MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS Avigilon Unity Video

Specifications

• Product Name: Avigilon Unity Video Dynamic Privacy Masks
• Compatibility: Available for H6A cameras when connected to an Avigilon Unity Video system running version 8.0 or later on servers and clients
• Requirement: Camera configuration with both a primary andsecondary stream to enable blurring

Avigilon Unity Video

Dynamic Privacy Masks Setup Guide

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PDF-UNITY-VIDEO-DYNAMIC-PRIVACY-MASKS-H
Revision: 3 – EN
20240425

Dynamic Privacy Masks

NOTE
The Dynamic Privacy Masks feature is available for H6A cameras when connected to an Avigilon Unity Video system running version 8.0 or later on servers and clients. This feature requires a camera configuration with both a primary and secondary stream to enable blurring.

Dynamic privacy masks are blurred areas that cover and track people and vehicles in a camera’s field of view, automatically resizing based on the movement of the classified objects.
In live and recorded video, dynamic masks are used to protect public privacy. In some instances, operators or investigators may need to lift or remove blurred areas from the camera’s field of view. This is to allow identification of people or vehicles as part of an investigation.
This guide documents how to configure the camera for dynamic privacy masks, set permission for users to remove privacy masks, and view site logs of users who have removed privacy masks.

Configuring Dynamic Privacy Masks

NOTE
The Dynamic Privacy Masks feature is available for H6A cameras when connected to an Avigilon Unity Video system running version 8.0 or later on servers and clients. This feature requires a camera configuration with both a primary and secondary stream to enable blurring.

In a camera’s settings, you can define dynamic privacy masks to obscure people, vehicles, or areas in a camera’s field of view i n live camera view and recorded video. Then while monitoring or i nvestigating events, users with the Lift privacy masks privilege can temporarily remove or lift the privacy masks. Note that LPR is not compatible with Dynamic Privacy Masks.

1. In the New Task menu , click Site Setup.
2. Select a camera, and then click General.
3. From the Mode: drop-down list, select Dynamic Privacy Masks, and then click OK.
   After the camera reboots, the Dynamic Privacy Masks button now appears under the Video section.
   The maximum frame rate for the camera may be lower than in Full Feature mode when using the Dynamic Privacy Masks mode. For more information, refer to the documentation for your camera model.
4. Click the Dynamic Privacy Masks button.
5. Select the Enable check box.
   A green overlay, representing the ROI, is automatically added to the camera view. You can adjust the ROI. People and vehicles within the ROI will be blurred whereas those outside of the ROI will not be blurred.
   NOTE
   There will be a short interruption to live streams and recordings from the camera when dynamic privacy masks are enabled or disabled.
6. From the Objects: drop-down list, choose to blur vehicles, people, or both.
7. Adjust the shape of the overlay so that it covers the desired area, as needed:
   • Click and drag the markers on the border.
   • To move the overlay, click and drag.
     To reset the green overlay, click
8. Adjust the blur radius. Setting the slider towards the high end increases how far the blurred area extends beyond the boundaries of the masked objects.

Enabling Users to Remove Dynamic Privacy Masks
You can grant users the ability to remove privacy masks i n live or video playback mode. This privilege should only be assigned to users who may need to view unmasked views or images in compliance with privacy laws.
To grant a user the ability to lift privacy masks:

1. In the New Task menu , click Site Setup.
2. Click a site name, and then click Users and Groups.
3. In the Groups tab, select the group, and then click Edit Group.
4. Under View high-resolution images, select the Lift privacy masks check box. Members of the Emergency Privilege Override group can also remove privacy masks.
5. Click OK, and then click Close.

Now, the user will view a Turn Off Privacy Masks button in cameras that have privacy masks configured. To learn how a user will remove a privacy mask, see Removing or Lifting Dynamic Privacy Masks on the next page.
When a user removes privacy masks while viewing live or recorded video, Focus of Attention, or responding to alarms, the system logs an “unblurred” event. To learn how to view site logs of users who have lifted dynamic privacy masks, see Viewing Site Logs of Users Lifting Dynamic Privacy Masks on page 8.

Removing or Lifting Dynamic Privacy Masks

For security investigations, and if permitted in the system, you can remove dynamic privacy masks to view people and vehicles.

To remove privacy masks in live view or recorded video, at the top of the camera view, click Turn Off  Privacy Masks. To restore the privacy masks, click .

After removing a mask, it remains lifted in the camera, in any view for the duration of the client session. Also, when performing a search, for example Appearance Search, the mask is automatically removed if the user is a member of a group that has the Lift privacy masks privilege.
After logging out of the session, privacy masks will be restored in the camera view. Privacy masks will also be restored if you close all instances of the camera view.
If you have permission, any video you export will not contain the masks.

NOTE
When a user sends emails with attachments, images and videos will show unmasked footage. If an attachment is exported automatically, initiated by a rule rather than by a user, images and videos will show masked footage.

Viewing Site Logs of Users Lifting Dynamic Privacy Masks
Track which users have viewed unblurred video.

1. In the New Task menu, click Site Logs.
2. In the Event Types to Show: area, under Access, choose Live Video or Recorded Video, or both check boxes.
3. Select the devices you want to search.
4. Set the date and time range of the search.
5. Click Search.
6. Select a column header to sort results by Time, Type, or Message.
7. Click a search result unblurred video event to display the event details at the bottom of the tab. You may need to scroll down to view the entire event details.
   NOTE
   It may take 30 minutes for an entry to be displayed, especially Access Events for live or recorded video.
8. To export event details as a text or CSV file, in the lower-left corner, click Save events to file…, and then select a l ocation, file name, and type.

Exporting Video Clips with Dynamic Privacy Masks

Users with the necessary permissions can lift privacy masks, and export a video clip from the video player or from the recorded video timeline. In Unity Client, if a user:

• Has the Lift privacy masks privilege, exported video clips will always be unblurred.
• Does not have the Lift privacy masks privilege, exported video clips will always be blurred.
• Has the Lift privacy masks privilege, but wants to share blurred footage, the system administrator can create another user account that does not have the Lift privacy masks privilege.

Additionally, users must have the Export images privilege to export and share video clips.

IMPORTANT
Only share video clips with approved people. Ensure you follow all national, local and corporate policies regarding the sharing of video footage.

To export a video clip:

1. Right-click the video, and select Quick Export.
2. (Optional) Adjust any of the settings.
3. Click OK, and save the file to your chosen destination.

More Information & Support
For additional product documentation and software and firmware upgrades, visit support.avigilon.com.

Technical Support

Contact Avigilon Technical Support at support.avigilon.com/s/contactsupport.

Third-Party Licenses

• help.avigilon.com/avigilon-unity/video/attribution-report/VSA_FixedVideo.html
• help.avigilon.com/avigilon-unity/video/attribution-report/VSA_Avigilon_ACC.html
• help.avigilon.com/avigilon-unity/video/attribution-report/VSA_Avigilon_ACS.html

More Information & Support

Documents / Resources

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS Avigilon Unity Video [pdf] User Guide H6A, Avigilon Unity Video, Unity Video, Video

References

• User Manual