Texas Instruments Corporation

Ultrak, Inc.

Other

Freestone Systems, Inc.

Star Co.

Immersive Media of Texas, LLC

Alan Neal Cooper

David William Bauerle

James Walter Exner

Jaroslav Hynecek

Christopher Michael Fritz

Matthew John Fritz

William P McCracken

Erwin E Cooper

Merwyn Simpson

James K Taylor

A digital observation system and method for processing and transmitting video data between a video camera, or video cameras, and a base unit. The video data is transmitted, for example, by a communication protocol that is compliant with Ethernet physical drivers for transmitting and receiving data at around 100 Mbps. Video is captured at a sensor in the video camera, digitally processed and transmitted, thus overcoming limitations associated with analog processing and allowing unique features to be added. Images and other data may be transmitted efficiently in their native format, with reduced overhead, and in a non-compressed format due to the data transmission rate at or below 100 Mbps.

Digital observation system

The present invention provides a synchronization system comprising a base unit and at least one video camera. The base unit includes a master time-base adapted to set a time period that samples a frame of video data, a memory, and a base unit communications transceiver. The base unit communications transceiver is adapted to transmit a frame synchronization signal to a video camera communications transceiver. The video camera includes an image sensor adapted to store the video data, an exposure control adapted to control an exposure level of the image sensor, and a camera time-base adapted to receive the frame synchronization signal from the video camera communications transceiver. The camera time-base is further adapted to receive the frame synchronization signal, reset its time and initiates its internal timing sequence, transmit signals to the exposure control to control a length of the exposure, and transmit timing signals to the image sensor to read the video data.

Digital camera synchronization

The present invention provides a video transmission system that comprises a camera and a base unit. The camera includes a sensor memory adapted to store video data until each line of the video data is sequentially transmitted, a data buffer adapted to receive and store the sequentially transmitted video data until it is completely received at a base unit memory without errors, a data port adapted to receive from the data buffer and transmit to a camera physical transceiver the data buffered video data, a controller adapted to control data flow between the camera and the base unit, and the camera physical transceiver adapted to transfer the data buffered video data to a physical transceiver of the base unit. The base unit includes the base unit physical transceiver adapted to receive the transferred video data, a base unit data port adapted to receive from the base unit physical transceiver and transmit to a data buffer of the base unit, the transferred video data, a controller adapted to control data flow between the base unit and the camera, the base unit data buffer adapted to store the transferred video data from the base unit data port until it is completely received at the base unit physical transceiver without errors, and the base unit memory adapted to receive and sequentially store each line of the transferred video data.

Digital transmission system

A computer system and method for storing video data in memory is disclosed. Memory capacity is evaluated. If the memory capacity is sufficient to allow the storing of video data in the mass storage device, then the video data is stored. If the memory capacity available is insufficient to storage the video data and the mass storage device, the oldest stored video data in the mass storage device is identified. The oldest stored video data is then removed from the mass storage device and stored in memory. The video data in memory is then modified to require less space in memory. The new video data and the modified video data are then written to the mass storage device.

Computer system and method for storing video data

A computer system and method for distributing, decisions in a network. The network is partitioned into multiple levels including a user interface level, a gateway level and a domain level. All attached devices in the network communicate either directly or indirectly with user interface unit. Several gateway systems are attached to the user interface level. Each gateway system has decision-making capability. Each gateway system has connected to it multiple domains. Each domain level again has a set of decision-making capabilities. When the domain level receives an input, the domain level decides whether or not it may react based upon its decision-making capabilities. The domain system may react to the input and provide the gateway with a report of the event and the domain system's reaction to it. Once the gateway system receives the event and domain system status, the gateway determines whether to react to this event. The gateway may react to this event and direct the domain system to act according to its predetermined programming. The gateway system then sends to the user interface system the event, the domain system status and the gateway system status. The status includes whether the domain or gateway systems have reacted to the event. At the user interface level, the user interface system determines whether to react to this event and then provides a notice to the user, which allows the user to input an action.

Communications distribution apparatus and method

A video system (30) including an illuminator (26) and a silicon detector (34) which provides operators of motor vehicles (20) with an enhanced display of the vehicle's operating environment (24 and 28). The illuminator (26) provides a source of short wavelength infrared energy. A single silicon detector (34) processes electromagnetic signals in the short wavelength infrared spectrum and selected color signals in the visible light spectrum. A visual display (60) of the operating environment comprising the infrared image with enhancements from selected portions of the colored light spectrum are provided to the operator of the vehicle (20).

Video equipment and method to assist motor vehicle operators

A video processing system (10) is provided that comprises an image sensor image area (14) that operates to transfer an image to an image memory (18) to be processed by a video processor (16). The exposure length of the image is controlled by an iris controller (24) which comprises a signal decoder (30). An IMAGE CLEAR signal is juxtaposed with an IMAGE TRANSFER signal to set the length of the exposure. The IMAGE CLEAR signal is generated by an iris counter (36) and an iris signal decoder (34). The maximum count used by the iris counter (36) is set using a count length set circuit (38) which receives command signals generated by monitoring the video output.

Video processing system

A video system controller inserts synchronization pulses on a video camera line, which create a frame of video on the video camera line. The video system controller also inserts camera code in the active video period of a non-viewed line of the frame of video. A plurality of camera units are connected to the video camera line and use the synchronization pulses placed on the video camera line to remain synchronized with the other camera units. Upon sensing a particular camera code on the video camera line, the camera unit which corresponds with the particular camera code will insert a video image signal into the active video time period of the viewed video line for the frame of video having the particular camera code therein. The video camera code returns to the video system controller which receives the frame of video having a composite of the synchronization pulses from video system controller and the video image signal therein. The video system controller then transmits a video image signal to a video recorder or display.

Video multiplexer

A display and control module sends synchronization signals and camera display codes to a loop multiplexer module and a home run multiplexer module. The loop multiplexer module has a plurality of cameras coupled to a loop multiplexer unit. The loop multiplexer unit controls the synchronization and selection of video from the cameras for sending to the display and control module. The home run multiplexer includes a home run multiplexer unit coupled to a plurality of coaxial cables, each coaxial cable having at least one video camera thereon. The home run multiplexer unit receives the synchronization and control signals from the display and control module and uses those signals for synchronizing and selecting video images from one of the plurality of cameras for sending to the display and control module. The display and control module uses the video signals from the loop multiplexer module and the home run multiplexer module to display on a display.

Apparatus for control of multiplexed video system

A plurality of video cameras provide video signals to a video switcher of a video controller. The video switcher selects a video signal of one of the video cameras as the output video based upon a camera control code sent to the video switcher by a timing controller of the video controller. A video synchronization separator of the video controller reads the vertical synchronization interval and the horizontal synchronization pulse from the output video signal and sends those synchronization signals to the timing control. The timing controller generates a vertical drive signal having a plurality of vertical drive pulses that are timed with the vertical synchronization intervals from the video synchronization separator. The timing controller also generates a horizontal drive signal having horizontal drive pulses that are timed with the horizontal synchronization pulses from the video synchronization separator.

System and method for synchronization of multiple video cameras

The apparatus and method (10) are applied to an image sensor (26) having an image area (32) for receiving light to form a first predetermined number of lines of image data. In certain image sensors (40, 100), a storage area (44, 108) is coupled to the image area (42, 106) for receiving a second predetermined number of lines of image data from the image area (42, 106) in response to an image area gate signal. A serial register (68, 110, 126) is further coupled to the storage area (44, 108) for receiving successive lines of image data therefrom in response to a STORAGE AREA GATE signal, and the serial register (68, 110, 126) further serially outputs the successive lines of image data in response to a SERIAL REGISTER GATE signal. The image centering command input from an operator is generated by and received from a vertical and horizontal adjust input device (12, 14) that generates a vertical adjust value and a horizontal adjust value indicative of the amount of adjustment needed for centering the image. A timing controller (24) is further coupled to the image sensor (26) and the vertical and horizontal adjust input device (12, 14) to generate the IMAGE AREA GATE, STORAGE AREA GATE, SERIAL REGISTER GATE signals, a plurality of display timing signals, and also to determine the timing relationships between the signals in response to the vertical and horizontal adjust values.

Apparatus and method for electronic image centering

A system for processing video signals to compensate for distance-induced video signal delays includes a camera controller and distant camera are arranged so that the camera controller generates and sends a synchronization signal to the camera, which upon receiving it generates and sends back to the camera controller a reference signal starting at a fixed time following camera receipt of the synchronization signal, and further arranged so that the reference signal upon receipt by the camera controller is compared by the reference pulse comparator to determine if it is late, early, or at an acceptable time, upon which determination a phase adjustment signal is generated and sent by the camera controller to the camera second timing generator phase offset adjustment section to adjust appropriately the timing of the insertion of a video signal onto the transmission line by the camera.

Phase compensation for video cameras

A plurality of video cameras each send a video signal and an audio signal to a video controller. Each of the video cameras receive a vertical drive signal and a horizontal drive signal from the video controller. A sensor interface sends sensor signals to the video controller. The video controller sends camera status signals to camera status indicators which indicate which of the video cameras are active. The video controller determines which of the video cameras are active, selects the video signals from one of the plurality of cameras, inserts a camera number code into the selected video signals which corresponds to the selected video camera, inserts indicator symbology into the selected video signals which represent the information from the status interface, and sends the selected video having the camera number code and the indicator symbology to a video recorder.

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Coppell, TX, United States of America

Alan Neal Cooper