Method and system for surveillance camera arbitration of uplink consumption

Abstract

A surveillance camera and image data storage system is disclosed. The system includes surveillance cameras that generate image data. Each of the surveillance cameras calculates a self priority value for uploading the image data and sends its self priority value over a local network to the other surveillance cameras. Within each surveillance camera, a rules engine compares its self priority value and the self priority values from the other surveillance cameras to determine whether to upload the image data over the network to a remote storage system or to save the image data within each surveillance camera. This functions as an arbitration system implemented at the level of the individual cameras to arbitrate uploading of the image data, which limits network bandwidth. In another example, each surveillance camera calculates its self priority value in response to receiving security events from other security devices over a network.