Recording system, video camera device and video image recording method

• US 20020118958A1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collabo Innovations, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Kenji, Sayama, Takuya, Ohtani, Akihiko, Mitsumori, Toshimasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/073 for mutually locking plural sources of synchronising signals, e.g. studios or relay stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

Video data recording using a plurality of video camera devices can be performed more conveniently than in the conventional technique. A video camera device working as a parent device has a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for the whole system, and a video camera device working as a child device has a signal sending/receiving function. The parent device sends synchronization data for time synchronization, and each child device performs a shooting operation in time synchronization with the parent device in accordance with the received synchronization data.

Claims

1. A recording system comprising a plurality of video camera devices,

wherein said plurality of video camera devices include:

a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system; and

at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function,

said parent device sends synchronization data for time synchronization, and

said child device receives said synchronization data sent from said parent device and performs a shooting operation in time synchronization with said parent device in accordance with said synchronization data.

2. The recording system of claim 1,

wherein said parent device has a function to store video data received from said child device as well as video data taken by said parent device.

3. The recording system of claim 1,

wherein said parent device sends, as control information, an operation parameter for defining operation specification of said child device, and

said child device receives said operation parameter sent from said parent device and performs the shooting operation with said operation specification thereof set in accordance with said operation parameter.

4. The recording system of claim 3,

wherein said operation parameter includes at least one of a focal length, lens opening and white balance of a camera, a coding compression ratio of video data, a multiplex rate and multiplex time, differentiation between a still image and a dynamic image, and presence of voice.

5. The recording system of claim 3,

wherein when said operation specification of said child device is to be changed, said child device sends a change demand signal corresponding to a content of change as said control information, and

said parent device receives said change demand signal sent from said child device, determines whether or not the content of change corresponding to said change demand signal is permitted, and when the change is permitted, sends a change permission signal and an operation parameter for defining operation specification to be employed by said child device after the change.

6. The recording system of claim 1,

wherein said child device includes:

a signal intensity detecting unit for detecting intensity of a receive signal and outputting an identification signal corresponding to whether or not the intensity of the receive signal is lowered; and

a memory unit for receiving said identification signal and, when said identification signal corresponds to lowering of the intensity of the receive signal, for temporarily storing video data to be sent, and

when the intensity of the receive signal is restored, said video data stored in said memory unit is sent.

7. A recording system comprising a plurality of video camera devices,

wherein said plurality of video camera devices include:

a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system; and

at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function, and

said parent device has a function to store video data received from said child device as well as video data taken by said parent device.

8. A recording system comprising a plurality of video camera devices,

wherein said plurality of video camera devices include:

a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system; and

at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function,

said parent device sends, as control information, an operation parameter for defining operation specification of said child device, and

said child device receives said operation parameter sent from said parent device and performs a shooting operation with said operation specification thereof set in accordance with said operation parameter.

9. A video camera device used as a parent device in a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, comprising:

a signal sending/receiving function; and

a control function for said recording system,

wherein said video camera device sends synchronization data for time synchronization for allowing another video camera device used as a child device to perform a shooting operation in time synchronization with said video camera device used as the parent device.

10. A video camera device used as a parent device in a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, comprising:

a signal sending/receiving function;

a control function for said recording system; and

a function to store video data received from another video camera device used as a child device as well as video data taken by said video camera device used as the parent device.

11. A video camera device used as a parent device in a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, comprising:

a signal sending/receiving function; and

a control function for said recording system,

wherein said video camera device sends, as control information, an operation parameter for defining operation specification of another video camera device used as a child device.

12. A method for recording video data by using a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, said plurality of video camera devices including a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system and at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function, comprising the steps of:

said parent device sending synchronization data for time synchronization;

said child device receiving said synchronization data sent from said parent device; and

said child device performing a shooting operation in time synchronization with said parent device in accordance with said synchronization data.

13. A method for recording video data by using a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, said plurality of video camera devices including a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system and at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function, comprising the steps of:

said child device sending video data taken by said child device;

said parent device receiving said video data sent from said child device; and

said parent device storing said video data received from said child device as well as video data taken by said parent device.

14. A method for recording video data by using a recording system including a plurality of video camera devices, said plurality of video camera devices including a parent device having a signal sending/receiving function and a control function for said recording system and at least one child device having a signal sending/receiving function, comprising the steps of:

said parent device sending, as control information, an operation parameter for defining operation specification of said child device;

said child device receiving said operation parameter sent from said parent device; and

performing a shooting operation with said operation specification of said child device set in accordance with said operation parameter received from said parent device.