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Generic ONVIF Integration

This guide explains how Anava ONVIF events work and how to integrate them with any ONVIF-compliant video management system.

How Anava Emits ONVIF Events​

When Anava detects something, it instructs the camera to emit standard ONVIF events.

Generic ONVIF Event Flow

ONVIF Event Structure​

Event Topic​

Anava events are published under the camera's ACAP event namespace:

tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent/[ObjectName]

Examples:

  • tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent/Person
  • tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent/Weapon
  • tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent/Vehicle

Event Data​

Each event includes:

FieldTypeDescription
StateBooleantrue (detected) / false (cleared)
TimestampDateTimeWhen detection occurred
SourceStringCamera serial number

Stateful vs Pulse Events​

TypeBehaviorVMS Use
StatefulTrue→False lifecycle"Is True" conditions
PulseSingle triggerCount/log events
VMS Compatibility

Configure Anava objects as Stateful for best VMS compatibility. This enables rules like "Record while Person is True".

VMS Configuration Steps​

Step 1: Add Camera​

Ensure your VMS has the Axis camera added:

  • Use ONVIF discovery or manual IP entry
  • Verify ONVIF capabilities are detected
  • Confirm event subscription is working

Step 2: Discover Events​

Trigger an Anava detection to make events discoverable:

  1. Walk in front of camera (motion trigger)
  2. Wait for analysis to complete
  3. In VMS, refresh event list or rediscover camera

Step 3: Create Rules​

Map Anava events to VMS actions:

EventSuggested Actions
Person (State=True)Start recording, log event
Person (State=False)Stop recording (if stateful)
Weapon (State=True)High-priority alarm, notify
Vehicle (State=True)Log, low-priority alert

Step 4: Test​

  1. Generate detection
  2. Verify event received by VMS
  3. Confirm actions execute
  4. Check recording/logs

Common VMS Configuration​

Bosch VMS​

  1. Add camera via ONVIF
  2. Event mapping: Configure → Devices → Events
  3. Rules: Configure → Events → Action triggers

Hanwha Wave​

  1. Add camera via ONVIF discovery
  2. Events: Settings → Events → Device events
  3. Rules: Settings → Event rules

Avigilon Control Center​

  1. Add camera via ONVIF
  2. Alarms: Administration → Device → Alarms
  3. Rules: Site → Alarm Management

Exacq exacqVision​

  1. Add camera via ONVIF
  2. Events: Config → Events → Camera Events
  3. Actions: Config → Events → Event Linking

Qognify (NICE) VMS​

  1. Add camera via ONVIF
  2. Events: Administration → Event Sources
  3. Rules: Administration → Event Rules

Manual ONVIF Subscription​

For systems requiring manual configuration, use these ONVIF parameters:

Event Service Endpoint​

http://[camera-ip]/onvif/event/subscription

Subscribe Request​

<Subscribe xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsn/b-2">
  <ConsumerReference>
    <Address>[callback-url]</Address>
  </ConsumerReference>
  <Filter>
    <TopicExpression Dialect="http://www.onvif.org/ver10/tev/topicExpression/ConcreteSet">
      tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent//
    </TopicExpression>
  </Filter>
</Subscribe>

Notification Message Structure​

<NotificationMessage>
  <Topic>tnsaxis:CameraApplicationPlatform/AnavaAgent/Person</Topic>
  <Message>
    <Source>
      <SimpleItem Name="device" Value="B8A44F45D624"/>
    </Source>
    <Data>
      <SimpleItem Name="isDetected" Value="true"/>
    </Data>
  </Message>
</NotificationMessage>

Virtual Input Triggering​

For VMS-to-Anava triggering, use virtual inputs:

Activate Virtual Input (Trigger Analysis)​

http://[camera-ip]/axis-cgi/io/virtualinput.cgi?action=6%3A%2F

Deactivate Virtual Input (Reset)​

http://[camera-ip]/axis-cgi/io/virtualinput.cgi?action=6%3A%5C

This allows VMS operators to trigger on-demand Anava analysis.

Troubleshooting​

Events Not Received​

  1. Check ONVIF subscription

    • Verify VMS is subscribed to camera events
    • Check network connectivity

  2. Check Anava is emitting events

    • View Sessions in Anava dashboard
    • Confirm objects are detected

  3. Check event topic filter

    • Ensure filter includes Anava namespace
    • Try broader filter initially

Events Received But Not Matching​

  1. Check event name

    • Object names are case-sensitive
    • Match exactly as configured in Anava skill

  2. Check state handling

    • Some VMS need explicit True/False handling
    • Verify stateful is enabled for objects

Performance Issues​

  1. Reduce event volume

    • Use Object Analytics triggers (pre-filter at camera)
    • Add schedules to profiles

  2. Optimize VMS rules

    • Limit complex rule conditions
    • Use appropriate recording quality

Best Practices​

Event Naming​

Use consistent, descriptive object names in skills:

GoodAvoid
Personperson (case issues)
WeaponWeapon Detected (complex)
Vehiclecar (too specific)

Testing​

  1. Test each object type individually
  2. Verify both True and False states
  3. Test under production-like conditions
  4. Document working configuration

Documentation​

Maintain records of:

  • Anava object names
  • VMS rule mappings
  • Expected behaviors
  • Troubleshooting steps

ONVIF Resources​