Video motion detection (VMD)
Video motion detection (VMD) is a way of defining activity in a scene by
analyzing image data and differences in a series of images. The functionality
can either be built-in into a network video product or made available with video
management software. In-picture alarm programming allows you to define areas of
a screen where you want to detect any visual changes.
VMD in DVR (digital video recorder) systems:
In such a system, cameras are connected to a DVR, which performs the VMD on each
video stream. This allows the DVR to decrease the amount of recorded video, to
prioritize recordings and to use motion in a specific area of the image as a
search term when searching for events. The downside of this method is that
performing VMD is a CPU intensive process and performing VMD on many channels
puts a heavy strain on the DVR system.
VMD in network video systems:
VMD, as an integrated function of network cameras or video servers, offers
substantial advantages over the scenario mentioned above – the most significant
being that the VMD is processed in the network camera or video server
itself. See event
handling in a video server.
Above: System overview
Below: A network camera with built-in VMD feature
This alleviates the workload for any recording devices in the system and
makes "event-driven surveillance" possible; that is, unless activity is detected
in the scene, no video (or only video with low frame rate) is sent to the
operator or recording system. If motion is detected, you may request a number of
things to be done automatically; e.g. save images before, during and after the
event (called pre- and post-alarm image buffering), start sending images for
recording at specified destinations, send alerts to specific individuals via
e-mail or SMS to a mobile telephone, activate lights, turn alarm on or off, open
or lock doors, control temperature levels etc.
VMD data with information about the activity can also be included in the
video stream to simplify activity searches in recorded material.
VMD can also reside in the video management software, thus providing VMD
functionality to network cameras that do not originally embed this feature.
Below is a sample of the motion detection user interface
offered in Integrated Intelligence Camera Station software.
Click here to see
more samples.
Advantages of local VMD in the "endpoint" (network camera and video server
compared with systems using central analyzing such as DVRs)
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Conserves bandwidth |
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Reduces CPU load on recording server
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Saves storage space |
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The camera can interact with others systems using
I/O Ports (for example triggering alarms) |
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