Attorney Docket No.: 102246.0003US6
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`WRITE-PROTECTED RECORDING
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`[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application serial no. 13/790553 filed on
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`March 8, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application 12/560584, filed September
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`16, 2009, now issued U.S. patent no. 8692882 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
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`serial no. 12/268286, filed November 10, 2008, now issued U.S. patent no. 7593034, which is a
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`continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application serial no. 11/770920, filed June 29, 2007, now
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`issued U.S. patent no. 8310540, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent 60/824097,
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`filed August 31, 2006. This application and 12/268286 are also continuations-in-part of U.S.
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`patent application serial no. 11/846217, filed August 28, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S.
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`provisional patent 60/824095, filed August 31, 2006. These and all other referenced extrinsic
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`materials are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a
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`term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term
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`provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term
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`in the reference does not apply.
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`I. Field of the Invention
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`[0002] The field of the invention is video camera recording technology.
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`II. Background
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`[0003] Conventional camcorders use a variety of storage formats including digital video
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`cassettes, mini-DV cassettes, or DVD-R discs that offer a limited amount of memory to store
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`data. One of the major shortcomings of the existing camcorder technology is that the memory
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`runs out too soon. Once a portion of the memory has been recorded, there is less memory
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`available for further recording. Then when the memory is full, users have to return to their
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`home/work computer or media station to transfer the recorded data from the camera to free up
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`the memory. This creates inconvenience and inflexibility for recording on the go.
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`[0004] WO 2006/044476 to Vanman describes an electronic camera mounted to a police vehicle
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`with a circular buffer that is constantly recording. When the camera reaches the end of the
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`memory it records from the beginning of memory, erasing the earliest recorded data. Such
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`technology is often employed with surveillance cameras for long and continuous recording with
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`little or no supervision. However, Vanman does not distinguish or differentiate any data that is
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`of importance. To save data in the buff er, the user of the Vanman device needs to transfer
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`important portions of the buffer wirelessly to a central office or physically to a DVD disc, or else
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`risk having the interesting data be recorded over during loop recording. Such transfers are
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`processor intensive and may not be possible when the central office is out of range or an empty
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`DVD disc is unavailable.
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`[0005] Vanman and all other extrinsic materials identified herein are incorporated by reference
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`in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent
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`or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided
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`herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
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`[0006] EP 1064783 to Mann describes a camera mountable to a pair of eyeglasses that
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`continuously saves recorded images to a circular buffer in a computer on the user's waist. When
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`a user wants to save a piece of recorded video, the user must stop recording and offload the data
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`at another location before the user can record again. Mann also discusses streaming the images
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`directly to a wireless memory that may have a larger capacity; however, this means that the
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`camera does not work in the absence of a wireless connection. U.S. Patent 5,523,799 to Hattori
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`et al. also describes storing data in a memory having an archival portion. However, Hattori fails
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`to address sending data to a remote memory.
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`[0007] Thus, there is still a need for a recording camera that provides better recording and
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`editing functions.
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`III.
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`Summary of the Invention
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`[0008] The present invention provides apparatus, systems, and methods in which a surveillance
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`apparatus processes images by (1) continuously recording a stream of imaged data, (2) write
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`protecting segments of the recorded stream, and (3) sending write protected segments from a
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`local memory to a remote memory using a wireless transmitter.
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`[0009] The surveillance apparatus generally has a camera functionally coupled to a local
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`memory with a circular buffer. As used herein, the term "a local memory functionally coupled to
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`the camera" means that the memory that is distanced less than 20 cm from the camera, and is
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`coupled to the camera using entirely physical connectors (e.g., wires, pins, conductive paths,
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`etc.). This contrasts with a "remote memory functionally coupled to the camera", which would
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`be a memory that is distanced from the camera by at least 20 cm, or is coupled to the camera
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`using a wireless connection. The circular buffer is preferably organized into a series of memory
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`segments that loops back on itself and is organized into both available segments and write(cid:173)
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`protected segments. This allows a recording facility to record the data stream available in
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`portions of the circular buffer while skipping over write-protected matter. Preferably, the local
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`memory is large enough to store at least 5 or 10 minutes of imaged data.
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`[0010] Preferably, the recording facility continuously records the data stream into the circular
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`buffer any time the surveillance apparatus is powered on. As used herein, the term "continuous"
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`with respect to recording a video data stream means that data is recorded at least every half
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`second over a given ten second period. When a signal to record is sent to the surveillance
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`apparatus, a protecting facility designates a segment of the circular buffer to be write-protected
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`to prevent that segment from being overwritten during the next recording loop. Part of the write(cid:173)
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`protected portion could be a pre-recorded subset that is recorded before the signal is received,
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`while part of the write-protected portion could be a post-recorded subset that is recorded after the
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`signal is received. The pre-recorded subset could be as long as 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30
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`seconds, or more. Preferably, various aspects of both the pre-recorded subset and the post(cid:173)
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`recorded subset can be configured with a user interface. While the write-protected portions
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`could be electronically indexed using a memory heap or a clustered index, the write-protected
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`portions are preferably stored as separate files in the memory. Such files could be stored in
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`physically dis-contiguous parts of the circular buffer. Additionally, the indexing is preferably
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`performed while the recording facility is still recording data into the memory.
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`[0011] The signal to record is preferably automatically triggered by a sensor that detects an
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`image in the camera or a sound by the camera's microphone. For example, the signal to record
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`could be triggered by a human face, an open book, a computer screen, a whistle, a verbal
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`command, a recognized object, or a pattern of knocks. Alternatively, a user interface could
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`allow a human user to manually send the signal to record and could even allow the human user to
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`designate a length of time of the pre-recorded subset or the post-recorded subset. A user could
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`send two signals, one to start recording and another to stop recording, but preferably the user
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`merely sends a signal to start recording for a specified period of time. In an exemplary
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`embodiment, when the specified period of time has almost expired, say, for example, 5 seconds,
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`10 seconds, or longer, the user could extend the length of specified time by sending another
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`trigger to the surveillance apparatus. For example, the surveillance apparatus could send a
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`warning 10 seconds before it is scheduled to stop recording by vibrating against the user; in
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`response the user could say "don't stop" or merely cough to extend the length of the write(cid:173)
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`protected portion of memory.
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`[0012] While the surveillance apparatus could be a mounted on a hand-held video camera, the
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`surveillance apparatus is preferably a small device that can be mounted inconspicuously on a
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`person. For example, contemplated surveillance apparatus mounts are a pair of wearable
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`sunglasses or eyeglasses, a lapel pin, a collar button, a hat or visor, a hair pin, or a front of a
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`purse.
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`[0013] Since the surveillance apparatus is typically too small to house a large amount of
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`memory, the surveillance apparatus also preferably has a wireless transmitter that is also
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`functionally connected to the local memory. A sending facility uses the wireless transmitter to
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`transmit write-protected portions of the circular buffer to a remote memory that is not physically
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`connected to the local memory in some way. For example, the wireless transmitter could send
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`write-protected portions of the circular buffer to a mobile phone, or the surveillance apparatus
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`could be plugged into a mobile phone which is then used as a wireless transmitter to forward a
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`write-protected portion to another remote memory. In a preferred embodiment, after a write(cid:173)
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`protected portion of the circular buffer is transferred to a remote memory, the protecting facility
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`could remove the corresponding portion from protection so that the recording facility could use
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`that portion to record data.
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`[0014] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become
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`more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the
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`invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like
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`components.
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`Attorney Docket No.: 102246.0003US6
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`IV. Brief Description of The Drawing
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`[0015] Fig. 1 is a camera mounted on a pair of glasses connected to a circular buffer in a local
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`memory that is controlled by a ring.
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`[0016] Fig. 2A and 2B show user interface buttons for the ring of Figure 1.
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`[0017] Fig. 3 shows a diagram representation of the circular buffer of Figure 1.
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`[0018] Fig. 4A-4H show representations of the circular buffer of Figure 1 while the surveillance
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`apparatus is in use.
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`V. Detailed Description
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`[0019] In Figure 1, an example surveillance apparatus 100 generally comprising eyeglasses 110
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`having a camera 120 mounted at the nose bridge, and an optional viewfinder 130 applied onto
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`one of the lenses. A data and power cord 140 couples the camera 120 to a belt-worn recorder
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`160, which cooperates with a ring-shaped signaling device 150 and a remote memory 170. Those
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`skilled in the art will appreciate that the term "surveillance" is used herein in its broadest possible
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`sense, to include not only professional or commercial types of surveillance, but also any other
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`type of observation, including for example an ordinary person watching a baseball game or
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`birthday party.
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`[0020] The eyeglasses 110 are used here euphemistically to represent any type of camera mount.
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`In a preferred embodiment, the camera mount is disguised to be a common object worn by a
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`person or lying around a house, but could also be shaped and sized to look like a camera.
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`Contemplated mounts include lapel pins, hair clips, shirt buttons, purses, staplers, desk clocks,
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`tripods, head gear, hand grips, or security camera mounts. As used herein the term "camera"
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`means any device or collection of devices that includes an image capturing component that
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`captures image data, and a converting component that converts the image data into digital data,
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`possibly at least one data stream. An image capturing component could include one or more
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`charge-couple devices (CCD) complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductors (CMOS), CMOS
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`focal plane arrays (CFP), radiometers, or other manners of image obtaining devices. Camera 120
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`should be interpreted euphemistically to include all such variants. Likewise, a suitable converting
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`component could include one or more analog-to-digital converters, software codecs, or
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`integrated circuits.
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`[0021] Camera 120 contains an imager lens 122 used to focus images for camera 120.
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`Conventional lenses allow one or more of the following adjustments: aperture (to control the
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`amount of light), zoom (to control the field-of-view), or shutter speed (to capture continuous
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`motion.). In preferred embodiments, these adjustments are automatically controlled by the
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`camcorder electronics, generally to maintain constant exposure onto the imager without the
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`manual adjustment from a user. It is contemplated that the preferred embodiments offer direct
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`user control of all major optical functions. As with most modem digital recorders and
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`camcorders, an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter is used to digitize the analog imager
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`waveform output into a discrete digital-video signal. Thus, the recorder can be used to record
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`analog or digital formats.
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`[0022] Viewfinder image lens 130 is calibrated to have the same field of view as camera 120.
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`Preferably, viewfinder image lens 130 is embedded in between the two glass lenses of eyeglasses
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`110. Preferably viewfinder image lens 130 is a zoom lens with preferred standard zoom ration of
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`3x in or out of the focal length of the camera. A more sophisticated viewfinder image lens 130 is
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`contemplated to have a greater zoom range and also has nighttime vision or is able to render
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`images under different light conditions. Within the lenses, viewfinder image lens 130 is outlined
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`by tinted area or graticle and the outline graticle is embedded with glowing fiber optic filament.
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`Eye-glasses are made preferably from opaque, translucent, or possibly photo gray-type tint of
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`glasses. Alternatively, glasses change color slightly when energized.
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`[0023] Where the camera is a hand-held camera and is not embedded in a pair of eyeglasses,
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`viewfinder image lens 130 can be permanently fixed to camera 120, or it can be interchangeable
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`with lenses of different focal lengths and other properties depending on the need and
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`circumstances of use.
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`[0024] Recorder 160 is any recording device that records video and/or audio/video data,
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`including conventional recorders. Recorder 160 preferably includes a processor 162 with
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`software or hardware that accomplishes the functions described herein, or one or more physical
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`memories that are collectively referred to herein as memory 166. Typically, the recorder or the
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`camera converts analog images into a digital format to be stored in the memory, or also
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`preferably records both audio and video input analog signals from the camera to the memory.
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`Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the concepts described herein with respect to
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`video and/or audio/video data can be applied to recordation of purely audio, or in fact any other
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`type of data stream; this specification should be interpreted as expressly including such
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`application. A wearer could clip recorder 160 as a belt clip or another compact device.
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`Contemplated recorders include MP3 players, purses, or buttons. It is also contemplated that
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`recorder 160 could also comprise a cell or mobile phone having a suitable recorder application
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`installed that is configured to communicate with the other components of apparatus 100.
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`[0025] Although not expressly shown, recorder 160 also includes an appropriate power supply or
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`connection, supporting electronics, or a display or other interface. The power source can vary
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`considerably. For example, in embodiments where the recorded is relatively large, a suitable
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`power source can include a rechargeable battery. On the other hand, when the recorder is
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`relatively small, an appropriate power source can include an external power source (e.g.,
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`transformer for wall outlet or cigarette lighter adapter). Whether embodied in control buttons or
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`in some other manner, it is also contemplated that recorder can include some sort of security
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`control requiring a password and some sort of automatic turnoff feature that activates after a
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`certain amount of inactivity. Authentication or authorization of user access provides for ensuring
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`a proper user of apparatus 100 retains desired control. For example, once a user is authenticated,
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`the user can control indexing, editing, transmitting, or adjusting content data in memory.
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`[0026] Recorder 160 would typically record images in digital format, but analog or combination
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`formats are also contemplated. Preferably, the recorder's electronics are preferably all on a
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`unitary printed circuit board with different functions, or facilities, encoded on a programmable
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`chip or disk. For example, a recording facility 163 could record the data stream from camera
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`120 to local memory 166, a protecting facility 164 could protect segments (not shown) of
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`recorded data on memory 166, or a sending facility 165 could transmit protected segments (not
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`shown) of recorded data to remote memory 170. While the different facilities are preferably part
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`of a single hardware or software program, the facilities could be split into different components
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`as necessary. Other facilities could be installed, for example a facility that allows editing of the
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`received image data or protected data. It is contemplated that such facilities could be purchased
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`through or installed on a cell phone, possibly through an on-line application store.
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`[0027] The contemplated memory could vary depending on the particular configuration of the
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`recorder. Particularly suitable memories include commercially available micro hard drives with
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`a I-inch disc (which can preferably have a capacity of more than I GB), flash memory cards
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`with a capacity of up to 128 MB and more, or other transient and/or permanent memory units.
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`Likewise, suitable memory can also include SDRAM, MRAM, racetrack memory, SIMM,
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`DIMM, etc. with a capacity of at least 32 MB, more preferably at least 64 MB, or most
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`preferably above 128 MB. In preferred embodiments, memory 166 is a SDRAM capable of
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`storing at least 1000 frames of data. Once received by memory 166, frames are preferably
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`compressed by employing conventional compression rates and methods to achieve at least a 50: I
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`ratio.
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`[0028] In preferred embodiments, image data received by recorder 160 is stored in a circular
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`buffer 167 on memory 166. Preferably, all of the free space in memory 166 is used to create
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`circular buffer 167, however, multiple circular buffers could be created in the memory where
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`there exist multiple cameras connected to a single recorder. Once the recorder is turned on,
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`image data is continuously stored in circular buffer 167 for access. If no record or protect button
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`is pushed, the recorder will loop back and store the image data for a said length of time.
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`Recording, book-marking and protecting are used synonymously herein. Recording, book(cid:173)
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`marking and protecting means that a portion of the imaged data is write-protected upon an
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`activation of a signal by a user and can not then be overwritten unless the write-protection is later
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`removed. Consequently, protected data cannot be overwritten by newly stored imaged data in
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`the circular buff er.
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`[0029] The circular buffer is preferably large enough to store at least 3 minutes of data, more
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`preferably 5 minutes and most preferred 10 minutes of data. However, it is contemplated that
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`depending on the size and capacity of the device, any length longer or shorter is possible. It is
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`preferred when the recorder is turned on the entire circular buffer is treated and stored as a single
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`file. Thus, if no recording is protected or bookmarked, then the entire file will be erased and the
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`recording will start at the beginning of the circular buffer.
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`Attorney Docket No.: 102246.0003US6
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`[0030] Signaling device 150 is shown in the figure as a ring that communicates wirelessly (e.g.,
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`BlueTooth, Skinplex, wireless USB, 802.11, 802.15, UWB, Z-Wave, IrDa, Zigbee, etc.) with the
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`recorder, possibly as part of a personal area network (PAN). The ring can have any suitable
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`interface, shown in Figures 2A and 2B, including for example buttons on its outer periphery, or
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`a sensor along its inner edge. In Figure 2A, ring 150 has user interface 200, with a start signal
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`button 210, a stop signal button 220, a transmit button 230, a zoom in button 240, or a zoom out
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`button 250. Alternatively, the buttons could have decorative symbols in lieu of words of
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`function as shown in Figure 2B, or could even have arbitrary symbols surrounding the entirety of
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`signaling device 150. These buttons allow a user to manipulate and control image data and to
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`generate protected data.
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`[0031] In an alternative embodiment, turning the ring in one direction might produce a start
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`signal, and continuing to tum the ring in that direction might extend backwards the time period
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`that is protected. Where a default time period for storing pre-start signal data is used, extending
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`the time can be considered overriding the default. Similarly, turning the ring in the opposite
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`direction might produce a stop signal, and where a default time period for storing post-start
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`signal data is used, extending the time can be considered overriding that default. Electronics for
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`such a ring or other control device are readily available, and for example are similar to those
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`used in key fobs. Indeed, signaling device 150 should be interpreted euphemistically to include
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`key fob type device.
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`[0032] It is contemplated that the signaling device could be integrated into other items as an
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`accessory and that is wearable on an individual, for example a lapel pin or a pen within a pocked
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`protector. It is also contemplated that the switch could be portable or can be hidden or attached
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`to other devices such as a vehicle, furniture, etc. The signal could also be generated in non(cid:173)
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`tactile ways, for example by an audio command or whistle, or by an automatic sensor.
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`Preferably, the user could configure the audio signal to match only his/her voice.
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`[0033] At any moment, the user can signal recorder 160 to place a "bookmark" in the recording.
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`This signal can be sent by pressing a button that will then transmit a signal through wires 140
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`that attach to the glasses then to the recorder. The wires 140 could be fiber optic wires that are
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`small and thin to avoid detection. In an exemplary embodiment, the user could control the entire
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`system using signaling device 150, for example by turning the camera on and off, recording a
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`portion of image data, stop the recording, zooming in and out of image data; or transmitting
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`protected data into the remote memory 170.
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`[0034] While remote memory 170 is shown in the figure as a mobile or cell phone, remote
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`memory 170 should be interpreted euphemistically to include any memory that is not connected
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`to surveillance apparatus 100, for example, a DVD writer, a wireless network attached storage
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`(NAS) device, a wireless storage area network (SAN) device, a home computer, or even a second
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`surveillance apparatus. Preferably, sending facility 165 sends protected segments of circular
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`buffer 167 wirelessly to remote memory 170 whenever remote memory 170 is within range of
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`wireless transceiver 169, possibly as part of a PAN using one or more wireless communication
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`technologies (e.g., BlueTooth, Skinplex, wireless USB, 802.11, 802.15, UWB, Z-Wave, IrDa,
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`Zigbee, etc.). However, sending facility 165 could also respond to manual commands, for
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`example through a button on signaling device 150, recorder 160, or the mobile phone itself. In
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`an alternative embodiment, the mobile phone does not act as a remote memory depository, and
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`instead forwards the protected segment to a remote memory via a mobile internet or wi-fi
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`connection. Preferably, once protected data is transferred to a remote memory, the protected
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`memory areas then will go back to become free memory areas that are available for further loop
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`recording.
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`[0035] Write-protected data could be sent to the remote memory by an image sensor that outputs
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`data directly in "block" format typically converted with a raster-to-block converter. Further
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`compression could be used before transmitting the data if wireless bandwidth is an issue. Either
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`DCT or wavelet transformed data on native sensor formats could be used. The data is preferably
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`transmitted via the Internet, but could also be transmitted using radio waves, a pager, a two-way
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`pager, a physical cable, email, text message, picture message, or any other suitable
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`communication mechanism.
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`[0036] Figure 3 shows a diagram representation of circular buff er 167 in memory 166, with
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`unprotected segment 320 and write-protected segment 330. Write-protected segment 330 is
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`characterized as a predefined portion of the recording data. The recording facility 163
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`continuous! y records the data stream 310 into circular buffer 167. The recording facility 163
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`Attorney Docket No.: 102246.0003US6
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`records over unprotected segment 320 of circular buffer 167, while skipping over protected
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`segments 330 of circular buffer 167. It is contemplated that the portion of the circular buffer that
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`is marked as write-protected data cannot be overwritten once the recorder loops back to the
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`beginning of the media.
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`[0037] Figures 4A-4H show an alternative diagram representation of a circular buffer 300 as it
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`is being used.
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`[0038] In Figure 4A the recording facility (not shown) records data stream "A" into circular
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`buffer 400. The"_" character is used to designate blank memory, or unprotected memory that
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`can be overwritten. The ellipsis " ... " is used to show that the memory can be very large relative
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`to the number of positions shown in the figure. It is contemplated, for example, that memory
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`400 can be up to several hundred megabytes, 1 GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or even more. Such
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`memory is preferably of a flash type, non-volatile RAM, preferably in the form of a standard
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`flash memory card. In a preferred embodiment, circular buff er 400 comprises a logical
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`representation of a physical memory area. Buffer 400 can be configured to store data in the
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`physical memory by taking into account wear-leveling across the physical memory.
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`[0039] In Figure 4B the protecting facility (not shown) has protected a recent period of data
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`stream "A" as a function of a start signal, shown by the character "I". The start signal can be
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`triggered in any suitable manner, including for example manual operation of a trigger or a switch
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`by a user. For example, the ring of Figure 1 could be used as a switch, or any other wearable
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`accessory could have a switch integrated into it. In other examples, start signals can be triggered
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`by detection of a particular circumstance by a motion, sound or other sensor. In an exemplary
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`system, software can operate upon content in the data stream, such as by monitoring an entrance
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`to a building using a data stream received from one or more cameras, and could then send a start
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`signal when the image shows a person loitering in a certain area of the screen.
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`[0040] The "[" character is used to designate the start of protected memory. Concomitantly, the
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`portion of the data stream prior to the protected portion has once again been marked "_" to show
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`that it is unprotected. In protecting recent data, the system can protect a default historical time
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`period before the start signal is sent and protect a default period after the start signal is sent (such
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`as 30 seconds, 2 minutes, etc). All suitable defaults are contemplated. Alternatively, the
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`historical time period being protected could be altered in some manner, such as by software or by
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`a user operating a history button. For example, if a user hits a start button, the system might
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`default to protecting the last 30 seconds and the next 60 seconds; or it might protect the last 15
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`seconds and the next 2 minutes.
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`[0041] Preferably, before the protecting facility stops protecting data, the system sends a signal
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`to the user that the system is about to stop write-protecting data. For example, the system could
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`send an audio chirp signal, or in the case of a pair of eyeglasses, a portion of the glasses could
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`slightly vibrate to signal that the system will stop recording in 10 seconds. If the user wishes to
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`protect an additional 60 second time period, the user could hit a "more time" button. In this
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`manner a user could protect a 5 or IO minute period, or an even much longer portion of a data
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`stream prior to a start signal. Indeed, if memory 400 is interpreted as a multi gigabyte flash
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`memory, it is entirely possible that one could back up sufficiently to protect an hour or more of
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`such a data stream.
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`[0042] In Figure 4C the protecting facility has received a "stop" signal some time after receiving
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`the start signal, thereby lengthening the protected portion of the "A" data stream. The stop signal
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`is shown as character"]" and could be automatically generated from software or hardware as a
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`function of a default time after the start signal, or could be manually sent by the user of the
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`system. All suitable defaults are contemplated, including for example a 30 second or I minute
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`time period. Stop signals could also be generated in a variable fashion, again as a function of
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`software or hardware, through action of a user, or in any other suitable manner. Thus, a user can
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`well operate a start button or other switch, a more time switch, and a stop switch, which could
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`have the same or different interfaces. It is also contemplated that the system could recognize a
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`user's verbal commands for these functions.
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`[0043] Just as the system can utilize a default pre-start signal period of time for which a portion
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`of the data stream is stored unless overridden in some manner, contemplated systems can utilize
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`a default post-start signal period of time for which a portion of the data stream is stored unless
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`overridden in some manner. Using defaults for both pre-start and post-start signal periods allows
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`a system to operate with an extremely high level of user convenience. For example, in one
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`contemplated class of systems using such defaults, a user could operate a single button, ring or
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`Attorney Docket No.: 102246.0003US6
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`other interface to initiate a start signal, and the system could respond by automatically storing a
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`default 60 second portion of a data stream prior to the signal, as well as a default 30 time period
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`of the data stream after the signal. And all of that could be accomplished with a single operation
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`of the button. An interface could also be provided to allow the user to alter the length of time for
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`the pre-recorded portion and the length of time for the post-recorded portion. As should be
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`apparent from the description above, all reasonable the default time periods are contemplated.
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`[0044] In Figure 4D, the system has finished protecting the desired portion of the "A" data
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`stream, and the recording facility continues to store a "B" data stream into circular buffer 400.
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`Of course, the "B" data stream can be contiguous with the "A" data stream, so that differentiation
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`of "A" and "B" streams is merely an artifact of how the data is being stored. For example, if a
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`system included an eyeglasses camera being used at baseball game, the wearer might watch the
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`game for an hour or more without anything of interest happening. During all that time the
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`system would record image frames from the camera, looping in memory if the memory had
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`remaining capacity for less than an hour of images. When finally the wearer sees an interesting
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`play that he wants to protect, he operates a start button, or perhaps a more time button to protect
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`the previous minute of play. Once the interesting action has completed, he operates a stop
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`button, which thereby causes the system to complete protecting the entire "A" period of interest.
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`But th