Method and Apparatus for Segmented Video Compression

• US 20090237526A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catherine Mabee Dozier
• Original Assignee: Trover Group Inc.
• Inventors: Dozier, Charles W., Mitchell, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,380,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19604 involving reference image or background adaptation with time to compensate for changing conditions, e.g. reference image update on detection of light level change
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1961 Movement detection not involving frame subtraction, e.g. motion detection on the basis of luminance changes in the image
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/50 using predictive coding H04N19/61 takes precedence
• 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 5/85 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 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An archival video system uses profile images as a background for an image and delta images to indicate the difference between a current image and a profile image. An image may be segmented into multiple sectors, with each sector compared to a profile sector. The resulting image may be constructed using references to previously stored sectors from different images.

Claims

15. A video recording apparatus comprising:

image receiving circuitry for receiving electronic images;

storage means;

processing circuitry, coupled to the image receiving circuitry and the storage means, for;

receiving a current image from the image receiving circuitry at a specified index;

allocating the current image to a plurality of predefined sectors each containing a portion of the current image;

for each of a plurality of the predefined sector images;

comparing the predefined sector image with a plurality of previously generated profile sector images stored in the storage means;

determining whether the predefined sector image matches a profile sector image within a predetermined threshold; and

associating the index and a plurality of the predefined sectors with profile sector images that match within the predetermined threshold.

16. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 and further including a camera coupled to the image receiving circuitry.

17. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry further generates a delta file indicating the differences between a predefined sector image and the associated profile sector image.

18. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein each predefined sector has the same shape.

19. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein each predefined sector has an arbitrarily assigned shape.

20. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the storage means comprises a non-volatile solid state memory.

21. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 and further comprising communication circuitry for communicating data to a remote processing device.

22. The video recording apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processing circuitry sends a representation of the current image to the remote processing device by sending references to the associated profile sector images.

23. The video recording apparatus of claim 22 wherein the processing circuitry transmits a copy of an associated profile sector image if that associated profile sector image is not accessible to the remote processing device.

24. The video recording apparatus of claim 23 wherein the processing circuitry communicates with the remote processing device to determine whether the remote processing device has a copy of each associated profile sector image.

25. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry further stores an association between the index, the predetermined sectors and the associated profile sector images.

26. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry selects a profile image at least in part by reference to current lighting conditions and lighting conditions associated with each of the profile images.

27. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry determines whether a predetermined sector image matches a profile sector image at least in part by reference to luminosity in the predetermined sector image and luminosity associated with each of the profile sector images.

28. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry determines whether a predetermined sector image matches a profile sector image at least in part by reference to a time associated with the predetermined sector image and a time of day associated with each of the profile sector images.

29. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry determines whether a predetermined sector image matches a profile sector image at least in part by reference to a date associated with the predetermined sector image and a date associated with each of the profile sector images.

30. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry generates a single image from multiple profile sector images.

31. The video recording apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry generates a single image from multiple profile sector images and multiple delta files.

32. A method of recording video comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of profile images;

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

selecting a profile image that closely matches the current image;

associating a reference to the selected profile image with the index of the current image.

33. The method of claim 32 and further comprising the steps of using the processing circuitry for:

comparing the current image with the selected profile image;

generating a delta file providing information on the differences between the current image and the selected profile image; and

associating the delta file with the reference to the selected profile image and the index of the current image.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the processing circuitry further stores an association between the index, the selected profile image and the delta file.

34-1. The method of claim 34 and further comprising the step of transmitting a copy of the selected profile image if the remote processing device does not have a copy of the selected profile image.

36. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

in processing circuitry;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

allocating the current image to a plurality of predefined sectors each containing a portion of the current image;

for each of a plurality of the predefined sector images;

comparing the predefined sector image with a plurality of previously generated profile sector images stored in a storage device;

determining whether the predefined sector image matches a profile sector image within a predetermined threshold; and

associating the index and the predefined sector with a profile sector image that matches within a predetermined threshold.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the processor further performs the step of generating a delta file indicating the differences between a predefined sector image and the associated profile sector image.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein each predefined sector has the same shape.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein each predefined sector has an arbitrarily assigned shape.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the processing circuitry further performs the step of transmitting a representation of the current image to the remote processing device by sending references to the associated profile sector images.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the processing circuitry transmits a copy of an associated profile sector image if that associated profile sector image is not accessible to the remote processing device.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein the processing circuitry further stores an association between the index, the predetermined sectors and the associated profile sector images.