Apparatus and method for recording a video signal on a record medium
First Claim
1. Apparatus for recording a video signal, said apparatus being operable in an intermittent mode and a continuous mode, said apparatus comprising:
- image pick-up means for picking-up an image to produce a video signal corresponding thereto;
compression means operable at selectively different compression ratios and having first, second, and third quantization tables for compressing said video signal to produce a compressed video signal, said compression means utilizing said first, second, and third quantization tables for operations involving a low compression ratio, a middle compression ratio and a high compression ratio, respectively, such that the first and/or second quantization tables are utilized when operating in said continuous mode to obtain a low and/or middle level of compression and the third quantization table is utilized when operating in said intermittent mode to obtain a high level of compression;
recording means for recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; and
control means for automatically switching the compression ratio of said compression means from the relatively high compression ratio to the relatively low compression ratio upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Video surveillance system which records compressed video signals on a record medium that have been compressed at a controllably selectable compression ratio. An image is picked-up by a camera and a video signal is produced therefrom. The video signal is compressed at a selectable compression ratio depending on the occurrence of a predetermined condition and the compressed video signal is recorded on a record medium. If the occurrence of a predetermined condition or event (or events) is not detected, the compression ratio is established to be a relatively high compression ratio, whereas upon the detection of the occurrence of the predetermined condition or event, the compression ratio is established to be a relatively low compression ratio. In addition, the compressed video signal may be recorded intermittently or continuously on the record medium depending on whether the predetermined condition is detected.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. Apparatus for recording a video signal, said apparatus being operable in an intermittent mode and a continuous mode, said apparatus comprising:
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image pick-up means for picking-up an image to produce a video signal corresponding thereto; compression means operable at selectively different compression ratios and having first, second, and third quantization tables for compressing said video signal to produce a compressed video signal, said compression means utilizing said first, second, and third quantization tables for operations involving a low compression ratio, a middle compression ratio and a high compression ratio, respectively, such that the first and/or second quantization tables are utilized when operating in said continuous mode to obtain a low and/or middle level of compression and the third quantization table is utilized when operating in said intermittent mode to obtain a high level of compression; recording means for recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; and control means for automatically switching the compression ratio of said compression means from the relatively high compression ratio to the relatively low compression ratio upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15)
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11. Apparatus for recording a video signal, comprising:
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image pick-up means for picking-up an image to produce a video signal corresponding thereto; compression means operable at selectively different compression ratios for compressing said video signal to produce a compressed video signal; recording means for recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; control means for automatically switching the compression ratio of said compression means from a relatively high compression ratio to a relatively low compression ratio upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition; and means for providing a clock signal representing a current time; and wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to a predetermined time period such that said control means is operable to switch the compression ratio of said compression means from the relatively high compression ratio to the relatively low compression ratio when said clock signal represents a time in said predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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16. A video surveillance system being operable in an intermittent mode and a continuous mode, said video surveillance system, comprising:
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a surveillance video camera for producing a video signal representing an observed area; compression means operable in a plurality of compression modes and having first, second, and third quantization tables for compressing said video signal to produce a compressed video signal, said compression means compressing said video signal at a selectively different compression ratio in each of said compression modes, said compression means utilizing said first, second, and third quantization tables for operations involving a low compression ratio, a middle compression ratio, and a high compression ratio, respectively, such that the first and/or second quantization tables are utilized when operating in said continuous mode to obtain a low and/or middle level of compression and the third quantization table is utilized when operating in said intermittent mode to obtain a high level of compression; recording means for recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; detecting means for detecting the occurrence of a predetermined condition and producing a detection signal corresponding thereto; and control means for selecting one of said compression modes in response to the detection signal and controlling the compression means to operate in the selected compression mode. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. Method of recording a video signal in an intermittent mode and a continuous mode, comprising the steps of:
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picking-up an image to produce a video signal corresponding thereto; compressing the video signal at a selected one of a plurality of different compression ratios to produce a compressed video signal by utilizing first, second, and third quantization tables for operations involving a low compression ratio, a middle compression ratio, and a high compression ratio, respectfully, such that the first and/or second quantization tables are utilized when operating in said continuous mode to obtain a low and/or middle level of compression-and the third quantization table is utilized when operating in said intermittent mode to obtain a high level of compression; recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; and switching the compression ratio from the relatively high compression ratio to the relatively low compression ratio upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32)
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28. Method of recording a video signal, comprising the steps of:
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picking-up an image to produce a video signal corresponding thereto; compressing the video signal at a selected one of a plurality of different compression ratios to produce a compressed video signal; recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; switching the compression ratio from a relatively high compression ratio to a relatively low compression ratio upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition; and providing a clock signal representing a current time; and wherein said predetermined condition corresponds to a predetermined time period such that said switching step is carried out by switching the compression ratio from the relatively high compression ratio to the relatively low compression ratio when the clock signal represents a time in said predetermined time period. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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33. Method of recording a video signal produced in a video surveillance system operable in an intermittent mode and a continuous mode, comprising the steps of:
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producing a video signal representing an observed area; compressing the video signal in a selected one of a plurality of compression modes to produce a compressed video signal, the video signal being compressed at a selectively different compression ratio in each of said compression modes by utilizing first, second, and third quantization tables for operations involving a low compression ratio, a middle compression ratio, and a high compression ratio, respectively, such that the first and/or second quantization tables are utilized when operating in said continuous mode to obtain a low and/or middle level of compression and the third quantization table is utilized when operating in said intermittent mode to obtain a high level of compression; recording the compressed video signal on a record medium; detecting the occurrence of a predetermined condition; producing a detection signal in accordance with the detection of the predetermined condition; and selecting one of said compression modes in response to the detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification