Patent ID: 8427552
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of extending the operational lifetime of a hard-disk drive memory while in use with a video camera that is continuously operated over an extended period of time to provide video surveillance of a scene, the hard-disk drive memory characterized by a continuously powered-up failure mode and a power cycle failure mode, the continuously powered-up failure mode having a continuously powered-up lifetime representing a duration of time in which the hard-disk drive memory can continuously operate in a powered-up state before the hard-disk drive memory fails, and the power cycle failure mode having a power cycle limit representing a number of times the hard-disk drive memory can cycle between the powered-up state and a powered-down state before the hard-disk drive memory fails, comprising: providing solid state memory functioning as a storage buffer for video data and other data produced by the video camera, the solid state memory having a storage capacity; storing the video data in a first portion of the storage buffer and the other data in a second portion of the storage buffer as the video data and the other data are produced by the video camera, the storing of the video data and the other data in the storage buffer taking place during a first instance of a first time interval in which the hard-disk drive memory is in the powered-down state so that operation of the video camera during the first time interval does not contribute to the duration of time of the continuously powered-up lifetime of the hard-disk drive memory, the first time interval corresponding to an elapsed length of time between two consecutive power cycles of the hard-disk drive memory, and the elapsed length of time of the first time interval determined by the storage capacity of the solid state memory; causing the hard-disk drive memory to transition from the powered-down state to the powered-up state to begin a power cycle of the hard-disk drive memory; transferring to and storing in the hard-disk drive memory in the powered-up state a portion of the video data and the other data stored in the storage buffer, the storing of the portion of the video data and the other data in the hard-disk drive memory taking place during a second time interval that is substantially shorter than the first time interval; returning the hard-disk drive memory to the powered-down state after completion of the transfer of the video data and the other data to complete the power cycle of the hard-disk drive memory, the returning of the hard-disk drive memory to the powered-down state taking place during a second instance of the first time interval, the storage capacity of the solid state memory allowing the first time interval to be of sufficient length such that the power cycle failure mode of the hard-disk drive memory would not be reached until after the video camera has operated for a time longer than the continuously powered-up lifetime of the continuously powered-up failure mode; and periodically rotating to different sectors of the storage buffer the storing of the first portion and the second portion of the storage buffer to prolong the operating lifespan of the sectors of the storage buffer.