Background

Closed circuit television (CCTV) places an important role in building operations and the protection of property and people. The technology was first applied in the 1960's and has been rapidly changing due to advances in microcomputers and data communications ⁽¹⁾ . The data communications area is undergoing this rapid transition due to the local area networks (LAN) and the emerging availability of wide area communications (WAN) using an Intranet/Internet backbone.

This document was prepared to summarize the current "State of the Art" of Digital CCTV systems and to understand the options now or soon to be available to building owners. The main emphasis is placed on multi-building CCTV surveillance operations and camera viewing and how this can be accomplished from a remote command and control center.

The main function of the CCTV system is to allow remote viewing (typically from several cameras back to one location within the same building) and surveillance. It is typically part of an overall integrated package operated by security personnel that includes access control, alarms, intrusion detection, and communications.

A typical CCTV system will include; camera(s), a transmission medium (i.e. coax, fiber-optic, twisted-pair), video switcher/multiplexer, display monitor(s), VCR and video printer ⁽²⁾ .

The camera can be overt (easily noticed) or covert (hidden). Cameras must first be selected for the application and location (i.e. inside or outside the building). In most cases these cameras can also be equipped with pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) capabilities ⁽³⁾ . Most modern cameras are solid state using a close coupled device (CCD) that provides a NTSC composite output video signal in color or monochrome at 30 frames per second (frame transmission at 1/30^th of a second) ⁽⁴⁾ .

Real time transmission is commonly made at 30 FPS (frames per second) and slow scan transmission is typically 0.25 to 2 FPS. When several cameras are connected to a switcher/multiplexer the frame images from these cameras area transmitted serially and sequentially over the transmission medium.

Video images are typically stored on a special time-lapse VCR that can be programmed to record up to 960 hours on a single VHS tape. These VCRs can also connect with the CCTV system via a RS-232 port for computer control of the device. Other storage mediums include digital audio tape (DAT), hard disk and optical storage. The resolution of the camera image, monochrome or color image, speed of the transmission medium and recording method will determine the number of hours that can be stored on these digital devices.

The switcher/multiplexer for several cameras can be as simple as a manually controlled device that displays the camera image on the monitor once a button is pushed, to automatic sequential units with splitting to allow multiple camera views on a single monitor, to computer controlled switching devices.

In the case of the computer controlled unit, a PC with special proprietary software from the manufacturer controls the switcher. The switcher has the internal electronic circuitry to provide for individual camera PTZ, alarming (typically based on video motion detection), multi-monitor control, multi-VCR control, printer control (text and graphic).

All of these functions are then accessible via a graphic user interface (GUI) from a PC. This is typically operates on an IBM compatible PC equipped with a mouse using Microsoft Windows. This control environment allows for "point and click" operation of the CCTV surveillance system and the other numerous "user-defined" enhancements that are possible since the system is operating in a computer-based mode.

I. Conventional CCTV - Real time video

Typical configuration - CCTV Camera(s) to Multiplexer (with or w/o motion detection/alarm) to VCR to Monitor as shown in Figure 1.

Manufacturers/systems - Philips/Burle, Panasonic, Sony, and many other companies.

Capabilities/limitations - In order to perform a watch tour the security guard must watch local camera images and observe activity from the central monitoring station located in the same building.

II. Dial-Up CCTV (PSTN or ISDN) - Slow scan video

Typical configuration - In Building #1, CCTV Camera(s) to Phone line Transmission Multiplexer (with or w/o motion detection/alarm) to Modem to Building #2, to Phone line Transmission Multiplexer to VCR to Monitor(s) as shown in Figure 2.

Manufacturers/systems - Philips/Burle ⁽⁷⁾ , Dedicated Micros DFT ⁽¹⁴⁾ , Vision Research ⁽⁸⁾ , Alpha Systems Lab Remotewatch Pro ⁽⁵⁾ , TeleSite VP100 ⁽⁶⁾ , Mavix Spider-Eye ⁽¹⁶⁾ .

Capabilities and limitations - Dial-up systems connect at 28.8Kbps to 128Kbps (ISDN) with corresponding video frame rate reduction. Remote system surveillance is only possible when dial-up connection is made to building. Simultaneous multiple-building surveillance would require matching modem/multiplexer at the Central Command Center. System susceptible to phone line/modem problems. With some manufacturers a matching receiving unit in the CCC is required for each transmitter in the remote building. One guard can perform a watch on numerous locations from one single location. Some systems can operate without the need for a PC in the Command and Control Center.

III. Network CCTV with on-site PC - Slow scan to near real time video

Typical configuration - In Building #1, CCTV Camera(s) to PC (with or w/o motion detection/alarm) via WAN or Modem to Building #2 to PC to VCR as shown in Figure 3.

Manufacturers/systems - Panasonic Proteus ⁽⁹⁾ , Robot/Sensormatic HyperScan ^(11,12) , Javelin ^{(10, 13)} , Dedicated Micros Uniplex ⁽¹⁴⁾ .

Capabilities and limitations - Dial-up systems connect at 28.8Kbps to 128Kbps (ISDN) with corresponding video frame rate reduction. Remote system surveillance is only possible when dial-up connection is made to building. Simultaneous multiple-building surveillance would require matching modem/multiplexer at the Central Command Center. System susceptible to phone line/modem problems.

Intranet/Wide Area Network - This configuration if available from the manufacturer would provide connection speed based on bandwidth via Ethernet TCP/IP to building i.e. ISDN, T-1, etc. This configuration would also allow for simultaneous remote surveillance from Command and Control Center from numerous buildings at slow scan (ISDN) to near real time (T-1) video speed. One guard can perform a watch on numerous locations from one single location. Operation of a multi-building system is complicated by the fact that the system depends upon the operations of a PC in each building in the field.

IV. Network CCTV without on-site PC - Slow scan to near real time video

Typical configuration - In Building #1, CCTV Camera(s) to Gateway Unit (with motion detection/alarm) via WAN to Building #2, to Gateway Unit to VCR to Monitor(s) as shown in Figure 4.

Manufacturers/systems - Mavix MX2100C ⁽¹⁶⁾ , SyAC Digieye ⁽¹⁷⁾ , NewBridge VTU ⁽¹⁵⁾ , Cat Digit-Eyes DEC8050 ⁽¹⁸⁾ .

Capabilities and limitations - Intranet/Wide Area Network configuration provides connection speed based on bandwidth via Ethernet TCP/IP to building i.e. slow scan (ISDN), near real time (T-1), etc. The Command and Control Center operates in a multi-user environment using Microsoft NT servers and allows for simultaneous remote surveillance from numerous buildings. One guard can perform a watch on numerous locations from one single location. The digital video surveillance system is integrated into the buildings local area network and facilities wide area network. In a fully digital environment the VCR storage is replaced with hard drives or other high capacity digital image devices.

V. Ethernet IP Addressable CCTV Camera - Slow scan to near real time video

Typical configuration - In Building #1, CCTV Camera(s) connect to CCTV to IP adapter (with motion detection/alarm) connected to local area network via Ethernet 10BaseT CAT 5 connector. The buildings LAN then connects via the WAN to Building #2, to Microsoft NT Server with digital storage as shown in Figure 5.

Manufacturers/systems - Axis Neteye ⁽²¹⁾ , Microplex NetworkEye ⁽¹⁹⁾ , Active Imaging MV-Net ⁽²⁰⁾ .

Capabilities and limitations - Intranet/Wide Area Network configuration provides connection speed based on bandwidth via Ethernet TCP/IP to building i.e. slow scan (ISDN), near real time video (T-1), etc. Since each CCTV camera has an Ethernet IP address (w/security) the video image can be viewed on any workstation equipped with an Internet Browser (i.e. Netscape, Explorer, etc.) that has been provided Intranet/WAN access. These images can also be accessed and distributed via Java applets. The Command and Control Center allows for simultaneous remote surveillance from numerous buildings. One guard can perform a watch on numerous locations from one single location. The digital video surveillance system would reside on the Microsoft NT servers located in the Command and Control Center. Some CCTV to IP adapters include a integral camera while others provide for multiple CCTV camera connections to one device. The overall speed of the system is based on camera server conversion time (typ. 5-15 FPS), LAN traffic and the LAN to WAN connection speed (i.e. ISDN 128K or T-1 1.5M). The CCTV/IP adapters (camera servers) can be added by the building Owner at any time by plugging into the local area network.

VI. Command and Control Center and Developing Issues

Many of the CCTV surveillance systems described in Sections II, II, and IV can or must be equipped with the manufacturers GUI proprietary software designed to operate under Microsoft Windows. These software packages have been developed specifically for the surveillance industry and associated equipment to operate in a stand-alone fashion.

These packages typically have not be designed to be integrated with other facility management systems i.e. building automation, fire alarm monitoring, the buildings LAN and e-mail systems. This is typically due to the proprietary nature of the manufacturers equipment and the GUI.

Recent developments in Lonworks/BacNet, LAN/WAN, switching Ethernet 10/100M hubs, Intranet/Internet, NT Server hardware/software, Web Browsers, ActiveX/Java, desktop video teleconferencing, network cameras, digital video streaming, data object warehousing, and industrial automation packages are now allowing for the integration of various systems that were not possible a few months or even one year ago ^(22-38) .

Figure 6 shows a next level of a digital video surveillance system described in Section V that will soon be possible. The camera servers are directly connected to the buildings local area network and can be relocated at any time by the Owner. There is no special multiplexing or switching equipment required to access these devices at the building or from the Command and Control Center.

The LAN that services the other building data/video needs would normally provide the rack mounted communication enclosure, patch panels, switched 10/100M Ethernet hubs and WAN router. Additional Category 5 wire is routed as needed to meet all of the buildings data/video needs. As the bandwidth from the LAN to WAN is increased (i.e. ISDN to T-1, etc.) all systems served by the LAN will benefit from the upgrade.

The Command and Control Center (CCC) operates on NT Servers and is accessed via console(s) and output to monitors and/or projection displays or video walls. The servers are provided with digital video storage and operate under a open industrial control package front-end. Motion video detection is included in the CCTV camera or camera server. The cameras are accessed from the CCC console or any other console (w/security privileges) via Java applets on a Web Browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer. Once a Java applet is defined for the camera server watch tours can be easily arranged and displayed/manipulated via Microsoft Office Professional 97 packages that are Intranet/Internet enabled. These Java enabled programs will then allow this video imagery to be displayed on wireless personal digital assistants (PDA) that are coming to the market in the near future.

Storage for the CCC consoles is provided by data warehousing using Oracle Video server software and stored on disk or via DAT using Loronix CCTVware.

VII. References and On-line Resources

1. Kriegle, Herman, CCTV Surveillance, Video Practices and Technology, Butterworth-Heinemann, © 1995, 458 pages.
2. Philip/Burle Products, http://www.philipscss.com/products.html
3. Aegis Electronic Group - Distributor, http://www.aegis-elec.com/index.html
4. Panasonic Digital Signal Processing Color CCD Cameras WV-CP610, http://www.subtechnique.com/panasoni/wv_cp610.html
5. Alpha Systems Lab, RemoteWatch Pro, http://www.aslrwp.com/
6. Telesite Video Transmission, http://www.almexltd.com/telesite/techdata.htm
7. Burle TC4200 Series Phoneline Video Transmission Systems (717) 295-6123.
8. Vision Research Corporation, http://www.visionresearch.com/
9. Panasonic Proteus for Windows, http://www.subtechnique.com/panasoni/pfw_300.html
10. Javelin Systems Omni Mini Quest, http://www.javelin.com/JO/jo1100.htm
11. Sensormatic Hyperscan, http://www.sensormatic-vpd.com/html/pihyprsn.htm
12. Robot Hyperscan Ultra, http://sunshinewire.com/products8.html
13. Javelin Systems Omni Quanta, http://www.javelin.com/JO/jo1500.htm
14. Dedicated Micros Uniplex, http://www.dedicatedmicros.com/gatescrn.html
15. Newbridge Networks, VTU 2611 MainStreet, http://www.newbridge.com/products/extenders/datasheets/2611.html
16. Mavix Surveillance Multimedia Gateway, http://www.accordnet.com/mavix/
17. Digieye by SyAC, http://com.area.trieste.it/syac/html/datash.htm
18. CAT Digit-Eyes DEC8050, http://www.cat.co.za/products/dec.htm
19. NetworkEye/270, http://www.microplex.com/microplex/info/m270ps.html
20. Active Imaging MV-Vision, http://www.win.net/~omnix/new_page/mc_vis.html
21. Axis Communications Neteye 200, http://www.axis.com/neteye/
22. IBM Digital Video Surveillance article, http://www.europe.ibm.com/go/psb/dvs.htm
23. Loronix Information Systems CCTVware, http://loronix.com/journal.html
24. Vxtreme Web Theater video streaming over the Internet, http://www.vxtreme.com.com/products/enabling.html
25. BellSouth Intrusion Detection System for Education, http://www.bellsouth.com/bbs/solutions/solutions21.html
26. I-Frame Random Access Video for Industry, http://www.iframe.com/iframe_software.html
27. Cheetah video-capable file servers, http://sourcedigital.com/bttnci.htm
28. Oracle CCTV Management System, http://www.inquiry.com/literature/oracle/www.oracle.com/partners/html/PR_4630.html
29. Oracle Video Option for Universal Server, http://www.oracle.com/products/oracle7/oracle7.3/html/video_ds.html
30. Intellution Automation Software FIX32, http://www.intellution.com/mmi32bit.html
31. Pcsoft Wizcon remote monitoring with Mavix remote intelligent surveillance system, http://www.icl.co.il/p/pcsoft/pnews.htm
32. Microsoft Industry Solutions, The Changing Paradigms of Manufacturing, http://www.microsoft.com/industry/man/pages/paradigm.htm
33. Wonderware Scout for Internet/Intranet web based industrial automation visualization, http://www.wonderware.com/new/press/10_7a.html
34. Microsoft NT Backoffice 3^rd Part List, http://www.microsoft.com/BackOffice/designed/infodsgn.htm
35. Microsoft and Intel launch NetPC, http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/1996/Oct96/NETPCpr.htm
36. Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0, http://www.microdoft.com/corpinfo/press/1996/Oct96/IIS3BET3.htm
37. Octopus real time data protection for NT, http://www.octupustech.com/
38. ISA 96 Information Integration, http://www.microsoft.com/industry/man/pages.isa.htm

Edward H. Brzezowski, P.E., is the District Engineer for Paterson Public Schools located in Paterson, NJ. This State-Operated special-needs K-12 school district serves more that 23,000 students, and encompasses more than 3M square feet of space located in 47 buildings across the city. In this capacity he is responsible for directing overall facility operations including new and retrofit design/construction projects including all operation and maintenance activities. Since 1984, Mr. Brzezowski has also been President of Facility Energy Services, Inc., Chester, NJ a national award-winning Consulting Engineering firm that specializes in Public School and Public Sector Building operations.

e-mail: ebrzez@mail.gti.net http://www.gti.net/ebrzez/