What is IQSIGHT SmartSuite for Milestone XProtect and what features does it contain?

Question

Answer

The IQSIGHT SmartSuite for Milestone XProtect is a consolidated and enhanced integration package designed to optimize the use of Bosch cameras and analytics within the Milestone XProtect environment.

It merges previously separate and new features into a single, streamlined installer. These capabilities serve both XProtect Smart Client (i.e., the operator of the system) and XProtect Management Client (i.e., the installer of the system) users.

The latest version of the IQSIGHT SmartSuite can always be downloaded from https://downloadstore.keenfinity-group.com/index.php (Apps & Tools -> Milestone Plug-ins). Release information can be found in the release letters, which are shown in the same download area.

Feature Overview

The SmartSuite contains the following features for the Milestone XProtect Management Client:

Forensic Search:
- Dedicated interface to search for (1) camera-detected attributes* and (2) Bosch IVA tasks such as line crossings and object-in-field
- Search for attributes like
  - Vehicles (e.g., truck and bus)
  - People of specific interest
  - Bags and backpacks
  - PPE equipment (helmet / safety vest)
  - Brandished firearms / guns

*Upon release, the SmartSuite supports forensic search for the licenses: IVA Pro Buildings, Traffic, Perimeter, Appearance, PPE, Visual Gun Detection. No support yet for IVA Pro LPR(X), MMR, DGS.

Camera Configuration:
- Configure your cameras directly within XProtect Management Client
- Option to adjust and configure >100 camera parameters in a simple way
- No camera credentials needed: XProtect takes care of authorization
- No need to “update hardware” after adjusting camera configuration
Quick Event Subscription:
- Search for and subscribe to Bosch IVA events in seconds
- Save lots of mouse clicks during configuration of analytics
Project Assistant Import:
- Flawlessly add your Bosch Project Assistant projects into XProtect
- Upon import, auto-configure characteristics like:
  - Network settings
  - Date and time
  - Camera name and group
  - Image settings, alignment & focus
License Plate Recognition (NEW as of SmartSuite version 2.0)
- Enable on-camera license plate recognition using select IQSIGHT cameras that are equipped with IVA Pro LPR
- Detect vehicle license plates directly on the camera
- Configure LPR securely from within XProtect Management Client
- Generate dynamic XProtect events
IVA Pro Context Configuration (NEW as of SmartSuite version 2.1)
- Available as of version 2.0 under feature flag
- IVA Pro Context Cloud enables Bosch cameras to recognize custom behaviors, situations, and operational events that go beyond traditional video analytics, bringing AI-powered contextual understanding into Milestone XProtect workflows.
- Generate dynamic XProtect events

The SmartSuite contains the following features for the Milestone XProtect Smart Client:

Metadata Utilization:
- Apply advanced inferencing, like:
  - Add bounding boxes or shapes to camera-detected objects
  - Add trajectory lines to detected attributes for better tracing
  - Add attribute icons for object classification in the cameo
  - Add (multiple) counters to your cameo
- Enable AI or mouse click auto-tracking of attributes (PTZ cameras)
Panoramic De-warping:
- Easily (de)warp images from Bosch panoramic cameras
- Upon installation, virtual PTZ can be used to navigate the stream
Device Control:
- Enable and disable camera hardware features, like:
  - Wipers
  - White light indicator
  - Infrared light
- Control is performed directly from the XProtect Smart Client.
Camera Health Overlays (NEW as of SmartSuite version 2.0)
- Monitor IQSIGHT camera health directly from the Smart Client.
- Real-time overlays can display:
  - Camera CPU utilization
  - IVA processing utilization
  - Combined camera workload
  - SD card health and status
Autofocus Control (NEW as of SmartSuite version 2.0)
- Control advanced IQSIGHT autofocus capabilities directly from the Smart Client
- Both for fixed and moving cameras

Technical Details

Supported versions of Milestone XProtect: Compatible with all versions as of 2024 R1 onward
System Requirements: Refer to Milestone’s official system requirements: https://www.milestonesys.com/systemrequirements/
Installation: It’s advisable to install the IQSIGHT Smart Suite for Milestone XProtect wherever an XProtect Smart client or an XProtect Management client is being used.

Commercial Information

Licensing of the SmartSuite: Free of charge. Supported by IQSIGHT support organization. Please be aware that additional camera analytics licenses (IVA Pro) will be required for specific use cases.
Availability: Globally available. EULA applies upon installation and use.
Compatibility: Designed to work exclusively with cameras and analytics from IQSIGHT.

Configuration Guidance

Impact on Existing Configurations: Some settings (e.g., camera resolution) can be configured both natively and via Bosch tabs. Changes in one place reflect in the other.
Migration Path: First de-install older plug-ins before installing the new SmartSuite.

Best Practices

Recommended Settings:

Use TCP for Bosch-Milestone communication.
Ensure proper time synchronization, preferably via NTP.
Set metadata to 'Bosch Binary + ONVIF' in XProtect. This setting enables use of both:
- Bosch proprietary forensic search
- Native Milestone Centralized Search

Limitations & Support

Known Limitations:

Tunnel setup for 'Bosch Video Settings' and 'Bosch Events' tabs may take 5–15 seconds.
XProtect Management client needs to be in a network where direct access to the camera is possible.
Changing IVA Pro profiles requires ‘update hardware’ in XProtect. So does the intake of dynamic events from the camera once configured.
No support for CPUs/GPUs from the brand AMD concerning the panoramic de-warping component.
No support yet for IVA Pro DGS.