Digital observation system

Abstract

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.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present invention is related to patent application Ser. No 10 / 202,968 titled DIGITAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, to patent application Ser. No. 10 / 202,668 titled DIGITAL CAMERA SYNCHRONIZATION, and to patent application Ser. No. 10 / 202,257 titled UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS DISPLAY UNIT. These applications are commonly assigned, commonly filed, and are incorporated by reference herein.[0002]1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to observation systems and, more particularly, to a digital observation system comprising a digital camera and a base unit.[0004]2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005]A conventional observation system is based on standard analog cameras attached, via a specialized cable, to a Cathode Ray Tube monitor for display. All video processing is performed in the analog domain. This type of conventional system has several limitations including noisy video, low interlaced resolution, slow frame rate or image roll during switching, li...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The present invention achieves technical advantages as a digital observation system and method for processing and transmitting video data between a video camera (or video cameras) and a base unit via, for example, a communication protocol that is compliant with Ethernet physical drivers for transmitting and receiving data at around 100 Mbs. With such a digital observation system, video is captured at a sensor in the video camera, digitally processed and transmitted, thus overcoming the aforementioned limitations and allowing unique features to be added. Images and other data may be transmitted efficiently (in their native format), with reduced overhead (header information can be minimized), and in a non-compressed format (since transmission occurs at or below 100 Mbs).

[0007]In one embodiment, a digital observation system comprises a digital camera and a base unit. The digital camera includes a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor memory, a CCD image sensor, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit, and a physical interface. The CCD image sensor memory is adapted to store video data, while the CCD image sensor is adapted to transmit the stored video data in analog RGB color space format native to the CCD image sensor (analog RGB data), where the CCD image sensor comprises the CCD image sensor memory. The CDS circuit is adapted to receive the analog RGB data from the CCD image sensor and convert the analog RGB data into digital RGB data and the physical interface is adapted to receive the digital RGB data and transmit the digital RGB data with reduced operational overhead and increased operational functionality. The base unit includes a base unit physical interface, a base unit programmable logic device (PLD), and a display. The base unit physical interface is adapted to receive the digital RGB data with the reduced operational overhead and the increased operational functionality from the digital camera physical interface and display it via the display. The base unit PLD is coupled to the base unit physical interface and the display.

Problems solved by technology

This type of conventional system has several limitations including noisy video, low interlaced resolution, slow frame rate or image roll during switching, limited display capabilities and limited storage and processing options.

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