Apparatus and method of storing video data

1. A method of storing video data comprising the steps of; receiving an MPEG video stream comprising I-frames and P-frames; separating the I-frames from the P-frames; storing the I-frames and the P-frames in the MPEG video stream separately; and providing information so that the I-frames and the P-frames can be combined to produce a full-motion video, wherein said storing step comprises storing the I-frames in a first circular buffer having a first period of time before information stored in the first circular buffer is overwritten with new information and storing the P-frames in a second circular buffer having a second period of time before information stored in the second circular buffer is overwritten with new information wherein the first period of time is longer than the second period of time.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said providing step comprises providing an index to correlate the I-frames and the P-frames.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said providing step comprises giving each frame of the MPEG video stream received in said receiving step a unique identifier.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said providing step comprises giving each frame of the MPEG video stream received in said receiving step a unique time stamp and numbering the frames sequentially.

5. A method of storing video data comprising the steps of: receiving an MPEG video stream comprising I-frames and P-frames: separating the I-frames from the P-frames; storing the I-frames and the P-frames in the MPEG video stream separately; and providing information so that the I-frames and the P-frames can be combined to produce a full-motion video, wherein said storing step comprises storing the I-frames in long term storage and storing the P-frames in short term storage wherein said step of storing the I-frames in long-term storage comprises storing only a portion of the I-frames from the MPEG video stream and wherein said storing step comprises storing a first I-frame, skipping the next I-frame in the sequence, and storing the next I-frame.

6. An apparatus for storing video data comprising: an input for receiving an MPEG video stream comprising I-frames and P-frames; a video stream separator for separating said I-frames from said P-frames; memory for storing said I-frames and said P-frames separately; and a sequence identifier for providing a unique identifier to said I-frames and P-frames so that said I-frames and said P-frames can be combined to produce a full-motion video image, wherein said memory comprises a first circular buffer for storing said I-frames, said first circular buffer having a first period of time before information stored in said first circular buffer is overwritten with new information and a second circular buffer for storing said P-frames, said second circular buffer having a second period of time before information stored in said second circular buffer is overwritten with new information wherein said first period of time is longer than said second period of time.

7. An apparatus for storing video data comprising: an input for receiving an MPEG video stream comprising I-frames and P-frames; a video stream separator for separating said I-frames from said P-frames; memory for storing said I-frames and said P-frames separately; and a sequence identifier for providing a unique identifier to said I-frames and P-frames so that said I-frames and said P-frames can be combined to produce a full-motion video image, wherein said memory comprises a long-term memory for storing said I-frames and a short-term memory for storing said P-frames and wherein said short-term memory is a circular buffer.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein said sequencer provides an index to correlate said I-frames and said P-frames.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein said sequence identifier provides a unique time stamp and numbers the frames of said MPEG video stream sequentially.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of searching the stored video data by searching only the stored I-frames.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 further comprising a processor for searching the stored video data by searching only said stored I-frames.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing fast playback video by playing back only the stored I-frames in the fast playback mode.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 further comprising a processor for playing back only said stored I-frames during a fast playback mode.

14. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of searching the stored video data by searching only the stored I-frames.

15. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of providing fast playback video by playing back only the stored I-frames in the fast playback mode.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising a processor for searching the stored video data by searching only said stored I-frames.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising a processor for playing back only said stored I-frames during a fast playback mode.