OMNIDIRECTIONAL CAMERA FOR USE IN POLICE CAR EVENT RECORDING

1 . A system for capturing and storing images, the system comprising:

an omnidirectional camera mounted to a vehicle and operable to capture an omnidirectional image of a scene in a field of view of the omnidirectional camera;

a digital processor coupled to the omnidirectional camera and operable to receive the captured omnidirectional image;

the digital processor being operable to locate an area of interest from the scene and define a first subset of the omnidirectional image corresponding to the area of interest as a region of interest and a second subset of the omnidirectional image mutually exclusive of the first subset;

a data-storage device coupled to the digital processor and operable to receive and store the first subset at a first resolution; and

the digital processor being operable to perform at least one of the following:

discard the second subset; and

save the second subset at a second resolution lower than the first resolution.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the field of view of the omnidirectional camera is a 360-degree field of view.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the field of view of the omnidirectional camera is less than 360 degrees.

4 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:

a signal-generating device disposed within the scene; and

wherein the digital processor is operable to utilize a signal-detection algorithm to define the region of interest based at least in part on one or more signals received from the signal-generating device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the signal-generating device comprises a wireless microphone.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital processor is operable to utilize a gaze-estimation algorithm to define the region of interest based at least in part on a direction a person is looking.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital processor is operable to utilize an object-detection algorithm to define the region of interest.

8 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:

an optical target disposed in the scene; and

wherein the digital processor is operable to utilize an optical-target detection algorithm to define the region of interest.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital processor defines the region of interest based in at least partial dependence on a user input.

10 . A method of capturing and storing images, the method comprising:

providing an omnidirectional camera mounted to a vehicle and operable to capture an omnidirectional image of a scene in a field of view of the omnidirectional camera;

transmitting the omnidirectional image to a digital processor coupled to the omnidirectional camera;

locating, via the digital processor, an area of interest from the scene;

defining, via the digital processor, at least one region of interest within the omnidirectional image corresponding to the area of interest, the at least one region of interest corresponding to a first subset of the omnidirectional image;

storing the first subset at a first resolution in a data-storage device coupled to the digital processor; and

performing a step selected from the group consisting of:

storing a second subset of the omnidirectional image at a second resolution in the data-storage device, the first resolution being greater than the second resolution; and

discarding the second subset of the omnidirectional image.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the field of view of the omnidirectional camera is a 360-degree field of view.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the field of view of the omnidirectional camera is less than 360 degrees.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second subset is mutually exclusive of the first subset.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one region of interest corresponds to an area of the scene immediately surrounding a law enforcement officer.

15 . The method of claim 10 , comprising:

coupling one or more antennae to the digital processor;

detecting, via at least one of the one or more antennae and the digital processor, a signal from a wireless device;

determining, by the digital processor, from what direction the signal came; and

using the determined direction to define the at least one region of interest.

16 . The method of claim 10 , comprising:

detecting, via the digital processor, a location of an object disposed in the field of view of the omnidirectional camera; and

defining the at least one region of interest via the detected location.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the location of the object is detected in at least partial dependence on a pattern of motion of the object.

18 . The method of claim 10 , comprising:

estimating a direction in which a person is looking; and

defining the at least one region of interest via the estimated direction.

19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one region of interest is defined based in at least partial dependence on user input.

20 . A method of capturing and storing images, the method comprising:

providing a 360-degree camera mounted inside a police vehicle and operable to capture a 360-degree image of a scene in a field of view of the 360-degree camera;

transmitting the 360-degree image to a digital processor coupled to the 360-degree camera;

locating, via the digital processor, an area of the scene containing an object of interest;

automatically defining a region of interest within the 360-degree image corresponding to the area of the scene containing the object of interest;

compressing to a first resolution a first subset of the omnidirectional image corresponding to the region of interest;

compressing to a second resolution a second subset of the omnidirectional image, the second subset being mutually exclusive to the first subset and the second resolution being lower than the first resolution; and

storing the first subset and the second subset in a storage medium coupled to the digital processor.