Method and system for embedding device positional data in video signals

• US 20050055156A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advocado, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Koplar Interactive Systems International, LLC
• Inventors: Maltagliati, Alan G., Withers, James G., Chounard, Jesse J. II
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system for embedding positional data (20) in a video signal (18), the system having a mobile object (4), a positioning receiver (10) associated with the mobile object (4) for obtaining positional data (20) on the mobile object (4) from a plurality of positioning satellites (6), a video camera (16) associated with the mobile object (4) for creating the video signal (18), an encoder (12) for receiving the video signal (18) from the video camera (16) and the positional data (20) from the positioning receiver (10) and modulating the positional data (20) within the video signal (18) thereby creating a modulated video signal (22), and a video recorder (15) associated with the mobile object (4) for storing the modulated video signal (22) on a recording medium (14).

Claims

1. For use with a mobile object, a system for embedding positional data in a video signal where the positional data is indicative of the position of the mobile object, the system comprising:

a positioning receiver associated with the mobile object for obtaining positional data indicative of the position of mobile object from a plurality of positioning satellites;

a video camera associated with the mobile object for creating the video signal; and

an encoder for receiving the video signal from the video camera and the positional data from the positioning receiver and modulating the video signal with positional data thereby creating a modulated video signal where the positional data is implicitly part of the modulated video signal for later recovery of the positional data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the positional data is subliminally modulated within the video signal on the encoder so as to be substantially invisible upon visual display of the video signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning receiver is a GPS unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, camcorder, train, tank, watercraft, airplane or missile.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a video recorder associated with the mobile object for storing the modulated video signal on a recording medium.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a playback unit for reproducing the modulated video signal.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a decoder for decoding from the recording medium the positional data within the modulated video signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the decoder synchronously reproduces the modulated video signal and positional data.

9. For use with a mobile object, a system for embedding positional data and supplemental data in a video signal where the positional data is indicative of the position of the mobile object, the system comprising:

a positioning receiver associated with the mobile object for obtaining positional data indicative of the the position of the mobile object from a plurality of positioning satellites;

an auxiliary source associated with the mobile object for obtaining supplemental data relative to the mobile object from reading an attribute of the mobile object;

a video camera associated with the mobile object for creating the video signal; and

an encoder for receiving the video signal from the video camera, the positional data from the positioning receiver, and the supplemental data from the auxiliary source and modulating the video signal with the positional data and supplemental data thereby creating a modulated video signal wherein the positional data and the supplemental data is implicitly part of the modulated video signal for later recovery of the positional data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the positional data and the supplemental data are subliminally modulated within the video signal on the encoder.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the positioning receiver is a GPS unit.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, camcorder, train, tank, watercraft, airplane or missile.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising a video recorder coupled with the mobile object for storing the modulated video signal on a recording medium.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising a playback unit for reproducing the modulated video signal.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a decoder for decoding from the recording medium the positional data and supplemental data within the modulated video signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the decoder synchronously reproduces the modulated video signal, the positional data and the supplemental data.

17. A method for embedding positional data in a video signal, the method comprising:

associating a positioning receiver and a video camera with a moveable object, the video camera and positioning receiver associated with an encoder;

obtaining on the encoder the video signal from the video camera,

obtaining on the encoder the positional data from a positioning receiver, and

modulating by means of the encoder the video signal with the positional data thereby creating a modulated video signal wherein the positional data is implicitly part of the modulated video signal.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising the step of recording the modulated video signal to a recording medium by use of a video recorder.

19. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising the step of decoding from the recording medium the positional data within the modulated video signal on a decoder.

20. The method of claim 19, the method further comprising synchronously reproducing by means of the decoder the modulated video signal on a display device and the positional data on a presentation device.

21. An apparatus for embedding positional data in a video signal, the apparatus comprising:

provision for obtaining positional data;

provision for creating a video signal as the positional data is obtained; and

provision for modulating the video signal with the positional data thereby creating a modulated video signal wherein the positional data is implicitly part of the modulated video signal.