Portable video and imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11310399-B2
Application number	US-201916371509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A portable video and imaging system includes a camera for capturing video of an event, and a video recording device for recording the captured video of the event. The camera is housed in a first housing, the recording device is housed in a second housing, and the first and second housings are physically separate. Various embodiments provide for the system to be mounted to a user's body, an article of clothing, such as a shirt or a hat, to a vehicle, or to an ancillary component carried by the user, such as a firearm.

First claim

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A portable video and imaging system for law enforcement comprising:
a camera housing;
a camera disposed in the camera housing and configured to capture video of an event and configured to be mounted on the body of a law-enforcement officer;
a first selectively attachable mounting assembly attached to the camera for attaching the camera to an article of clothing of the law-enforcement officer;
a second selectively attachable mounting assembly for selectively attaching to the first selectively attachable mounting assembly and selectively attaching to the article of clothing of the law-enforcement officer,
wherein the first selectively attachable mounting assembly is interchangeable with the second selectively attachable mounting assembly;
wherein the camera housing comprises a recessed seat on a side opposite an exposure side of the camera,
wherein the recessed seat is configured to receive and connect to the first selectively attachable mounting assembly;
wherein the recessed seat is configured to receive and connect to the second selectively attachable mounting assembly;
a cellular wireless data interface;
a solid-state memory; and
a processor programmed to:
receive information indicative of a triggering event;
responsive to receiving the information indicative of the triggering event, causing the captured video of the event and metadata for the event to be stored to the solid-state memory in a video file;
wirelessly transmit the video file, via the cellular wireless data interface, to a mobile communications device configured for viewing the video on the mobile communications device; and
transmit the video file to a computer configured for viewing the video at a website.

2. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of the triggering event is received via the cellular wireless data interface.

3. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is further configured to be mounted in a law-enforcement vehicle.

4. The portable video and imaging system of claim 3 , further comprising a wired communication port useable when the camera is mounted in the law enforcement vehicle.

5. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a GPS receiver, and wherein the metadata for the event comprises a location for at least a portion of the portable video and imaging system during the event.

6. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising an additional camera configured to capture additional video of the event, and wherein the processor is configured to store the additional video of the event into the video file.

7. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is a remote-controlled activation of the camera.

8. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the computer stores the video file as evidence related to the event.

9. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a detachable battery pack for powering the portable video and imaging system.

10. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a microphone configured to capture audio in the vicinity of the law enforcement officer, and wherein the processor is configured to store the captured audio in the video file.

11. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first housing containing the camera;
a second housing distinct from the first housing containing the cellular wireless data interface, the solid-state memory, and the processor; and
a wired power and data connection connecting the first housing to the second housing.

12. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the video file is transmitted to the computer via the cellular wireless data interface.

13. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is activation of another portable video and imaging system.

14. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising an input actuatable by the law-enforcement officer and wherein the metadata for the event comprises recording of one or more times during the event when the law-enforcement officer actuated the input.

15. The portable video and imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the video file further comprises pre-event recording video data of a period immediately preceding the triggering event.

16. A method of documenting a law-enforcement event by a portable video and imaging system, comprising the steps of:
receiving information indicative of a triggering event via a cellular wireless data interface;
responsive to receiving the information indicative of the triggering event, causing video of the law-enforcement event captured by a video camera and metadata for the law-enforcement event to be stored to a solid-state memory in a video file,
wherein the video camera is configured to capture the video of the law-enforcement event and is further configured with a first selectively attachable mounting assembly to be mounted on an article of clothing of a law-enforcement officer,
wherein the video camera comprises a housing comprising a recessed seat on a side opposite an exposure side of the video camera,
wherein the recessed seat is configured to interchangeably receive the first selectively attachable mounting assembly and a second selectively attachable mounting assembly,
responsive to receiving the information indicative of the triggering event, causing pre-event recording video data of a period immediately preceding the triggering event to be stored to the video file;
wireless streaming the video file, during the law-enforcement event and via the cellular wireless data interface, to a computer configured for viewing the video data at a web site.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the computer further stores the video data as evidence related to the law-enforcement event.

18. A portable video and imaging system for law enforcement comprising:
a camera housing;
a camera disposed in the camera housing and configured to capture video of an event and configured to be mounted on a law-enforcement vehicle,
a first selectively attachable mounting assembly attached to the camera for attaching to an article of clothing of a law-enforcement officer,
a second selectively attachable mounting assembly for selectively attaching to the first selectively attachable mounting assembly and selectively attaching to the article of clothing of the law-enforcement officer,
wherein the camera housing comprises a recessed seat on a side opposite an exposure side of the camera,
wherein the recessed seat is configured to receive and attach to the first selectively attachable mounting assembly,
wherein the recessed seat is configured to receive and attach to the second selectively attachable mounting assembly;
a microphone configured to capture audio of the event and configured to be mounted on the body of the law-enforcement officer;
a cellular wireless data interface;
a solid-state memory; and
a processor programmed to:
receive information indicative of a triggering event;
responsive to receiving the information indicative of the triggering event, causing the captured video of the event, captured audio of the event and metadata for the event to be stored to the solid-state memory in a video file;
wirelessly transmit the video file, via t

Assignees

• Digital Ally Inc

Inventors

• Phillips Steve
• Troxel Jason R

Classifications

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• F16M11/14

  with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 {; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30}) · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2011/0089

  around three axes, i.e. universally mounted · CPC title