Method and Apparatus for Segmented Video Compression

• US 20160307419A1
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• 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 10,282,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

1. A video recording apparatus comprising:

image receiving circuitry for receiving electronic images;

storage means for storing a plurality of profile images;

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;

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.

2. The video recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry further performs the steps of:

comparing the current image with the selected profile image to determine differences;

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.

3. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 and further including a camera coupled to the image receiving circuitry.

4. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage means comprises a non-volatile solid state memory.

5. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising communication circuitry for communicating data to a remote processing device and wherein the processing circuitry sends a representation of the current image to the remote processing device by sending the reference to the selected profile image.

6. The video recording apparatus of claim 5 wherein the processing circuitry transmits a copy of the selected profile image if the remote processing device does not have a copy of the selected profile image.

7. The video recording apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processing circuitry communicates with the remote processing device to determine whether the remote processing device have access to the copy of the selected profile image.

8. The video recording apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry compresses the delta file.

9. The video recording apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry further stores an association between the index, the selected profile image and the delta file.

10. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 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.

11. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry selects a profile image at least in part by reference to luminosity in the current image and luminosity associated with each of the profile images.

12. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry selects a profile image at least in part by reference to a time of day associated with the current image and a time of day associated with each of the profile images.

13. The video recording apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry selects a profile image at least in part by reference to a date associated with the current image and a date associated with each of the profile images.

14. The video recording apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry generates a single image from the selected profile image and the delta file.

15. 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.

16. The method of claim 15 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 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.

17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising the step of communicating delta files and the reference to the selected profile image to a remote processing device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the processing circuitry further stores an association between the index, the selected profile image and the delta file.

19. The method of claim 18 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.

20. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry for;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

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

detect movement in one or more sectors;

for each of a plurality of the predefined sector images where movement is not detected;

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 the predefined sector image of the predefined sector within a predetermined threshold.

21. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry for;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

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

for each of a plurality of the predefined sector images, at a predefined update rate for each predefined sector;

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 the predefined sector image of the predefined sector within a predetermined threshold.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predefined update rate for a predefined sector of interest of the current image is higher than an update rate of a predefined sector of a peripheral region of the current image.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the predefined sector of interest is likely to show a person'"'"'s face.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the predefined update rate of one predefined sector is based on motion detected in that predefined sector.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the predefined update rate of one predefined sector is based on motion detected in a nearby predefined sector.

26. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry for;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

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

detect movement in one or more sectors;

for a plurality of the predefined sector images where movement is not detected;

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

determining whether the plurality of the predefined sector images match profiles of corresponding sector images within a predetermined threshold; and

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

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the irrelevant movement is vehicular traffic.

27. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry to;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

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

masking predefined sectors in irrelevant parts of the image;

for each of a plurality of predefined sector images contained in an unmasked predefined sector;

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 unmasked predefined sector with a profile sector image that matches the unmasked predefined sector image of the predefined sector within a predetermined threshold.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the irrelevant parts of the image contain irrelevant movement.

30. A method of recording video comprising:

receiving electronic images;

using processing circuitry for;

receiving a current image at a specified index;

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

sampling predefined sector images of at least one predefined sector at a first rate and/or resolution;

sampling predefined sector images of at least one other predefined sector of interest at a higher rate and/or resolution than said first resolution;

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 the predefined sector image of the predefined sector within a predetermined threshold.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one other predefined sector of interest is likely to show a person'"'"'s face.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one predefined sector sampled at the first rate and/or resolution is a peripheral region of the current image.