1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a method and system for controlling multiple video input devices, and more particularly, to a control station for centralized controlling and multiplexed recording and selectively displaying video information from a plurality of video cameras.
2. Related Art
In a common video surveillance system, installed in a group of buildings, a plurality of Analog video cameras will be disposed at predetermined locations within each building, and one or more digital video recording devices (DVRs) may be located within each building for recording and/or selectively displaying the video of the building's plurality of video cameras. The video from the plurality of cameras in a given building may be viewed at a central security monitoring area within that building or remote from that building.
Digital video recording devices (DVRs), such as Philips CSI's 4-channel and 16-channel DVRs, are often used to record a programmed selection of video signals generated by a plurality (e.g., 4 or 16) of Analog video cameras that are directly wired to such DVRs. Current methods of viewing and controlling a plurality of digital video recording devices (DVRs), from a single control station involve connecting each of these DVRs to a special external video switching device, such as the Philips LTC 2605/90 System4 video Manager, or to a personal computer. In this configuration, video signals and control signals will be carried on separate and distinct lines, for example, video may be transmitted from each DVR to the Manager as Analog signals through a plurality of coaxial cables, and control signals may be carried from each DVR to the manager via a digital serial wiring connection. Each digital video recording device (DVR) may be in a different room of a building or in an entirely separate building. And each DVR must be video wired directly to such a manager. Thus, operatively connecting a plurality of spatially separated DVRs to a single Manager can involve running a plurality of long video cables to the Manager, and users (e.g., security personnel) can only view and control all video channels at that single location of the manager.