Methods and systems for efficient video compression by recording various state signals of video cameras

• US 20030058347A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Inventors: Lee, Chulhee
• Granted Patent: US 7,075,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

Methods and systems for efficient video compression by recording various state signals of cameras. In accordance with the teaching of the present invention, a video camera with means to record the movement, zooming state, focus state, and aperture state of the video camera is provided. The luminous intensity, camera identification number and frame index are also recorded. These various state signals are recorded along with video and audio signals on recording media, such as magnetic tapes, memory cards, and hard drives in a predetermined data format. Additionally, video compression algorithms, which utilize such state signals to predict the current frame from previous reconstructed images, are provided. In particular, the information on the various states of the video camera is useful in obtaining accurate motion compensated images.

Claims

1. A video camera with means to record various state signals of the video camera for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

storing means for storing digital information;

data format;

video recording means that records said video signals in said storing means according to said data format;

luminosity sensing means;

luminosity recording means that receives luminosity signals from said luminosity sensing means and records said luminosity signals in said storing means according to said data format;

movement sensing means that generates camera movement signals of the video camera;

movement recording means that receives said camera movement signals from said movement sensing means and records said camera movement signals in said storing means according to said data format;

frame index generating means that generates a periodic frame index, which has a sufficiently large periodicity, and assigns it to each frame of said video signals;

frame index recording means that records said periodic frame index in said storing means according to said data format;

zooming state sensing means that generates zooming state signals of the video camera;

zooming state recording means that receives said zooming state signals from said zooming state sensing means and records said zooming state signals in said storing means according to said data format;

aperture state sensing means that generates aperture state signals of the video camera;

aperture state recording means that receives said aperture state signals from said aperture state sensing means and records said aperture state signals in said storing means according to said data format;

focus state sensing means that generates focus state signals of the video camera;

focus state recording means that receives said focus state signals from said focus state sensing means and records said focus state signals in said storing means according to said data format;

camera identification number generating means that selects a camera identification number from a sufficiently large pool of numbers;

camera identification number recording means that records said camera identification number, which is generated by said camera identification number generating means, in said storing means according to said data format; and

initial state entering means that enters initial movements of the video camera when recording is started.

2. The video camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movement sensing means, which senses movements of the video camera, comprises an inertial navigation system.

3. The video camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame index generating means comprises a counter that is increased by a large amount whenever new recording is started.

4. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing luminosity signals for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

luminosity signals that are recorded for said video signals; and

luminosity based predicting means predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said luminosity signals.

5. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing camera movement signals of a video camera for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

camera movement signals that are recorded for said video signals; and

movement based predicting means predicts a frame from other frames by taking into account changes of said camera movement signals.

6. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing frame indices for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

frame indices that are recorded for said video signals; and

frame index based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames whose frame indices are similar to that of said frame.

7. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing zooming state signals for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

zooming state signals that are recorded for said video signals; and

zooming state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by resizing according to changes of said zooming state signals.

8. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing aperture state signals for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

aperture state signals that are recorded for said video signals; and

aperture state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said aperture state signals.

9. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing focus state signals of a video camera for efficient video compression, comprising:

A video signals;

focus state signals that are recorded for said video signals; and

focus state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by taking into consideration differences of distances between the video camera and an object of interest, which are computed using said focus state signals.

10. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing camera identification numbers for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

camera identification numbers that are recorded for said video signals; and

camera identification number based predicting means that predicts a current frame from other frames whose camera identification numbers are identical with that of said current frame.

11. A method for predicting a frame from other frames utilizing various state signals of a video camera for efficient video compression, comprising:

video signals;

luminosity signals that are recorded for said video signals;

luminosity based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said luminosity signals;

camera movement signals that are recorded for said video signals;

movement based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by taking into account changes of said camera movement signals;

frame indices that are recorded for said video signals;

frame index based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames using said frame indices;

zooming state signals that are recorded for said video signals;

zooming state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by resizing according to changes of said zooming state signals;

aperture state signals that are recorded for said video signals;

aperture state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said aperture state signals;

focus state signals that are recorded for said video signals;

focus state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by considering differences of distances between the video camera and an object of interest, which are computed using said focus state signals;

camera identification numbers that are recorded for said video signals;

camera identification number based predicting means that predicts a current frame from other frames whose camera identification numbers are identical with that of said current frame; and

prediction combining means that makes a final prediction by combining various predictions made by said luminosity based predicting means, said movement based predicting means, said frame index based predicting means, said zooming state based predicting means, said aperture state based predicting means, said focus state based predicting means and said camera identification number based predicting means.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said frame index based predicting means predicts a frame from other frames that have similar frame indices.

13. A video camera that has capability of video compression utilizing various state signals of the video camera in predicting a frame from other frames, comprising:

video signals;

audio signals;

luminosity sensing means that generates luminosity signals for said video signals;

luminosity based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said luminosity signals;

camera movement sensing means that senses movements of the video camera and generates camera movement signals;

movement based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by considering changes of said camera movement signals;

zooming state sensing means that generates zooming state signals of the video camera;

zooming state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by resizing according to changes of said zooming state signals;

aperture state sensing means that generates aperture state signals of the video camera;

aperture state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by adjusting intensity levels according to differences of said aperture state signals;

focus state sensing means that generates focus state signals of the video camera;

focus state based predicting means that predicts a frame from other frames by considering differences of distances between the video camera and an object of interest, which are computed using said focus state signals;

prediction combining means that makes a final prediction by combining various predictions made by said luminosity based predicting means, said movement based predicting means, said zooming state based predicting means, said aperture state based predicting means, and said focus state based predicting means;

frame index generating means that generates a periodic frame index, which has a sufficiently large periodicity, and assigns it to each frame of said video signals;

camera identification number generating means that selects a camera identification number from a sufficiently large pool of numbers;

initial state entering means;

data format;

storing means; and

recording means that records said luminosity signals, said camera movement signals, said frame indices, said zooming state signals, said aperture state signals, said focus state signals, and said camera identification number along with compressed video signals and audio signals in said storing means according to said data format.

14. The video camera in accordance with claim 13 wherein said movement sensing means, which senses movements of the video camera, comprises an inertial navigation system.

15. The video camera in accordance with claim 13 wherein said frame index generating means comprises a counter that is increased by a large amount whenever new recording is started.