Low attention recording with particular application to social recording

• US 20040156616A1
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Inventors: Reed, David P., Burgess, David A., Cohen, Jonathan R., Strub, Henry B., Johnson, Kimberly H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• 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

Abstract

The invention enables “low attention recording,” i.e., recording that need not appreciably affect interaction of a recorder (i.e., a person in control of a recording unit according to the invention) or others with the environment in which the recording is taking place. The low attention recording enabled by the invention can be particularly advantageously employed in “social recording,” i.e., recording in which multiple participants in an event are recording the event. As described in more detail below, advantageous aspects of the invention can be provided by a small, lightweight, wearable recording unit.

Claims

1. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

a non-linear, non-volatile data storage device for storing the visual recording data such that the visual recording data can be randomly accessed; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

2. A portable recording unit as in claim 1, wherein the mounting means further comprises visual data acquisition device mounting means.

3. A portable recording unit as in claim 2, wherein the visual data acquisition device mounting means is adapted to enable the visual data acquisition device to be mounted at multiple locations on the recorder'"'"'s body.

4. A portable recording unit as in claim 3, wherein the visual data acquisition device mounting means further comprises means for detachably attaching the visual data acquisition device to the recorder'"'"'s body.

5. A portable recording unit as in claim 1, wherein a visual data acquisition device mounting means, or a means for attaching the visual data acquisition device to the visual data acquisition device mounting means, is adapted to enable the visual data acquisition device to assume multiple orientations with respect to the location of the recorder'"'"'s body at which the visual data acquisition device is mounted.

6. A portable recording unit as in claim 1, further comprising a control interface device for enabling the recorder to effect control of the operation of the recording unit and/or for displaying information to the recorder regarding the operation of the recording unit.

7. A portable recording unit as in claim 1, further comprising an audio data acquisition device for obtaining audio recording data representing the content of the event.

8. A portable recording unit as in claim 7, wherein the mounting means further comprises audio data acquisition device mounting means that is adapted to enable the audio data acquisition device to be mounted at multiple locations on the recorder'"'"'s body.

9. A portable recording unit as in claim 7, wherein the mounting means further comprises audio data acquisition device mounting means for mounting the audio data acquisition device adjacent to the front of the recorder'"'"'s body.

10. A portable recording unit as in claim 7, wherein the mounting means further comprises audio data acquisition device mounting means for mounting the audio data acquisition device proximate to the recorder'"'"'s head.

11. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data in addition to the visual recording data; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

12. A portable recording unit as in claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises means for marking the visual recording data.

13. A portable recording unit as in claim 12, wherein:

the marking means further comprises means for enabling the recorder to specify a non-contemporaneous mark; and

the data storage device stores marking data associating the non-contemporaneous mark with visual recording data obtained at a marked time different from the marking time at which the non-contemporaneous mark was specified by the recorder.

14. A portable recording unit as in claim 13, wherein the marking means is adapted to enable specification of a retrospective mark that is associated with visual recording data obtained at a marked time prior to the marking time at which the retrospective mark was specified by the recorder.

15. A portable recording unit as in claim 13, wherein the marking means is adapted to enable specification of a predictive mark that is associated with visual recording data obtained at a marked time subsequent to the marking time at which the retrospective mark was specified by the recorder.

16. A portable recording unit as in claim 12, wherein the marking means further comprises means for specifying multiple types of marks, each type of mark having a different meaning.

17. A portable recording unit as in claim 12, further comprising one or more marking tokens for enabling a person to specify a corresponding type of mark, each marking token adapted to enable physical separation of the marking token from the control interface device.

18. A portable recording unit as in claim 12, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a position sensing device for ascertaining the position of the recording unit at any point in time.

19. A portable recording unit as in claim 18, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a physiological monitoring device.

20. A portable recording unit as in claim 12, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a physiological monitoring device.

21. A portable recording unit as in claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a position sensing device for ascertaining the position of the recording unit at any point in time.

22. A portable recording unit as in claim 21, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a physiological monitoring device.

23. A portable recording unit as in claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a physiological monitoring device.

24. A portable recording unit as in claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a biometric device.

25. A portable recording unit as in claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining and/or producing augmenting data further comprises a GPS receiver for receiving a signal representing the current time.

26. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

means for wirelessly communicating obtained visual recording data from the visual data acquisition device to a data storage device; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

27. A portable recording unit as in claim 26, further comprising a data storage device for storing the visual recording data, and wherein the visual data acquisition device and data storage device are physically separate devices such that one or more of the visual data acquisition device and data storage device can be positioned at a location away from the recorder.

28. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual-recording data representing the content of the event;

a receiver for receiving a signal transmitted by a recording unit representing visual recording data obtained by that recording unit; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

29. A portable recording unit as in claim 28, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a signal representing visual recording data obtained by the recording unit.

30. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

a transmitter for transmitting a signal representing visual recording data obtained by the recording unit; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

31. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

means for enabling communication by a recorder using the portable recording unit with a recorder using a compatible recording unit; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of the recorder.

32. A portable recording unit as in claim 31, wherein the communication means further comprises an audio communication device.

33. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

a visual recording display device for displaying a visual recording of the event that is being, or has been, obtained by a compatible recording unit; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

34. A portable recording unit for recording an event, comprising:

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

a GPS receiver; and

means for mounting one or more of the devices of the recording unit on the body of a recorder.

35. A system for recording an event involving multiple participants simultaneously from different points of view, the system comprising:

a first recording unit mounted on a first participant, the first recording unit further comprising;

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

means for receiving time code data representing the current time from a time code generating device that is not part of the first recording unit; and

a data storage device for storing the visual recording data obtained by the first recording unit and the time code data, such that the time code data is associated with visual recording data obtained at the time represented by the time code data; and

a second recording unit mounted on a second participant, the second recording unit further comprising;

a visual data acquisition device for obtaining visual recording data representing the content of the event;

means for receiving time code data representing the current time from the time code generating device, the time code generating device not being part of the second recording unit; and

a data storage device for storing the visual recording data obtained by the second recording unit and the time code data, such that the time code data is associated with visual recording data obtained at the time represented by the time code data, wherein the visual recording data obtained by the first and second recording units is synchronized as a result of the time code data stored by the first and second recording units.

36. A system as in claim 35, wherein:

the means for receiving of the first recording unit further comprises a GPS receiver;

the means for receiving of the second recording unit further comprises a GPS receiver; and

the time code generating device further comprises GPS transmitter system.

37. A system as in claim 35, wherein:

the first and/or second recording units further comprise a transmitter for transmitting a signal representing visual recording data obtained by the recording unit; and

the second and/or first recording units, respectively, further comprise a receiver for receiving a signal representing visual recording data obtained by the other recording unit.

38. A system as in claim 37, wherein:

the transmitter is adapted to send a synchronization signal; and

the receiver is adapted to receive and identify the synchronization signal.

39. A system as in claim 35, wherein the first and second recording units each further comprise an audio communication device for enabling the corresponding participant to communicate with the participant on which the other recording unit is mounted.