Pulse or digital communications – Bandwidth reduction or expansion – Television or motion video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-06
2001-05-01
Le, Vu (Department: 2613)
Pulse or digital communications
Bandwidth reduction or expansion
Television or motion video signal
C348S143000, C348S148000, C348S149000, C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226329
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image storing and processing device that can be used as a skip-back camera, a railroad crossing monitor, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As means for obtaining image information of events that may happen at any time or image information before such events happen, there is known conventionally a method of using a video tape recorder. For example, a conventional railroad crossing monitor for monitoring an illegal inrush of vehicles into a railroad crossing uses a continuous recording system with a video tape recorder.
The aforementioned conventional method however suffers from such problems as: (a) an image in which the event is reflected must be retrieved from a tape which results in wasteful time and labor; (b) when the tape comes to an end, it is necessary to replace the tape, and if a user does not take care of it, then necessary image information might be frequently lost; and (c) a rate of the amount of necessary data to a data amount of an entire tape used is low which results in poor efficiency. Particularly, the aforementioned conventional railroad crossing monitor has the following problems: (i) it takes time and labor to retrieve an image from a tape upon an illegal inrush of vehicles; (ii) it is necessary to replace the tape routinely upon completion of recording; and (iii) a rate of effective data to the entire data is low because of continuous recording.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image storing and processing device in which retrieval of stored image information is achieved easily in a short time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image storing and processing device in which there can be efficiently stored image information of an event, such as an illegal inrush of a vehicle into a railroad crossing which may happen at any time, and in which there is sharply improved a storage capacity thereof.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In accordance with the present invention, in order to achieve the objects set forth herein, an image storing and processing device is provided comprising: A/D conversion means for converting a video signal from a pick-up device to a digital video signal, image compression means for compressing the digital video signal and outputting image compression data, memory means for storing the image compression data, image expansion means for selecting and expanding the image compression data stored in the memory means and outputting image expansion data, and D/A conversion means for converting the image expansion data to an analog video signal. The device is characterized in that the memory means has a plurality of groups of memory areas composed of memory areas divided in response to the previously set number of pages of memorizable images, and in that there is provided control means that forces the memory means to store compressed image data while updating each of the memory areas of the same group at a predetermined time interval when no trigger signal is inputted, and controls the operation such that storage location is altered to the memory area of another group in response to an input of the trigger signal.
In the above device of the present invention, the control means may monitor the amount of data of image compression by the image compression means and increase the compression rate when the above amount of data exceeds the memory capacity corresponding to one page of a picture image.
The pick-up device may include changeover means in which two sensors are installed where they can photograph a vehicle in a railroad crossing for detecting inrush of a vehicle into the railroad crossing and which generates the trigger signal with an opening/closing control signal of the crossing gate provided in the railroad crossing and the detection signals of the sensors and changing over the pick-up device with the detection signals of the sensors.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a railroad crossing monitor is provided comprising: two pick-up devices installed where they can photograph vehicles in a railroad crossing, a sensor for detecting inrush of a vehicle into the railroad crossing, changeover means for changing over the pick-up devices with detection signals of the sensors, A/D conversion means for converting a video signal from the pick-up device changed over by the changeover means to a digital video signal, image compression means for compressing the digital video signal and outputting image compression data, memory means for storing the image compression data, image expansion means for expanding the image compression data stored in the memory means and outputting image expansion data, D/A conversion means for converting the image expansion data to an analog video signal, and control means for generating a trigger signal with the aid of an opening/closing control signal of a crossing gate provided at the railroad crossing and the detection signals of the sensors and forcing the image compression data the memory means to store in response to the trigger signal.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4511886 (1985-04-01), Rodriguez
patent: 4963995 (1990-10-01), Lang
patent: 4977451 (1990-12-01), Besnard
patent: 5497419 (1996-03-01), Hill
patent: 5689442 (1997-11-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5724475 (1998-03-01), Kirsten
patent: 5896167 (1999-04-01), Omae et al.
patent: 5915069 (1999-06-01), Nishijima
patent: 2749427 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 5-308638 (1993-11-01), None
Kananen Ronald P.
Le Vu
Niles Parts Co., Ltd
Rader,Fishman & Grauer
LandOfFree
Image storing and processing device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image storing and processing device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image storing and processing device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2490695