1. A method for processing high-speed digital images, comprising the steps of:
a. generating images with an image sensor within a high-speed digital camera;
b. downloading an image from the image sensor to a remote computer;
c. defining an imaged-cued window comprising an area of interest in the downloaded image, the area of interest comprising a plurality of adjacent pixels in the image in which an event of interest is expected to occur;
d. defining a threshold level for all pixels in the plurality, wherein the threshold level is at least one of: an upper threshold and a lower threshold;
e. uploading the defined threshold level to a processor within the camera.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the images generated by the image sensor are at least 3\xd7105 pixels at greater than 200 frames-per-second.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of defining an anticipated time-rate-of-change of pixel signal levels.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of retrieving pixel data in real time from the image sensor.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of comparing within the camera the pixel data retrieved in real time from the image sensor to the defined threshold level.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising writing images retrieved from the image sensor in real time to large memory within the camera housing while the comparison is being performed.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of generating within the camera an image-cued trigger signal if pixel data retrieved in real time from the image sensor exceeds the threshold level.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of outputting the image-cued trigger signal to trigger external equipment.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of recording real-time image data in the large memory and continuously overwriting it in circular buffer fashion until a trigger level is set.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of defining the portion of the available memory to be allocated to pre-trigger recording and post-trigger recording.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of outputting to a remote computer the defined portions of pre-trigger and post-trigger images.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein an address of memory in the circular buffer of large memory is decremented or incremented by one frame count when a trigger is received.
13. The method of claim 7, wherein multiple separate blocks of large memory are reserved for storage of multiple separate image sequences following detection of multiple separate out-of-threshold image-cued trigger events.
14. The method of claim 7, wherein multiple separate extended memory blocks are reserved for storage of multiple separate image sequences following detection of either out-of-threshold image-cued trigger events or a combination of external trigger events and image-cued trigger events.
15. The method of claim 6, wherein the processor is armed when pixel data retrieved in real time from the image sensor exceeds the threshold level.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of defining a second image-cued window and generating a trigger when data retrieved in real time from the image sensor for the second image-cued window exceeds the threshold level if the processor is armed.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of defining a maximum delay between image-cued window events and resetting the sequence when a first ICW is armed but a second ICW does not trigger before the expiration of the user-defined maximum delay.
18. The method of claim 15, in which multiple image-cued windows are armed in a specific sequence before a recording trigger can be generated.
19. A system for processing real-time digital images comprising:
an image sensor capable of generating images with at least 3\xd7105 pixels at greater than 200 frames-per-second;
processing means capable of providing control signals to the image sensor and processing retrieved imagery in a parallel pipelined fashion;
small memory for storing look-up tables or buffering data for external transmission;
extended memory with which to store retrieved images capable of being overwritten in a circular buffer fashion; and
a digital interface to connect to a host computer or network;
wherein the image sensor, processing means, small memory, extended memory, and digital interface are all housed within a single enclosure capable of extended communications with an external host computer or network.
20. A computer readable medium configured with control logic that causes a computer processor to execute the method comprising the steps of:
a. generating images with an image sensor within a high-speed digital camera;
b. downloading an image from the image sensor to a remote computer;
c. defining an imaged-cued window comprising an area of interest in the downloaded image, the area of interest comprising a plurality of adjacent pixels in the image in which an event of interest is expected to occur;
d. defining a threshold level for all pixels in the plurality, wherein the threshold level is at least one of: an upper threshold and a lower threshold;
e. uploading the defined threshold level to a processor within the camera.
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 server comprising:
a receiving unit configured to receive terminal identification information of a subject terminal, which is a terminal to be registered;
a terminal managing unit configured to manage the terminal identification information of the subject terminal and determining whether or not the terminal identification information of the subject terminal has already been registered; and
a transmitting unit configured to, in a case where the terminal managing unit determines that the terminal identification information of the subject terminal has not already been registered, transmit, to the subject terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the subject terminal to display thereon a first use condition that should be consented to by a user at the registration; and
information for causing the subject terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a first input indicating a user’s consent to the first use condition,
in a case where the receiving unit receives, from the subject terminal, information indicating acceptance of the first input and the terminal identification information of the subject terminal, the terminal managing unit performing a first registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal.
2. The server according to claim 1, further comprising:
a group managing unit configured to, in a case where the receiving unit receives, from a manager’s terminal, not only the terminal identification information of the subject terminal, but also one of (i) group identification information of a group to which the manager’s terminal belongs and (ii) invitation information indicating an intention of the manager’s terminal to invite the subject terminal, manage the terminal identification information of the subject terminal and the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs,
in a case where the receiving unit receives, from the subject terminal, the information indicating acceptance of the first input and the terminal identification information of the subject terminal, the terminal managing unit performing the first registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs.
3. The server according to claim 1, wherein
after the terminal managing unit performs the first registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal,
the transmitting unit transmits, to the subject terminal, information for identifying the subject terminal,
the receiving unit receives, from the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
terminal identification information of the manager’s terminal;
the terminal identification information of the subject terminal; and
a registration instruction to register the subject terminal with the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs,
the transmitting unit transmits, to the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon a second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition,
in a case where the receiving unit receives, from the manager’s terminal, information indicating acceptance of the second input, the terminal managing unit performs the second registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs.
4. The server according to claim 2, wherein
the transmitting unit transmits, to one or more other terminals belonging to the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs and being neither the manager’s terminal nor the subject terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the other terminal(s) to display thereon a second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
information for causing the other terminal(s) to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition, and
in a case where the receiving unit receives, from at least one of the other terminal(s), the following pieces of information:
information indicating acceptance of the second input; and
terminal identification information of the other terminal(s),
the transmitting unit transmits, to the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
(a) information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon the second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
(b) information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition.
5. The server according to claim 4, wherein
in a case where the receiving unit receives, from all of the other terminal(s), the information indicating acceptance of the second input and the terminal identification information of the other terminal(s), the transmitting unit transmits the pieces of information (a) and (b) to the manager’s terminal.
6. A terminal management method comprising:
a first reception step of receiving terminal identification information of a subject terminal, which is a terminal to be registered;
a terminal management step of managing the terminal identification information of the subject terminal and determining whether or not the terminal identification information of the subject terminal has already been registered;
a first transmission step of, in a case where it is determined in the terminal management step that the terminal identification information of the subject terminal has not already been registered, transmitting, to the subject terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the subject terminal to display thereon a first use condition that should be consented to by a user at the registration; and
information for causing the subject terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a first input indicating a user’s consent to the first use condition; and
a first registration step of, upon receipt of information indicating acceptance of the first input and the terminal identification information of the subject terminal from the subject terminal, performing a first registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal.
7. The terminal management method according to claim 6, further comprising:
a group management step of, in a case where the first reception step receives, from a manager’s terminal, not only the terminal identification information of the subject terminal, but also one of (i) group identification information of a group to which the manager’s terminal belongs and (ii) invitation information indicating an intention of the manager’s terminal to invite the subject terminal, managing the terminal identification information of the subject terminal and the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs,
upon receipt of, from the subject terminal, the information indicating acceptance of the first input and the terminal identification information of the subject terminal, the first registration step performing the first registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group identification information of the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs.
8. The terminal management method according to claim 6, further comprising:
a second transmission step of transmitting, to the subject terminal, information for identifying the subject terminal;
a second reception step of receiving, from the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
terminal identification information of the manager’s terminal;
the terminal identification information of the subject terminal; and
a registration instruction to register the subject terminal with the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs,
a third transmission step of transmitting, to the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon a second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition; and
a second registration step of, upon receipt of, from the manager’s terminal, information indicating acceptance of the second input, performing the second registration of the terminal identification information of the subject terminal in such a manner so as to associate the terminal identification information of the subject terminal with the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs,
the second transmission step, the second reception step, the third transmission step, and the second registration step following the first registration step.
9. The terminal management method according to claim 7, further comprising:
a fourth transmission step of transmitting, to one or more other terminals belonging to the group to which the manager’s terminal belongs and being neither the manager’s terminal nor the subject terminal, the following pieces of information:
information for causing the other terminal(s) to display thereon a second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
information for causing the other terminal(s) to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition; and
a fifth transmission step of, upon receipt of, from at least one of the other terminal(s), the following pieces of information:
information indicating acceptance of the second input; and
terminal identification information of the other terminal(s),
transmitting, to the manager’s terminal, the following pieces of information:
(a) information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon the second use condition that should be consented to by the user at the registration; and
(b) information for causing the manager’s terminal to display thereon an acceptance object for accepting a second input indicating a user’s consent to the second use condition.
10. A terminal adapted to obtain a service offered, in a system for determining whether or not the service is to be offered to the terminal by identifying the terminal before offering the service, the system including a server and at least one terminal,
the terminal comprising:
a sending unit configured to, in making access to the server, send terminal identification information to the server;
a receiving unit configured to, before obtaining the service offered, receive (i) a use condition that should be consented to by a user of the terminal and (ii) an acceptance object for accepting an input indicating a user’s consent to the use condition;
a displaying unit configured to display the use condition and the acceptance object, both of which are received by the receiving unit; and
an operating unit configured to make, on the acceptance object, the input indicating the consent,
the sending unit sending, to the server, information indicating that the input indicating the consent has been performed, and then transmitting, to the server, the terminal identification information in making access to the server.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein a program for causing a computer to function as the server according to claim 1, the program causing the computer to serve as each of the units of the server.