JP7697487B2 - Video management system, video management method, and management device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a video management system, a video management method, and a management device.

It is known that video images captured by a camera are transmitted and managed over a network in order to enable remote monitoring by a large number of users. Patent Document 1 describes a technology related to the transmission of images captured by a camera. Patent Document 2 describes a technology related to a video distribution system using a cloud server.

Patent No. 6045051 JP 2014-154949 A

There are known cloud or on-premise server devices that store video images, and devices with various capabilities, such as fast but expensive and unsuitable for long-term storage, and slow but inexpensive and suitable for long-term storage. Video images come in a variety of characteristics, such as those that are expected to be frequently referenced for a certain period after capture but do not require long-term storage, and those that are referenced infrequently but require long-term storage. Conventional configurations have room for improvement in terms of appropriately managing video images of various characteristics using server devices with such various capabilities.

The purpose of this disclosure is to enable a server device to more appropriately manage videos according to the characteristics of the videos.

In some embodiments, the video management system includes:
(1) a plurality of image capturing devices for capturing a moving image made up of a plurality of frame images;
at least one gateway device communicably connected to at least one of the plurality of image capture devices and configured to acquire the video from the at least one image capture device;
At least one server device;
a management device that transmits an instruction for storing the video to the at least one server device based on a policy for storing the video defined for each of the plurality of image capture devices;
Equipped with
The at least one server device acquires the video from the at least one gateway device based on the instruction received from the management device and stores the video.

In this way, in the video management system, the management device sends instructions regarding the storage of video images to at least one server device based on a policy defined for each imaging device. Therefore, it is possible to more appropriately manage video images based on the properties of the video files for each imaging device and the performance of the server device, etc.

In one embodiment,
(2) In the video management system of (1),
A first server device included in the at least one server device may obtain and store the video of a first imaging device included in the plurality of imaging devices from the gateway device that stores the video in response to a request from a client device.

In this way, by transferring video files to a server device in response to a request from a client device, it is possible to appropriately manage video files that are frequently referenced for a certain period of time after shooting but do not require long-term storage, for example.

In one embodiment,
(3) In the video management system of (1) or (2),
A second server device included in the at least one server device may obtain and store the video of a second imaging device included in the plurality of imaging devices from the gateway device that stores the video, regardless of whether or not it is requested by a client device.

In this way, by transferring video files to the server device regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device, it is possible to quickly respond to download requests from the client device.

In one embodiment,
(4) In the video management system of (3),
The second server device may transmit the video of the second imaging device to a third server device included in the at least one server device when a certain period of time has elapsed since the video of the second imaging device was acquired.

In this way, if a certain period of time has passed since the video file was saved, the video file can be transferred to another server device, allowing the video file to be stored for a long period of time on a server device that is suitable for long-term storage.

In one embodiment,
(5) In any one of the video management systems (1) to (4),
The management device includes:
a storage destination list indicating storage destinations of the video images captured by each of the plurality of image capture devices is maintained;
In response to an inquiry from a client device regarding the location of a video, the storage destination list may be referenced to provide a response indicating the storage destination of the video.

In this way, the management device responds to an inquiry from a client device about the location of a video by informing the client device of the storage location of the video. Therefore, the client device can access the server device notified by the management device and obtain the desired video without being aware of the storage location of each video.

In one embodiment,
(6) In the video management system of (5),
the at least one gateway device holds a recording list indicating a list of the video images stored by the gateway device among the video images of the imaging devices communicably connected to the gateway device;
The management device may update the storage destination list based on the recording list held by the at least one gateway device.

In this way, the management device updates the storage destination list according to the recording list held by the gateway device, making it possible to grasp the video images held by the gateway device.

A video management method according to some embodiments includes:
(7) A plurality of image capturing devices for capturing a moving image made up of a plurality of frame images;
at least one gateway device communicably connected to at least one of the plurality of image capture devices and configured to acquire the video from the at least one image capture device;
At least one server device;
A management device;
A video management method in a video management system comprising:
a step of transmitting, by the management device, an instruction for storing the video to the at least one server device based on a policy for storing the video defined for each of the plurality of image capture devices;
The at least one server device acquires the video from the at least one gateway device based on the instruction received from the management device, and stores the video;
include.

In this way, in the video management method, the management device transmits instructions for saving videos to at least one server device based on a policy defined for each imaging device. Therefore, it is possible to more appropriately manage videos based on the properties of the video files for each imaging device and the performance of the server device, etc.

In one embodiment,
(8) In the video management method of (7),
the management device holds, for each of the plurality of image capture devices, a list of storage destinations indicating storage destinations of the video captured by the image capture device;
The method may further include a step of the management device, in response to an inquiry from a client device about the location of a video, referring to the storage destination list and replying with a storage destination of the video.

In this way, the management device responds to an inquiry from a client device about the location of a video by informing the client device of the storage location of the video. Therefore, the client device can access the server device notified by the management device and obtain the desired video without being aware of the storage location of each video.

In some embodiments, the management device
(9) At least one gateway device that is communicatively connected to at least one of a plurality of image capture devices that capture a moving image composed of a plurality of frame images, and that acquires the moving image from the at least one image capture device; and
A communication device connected to at least one server device,
The control unit transmits instructions to the at least one server device regarding acquisition and storage of the video from the gateway device based on a policy regarding storage of the video defined for each of the plurality of imaging devices.

In this way, the management device transmits instructions for saving video images to at least one server device based on the policy defined for each imaging device. Therefore, it is possible to more appropriately manage video images based on the properties of the video files for each imaging device and the performance of the server device, etc.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, videos can be managed in a server device more appropriately according to the nature of the video.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a video management system according to an embodiment. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the gateway device of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a recording list held by the gateway device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the server device in FIG. 1 . 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the management device of FIG. 1 . FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a storage destination list held by a management device. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a storage policy held by a management device. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the client device shown in FIG. 1 . 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. 1 is a sequence chart showing an example of the operation of the video management system. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a client device. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a client device. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a video management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a storage destination list held by a proxy device. FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a storage destination list held by a management device.

Comparative Example
It is known that video images captured by a camera are transmitted and managed over a network in order to perform remote monitoring by a large number of users. As a configuration related to a comparative example, Patent Document 1 (claim 1) describes "a video image transmission device that is connected directly or via a network to an imaging device including an imaging means for capturing a video image, an encoding means for encoding the captured video image to generate first stream data, and an output means for outputting the generated first stream data, and transmits video images to a receiving terminal via the network, the video image transmission device having a receiving means for receiving the first stream data from the imaging device, a storage means for storing the received or generated stream data, a processing means for re-encoding the first stream data stored in the storage means to generate compressed second stream data, and a transmission means for transmitting the second stream data, the re-encoding process including a thinning process for thinning out color difference signals of YUV image data." Patent Document 2 (claim 1) describes a "video capture and transmission system comprising an capture and transmission subsystem which selectively captures an echo video of a fetus of a parturient woman sent from an ultrasound device and a video of the newborn sent from a camera, and uploads the echo video and the newborn video via the Internet to a cloud server which stores and manages the echo video and the newborn video, and a contactless IC card reader connected to the capture and transmission subsystem, wherein the video capture and transmission system starts capture of the echo video or newborn video when a contactless IC card which has at least an ID for each parturient woman and a system identification code recorded therein and which has been issued to the parturient woman is read by the contactless IC card reader, and after a predetermined period of capture, uploads the video to the cloud server together with the ID and a medical institution code which has been set in advance in the capture and transmission subsystem."

Video images have various characteristics, such as those that are expected to be frequently referenced for a certain period of time after shooting but do not require long-term storage, and those that are referenced infrequently but require long-term storage. Video data is generally large in size. When managing videos on a server device, such as a cloud or on-premise on a network, communication costs are incurred on the network due to data transmission, and storage costs are incurred for the server device's storage due to data storage. From the perspective of such communication costs and storage costs, it is necessary to manage videos on an appropriate server device according to the nature of the video, rather than treating all videos in the same way and managing them uniformly. Specifically, it is desirable to limit redundant communication by uploading only videos that are highly necessary.

In addition, there are known server devices with various capabilities, such as devices that are fast but expensive and unsuitable for long-term storage (e.g., SSDs (Solid State Drives)), and devices that are slow but inexpensive and suitable for long-term storage (e.g., magnetic hard disks, magnetic tapes, etc.). It is desirable to store video images in an appropriate server device depending on the nature of the video image file, such as whether it is only required for temporary reference or whether it requires long-term storage. On the other hand, it is desirable for users to be able to easily access video images without being aware of which server device the desired video image file is stored on.

The configuration of the comparative example had room for improvement in terms of appropriately managing video images of various characteristics using a server device with such various capabilities.

<Embodiment>
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, parts having the same configuration or function are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, duplicated descriptions of the same parts may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

(Video Management System)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a video management system 1a according to an embodiment. The video management system 1a includes a first image capture device 10a, a second image capture device 10b, a third image capture device 10c, a first gateway device 20a, a second gateway device 20b, a first server device 30a, a second server device 30b, a management device 40, and a client device 50. Hereinafter, the video management system 1a and a video management system 1b (FIG. 17) described later may be collectively referred to as a "video management system 1". Similarly, the first image capture device 10a, the second image capture device 10b, and the third image capture device 10c may be collectively referred to as a "image capture device 10". The first gateway device 20a and the second gateway device 20b may be collectively referred to as a "gateway device 20". The first server device 30a and the second server device 30b may be collectively referred to as a "server device 30". The gateway device 20, the server device 30, the management device 40, and the client device 50 are communicatively connected to a network N including, for example, the Internet, an intranet, a mobile communication network, and the like.

The imaging device 10 is installed at each point of the imaging target, and captures a video consisting of multiple frame images. The imaging device 10 is, for example, a PTZ camera, but the camera may have any shape and function. In this embodiment, an example in which the number of imaging devices 10 included in the video management system 1a is three will be described, but the number of imaging devices 10 is arbitrary. The imaging device 10 may be installed on a moving object such as a train or a vehicle. Specifically, for example, the imaging device 10 may be installed on a leading railway car, and the video may be used to improve the efficiency of visual confirmation of track maintenance work and to refer to video in the event of an accident. Alternatively, the imaging device 10 may be installed on a maintenance vehicle on a highway, and may be used for confirmation of maintenance points and for maintenance and maintenance work such as removing fallen objects. The imaging device 10 may not be limited to a moving object, but may be fixedly installed indoors or outdoors. As soon as the imaging device 10 captures a video, it continuously transmits the acquired video to the gateway device 20 connected to it so as to be able to communicate with it.

The gateway device 20 continuously acquires video from the photographing device 10 and stores the video as a video file encoded by a predetermined encoding method. The gateway device 20 may store the video acquired from the photographing device 10 as multiple video files of a certain length (e.g., 1 minute) together with the photographing date and time. The gateway device 20 may be installed near the corresponding photographing device 10. For example, if the photographing device 10 is installed on a mobile body, the gateway device 20 may also be installed on the mobile body. In this case, the gateway device 20 may be connected to the network N by mobile communication such as LTE (Long Time Evolution), 4G, or 5G. Each gateway device 20 is communicatively connected to one or more photographing devices 10 and acquires video from the connected photographing device 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the first gateway device 20a is communicatively connected to the first photographing device 10a. The second gateway device 20b is communicatively connected to the second photographing device 10b and the third photographing device 10c. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the video management system 1a includes two gateway devices 20, but the number of gateway devices 20 is arbitrary.

The server device 30 receives and stores video files from the gateway device 20, and transmits video files requested by the client device 50. The server device 30 has a storage capable of storing large-capacity video files. In the example of FIG. 1, the storage provided in the first server device 30a can perform reading and writing at a higher speed than the storage provided in the second server device 30b, but is expensive and can store less data than the second server device 30b. Therefore, the first server device 30a is suitable for storing video files for a short period of time, and the second server device 30b is suitable for storing video files for a long period of time. In this embodiment, an example in which the video management system 1a includes two server devices 30 will be described, but the number of server devices 30 is arbitrary.

The management device 40 manages the storage of video files for each imaging device 10. Specifically, for each imaging device 10, the management device 40 manages the storage destination of video files identified by the shooting date and time, and the storage policy of video files shot by that imaging device 10. In response to an inquiry from a client device 50, the management device 40 responds with the storage location of video files, etc. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the video management system 1a includes one management device 40, but the number of management devices 40 is arbitrary.

The client device 50 is a computer operated by a user. The client device 50 receives requests for desired video files from the user, and downloads and displays the requested video files from the server device 30.

In the above configuration, the management device 40 instructs each server device 30 to download and store video files from the gateway device 20 based on a video file storage policy preset for each imaging device 10. For example, the video file of the first imaging device 10a is frequently referenced for a certain period after imaging, but does not need to be stored for a long period of time. In such a case, the management device 40 may instruct the faster first server device 30a to download and store the video file from the first gateway device 20a only after a request for the video file of the first imaging device 10a is made from the client device 50. The first server device 30a may automatically delete video files from its own device after a certain period of time has elapsed.

For example, the video file of the second image capture device 10b is frequently referenced after capture and requires long-term storage. In such a case, the management device 40 may instruct the first server device 30a to periodically download and store the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the second gateway device 20b, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50. Here, the management device 40 may instruct the first server device 30a to automatically transmit the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the first server device 30a to the second server device 30b and store it in the second server device 30b when a certain period of time has passed since the first server device 30a started storing the video file. The first server device 30a may automatically delete the video file that has been transmitted to the second server device 30b from its own device.

For example, the video file of the third image capture device 10c is not frequently referenced after capture, but needs to be stored for a long time. In such a case, the management device 40 may instruct the second server device 30b to periodically download and store the video file of the third image capture device 10c from the second gateway device 20b, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50.

In this way, the management device 40 instructs each server device 30 on the management of video files based on the video file storage policy preset for each imaging device 10. Therefore, according to the video management system 1, it is possible to more appropriately manage video images based on the properties of the video files for each imaging device 10 and the performance of the server device 30, etc.

The management device 40 also manages the storage destination of each video file, and responds to an inquiry from the client device 50 by telling the server device 30 where the video files are stored. Therefore, the client device 50 can access the server device 30 notified by the management device 40 and download the desired video file without being aware of the storage destination of each video file.

(Gateway device)
2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the gateway device 20 in FIG. 1. The gateway device 20 is one or more computers capable of communicating with each other. The gateway device 20 may be, for example, an electronic device equipped with an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The gateway device 20 is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, any general-purpose electronic device such as a PC (Personal Computer), or may be another dedicated electronic device. As shown in FIG. 2, the gateway device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

The control unit 21 includes one or more processors. In one embodiment, the "processor" is, but is not limited to, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for a particular process. The control unit 21 is communicatively connected to each component that constitutes the gateway device 20, and controls the operation of the entire gateway device 20.

The storage unit 22 includes any storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 22 may function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory, for example. The storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of the gateway device 20. For example, the storage unit 22 may store a system program, an application program, and various information received by the communication unit 23. For example, the storage unit 22 may store videos continuously received from the imaging device 10 and a recording list that is a list of videos. The storage unit 22 is not limited to being built into the gateway device 20, and may be an external database or an external storage module.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a recording list held by the memory unit 22 of the gateway device 20. In Figure 3, "camera" identifies the imaging device 10 that captured the video. For example, "A" indicates the first imaging device 10a. "Recording period" indicates the date and time when the video was captured. For example, "2023-0120-10:00" indicates that the date and time when the video was captured is from 10:00 to 10:01 on January 20, 2023. Each gateway device 20 has a recording list like that shown in Figure 3 for the video images of each imaging device 10 stored in the gateway device itself.

The communication unit 23 includes any communication module capable of communicatively connecting with the image capture device 10, the server device 30, and other devices by any communication technology. The communication unit 23 may further include a communication control module for controlling communication with other devices, and a storage module for storing communication data such as identification information required for communication with other devices. For example, the communication unit 23 may be communicatively connected with the image capture device 10 by a wired cable. When the gateway device 20 is installed in a mobile body, the communication unit 23 may be a communication module for mobile communication.

The functions of the gateway device 20 can be realized by executing a computer program (program) according to this embodiment on a processor included in the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the gateway device 20 can be realized by software. The computer program causes a computer to execute the processing of steps included in the operation of the gateway device 20, thereby causing the computer to realize the functions corresponding to the processing of each step. That is, the computer program is a program for causing a computer to function as the gateway device 20 according to this embodiment. The computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Programs include information used for processing by an electronic computer and equivalent to a program. For example, data that is not a direct command to a computer but has properties that dictate computer processing falls under "something equivalent to a program."

Some or all of the functions of the gateway device 20 may be realized by a dedicated circuit included in the control unit 21. In other words, some or all of the functions of the gateway device 20 may be realized by hardware.

(Server device)
4 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the server device 30 in FIG. 1. The server device 30 is one or a plurality of computers capable of communicating with each other. The server device 30 may be, for example, a WS (WorkStation) or a PC. The server device 30 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a communication unit 33. The hardware configurations of the control unit 31, the storage unit 32, and the communication unit 33 are similar to the control unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the communication unit 23 of the gateway device 20 described with reference to FIG. 2, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted. Some or all of the functions of the server device 30 may be realized by software or hardware.

The memory unit 32 of the server device 30 constitutes a large-capacity storage for storing video files. In the example of FIG. 1, the storage provided in the first server device 30a can perform reading and writing at a higher speed than the storage provided in the second server device 30b, but is expensive and can store less data than the second server device 30b. For example, the memory unit 32 of the first server device 30a may be configured with an SSD or the like. The memory unit 32 of the second server device 30b may be configured with a magnetic hard disk or magnetic tape, for example. The first server device 30a is suitable for storing video files for a short period of time, and the second server device 30b is suitable for storing video files for a long period of time.

(Management device)
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management device 40 in FIG. 1. The management device 40 is one or a plurality of computers capable of communicating with each other. The management device 40 may be, for example, a WS or a PC. The management device 40 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, and a communication unit 43. The hardware configurations of the control unit 41, the storage unit 42, and the communication unit 43 are similar to the control unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the communication unit 23 of the gateway device 20 described with reference to FIG. 2, and therefore detailed description is omitted. Some or all of the functions of the server device 30 may be realized by software or hardware. The storage unit 42 may store, for example, a storage destination list indicating the storage destinations of the video files of each imaging device 10, and a storage policy for video files defined for each imaging device 10.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a storage destination list held by the management device 40. In Figure 6, "camera" identifies the imaging device 10 that captured the video. For example, "A" indicates the first imaging device 10a. "B" indicates the second imaging device 10b. "C" indicates the third imaging device 10c. "Recording period" indicates the date and time of the video. For example, "2023-0120-10:00" indicates that the video was captured on January 20, 2023 from 10:00 to 10:01. "Source" identifies the gateway device 20 from which the server device 30 acquires the video file. For example, "Gateway-α" indicates the first gateway device 20a. "Gateway-β" indicates the second gateway device 20b. "Storage location" identifies the server device 30 that saves the video file. For example, "Cloud-A" indicates the first server device 30a. "Cloud-B" indicates the second server device 30b. "Saved" identifies whether the video file has already been saved in the server device 30 identified in "Storage location". For example, "Saved" indicates that the video file has already been saved in the server device 30 at the "Storage location". "-" indicates that the video file has not yet been transferred from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 at the "Storage location".

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a storage policy held by the management device 40. In Figure 7, "camera" identifies the imaging device 10 that captured the video. "Primary storage location" identifies the server device 30 where the video file is first stored. "Secondary storage location" identifies the server device 30 to which the video file is transferred from the server device 30 and stored for a long period of time after it is stored for a certain period of time in the server device 30 of the "primary storage location". "Timing" indicates the timing of transferring the video file from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 of the "primary storage location". "When referring" indicates that the server device 30 downloads and stores the video file from the gateway device 20 only after a request for the video file is made from the client device 50. "Always" indicates that the server device 30 periodically downloads and stores the video file from the gateway device 20, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50.

In the example of FIG. 7, the "camera" is "A," i.e., the "primary storage location" is set to "Cloud-A" and the "timing" is set to "at the time of reference" for the video file of the first image capture device 10a. Therefore, the management device 40 instructs the first server device 30a to download and store the video image from the first gateway device 20a only after the client device 50 requests the video file of the first image capture device 10a. Note that since the first server device 30a is used for short-term storage of video files, it may automatically delete video files from its own device that have been stored for a certain period of time (e.g., several days to several months, etc.).

For the video file of the second image capture device 10b with "Camera" set to "B", "Cloud-A" is set as the "primary storage location" and "Always" is set as the "timing". The management device 40 instructs the first server device 30a to periodically (e.g., every few minutes to a few hours) download and store the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the second gateway device 20b regardless of whether there is a request from the client device 50. For the video file of the second image capture device 10b with "Camera" set to "B", "Cloud-B" is set as the secondary storage location. The management device 40 instructs the second server device 30b to automatically transmit the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the first server device 30a to the second server device 30b and store it in the second server device 30b when a certain period of time (e.g., several days to several months) has passed since the first server device 30a started storing the video file. In addition, the first server device 30a may automatically delete the video file from its own device once transmission to the second server device 30b has been completed.

Furthermore, for the video file of the third image capture device 10c, "Camera" is set to "C", that is, "Primary storage location" is set to "Cloud-B" and "Timing" is set to "Always". Therefore, the management device 40 instructs the second server device 30b to periodically download and save the video file of the third image capture device 10c from the second gateway device 20b, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50.

Note that the video file storage policy shown in FIG. 7 is an example and is not limited to that shown in FIG. 7. For example, a policy may be defined in which moving images captured by the same imaging device 10 are stored as high-quality video files and low-quality video files, with the high-quality video files stored in the gateway device 20 and the low-quality video files stored in the server device 30. Alternatively, a policy may be defined in which, after being stored in a secondary storage location, a certain period of time has elapsed, the video files are stored in another server device 30 (tertiary storage location). Alternatively, a policy may be defined in which the video files are not constantly transferred from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30, but are automatically transferred to the server device of the primary storage location after a certain period of time has elapsed since they were held in the gateway device 20.

(Client device)
Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the client device 50 in Fig. 1. The client device 50 is one or more computers capable of communicating with each other. The client device 50 may be, for example, a PC, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone. The client device 50 includes a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a communication unit 53, an input unit 54, and an output unit 55. The hardware configurations of the control unit 51, the storage unit 52, and the communication unit 53 are similar to the control unit 21, the storage unit 22, and the communication unit 23 of the gateway device 20 described with reference to Fig. 2, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The input unit 54 includes one or more input interfaces that receive input operations from a user and acquire input information based on the user's operations. For example, the input unit 54 is a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, a touch screen that is integrated with the display of the output unit 55, or a microphone that receives voice input, but is not limited to these.

The output unit 55 includes one or more output interfaces that output information to the user and notify the user. For example, the output unit 55 is, but is not limited to, a display that outputs information as an image, or a speaker that outputs information as sound. Such a display may be, for example, a liquid crystal panel display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. At least one of the input unit 54 and the output unit 55 described above may be configured integrally with the client device 50, or may be provided separately.

Some or all of the functions of the client device 50 may be implemented by software or hardware.

(Example of operation)
9 to 14 are sequence charts showing an example of the operation of the video management system 1. The operation of each device described with reference to Fig. 9 to 14 may correspond to at least a part of the control method of the video management system 1. The operation of each step in Fig. 9 to 14 may be executed based on the control of at least one of the imaging device 10, the control unit 21 of the gateway device 20, the control unit 31 of the server device 30, the control unit 41 of the management device 40, and the control unit 51 of the client device 50.

Figures 9 and 10 show the operation of managing moving images captured by the first image capture device 10a. In step S1 of Figure 9, the first image capture device 10a captures moving images. Specifically, the first image capture device 10a continuously acquires frame images at a predetermined frame rate and starts the process of generating moving images (video).

In step S2, the first image capture device 10a transmits the acquired video to the corresponding gateway device 20. Specifically, as soon as the first image capture device 10a captures a video, it continuously transmits the video to the first gateway device 20a that is connected so as to be able to communicate with it. As a result, while the video management system 1a is operating, the first gateway device 20a will constantly be receiving video from the corresponding first image capture device 10a.

In step S3, the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a stores the moving image in the storage unit 22 as soon as the control unit 21 acquires the moving image from the communicatively connected first image capture device 10a. Specifically, the control unit 21 may store the moving image in the storage unit 22 as a moving image file encoded by a predetermined encoding method. The first gateway device 20a may store the moving image acquired from the first image capture device 10a as multiple moving image files of a certain length of time (e.g., one minute) together with the capture date and time.

The control unit 11 of the first image capture device 10a and the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a repeatedly perform the processes of steps S1 to S3 independently of other processes. That is, the first image capture device 10a and the first gateway device 20a perform the processes of steps S1 to S3 in parallel with the processes of steps S4 to S78. During operation, the first gateway device 20a continuously acquires video images from the first image capture device 10a and stores the acquired video images in the storage unit 22.

In step S4, the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a updates the recording list, which is a list of video files stored in the first gateway device 20a, based on the video received in step S2. The recording list is as described above with reference to FIG. 3.

In step S5, the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a notifies the management device 40 of the recording list updated in step S4. Specifically, the control unit 21 may notify the management device 40 of the entire updated recording list, or a list of video files added by the update in step S4.

In step S6, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 updates the storage destination list based on the updated recording list notified in step S5. As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the storage destination list is information indicating the storage destination of video files identified by the shooting date and time for each imaging device 10.

The control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a and the control unit 41 of the management device 40 repeatedly perform the processes of steps S4 to S6 independently of other processes. That is, the first gateway device 20a and the management device 40 perform the processes of steps S4 to S6 in parallel with the processes of steps S1 to S3 and steps S11 to S78. In this way, the management device 40 automatically updates the storage destination list in synchronization with the recording list of the first gateway device 20a.

In step S11 of FIG. 10, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 instructs the first server device 30a on a storage policy. Specifically, when a storage policy is defined as in FIG. 7, the control unit 41 instructs the first server device 30a to download a video in response to a request from the client device 50 for a video file of the first imaging device 10a.

In step S12, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 inquires of the management device 40 about the storage destination of the video file to be acquired. For example, the control unit 51 may inquire about the storage destination of the video file of the first image capture device 10a from 10:00 to 10:04 on January 20, 2023.

In step S13, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 refers to the storage destination list in response to an inquiry from the client device 50, identifies the server device 30 to be stored, and responds to the client device 50. In the example of this embodiment, all video files of the first imaging device 10a are stored in the first server device 30a. The storage list in FIG. 6 shows that the video files from 10:00 to 10:02 on January 20, 2023 have been stored in the first server device 30a, but the video files from 10:00 to 10:02 have not yet been transferred to the first server device 30a. The control unit 41 responds to the client device 50 with the first server device 30a as the server device 30 to be stored. Note that when the imaging device 10 and the gateway device 20 are installed in a mobile object, there are cases in which communication between the management device 40 and the gateway device 20 cannot be performed, such as when the gateway device 20 is outside the communication range. Therefore, if communication with the gateway device 20 is not possible and the transfer of the video file from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 is not complete, the management device 40 may notify the client device 50 that the gateway device 20 is offline.

In step S14, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 displays the response received from the management device 40 in step S13 on the display unit of the output unit 55. The control unit 51 proceeds to step S15 based on a download instruction from the user given in response to the display. Below, a case will be described in which the user instructs downloading of a video file captured by the first imaging device 10a from 10:02 to 10:04 on January 20, 2023.

In step S15, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 requests the first server device 30a to transmit the video file captured by the first imaging device 10a from 10:02 to 10:04 on January 20, 2023.

In step S16, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a determines whether the requested video file has already been saved in the first server device 30a. If the video file has not been saved in the first server device 30a, the control unit 31 requests the video image requested by the client device 50 from the first gateway device 20a. If the requested video file has been saved in the first server device 30a, the control unit 31 transmits the video file to the client device 50.

In step S17, the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a transmits the requested video files of the first image capture device 10a to the first server device 30a in response to a request from the first server device 30a. Note that when the first server device 30a requests all video files including the video files of the first image capture device 10a, the control unit 21 may transmit all of the video files of the first image capture device 10a stored in the first gateway device 20a to the first server device 30a.

In step S18, the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a deletes from its own device the video file of the first imaging device 10a that has already been sent to the first server device 30a. Note that while deleting the video file is not essential, the storage area of the first gateway device 20a has a size limit. Therefore, when a video file that exceeds a specified size is received, it is preferable for the control unit 21 of the first gateway device 20a to delete the video files starting from the oldest one.

In step S19, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a stores in the memory unit 32 the video file of the first image capture device 10a received from the first gateway device 20a in step S17.

In step S20, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a transmits the video file of the first image capture device 10a requested by the client device 50 to the client device 50.

In step S21, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 stores the video file received from the first server device 30a in the storage unit 52. The control unit 51 may display the received video file on a display unit such as the output unit 55.

FIGS. 11 to 14 show operations related to management of moving images captured by the second image capture device 10b and the third image capture device 10c. In step S31 in FIG. 11, the second image capture device 10b captures moving images. The processing in step S31 can be performed in the same manner as step S1 in FIG. 9.

In step S32, the second image capture device 10b transmits the acquired video to the corresponding gateway device 20 (second gateway device 20b). The process of step S32 can be performed in the same manner as step S2 in FIG. 9.

In step S33, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b stores the moving image as a video file in the storage unit 22 as soon as the moving image is acquired from the second imaging device 10b that is communicatively connected. The process of step S33 can be performed in the same manner as step S3 in FIG. 9.

The control unit 11 of the second image capture device 10b and the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b repeatedly perform the processes of steps S31 to S33 independently of other processes. During operation, the second gateway device 20b continuously acquires video images from the second image capture device 10b and stores the acquired video images in the storage unit 22.

In step S34, the third image capture device 10c captures a moving image. The process of step S34 can be performed in the same manner as step S1 in FIG. 9 and step S31 in FIG. 11.

In step S35, the third image capture device 10c transmits the acquired video to the corresponding gateway device 20 (the second gateway device 20b). The process of step S32 can be performed in the same manner as step S2 in FIG. 9 and step S32 in FIG. 11.

In step S36, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b stores the moving image as a video file in the storage unit 22 as soon as the moving image is acquired from the communicatively connected second image capture device 10b. The process of step S33 can be performed in the same manner as step S3 in FIG. 9 and step S33 in FIG. 11.

The control unit 11 of the third image capture device 10c and the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b repeatedly perform the processes of steps S34 to S36 independently of other processes. During operation, the second gateway device 20b continuously acquires video images from the third image capture device 10c and stores the acquired video images in the storage unit 22.

In step S37, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b updates the recording list, which is a list of video files stored in the second gateway device 20b, based on the videos received in steps S32 and S35. The recording list is as described above with reference to FIG. 3.

In step S38, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b notifies the management device 40 of the recording list updated in step S37. The process of step S38 can be performed in the same manner as step S5 in FIG. 9.

In step S39, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 updates the storage destination list based on the updated recording list notified in step S38.

The control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b and the control unit 41 of the management device 40 repeatedly perform the processes of steps S37 to S39 independently of other processes. In this way, the management device 40 automatically updates the storage destination list in synchronization with the recording list of the second gateway device 20b.

Figure 12 shows the operation related to the management of video images captured by the second image capture device 10b. In step S41 of Figure 12, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 instructs the first server device 30a on a storage policy. Specifically, when the storage policy is defined as in Figure 7, the control unit 41 instructs the first server device 30a to periodically download video files of the second image capture device 10b, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50.

In step S42, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a requests the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the second gateway device 20b.

In step S43, in response to a request from the first server device 30a, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b transmits all video files of the second image capture device 10b stored in the second gateway device 20b to the first server device 30a.

In step S44, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b deletes from its own device the video file of the second image capture device 10b that has already been sent to the first server device 30a. Note that while deleting the video file is not essential, the storage area of the second gateway device 20b has a size limit. Therefore, when a video file that exceeds a specified size is received, it is preferable for the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b to delete the video files starting from the oldest one.

In step S45, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a stores in the memory unit 32 the video file of the second image capture device 10b received from the second gateway device 20b in step S43.

The control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b and the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a repeatedly perform the processes of steps S42 to S45 independently of other processes. For example, the first server device 30a may periodically (e.g., every few minutes to a few hours) download and store the video file of the second image capture device 10b from the second gateway device 20b. In this way, the video file of the second image capture device 10b is automatically transmitted from the second gateway device 20b to the first server device 30a.

In steps S46 to S51, a process is performed to transfer to the second server device 30b the video file of the second image capture device 10b that has been saved in the first server device 30a for a certain period of time. In step S46, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a determines whether a certain period of time (e.g., several days to several months) has passed since the video file of the second image capture device 10b was saved. If the certain period of time has passed (YES in step S46), the control unit 31 proceeds to step S47, otherwise it returns to step S46 after a certain cycle time has passed.

In step S47, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a transmits to the second server device 30b the video file of the second image capture device 10b that has been stored on the first server device for a certain period of time.

In step S48, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a deletes from its own device the video file of the second image capture device 10b that has already been sent to the second server device 30b.

In step S49, the control unit 31 of the second server device 30b stores in the memory unit 32 the video file of the second image capture device 10b received from the first server device 30a in step S47.

In step S50, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a may notify the management device 40 that the storage destination of the video file of the second image capture device 10b has been updated. Note that the second server device 30b, rather than the first server device 30a, may notify the management device 40 of the update of the storage destination of the video file of the second image capture device 10b.

In step S51, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 updates the storage destination list based on the notification in step S50.

The first server device 30a, the second gateway device 20b, and the management device 40 repeatedly perform the processes of steps S46 to S51 independently of other processes. In this way, when a video file of the second image capture device 10b is transferred from the first server device 30a to the second server device 30b, the management device 40 automatically updates the storage destination list accordingly.

Figure 13 shows the operation related to the management of video images captured by the third image capture device 10c. In step S61 of Figure 13, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 instructs the second server device 30b on a storage policy. Specifically, when the storage policy is defined as in Figure 7, the control unit 41 instructs the second server device 30b to periodically download video files of the third image capture device 10c, regardless of whether or not there is a request from the client device 50.

In step S62, the control unit 31 of the second server device 30b requests the video file of the third image capture device 10c from the second gateway device 20b.

In step S63, in response to a request from the second server device 30b, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b transmits all of the video files of the third image capture device 10c stored in the second gateway device 20b to the second server device 30b.

In step S64, the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b deletes from its own device the video file of the third image capture device 10c that has already been transmitted to the second server device 30b. Note that while deleting the video file is not essential, the storage area of the second gateway device 20b has a size limit. Therefore, when a video file that exceeds a specified size is received, it is preferable for the control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b to delete the video files in order starting with the oldest.

In step S65, the control unit 31 of the second server device 30b stores in the memory unit 32 the video file of the third image capture device 10c received from the second gateway device 20b in step S63.

The control unit 21 of the second gateway device 20b and the control unit 31 of the second server device 30b repeatedly perform the processes of steps S62 to S65 independently of other processes. For example, the second server device 30b may periodically (e.g., every few minutes to several hours) download and store the video file of the third image capture device 10c from the second gateway device 20b. In this way, the video file of the third image capture device 10c is automatically transmitted from the second gateway device 20b to the second server device 30b.

Figure 14 shows the process in which the client device 50 downloads a video file from the second image capture device 10b. In step S71, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 inquires of the management device 40 about the storage destination of the video file to be acquired. For example, the control unit 51 may inquire about the storage destination of the video file from 10:00 to 10:04 on Jan. 20, 2023 from the second image capture device 10b.

In step S72, the control unit 41 of the management device 40 refers to the storage destination list in response to an inquiry from the client device 50, identifies the server device 30 as the storage destination, and responds to the client device 50. In the example of FIG. 7, the video file from 10:00 to 10:02 on January 20, 2023 is stored in the second server device 30b, and the video file from 10:02 to 10:04 is stored in the first server device 30a. The control unit 41 responds with this information to the client device 50. Note that, similar to step S13 in FIG. 10, if the transfer of the video file from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 is not completed and communication with the gateway device 20 cannot be performed, the management device 40 may notify the client device 50 that it is offline.

In step S73, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 displays the response received from the management device 40 in step S72 on the display unit of the output unit 55. The control unit 51 proceeds to step S74 based on a download instruction from the user given in response to the display. Below, a case will be described in which the user instructs downloading of a video file captured by the second imaging device 10b from 10:00 to 10:04 on January 20, 2023.

In step S74, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 requests the video file captured by the second image capture device 10b from 10:02 to 10:04 on January 20, 2023 from the first server device 30a.

In step S75, the control unit 31 of the first server device 30a transmits the video file requested by the client device 50 to the client device 50.

In step S76, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 requests the second server device 30b to transmit the video file captured by the second image capture device 10b from 10:00 to 10:02 on January 20, 2023.

In step S77, the control unit 31 of the second server device 30b transmits the video file requested by the client device 50 to the client device 50.

In step S78, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 stores the video files received from the first server device 30a and the second server device 30b in the storage unit 52. The control unit 51 may display the received video files on a display unit such as the output unit 55.

Figures 15 and 16 are diagrams showing examples of screens displayed on the client device 50. In Figure 15, image 80 shows an example of a screen displayed on the client device 50. Input areas 81 and 82 are areas for the user to specify the shooting period of the video file to be searched. In the example of Figures 15 and 16, the period from 13:15 on June 23, 2022 to 13:23 on June 23, 2022 is specified. Selection areas 91 (91a, 91b, 91c) are areas for the user to select the imaging device 10 that shot the video file and the corresponding gateway device 20. In the selection area 91a, the first gateway device 20a (Gateway0) and the first imaging device 10a (camera0) connected to the first gateway device 20a are selected. In the selection area 91b, the second gateway device 20b (Gateway1) and the second imaging device 10b (camera1) connected to the second gateway device 20b are selected. In the selection area 91c, the second gateway device 20b (Gateway1) and the third image capture device 10c (camera2) connected to the second gateway device 20b are selected. In the examples of FIGS. 15 and 16, a video file with the same content captured by the same image capture device 10 can be selected from either a high-image-quality version (Primary) or a low-image-quality version (Secondary). In the examples of FIGS. 15 and 16, the high-image-quality version is selected for the first image capture device 10a and the second image capture device 10b, and the low-image-quality version is selected for the third image capture device 10c.

Depending on the user's selection in the input fields 81, 82 and the selection field 91 (91a, 91b, 91c), the client device 50 inquires of the management device 40 about the destination to save the video file (step S12 in FIG. 10, step S71 in FIG. 14). When the client device 50 receives a response to the inquiry from the management device 40 (step S13 in FIG. 10, step S72 in FIG. 14), the client device 50 visually displays the response from the client device 50 in the image 80 (step S14 in FIG. 10, step S73 in FIG. 14).

Area 85 (85a, 85b, 85c) displays thumbnail images of the video images for the shooting period specified in the input area 81, 82. Area 92 (92a, 92b, 92c) visually shows the status of video file storage for each selected shooting device 10 (10a, 10b, 10c) along with a time axis. Image 86 (86a, 86b, 86c) in FIG. 15 indicates that a video file is stored in the gateway device 20, but not in the server device 30. The video file at the time when image 86 is displayed needs to be transferred from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30, and then transferred from the server device 30 to the client device 50, so it takes time to download. Image 87 (87a, 87b, 87c) indicates that the video file is once stored in the gateway device 20, and then the transfer to the server device 30 is completed. The video file in which image 87 is displayed can be immediately transferred from server device 30 to client device 50 upon request, allowing downloading in a short time. Images 88 (88a, 88b, 88c) indicate that no image has been captured by the imaging device 10 (no image has been captured). Images 89 (89a, 89b, 89c) in FIG. 16 indicate a case in which the gateway device 20 is offline, that is, the imaging device 10 has captured an image but the transfer of the video file from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 has not been completed, and communication with the gateway device 20 cannot be performed.

Images 83 (83a, 83b, 83c) and images 84 (84a, 84b, 84c) are user interfaces for specifying the time range of the video image to be downloaded for each image capture device 10. The control unit 51 of the client device 50 displays the images 83 and 84 so that they can be slid along the time axis in response to a user operation. The user can easily select the time range of the video file to be downloaded by operating the images 83 and 84 for each image capture device 10 while referring to the thumbnail image displayed in area 85, the storage status of the video file displayed in area 92, and the time axis. In response to the download instruction after operating the images 83 and 84, the control unit 51 of the client device 50 requests the video file from the server device 30 (step S15 in FIG. 10, steps S74 and S76 in FIG. 14).

As described above, the video management system 1 includes a plurality of camera devices 10, at least one gateway device 20, at least one server device 30, a management device 40, and a client device 50. The camera devices 10 capture video images made up of a plurality of frame images. The gateway device 20 is communicably connected to at least one camera device 10 included in the plurality of camera devices 10, and acquires video images from the at least one camera device 10.
The management device 40 transmits an instruction to at least one server device 30 for storing the moving images based on a policy for storing the moving images defined for each of the multiple image capture devices 10. The client device 50 acquires a desired moving image from one of the at least one server device 30. Here, the at least one server device 30 acquires and stores the moving images from the at least one gateway device 20 based on the instruction received from the management device 40.

In this way, in the video management system 1, the management device 40 sends instructions regarding the storage of video images to at least one server device 30 based on a policy defined for each imaging device 10. Therefore, it is possible to more appropriately manage video images based on the properties of the video files for each imaging device and the performance of the server device 30, etc.

In addition, the management device 40 manages video files that cannot be communicated with the gateway device 20 as offline, so that even if the imaging device 10 and the gateway device 20 are installed in a mobile body and communication with the gateway device 20 cannot be performed, the management device 40 can appropriately manage video files.

(Modification)
In the video management system 1a of FIG. 1, the management device 40 collectively manages the location of video files in the system, but the management form of video files may be modified according to the configuration of the network. For example, in a real network, a configuration in which an intranet or other internal company network is connected to the Internet is common. Therefore, a multi-stage structure may be adopted in which an on-premise device in the internal company network manages the location of video files in the internal company network, and the management information of each on-premise is linked over a public network such as the Internet. The following mainly describes the differences from the video management system 1a of FIG. 1, and the same functions and operations as those in the above-mentioned configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a video management system 1b according to an embodiment. The video management system 1b includes a first image capture device 10a, a second image capture device 10b, a third image capture device 10c, a first gateway device 20a, a second gateway device 20b, a third gateway device 20c, a first proxy device 60a, a second proxy device 60b, a first server device 30a, a second server device 30b, a management device 40, and a client device 50. Hereinafter, the first image capture device 10a, the second image capture device 10b, and the third image capture device 10c may be collectively referred to as "image capture device 10". The first gateway device 20a, the second gateway device 20b, and the third gateway device 20c may be collectively referred to as "gateway device 20". Hereinafter, the first proxy device 60a and the second proxy device 60b may be collectively referred to as "proxy device 60". The first server device 30a and the second server device 30b may be collectively referred to as the "server devices 30." The proxy device 60, the server device 30, the management device 40, and the client device 50 are communicatively connected to a network N including, for example, the Internet, an intranet, and a mobile communication network.

As shown in FIG. 17, the first image capture device 10a, the second image capture device 10b, the first gateway device 20a, the second gateway device 20b, and the first proxy device 60a are provided in the first internal network 2a. The third image capture device 10c, the third gateway device 20c, and the second proxy device 60b are provided in the second internal network 2b. Hereinafter, the first internal network 2a and the second internal network 2b may be collectively referred to as the "internal network 2."

The proxy device 60 is a computer that manages the location of video files in the internal network 2. The proxy device 60 is configured with a WS or a PC, and may include a control unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, similar to the server device 30 in FIG. 4 or the management device 40 in FIG. 5. In the example of FIG. 17, two gateway devices 20 are connected to the first proxy device 60a, and one gateway device 20 is connected to the second proxy device 60b, but the number of gateway devices 20 connected to the proxy device 60 is arbitrary. Also, in the example of FIG. 17, the video management system 1b has two internal networks 2, but the number of internal networks 2 is arbitrary.

In the above configuration, the proxy device 60 receives video files from the gateway device 20 and transmits the video files to the server device 30 in response to a request from the client device 50. The proxy device 60 also receives a recording list from the connected gateway device 20 and updates the destination list indicating the destination of the video files in the internal network 2 to which the proxy device 60 belongs. The management device 40 receives the destination list from each proxy device 60 and updates the destination list indicating the destination of the video files in the video management system 1b. The recording list held by the gateway device 20 is shown, for example, in FIG. 3 mentioned above.

Figure 18 is a diagram showing an example of a storage destination list held by the proxy device 60. In Figure 18, "camera" identifies the imaging device 10 that captured the video. "Recording period" indicates the date and time when the video was captured. "Obtained from" identifies the gateway device 20 from which the proxy device 60 obtained the video file. "Storage location" identifies the proxy device 60 that stores the video file. For example, "Proxy-A" indicates the first proxy device 60a. "Saved or not" identifies whether the video file has already been saved in the proxy device 60 identified in "Storage location". For example, "Saved" indicates that the video file has already been saved in the proxy device 60 at the "Storage location". "-" indicates that the video file has not yet been transferred from the gateway device 20 to the proxy device 60 at the "Storage location".

Figure 19 is a diagram showing an example of a storage destination list held by the management device 40. In Figure 19, "camera" identifies the imaging device 10 that captured the video. "Recording period" indicates the date and time when the video was captured. "Source of acquisition" identifies the proxy device 60 from which the server device 30 acquires the video file. For example, "Proxy-A" indicates the first proxy device 60a. "Proxy-B" indicates the second proxy device 60b. "Storage location" identifies the server device 30 that saves the video file. "Saved or not" identifies whether the video file has already been saved in the server device 30 identified in "Storage location".

The gateway device 20 updates the recording list (e.g., FIG. 3) based on the video received from the imaging device 10 and the video files transferred from the gateway device 20 to the proxy device 60. The proxy device 60 updates the storage destination list (e.g., FIG. 18) based on the recording list received from the gateway device 20, the video files received from the gateway device 20, and the video files sent from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30. The management device 40 updates the storage destination list (e.g., FIG. 19) according to the storage destination list received from the proxy device 60 and the status of the transfer of video files from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30.

When the management device 40 receives an inquiry from the client device 50 about the destination of the video file, it responds by referring to the destination list held by the management device 40. If the video file requested by the client device 50 is not stored in the server device 30, the server device 30 requests the video file from the proxy device 60 that manages the requested video file. If the proxy device 60 has stored the requested video file in its own device, it transmits the video file to the server device 30 and updates the destination list (e.g., FIG. 18). If the proxy device 60 has not stored the requested video file in its own device, it requests the video file from the gateway device 20 that holds the video file. In response to this, the gateway device 20 transmits the video file to the proxy device 60 and updates the recording list (e.g., FIG. 3). The proxy device 60 transmits the video file received from the gateway device 20 to the server device 30 and updates the destination list (e.g., FIG. 18). When the server device 30 receives the video file from the proxy device 60, it transmits the requested video file to the client device 50. The management device 40 updates the storage destination list according to the storage status on the server device 30.

In this way, the proxy device 60 manages the storage destinations of video files for each internal network 2, and the management device 40 manages the storage destinations of video files in the video management system 1b in cooperation with the proxy device 60. Since the storage destinations of video files are managed in a multi-stage structure according to the network configuration, the security of the internal network 2 etc. is maintained, and the client device 50 can access the server device 30 notified by the management device 40 and download the desired video file without being aware of the storage destination of each video file.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagram may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Multiple steps shown in the flowchart may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capacity of the device executing each step, or as needed, instead of being executed chronologically as described. Other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Video management system 10 Shooting device 20 Gateway device 21 Control unit 22 Storage unit 23 Communication unit 30 Server device 31 Control unit 32 Storage unit 33 Communication unit 40 Management device 41 Control unit 42 Storage unit 43 Communication unit 50 Client device 51 Control unit 52 Storage unit 53 Communication unit 54 Input unit 55 Output unit 60 Proxy device N Network

Claims (9)

a plurality of image capturing devices for capturing a moving image made up of a plurality of frame images;
at least one gateway device communicably connected to at least one of the plurality of image capture devices and configured to acquire the video from the at least one image capture device;
At least one server device;
a management device that transmits an instruction for storing the video to the at least one server device based on a policy for storing the video defined for each of the plurality of image capture devices;
Equipped with
the at least one server device acquires the video from the at least one gateway device based on the instruction received from the management device, and stores the video.
Video management system. The video management system according to claim 1, wherein a first server device included in the at least one server device acquires and stores the video of a first image capture device included in the plurality of image capture devices from the gateway device that stores the video in response to a request from a client device. The video management system according to claim 1, wherein a second server device included in the at least one server device acquires and stores the video of a second image capture device included in the plurality of image capture devices from the gateway device that stores the video, regardless of whether the video is requested by a client device or not. The video management system according to claim 3, wherein the second server device transmits the video of the second imaging device to a third server device included in the at least one server device when a certain period of time has elapsed since the video of the second imaging device was acquired. The management device includes:
a storage destination list indicating storage destinations of the video images captured by each of the plurality of image capture devices is maintained;
responding to an inquiry about the location of the video from the client device by referring to the storage destination list and indicating the storage destination of the video;
The video management system according to claim 1 . the at least one gateway device holds a recording list indicating a list of the video images stored by the gateway device among the video images of the imaging devices communicably connected to the gateway device;
the management device updates the storage destination list based on the recording list held by the at least one gateway device.
The video management system according to claim 5. a plurality of image capturing devices for capturing a moving image made up of a plurality of frame images;
at least one gateway device communicatively connected to at least one of the plurality of image capture devices and configured to acquire the video from the at least one image capture device;
At least one server device;
A management device;
A video management method in a video management system comprising:
a step of transmitting, by the management device, an instruction for storing the video to the at least one server device based on a policy for storing the video defined for each of the plurality of image capture devices;
The at least one server device acquires the video from the at least one gateway device based on the instruction received from the management device, and stores the video;
Including, how to manage videos. the management device holds, for each of the plurality of image capture devices, a list of storage destinations indicating storage destinations of the video captured by the image capture device;
The method further includes a step of the management device responding to an inquiry from a client device regarding the location of a video by referring to the storage destination list and responding with a storage destination of the video.
The video management method according to claim 7. At least one gateway device that is communicatively connected to at least one of a plurality of image capture devices that capture a moving image composed of a plurality of frame images, and that acquires the moving image from the at least one image capture device; and
A communication device connected to at least one server device,
A management device comprising a control unit that transmits instructions to the at least one server device regarding acquisition and storage of the video from the gateway device based on a policy regarding storage of the video defined for each of the multiple imaging devices.

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