METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPLIT-SCREEN VIDEO DISPLAY

• US 20140226952A1
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Watchguard Video Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Enforcement Video Incorporated (Enforcement Technology Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cilia, Andrew, Vanman, Robert V.
• Application Number:
  US14/254,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20140226952A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/226
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/443 by reading pixels from selected 2D regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• 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 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A system includes a first camera operable to capture omnidirectional images and send omnidirectional-image data representing the omnidirectional images, a second camera operable to capture narrow-view images and send narrow-view-image data representing the narrow-view images, a video processor coupled to the first camera and the second camera and operable to form combined-image data using at least part of the omnidirectional-image data and the narrow-view-image data, and a display module interoperably coupled to the video processor and operable to display combined images from the combined-image data. The combined images each comprise a narrow-view-display portion and an omnidirectional-display portion.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A system comprising:

a first camera operable to capture omnidirectional images and send an omnidirectional-image data stream representing the omnidirectional images;

a second camera operable to capture narrow-view images and send a narrow-view-image data stream representing the narrow-view images;

a video processor coupled to the first camera and the second camera and operable to;

identify a relevant image portion of at least one of the omnidirectional-image data stream and the narrow-view-image data stream and remove image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion; and

replace the removed image data with a combined-image data stream, the combined-image data stream comprising other image data selected from one or more of the omnidirectional-image data stream and the narrow-view-image data stream;

a display module interoperably coupled to the video processor and operable to display combined images from the combined-image data stream; and

wherein the combined images each comprise a narrow-view-display portion and an omnidirectional-display portion.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the omnidirectional-display portion is displayed in place of a portion of the narrow-view images.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the narrow-view images are captured at a greater resolution than the omnidirectional images.

22. A method comprising:

concurrently capturing omnidirectional images and narrow-view images;

storing data representing the captured omnidirectional images as omnidirectional-image data;

storing data representing the captured narrow-view images as narrow-view-image data;

identifying, by a video processor, a relevant image portion in the narrow-view-image data;

removing from the narrow-view-image data, by the video processor, image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion, the removing yielding modified narrow-view-image data;

replacing the removed image data with combined-image data, the combined image data comprising image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data; and

displaying combined images from the combined-image data.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the combined-image data is created by the video processor using the modified narrow-view-image data and at least part of the omnidirectional-image data.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the omnidirectional images are captured at a greater resolution than the narrow-view images.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data; and

at least a portion of the omnidirectional images are displayed in place of the removed image data.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the storing steps are performed concurrently.

28. A method comprising:

capturing omnidirectional images;

identifying, via a processor, one or more relevant areas of the omnidirectional images;

enlarging at least one relevant area of the one or more relevant areas;

downsampling and modifying the omnidirectional images via the video processor, the downsampling resulting in downsampled modified omnidirectional images;

wherein the modifying comprises removing, from the omnidirectional images, image data that is not contained within the one or more relevant areas;

combining, via the video processor, images corresponding to the enlarged at least one relevant area and the downsampled modified omnidirectional images into combined images; and

displaying, via a display, module the combined images.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the displaying comprises displaying the images corresponding to the enlarged at least one relevant area at a higher resolution than the downsampled cropped omnidirectional images.

30. The method of claim 28, comprising digitally unfolding the omnidirectional images via the video processor.

31. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:

concurrently capturing omnidirectional images and narrow-view images;

storing data representing the captured omnidirectional images as omnidirectional-image data;

storing data representing the captured narrow-view images as narrow-view-image data;

identifying, by a video processor, a relevant image portion in the narrow-view-image data;

removing from the narrow-view-image data, by the video processor, image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion, the removing yielding modified narrow-view-image data;

replacing the removed image data with combined-image data, the combined image data comprising image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data; and

displaying combined images from the combined-image data.

32. The computer-program product of claim 31, wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data.

33. The computer-program product of claim 31, wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data.

34. The computer-program product of claim 31, wherein the narrow-view images are captured at a greater resolution than the omnidirectional images.