System for documenting events

• US 20020021751A1
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Bolcioni, Luca, Guerrieri, Roberto
• Application Number:
  US09/828,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding

Abstract

A system for documenting events is provided. The system includes a camera for acquiring images and producing a video signal, a memory for storing images based on the video signal, and a sensor coupled to the memory. The memory includes a first volatile memory and a second non-volatile memory. The images are stored in the volatile memory, and the sensor actives a transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory. In a preferred embodiment, before activating the transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory, the sensor waits a preset time in order to acquire further images in the volatile memory. Also provided is a method for documenting events.

Claims

1. A system for documenting events, said system comprising:

a camera for acquiring images and producing a video signal;

a memory for storing images based on the video signal, the memory including a first volatile memory and a second non-volatile memory; and

a sensor coupled to the memory,

wherein the images are stored in the volatile memory, and

the sensor actives a transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein before activating the transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory, the sensor waits a preset time in order to acquire further images in the volatile memory.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a digital signal processor that compresses the video signal from the camera before in order to store the image in the memory in a compressed format.

4. The system as defined in claim 3, wherein the digital signal processor compresses the video signal in accordance with recommendation H263 of the ITU-T standard.

5. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic processing unit that certifies the image using a digital signature method.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the video signal is a digital signal.

7. A method for documenting events, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring images with a camera;

supplying digital data corresponding to the images;

storing the digital data in a first volatile memory; and

activating a transfer of the digital data from the first volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory in response to the occurrence of an external event.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of compressing the digital data before storing it in the first memory.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of certifying the digital data before storing it in the first memory through the use of a digital signature.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of integrating the digital data with relative temporal data.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of activating a sensor on the occurrence of the external event.

13. The integrated circuit as defined in claim 12, wherein before activating the transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory, the sensor waits a preset time in order to acquire further images in the volatile memory.

14. The integrated circuit as defined in claim 12, further comprising a digital signal processor that compresses the video signal from the camera before in order to store the image in the memory in a compressed format.

15. The integrated circuit as defined in claim 12, further comprising an arithmetic processing unit that certifies the image using a digital signature method.

16. The integrated circuit as defined in claim 12, wherein the video signal is a digital signal.

18. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of compressing the digital data before storing it in the first memory.

19. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of certifying the digital data before storing it in the first memory through the use of a digital signature.

20. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of integrating the digital data with relative temporal data.

21. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein said program further contains instructions for performing the step of activating a sensor on the occurrence of the external event.

12. An integrated circuit for documenting events, said integrated circuit comprising:

a memory for storing images based on a video signal received from a camera, the memory including a first volatile memory and a second non-volatile memory; and

a sensor coupled to the memory,

wherein the images are stored in the volatile memory, and

the sensor actives a transfer of the images from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory.

17. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for documenting events, said program containing instructions for performing the steps of:

acquiring images with a camera;

supplying digital data corresponding to the images;

storing the digital data in a first volatile memory; and

activating a transfer of the digital data from the first volatile memory to a second non-volatile memory in response to the occurrence of an external event.