Abstract:
A system, method and device for capturing unrecorded images and sounds in memory such that said images and sounds may be saved and played back

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of each of United States provisional patent applications No. 60/403,553, filed Aug. 14, 2002; No. 60/409,236, filed Sep. 4, 2002; No. 60/461,674, filed Apr. 10, 2003; and No. 60/474,269, filed May 29, 2003, the entirety of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    This invention relates to cameras, and more particularly, to camera-related devices, systems and methods for capturing unrecorded images and sounds in memory such that said images and sounds may be saved and played back.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Today&#39;s society has become increasingly video-oriented. Video equipment finds numerous applications in security, law enforcement, legal proceedings, news reporting, scientific studies, entertainment, family videos and the like. Despite the ubiquity of video equipment, there are often instances when an event occurs that is not captured by video simply because the equipment was not set up in the right position, was not ready to record or simply was not present Many priceless opportunities to record important or interesting events are thus missed and never to be seen on video.  
           [0004]    Digital webcam devices employ flash card technology to store short video clips with audio. Typically such devices are capable of storing five to ten such clips depending on their size. However, such devices only store images and sounds of events as they occur.  
           [0005]    Video playback devices such as TiVo® permit users to replay images already viewed and continue to view a televised program in a time-delayed mode. This type of device employs a hard disk method of buffering a digital video signal. However, such a system does not permit recapture of images of live events that have already occurred that were not originally recorded.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a device that records events before a decision to record is made.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The above and other problems of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the present invention which relates to a device, system and method that monitors images and sounds and permits capture of unrecorded events for a particular period of time, such as the last 0-30 seconds or more “seen” by the camera, and is able to record that video to a removable media.  
           [0008]    In one embodiment the device automatically switches from a monitoring mode, wherein the last 30 seconds or so “seen” by the camera can be and is captured to memory, to a direct real time record mode if no further action is taken by the user, e.g., the “stop” button is pressed. In a preferred embodiment the device is adaptable to be attached to headgear such as but not limited to a pair of glasses or the bill of a cap and transmits the video to a remote device such as a hip pack where the video is recorded. In a preferred embodiment an LCD screen is incorporated in the remote device and continuous recording capability to a compact flash card is provided.  
           [0009]    In a preferred embodiment a digital camera is employed and a wireless connection is provided.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is block diagram depicting the components of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a preferred embodiment of the steps and information flow performed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an algorithm performed by software in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a most preferred embodiment of an algorithm performed by software in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a device according to the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a most preferred embodiment of a device according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present invention. Furthermore, reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.  
         [0017]    In accordance with the invention, images and audio that are monitored yet unrecorded are captured and capable of being played back. In one embodiment a device according to the present invention monitors images and sounds and captures the last 30 seconds of what was monitored by the camera to a removable media when requested by user.  
         [0018]    Now referring to FIG. 1 in one embodiment a device  2  according to the invention may comprise video controller/processor  10 , buffer  20 , codec chipset compression  30 , LCD  40 , external flash memory connector  50 , user input buttons  60 , NTSC connection  65 , USB slave connection  70 , video processor  80 , audio processor  90 , microphone  100 , camera  110 , external flash memory  120 , housing  130  and power supply  140 .  
         [0019]    Buffer  20  may comprise DRAM but preferably comprises SDRAM or other suitable memory devices known to those skilled in the art. Codec  30  preferably comprises MPEG 4 but may comprise other compression means known to those skilled in the art. A USB connection  70  is preferably included to allow the device  2  to write to a PC. NTSC connection  65  is provided to permit connection of the device  2  to devices such as televisions, VCRs, DVD burners and the like. Power supply  140  supplies power to device  2  and is preferably in the form of a rechargeable battery such as may be recharged using a standard 110 recharging connection known to those skilled in the art Power supply  140  preferably sustains 8 hours of operations with a maximum of 250 video captures.  
         [0020]    In general camera  110  receives images and transmits analog signals to video processor  80  that converts the analog signals to digital signals. Camera  110  may be a CCD camera. The digital signals are transmitted to video controller/processor  10  and sent to external flash memory  120  via connector  50 . Microphone  100  receives analog audio signals and transmits same to audio processor  90  that converts the signals to digital for transmission to controller  10 . The digital audio and video signals are sent to buffer  20  compressed in codec  30  and subsequently sent to external flash memory  120 . The components are standard components known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0021]    Now referring to FIG. 2 in a preferred embodiment in practice images and sounds in block  200  are received in analog camera and microphone in block  210 . The respective analog audio and video signals are converted in analog/digital converters in blocks  220  (video) and  230  (audio), through video processor  240  and audio processor  250  and subsequently transmitted to audio/video controller in block  260  where a frame of audio/video digital data is formed. The frame of data is analyzed in block  270  according to a stored software program, described below, and sent to a buffer in block  280 . The uncompressed data is transmitted to a codec chip set in block  290  where it is compressed. The compressed data is transmitted to a flash memory device in block  300 .  
         [0022]    In a preferred embodiment the buffer in block  280  is a 30 second circular SDRAM buffer capable of storing 900 frames of data. In a preferred embodiment video compression in block  290  in the present invention is maximized using MPEG4 to achieve a 45:1 compression ratio. Other compression means may be employed such as but not limited to DIVX compression achieving 2 MB per minute. Also in a preferred embodiment the flash memory device in block  300  is at least 64 mb and preferably 1024 mb to store up to 250 video captures.  
         [0023]    Now referring to FIG. 3, the stored software program applied in block  270  of FIG. 2 is disclosed. In block  271  the frame count is set to zero. In block  272  the algorithms asks if the record button is set. If the record button is not set a frame is obtained from the camera and and written to frame +1 location in the 30 second buffer. Frame count is incremented in block  274 . In block  275  if frame count equals 900 the frame count is set to zero in block  271 . If the frame count is less than 900 the logic returns to block  272  to determine whether the record button is set.  
         [0024]    If the record button is set in block  272  the logic proceeds to block  276  where the record count is set to zero. The frame is then compressed in block  277  via the codec. Record count is incremented and the record count is written to the flash memory in block  278 . In block  279  if record count equals 900 the frame count is set to zero in block  271 . If the record count is less than 900 the next frame is compressed in block  277 .  
         [0025]    In a most preferred embodiment a device according to the present invention is provided that automatically switches from a monitoring mode wherein the last 30 seconds or so “seen” or monitored by the camera can be and is captured to memory, to a direct real time record mode if no further action is taken by the user, e.g., a “stop” button is pressed. When activated, the proprietary software enables the camera to continuously monitor what the camera wearer is seeing. In order to permanently record audio and video, the user presses a record button and triggers the software to save the previous 30 seconds of monitored video and audio to flash memory. If no stop command is given the camera can continue recording in real time.  
         [0026]    Now referring to FIG. 4, an algorithm performed in accordance with this embodiment is preferably as follows:  
         [0027]    The device is turned on in block  281  and the record count is read from flash memory. The logic then determines in block  282  whether mode=100 30 second clips; if yes, then the frame count is set to zero in block  271  and the logic proceeds accordingly as set forth hereinabove with respect to FIG. 3 until block  279  is reached, after which the logic set forth in FIG. 4 applies as set forth below. If not, the logic determines whether the record button is pushed in block  283 ; if the record button is not pushed the logic continues to examine whether the record button is pushed. If the record button is pushed, a frame is obtained from the camera in block  284 . The frame is compressed in block  285  and in block  286  the steps of incrementing the frame counter and writing the frame to flash memory at frame counter +1 are carried out. The logic then determines whether the stop button is set in block  287 . If the stop button is set, the logic then determines in block  282  whether mode=100 30 second clips and the algorithm proceeds accordingly. If the stop button is not set, the logic proceeds to block  284  and proceeds accordingly.  
         [0028]    If the record count in block  279  equals 900 the logic determines in block  287  whether the stop button is set. If not, a frame is obtained from the camera in bock  284 , the frame is compressed in block  285  and in block  286  the steps of incrementing the frame counter and writing the frame to flash memory at frame counter +1 are carried out. The logic then determines whether the stop button is set in block  287 .  
         [0029]    Now referring to FIG. 5 in a preferred embodiment device  2  comprises camera  110  mounted on glasses  150  by attachment means such as but not limited to clip  152  (or to other means such as a cap, hap, hair clip, comb or the like, to be near the eyes of a user to most advantageously permit the device to “see” what it is the user sees) connected via cable  160  to remote unit  170 . Camera  110  further comprises microphone  115 . Remote unit  170  may comprise an attachment means (not shown) such as a clip for attachment to a belt loop, shirt pocket, backpack or the like. In a preferred embodiment device  2  captures the last 0-30-second or more of what the user of the device  2  just viewed and heard when user presses the appropriate button  60  on the remote unit  170 . Device  2  can record multiple 30 second captures based upon the size of the external flash memory  120 . In a preferred embodiment the video stored on the removable media is in a format that can be viewed and heard via media players such as Windows Media Player or Real One Media Player. The device in a preferred embodiment provides video quality minimum of 30 frames per second; video quality meets CIF standards with frames at 320×240 pixels. Audio is preferably mono. In a further embodiment device  2  further comprises an indicator light  45  to inform the user when there is insufficient storage left on the compact flash card to store another 0-30-second or more image.  
         [0030]    Camera  110  may take any form and may be adapted to be permanently attached to headgear. In addition, camera  110  and remote device may comprise a unitary device  170  that may be attached to any headgear including but not limited to glasses  150 .  
         [0031]    Now referring to FIG. 6 in a most preferred embodiment device  2  comprises camera  110  mounted on glasses  150  connected to remote unit  170  via cable  160 . Device  2  comprises record button  60  that when activated causes device  2  to capture the last 0-30-second or more of what the user of the device  2  just viewed and heard. Device  2  further comprises mode button  70 . Device  2  is adapted to automatically switch from a monitoring mode wherein the last 30 seconds or so monitored by the camera can be and is captured to memory, to a direct real time record mode if no further action is taken by the user, e.g., mode button  70  is activated. When activated, the proprietary software according to FIG. 4 hereinabove enables the camera to continuously monitor what the camera wearer is seeing. In order to permanently record audio and video, the user activates record button  60  and triggers the software to save the previous 30 seconds of monitored video and audio to flash memory. If mode button  70  is not activated, no stop command is given and the camera continues recording in real time. The invention is preferably adapted to store at least 100 clips of video and audio. In a most preferred embodiment the recording function of the camera is disabled while the camera is capturing and compressing the previous 30 seconds.  
         [0032]    While the above describes the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications or additions would be apparent to those of skill in the art. For example, further features contemplated herein including but not limited to USB port, NTSC connection port, LCD, external flash memory connector port, further user input buttons and the like as discussed herein are not shown in the drawings merely for the sake of clarity. The preferred embodiments set forth herein are exemplary and the teachings of the present invention are not limited to what is shown in the Figures.