Body camera

• US 9,912,901 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S4 Worldwide LLC
• Original Assignee: S4 Worldwide LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Frank
• Application Number:
  US14/974,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20160182850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00106 using land mobile radio networks, e.g. mobile telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Described herein is a body camera, a method of operating a body camera, a system for a body camera, and methods and systems for configuring a body camera. The body camera may include a digital camera configured to capture video. The body camera may also include one or more sensors for sensing data about the environment experienced by the body camera. The body camera may also include a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The body camera may also include a transceiver for streaming video and sensor data.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a digital camera configured to capture video data;

one or more sensors configured to capture associated sensor data, wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial measurement unit (IMU);

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to determine location information;

a processor configured to;

receive the video data, sensor data, and location information;

determine that a wearer of the apparatus has been shot based on data received from the IMU;

generate an augmented video stream by periodically marking the video data with contemporaneous location information and sensor data;

mark the video data with an indication of a gunshot responsive to determining that the wearer of the apparatus has been shot; and

a wireless transceiver configured to automatically stream the augmented video stream in response to an event detected via at least one of the one or more sensors or in response to a determined location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to mark the video data with an event corresponding to at least a portion of the sensor data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the sensor data to at least one threshold and mark the video data with the event on a condition that the sensor data exceeds the at least one threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a wireless connection condition;

and

wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to;

transmit the augmented video stream at a relatively higher resolution on a condition that the wireless connection condition is determined to be above a first threshold; and

transmit the augmented video stream at a relatively lower resolution on a condition that the wireless connection condition is determined to be below the first threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to transmit the location information and sensor data without the video data on a condition that the wireless connection is determined to be below a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital camera has a 360 degree field of view.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to stream the augmented video stream via a Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) wireless network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor, in conjunction with the GPS receiver, is configured to determine that the apparatus has entered into a location corresponding to a predefined geo-fence, and wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to automatically stream the augmented video stream in response to determining that the apparatus has entered the location corresponding to the predefined geo-fence.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit the augmented video stream to a remote server on a condition that the wireless transceiver detects a presence of a predetermined wireless connection.

10. A method for execution by a body camera, the method comprising:

capturing video data;

capturing sensor data associated with one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors include an inertial measurement unit (IMU);

determining location information corresponding to the body camera;

determining that a wearer of the body camera has been shot based on data received from the IMU;

generating an augmented video stream by periodically marking the video data with contemporaneous location information and sensor data;

marking the video data with an indication of a gunshot responsive to determining that the wearer of the body camera has been shot; and

automatically streaming the augmented video stream in response an event detected via at least one of the one or more sensors or in response to a determined location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising marking the video data with an event corresponding to at least a portion of the sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the sensor data to at least one threshold and marking the video data with the event on a condition that the sensor data exceeds the at least one threshold.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a wireless connection condition;

transmitting the augmented video stream at a relatively higher resolution on a condition that the wireless connection condition is determined to be above a first threshold; and

transmitting the augmented video stream at a relatively lower resolution on a condition that the wireless connection condition is determined to be below the first threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the location information and sensor data without the video data on a condition that the wireless connection is determined to be below a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the capturing the video data includes capturing the video data with a 360 degree field of view.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the automatically streaming the augmented video stream includes streaming the augmented video stream via a Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) wireless network.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the body camera has entered into a location corresponding to a predefined geo-fence; and

automatically streaming the augmented video stream in response to determining that the body camera has entered the location corresponding to the predefined geo-fence.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the augmented video stream to a remote server on a condition that a presence of a predetermined wireless connection is detected.