Managing surveillance data
Managing surveillance data
With casinos increasing surveillance activities, new technologies are helping security personnel process incoming data more efficiently
By James J. Hodl
It's a never-ending battle. As criminals become more sophisticated and learn new ways to get around the defenses in casinos, providers of security equipment develop better equipment to keep the thieves, cheats and other enemies of a safe and secure gaming environment at bay.
But to protect their profits, casinos in recent years have had to expand the war to new battlefields. A recent expansion of surveillance operations at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is typical of what other large casinos are doing-or at least planning.
"While the casino floor remains our top priority, we've added more surveillance in other areas, such as point-of-sale venues, our warehouse and back room to combat employee theft," said Stephanie Wallace, surveillance director at the Stratosphere. "And we're increasing our risk management activities by adding more surveillance around escalators, in elevators and even on our rooftop where liability claims might occur.
"We now have more surveillance cameras on premises than employees," she said.
So how can casino security personnel keep track of all the data being collected-especially with a limited number of security personnel available to watch the monitors-and thus reap the benefits of such watchfulness? A lot of it has to do with technology.
Efficient, rapid reviews
As part of its security upgrade, the Stratosphere is upgrading from analog to digital cameras and recording equipment.
"A good move," said Brigid McDermott, director of strategic marketing at Syosett, N.Y.-based Honeywell Systems Group. "Digital systems capture higher-resolution images (240 lines on analog, compared to 500 lines on DVD) that provide more detail on faces or license plate numbers, and can store these images in substantially smaller spaces than tape cartridges from analog VCRs. The result is better and more data provided and saved to stop incidents before they occur or provide evidence in court after they occur."
"But as casinos add more surveillance cameras to their systems, it becomes a problem to efficiently manage data," added Dr. Bob Banerjee, product manager at Bosch Security Systems of Fairport, N.Y.
"I've seen casinos with 2,500 cameras but only 40 monitors. Considering the heavy use a closed circuit TV system receives in a gaming environment, casinos need intelligent management that ties together live camera feeds for easy storage," he noted.
To help casinos better manage the increased data flow, Honeywell offers an extensive line of digital recording devices that seamlessly integrate with the closed circuit video network, surveillance cameras, matrix switches and monitors using the firm's MAX-1000 CCTV Management System. Each of this system's four workstations are equipped with keyboard controllers that streamline the operation of a fully programmable CCTV keyboard and touchscreen display, making the whole system easier to use and train security personal to operate.
"As part of an enterprise system, the Honeywell Integrated Data Manager (IDM) ties information that occurs anywhere in the casino-be it point-of-sale transactions or gaming related-to the point of the video where it is recorded. With the system's point-and-click retrieval feature, video of any specific incident can be brought up for viewing within two seconds. This saves the time security people who previously had to stream through entire videos to find the one bit of data they wanted. This frees them to do other security tasks," McDermott emphasized.
A common feature of digital recorders is the ability to save feeds from more than one surveillance camera.
Bosch's DVRRT Series Hi-Q digital recorders simultaneously records four channels of up to 78 hours each of real-time high-resolution video. To better manage such data, the system also can record, playback and archive video simultaneously. Features include real time and time lapse recording modes, events-only recording and disk array archiving. With optional ADIM software, Hi-Q recorders can instantly play back video from a current camera, which can be fast-forwarded or reversed using a joystick.
To address casinos fears that video evidence could be lost due to the failure of a recording device, Bosch offers the Hi-Q MPEG-2 digital video recorder that install in sequence. Should one recorder in the battery fail, the channels of video directed to that device are automatically redirected to other recorders for archiving. Another feature of this system is one-touch access on the system's keyboard to any recorded video, no matter where it is stored, explained Banerjee.
For less demanding applications, such as monitoring hallways or parking lots, Bosch offer Divar DVRs, which come in 6-, 9- and 16-channel versions. Compact and slender, these recorders fit almost anywhere, yet offer simultaneous recording and playback of video images, and feature overwrite protection of marked video clips that casinos want to save.
Enhanced archiving, analysis
To help casinos thwart dishonest employees, Las Vegas-based SmartConnect Inc. offers as part of its Casino Vision system a feature that enables casinos to pick out pertinent video clips for separate and longer-term storage.
"Casino Vision, an outgrowth of our Restaurant Vision software system earlier marketed to chain restaurants, consists of four components," said Nancy Ziolkowski, corporate communications director with SmartConnect. "Three of these-Point-of-Sale, Slots and Currency Counter-can be programmed to synchronize with digital surveillance systems to capture and save action during potentially fraudulent incidents of a casino's choosing."
For instance, the Point-of-Sale component can be programmed to capture such events as customers paying with $100 bills, cashing discount coupons, or an employee working out of an open cash drawer for too long. With the Slots component, triggers can be added to spot illegal door openings on slot machines, jackpots over a specific amount, or multiple player card usage. With the Currency Counter component, count discrepancies can be flagged.
All such activity can be immediately called to the attention of security personnel, and video of these incidents can be securely accessed through any Web browser with an Internet connection, Ziolkowski said.
The fourth component, Case Manager, is a software program that enables video corresponding to triggers captured by the other three components to be directly saved in a computer hard drive with text and comments, without having to burn a CD of the video. Casinos thus avoid losing the recording due to period system purges, she noted.
Additional advances
Reaction time by security personnel in keeping out undesirable persons also can be shortened by the iWatch Facial Recognition System offered by iView Systems of Oakville, Ontario.
Instead of a security person flagging a suspicious person seen entering on a surveillance camera and flipping through mug books to verify the match, iWatch automatically checks the person's face against stored images, said Martin Drew, iView president.
"The scanning and checking process is performed instantaneously, allowing security to intercept the verified miscreant before he has time to vanish inside the casino, and escort him out," Drew said.
The iWatch system also can be used to flag problem gamblers, and even the good guys-high rollers-so employees can be alerted to provide them instant recognition and service.
For the future, Bosch's Banerjee sees casinos moving to IP (Internet Protocol) surveillance systems, where real-time video images are moved not over coaxial cables but Ethernet systems. Such images could be saved immediately to hard drives instead of being converted for long-term storage. Images also could be moved out of casinos to other properties of the owner for remote monitoring.
In January, Bosch introduced the Dinion IP camera, which features tri-streaming video technology, dual MPEG-4 and JPG compression modes, and can stream two video feeds over the same Internet connection at different frame rates. Battery-powered, these cameras are less expensive to install and could operate where AC power is not accessible (or during a power outage).
Sidebars:
Facilitating storage
Newer DVR technologies allow for countless hours of storage
The big advantage of switching from analog to digital video recording is the time and space savings. Analog tapes only hold eight hours of video (requiring personnel to change them three times a day) and are bulky to store. DVDs hold several days of video and store in only a fraction of the space.
But even that wasn't good enough for Secaucus, N.J.-based Panasonic Security Systems. An enhanced version of the company's WJ-HD220 DVR, featuring a 160GB hard disk drive, has 33 percent more recording capacity. Introduced by Panasonic last November, the improved DVR requires changing only about twice a week, yet occupies the same space-and costs the same-as the previous version.
Al Croteau, vice president of North American Video, sees storage on DVRs to be "virtually unlimited."
"You can store as much information as the storage drive will hold. Some DVRs on the market today are expandable to 7.5 TeraBytes. And yet, despite the massive amount of data, with point-and-click video retrieval systems, images are instantly available without fast-forwarding or rewinding," he said.
-James J. Hodl
About face!
Some still skeptical about facial recognition technology
Although several firms now offer some sort of facial recognition software programs to aid casino security, not all are convinced of its benefits in relation to the cost of acquiring the systems.
The standard sales pitch is that facial recognition gives security personnel a big assist in identifying criminals and cheats as they enter the premises. The system scans the faces of people entering the casino and compares them against databases of known miscreants already loaded into the security system's computer for possible matches. As these scans can be made faster (often just seconds) than a security worker leafing through a mug book, rogues can be instantly flagged, and thus stopped and escorted out before they do any damage.
At least one supplier's software allows casinos to build their own database of undesirables through video inputs from surveillance cameras, and to connect to the Surveillance Information Network (SIN) to exchange data on cheaters and thieves with other casinos worldwide. Flagging problem gamblers or even identifying high rollers to target those for immediate special treatment are among the other uses claimed for facial recognition systems.
But some think the technology is not yet ready for casino use.
"The one problem we see for such systems is that they need to catch people at certain angles, preferably directly on the face, for the system to make quick and foolproof matches," said Stephanie Wallace, surveillance director at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. "Most casino surveillance cameras are mounted above, so they look down on people, which results in a slightly distorted facial image. To work best, cameras would have to be reinstalled at head level."
Dr. Bob Banerjee, product manager at Fairport, N.Y.-based Bosch Security Systems is likewise leery of claims that facial recognition systems are needed to alert casino staffers of the surprise arrival of high rollers.
"High rollers seldom just walk in off the street. They usually announce their pending arrival in advance through reservations for rooms or restaurant dining," he said. "Using such ordinary information, an employee in the valet parking area armed with a photo and a walkie talkie can assure the high roller gets from the moment he walks in special treatment from casino staffers-at less cost."
-James J. Hodl
With casinos increasing surveillance activities, new technologies are helping security personnel process incoming data more efficiently
By James J. Hodl
It's a never-ending battle. As criminals become more sophisticated and learn new ways to get around the defenses in casinos, providers of security equipment develop better equipment to keep the thieves, cheats and other enemies of a safe and secure gaming environment at bay.
But to protect their profits, casinos in recent years have had to expand the war to new battlefields. A recent expansion of surveillance operations at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is typical of what other large casinos are doing-or at least planning.
"While the casino floor remains our top priority, we've added more surveillance in other areas, such as point-of-sale venues, our warehouse and back room to combat employee theft," said Stephanie Wallace, surveillance director at the Stratosphere. "And we're increasing our risk management activities by adding more surveillance around escalators, in elevators and even on our rooftop where liability claims might occur.
"We now have more surveillance cameras on premises than employees," she said.
So how can casino security personnel keep track of all the data being collected-especially with a limited number of security personnel available to watch the monitors-and thus reap the benefits of such watchfulness? A lot of it has to do with technology.
Efficient, rapid reviews
As part of its security upgrade, the Stratosphere is upgrading from analog to digital cameras and recording equipment.
"A good move," said Brigid McDermott, director of strategic marketing at Syosett, N.Y.-based Honeywell Systems Group. "Digital systems capture higher-resolution images (240 lines on analog, compared to 500 lines on DVD) that provide more detail on faces or license plate numbers, and can store these images in substantially smaller spaces than tape cartridges from analog VCRs. The result is better and more data provided and saved to stop incidents before they occur or provide evidence in court after they occur."
"But as casinos add more surveillance cameras to their systems, it becomes a problem to efficiently manage data," added Dr. Bob Banerjee, product manager at Bosch Security Systems of Fairport, N.Y.
"I've seen casinos with 2,500 cameras but only 40 monitors. Considering the heavy use a closed circuit TV system receives in a gaming environment, casinos need intelligent management that ties together live camera feeds for easy storage," he noted.
To help casinos better manage the increased data flow, Honeywell offers an extensive line of digital recording devices that seamlessly integrate with the closed circuit video network, surveillance cameras, matrix switches and monitors using the firm's MAX-1000 CCTV Management System. Each of this system's four workstations are equipped with keyboard controllers that streamline the operation of a fully programmable CCTV keyboard and touchscreen display, making the whole system easier to use and train security personal to operate.
"As part of an enterprise system, the Honeywell Integrated Data Manager (IDM) ties information that occurs anywhere in the casino-be it point-of-sale transactions or gaming related-to the point of the video where it is recorded. With the system's point-and-click retrieval feature, video of any specific incident can be brought up for viewing within two seconds. This saves the time security people who previously had to stream through entire videos to find the one bit of data they wanted. This frees them to do other security tasks," McDermott emphasized.
A common feature of digital recorders is the ability to save feeds from more than one surveillance camera.
Bosch's DVRRT Series Hi-Q digital recorders simultaneously records four channels of up to 78 hours each of real-time high-resolution video. To better manage such data, the system also can record, playback and archive video simultaneously. Features include real time and time lapse recording modes, events-only recording and disk array archiving. With optional ADIM software, Hi-Q recorders can instantly play back video from a current camera, which can be fast-forwarded or reversed using a joystick.
To address casinos fears that video evidence could be lost due to the failure of a recording device, Bosch offers the Hi-Q MPEG-2 digital video recorder that install in sequence. Should one recorder in the battery fail, the channels of video directed to that device are automatically redirected to other recorders for archiving. Another feature of this system is one-touch access on the system's keyboard to any recorded video, no matter where it is stored, explained Banerjee.
For less demanding applications, such as monitoring hallways or parking lots, Bosch offer Divar DVRs, which come in 6-, 9- and 16-channel versions. Compact and slender, these recorders fit almost anywhere, yet offer simultaneous recording and playback of video images, and feature overwrite protection of marked video clips that casinos want to save.
Enhanced archiving, analysis
To help casinos thwart dishonest employees, Las Vegas-based SmartConnect Inc. offers as part of its Casino Vision system a feature that enables casinos to pick out pertinent video clips for separate and longer-term storage.
"Casino Vision, an outgrowth of our Restaurant Vision software system earlier marketed to chain restaurants, consists of four components," said Nancy Ziolkowski, corporate communications director with SmartConnect. "Three of these-Point-of-Sale, Slots and Currency Counter-can be programmed to synchronize with digital surveillance systems to capture and save action during potentially fraudulent incidents of a casino's choosing."
For instance, the Point-of-Sale component can be programmed to capture such events as customers paying with $100 bills, cashing discount coupons, or an employee working out of an open cash drawer for too long. With the Slots component, triggers can be added to spot illegal door openings on slot machines, jackpots over a specific amount, or multiple player card usage. With the Currency Counter component, count discrepancies can be flagged.
All such activity can be immediately called to the attention of security personnel, and video of these incidents can be securely accessed through any Web browser with an Internet connection, Ziolkowski said.
The fourth component, Case Manager, is a software program that enables video corresponding to triggers captured by the other three components to be directly saved in a computer hard drive with text and comments, without having to burn a CD of the video. Casinos thus avoid losing the recording due to period system purges, she noted.
Additional advances
Reaction time by security personnel in keeping out undesirable persons also can be shortened by the iWatch Facial Recognition System offered by iView Systems of Oakville, Ontario.
Instead of a security person flagging a suspicious person seen entering on a surveillance camera and flipping through mug books to verify the match, iWatch automatically checks the person's face against stored images, said Martin Drew, iView president.
"The scanning and checking process is performed instantaneously, allowing security to intercept the verified miscreant before he has time to vanish inside the casino, and escort him out," Drew said.
The iWatch system also can be used to flag problem gamblers, and even the good guys-high rollers-so employees can be alerted to provide them instant recognition and service.
For the future, Bosch's Banerjee sees casinos moving to IP (Internet Protocol) surveillance systems, where real-time video images are moved not over coaxial cables but Ethernet systems. Such images could be saved immediately to hard drives instead of being converted for long-term storage. Images also could be moved out of casinos to other properties of the owner for remote monitoring.
In January, Bosch introduced the Dinion IP camera, which features tri-streaming video technology, dual MPEG-4 and JPG compression modes, and can stream two video feeds over the same Internet connection at different frame rates. Battery-powered, these cameras are less expensive to install and could operate where AC power is not accessible (or during a power outage).
Sidebars:
Facilitating storage
Newer DVR technologies allow for countless hours of storage
The big advantage of switching from analog to digital video recording is the time and space savings. Analog tapes only hold eight hours of video (requiring personnel to change them three times a day) and are bulky to store. DVDs hold several days of video and store in only a fraction of the space.
But even that wasn't good enough for Secaucus, N.J.-based Panasonic Security Systems. An enhanced version of the company's WJ-HD220 DVR, featuring a 160GB hard disk drive, has 33 percent more recording capacity. Introduced by Panasonic last November, the improved DVR requires changing only about twice a week, yet occupies the same space-and costs the same-as the previous version.
Al Croteau, vice president of North American Video, sees storage on DVRs to be "virtually unlimited."
"You can store as much information as the storage drive will hold. Some DVRs on the market today are expandable to 7.5 TeraBytes. And yet, despite the massive amount of data, with point-and-click video retrieval systems, images are instantly available without fast-forwarding or rewinding," he said.
-James J. Hodl
About face!
Some still skeptical about facial recognition technology
Although several firms now offer some sort of facial recognition software programs to aid casino security, not all are convinced of its benefits in relation to the cost of acquiring the systems.
The standard sales pitch is that facial recognition gives security personnel a big assist in identifying criminals and cheats as they enter the premises. The system scans the faces of people entering the casino and compares them against databases of known miscreants already loaded into the security system's computer for possible matches. As these scans can be made faster (often just seconds) than a security worker leafing through a mug book, rogues can be instantly flagged, and thus stopped and escorted out before they do any damage.
At least one supplier's software allows casinos to build their own database of undesirables through video inputs from surveillance cameras, and to connect to the Surveillance Information Network (SIN) to exchange data on cheaters and thieves with other casinos worldwide. Flagging problem gamblers or even identifying high rollers to target those for immediate special treatment are among the other uses claimed for facial recognition systems.
But some think the technology is not yet ready for casino use.
"The one problem we see for such systems is that they need to catch people at certain angles, preferably directly on the face, for the system to make quick and foolproof matches," said Stephanie Wallace, surveillance director at the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. "Most casino surveillance cameras are mounted above, so they look down on people, which results in a slightly distorted facial image. To work best, cameras would have to be reinstalled at head level."
Dr. Bob Banerjee, product manager at Fairport, N.Y.-based Bosch Security Systems is likewise leery of claims that facial recognition systems are needed to alert casino staffers of the surprise arrival of high rollers.
"High rollers seldom just walk in off the street. They usually announce their pending arrival in advance through reservations for rooms or restaurant dining," he said. "Using such ordinary information, an employee in the valet parking area armed with a photo and a walkie talkie can assure the high roller gets from the moment he walks in special treatment from casino staffers-at less cost."
-James J. Hodl
