Method, apparatus and system for displaying video data

• US 8,155,503 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Calisa, Rajanish, Liu, Xin Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hasan, Syed
• Application Number:
  US12/249,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20090136213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 386/248, 386/223, 386/291, 386/343, 386/E5.001, 348/461, 348/462, 348/468, 348/E5.007, 434/29, 434/62, 705/7.26, 707/E17.028, 725/32, 725/105, 725/109, 725/112, 725/135
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method (400) of displaying video data using a video recording system (100). The method (400) records a first stream of video data captured by a first camera (e.g., 103) and a first event associated with the first camera (103). The method records a second stream of video data captured by a second camera (e.g., 104) and a second event associated with the second camera (104). A playback speed is determined based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event. The first stream and the second stream of video data are displayed in a synchronized manner. The first stream of video data and the second stream of video data are displayed at the playback speed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying video data using a video recording system, said method comprising the steps:

recording a first stream of video data captured by a first camera;

recording a first event associated with the first camera;

recording a second stream of video data captured by a second camera;

recording a second event associated with the second camera;

determining a playback speed based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event; and

displaying the first stream and the second stream of video data in a synchronized manner at the determined playback speed based on the difference between the current play time and the time position of the nearest one of the first event and the second event.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first stream of video data is highlighted when the current play time position is near the time position of the first event.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the playback speed is a variable speed.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the playback speed is proportional to the distance between a next event and the current play time.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the playback speed is capped at a pre-determined limit.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the playback speed is pre-determined.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the playback speed is a specified fixed rate.

8. An apparatus for displaying video data using a video recording system, said apparatus comprising:

first stream recording means for recording a first stream of video data captured by a first camera;

first event recording means for recording a first event associated with the first camera;

second stream recording means for recording a second stream of video data captured by a second camera;

second event recording means for recording a second event associated with the second camera;

determining means for determining a playback speed based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event; and

display means for displaying the first stream and the second stream of video data in a synchronized manner at the determined playback speed based on the difference between the current play time and the time position of the nearest one of the first event and the second event.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium, having a computer program recorded thereon, where the program is configured to make a computer execute a procedure to display video data using a video recording system, the program comprising:

code for recording a first stream of video data captured by a first camera;

code for recording a first event associated with said the camera;

code for recording a second stream of video data captured by a second camera;

code for recording a second event associated with the second camera;

code for determining a playback speed based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event; and

code for displaying the first stream and the second stream of video data in a synchronized manner at the determined playback speed based on the difference between the current play time and the time position of the nearest one of the first event and the second event.

10. A video recording system for displaying video data, said system comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program;

a processor, coupled to said memory, for executing the program, the program comprising instructions for;

(a) recording a first stream of video data captured by a first camera;

(b) recording a first event associated with the first camera;

(c) recording a second stream of video data captured by a second camera;

(d) recording a second event associated with the second camera;

(e) determining a playback speed based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event; and

(f) displaying the first stream and the second stream of video data in a synchronized manner at the determined playback speed based on the difference between the current play time and the time position of the nearest one of the first event and the second event.