Video camera with capture modes
View Patent ↗Embodiments provide a video camera that can be configured to allow tagging of recorded video and/or capture of video segments or sequences of images in response to user actuation of a camera control identifying an event of interest. For example, a user may press a button on the camera when an event of interest occurs, and in response the camera may tag a captured video file at a timestamp corresponding to the event. In another example, the user may initiate capture of video segments or sequences of images at an occurrence of an event of interest by pressing a button. The camera may include an image data buffer that may enable capture of video segments and/or sequences of images occurring before the user initiates capture of the event. User interfaces may enable the user to quickly review the captured video or sequences of images of the events of interest.
1. A method of selectively recording image data associated with an event of interest, the method comprising:
continuously acquiring image data by one or more image sensors of a video camera;
temporarily storing the acquired image data in an image data buffer;
in response to receiving a first user input identifying a first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired, recording to an image data file:
at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that was acquired prior to the first user input; and
at least a portion of image data continuously acquired during or after the first user input;
in response to receiving a second user input identifying a second event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired, appending to the image data file:
at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that was acquired prior to the second user input; and
at least a portion of image data continuously acquired during or after the second user input;
discarding remaining portions of the acquired image data temporarily stored in the buffer that are not recorded to the image data file, without recording the remaining portions using the video camera; and
further in response to the receiving the first user input identifying the first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
generating an indication of the first event of interest; and
recording the indication to the image data file.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the image data temporarily stored in the buffer to an output of the camera, wherein the output can be connected to an electronic display for monitoring the continuously acquired image data.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to said recording, appending, and discarding, and in response to user selection of a continuous record mode, recording the data acquired in the image data buffer using the video camera, without discarding the acquired image data.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data buffer is configured to store image data corresponding to a particular period of time or a particular number of frames.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises at least one of video data or sequences of image data.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data file is useable for visual presentation of the sequences of images.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data file is recorded on the video camera.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input is received by at least one of a button, a touch-sensitive display, or an audio input.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data is acquired at a resolution of at least 1080 p.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image data is acquired at a horizontal resolution of between 2 k and 10 k.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate of at least 12 frames per second.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate between 12 and 250 frames per second.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the first event of interest includes a time stamp that indicates a time at which the in first user input was received.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the first event of interest includes metadata indicating an association between the indication of the first event of interest and the image data that was acquired prior to the first user input and the portion of image data continuously acquired after the first user input.
15. A video camera comprising:
one or more image sensors configured to continuously acquire image data;
an image data buffer configured to temporarily store the continuously acquired image data; and
an image processor configured to:
in response to receiving a first user input identifying a first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired, write to an existing image data file:
at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that was acquired prior to the first user input; and
at least a portion of image data continuously acquired during or after the first user input; and
further in response to the receiving the first user input identifying the first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
generate an indication of the first event of interest; and
append the indication to the image data file.
16. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image processor is further configured to discard remaining portions of the acquired image data temporarily stored in the image data buffer that are not written to the existing image data file without recording the remaining portions using the video camera.
17. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image processor is further configured to, in response to receiving a second user input identifying a second event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired, append to the existing image data file at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that was acquired prior to the second user input,
wherein the portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that was acquired prior to the second user input is appended to at least one of: a beginning of the existing image data file, an end of the existing image data file, or a middle portion of the existing image data file.
18. The video camera of claim 15 further comprising:
a button positioned so as to be accessible for interaction by a user of the video camera during acquisition of the image data to identify an occurrence of an event of interest.
19. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image data buffer is configured to store image data corresponding to a particular period of time or a particular number of frames.
20. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image data comprises at least one of video data or sequences of image data.
21. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image data file is useable for visual presentation of the sequences of images.
22. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image data file is recorded on the video camera.
23. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the first user input is received by at least one of a button, a touch-sensitive display, or an audio input.
24. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the image data is acquired at a resolution of at least 1080 p.
25. The video camera of claim 24 , wherein the image data is acquired at a horizontal resolution of between 2 k and 10 k.
26. The video camera of claim 24 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate of at least 12 frames per second.
27. The video camera of claim 26 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate between 12 and 250 frames per second.
28. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the indication of the first event of interest includes a time stamp that indicates a time at which the in first user input was received.
29. The video camera of claim 15 , wherein the indication of the first event of interest includes metadata indicating an association between the indication of the first event of interest and the image data that was acquired prior to the first user input and the portion of image data continuously acquired after the first user input.
30. A method of selectively recording image data, the method comprising:
continuously acquiring image data by one or more image sensors of a video camera;
temporarily storing the acquired image data in an image data buffer; and
in response to receiving a first user input identifying a first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired, recording, to an existing image data file, at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer corresponding to the first event of interest;
further in response to the receiving the first user input identifying the first event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
generating an indication of the first event of interest; and
recording the indication to the existing image data file.
31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:
discarding remaining portions of the acquired image data temporarily stored in the buffer that are not recorded to the existing image data file, without recording the remaining portions using the video camera.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that is recorded comprises image data acquired before receiving the first user input.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that is recorded comprises image data acquired before and during receipt of the first user input.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that is recorded comprises image data acquired after receiving the first user input.
35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the at least a portion of the acquired image data in the image data buffer that is recorded comprises image data acquired before, during, and after receipt of the first user input.