1. A method for processing a video signal containing video information related to a scene which may contain characters of interest, the method comprising:
(a) acquiring the video signal;
(b) processing the video signal to detect whether characters of interest are present in the scene;
(c) embedding indicator information into the video signal to indicate the presence of the characters of interest in the scene;
(d) converting the video signal into digital image data representing the scene;
(e) extracting the indicator information from the digital image data;
(f) determining based on the indicator information that characters of interest are present in the scene; and
(g) processing the digital image data to determine the characters of interest.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
step (b) comprises processing the video signal to determine location information indicating a location of the characters of interest within the scene;
step (c) comprises embedding the location information into the video signal;
step (e) comprises extracting the location information from the digital image data; and
step (g) comprises processing the digital image data based at least in part on the location information.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes embedding the indicator information into a particular video line of one or more video frames in the video signal.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes embedding the indicator information in a bit-serialized format in the video signal.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the characters of interest comprise characters of a vehicle license plate.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) comprises processing the digital image data only if the indicator information indicates that characters of interest are present within the scene.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises acquiring the video signal from a video camera viewing the scene.
8. A method for processing a video signal containing video information related to a scene containing characters of interest, the method comprising:
(a) acquiring the video signal from a video camera viewing the scene;
(b) processing the video signal to determine a location of characters of interest within the scene;
(c) generating location coordinates indicating the location of the characters of interest within the scene; and
(d) embedding the location coordinates in one or more video lines of the video signal.
9. An apparatus for processing video signals containing video information related to a scene which may contain characters of interest, the apparatus including a video camera comprising:
a video imaging device for viewing the scene and generating a first video signal;
a character detector for processing the first video signal to detect characters of interest present in the scene;
an insertion circuit for embedding indicator information within the first video signal to form a second video signal, the indicator information indicating that the characters of interest are present in the scene;
a camera housing for enclosing the video imaging device, the character detector and the insertion circuit; and
a video output connector on the camera housing for providing electrical connection to the second video signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a line detector for determining a video line of one or more video frames into which the indicator information is to be embedded.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
a video capture device for receiving the second video signal from the video camera and converting the second video signal into digital image data representing the scene; and
a processor for extracting the indicator information from the digital image data, for determining based on the indicator information whether the characters of interest are present in the scene, and for processing the digital image data to read the characters of interest.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:
the character detector processes the first video signal to determine location information indicating a location of the characters of interest within the scene;
the insertion circuit embeds the location information within the first video signal to form the second video signal; and
the processor extracts the location information from the digital image data and processes the digital image data based at least in part on the location information.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insertion circuit embeds the indicator information within a particular video line of one or more video frames in the first video signal to form the second video signal.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insertion circuit embeds the indicator information in a bit-serialized format within the first video signal to form the second video signal.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A vehicle covering system comprising:
a motorized vehicle comprising an outer surface;
an attachment component comprising:
a fabric panel comprising a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface; and
at least one strap attached to the front surface of the fabric panel, wherein the at least one strap is attached to the fabric panel at a plurality of attachment points along the length of the strap forming a plurality of loops in between the attachment points,
wherein the fabric panel is attached to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle contouring a shape of the outer surface, wherein the back surface is secured against and adjacent to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle and the front surface is facing away from the outer surface of the motorized vehicle.
2. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap is a plurality of straps substantially parallel to one another, wherein each loop of a first strap aligns with each loop of a second strap.
3. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of securement bands extending from the back surface of the fabric panel releasably attaching the attachment component to the outer surface of the motorized vehicle.
4. The vehicle storage system of claim 3, wherein the securement bands comprise a hook and loop fastener.
5. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an attachable accessory and a storage bag releasably attachable to the at least one strap via the plurality of loops.
6. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the motorized vehicle comprises at least one of a motorcycle, an all terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle (UTV), and a manned and unmanned military vehicle.
7. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the motorized vehicle is a motorcycle.
8. The vehicle storage system of claim 1, wherein the outer surface comprises at least one of a motorcycle panel and a motorcycle rack.