Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Gary Porter

Andrew Arthur Hunter

Stephen Philip Cheatle

David Arthur Grosvenor

Guy De Warrenne Bruce Adams

An image viewed by a person is recorded in response to the pointing direction of the eyes of the person by using an optical sensor arrangement that simultaneously derives image segments corresponding with images seen by the person looking forward of his head and to both sides of his head. Alternatively, the sensor arrangement includes plural optical sensors for these images. One image of the plural sensors is selected for recording based on rotation of the head.

Image capture system and method

An image capture system comprises a portable computer having a software-implemented subsystem and a connection to a sensor responsive still image digital camera including a control module and a FIFO buffer for storing more than one but less than two data image frames. When the image subsystem reaches a point during reading of a frame from the buffer where it is 'safe' for the next image data frame captured by the image sensor to be stored in the buffer, the subsystem issues a 'continue' signal, causing the next image data frame to be stored in the buffer. The &#x201c;continue&#x201d; signal is only issued if the buffer has sufficient capacity for the next frame to be completely stored. The &#x201c;continue&#x201d; signal minimizes frame loss, optimizes memory requirement, and sensibly drops frames when the host computer cannot handle image data at the same rate they are generated.

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Weston-Super-Mare, United Kingdom

Gary Porter