EDITOR'S NOTE
a&s International, published by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., is a monthly professional publication for channel players in the worldwide electronic security industry since 1997. It updates importers, distributors, OEM/ODM searchers, system integrators and other product purchasers on product sources and identifies
IntegratIon, IntellIgence and MobIlIty go Hand In Hand wItH SecurIty
developments in CCTV, Digital Surveillance, Access Control, Biometrics, Intrusion Alarm, Intercom/Video Doorphone, Home Automation and other fields relevant to electronic security.
ISSN 1997-6267 中華郵政北台字第1571號 執照登記為雜誌交寄
This month, I attended two major security trade shows, ASIS and Essen, and was able to talk to the suppliers in different product sectors for their latest product launches and the highlights for each show. No matter whom I encountered, “integration, intelligence and mobility” are definitely featured in their products and solutions. With the high prevalence of smart phones and other mobile devices worldwide, security devices are no longer controlled only by the operators in the central station. The enterprises, with branches and the franchises in multiple regions, expect more freedom to monitor their offices and control the access to different doors and areas. Remote video monitoring and authorizing access through the cloud became more common in recent years, not to mention, NFC is now used in mobile phones to open doors. Meanwhile, the design of user interfaces of either video or access control management software is also becoming more similar to the way we use Google or APPs on our smart phones and more intuitive, which saves time and expenses in personnel training. “Intelligence” is not a new theme for security. However, many professionals do agree that suppliers and users became more practical regarding the usability of video analytics. It sounds like good news to both sides. People counting, gender or age recognition, virtual trip lines are the most common features, but reliability and accuracy continue to remain the biggest concerns. Many of which are adapted to increase the business efficiency in some retail shops.
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Vertical-specific and integrated solutions are still the focus of security suppliers. In the cover story for this issue, health care, a&s editors explore the global market size and underlying drivers to this fast growing vertical market. Hope you enjoy it!
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Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., a company formed by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. and former A&S Group in 2009, is an integrated media service provider in the security industry. Our service covers magazines, Web sites, events and trade shows. The portfolio of a&s magazines includes a&s International, a&s International China Best Buys, a&s Asia (above published in English), a&s China, a&s Installer, a&s Taiwan, a&s Solution and Info Security (above published in Chinese). a&s Turkiye, a&s Adria, a&s Italy, a&s India, a&s Japan and a&s Vietnam are licensed editions. For changes of address or subscription problems, contact us at mfne-circulation@newera.messefrankfurt.com Copyright© 2012 Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be republished, reprinted or redistributed in any forms, including electronic, without written consent from the publisher.
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Advertisers are responsible for their own advertisement content. The publisher is not liable for any legal, image, patent or trademark disputes from advertisements or among advertisers. Legal consultant: Julia S.H. Yu, Attorney at Law, First Law & IP Offices
Oct 2012
Vertical Market
Health Care Sector Provides Shot in the Arm to Electronic Security Providers 54 Health care facilities worldwide, particularly those in North America followed by developed nations in Europe, are moving fast to improve patient care while simultaneously reducing cost. To achieve these aims, hospital managements are turning to electronic medical records and telemedicine.
64 Biometrics and Integration
Remain Key Technologies
Market Update
Special FeatUre
Brazil, Russia, India 2012 Market Update 104
Beyond the Server:
Cloud-Based Access Control Takes Off
The successful 15th Secutech International Security Expo not only provided exposure to all different exhibitors, but also offered a stage for security professionals to share their knowledge with the world.
cloud is now the hottest buzzword in technology. As life revolves around on-demand services, physical 38 Theeveryday access control has joined the party — with some trepidation.
46 How to Capitalize on Cloud
Access Control
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Product ExPloration
Onboard Monitoring:
Security on the Move
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Onboard monitoring is an established tool in security management, but monitoring vehicles on the move places special demands on the DVR and its related technology. For instance, moving vehicles are unlikely to have access to a wired broadband connection, which digital video applications typically require.
94 Tailored Onboard Monitoring
Systems Optimize Security
nEtwork ManagEMEnt
industry rEPort
34 Optimizing High-Definition Video
from Scene to Screen
ViEwPoint
84 New Hybrid HD Surveillance
System Utilizes Existing Coaxial Infrastructure
70 Korean Manufacturers Stand Out By Doing Something Different
92
14 18 20 20
Competition amongst manufacturers in China, Taiwan and Korea in the security industry has been going on since the rapid rise of China in the international economy. The security industry has no doubt felt the effects of the rapid maturation of Chinese security companies.
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Contents Editor’s Note Corporate News Market Observer
32 110 112 118
Products of the Month Show Calendar New Products Companies in This Issue
Network MaNageMeNt
Optimizing High-Definition Video From Scene to Screen
More integrators are making HD cameras a reality for their customers after realizing the benefits they deliver. HD increases video quality, but it also brings up bandwidth and storage requirement concerns.
Submitted by CommuniCations EnginEEring Company (CEC)
A
nalyzing and evaluating current technology options can identify a solution that balances crystal-clear images and bandwidth requirements. Here are five recommendations to help integrators assess whether or not HD cameras are suitable for your customers.
EvaluatE CamEra tEChnology rEsolution
(Motion JPEG), depending on the motion in the scene. In fact, H.264 can compress 2-megapixel videos into a smaller bandwidth than M-JPEG can compress D1 video. H.264 can accomplish this because it only records scenes where the information changes; M-JPEG on the other hand records a series of still pictures, each in its entirety. In busy scenes, the H.264 advantage will be less dramatic because it records all the scene changes.
Megapixel (MP) cameras, especially those in the 1 -megapixel range, are becoming the preferred choice over standard-resolution D1 cameras. Why? Because a 1-megapixel camera delivers about 3 times the pixels and provides a dramatic, easy-to-see improvement in picture quality. The difference between D1 video and 1-megapixel is more pronounced than the jump from 1 to 3 megapixels, or from 3 to 5 megapixels.
Scenes with little or no ambient light require cameras that have low-light capability. Many day/night cameras switch to black-and-white mode at night to increase low-light capability. Some cameras incorporate infrared (IR) illuminators that can brighten the scene, but these types of illuminators often have a limited effective distance.
ComprEssion Format
DynamiC rangE
The H.264 next-generation video compression format (also known as MPEG-4 AVC) can lower bandwidth requirements to almost one-eighth of the M-JPEG format
â–˛ H.264 can compress 2-megapixel videos into a smaller bandwidth than M-JPEG can compress D1
videos.
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low-light Capability
In addition to low-light capability, a camera may also need to perform in bright white scenes, like when a black asphalt parking lot becomes snow-covered. To be effective, the camera will need to adjust across a wide range of light levels. Cameras with wide dynamic range (WDR) technology are capable of adapting to scene illumination variations and still produce a quality picture. A particularly troublesome scene is glass entrances with an eastern or western exposure. The morning or afternoon sun can cause cameras to darken and produce a dark image of interior objects. Some cameras with WDR technology also provide backlight compensation technology to minimize this effect.
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EvaluatE CamEra plaCEmEnt anD lEns sElECtion
Camera placement and lens selection work hand-inhand as two key design elements in laying out an effective camera security system; they can help mitigate several common camera issues. This is where system integrators can easily show value by designing a solution that addresses common surveillance problems while using fewer cameras. Because IP cameras are easily added to a network, some customers may add cameras incrementally until they think they have adequate coverage. Doing this often results in a system with more cameras than necessary, which costs the customer more because it requires more cameras, bandwidth, storage, power and camera licenses. Lens selection determines the camera’s field of view, and therefore how much detail can be captured. It is a good idea to design a network of cameras/lenses that capture close-up, quality images of people or vehicles at “choke points,” such as entrances and intersections and then supplement, as needed, with wider-view
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cameras to capture the larger scene and track movement. In a parking lot, for example, a camera/lens might be designed to cover the entrance and exit, and capture clear pictures of vehicles. The right lens might also capture the vehicle’s license plate information. Cameras with wide-view lenses could cover the greater parking lot area and track the path of vehicles and occupants once they are on the property. Using HD or higher-megapixel cameras will provide greater detail if customers need to zoom in on recorded video.
EvaluatE banDwiDth anD storagE nEEDs
Determining bandwidth and storage requirements is an exercise in compromise. Two factors — video compression and frame rate — affect video size and quality. The length of time the video needs to be stored affects the size and type of storage hardware needed. Video management systems (VMS) allow video from each camera to be compressed, much like compressing large data files on a computer to save storage space. VMS
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Network MaNageMeNt have the ability to step up the frame rate based on motion, for example, a hallway camera might normally record at 1 FPS, but would step it up to 7 or 15 FPS when motion is detected.
EvaluatE EasE of usE
▲ Too many cameras than necessary in a system costs the customers more as it requires more
cameras, bandwidth, storage, power and camera licenses.
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EvaluatE softwarE availability
Selecting the right IP camera is only part of the equation; you also need to verify that the video management software you select is compatible with the cameras you choose. Most VMS R a n d y M o n t e l i u s, providers publish V P o f E n g i n e e r i n g, CEC (Communications lists of compatible Engineering Company) brands and models, ▲
allows you to set the compression percentage for each camera. Applying too much compression will negatively affect video quality (high-motion scenes will be affected the most). In most cases, 25 to 50 percent compression is acceptable; this percentage compresses the data enough to save space and has minimal impact on video quality. Frame rate also affects bandwidth and storage requirements. Full-motion video, like that of a television, has a frame rate of 60 frames per second (FPS). The frame rate can be reduced to 30 FPS with almost no perceivable difference in picture quality; in fact, we often see frame rates set at 15, 7.5, 3.75, or lower, depending on the scene. Generally, the more motion in the scene, the higher the frame rate should be. So why not just select the best frame rate? The higher the frame rate, the higher the bandwidth requirement. Each time you cut the frame rate by half, you also reduce the bandwidth required to stream the video across the network by half. This also halves the storage requirement, so for larger storage systems, this equates to big savings. Many VMSs also
Although the system software recording engine determines system performance and features, the user interface (video client) is often a determining factor in choosing the right system for an application. A well-designed, intuitive user interface is crucial for user satisfaction. Choose a system based on the number and types of users who will be using the system. Video clients should be able to activate features based on user levels or login groups, so they can customize their VMS screens to monitor the areas they’re responsible for. Also to be considered is the types of alerts the customer wants, how incidences are to be escalated and how alert messages are to be delivered. For example, one might want to define a geographic boundary in a camera scene for on-screen alarm pop ups or prefer an email notification if motion is detected within a secured area. Customers who do not have dedicated security staff members often manage video by exception; an intuitive interface is especially important in these situations since the users don’t use the system routinely. They may, for example, continuously record a month of video and never review the footage until after an incident has occurred. In this scenario, a good set of forensic tools, such as a smart search feature, will allow the user to quickly search for incidents in the prerecorded video.
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so look for a VMS that is compatible with a wide range of cameras and routinely adds new products to its compatibility list. When possible, choose a system that will not require customers to switch from one software platform to another if the system expands. The better VMSs on the market utilize common software platforms, and the product will be licensed in tiers based on the number of cameras used. The higher the tier level, the greater the
camera's capacity, more client stations and better system features. Compression formats can now squeeze more video information into a smaller bandwidth, and HD camera prices continue to fall, it is easy to see why higherdefinition cameras are becoming the standard. With the benefits and advantages that HD cameras offer, it is no surprise why more and more integrators make HD a reality for their customers.
Bandwidth OptimizatiOn Features: Image Cropping: The cropping function allows a camera to crop unnecessary information and simply transmit the video of the target region for live viewing or storage. It can also be used to quickly move to a target area for close-up shots. With the trimming, the transmitted data size and the network load are reduced, and thus a higher frame rate is obtained. Scalable Video Coding (SVC): SVC is an advanced video compression technology derived from standard H.264. SVC provides more effective bandwidth and processor resource management by simultaneously dividing video data into multiple layers with different resolutions, picture sizes and frame rates to meet the various requirements of different client devices and network conditions. Vivotek advised some of the camera settings integrators might considered as follows: Streaming: Flexible streaming setting allows each video stream to be delivered in a different resolution, frame rate and image quality. As a result, a network camera can simultaneously transmit a small image in VGA format for real-time monitoring as well as a large megapixel image for storage. Camera manufacturers are dedicated to smarter streaming functions, which enable a camera to dynamically adjust frame rates based on the particular scenario—for example, a low frame rate for normal monitoring and a high frame rate for event-triggered recording. In this way, activity adaptive streaming optimizes network bandwidth usage for monitoring, while ensuring superior picture quality during recording. When scenarios become more complex and cause the bitrate to dramatically increase, the bandwidth for data transmission might crash. Choosing variable bitrate (VBR) will provide good video quality; however, the bitrate can easily go over the bandwidth limit at the occurrence of an
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event. Constant bitrate (CBR) is favored for the bitrate can be based on “frame rate priority” (high frame rate with low image quality) or “image quality priority” (high image quality with low frame rate). Flexible bitrate control would come in handy in terms of maintaining stable bandwidth and allows users to simultaneously set an upper-bound mode for live viewing and choose an average mode for recording. Edge Storage: Transmitting video streams to back-end storage devices with continuous recording consume a great deal of bandwidth. To reduce bandwidth requirements, a more efficient method is to temporarily store the video on the front-end cameras via an SD/SDHC/ SDXC card. The video is only transmitted when an event occurs or when the operator needs to access the recorded data. This way, the network is reserved for live viewing streams, event-triggered recording and video backup. On-board storage allows for continuous recording while ensuring more efficient usage of bandwidth resources and storage space. It also guarantees non-stop recording, even when the network is disconnected. A 2TB SDXC card can store 1MB images continuously for up to six months; this is enough to fulfill the requirements of many customers. Better day/night mode adjustment (D/ N), digital noise reduction (DNR) and IR illumination: Night time frequently requires higher bandwidth and storage consumption compared to daytime. Making the most of D/ N, DNR and IR illumination could keep nighttime images stay high signal with low noise. Developments in today’s latest network cameras and in-camera chip technology enable much better noise reduction capabilities inside the camera so as not to negatively affect storage/bandwidth consumption. Efficiently designed video analytics can also filter out “noise” in the scene by triggering recording based on events that are object-based.
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Special Feature
Beyond the Server:
Cloud-Based
Access Control Takes Off The cloud is now the hottest buzzword in technology. As everyday life revolves around on-demand services, physical access control has joined the party — with some trepidation. In the first of two articles, a&s looks at concerns and strengths of the cloud, along with market demand and channel education. The second feature explores potential business models, currently available types of cloud and challenges limiting cloud adoption.
By Ling-Mei Wong
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W
hen was the last time you visited your bank? The ascent of the cloud has made online banking accessible and convenient. Cloud computing demand is booming. Gartner predicted the market to be worth more than US$100 billion in 2012 and expected it to double in the next four years. With all the hype about the cloud, several physical security applications have been developed. Video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) boasts the most offerings to date, with a clear target audience and pricing structure. Hosted video has the advantages of off-site storage — saving upfront cost for recorders — and a comparatively lower price that yields recurring monthly revenue (RMR) for service providers. While some of these advantages apply to access control, the amount of data generated by access control system is minuscule compared to surveillance, making pricey storage less of a pressing issue for access control. Access control is inextricably linked to identity and HR databases as well, making privacy a top concern. The idea of having a thirdparty hosted service handle such sensitive information is unpalatable for high-security applications, making the cloud a less attractive prospect for physical access control. Cloud does hold potential in access control, but is unlikely to be hosted in the same fashion as surveillance. “In years past, the access control industry was much more reluctant to use third parties and use ‘virtual servers’ to host access control, relying almost exclusively on independent, on-site servers,” said Blake Kozak,
Senior Research Analyst at HIS (formerly IMS Research). “End users are much more accepting of this technology now, especially for smaller end users that have limited IT and security expertise.” Cloud unites physical and logical access, driving market adoption. “As we see increasing adoption of cloud services by organizations to address their IT needs, the cloudbased physical access control system (PACS) market, although still in the nascent stage, is set to grow over the next few years,” said Cathy Huang, Industry Manager for ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan. “This model is extremely lucrative for enterprises seeking greater pricing and scaling flexibility, as it significantly lowers the barrier of entry, providing cloudbased access control systems without having to invest in expensive servers or IT infrastructure.” The cloud is taking off for its network benefits in access control, but not everyone is sold on the idea. “We asked 70 consultants if they specify cloud for physical access control. They said no,” said Ross McKay, Director of Product Marketing for Lenel (a UTC Climate, Controls & Security Company). “It’s one thing to outsource HR data and music, it’s another thing to move
physical access control to the cloud. They felt the uptime for cloud was too long and the data security was insufficient.” L a rg e c o r p o r a t i o n s , s u c h a s the Fortune 100, appreciate the savings from hosted access control. However, they are not moving in great numbers. “They do like the value proposition of turning capital expenditure into operating expenditure for rental, such as paying for what you use,” said Jim Crowley, Product Marketing Manager for Lenel (a UTC Climate, Controls & Security Company). Cloud-based access control is such a new market that it is difficult to put an exact dollar value on what its worth. However, its benefits hold strong growth potential in the future. Hosted solutions offer several advantages over server-based access control, while also raising unique concerns. The application ultimately decides whether putting access control into the cloud best serves the organization’s needs.
Cloud AdvAntAges Multiple loCAtions
Business owners who manage multiple sites cannot be everywhere at once, making cloud connectivity a boon. “The obvious impact the
▲ Blake Kozak, Senior Research Analyst at ▲ Cathy Huang, Industry Manager for ICT ▲ Rajesh Venkat, VP of Readers and HIS (formerly IMS Research) Practice, Frost & Sullivan Credentials Business, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies
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Special Feature
cloud will have on access control is the administration of the system is not bound to certain geographies,” said Carlo Pompili, CEO of Telcred. “You can administer the system from home, the road or wherever you happen to be.” A virtual platform is not just accessible from anywhere, but also highly flexible. “Organizations face constant change driven by growth, competitive threats, new regulations, acquisitions, technological shifts and new market opportunities,” said Rajeev Dubey, Senior Director, Marketing, Brivo. “Cloud security provides the ability to rapidly, easily and cost-effectively deploy security anywhere worldwide so that organizations can focus on their core business.” Access in the cloud allows management to be handled by more than one person, regardless of location. “More people can be involved in the management of the access control,” Pompili said. “Rather than going to one person for access control or adding your rights, we
Cloud-based Access Control benefits Organizations are shifting their physical access control systems to a cloud-based environment due to benefits such as: • Cost Cutting: Eliminates the need for locally based IT servers, reducing maintenance expenses associated with managing on-site servers. • scalability and ease of expansion: Combines the access control solutions from multiple branches into a single, unified infrastructure, reducing installation expenses to new branches looking to tie into the network. • Flexibility: Structured pay-as-you-go model reduces the investment in dedicated PCs, software and hardware that need to be maintained. • Mobility: Ability to manage facility access anytime, anywhere, from any web browser on a laptop, desktop or mobile device, instead of a dedicated client workstation. Source: Frost & Sullivan
can have more people and more self-service for users for a cloudbased system.” It is impossible to be everywhere at once, but hosted access control makes management much simpler. Whether it is checking on multiple locations, adding a new business to an existing access control system or improving management, the cloud can be in more places than a single server.
▲ Cloud security provides the ability to rapidly, easily and cost-effectively deploy security anywhere worldwide so that organizations can focus on their core business.
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ConneCtivity through Mobile deviCes
Smart cards are passé, as smartphone credentials have become the new cool. While phone deployments essentially clone smart card frequencies, they hold tantalizing promise because smartphones demand constant attention. Losing a phone is more noticeable — and upsetting — than forgetting a work badge. Smartphones also go everywhere, unlike traditional security systems tied to specific computers and workstations. With workstations being the only gateways to access control management, this limited access and slowed response time to emergencies in disparate locations, Huang said. Smartphones and tablets are fairly ubiquitous in corporate settings, adding more devices to an organization’s network. “With the trend that an increasing number of employees bring their own devices — lots of times multiple devices, be it smartphones or tablets — into corporate networks, it is clear that there is a need to address the
disconnect between mobile security managers and the anchored physical security access workstations to increase efficiency and deal with real-time security vulnerabilities in the form of altering access privileges,” Huang said. “Cloud-based access control systems mitigate these problems, providing security and facility managers the flexibility to safely customize and modify the enterprise access privileges from any location with Internet access through a wide range of mobile devices. Thus there is a need for smartphones and tablets to morph into secure primary PACS workstations to address security issues as and when they arise, on the go.” With mobile access management,
smartphone credentials eliminate the need to collect a work badge f ro m a s e c u r i t y o ff i c e . “ N o w Tom or Tina can go right on their smartphones and ask for an ID for access to Building A, B or C,” said Rajesh Venkat, VP of Readers and Credentials Business, Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies. “As a result of this request, an administrator asks the cloud to issue a credential. Within 30 seconds, Tom or Tina is enabled to enter the building.” Location-based services on smartphones and tablets add another form of authentication to verify identity. “Three-factor authentication is what you know, who are you and what you have,” said Dennis Caulley, VP of Strategic Initiatives for HID
Global. “Now it adds where you are. If you are supposed to be logging on to a certain computer, it knows where I am.” Identity is also expected to move cloud adoption, aided by mobile devices with unique identities corresponding to specific individuals. “You have an identity in your home, bank, gym and corporate office,” Venkat said. “I see a time when identity is centrally managed in the cloud. It’s more efficient doing it that way.”
Cloud ConCerns privACy
Network connectivity is largely beneficial, but introduces the threat of remote attacks. Companies with
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Special Feature
highly complex systems or sensitive databases remain averse to risks, resulting in “private cloud” access rather than access hosted by a third party. “People are worried about access to the cloud as it goes to an IP network and could be hacked,” Venkat said. “It’s always subject to the risk profile trifecta, a balance of convenience, privacy and security.” For any cloud access deployment, IT security needs to be beefed up, as physical access control systems today have poor security. “There are weak protocols or they have no encryption,” Pompili said. “I see the need for better technology, such as key cryptologies. It’s more a matter of applying rather that inventing them.” Other ways to protect information include vulnerability testing, encryption and updating applications. “We encrypt all traffic coming through the cloud, to the reader and to the mobile phone with the highestlevel encryption possible,” Venkat said. “If it’s Microsoft or any other platform, you want to keep up with the path cycle. To emphasize, it’s more than encryption. That’s why we are making sure all applications are secure and updated with the vulnerabilities.” The cloud application must be housed in a secure database. Brivo undergoes a rigorous battery of checks to make sure its data centers are prepared for the worst, ranging from power outages to natural disasters such as earthquakes. “We are SSAE16 Type II certified for data protection, an achievement that is attainable only after proving that the customer’s data is secure in our cloud,” Dubey said. “We have also architected ‘multi-tenancy’ in our architecture from the beginning, which ensures that every customer’s 42 22
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▲ Cloud is most suited for small to medium businesses.
data is well protected and separated from each other.” Client information put in the wrong hands would have severe consequences, which is why privacy is a serious concern for hosted access control. Implementing robust IT protocols, strong data center defenses and timely application updates are all ways to secure data in the cloud. Without these safeguards, most corporations are unlikely to shift access control systems out from their servers. ConneCtivity interrupted
Networks are not always reliable. This holds true especially for mobile devices, as wireless service may be spotty depending on the geography, bandwidth and network availability. While constant connectivity may not be necessary, as mobile devices can update on local area networks at a later time, it does add a consideration to cloud deployments. “Companies that move to cloudbased systems should not assume always-on connectivity,” Pompili said. “Bandwidth is not an issue, but reliability is an issue for the cloud.”
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Swiping a smartphone over a reader remains a novelty, limiting the deployment of mobile credentials. “The current market for physical access control on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets is still in the early days,” Kozak said. “There is buzz around using a mobile device to remotely manage access rights, but the market is still very new.” Mobile devices may be widely available, but the right wireless technology may not exist on a l l d e v i c e s f o r PA C S . “ N F C smartphones are a rare breed,” wrote Mark Diodati, Research VP of IT Professionals, Gartner, in an October 2011 blog post. “Gartner estimates that 50 percent of smartphones will have NFC capability by 2015, which improves the viability of opening doors with phones. Second, management needs to catch up with raw technology: consider the integration, scalable provisioning of credentials to employee-owned phones and binding those credentials to identity repositories in the enterprise.” Cloud-based PACS is certainly doable for mobile devices. However,
Special Feature
it requires considering network availability and current mobile device specs. Smartphone deployments will not be feasible immediately.
buy and manage. “Overall, with the real cloud solution, the end user can offload a lot of their hassle to focus on their core mission,” Dubey said.
Channel eduCation
Card
The cloud is not a new idea, yet defining it is nearly impossible. As network knowledge is required to understand how the cloud works, manufacturers with cloud-based solutions have plenty to explain to their distribution partners. Channel partners appreciate time-saving solutions that generate revenue, which hosted access control can deliver. “Dealers can perform the configuration in their offices, go to the site to attach the control panel to the network and the panel starts talking to Brivo,” Dubey said. “There isn’t really anything else for them to do at site. Their win-ratio improves with cloud based offering compared to a traditional system with the on-demand subscription based pricing rather than the upfront huge capital expenditure.” Third-party hosting eliminates maintenance headaches for the customer, as there are no servers to
▲ Smartphones have become the new security blanket— dragged everywhere, to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
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Smartphone verSuS Smart
Smartphones have become the new security blanket—dragged everywhere, to prevent withdrawal symptoms. However, they are not cheap and do not always support NFC, which transforms them into readable credentials. The business case for smartphones needs to consider practical usage as well as technical specs. “What’s a key value proposition of a phone?” Venkat asked. “If you lose a key or card, you can’t revoke the credential right away. However, smartphone users are always using their phones—to text, listen to music, check emails and so on—and will realize they lost their phone much faster than a credential.” Turning a phone into a key seems gimmicky, but reinforces how indispensable smartphones have become. “A typical story is someone left their house, but went back for their phone,” Caulley said. “With Arizona State University (ASU), you see how students deal with smartphones and see how mobility is a form of access control. Tremendous education is still necessary, but the feeling in the distribution channel is that they have to understand it.” HID Global’s pilot at ASU used about 30 BlackBerries and Apple iPhones, it was in some ways, a natural progression of wireless access credentials. “When we move from one type of chip technology to the next, we tell the industry it’s better, as it goes from ‘read’ to ‘read/ write,’” Caulley said. “Most of the
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market just wants to know if it opens their doors. Now we have a new card/reader platform that is, again, much more secure than previous technologies, but more importantly, works with all our past technologies, and is designed for mobile devices.” Mobility is a large part of t h e c l o u d ’ s a p p e a l . H o w e v e r, smartphones may not be the right fit for all cloud access control systems. “People are going to have phones, mechanical locks or credentials directly connected to the cloud,” Venkat said. “It’s a hybrid world. People will opt for mobile virtual credentials in just the same way. Our partners need to be able to sell the physical cards or smart phone-based credentials and do so seamlessly.” New players, such as mobile phone operators, will become involved in the delivery of NFC. “However, the lock hardware and controllers are still in the building and will be sold and distributed the same way they are today,” Pompili said Access control has opened up to the cloud. Market demand is growing for multi-site businesses and mobile connectivity. However, the downsides of hosted access include data privacy concerns, network availability and mobile device compatibility with existing readers. The traditional security channel understands what works with present systems, but may lack the network savvy to grasp how the cloud benefits them and their customers. As cloud-based access control starts to get off the ground, the following article looks at possible business models, different solutions and future challenges to market uptake.
Vertical Market
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Health Care
Sector Provides Shot in the Arm to Electronic Security Providers
Health care facilities worldwide, particularly those in North America followed by developed nations in Europe, are moving fast to improve patient care while simultaneously reducing cost. To achieve these aims, hospital managements are turning to electronic medical records and telemedicine. By Immanuel von Insterburg
T
he health care sector poses unique challenges, said John Davies, Managing Director, TDSi. “After all, you have to provide security while, at the same time, guaranteeing access to patients and family members. You simply cannot go over the top in locking things down,” said Davies. It becomes a matter of security vs. freedom. TDSi exports 50 percent of its production, mostly to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China with the rest being sold in the U.K. domestic market. "North America," said Davies, "is a very competitive market." Davies estimates that the Americas account for 50 percent of the global market for electronic security products and systems sold to the health care sector. This is followed by Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) with 30 percent, East Asia with 20 percent, and the rest of Asia with 10 percent. That said, while EMEA is growing 4 percent and the Americas around 6 percent, growth in East Asia has been increasing at compound rates of 10 percent. “In the next three years,” said Davies, “Asia is going to start to outstrip the other markets in terms of size.” Looking at the product mix, Davies estimates that, for a US$5 million project for a 500-bed hospital, 30 percent would be spent on CCTVs, 30 percent on fire detection systems and alarms, 20 percent on access control, of which half or 10 percent of the total would be for biometrics, and 20 percent for systems integration. The latter might include building and records maintenance and management.
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Vertical Market
In terms of access control alone, the market for the health care sector, said Davies, is about $200 million per year and he expects this to grow to $300 million by 2016. Extrapolating his figures for total global electronic security sales to the health care sector, one arrives at around $1 billion per year. That could be even higher. Defining the health care sector, particularly in terms of market research statistics is somewhat problematic. “After all,” said one industry executive, “the health care sector includes not only
hospitals but also clinics and private medical and dental practices.” Confusing the issue, he said, is the fact that health care clinics are generally small premises but with unique electronic security requirements. “Frequently, sales of electronic security to small and medium-sized players are listed under retail sales,” he explained.
Taking The Pulse of BiomeTrics
One major beneficiary of the intense focus on security health care facilities has been biometric players. According to Phil Scarfo, Vice President of Wo r l d w i d e Sales and Marketing at ...health care clinics Lumidigm, hospitals are generally small premises a n d but with unique electronic pharmasecurity requirements. ceutical prescriptions are creating major new opportunities. According to Scarfo, the Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances rule was issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as an amendment to the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, commonly known as the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). According to the rule, doctors or pharmacists writing prescriptions must authenticate
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two of the following: something they know (a knowledge factor) with something they have (a hard token stored separately from the computer being accessed), and something they are (biometric information). “For increased security, less-complicated management and ease of doctor and pharmacist use,” said Scarfo, “most health care organizations prefer that one of the authentication factors be biometric.” Meanwhile, secure user access to medical equipment and supplies is an ever increasing priority for hospitals. “Maintaining adequate control and an effective audit trail,” said Scarfo, “is both a cost-saving and compliance issue. Biometrics authentication and identification is an ideal solution to both problems.” All of this is music to the ears of biometric products and systems manufacturers. One forecast of next generation biometric technologies, for example, puts the annual global market at $14 billion by 2017. That is a compound annual growth rate of nearly 20 percent. As expected, North America is the largest market and source of the strongest growth. The current global market for next generation or newly adopted biometrics, said one industry professional, is $6 billion dollars annually. That would break down to roughly $2 billion to $3 billion in sales in the States alone. With 5,000 major hospitals, one could imagine health care sector spendings of $500 million per year.
sales in china no longer anemic
Estimates are that China has 260 million people suffering from cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases, and the money is there
Phil Scarfo, VP Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Lumidigm
to support investment. Some 95 percent of Chinese had governmentprovided health insurance in 2011, and the medical services market is growing 18 percent annually. With white-hot rates like these, Deloitte China predicts that the market will be worth $500 billion in 2015. Given the amount of money sloshing around the sector, electronic security
providers will definitely find a shot in the arm. In fact, as of last year, China had 3.7 million hospital beds, up 54 John Davies, percent from Managing 2 0 0 5 . T o d a y, Director, TDSi 12 percent of hospital beds are in facilities run by private corporations. Government targets could generate 400,000 new private hospital beds per year with annual revenue from private hospitals in China reaching $377 billion by 2015. The increase in hospitals is increasing demand for medical gear, and with this, electronic security equipment and systems.
asian Players sidelined By norTh american and euroPean Powerhouses
While the markets are there, East Asian companies may not be the ones reaping the benefits. Eric Assouline, Export Sales Manager, CDVI, pointed out that, while East Asia has some strong players, especially the Koreans, North American and European companies tend to dominate both low-end and high-end markets. “While East Asian players are visible in many markets, for the major projects, the deals almost always go to an established North American or European player,” said Assouline. They will, however, have a better chance in emerging markets, where, he explained, buyers of electronic security may not be able to afford to
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Vertical Market
pay $100 to $200 for an access control reader. “Here, East Asian players have strengths that will make them highly competitive,” he said. "While much has been made of Indian companies’ prowess in software," said Davies. "Most important research and development is occurring in matured markets like North America and Europe." This advanced research is also what sets North American and European players apart from their East Asian counterparts and competitors. “It is about innovation through software, not just the hardware and the features that you offer,” said Davies. That said, he fully recognizes that many companies are choosing to outsource the writing of software codes to Indian and Israeli players. “It is only a question of time before they gain market traction, but that will require a true understanding of end-user issues and how to solve them,” said Davies. Ultimately, though, Davies does not see East Asian or Indian players as a threat to what TDSi is doing. The same lack of value, when it comes to features, is precisely why Asian CCTV and DVD player productions suffer from commodification. “There are simply too many players making pretty much the same thing,” said one industry executive. He cites the same phenomenon to explain the rash of mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate decisions to withdraw from various product markets. “There are even more DVD and CCTV players than those engaged in access control," said Davies in agreement. “That is really saying something.” Too many access control products (readers, controllers and cards) at the
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▲ It is essential for medical professionals to understand exactly what type of medical services are required for their patients.
lower end of the scale, he added, are also sold as mere commodities. Davies emphasized that the value in access control is in software integration. Companies taking advantage of this approach include Prysm, Synectics, Lenel, Maxxess, Hirsch and TDSi. Another big access control player, HID, is big in credentials and readers, but less so in terms of system integration and software.
EmErging markEts Posting HEaltHy growtH
Davies sees the Middle East and Africa as rising new markets. “There has been a lot of growth in the health care market for electronic security," said Davies. "Not only in East Asia but also the Middle East and, very soon, we believe in parts of West and East Africa. We have been getting a lot of work in Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya." While most projects still do not directly involve the health care sector, but critical infrastructure and financial services, Davies is confident that
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Africa will soon present attractive markets. He attributes Africa’s expanding relevance to maturing politics and improved democracy and governance. “As these countries’ political systems mature,” he said, “economies there have been growing 5 percent to 7 percent, and given the lack of indigenous manufacturing capabilities, players there are turning to companies such as ours.” Another key market has been Saudi Arabia, where hospitals are being built “left, right and center,” said Davies. Not all growth, however, happens for the same reasons. In North America, federal mandates requiring health care providers to secure sensitive patient information is driving much of the momentum. Part of the impetus for doing so is fear of lawsuits.
tHE PositivE sidE of too many lawyErs
“Electronic security players,” said one industry professional with a wry laugh, “really need to thank the high
Vertical Market
number of lawyers in the U.S. The threat of legal challenges has really forced large hospitals in particular to establish much greater security and control over patient records. Doctor handwriting has long been a source of jokes in the U.S., but no more,” he said. “It is absolutely essential that other health care professionals, including other doctors, nurses, orderlies and, most definitely, pharmacists, understand exactly and immediately the type of medical service required.” In the U.S., another major impetus is the federal government goal envisioning citizens having secure electronic medical records by 2014.
us governmenT sPendings on healTh informaTion Technology worTh $20 Billion
The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided $20 billion in stimulus money to facilitate adoption of health information technology (HIT). In one survey of 154 peer-reviewed articles conducted between 2007 and 2010, 92 percent found significant increases in or enhancements to access to care, patient and provider satisfaction, and care effectiveness and efficiency. Electronic medical records (EMR), said one industry executive, mean that doctors and health care professionals can manage the patient and his or her care from start to finish. “Look,” he said. “It makes all the difference in the world when the doctor can see everything all at once. You have the entire patient and his records in front of you, and not just those from one or two hospitals. You can also see all the drugs that have been prescribed and that
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It makes all the difference in the world when the doctor can see everything all at once. You have the entire patient and his records in front of you... makes a big difference in ensuring that you are not prescribing too much of the same or the wrong kind of medicine,” he said. Electronic medical records, noted another study also prevent unnecessary, duplicate and erroneous tests. Cutting-edge health care providers are also setting up health information exchanges (HIE), health insurance exchanges (HIX) and regional health information organizations (RHIO). “Throwing these into the equation,” said the industry executive, “ensure that the health care facility has an even broader range of focus and resources. Doctors and other health care professionals can access the latest research information as well as the latest pharmaceutical testing reports and all of this is tied up with insurance companies so patient claims are made on-the-spot.” The bulk of the $17.2 billion in
▲ EMRs provide the doctors and healthcare professionals with all
of the patient's records to ensure the right treatments.
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ARRA funds, explained one study, were targeted at getting health care providers to adopt EMR systems. In 2012, pointed out another research effort, hospitals and clinics that use electronic records can receive up to $44,000 over five years through Medicare or up to $63,750 over six years through Medicaid. In 2015, t h o s e w i t h o u t c o m p re h e n s i v e electronic systems will receive reduced Medicare and Medicaid fees.
an emr a day keePs The docTor away?
Despite the major upside to implementing EMRs and taking advantage of other health information technology capabilities, such as RHIOs, HIEs and HIXs, adoption has been slow. One study noted that only two in 10 doctors and one in 10 hospitals even use a basic electronic record system. In addition, while a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found that 50.5 percent of physicians used EMRs in 2010, only 19.1 percent had a fully functional system that met federal “meaningful use” requirements. Even worse, this figure was only two percent at hospitals with EMRs. The study blamed physician and hospital inertia, legacy systems, economic disincentives and technical challenges. Last year, more than half of US adults under 65 used the Internet to look up health information, according to a National Health Interview Survey by the Centers for
Vertical Market
Disease Control. “Going online,” said the industry executive, “enables the patient to do their own research on testing as well as check on their symptoms.” Those with, say a heart condition or diabetes, can monitor vitals like blood pressure and blood sugar levels and then submit the results “with a click of the mouse” to their health care provider for feedback, he added.
Internet ApplIcAtIons offerIng chAllenges As well As opportunItIes
The Internet provides not only opportunities but also challenges. Internet service, said the industry executive, is not always sufficiently robust to send large files, including X-rays and medical reports. Also, hospitals and clinics are not always set up to take advantage of the medium. “Having access to the Internet is great,” he emphasized, “but how often is the doctor checking his email? How are those files stored? Does his assistant know how to respond to those emails or are they sitting in the inbox for days at a time? All of these factors determine whether a health care facility is truly capable of using IT to transform health care service,” he stressed. For those who successfully make the transition, he said, an added plus is that integration of a number of different requirements, from building maintenance and management, access control, fire and safety and even reduced energy usage have delivered real benefits in terms of reducing costs. That said, “key challenges like scalability, availability, performance and compatibility — some prefer to call it interconnectivity — remain,” he said. That was more than evident in the
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e name lutions Are th o s e iv s n e h compre e of the game y sp ec tru m ar
rit ec tro ni c se cu ac ro ss th e el C om pa ni es nge. that meet the challe ns providers stepping up to s seek solutio er that om st d an cu t, re ing environmen “Our health ca ing ev ic and challeng hi m ac na ly dy r ive ei ct th understand th to more effe pa e of th or on ct s ire partner ew Conrad, D can serve as d ,” said Matth an es R iv l ct ol je rs ob ge perience, In their business Customer Ex & n tio va no Global In G lo ba l tice. d fo rm ed th e Healthcare Prac In ge rs ol l R an d, mand. ra de on g C in to ow Ac co rd in g spond to this gr re to ly ise ted to ec actice pr rad, “is dedica Healthcare Pr rts,” said Con pe to ex ed ry ed st ne du in e expertise “Our team of oviders with th em pr th re lp ca he th at al th ts providing he nt environmen tient secure, efficie increasing pa of s al create safe, go l na tio za nt, ni tie ga or pa r d ei efficiency an accomplish th , operational es om tc ou d safety an n.” sa id staff satisfactio re pr ov id er s, physician and w ith he al th ca y eir el th os n cl io at ng er By w or ki s into consid oll Rand take m fix. rs er ge t-t In or d, sh ra e Con an th als, rather th e of the long-term go em for the lif th by k ic st “Then, we solution.” marketing r companies As many othe he al th ca re cu rit y to th e el ec tro ni c se not enough ding out, it is sector are fin nies must pa m co ; products s to to just deliver with customer ns and work create solutio goals. rrent and future accomplish cu
findings of two recent reports by the U.S. Office of the Inspector General, which found a lack of information technology security controls. Major vulnerabilities included unencrypted wireless connections and easy passwords, as well as those due to careless oversight, such as taped-over door locks. The auditors classified 124 as high-impact breeches; these resulted in costly losses, injury or death. According to the report, unauthorized parties could have accessed or did access systems and
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patient data. Loss of information contained in supposedly secure records could lead to manufacturing of false identities and fraudulent Medicare charges. As health care centers move toward the increase of wireless technology, other problems, however, have emerged. Medical devices connected to the Internet contain miniature computers that are vulnerable to being hacked. Furthermore, as site usage increases, larger or more data centers are frequently needed.
Product Exploration
Onboard Monitoring:
Security on the Move Onboard monitoring is an established tool in security management, but monitoring vehicles on the move places special demands on the DVR and its related technology. For instance, moving vehicles are unlikely to have access to a wired broadband connection, which digital video applications typically require. Furthermore, onboard monitoring systems also require other features such GPS tracking, remote monitoring, wireless transmission, video storage, SMS functions, alarm I/O, and the ability to withstand rugged conditions. In this issue, a&s explores the latest technologies of onboard monitoring systems. By AlyssA FAnn
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F
rost & Sullivan reported that there is an increasing demand for mobile, field based surveillance systems especially on motor vehicles, due to mass transit terrorist threats, criminal behavior, passenger and driver security, fleet and agency liability, driver performance and vehicle vandalism. The University of Central Lancashire estimated that in the U.K. alone, the loss from road freight crime may be up to US$4 billion per year. Mobile surveillance is becoming more common as more police departments, ambulance services and transportation companies seek to obtain the benefits it brings. Accordingly, Frost & Sullivan reported that onboard monitoring capabilities such as wireless video transfer and fleet management solutions are predicted to add growth to the mobile surveillance market.
Onboard monitoring technology installed in vehicles can enhance safety, reduce risk, improve productivity and maximize profits. For instance, when used on public buses, onboard monitoring systems can assist in enhancing driver visibility, ensure passenger safety and provide evidentiary video and audio data in the event of an accident or a claim. The same goes for school buses, private cars, police cars, taxis, ambulances and cash, freight and industrial tank fleets.
RequiRements
When it comes to onboard monitoring systems, it is vital that they are designed specifically for use in transport applications. Firstly, transportation environments are harsh for electronic equipment, with constant exposure to heat, t e m p e r a t u re f l u c t u a t i o n s a n d repetitive shock vibrations. Hence, onboard monitoring system solutions seek to optimize system performance whilst solving p o t e n t i a l over-heating, repetitive shock vibration challenges with products that are encased in robust, rugged cases to withstand t h e h a r s h environment they operate in for uninterrupted in-vehicle security surveillance. Furthermore, the limited ▲ A comprehensive onboard monitoring system can vastly improve the cabling structure available efficiency of individual vehicle operations and overall fleet management.
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in the vehicle environment makes easy installation a priority. Finally, onboard monitoring systems will also have to accommodate tothe voltage input provided solely by the vehicle and be subjected to voltage spikes. Hence, the reliability of the network equipment on the vehicle is a key factor to the overall performance of the IP system. Onboard monitoring systems usually rely on Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology to reduce installation costs and transmit data transmit to a central server. For equipment that do not already have a power or data connection, PoE is an attractive option, especially when power demand is modest. With PoE switch installed on a vehicle, it eliminates the need for an electrician to install an outlet near a powered device.
Key technologies
Some of the key technologies used in onboard monitoring include the following: • H . 2 6 4 S c a l a b l e Vi d e o C o d e c (SVC) for video compression and reducing the bandwidth required to transport streams, or reducing the storage space required to archive them • HD/D1/CIF for image recording, transmission and viewing, for instance, D1 provides high resolution for both recording and live viewing, and is also capable of real-time recording at 30 frames per second (fps) • Wireless internet through 3G/ G P R S / Wi F i / Wi m a x / C D M A networks • Storage and archiving using SSD, SD flash or HDDs • A central monitoring platform for image processing, vehicle information, tracking information,
Onboard monitoring systems installed on vehicles can enhance safety, reduce risk, improve productivity and maximize profits and fleet management • GPS for navigation and location mapping • Ability to withstand vibration, shock and temperature and voltage fluctuations • Alarm I/O function
Functions
Onboard monitoring systems seek to provide a comprehensive solution that enhances driver and passenger safety and improve the efficiency and productivity of mobile operations for on-the-move vehicles.
F i r s t l y, o n b o a rd m o n i t o r i n g systems include location tracking and navigation via GPS. GPS satellite positioning provides dynamic real-time information that includes latitude and longitude coordinates of the vehicles. This improves the efficiency and productivity of both drivers and fleet managers. Secondly, the wireless monitoring f e a t u re i s c e n t r a l t o o n b o a rd monitory systems and is designed for the purpose of effective mobile units management. For instance, it provides data transmission within
s e c o n d s , b i - d i re c t i o n a l a u d i o communication between drivers and other personnel, SMS and email notifications and includes an USB interface for cellular modems, such as CDMA and GPRS. The CDMA, GPRS and TCP/IP architecture allows for the transmission of images and data as long as there is network coverage. Furthermore, with better compression technology, images and data are compressed and transmitted without any color and clarity loss, thereby ensuring that potentially important information is never lost. L a s t l y, o n b o a r d m o n i t o r i n g systems include a closed circuit monitor that not only enables drivers to see what is going on in every corner of the vehicle, but also to zoom in, as the control
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Product Exploration
platform includes PTZ controllers for remote aiming and focusing of PTZ cameras installed in the vehicles. Recordings are then compressed into H.264/MPEG-4-AVC format, w h i c h i s c u r re n t l y o n e o f t h e most commonly used formats for recording, compression and distribution of high definition video. The Annex G extension of the H.264/ MPEG-4-AVC video compression standard, Scalable Video Coding (SVC), is designed to encode the video with a high efficiency codec so that the resulting stream, when decoded, yields full resolution video. It can also decode video at different frame rates, resolutions or quality levels. Furthermore, the SVC extension consists of a base layer that is able to encode the lowest temporal, spatial and quality representation, whereas enhancement layers encode additional information by using the base layer as a starting point to reconstruct higher quality, resolution or temporal versions of the video during the decoding process. By
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decoding the base layer and only subsequent enhancement layers as required, a decoder can produce a video stream with desired characteristics. Hence, it is used in onboard monitoring systems because it offers high quality, but at the same time can be transmitted over low speed networks by omitting packets or bits of data. When it comes to DVR functions, onboard monitoring systems require ones that are capable of storing high definition video and audio. Image quality can be an important consideration for some end users and CIF DVRs, for instance, have a 360x240 pixel resolution, while D1 DVRs have a 720x480 pixel resolution. Hence, D1 is capable of delivering roughly twice the image quality compared to CIF. Furthermore, full D1 DVRs are also capable of real-time recording at 30 fps. DVRs used in onboard monitoring systems must have the following basics: shock resistant and capable of long hours of continuous
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recording, video motion detection, pre- and post-alarm recording, and simultaneous streaming and recording of live video from all channels. The pre- and post-alarm recording are part of the alarm I/O function that should automatically prompt instant viewing, monitoring of regions-of-interest and storage in pre-designated databases. Ideally, the alarm I/O function should be able to automatically phone up the depot, send SMS texts or even pictures to alert relevant parties that something unusual has occurred. A comprehensive onboard monitoring system can vastly improve the efficiency of individual vehicle operations and overall fleet management. The technology to fulfill the user-specified requirements of freight/industrial transportation applications are now available.