IP camera

Last updated
IP camera
IPCorder NVR with cameras.jpg
A variety of IP cameras
Date invented1996;28 years ago (1996)
Invented by Axis Communications
TypeLocal Or Cloud-Based
Connection Ethernet, Wi-Fi

An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. They are commonly used for surveillance, but, unlike analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, they require no local recording device, only a local area network. Most IP cameras are webcams, but the term IP camera or netcam usually applies only to those that can be directly accessed over a network connection.

Contents

Some IP cameras require support of a central network video recorder (NVR) to handle the recording, video and alarm management. Others are able to operate in a decentralized manner with no NVR needed, as the camera is able to record directly to any local or remote storage media. The first IP Camera was invented by Axis Communications [1] [2] in 1996.

History

The first centralized IP camera, the AXIS Neteye 200, was released in 1996 by Axis Communications. [3] Although the product was advertised to be accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, [4] the camera was not capable of streaming real-time video, and was limited to returning a single image for each request in the Common Intermediate Format (CIF). This limitation can be attributed to the lack of powerful integrated circuits capable of handling image processing at the time of release. As a result, the camera was aimed primarily at the tourism industry, and not intended to replace traditional analog CCTV systems. [5] [6]

The first decentralized IP camera was released in 1999 by Mobotix. The camera's Linux system contained video, alarm, and recording management functions. In 2005, the first IP camera with onboard video content analytics (VCA) was released by Intellio. This camera was able to detect a number of different events, such as if an object was stolen, a human crossed a line, a human entered a predefined zone, or if a car moved in the wrong direction. [7]

With advancements in cloud infrastructure, Ring (owned by Amazon, U.S.), released its first IP Camera doorbell targeted for home use in 2014. The device offered quick setup, cloud-based recording, and motion detection. The device retailed for $199 USD. As of 2021, Ring has sold millions of units. With the success of IP Cameras, other companies such as Nest (owned by Google, U.S.) released similar cloud-based devices. [8]

Standards

Previous generations of analog CCTV cameras use established broadcast television formats (e.g. CIF, NTSC, PAL, and SECAM). Since 2000, there has been a shift in the consumer TV business towards high-definition (HD) resolutions (e.g. 1080P (Full-HD), 4K resolution (Ultra-HD) and 16:9 widescreen format). [9]

IP cameras may differ from one another in resolution, features, video encoding schemes, available network protocols, and the API for video management software. [10]

To address IP video surveillance standardization issues, two industry groups formed in 2008: the Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) and the Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA). PSIA was founded by 20 member companies including Honeywell, GE Security, and Cisco. ONVIF was founded by Axis Communications, Bosch and Sony. [11] Each group now has numerous additional members, thus cameras and recording hardware that operate under the same standard are compatible with each other. [10]

Technology

Network Cameras are developed for both enterprise and consumer use. Consumer IP cameras used for home security typically send live video to a companion app on a user's device. They generally connect to the internet through Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable. [12] Unlike consumer IP Cameras, Enterprise IP Cameras often offer higher video resolution, video analytics, and are mostly accessed though HTTP and real time streaming protocol (RTSP).

IP cameras used to be more common in businesses rather than in homes, but that is no longer the case. A 2016 survey of 2,000 Americans revealed 20% of them owned home security cameras. This crossover to IP cameras in home use is partly due to the device's self-installation. IP cameras typically don't require professional installation saving time for home and business owners. [13]

One of the most popular abilities that consumer-level home security cameras have is to view their footage via a mobile app. Many cameras offer features such as a wide-angle lens, low-light or night vision capabilities, and motion detection. Most are developed to send out notifications via an application such as when motion is detected. Video clips can be stored in a local device such as a micro-SD Card or through a cloud service. [14]

The market size of home security systems reached $4.8 billion in 2018. It had a compound annual growth rate of 22.4% between 2011 and 2018. [15] People in countries that suffer from high crime rates, particularly robbery and theft, are keen to adopt home security cameras. The US and China have a high implementation rate of residential security cameras. [16]

Major key players in the home security market are Nest (owned by Google, U.S.), Ring (owned by Amazon, U.S.), and Arlo (owned by Netgear, U.S.). In the alarm security industry key players are ADT (U.S.), Vivint (U.S.), and SimpliSafe (U.S.). The largest IP Camera manufactures are Hikvision Digital Technology (China), Axis Communications (Sweden), and Dahua (China) [17]

IP camera types

Depending on their functionality, IP Cameras are generally classified as fixed, varifocal, or pan–tilt–zoom (PTZ camera). Fixed cameras feature an immobile perspective on the subject, whereas varifocal cameras have the ability to remotely adjust the zoom of the image. In addition, PTZ cameras have the ability to direct the camera assembly in any direction remotely. This can be used to track motion or manually adjust the monitoring area. IP Cameras can be designed for indoor or outdoor use. Outdoor cameras are often rated IP65/IP67 in order to withstand outdoor conditions.

IP cameras can offer a variety of digital imaging technologies such as multi-sensor cameras, panoramic cameras, and thermal imaging cameras.[ citation needed ]

Cloud and local storage

Some camera manufacturers offer cloud subscriptions where users may remotely view and download recent video clips by paying recurring subscription fees. Cloud subscription plans typically come with several days of looping storage, and the videos will be overwritten beyond this duration. [18]

Some cameras include a micro SD card slot so users can store videos locally. Most IP Cameras can be programmed to overwrite old video once the storage medium is full. Accessing the video on the camera can normally be done via a direct network connection to the device.

Considerations

An AXIS 214 PTZ Camera Axis 214 PTZ Camera.jpg
An AXIS 214 PTZ Camera

Potential benefits

Previous generation cameras transmitted analog video signals. IP cameras send images digitally using the transmission and security features of the TCP/IP protocol. Advantages to this approach include:

Artificial intelligence and Internet privacy

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has expressed privacy concerns if AI is widely practiced. AI is capable of tracking movements and studying behaviors; moreover, AI can also recognize emotions, and further predict patterns of movement. [23]

Facial recognition system

Facial recognition identifies a human face by analyzing facial features from a picture or video, an example of biometrics. If a camera allows users to set up a database that includes family members and close friends, the system may distinguish whether someone exists in the database. If the camera is capable of providing accurate facial recognition, it can tell if the person it detects is authorized (in the database). The detection of unauthorized persons may prompt the owner to call law enforcement. [24] The footage can be used as a means of identifying and apprehending offenders.

Potential concerns

Concerns include:

Hacking

If video is transmitted over the public internet rather than a private network or intranet, CCTV devices potentially becomes open to a wider audience including hackers. Malicious actors can access private CCTV systems to disable, manipulate, or observe security measures– as well as gain further access to the private network it's connected to, often referred to colloquially as pivoting. This risk can be mitigated by securing the network via Firewall rules designed to restrict access to the device, and by keeping software and firmware up to date.

In 2012, users of 4chan hacked into thousands of streaming personal IP cameras by exploiting a vulnerability in some models of TRENDnet home security cameras. [30] In 2014, it was reported that a Insecam site indexed 73,011 locations worldwide with security cameras that used default usernames and passwords, and were therefore, unprotected. [31] Automated services like Shodan.io constantly scan residential and commercial IP blocks to automatically detect and catalog open ports and services, including those commonly used for IP cameras. [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, refers to a set of technologies used for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as data packets, facilitating various methods of voice communication, including traditional applications like Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Voice, and VoIP phones. Regular telephones can also be used for VoIP by connecting them to the Internet via analog telephone adapters (ATAs), which convert traditional telephone signals into digital data packets that can be transmitted over IP networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-circuit television</span> Use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors

Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point-to-point, point-to-multipoint (P2MP), or mesh wired or wireless links. Even though almost all video cameras fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas that require additional security or ongoing monitoring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webcam</span> Video camera connected to a computer or network

A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in video telephony, live streaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripheral devices, and are commonly connected to a device using USB or wireless protocol.

A digital video recorder (DVR), also referred to as a personal video recorder (PVR) particularly in Canadian and British English, is an electronic device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD or other local or networked mass storage device. The term includes set-top boxes (STB) with direct to disk recording, portable media players and TV gateways with recording capability, and digital camcorders. Personal computers are often connected to video capture devices and used as DVRs; in such cases the application software used to record video is an integral part of the DVR. Many DVRs are classified as consumer electronic devices. Similar small devices with built-in displays and SSD support may be used for professional film or video production, as these recorders often do not have the limitations that built-in recorders in cameras have, offering wider codec support, the removal of recording time limitations and higher bitrates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video server</span> Device that is dedicated to delivering video

A video server is a computer-based device that is dedicated to delivering video. Video servers are used in a number of applications, and often have additional functions and capabilities that address the needs of particular applications. For example, video servers used in security, surveillance and inspection applications typically are designed to capture video from one or more cameras and deliver the video via a computer network. In video production and broadcast applications, a video server may have the ability to record and play recorded video, and to deliver many video streams simultaneously.

Professional video over IP systems use some existing standard video codec to reduce the program material to a bitstream, and then use an Internet Protocol (IP) network to carry that bitstream encapsulated in a stream of IP packets. This is typically accomplished using some variant of the RTP protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axis Communications</span> Swedish manufacturer of surveillance cameras

Axis Communications AB is a Swedish manufacturer of network cameras, access control, and network audio devices for the physical security and video surveillance industries. Since 2015, it operates as an independent subsidiary of Canon Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer network</span> Network that allows computers to share resources and communicate with each other

A computer network is a set of computers sharing resources located on or provided by network nodes. Computers use common communication protocols over digital interconnections to communicate with each other. These interconnections are made up of telecommunication network technologies based on physically wired, optical, and wireless radio-frequency methods that may be arranged in a variety of network topologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-circuit television camera</span> Type of surveillance camera

A closed-circuit television camera is a type of surveillance camera that transmits video signals to a specific set of monitors or video recording devices, rather than broadcasting the video over public airwaves. The term "closed-circuit television" indicates that the video feed is only accessible to a limited number of people or devices with authorized access. Cameras can be either analog or digital. Walter Bruch was the inventor of the CCTV camera.

A media server is a computer appliance or an application software that stores digital media and makes it available over a network.

A home server is a computing server located in a private computing residence providing services to other devices inside or outside the household through a home network or the Internet. Such services may include file and printer serving, media center serving, home automation control, web serving, web caching, file sharing and synchronization, video surveillance and digital video recorder, calendar and contact sharing and synchronization, account authentication, and backup services. In the recent times, it has become very common to run hundreds of applications as containers, isolated from the host operating system.

LinuxMCE is a free and open source software platform with a 10-foot user interface designed to allow a computer to act as a home theater PC (HTPC) for the living-room TV, personal video recorder, and home automation system. It allows control of everything in the home, from lighting and climate to surveillance cameras and home security. It also includes a full-featured VoIP-compatible phone system with support for video conferencing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eye-Fi</span> Company producing Wi-Fi enabled memory cards

Eye-Fi was a company based in Mountain View, California, that produced SD memory cards with Wi-Fi capabilities. Using an Eye-Fi card inside a digital camera, one could wirelessly and automatically upload digital photos to a local computer or a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet computer. The company ceased business in 2016.

Physical security information management (PSIM) is a category of software that provides a platform and applications created by middleware developers, designed to integrate multiple unconnected security applications and devices and control them through one comprehensive user interface. It collects and correlates events from existing disparate security devices and information systems to empower personnel to identify and proactively resolve situations. PSIM integration enables numerous organizational benefits, including increased control, improved situation awareness and management reporting. Ultimately, these solutions allow organizations to reduce costs through improved efficiency and to improve security through increased intelligence.

ONVIF is a global and open industry forum with the goal of facilitating the development and use of a global open standard for the interface of physical IP-based security products. ONVIF creates a standard for how IP products within video surveillance and other physical security areas can communicate with each other. ONVIF is an organization started in 2008 by Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems and Sony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wireless security camera</span> Wireless transmitting security cameras

Wireless security cameras are closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that transmit a video and audio signal to a wireless receiver through a radio band. Many wireless security cameras require at least one cable or wire for power; "wireless" refers to the transmission of video/audio. However, some wireless security cameras are battery-powered, making the cameras truly wireless from top to bottom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avigilon</span>

Avigilon is a Canadian subsidiary of Motorola Solutions, which specializes in the design and development of video analytics, network video management software, surveillance cameras, and access control products.

The Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA) is a global consortium of more than 65 physical security manufacturers and systems integrators focused on promoting interoperability of IP-enabled security devices and systems across the physical security ecosystem as well as enterprise and building automation systems.

In the Matter of TRENDnet, Inc., F.T.C. File No. 122-3090, is the first legal action taken by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against "the marketer of an everyday product with interconnectivity to the Internet and other mobile devices – commonly referred to as the Internet of things." The FTC found that TRENDnet had violated Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act by falsely advertising that IP cameras it sold could transmit video on the internet securely. On January 16, 2014 the FTC issued a Decision and Order obliging TRENDnet, among other things, to cease misrepresenting the extent to which its products protect the security of live feeds captured and the personal information that is accessible through those devices.

References

  1. ↑ "Interview with Martin Gren, inventor of the network camera", SDM Magazine., October 18, 2011, retrieved November 24, 2015
  2. ↑ John Adams (December 8, 2015), "Martin Gren: IP CCTV's Founding Father", Security Electronics and Networks
  3. ↑ "Axis Communications - History". Axis Communications. Retrieved 11 July 2017.[ self-published source? ]
  4. ↑ "IP security camera and network video surveillance visionary". Security News Desk. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "Fast and Faster". PC Magazine. 3 December 1996. p. 9. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Axis NetEye 200 Datasheet" (PDF). Axis Communications. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "An Incredibly Unboring History of IP Cameras". Protect America. 12 September 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Daily, Investor's Business (2021-09-30). "How Ring's Founder Created A Doorbell Worth $1 Billion To Amazon". Investor's Business Daily. Retrieved 2022-06-19.{{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. ↑ www.blackbox.be, Black Box Network Services. "4211 - Analogue cameras vs. IP cameras: a 12-point comparison". Black Box. Retrieved 2022-06-19.
  10. 1 2 "ONVIF: a guide to the open security platform". IFSEC Global. 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "StackPath". www.cablinginstall.com. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  12. ↑ "Internet Protocol (IP) Cameras - How do They Work & What are the Benefits? - SafeSite Facilities". www.safesitefacilities.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  13. ↑ ipvideomarket (2016-01-19). "Home Security Camera Statistics 2016". IPVM. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  14. ↑ Wroclawski, Daniel (5 September 2018). "Wireless Security Cameras With the Most Free Cloud Storage". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  15. ↑ "North America Home Security System Market Expected to Reach a Value of US$ 14.1 Billion by 2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com". www.businesswire.com. 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  16. ↑ Inc, Global Market Insights. "IP Camera Market to Cross USD 20 Bn by 2025: Global Market Insights, Inc". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-02-12.{{cite press release}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ↑ "Most Popular CCTV Camera Brands – IPICA Ratings" . Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  18. ↑ Blackstone, Sara (October 27, 2019). "Home Surveillance Cameras - Local vs. Cloud Video Storage". Secure Thoughts. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  19. ↑ Cornett, Ben. "Intro to Surveillance Camera Technologies". EZWatch.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  20. ↑ Alexandr Lytkin. IP Video Surveillance. An Essential Guide, 2012, ISBN   978-5-600-00033-9.
  21. ↑ "Home Security". Wireless IP Cameras. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Top 4 Benefits of Moving from analog to IP video surveliance". frontier-security.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  23. ↑ Cassel, David (July 23, 2019). "Are We Ready for AI-Powered Security Cameras?". The News stack. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  24. ↑ Wollerton, Megan (October 31, 2019). "The best facial recognition cameras of 2019". CNET. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  25. ↑ "China surveillance streaming platform shut down amid privacy concerns". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  26. ↑ "The Best Home Security Cameras of 2016". PCMAG.
  27. ↑ David Braue (21 June 2012). "DIY: home surveillance with IP network cameras". CNET. CBS Interactive.
  28. ↑ "The Pros and Cons of IP Cameras". acctelecom.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  29. ↑ "How IP Cameras Affect Bandwidth and Storage for Network Optimization". EtherWAN Systems.
  30. ↑ Notopoulos, Katie (3 February 2012). "Somebody's watching: how a simple exploit lets strangers tap into private security cameras". The Verge. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  31. ↑ Smith, Ms. (6 November 2014). "Peeping into 73,000 unsecured security cameras via default passwords". Network World. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  32. ↑ "Shodan". Shodan. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
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