Methods and apparatus for encoding timelapse video
Systems, apparatus, and methods for encoding timelapse videos. Timelapse photography involves capturing a sequence of images at set intervals over a period of time and then playing them back at a higher speed. Unfortunately, timelapse photography introduces a variety of problems that conventional photography does not have. Exemplary embodiments capture light information in a power efficient manner and encode them in bulk (a video segment at a time). In some variants, the light information may be stored as raw data; in other variants, the light information may be stored as compressed images. The segment-based encoding has the additional benefit of creating identifiable breakpoints that allow for file access without interfering with the capture; this may be used to check the status of the video mid-recording.
1 . A camera apparatus, comprising:
a camera sensor;
a codec;
a power supply configured to selectively provide power to the camera sensor and the codec;
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the camera apparatus to:
determine a capture time scale;
enable the power supply for the camera sensor for each capture of a first set of images and a second set of images based on the capture time scale;
disable the power supply for the camera sensor between each capture of the first set of images and the second set of images;
enable the power supply for the codec and encode the first set of images into a first segment of a video after the first set of images is captured; and
enable the power supply for the codec and encode the second set of images into a second segment of the video after the second set of images is captured, and where the power supply is disabled for the codec between encoding the first segment of the video and the second segment of the video.
2 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , where the first segment of the video is encoded according to a replay time scale that is different than the capture time scale.
3 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , where the first segment of the video is transmitted to an other device for review.
4 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , where the camera apparatus further includes a user interface configured to obtain user input and where the capture time scale is determined from the user input.
5 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , where the camera apparatus further includes a network interface configured to communicate with an other device and where the capture time scale is determined from the other device.
6 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , where the camera apparatus further includes a network interface configured to communicate with an other device and where the capture time scale is determined from the other device.
7 . A camera apparatus, comprising:
a first logic configured to enable power to a camera sensor during capture states;
a second logic configured to disable power to the camera sensor during sleep states that occur between the capture states;
a third logic configured to encode light information captured during the capture states into a first set of images and a second set of images; and
a fourth logic configured to encode the first set of images into a video segment first segment of a video, and the second set of images into a second segment of the video, and where the fourth logic is further configured to sleep between encoding the first set of images and the second set of images.
8 . The camera apparatus of claim 7 , where the video comprises a timelapse capture.
9 . The camera apparatus of claim 7 , where the light information is JPEG-encoded into the first set of images and the second set of images.
10 . The camera apparatus of claim 9 , where the first set of images and the second set of images are MPEG-encoded into the first segment and the second segment of the video.
11 . The camera apparatus of claim 10 , where the capture states are triggered according to a capture time scale, and where the first segment and the second segment are characterized by a playback time scale that is different than the capture time scale.
12 . The camera apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a fifth logic configured to transmit the first segment and the second segment to an other device.
13 . A method, comprising:
enabling power to a camera sensor during capture states;
disabling power to the camera sensor during sleep states that occur between the capture states;
encoding light information captured during the capture states into a first set of images and a second set of images; and
encoding the first set of images into a first segment of a video, and the second set of images into a second segment of the video and sleeping between encoding the first set of images and the second set of images.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising opening a first file structure to store the first set of images and where the first file structure remains open during at least a first sleep state that occurs between the capture states.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising closing the first file structure before encoding the first set of images into the first segment.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising opening a second file structure to store the second set of images and where the second file structure remains open during at least a second sleep state that occurs between the capture states.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising closing the second file structure before encoding the second set of images into the second segment.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising appending the second segment to the first segment.