Dual lens camera unit

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a portable digital video system sized to be worn on the user's body and equipped with a plurality of lens assemblies for recording video in a plurality of directions. In one embodiment, the invention includes a camera unit comprising a first lens assembly, a second lens assembly, a first housing containing the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly, a battery unit, a first storage memory, controller circuitry operable to receive video data from the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly and store the video data in the first storage memory, and a second housing containing the battery unit and attached via a cable to the first housing unit. In some embodiments, the system is equipped with both volatile and non-volatile memory for continuous recording with permanent storage of key video segments.

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 system comprising:
 a camera unit:
 a first lens assembly for capturing first image data in a first direction along a first optical axis; 
 a second lens assembly for capturing second image data in a second direction along a second optical axis, 
 wherein the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are rotatably attached together by a pivot; and 
   a storage unit comprising:
 a power supply; and 
 at least one memory, 
   wherein the camera unit and the storage unit are configured to transfer power, the first image data, and the second image data therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are independently movable. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first optical axis and the second optical axis are arranged in a skew orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera unit further comprises:
 a third lens assembly for capturing third image data in a third direction along a third optical axis.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera unit further comprises:
 a display for displaying the first image data from the first lens assembly, the second image data from the second lens assembly, or both.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the camera unit further comprises:
 an actuator for switching the display between displaying the first image data from the first lens assembly to displaying the second image data from the second lens assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot includes a plurality of detents corresponding to pre-selected angles. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera unit and the storage unit are wirelessly connected. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising controller circuitry,
 wherein the controller circuitry is configured such that a triggering event automatically initiates recording and storage of the first image data, the second image data, or both.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of:
 a sensor-related triggering event, a context data recognition related triggering event; a user-related triggering event; or a manually-initiated triggering event.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:
 a microphone, a radio receiver, a GPS receiver, an accelerometer, a RFID tag, or a holster sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user-related triggering event comprises at least one of:
 a user's elevated heart rate, a user's elevated blood pressure, a user's elevated respiration, a user's raised voice, or a user's high level of vocal stress.   
     
     
         14 . A method of operating a camera unit, comprising:
 capturing first image data in a first direction along a first optical axis using a first lens assembly;   capturing second image data in a second direction along a second optical axis using a second lens assembly,   rotating the first lens assembly relative to the second lens assembly, wherein the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are rotatably attached together by a pivot; and   recording and storing the first image data, the second image data, or both in a first memory.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 upon the occurrence of a triggering event, transferring the first image data, the second image data, or both from the first memory to a second memory.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 detecting the triggering event by a sensor.   
     
     
         17 . A camera unit:
 a first lens assembly for capturing first image data in a first direction along a first optical axis;   a second lens assembly for capturing second image data in a second direction along a second optical axis,   wherein the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are rotatably attached together by a pivot, and   wherein the first optical axis and the second optical axis are arranged in a skew orientation; and   a display for displaying at least one of the first image data and the second image data.   
     
     
         18 . The camera unit of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 at least one memory; and   controller circuitry, wherein the controller circuitry is configured such that a triggering event automatically initiates recording and storage of the first image data, the second image data, or both.   
     
     
         19 . The camera unit of  claim 17 , wherein the camera unit is adapted to be connected to at least one sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The camera unit of  claim 17 , wherein the pivot includes a plurality of detents corresponding to pre-selected angles.