ES2349517A1 - Device rescuing pictures of the past for audio-video equipment (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Rescue device of images of the past for audio-video equipment. The device (1) includes a digitizing block (6) that receives signals from audio-video equipment (2) and whose output is applied to a temporary storage memory (7) connected to an external recording controller block (8) whose output is applied to external storage devices (5). The memory (7) is governed by a control circuit (9) that has a delay circuit (10) that receives a signal from a recording activation mechanism (3). The control circuit (9) also governs a signaling block (11) that acts on indicators. The device (1) includes a power block (12) connectable to external power and recharge equipment (4). With this, when the recording is activated, a transfer is made to the storage devices (5) of sound-images captured by the audio-video equipment (2) prior to said activation and according to programmable time margins. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Rescue device for images of the past for audio-video equipment.

Object of the invention

The present invention, as expressed in the statement of this specification refers to a image rescue device of the past for computers audio-video, whose essential purpose is to facilitate a device for recording audio and video signals in unforeseen actions, so that actions can be recorded prior to activation of the recording command. So, through the device of the invention while attending the development of any action and after a fact that worth recording can decide to record that action although it has already finished, activating a recording that it can consist, for example, in a simple press of a button.

The technical sector in which the invention is that of sound and image recording equipment, and Its main applications can occur in systems audio-visual productions, in methods of training, training and learning, such as sports and performing arts, and in security systems exercising surveillance; being able to be selected according to the application of which treat the time margin that is recorded prior to pressing the recording command

Background of the invention

It is known by professionals in the field of audio visual techniques the importance of having the recording of the best images in any action or event; often missing important actions that escape by an impossibility or unfeasibility of making a recording permanent of all actions that occur in a given context. In addition, in the hypothetical case that they could record all those actions, the volume of images could be so large that its handling and viewing will be exhausting and frustrating, put that the vast majority of the images that are recorded lack of value from the informative point of view.

They are known in the current state of the art various continuous recording systems, whose main drawbacks are that they require a large capacity to storage and periodic erase operation to be able to Continue storing the recorded material. In addition, these systems of known continuous recording have drawbacks related to that cannot be used in many of the applications that could be of interest, either because of its excessive cost or difficulties application techniques

We do not know in the current state of the art no image rescue device that allows a Real-time recording is preceded or replaced by a pre-trigger recording of the corresponding activation recording media, as the present invention does.

Description of the invention

To achieve the objectives and avoid drawbacks indicated in previous sections, the invention it consists of an image rescue device from the past to audio-video equipment, which has inputs from signal for audio-video equipment, input control for a recording activation mechanism, input for a power supply and recharge equipment, and signal output to external storage devices

Novelly, according to the invention, the Rescue device includes a digitizer block audio-video that receives the signals from said audio-video equipment and whose output is applied to a temporary storage memory that in turn connects to a External recording controller block whose output is applied to the referred external storage devices; being governed that memory by a control circuit that has a circuit of delay received by the control signal of said mechanism of recording activation; also governing this control circuit to a transfer signaling block acting on some indicators; the rescuer device also including a block autonomous power supply, rechargeable and connectable to the referred equipment power and recharge; so that when a shot occurs, manual or automatic, of the recording activation mechanism, is produces a transfer to storage devices external image-sounds captured by the equipment audio-video prior to that shot and according to programmable time margins, so that a Real-time recording may be preceded or replaced by a pre-trigger recording of the corresponding activation recording media

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the referred digitizer, memory, recording controller, control circuit, delay circuit, signaling block and constituent feeding block of the rescue device is located in the same housing forming a portable device.

According to said preferred embodiment of the invention, said temporary storage memory is a V type RAM for video applications

In addition, in the preferred embodiment of the invention said control circuit is based on a microcontroller

In said preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned indicators on which the aforementioned block of signaling consist of led diodes that indicate that the device is proceeding according to given orders and that are voluntarily deactivatable for the purpose of greater discretion and a lower consumption

With the structure described, the device of the invention presents the main and following advantages:

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Saving in storage space: continuous recording systems conventional, apart from not being able to be used in many applications, require large storage that periodically must be deleted to continue recording; while with him device of the invention a recording can be made selective that only records the sequences that interest us, presenting the characteristic that the decision of record the corresponding action once it has already happened.

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Saving of time: with conventional continuous recording systems generates a large amount of information that forces us to view everything the material to extract the information that is going to be needed, what which becomes a hard and heavy task; while with him device of the invention a selective recording is made that allows you to record only the interesting actions that have been contemplated, so that files that are already being recorded determine a selection of the recorded material, determining a large saving time and inconvenience in the selection work and production.

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Permanent availability: with the device of the invention, and by simple ignition, it is already it stores in its volatile memory the opportune information, with what which can be considered as an active stand by; discarding automatically and periodically that information stored in a way staggered, so when a time comes when the action that just happened interests, just by pressing the button corresponding recording the stored information becomes a permanent recorded file on a memory card that can be Standard flash type used in photography.

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Simplicity of handling: to use the device of the invention, only the signal must be applied that you want to record retroactively, and when the remarkable action or after it is finished a Simple push of button.

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Great portability: the device of the invention, lacking Mechanical recording elements allows energy consumption and a considerably small size, allowing portability and great autonomy in its use.

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Image recovery from the past: This is the main advantage of the device of the invention, since than with conventional recording equipment, once it has happened an event cannot be archived by recording it for later use while with the device of the invention you can decide to record an action once you have concluded and it was appreciated that it was an event of interest.

Then, to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and being an integral part of the same, a unique figure is accompanied in which with character illustrative and not limiting the object of the invention.

Brief description of the figure

Figure 1.- Represents a block diagram functionalities of an image rescue device from the past to audio-video equipment made according to this invention.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

Following is a description of a example of the invention referring to the numbering adopted in the figure.

So, in this figure 1 we see that the device Rescuer 1 presents input connections with equipment audio-video 2, an activation mechanism of Recording 3 and an external power and recharge equipment 4, while on its output some devices are connected External storage 5. These items 2 to 5 can be conventional and employable in applications other than the that is intended for the rescue device 1.

Said device 1 has blocks basic functional 6 to 12 interconnected as shown by the Figure 1, and consisting of a digitizer of audio-video 6, a storage memory temporary 7, an external recording controller 8, a circuit control 9, a delay circuit 10, a signaling block of transfer 11 and a power block 12.

Using the rescue device 1 you can record actions that have occurred previously, establishing a rescued time that is defined as a window of storage that can be configured according to the application to the that device 1 is to be destined, by means of a simple programming. The rescued images will be recorded in a way permanent on external storage devices 5 for  subsequent use

The operation of the rescue device 1 It consists primarily of starting from having a signal of external video and audio that are applied and that come from audio-video equipment 2.

The video and audio signals go through a scanning process, in digitizer block 6, by means of application of a sampling routine of the applied signals. Then, those samples are quantified at logical levels and then they are subjected to a binary coding process using a standard codec, for final use in multimedia applications (avi. mov. wmv. etc).

The continuous flow of binary data obtained after the scanning process is applied to an element of temporary storage, consisting of memory 7 and consisting of this example in a memory of type V RAM for applications of video

The flow of data that make up the images is stored temporarily until the time of storage that is defined as buffer or window storage.

Once the storage is complete they leave deleting the images that have been stored the longest and are replaced by the most recent, thus producing a Continuous temporal displacement of the images contained in memory.

The recording activation mechanism 3 is responsible for giving the order to start recording. This order is given by a contact closure signal that can be manual, by action on a push button or by triggering an automatic system such as a volumetric presence detection system, a sound level meter, relays, timers, etc.

Regarding control circuit 9, in the This example is based on a microcontroller, and from it all the actions of device 1 are commanded. When a voluntary or automatic activation pulse occurs of the recording, the corresponding signal is sent to that circuit of control 9. At the order received in the control circuit you can apply an adjustable delay through the delay circuit 10, before starting the transfer of memory images temporary 7 to the external recording device or flash memory 5. This delay is made with the intention of including a period of time after the action is known as reaction, which It can be of great interest for recording a sequence Complete of the chosen action.

The circuit 9 microcontroller is responsible for direct the information contained in temporary memory 7 towards permanent memory on flash card or device 5 mass storage and through the controller block of recording 8.

The images contained in that external storage device 5 constitute the audio-visual content recovered from a past action on which the decision has been made to record it after it has,
happened.

In addition, the rescue device 1 has an operating signaling system and flows of transfer 6, the corresponding indication being made using led diodes to inform that the process is being Performed according to the orders given. This signaling system can be deactivated at will to reduce consumption and ensure discretion in surveillance work.

Device 1 can work by external power 4, but also includes a power supply internal rechargeable 12 that ensures its operation before cuts of electrical supply and also facilitates its use and installation in places where there is no permanent electricity.

Regarding the main applications of device of the present example in productions Audio-visuals should be noted:

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Selection of the best actions for form summaries of sporting or informational events.

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Recording from inside the action of various incidences in sports and adventure events, such such as rallies, tele-reality spaces, races, regattas or others.

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Making documentaries of nature, in which due to the unpredictability of the actions of animals or forces of nature may be required recordings of many hours to capture a single action of interest.

In addition, the device of the present example is can be used as an aid in training methods, training and learning Thus, the device of the invention can be very useful in these fields, since a coach, for example, can create very easily action files that allow you to help perform an assessment, evolution or correction of errors, in learning systems of various fields, such as the  sports, performing arts or others.

The device of the present example is also applicable in security systems.

Thus, taking advantage of the stand by feature active, the device of the invention allows the work of sentinel on alert for months or years without worries about operations and activating the corresponding button only at the moment when an action or fact is discovered worthy of being recorded, giving possibilities to rescue images from the last hours, or even days, depending on the time margin programmed. Keep in mind that in applications when security field, the time lapses rescued should be much larger than in other applications, being able to adopt a commitment between reducing the quality of images to capture and storage time allowed by the device. Thus, sacrificing a bit of the quality of the images time margins stored in memory can be provided volatile much older.

In these security applications, the device of the present example can be used analogously to existing recording systems but with the advantages that mechanical recording elements are avoided and that the consumption of energy is considerably small, providing greater autonomy of use These characteristics, as well as the reduced device dimensions can be of great importance in car, construction machinery and other goods surveillance that by their nature are exposed to the risk of acts vandalism

Claims (5)

1. Image rescue device from the past for audio-video equipment, which has signal inputs for audio-video equipment (2), control input for a recording activation mechanism (3), input for a computer power and recharge (4), and signal output to external storage devices (5); characterized in that the rescue device (1) includes an audio-video digitizer block (6) that receives the signals of said audio-video equipment (2) and whose output is applied to a temporary storage memory (7) that its Once connected to an external recording controller block (8) whose output is applied to the referred external storage devices (5); said memory (7) being governed by a control circuit (9) that has a delay circuit (10) that receives the control signal of said recording activation mechanism (3); further governing this control circuit (9) to a transfer signaling block (11) acting on indicators; The rescue device (1) also includes an autonomous, rechargeable power supply unit (12) that can be recharged and can be connected to the aforementioned power and recharge equipment (4); so that when a manual or automatic triggering of the recording activation mechanism (3) occurs, a transfer to the external storage devices (5) of sound-images captured by the audio-video equipment (2) takes place with prior to that shot and according to programmable time margins, so that a real-time recording may be preceded or replaced by a recording prior to the triggering of the corresponding recording media. 2. Image rescuing device of the past for audio-video equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that said digitizer, memory, recording controller, control circuit, delay circuit, signaling block and power supply block (6 to 12 ) constituents of the rescue device (1) are located in the same housing forming a portable device. 3. Device for rescuing images from the past for audio-video equipment, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said temporary storage memory (7) is a V-type RAM for video applications 4. Device for rescuing images from the past for audio-video equipment, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control circuit (9) is based on a microcontroller. 5. Device for rescuing images from the past for audio-video equipment, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said indicators on which the aforementioned signaling block (11) acts consist of led diodes indicating that the device (1) is proceeding according to orders given; these indicators being voluntarily deactivable for the purpose of greater discretion and lower consumption.