VIDEO ACQUISITION AND COMPILATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING A COMPOSITE VIDEO

• US 20120162436A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Plate Limited, Ustar Limited
• Original Assignee: E-Plate Limited, Ustar Limited
• Inventors: Cordell, Michael, Seaton, Paul Michael, Boden, Marcus Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/158
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/02 related to amusement parks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/323 Time code signal, e.g. on a cue track as SMPTE- or EBU-time code
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

FIG. 7 shows a camera system (700) that operates to time-stamp video content captured from multiple cameras (740) relative to a recorded and time-synchronized location of a portable tracking unit (722). The position of the cameras (740) is known to the system. Based on the time and position data for each uniquely identifiable tracking unit, an editing suite (770) automatically compiles a composite video made up from time-spliced video segments from the various cameras. Video or still images captured by the cameras (740)are cross-referenced against the client address stored in database (760) and related to the assigned, uniquely identifiable tracking unit (722). A server (750) is arranged to use the client address to send reminder messages, which reminder messages may include selected images taken by the composite video. Alternatively, a client (720) can use the client address to access the database and view the composite video. In the event that the client (720) wants to receive a fair copy of the composite video, the server (750) is arranged to process the request and send the composite video to the client. Streaming of multiple video feeds from different cameras that each encode synchronized time allows cross-referencing of stored client-specific data and, ultimately, the assembly of the resultant composite video that reflects a timely succession of events having direct relevant to the client (720).

Claims

1. A video acquisition and compilation system comprising:

a) a portable location and tracking unit having a unique identity, the portable location and tracking unit arranged to record and store position data against time;

b) a plurality of cameras arranged to capture and communicate time-stamped video content, the cameras arranged in time synchronicity with respect to the portable location and tracking unit, the cameras positioned, in use, at known locations across a geographic region;

c) a server arranged to effect storage in a database of both the time-stamped video content and also the position data and time of the portable tracking unit, the server configured automatically to control assembly of a composite video constructed from splicing together time stamped video content from the plurality of cameras with correspondingly synchronized position and time data recovered from the portable location and tracking unit, wherein storage in the database of composite video at least cross-references the unique identity of the portable tracking unit against client details.

2. The video acquisition and compilation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the client details reflect a client address stored in the form of at least one of an internet account and a cell phone number; and

the composite video is made available to the client address by at least one of;

automatically sending at least a portion of the composite video directly to the client address; and

providing access to at least a portion of the composite video upon receipt of at least one of the client address and the unique identity of the portable location and tracking unit from an internet log-in page.

3. The video acquisition and compilation system according to claim 1, wherein the composite video is rendered and stored directly onto a portable storage device.

4. A method of assembling a video, the method comprising:

in a portable location and tracking unit having a unique identity, recording and storing position data against time;

at each of a plurality of cameras positioned at known locations across a geographic region, capturing time-stamped video content and communicating this time-stamped video content to a remote database (760), the cameras arranged in time synchronicity with respect to the portable location and tracking unit;

storing in the remote database both the time-stamped video content from each of the cameras and also the position data and time recovered from the portable tracking unit;

automatically assembling a composite video constructed from splicing together time stamped video content from the plurality of cameras with correspondingly synchronized position and time data recovered from the portable location and tracking unit, the composite video cross-referenced against at least the unique identity of the portable tracking unit and client details.

5. The method of assembling a video in accordance with claim 4, wherein the client details reflect a client address stored in the form of at least one of an internet account and a cell phone number and the method further includes:

making the composite video available to the client address by at least one of;

automatically sending at least a portion of the composite video directly to the client address; and

providing access to at least a portion of the composite video upon receipt of at least one of the client address and the unique identity of the portable location and tracking unit from an internet log-in page.

6. The method of assembling a video in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

rendering and storing the composite video directly onto a portable storage device.

7. The method of assembling a video in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether access to a data record containing the composite video has occurred; and

generating the message if no access to the data record has occurred within a predetermined time.

8. The method of assembling a video in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

ascertaining whether the data record is wanted; and

confirming a delivery format for the data record in the event that the data record is wanted.

9. The method of assembling a video in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

withholding delivery of the data record until payment has been verified.

10. A video acquisition and compilation system comprising:

a) a portable location and tracking unit having an associated memory in which is stored a marker related to a boundary to a field of view associated with at least one external camera;

b) a principal camera connected to and movable with the portable location and tracking unit, the principal camera arranged to provide, in use, captured video data;

c) a wireless receiver for selectively acquiring, in use, streamed video content transmitted from the at least one external camera;

d) a controller located with and connected to the principal camera, the controller designed or configured, in use, to control storage of the captured video data from the principal camera, wherein the controller is further designed or configured to control assembly of a composite video based on position information acquired from the portable location and tracking unit, the composite video being assembled through selective time-splicing of captured video data from the principal camera with the streamed video content from the at least one external camera position received at times when the location and tracking unit identifies that it is substantially within the boundary of the field of view associated with at least one external camera.

11. A video acquisition and compilation system comprising:

a) a portable location and tracking unit arranged to record and store position data against time;

b) at least one camera and more preferably a plurality of cameras arranged to capture and communicate time-stamped video content, each camera arranged in time synchronicity with respect to the portable location and tracking unit, each camera having known instantaneous locations; and

c) a server responsive to the data recorded by the portable location and tracking unit and further responsive to the time-stamped video content, the server arranged to effect storage in a database of both the time-stamped video content and the position data and time of the portable tracking unit, the server arranged to configured automatically to control assembly of a composite video constructed from splicing together time stamped video content from selected ones of the plurality of cameras with correspondingly synchronized position and time data recovered from the portable location and tracking unit.

12. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 11, wherein storage in the database of composite video at least cross-references the unique identity of the portable tracking unit against client details.

13. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the cameras is mobile and located proximate to the portable location and tracking unit.

14. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 11, wherein the data recorded by the portable location and tracking unit and the time-stamped video content share a common reference time.

15. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 11, wherein the server is arranged to receive streamed time-stamped video content from at least one camera.

16. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 15, wherein the streamed time-stamped video content is, during operation of the system, continuously received from a plurality of cameras.

17. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 15, wherein the portable location and tracking unit is arranged to stream said position and related time data to the server.

18. The video acquisition and compilation system of claim 15, wherein the portable location and tracking unit is arranged selectively, upon request, to download said position and related time data to the server.