8 Apr 2009
 Intellio is the developer of a new generation of advanced video surveillance systems based entirely on IP-cameras
Inotal Processing Plant is watched around the clock by 360-degree cameras and Intellio Basic IP cameras

Even faces of employees can be monitored with Speed Dome cameras that were installed with a zoom function capable of zooming in on faces at Inotal Aluminum Processing Plant, Hungary. The primary function of the system is to prevent crimes and workplace accidents. The system, built on a gigabit backbone, comprises Intellio Basic cameras equipped with a 23X optical zoom, motion detection and sabotage protection.

The buildings of the Inotal Processing Plant are watched around the clock by 360-degree cameras and Intellio Basic IP cameras with onboard intelligence. The primary function of the system is to prevent crimes and workplace accidents. The installed system offers several new capabilities compared to the previous analog system. IP technology itself offers a plethora of new possibilities not available with the traditional solutions. 'Megapixel resolutions, quick trackback of the recorded footage, and the use of intelligent detectors came of age with the spread of IP technology,' says János Kópházi, CEO of Intellio.

The interior of buildings can be watched from the outside

The system was developed in cooperation with the security personnel at Inota, who guided the placement of the cameras in the places with the highest security risks. One of the Speed Dome cameras was placed on the highest point of a 15 meter tall building to be able to span an exceptionally broad field of view. The megapixel Intellio Basic and Speed Dome cameras were all placed outdoors. 23X optical zoom of the day-night Speed Dome cameras allow the operators to peek into windows and through open doors within the field of vision of the camera.

Basic, but intelligent

Intellio Basic cameras are the entry level cameras manufactured by the company, but contrary to the name, they are also equipped with the essential intelligent functions, such as the sabotage protection system and the motion detector. The sabotage protection system sends an alert to the headquarters in case the camera is tilted, covered or the connection is lost. In addition, the recorded footage of the alerts can be tracked back in seconds, allowing for instant response. The system is comprised mostly of Speed Dome cameras (with tilt and pan capability) and a dozen mounted Intellio Basic Network cameras.

Up to 800 cameras can be connected

'One important aspect of installation is the necessary equipment, while equally important is the communication network transmitting the data,' says József Mészáros, project manager. 'That is why we opted for optical cables instead of the traditional copper wires, since the industrial environment and the unusually long cable backbone (2500 meters) may lead to distortion of electromagnetic signals in a copper cable. Secondly, copper cables require the inclusion of signal amplifier switches every 100 meters, sending the costs and the probability of failure skyrocketing, which is unacceptable in a security system,' says the project manager.

The security system at Inotal Aluminum Processing Plant, Hungary comprises Intellio Basic IP cameras equipped with a 23X optical zoom, motion detection and sabotage protection

Securing the necessary bandwidth was another major issue. A separate optical cable in the gigabit range was deployed to secure the communications of the new security system. The available bandwidth will be crucial in later expansion of the system, since each of the four branches of the system is capable of housing 200 cameras, that is 800 cameras in total. The agility of the system is further improved by the reduced data stream transmitted by the cameras, with maximum 5-6 Mbit per camera travelling on a 100Mbit route.

'Economical bandwidth usage has become the trademark of Intellio, which is not compromised even in case of a system running a number of intelligent detectors at once,' says József Mészáros. For the sake of the most efficient bandwidth use the camera reduces the image transmission speed toward the server to as low as 10Kbit in case there is no change in the image. As soon as the camera detects motion, it transmits the changes to the headquarters and switches to continuous transmission.

Most IP camera systems transmit a continuous data stream even if there is no change in the surveillance area, wasting storage and bandwidth capacities. This may cause difficulties in case a new camera is installed on an existing network, potentially with other applications running on that system. In our case the intelligent transmission solution is capable of overcoming that problem, while the gigabit optical network allows for expansion of the system. Basic cameras can be upgraded to Intelligent cameras through a simple software upgrade.

One of the useful functions to benefit an institution like Inota is intrusion detection, which protects the perimeters of the area. The detector is capable of identifying whether the intruder is a human or an animal running through the field of view. Another useful function is the people counter and IntelliZoom which automatically zooms on an object entering the field of view.