Video camera

Abstract

Embodiments provide a video camera configured to capture, compress, and store video image data in a memory of the video camera at a rate of at least about twenty three frames per second. The video image data can be mosaiced image data, and the compressed, mosaiced image data may remain substantially visually lossless upon decompression and demosaicing.

1 . A video capturing system capable of storing compressed mosaiced image data to a memory device, decompressing the compressed mosaiced image data to generate video output, and outputting the video output for presentation on a display, the video capturing system comprising:
 a housing;   an image sensor disposed in the housing and comprising first, second, and third pluralities of light sensitive devices intermingled with respect to one another, the first plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a first color of light, the second plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a second color of light different from the first color, the third plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a third color of light different from the first and second colors,   wherein the image sensor is configured to generate mosaiced image data from light entering the housing and output the mosaiced image data at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second, the mosaiced image data having a resolution per frame of at least 4 k; and   electronics configured to:
 demosaic the mosaiced image data as part of a first image processing to generate first video output, 
 output the first video output at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second for display, 
 compress the mosaiced image data as part of a second image processing to generate compressed mosaiced image data, 
 store the compressed mosaiced image data to a memory device at a resolution per frame of at least 4 k and a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second, 
 decompress the compressed mosaiced image data from the memory device as part of a third image processing to generate second video output, and 
 output the second video output at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second for display. 
   
     
     
         2 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display supported by the housing, the display being configured to receive the first and second video outputs. 
     
     
         3 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first color is green, the second color is red, and the third color is blue, and the electronics are configured to, as part of the second image processing and prior to compressing the mosaiced image data, transform first data of the mosaiced image data corresponding to the second and third purality of light sensitive devices based at least on second data of the mosaiced image data corresponding to the first plurality of light sensitive devices. 
     
     
         4 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are disposed in the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is configured to generate the mosaiced image data while the electronics output the first video output. 
     
     
         6 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed mosaiced image data is configured to be substantially visually lossless upon decompression and demosaicing. 
     
     
         7 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are configured to compress the mosaiced image data with mathematically lossy compression to generate the compressed mosaiced image data. 
     
     
         8 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are configured to compress the mosaiced image data with an effective compression ratio of at least 6:1 to generate the compressed mosaiced image data. 
     
     
         9 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first video output has a resolution per frame of 2 k or less. 
     
     
         10 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronics are configured to, as part of the third image processing and subsequent to decompression of the compressed mosaiced image data, perform a demosaicing operation so that the second video output is a demosaiced video output. 
     
     
         11 . The video capturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the mosaiced image data has a resolution per frame less than or equal to 4.5 k, and the first and second video outputs have a resolution per frame less than or equal to 4.5 k. 
     
     
         12 . The video capturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the image sensor is configured to output the mosaiced image data at a frame rate less than or equal to 120 frames per second, and the electronics are configured to store the compressed mosaiced image data to the memory device at a frame rate of less than or equal to 120 frames per second and output the first and second video outputs at a frame rate of less than or equal to 120 frames per second. 
     
     
         13 . A method of storing compressed mosaiced image data to a memory device, decompressing the compressed mosaiced image data to generate video output, and outputting the video output for presentation on a display, the method comprising:
 generating, using an image sensor, mosaiced image data from light entering a housing, the image sensor being disposed in the housing and comprising first, second, and third pluralities of light sensitive devices intermingled with respect to one another, the first plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a first color of light, the second plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a second color of light different from the first color, the third plurality of light sensitive devices being configured to detect a third color of light different from the first and second colors, the mosaiced image data having a resolution per frame of at least 4 k;   outputting the mosaiced image data from the image sensor at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second;   demosaicing the mosaiced image data as part of a first image processing to generate first video output;   outputting the first video output at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second for display;   compressing the mosaiced image data as part of a second image processing to generate compressed mosaiced image data;   storing the compressed mosaiced image data to a memory device at a resolution per frame of at least 4 k and a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second;   decompressing the compressed mosaiced image data from the memory device as part of a third image processing to generate second video output; and   outputting the second video output at a frame rate of at least about 23 frames per second for display.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 supporting a display with the housing; and   receiving the first video output and the second video output with the display.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising displaying the first video output or the second video output on a display. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the compressed mosaiced image data is configured to be substantially visually lossless upon decompression and demosaicing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said compressing the mosaiced image data comprises compressing the mosaiced image data with mathematically lossy compression to generate the compressed mosaiced image data. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising performing a demosaicing operation, as part of the third image processing and subsequent to decompression of the compressed mosaiced image data, so that the second video output is a demosaiced video output. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first video output has a resolution per frame of 2 k or less. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein
 the mosaiced image data has a resolution per frame less than or equal to 4.5 k, and the first video output and the second video output have a resolution per frame less than or equal to 4.5 k,   said outputting the mosaiced image data comprises outputting the mosaiced image data from the image sensor at a frame rate less than or equal to 120 frames per second,   said outputting the first video output comprises outputting the first video output at a frame rate less than or equal to 120 frames per second,   said storing the compressed image data comprises storing the compressed image data to the memory device at a frame rate less than or equal to 120 frames per second, and   said outputting the second video output comprises outputting the second video output at a frame rate less than or equal to 120 frames per second.