System and method for storing audio/video data

• US 20040258149A1
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synectic Systems Group Ltd. (Synectics Plc)
• Original Assignee: Synectic Systems Limited P& L Systems LLC
• Inventors: Robinson, Glenn, Houghton, Andrew David
• Application Number:
  US10/829,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A system and method for managing a volume of audio/video data is disclosed herein whereby the amount of data captured is varied according to an estimated required quality and/or frame rate of the data. Alternatively, the quality and/or frame of captured data may be degraded over time to reduce storage requirement.

Claims

1. A method of storing audio/video data comprises:

capturing a plurality of audio/video data;

storing said audio/video data at a first spatial and/or temporal resolution for a first time period; and

storing said audio/video data at a second, lower, spatial and/or temporal resolution for at least a second, later, time period.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the first/second spatial resolution is a number of bits/pixels per frame of video data.

3. A method as claimed in either claim 1, in which the first/second temporal resolution is a frame rate of video data or a bit rate.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes removing first selected audio/video data from said audio/video data stored at said first spatial resolution and/or temporal resolution to achieve said second spatial and/or temporal resolution.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which said first selected audio/video data consists of frames of video data.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes a step of storing said audio/video at a third, still lower, spatial and/or temporal resolution for at least a third, still later, time period.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, in which the step of storing said audio/video data at the third spatial and/or temporal resolution follows removing second selected audio/video data from said audio video data stored at said second spatial and/or temporal resolution to achieve said third spatial and/or temporal resolution.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which said selected audio/video data are frames of audio/video data of a second specified type of frame.

9. A method as claimed in claim 4, in which third or subsequent selected audio/video data is removed from said audio/video data of said second or subsequent spatial and/or temporal resolution.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the audio/video data is stored in an MPEG or MJPEG format.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said first selected audio/video data are preferably B-frames.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said second selected audio/video data are P-frames.

13. A method as claimed claim 10, in which said third selected audio data is a plurality of I-frames of the audio/video data.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the first time period is approximately 0.5 to 2 days in length.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the second time period is approximately 5 to 10 days in length.

18. A computer programmed to perform the method of claim 1.

19. A computer program product operable to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A system for capturing audio/video data comprises audio/video data capture means, storage means and control means, wherein the system is operable to perform the method of claim 1.

16. A system for storing audio/video data comprises:

at least one audio/video data capture means;

audio/video data storage means; and

control means;

wherein the system is operable to capture audio/video data and store said audio/video data at a first spatial and/or temporal resolution for a first time period and is operable to store said audio/video data at a second, lower, spatial and/or temporal resolution for at least a second, later, time period.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, in which the control means is operable to remove first selected audio/video data from said audio/video data stored at said first spatial and/or temporal resolution to achieve said second spatial and/or temporal resolution.