Loop recording with book marking

• US 8,310,540 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stellar, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stellar, LLC
• Inventors: DeKeyser, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/770,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/007 reproducing continuously a part of the information, i.e. repeating
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A methods in which a camera can store discrete segments of imaged data, using a sensor in the camera to capture image data, using multiple portions of a memory as a loop in which to record the segments in approximately real time, and protecting the multiple portions from being overwritten by subsequent recording in the loop. Recorder continues to record the image data immediately after ending at least one of the segments or immediately after protecting at least one of the segments. Protected data or segments can be wirelessly transmitting a first one of the segments to a memory, and releasing a corresponding one of the multiple portions of memory from protection. Recorder and signal switch are located or as part of an accessory, such as a pair of glasses.

Claims

1. A method of storing discrete segments of imaged data in a camera, comprising:

using a sensor in the camera to capture image data;

providing a recorder coupled to the camera and having a memory;

using multiple portions of the memory as a memory loop in which to record segments of the image data in approximately real time;

treating the memory loop as a single file;

protecting the multiple portions, within the single file, from being overwritten by subsequent recording in the memory loop; and

allowing the editing of the imaged data in protected multiple portions stored in the memory loop within the single file via a recorder control while recording additional segments of the image data in the memory loop within the single file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the loop is sufficiently large to store at least five minutes of the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing first and second ones of the multiple portions as separate files.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing first and second ones of the multiple portions in a common file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to record the image data immediately after ending at least one of the segments.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to record the image data immediately after protecting at least one of the segments.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising designating a beginning of a first one of the multiple portions in response to a start signal from a user of the camera.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising using a switch in a clothing accessory to operate an aspect of the method.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising designating an end of the first one of the multiple portions in response to a stop signal from the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the start signal comprises a manually operated switch.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the start signal comprises an audio signal.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising including in the first one of the multiple portions, a time span of the image data that occurred prior to the start signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the time span comprising at least 5 seconds.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the time span comprising at least 15 seconds.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a first one of the segments to a remote memory, and releasing a corresponding one of the multiple portions of memory from protection.

16. A system comprising electronics that implements the method of claim 1, and a clothing accessory that supports the sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the clothing accessory comprises a pair of glasses.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising providing a viewfinder in a lens of the glasses.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of allowing the editing of the image data while recording additional segments in the loop includes an action selected from the group consisting of book-marking an additional portion of the loop memory, and releasing a protected portion of the memory from protection.