Digital camera with automatic audio recording background

• US 20040041922A1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Norcross, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US10/231,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041922A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9267 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

A camera for recording an image and associated audio. The camera activation mechanism also initiates the recording of audio data in the audio memory, with the audio memory being continuously overwritten after a maximum time of audio is recorded. Thus, at any point in time when an image is captured, audio from prior to that time is available, and audio after that time could be recorded, all with the pressing of a single button.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

an image sensor for recording an image;

a microphone for receiving audio;

an audio memory for recording said audio;

a camera activation mechanism for enabling said camera to record images, and simultaneously initiating the recording of audio in said audio memory, said audio memory being continuously overwritten after a maximum time of audio is recorded;

an image capture element, for capturing an image in said image sensor; and

a processor configured to associate with said image an audio recording in said audio memory from a first predetermined amount of time prior to when said image is captured, to a second predetermined amount of time after said image is captured.

2. The camera of claim 1 wherein said processor is further configured to fade-in and fade-out said audio recording associated with said image.

3. The camera of claim 1 wherein said audio memory is a circular buffer.

4. The camera of claim 3 wherein said circular buffer records less than 15 seconds of audio.

5. The camera of claim 3 further comprising a second audio memory for storing audio from said audio buffer after it is associated with an image.

6. The camera of claim 5 wherein said second audio memory is on an image memory flash card for storing said images.

7. The camera of claim 1 wherein said audio recording is associated with said image by storing a tag with one of said image and said audio recording that identifies the memory location of the other.

8. The camera of claim 1 wherein said audio recording is compressed.