Video assist system for motion-picture camera
First Claim
1. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprisingmemory means for recording infalling light in synchrony with said motion-picture camera as a plurality of periodic image frames at said predetermined means for retrieving a plurality of said periodic image frames from said memory means at a periodic rate which is independent of said capture rate.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A video assist system operates in parallel with a motion-picture camera by recording and scanning periodic frames of the motion-picture image. Each recorded frame is transferred to intermediate storage where data from that frame may be processed at a rate which is independent of the motion-picture capture rate. Data for each recorded frame is translated into an intermediate signal format in which each line of a television ("TV") image signal is transmitted at a standard TV signal rate, but in which an entire frame is transmitted at the motion-picture capture rate. The intermediate signal format is presented to a frame buffer which allows conversion to a standard TV signal format.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
memory means for recording infalling light in synchrony with said motion-picture camera as a plurality of periodic image frames at said predetermined means for retrieving a plurality of said periodic image frames from said memory means at a periodic rate which is independent of said capture rate.
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8. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
memory means for recording infalling light in synchrony with said motion-picture camera as a plurality of periodic image frames at said predetermined capture rate; - and
means for retrieving a plurality of said periodic image frames from memory means with a line retrieval rate which is independent of said capture rate and with a frame retrieval rate which is an integer multiple of said capture rate. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
memory means for recording periodic frames of said motion-picture image; -
means for translating data from said memory means into an intermediate signal format having a line transmission rate and a frame transmission rate substantially independent of said line transmission rate; and means for converting said intermediate signal format into a standard television signal format. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
means for recording a first image of a past scene; -
means for capturing a second image of a present scene; and means for displaying said first and second images in conjunction, whereby said first and second images may be directly compared.
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18. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
memory means for recording a scan line of image pixels corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by said motion-picture camera in a predetermined order; - and
means for retrieving said scan line in reverse order from said predetermined order.
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19. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
means for synchronizing an input to a line buffer with a first horizontal sync signal from an external video signal source corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by said motion-picture camera; - and
means for synchronizing an output from said line buffer with a second horizontal sync signal.
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20. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
means for periodically converting image frames, corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by said motion-picture camera, into image data; -
memory means for storing said image data; means for amplifying said image data to a predetermined brightness; and means for retrieving said image data in a television signal format.
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21. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
means for measuring infalling light, corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by said motion-picture camera, at a plurality of image points and for generating image data therefrom; -
means for storing said image data; means for automatically amplifying said image data to a predetermined brightness; frame buffer means for recording said image data; means for retrieving said image data from said frame buffer means, and for generating therefrom a signal substantially in a television signal format.
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22. A video assist system for use in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, said system comprising
CCD means for receiving infalling light, corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by said motion-picture camera, and for generating image data therefrom; -
automatic gain control means for automatically amplifying said image data to a predetermined brightness; line buffer means for recording at least one horizontal scan line of said image data; frame buffer means for recording at least one frame of said image data; means for retrieving said image data from said frame buffer means, and for generating therefrom a signal substantially in a television signal format.
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23. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
recording infalling light in synchrony with said motion-picture camera as a plurality of periodic image frames in memory means at said predetermined capture rate; - and
retrieving a plurality of said periodic image frames from memory means at a periodic rate which is independent of said capture rate. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
recording infalling light in synchrony with said motion-picture camera as a plurality of periodic image frames in memory means at said predetermined capture rate; - and
retrieving a plurality of said periodic image frames from memory means with a pixel retrieval rate which is independent of said capture rate and with a frame retrieval rate which is an integer multiple of said capture rate. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
recording periodic frames of said motion-picture image in memory means; -
translating data from said memory means into an intermediate signal format having a line transmission rate and a frame transmission rate substantially independent of said line transmission rate; and converting and intermediate signal format into a standard television signal format.
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28. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
recording a first image of a past scene; -
capturing a second image of a present scene; and displaying said first and second images in conjunction;
wherein said first and second images may be directly compared. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
recording a horizontal scan line of image pixels in memory means in a predetermined order; - and
retrieving said horizontal scan line in reverse order from said predetermined order.
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31. A method of operating a video assist system in conjunction with a motion-picture camera having a predetermined capture rate for a motion-picture image, comprising the steps of
synchronizing an input to a line buffer with a first horizontal sync signal from an external video signal source; - and
synchronizing an output from said line buffer with a second horizontal sync signal.
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32. A video assist system for generating a flicker-free image corresponding to at least part of an image pointed to by a motion picture camera having a film shutter operating in a periodic cycle at a predetermined rate, said system comprising
means for generating a shutter pulse signal each time said film shutter of said motion-picture camera reaches a predetermined point in said periodic cycle, the timing of said film shutter not being controlled by the video assist system; -
means, coupled to said means for generating, for generating a frame of image data for each said shutter pulse signal; means for storing said frame of image data in a memory; means for retrieving said image data from said memory in a continuous sequence at a periodic rate which is independent of said rate. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification