System and method for synchronizing waveform data with an associated video

• US 8,169,483 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Inventors: Backus, Elaine, Bennett, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Application Number:
  US12/245,022
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/208.4, 330/297, 342/22, 345/440, 702/188, 735/10, 709/227, 701/35, 386/241, 715/513, 715/719, 347/224, 725/32, 600/473
• US Class Current: 348/161
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

A subject is connected to a monitoring system and videoed while being monitored. The monitoring system receives raw data from the subject and processes the raw data into waveform data, and transmits the waveform data to a marking device. The marking device simultaneously marks the waveform data with a waveform reference point and causes a light emitting diode to flash in the video, thereby creating a video reference point. A computer program locks the waveform reference point with the video reference point and thereby synchronizes the waveform data with the video.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing waveform data and a video of a subject as the subject generates the waveform data, the system comprising:

a subject, the subject generating raw data;

a monitoring system, the monitoring system receiving the raw data from the subject, processing the raw data into waveform data, and transmitting the waveform data;

a video camera and recorder, the video camera videoing the subject during generation of the waveform data, the video, recorder recording a video taken by the video camera;

a marking device, the marking device receiving the waveform data from the monitoring system and selectively creating a waveform reference point;

a light, the marking device flashing the light in a frame of the video simultaneous with creation of the waveform reference point, thereby creating a video reference point;

a controller, the controller receiving;

(a) the waveform data and the waveform reference point; and

(b) the video and the video reference point;

a computer program, computer program being executable by the controller, the computer program having a means of synchronizing the waveform reference point with the video reference point;

wherein an operator synchronizes the waveform data with the video by directing the computer program to synchronize the waveform reference point with the video reference point, thereby synchronizing the video with the waveform data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the subject is an insect.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the monitoring system is an electrical penetration graph monitor.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the waveform data is voltage fluctuation data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the video camera is a digital video camera.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the marking device is comprised of an integrated circuit assembly, a marker switch assembly, and a waveform marker assembly.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the marking device further comprises a start button connected with the integrated circuit assembly so that depressing the start button causes the integrated circuit assembly to transmit a current pulse to the light and the marker switch assembly.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the integrated circuit assembly is comprised of an LM555 chip.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the marker switch assembly is comprised of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the light is illuminated when the MOSFET is in conductance.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the MOSFET is a 2N7000.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the waveform marker assembly is comprised of an operational amplifier.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein voltage at the operational amplifier drops when the light is illuminated.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the marking device generates waveform output data, the waveform output data spiking downwardly when voltage at the operational amplifier drops.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the operational amplifier, is a CA3140.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the operational amplifier senses input voltage at pin 8 and outputs waveform data at pin 6.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the waveform output data is displayed on a computer monitor or a time-based chart.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the waveform output data is displayed on a split screen monitor simultaneously with the video recording.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is a central processing unit.

20. A waveform output data and video marking device comprising:

an integrated circuit assembly, the integrated circuit assembly generating a pulse train, each pulse having a high portion and a low portion;

a marker switch assembly, the marker switch assembly being connected to the integrated circuit assembly;

a light emitting diode (LED), the LED being connected to the marker switch assembly and flashing “

on”

when receiving the high portion of the pulse, the LED being positioned in a camera frame of a subject being videoed; and

,

a waveform marker assembly, the waveform marker assembly being connected to the marker switch assembly, the waveform marker assembly transmitting waveform output data associated with the subject being videoed, the waveform output data spiking downwardly when the waveform marker assembly senses a drop in voltage associated with the LED flash;

wherein the marking device creates a video reference point when the LED flashes “

on” and

simultaneously creates a waveform reference point when the waveform output data spikes downwardly, thereby enabling an operator to synchronize the waveform output data with the video by synchronizing the waveform reference point with the video reference point.

21. The device for claim 20 further wherein the marking device further comprises a start button connected with the integrated circuit assembly so that depressing the start button causes the integrated circuit assembly to transmit the current pulse to the LED and the marker switch assembly.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the integrated circuit assembly is comprised of an integrated circuit chip.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the integrated circuit assembly is comprised of an LM555 chip.

24. The device of claim 20 wherein the marker switch assembly is comprised of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the LED is illuminated when the MOSFET is in conductance.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the MOSFET is a 2N7000.

27. The device of claim 20 wherein the waveform marker assembly is comprised of an operational amplifier.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein voltage at the operational amplifier drops when the LED is illuminated.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein the waveform output data spikes downwardly when voltage at the operational amplifier drops.

30. The device of claim 27 wherein the operational amplifier is a CA3140.

31. The device of claim 30 wherein the operational amplifier senses input voltage at pin 8 and outputs waveform data at pin 6.

32. The device of claim 20 wherein the output waveform data is displayed on a computer monitor or a time-based chart.

33. A method of synchronizing waveform data and a video, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying a subject;

(b) starting a video recording process directed to the subject;

(c) initiating an electronic monitoring process directed to the subject so that results of the monitoring process are expressed as waveform data, the waveform data being generated while the subject is being videoed;

(d) transmitting the waveform data to a marking device, the marking device having a waveform data output;

(e) initiating a marking process by depressing a start button attached to the marking, device, depressing the start button causing a light emitting diode (LED) to flash “

on” and

the marking device waveform output data to spike downwardly;

(f) terminating the marking process by releasing the start button, thereby extinguishing the LED and terminating downwardly spiking of the waveform output data so that the waveform output data is returned to an unaffected state;

(g) proceeding with the video recording process and the electronic monitoring process;

(h) terminating the electronic monitoring process, a waveform data file being created during the electronic monitoring process;

the waveform data file comprising a compilation of the waveform data output;

(i) terminating the video recording process, a video recording being created during the video recording process;

(j) scrolling through the waveform data file and identifying and marking a first downward spike in the waveform data file as a waveform reference point;

(k) scrolling through the video recording and finding and Marking a first flash of the LED as a video reference point;

(m) loading the waveform reference point and the video reference points into a computer program;

(n) instructing the computer program to synchronize the waveform reference point with the video reference point so that the waveform file is locked with the video file.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the subject in Step (a) is an insect and the waveform output data in steps (c) through (f), (h), (j), (m) and (n) expresses voltage fluctuations.