How to Integrate IP Video Management Into Your Business

An advantage of network based IP cameras is the ability to monitor a range of business activities from:

• Transactions
• Employee and customer behavior
• Monitor restricted access entry/exits
• Manage your building’s utilities and fire alarm system

This can be done by customizing an IP video management system using an application programming interface (API) to integrate IP video into your other systems.  This is a way to further trigger alarms, recordings, and alerts by using information from other systems a business may be using such as:

• Point of Sale (PoS)
• Access Control
• Building Management
• Industrial Control Systems
• Radio Frequency Identification

Point of Sale (PoS)

Point of Sale refers to IP video in a retail setting.  Merging a PoS system with a video managment systems allows you to:

• Link cash register transactions to corresponding video footage.
• Catch and prevent fraud.
• Monitor returns/exchanges, corrections, or anything that is manually entered into a register.

In a retail setting questions or disagreements will arise.  Integrating a Point of Sale system with IP video surveillance allows verification of what really happened.  You can easily answer questions like what denominations of cash were handed over, who used a stolen credit card, or whether or not an employee is gving discounts to friends.

Automatic recordings can even be triggered for every time the cash register drawer opens.

Access Control

Access control systems govern who is allowed in and out of your facility.  Combining this system with a video management system allows for visual verification of who is passing through your secured areas.

You’ll have video evidence when  something like “tailgating” happens.  This is when someone is trailing an employee and gains entry to an area without swiping a card.

Recording IP video at all doors will allow you to quickly identify who should or should not be in your building. 

Panasonic IP cameras and network video recorders (NVR) now have a limited facial detection system that automatically recognizes people stored in your database. You can read more about that here:

Panasonic built-in face detection intelligence

Building Management

Building management systems control HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) as well as security and fire alarm systems.

Coordinating a building managment system with an IP video management systems will you give you a single interface to monitor a facility.  You can save energy and quickly respond to events.  Some examples are:

• Equipment Failure:  Equipment failure alarms can trigger IP cameras to show video and send alerts to the proper people.
• Fire Alarm:  Fire alarms can trigger cameras to monitor exits and record for security purposes.
• Monitor Doorways:  Intelligent IP surveillance systems can detect people returning to a building during evacuations.
• Energy Saving:  Video motion detection in an IP camera can trigger lighting and heating systems to turn off once a room or area has been vacated.

Industrial Control Systems

In automated industrial systems malfunctions cost time and money.  And if something goes wrong in a process that uses hazardous chemicals, IP video surveillance will let you see what’s happening witout endangering anyone.

From a single interface an operator can proactively monitor all aspects of a manufaturing process, including clean rooms, or be alerted if malfunctions do arise.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags keep track of packages, luggage, pets, and are used in the EZPass toll system.  Integrating an RFID system with IP video surveillance gives visual documentation of where something has been, where it went, or if any damage occurred.

For more information on RFID systems, check out this industry standard’s site at: http://www.aimglobal.org/?RFID.