Reduced Video Stream Resource Usage

Smart overview of the Invention

The patent describes a method for optimizing resource usage in video streaming by focusing on object detection without the need to decode every frame. This approach is particularly beneficial for continuous video feeds, such as those from security cameras, where users are primarily interested in identifying specific objects of interest, such as people or vehicles, rather than reviewing all captured footage.

Background

Video surveillance systems generate vast amounts of data, often including long periods of inactivity. Traditional methods require decoding all video frames to detect objects, leading to significant resource consumption. Users typically want alerts only when something of interest occurs, making it inefficient to process every frame uniformly.

Technical Solution

The proposed solution involves an object detection resource gateway that analyzes metadata associated with video frames to identify those containing objects of interest. By focusing on non-key frame metadata, the system can determine which groups of pictures (GOPs) warrant further processing, thereby conserving network and processing resources.

Use Case Example

For instance, consider a surveillance camera monitoring a location for 24 hours with minimal activity. Existing systems would waste resources on all frames; however, the new method can evaluate metadata and identify the brief moment when an object of interest appears, significantly reducing unnecessary resource expenditure during periods of inactivity.

System Components

The system includes a camera that captures video, which is encoded into GOPs. An object detection resource gateway filters these GOPs based on metadata analysis, allowing only relevant frames to be sent for decoding and further object detection. This approach enhances efficiency by limiting resource use to only those frames likely containing objects of interest.