DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA

• US 20120207440A1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobotix AG (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mobotix AG (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Hinkel, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

The invention relates to a digital video camera comprising an image sensor that generates an image data raw stream, and comprising a memory for storing image data generated in response to the image data raw stream, and comprising a data output unit. In this case, it is provided that the data output unit is designed for outputting image data generated in response to the image data raw stream to the memory and for simultaneously outputting image data and for simultaneously outputting image data from the stored data from the camera to users.

Claims

1. A digital video camera comprising an image sensor that generates an image data raw stream, and comprising a memory for storing image data generated in response to the image data raw stream, and comprising a data output unit,

characterized in that

the data output unit is designed

for outputting image data generated in response to the image data raw stream to the memory

and

for simultaneously outputting image data

and

for simultaneously outputting image data from the stored data

from the camera to users.

2. The digital video camera as claimed in the preceding claim,

characterized in that

the imaging sensor generates an image data raw stream comprising images having a high resolution, in particular a high number of pixels and/or a high dynamic range.

3. The digital video camera as claimed in the preceding claim,

characterized in that

the data output unit is designed to generate images having a lower resolution than those of the image data raw stream.

4. The digital video camera as claimed in the preceding claim,

characterized in that

the imaging sensor generates an image data raw stream comprising a fast image sequence.

5. The digital video camera as claimed in the preceding claim,

characterized in that

the data output unit is designed to generate

images having an image refresh frequency that is lower than that of the image data raw stream,

and/or images having a higher degree of compression

and/or images generated using a different encoding algorithm,

as an image data stream having a reduced volume of data.

6. The digital video camera as claimed in any of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the camera has an input

for predetermining an image detail that can be transmitted in a data-reduced fashion,

preferably

for predetermining

an image segment and/or

an image segment magnification and/or

an image detail,

which can preferably be determined by PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) parameters,

and/or

a format and/or

an image refresh frequency,

for predetermining

a detail determined by automatic image analysis,

in particular of

 

automatically recognized faces,

and/or

features determined by means of OCR in the image,

 

in particular of automobile license plates.

7. The digital video camera as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the data output unit is designed

to make stored images identifiable on the basis of the reduced data stream,

wherein

the video camera has an input

in order

to receive signals identifying images from the memory,

and in order, in response to

the

received signals, identifying images in the memory,

to provide images

having an increased resolution and/or

less highly cropped images

and/or images comprising a faster image sequence,

in particular as an image stream.

8. The digital video camera as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the data output unit is designed

to store an image data stream in the memory

and simultaneously to output to users

an image data stream having a reduced volume of data and

at least one

image data stream having a different

spatial and/or

temporal and/or

dynamic

resolution than that of the image data stored in the memory.

9. The digital video camera as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the data output unit is designed to output

as at least one image data stream a

live image data stream

having a high resolution and

a high image refresh frequency,

preferably

having a higher image refresh frequency than in the stored data record, but having a preferably lower resolution.

10. The digital video camera as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a stage is provided in order to determine, in response to image parameters for the image data stream storage in the camera and also the image data stream outputting from the camera, a maximum required block and/or a maximum required image refresh frequency, which is processed further from the sensor or as an image data raw stream.