Remote network video content recorder system

A system for recording IP video camera content comprising:

• at least one IP video camera operatively associated through a first computer network to
• a remote server, said server comprising:
• a recorder communications interface which is operatively associated via a first association with
• a recorder module which is operatively associated via a second association with a digital video storage device;
• a remote user device operatively associated via a second computer network with said remote server via said recorder communications interface, wherein said remote user device displays a recorder user interface generated by said remote server, wherein said remote user device is further operatively associated via a third computer network with said at least one IP video camera;
• wherein said system receives user input from said user device, transmits said user input via said second computer network to said recorder communications interface of said server, opens a connection between said at least one IP video camera and said recorder module, transmits a first and a second data stream from said at least one IP video camera to the recorder module, and transmits a third data stream from said at least one IP video camera to the user device;
• and
• wherein said first, second, and third computer networks comprise partially the internet, wherein system initialization requests are sent from the user device to the recorder module via said first association and said second computer network, and a response by the recorder module to said system initialization request comprises the steps of:
• creating of a recorder instance comprising a recorder object and a unique recorder ID;
• and a user interface;
• and transmitting via said first association and said second computer network of said unique recorder ID and said user interface to said user device;
• said unique recorder ID and said user interface enabling said user device to request video content of said at least one IP video camera to be delivered from said at least one IP video camera to said digital video storage device, and wherein said system executes a method of recording said video content comprising the steps of:
• initializing said system;
• and recording of said video content of said at least one IP video camera, comprising:
• receiving a recorder control instruction by said recorder module via said second computer network and said first association to record said video content of said at least one IP video camera;
• receiving a camera control instruction by said at least one IP video camera via said first computer network to open a connection with said recorder module and to transmit said video content of said at least one IP video camera and camera status information of said at least one IP video camera separately, wherein the video content is transmitted via said first separate and distinct stream of information originating from each of said at least one IP video camera to said recorder module, wherein said video content is processed and delivered for recording onto said digital video storage device, and said camera status information is transmitted via said second separate and distinct stream of information originating from each of said at least one IP video camera to said recorder module;
• periodic delivering said camera status information to said recorder module;
• periodic delivering said video content to said recorder module;
• generating recorder status information based in part on said camera status information and periodic delivering said recorder status information to said user interface by said recorder module via said recorder communications interface;
• periodic delivering said video content to said digital video storage device by said recorder module;
• and continuing said periodic deliveries until said recorder status information no longer indicates that said system is recording, subsequent to which said connection to said camera is closed;
• an environment associated with said video content stored in said digital video storage device is finalized;
• and said video content stored in said digital video storage device is converted to a desired format.

A method for recording IP video camera content, the method comprising the steps of:

• associating at least one IP video camera through a first computer network to a remote server, said server comprising:
• a recorder communications interface which is operatively associated via a first association with
• a recorder module which is operatively associated via a second association with a digital video storage device;
• generating a recorder user interface by said server;
• displaying said recorder user interface on a remote user device which is operatively associated via a second computer network with said server via said recorder communications interface;
• receiving user input from said user device, wherein said user input includes recorder control instructions;
• transmitting said user input via said second computer network to said recorder communications interface of said server;
• opening a connection between said at least one IP video camera and said recorder module;
• and
• receiving a first data stream carrying video content at said recorder module from said at least one IP video camera;
• recording said first data stream on said digital video storage device;
• receiving a second data stream carrying camera status information of said at least one IP video camera from said at least one IP video camera to said recorder module;
• integrating said second data stream into a fourth data stream and transmitting said fourth data stream via said recorder communications interface to said user interface, wherein said fourth data stream carries recorder status information;
• associating said at least one IP video camera through a third computer network to said remote user device, said remote user device further including a viewer program;
• receiving further user input from said user device, wherein said further user input includes view control instructions;
• transmitting said further user input via said third computer network directly to said at least one IP video camera;
• directly transmitting video content from said at least one IP camera to said viewer program via said third computer network via a third data stream in response to said further user input, and wherein, in view of the view control instructions of the further user input, the video content sent via the third data stream does not include the same data, format and quality as that of video content sent via the first data stream;
• wherein said first, second, and third computer networks comprise partially the internet and wherein said remote user device is a thin client.