated with the mobile device, and wherein detecting the flashing light pattern comprises identifying the at least on video stream having the light features corresponding within in a level of certainty to the expected flashing light pattern associated with the mobile device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The server of claim 12, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: receiving, at the server, location information from the mobile device; and selecting, at the server, the plurality of video streams from a set of video streams based on the location information. ### Claim 19 A server in communication with a plurality of video cameras, the server comprising: at least one processing unit; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for: obtaining, at the server, a plurality of video streams of the plurality of video cameras, at least one video camera of the plurality of video cameras capturing a time-varying visual identifier outputted by a mobile device; processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams to detect the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device in at least one video stream of the plurality of video streams based on searching for the time-varying visual identifier in the plurality of video streams, wherein the time-varying visual identifier is unique to the mobile device to allow the server to identify the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier; identifying, at the server, the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device from the at least one video stream having the visual identifier detected therein; storing an indication of the at least one video camera capturing the visual identifier in the computer-readable memory or in at least one storage device. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The server of claim 19, wherein the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device is a flashing light pattern outputted by a light source of the mobile device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The server of claim 21, wherein the flashing light pattern is an infrared light pattern, and wherein the light source is an infrared light source. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The server of claim 19, wherein at least two video cameras of the plurality of video cameras capture the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device; wherein processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams comprises processing, at the server, the plurality of video streams to detect the time-varying visual identifier in at least two video streams of the plurality of video streams based on searching in the plurality of video streams for the time-varying visual identifier; wherein identifying, at the server, the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier comprises identifying, at the server, the at least two video cameras capturing the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device from the at least two video streams having the visual identifier detected therein; and wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: tracking, at the server, movement of the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier based on geographical locations of the least two video cameras identified as capturing the time-varying visual identifier outputted by the mobile device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining, at the server, identification information of the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier from the time-varying visual identifier detected in the at least one video stream at the server; and identifying, by the server, the mobile device to transmit the camera identification information of the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier thereto based on the identification information of the mobile device obtained from the time-varying visual identifier detected in the at least one video stream. ### Claim 25 (depends on 10) The server of claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: obtaining, at the server, identification information of the mobile device outputting the time-varying visual identifier from the time-varying visual identifier detected in the at least one video stream at the server; and identifying, by the server, the mobile device to transmit the camera identification information of the at least one video camera capturing the time-varying visual identifier thereto based on the identification information of the mobile device obtained from the time-varying visual identifier detected in the at least one video stream.