Wireless multi-recorder system

• US 20050151852A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jomppanen, Jarmo
• Application Number:
  US10/988,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/0733 for distributing synchronisation pulses to different TV cameras

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for capturing a target with at least two recorders, in which method at least two recorders are controlled via a wireless connection to capture substantially simultaneously one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders. The recorders are synchronized to a common reference clock, a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp is transmitted to the recorders via the wireless connection to control the recorders to perform the capturing at the time determined by the time stamp in relation to the common reference clock. The invention relates also to a multi-recorder system, to a terminal and to computer program product.

Claims

1. A capturing method, in which method at least two recorders are controlled to capture substantially simultaneously one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders, comprising

synchronizing the recorders to a common reference clock, transmitting a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp is transmitted to the recorders via a wireless connection to control the recorders to perform the capturing at the time determined by the time stamp in relation to the common reference clock.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering message is formed in one of said at least two recorders.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering message comprises information about a maximum delay caused by a time to transmit the time stamp over the wireless connection between the recorders and by a delay time due to functionality of the recorders.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the triggering message is transmitted to the recorders by utilizing a wireless local area network or a wireless mobile communication network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein information captured according to the method with the recorders is gathered together for further processing.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a physical location of at least one recorder is determined by means of a positioning system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein additional information concerning capturing the target or targets is stored in connection with the record formed in the capturing.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the record formed in the capturing the target or targets is one of the following or a combination of them:

a still image, a moving image, a sound.

9. A multi-recorder system comprising at least two recorders, which are arranged to be controlled to capture substantially simultaneously one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders, wherein the system comprises at least synchronizing means for synchronizing the recorders to a common reference clock, and

control means for transmitting a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp to the recorders via a wireless connection

to control the recorders to perform capturing at a time determined by the time stamp in the relation to the common reference clock.

10. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the triggering message is arranged to be formed in one of said at least two recorders.

11. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the triggering message is arranged to comprise information on a maximum delay caused by a time to transmit the time stamp between the recorders and by a delay time due to functionality of the recorders.

12. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the triggering message is arranged to be transmitted to the recorders by utilizing a wireless local area network or a wireless mobile communication network.

13. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the system further comprises means for gathering together the information captured with the recorders for further processing.

14. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the system comprises means for determining a physical location of at least one recorder by means of a positioning system.

15. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the system further comprises means for capturing additional information concerning capturing the target or targets and storing the information in connection with the record.

16. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the record formed in the capturing the target or targets is one of the following or a combination of them:

a still image, a moving image, a sound.

17. The multi-recorder system according to claim 9, wherein the system is a multicamera system.

18. A terminal for controlling one or more recorders to capture substantially simultaneously one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders, wherein the terminal comprises at least

synchronizing means for synchronizing the terminal to a common reference clock shared by the recorders, and

control means for transmitting a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp to the recorders via a wireless connection to control the recorders to perform capturing at the time determined by said time stamp in relation to the common reference clock.

19. The terminal according to claim 18, wherein the terminal further comprises a camera sensor and is itself arranged to operate as one of the recorders.

20. The terminal according to claim 18, wherein the terminal is arranged to form the triggering message by taking into account a maximum delay between the terminal and the recorders caused by a mutual data transfer with the recorders and by a delay due to functionality of the recorders.

21. The terminal according to claim 18, wherein the terminal is a mobile communication device.

22. A recorder unit, which comprises means for capturing a target based on a triggering message received by the unit, wherein the unit comprises at least

synchronizing means for synchronizing the unit to a common reference clock shared with at least one other device,

reception means for receiving via a wireless connection a triggering message that comprises at least a time stamp, and

triggering means for capturing the target at the time determined by the time stamp comprised by the triggering message in relation to the common reference clock.

23. The unit according to claim 22, wherein the recorder unit is arranged in a mobile communication device.

24. The unit according to claim 23, wherein the recorder unit is arranged to capture one of the following records or a combination of them:

a still image, a moving image, a sound.

25. The unit according to claim 24, wherein the recorder unit is arranged in a camera phone.

26. A computer software product, comprising computer-readable commands recorded on a memory media, the commands arranged to implement a capturing method, where at least two recorders are controlled to perform the capturing substantially simultaneously of one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders, wherein said software commands comprise at least

commands for receiving in a recorder via a wireless connection a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp to control the recorder to perform capturing at a time determined by said time stamp in relation to a common reference clock with which the recorders have been synchronized.

27. The computer software product according to claim 26, wherein the product is arranged to be run in a mobile communication device arranged as a recorder.

28. A computer software product, comprising computer-readable commands recorded on a memory media, the commands arranged to implement a capturing method, where at least two recorders are controlled to perform the capturing substantially simultaneously of one target common for the recorders or several targets separate for the recorders, wherein said software commands comprise at least

commands for transmitting to a recorder via a wireless connection a triggering message comprising at least a time stamp to control the recorder to perform capturing at the time determined by said time stamp in relation to a common reference clock with which the recorders have been synchronized.

29. The computer software product according to claim 28, wherein the product is arranged to be run in a mobile communication device arranged as a triggering device.