Video camera with capture modes
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 device including an image sensor, the device comprising:
an image sensor;
an image data buffer configured to temporarily store image data acquired by the image sensor;
a storage device configured to store an image data file include image data acquired by the image sensor; and
one or more processors, wherein the device is configurable to operate in a first mode in which the one or more processors:
cause continuous acquiring of image data by the image sensor at a first quality level;
temporarily store the image data acquired at the first quality level in the image data buffer; and
in response to receiving a user input identifying an event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
store, to the image data file and from the image data buffer, at least a portion of the image data acquired at the first quality level corresponding to the event of interest; and
store an indication of the event of interest with the image data file; and
wherein the device is further configurable to operate in a second mode in which the one or more processors:
cause continuous acquiring of image data by the image sensor at a second quality level; and
store, to the image data file, the image data acquired at the second quality level.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configurable to operate in the first mode and the second mode simultaneously.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configurable to operate in the first mode and the second mode operate exclusively.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first quality level and the second quality level are defined by at least one of: resolution, frame rate, or compression level.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the first quality level and the second quality level are independently user configurable.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first quality level and the second quality level are the same.
7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first quality level and the second quality level are different.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the image data is acquired at a resolution of at least 1080p.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the image data is acquired at a horizontal resolution of between 2 k and 10 k.
10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate of at least 12 frames per second.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the image data is acquired at a framerate between 12 and 250 frames per second.
12. The device 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.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises at least one of video data or sequences of image data.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the user input is received by at least one of: a button, a touch-sensitive display, or an audio input.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is further configurable to operate in a first mode in which the one or more processors:
discard remaining portions of the image data acquired at the second quality level that are temporarily stored in the buffer and that are not stored to the image data file.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the at least a portion of the image data that is stored to the image data file comprises image data acquired after receiving the user input.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the at least a portion of the image data that is stored to the image data file further comprises image data acquired before receipt of the user input.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the following is user configurable:
respective amounts of image data that are stored to the image data file and acquired respectively before and after receiving the user input,
wherein the respective amounts of image data comprise at least one of: respective numbers of frames, or respective periods of time.
19. A method of acquiring image data, the method comprising:
in a first operational mode of a device configured to acquire image data by an image sensor:
continuously acquiring image data by the image sensor;
temporarily storing the image data in an image data buffer; and
in response to receiving a user input identifying an event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
storing, to an image data file and from the image data buffer, at least a portion of the image data corresponding to the event of interest; and
storing an indication of the event of interest with the image data file,
wherein the device is configurable to operate in at least two operational modes that are user configurable.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
in a second operational mode of the device:
continuously acquiring image data by the image sensor at a second quality level different from a first quality level associated with the first operational mode; and
storing, to the image data file, the image data acquired at the second quality level.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least a portion of the image data that is stored to the image data file comprises image data acquired both before and after receiving the user input.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the following is user configurable:
respective amounts of image data that are stored to the image data file and acquired respectively before and after receiving the user input,
wherein the respective amounts of image data comprise at least one of: respective numbers of frames, or respective periods of time.
23. A device including an image sensor, the device comprising:
one or more processors, wherein the device is configurable to operate in a first operational mode in which the one or more processors:
cause continuous acquiring of image data by an image sensor of the device;
temporarily store the image data in an image data buffer of the device; and
in response to receiving a user input identifying an event of interest as the image data is continuously acquired:
store, to the image data file and from the image data buffer, at least a portion of the image data corresponding to the event of interest; and
store an indication of the event of interest with the image data file,
wherein the device is configurable to operate in at least two operational modes that are user configurable.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the device is further configurable to operate in a second operational mode in which the one or more processors:
cause continuous acquiring of image data by the image sensor at a second quality level different from a first quality level associated with the first operational mode; and
store, to the image data file, the image data acquired at the second quality level.
25. The device of claim 23 , wherein the at least a portion of the image data that is stored to the image data file comprises image data acquired both before and after receiving the user input.
26. The device of claim 25 , wherein the following is user configurable:
respective amounts of image data that are stored to the image data file and acquired respectively before and after receiving the user input,
wherein the respective amounts of image data comprise at least one of: respective numbers of frames, or respective periods of time.