Video camcorders, smartphones, action cameras and other wearable and mountable video cameras are operated by pressing the record button to change the camera from a passive or standby state into the recording state, where video frames are saved until the same action, pressing the record button, returns the camera back to the passive or standby state. Whether it is a cellphone, action camera, digital cameras, compact hand-held video cameras, or other device capable of capturing video, they al l require the user to initiate recording before an event to be recorded has happened, and in the effort to maintain memory space, the recording function cannot always be on, risking the possibility of missing what the user would have wanted to capture on video. The other risk with this methodology is that if they do record for long periods of time, then the storage media fil ls up, the device wil l stop recording.

This is a problem for the user, as they may be recording something and may now have to stop to either free up some space or insert a new memory card if they want to continue recording.

At the conclusion of using a video camera, the video must be exported to a computer or other editing device, and then reviewed to see what was captured, the user can elect what video to keep and what to discard. The user will then import al l or some of the videos into special ized software to edit the highl ights or moments that were captured, to then use modern methods of sharing; the moment must be edited into a smaller length video. The methodology explaining this process this can be seen in Figure 1 where a user wil l capture a video, then take the necessary steps to remove the video from their device and edit it to share to friends and family. Dashboard cameras and some other cameras, employ another methodology of video capture; these take the ability to be constantly recording one step further. Unlike general-purpose recording devices, these cameras are typical ly designed to automatically overwrite the oldest files on the cameras storage media, iff the media fills up. This is a feature can be problematic, since it might accidental ly delete something the user real ly wanted to keep, but it works adequately for surveil lance and sousveil lance devices.

These existing technologies create at least three problems for the user:

1 .The potential to miss the very moment the user is trying to capture, because the user didn't have the ability to record for long periods of time, without editing hours of video.

2. The risk of having important moments overwritten by accident.

3. Significant time and skil l required to edit the video once it is transferred from the camera to a computer.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved portable recording device which overcomes or at least ameliorates some or all of the disadvantages of prior portable recording devices or to at least provide the publ ic with a useful choice. SUMMARY OF THE I NVENTION

In a first embodiment the invention consists in an image recording device comprising:

a controller for controll ing the image recording device;

memory associated with the control ler;

at least one camera lens for capturing images, at least one user input device;

at least one wireless networking device;

a power supply;

wherein the control ler is programmed to:

store the images captured by the lens on the memory;

receive a first signal from a user to save a video comprising a plurality of images of a first previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the first signal protect the images for the first time from being deleted;

receive a second signal from a user to save a video comprising a plurality of images of a second previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the second signal protect the images for the second time period from being deleted; and

in response to the second signal identify if the second previous time period overlaps the first previous time period and if so combine the videos from the first and second time periods. Preferably the device additionally records sound.

Preferably the device in response to a signal from a user uploads the videos to a storage network. Preferably the at least one input device is at least one button

Preferably user input may be captured via the lens and wherein the controller is programmed to detect signals from a user via the lens. Preferably the device is portable. Preferably the device is wearable.

Preferably at least one of the at least one wireless networking device is a WiFi device.

Preferably at least one of the at least one wireless networking device is a cellular device.

Preferably at least one of the at least one wireless networking device is a Bluetooth device.

Preferably the control ler is further programmed to:

receive further signal from a user to save a video comprising a plurality of images of a further previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the further signal protect the images for the further time period from being deleted; and

in response to a further signal identify if the further previous time period overlaps previous time periods and if so combine the images from the previous and further time periods.

Preferably the controller is further programmed to keep the videos separate if the previous and current periods do not overlap. Preferably the control ler in response to user input sets the previous time period.

Preferably the control ler is further programmed to additional ly save images from a defined subsequent period after a signal from a user to save a video is received. Preferably the control ler in response to user input sets the subsequent time period. Preferably the controller in response to user input adjusts the subsequent time period.

Preferably the control ler in response to user input adjusts the previous time period.

In a further embodiment the inventions consists in a method of recording a video using a recording device comprising the steps of:

storing captured images;

receiving a first signal from a user to save a video comprising a plural ity of images of a first previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the first signal protect the images for the first time from being deleted

receive a second signal from a user to save a video comprising a plurality of images of a second previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the second signal protect the images for the second time period from being deleted; and

in response to the second signal identify if the second previous time period overlaps the first previous time period and if so combine the videos from the first and second time periods.

Preferably including the step of recording sound. Preferably in response to a signal from a user uploading the videos to a storage network.

Preferably signals may be captured via a lens and the method including to detecting signals from a user via the lens.

Preferably the device is portable. Preferably the device is wearable.

Preferably further including the steps of:

receiving further signal from a user to save a video comprising a plurality of images of a further previous time period, the previous period being a defined period of time;

in response to the further signal protect the images for the further time period from being deleted; and

in response to a further signal identify if the further previous time period overlaps previous time periods and if so combine the images from the previous and further time periods.

Preferably including the step of keeping the videos separate if the previous and current periods do not overlap.

Preferably including the step of setting the previous time period in response to user input Preferably including the step of saving images from a defined subsequent period after a signal from a user to save a video is received.

Preferably including the step of setting the subsequent time period in response to user input.

Preferably including the step of adjusting the subsequent time period in response to user input.

Preferably including the step of adjusting the previous time period in response to user input. BRIEF DESCRI PTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of the recording function and off camera editing of the prior art;

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of the recording and editing function according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of the recording and editing function according to a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4a shows a front view of a camera according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4B shows a side view of a camera according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4C shows a top view of a camera according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 4B shows a bottom view of a camera according to an embodiment of the invention;

DETAI LED DESCRI PTION

Referring to the Figures 2 to 4D the camera 1 20 of the present invention operates differently from other cameras: In a process called "recall" in this specification, the camera 120 constantly records video from the moment it is turned on, and when the camera 120 receives a signal, based on an adjustable setting for recal l time (which is an adjustable length of time programmed into the camera 120 by a user via for example a smartphone appl ication, or by other means and which determines how much video wil l be saved). The camera 120 will then save a video of images and optional ly sound the length of the recall time up to the time the button was pressed. The camera 120 wil l continue to record and the process can be repeated to create additional video cl ips. A flow diagram of the process for using the camera 120 of the present invention is shown in Figure 2.

Recall mode is the camera's 120 default operating mode, in which the camera 120 records constantly but only saves video if the camera 120 receives a signal from a button or other methods including tapping on the camera 120 or from an impact, sound, increased movement sensed by the accelerometer, a recognized scene and/or face recognition from the image processor or other method. Once the camera 120 receives a signal the camera 120 saves a recall video, the length of the saved video is the set recal l time before the signal was created.

In one embodiment of the invention a user will set up a cloud account when they first use their camera, the user can log in using Google Plus or Facebook, by creating an account on a system server or by any other third party provided method. The cloud account is linked to the camera.

The cloud account is the default location for videos to be uploaded wirelessly by the camera 120 either during operation or while the camera 120 is charging. These videos can then be viewed, downloaded, edited or shared. Sharing can via traditional social media platforms, or within a community the user creates in the cloud platform. This community is created by either inviting users to download an app or appl ication and sign up to the platform, or by searching for existing users that are already members of the platform, videos can then be shared to users by tagging the video with defined groups. Members of those defined groups wil l then receive notifications via a smartphone application or other means as each video is tagged to their group, the user can also select "public" which wil l display the video to all other users. Recall enables the camera 120 to be more simply designed because it does not need multiple controls on the device, Figures 4A to 4D show an example

embodiment of the camera 120 of the present invention and the simple two-button interface. The first button is the power button 108, the power button 108 which has a primary use of turning the camera 120 on and off, but also enables a secondary function when pressed for less than 1 second (or other defined time period) while the camera 120 is operating, this enables the WiFi to be turned on and off manually. WiFi can also be activated by a smartphone using a Bluetooth connection. The recal l button 98, is used the control the recording functions of the camera 120 when it is turned on, its primary use is to activate the recall function of the camera, where by pressing the recal l button 98, a signal instructing the camera 1 20 to save the recal l time before the recal l button 98 is pressed is sent. The recal l button 98 can also be held down to activate recall plus or other modes of the camera.

Recall plus is where the camera 120 wil l save the preset prior recal l time and begin actively recording forwards, the user will then need to press the button 98 again to stop the recording and create the end of the video. When the camera 120 is being charged the recal l button 98 can be held down for 1 0 seconds to reset the camera 120 to factory defaults settings, removing the details of the user's cloud account, and erasing the memory on the camera.

Users can selectively capture video after the event or moment has occurred. When turned on, the camera 120 enters its default setting of recall mode where it is recording constantly. The camera 120 will continuously record for as long as the camera 120 has a power supply from the battery or other power source and available memory space, as it automatical ly overwrites redundant/unsaved video footage, i.e., footage that has not been selected by the user to be saved, preventing the memory from fil l ing up unnecessarily.

The camera 120 can continue to operate until the memory doesn't have enough space to hold one more video, referred to herein as a "recall video".

Advanced image processing allows the camera 120 of the present invention to use hand gestures in front of the lens to activate standard and custom signals, these signals can also be activated by face or scene recognition. A processor inside the camera 120 is programmed to perform optical gesture recognition on l ive video captured by the camera 120 to activate various functions. For example, each hand signal can activate a different length of recal l time or a different function such as recal l plus or time-lapse.

The gestures may include, for example, holding your hands in front of the lens and making an identifiable pattern with both hands, such as by holding both hands out in front and touching index fingers to the opposing hands thumb and making a rectangular shape, holding both hands out in front and touching both thumbs together horizontal to the skyl ine and pointing al l fingers to the sky, by holding up two thumbs in the air, by holding the hand across the lens preventing l ight from reaching the image sensor, waving the hand in front of the camera 120 one or more times, or any other distinguishable gesture.

The camera 120 can also include one or more of the fol lowing additional components including:

- a six-axis accelerometer that enables the camera 120 to sense movement and vibrations. This enables user to use touch gestures l ike tapping the camera 120 twice to create a standard or unique signal. It also enables the camera 120 to stabilize videos while they are being captured. It further enables the camera 120 to recognize acceleration, deceleration and/or vibration to initiate a signal to initiate any of the functions of the camera.

- a WiFi Chip that is used to send a video stream to mobile devices for previewing captured videos and to display a live view from the camera. The WiFi chip also enables the camera 120 to connect to the Internet to transfer videos wirelessly over the internet to a cloud server or other selectable storage solution.

- a Bluetooth Low Energy Chip that enables the camera 120 to send and receive data relating to settings and alerts. These can be from the smartphone to adjust image qual ity, frame rate, l ight settings, recal l time, WiFi network settings and as a remote to activate recal l. The camera 120 can use Bluetooth to notify a smartphone when the battery is at low levels or when the memory card becomes ful l.

- a circuit board that can include a control processor, video capture circuitry and/or memory, as well as features such as a charging circuit and various other electrical components that enable the functionality and connections.

- at least one lens 94 for example a customized 140 degrees wide-angle lens that sits on top of, such as a Sony 8 mega pixel image sensor. - a USB port 104 for connecting the camera 120 to a power supply to charge the battery or to transfer data from the camera 120 to an external storage device or computer.

The camera 120 of the present invention may be house in a housing made of plastic or other suitable material specifically designed for this camera. The camera 120 features a side button 1 12, to provide signals to activate different functions of the camera 120 and a top button 102 for the control of power and to activate WiFi. If the side button 1 12 is pressed and held while the camera 120 is charging it wil l reset the camera 120 to factory defaults and clear the memory. The power button 1 02 can be pressed for 3 seconds, for example, to turn the camera 120 off and held for ten seconds, for example, to restart the camera.

If a user wishes to record videos longer than the preset recall time, they are able to add additional video to a previous recall moment. This is achieved by providing the camera 120 with a subsequent standard signal and if the preset recal l time had not had elapsed after the previous standard signal; the system wil l add this amount of video onto the first video. Actively extending the video length, seen in Figure 3 provides a system of "stitching" multiple recal l moments together. When a the recal l video length 78 is longer than the time since the last time 76 a signal was received by any of the methods referred to, then the system will cl ip the start of the video to match the end of the previous video 90, it will then combine this video to the end of the previous video 92 and save this 84. The process can continual ly repeat this process each time a signal is received, providing the camera 120 has space in its memory and has electrical supply form the battery or via the USB.

The camera 120 can also combine both traditional methodologies and the approach introduced here (cal led "recall"), when longer record times are required, or if the user is unable to predict how long the pre-set recall should be set to for their environment. In this mode of recal l plus, when the camera 120 receives a signal from any method described, it wil l save recal l time, and actively begin recording, , in this mode a signal will be required to stop the camera 1 20 recording. Holding the recal l button 99 down for longer, for example, or by tapping on the camera 120 itself, could create a signal to activate the function. A further mode such as holding and releasing the recall button 98 a number of times may set a subsequent record time period. Alternatively, the signal for a subsequent record period could be set via a hand or other signal received by the lens. When the user is riding a bike, motorbike or driving a car, the camera 120 can be mounted to the car or bike to capture the front and/or rear view. If the user is in an accident, the accelerometer wil l output a unique signal to cause the camera 120 to save the previous (for example) 5 minutes and begin recording until the memory is full or the battery runs out; all video will be marked with a time stamp in this function. A standard signal wil l create a recall video as in Figure 3, and the camera 120 can be connected to the cloud to cache the video files there as they are created, as a back up to the internal memory on the camera.

The camera 120 can also be operated in a variation of the setting previously discussed, in which it will constantly caching video to a user's smartphone and/or in the cloud. The camera 120 in some embodiments is connected to the user's smartphone using wireless technology. Should the camera 1 20 receive a standard signal or should the camera's accelerometer detect a shock, then the camera 120 wil l notify the smartphone, which will provide instructions and G PS co-ordinates to the cloud. In as further embodiment a G PS system may be incorporated into the camera. The user wil l be prompted to (optional ly) cancel within a short time, and if no code is entered into the user's smartphone to deactivate (cancel), then an emergency message may be sent including a l ink to the video, which is cached on the phone or directly to the cloud, depending on the user's preferences.

In other use cases, the camera 120 can be placed in a housing that has a grid supplied power source, solar panels and/or a battery. It can have integrated WiFi signal boosters and/or a cel lular connection or other wireless connection method. It can also incorporate proximity detection technology, such that the camera 120 can be set to detect the presence of a unique identifier signal from, for example, a smartphone or a proximity sensor, and once the signal is detected the camera 1 20 wil l then save a video of a pre-determined amount of time before the signal was detected, marked by the user's smartphone or proximity sensor's unique identifier. This enables the camera 120 to retrospectively save a video of the person approaching and passing in front of the camera.

This short video can then be sent back to a central ized server and can be combined with other videos in a sequential order that are l inked to the unique identifier. On their journey the user wil l pass by other cameras and the process wil l repeat. These short videos can then be assembled in the cloud to create one video of the user's journey of al l the camera's videos stitched together in chronological order. This can then be overlaid with a companies brand and messaging to promote their experience to the customer.

The camera 120 can also use a waterproof and impact proof housing to protect its internal electronics from water, dust and impacts. This housing can be unique from others in that it can incorporate one or several other technologies to enable the camera 120 to provide for specific use case. These technologies may include a battery to extend run time, infrared LED's to provide for night vision, additional wireless capabil ities to strengthen the WiFi or connect directly to a cel lular network, a LED touch screen to preview and operate the camera 120 and other technologies to enable improved performance or different hardware or software functional ity. The camera 120 can use a WiFi connection, a cel lular network or other wireless communication to connect to the Internet and upload the videos to the cloud. A smartphone application and website can access and download, share and edit videos. The camera 120 may have a magnetic attachment system that al lows users to wear the camera 120 on their clothing. When the user puts the magnetic plate behind their shirt or other garment, the camera, which also has magnet in it, magnetizes through the clothing to hold the camera 120 in place. In certain embodiments, the camera 120 is a digital video camera system

comprising: an integrated hands-free portable viewfinder-less video camera, the video camera including a lens 94 and an image sensor, the image sensor capturing light propagating through the lens and representing a scene to be recorded, and the image sensor producing real time video image data of the scene without displaying the scene to a user of the video camera. The firmware of the system captures and saves al l video image data that is seen by the camera, a user signal that instructs the firmware to protect video image files from being overwritten by the operating system, this protection applies to when the signal is created, and backwards a preset amount of time, or by combining the preset recal l time and then recording forwards, this time is programmable using the smartphone, video files are then made available to a smartphone via wireless connection, the files can be previewed, transferred or deleted.

The video camera 120 comprises at least: a camera processor for receiving the video image data directly or indirectly from the image sensor, and a wireless connection protocol device operatively connected to the camera processor to send real time video image content by wireless transmission directly to and receive control signals or data signals by wireless transmission directly from a wireless connection-enabled controller. The camera processor is configured to: generate the video image content

simultaneously at a first resolution and optional ly at a second resolution, the video image content at the first resolution and the second resolution corresponding to the video image data representing the scene to be recorded, wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution, the processor is configured to recognize specific images and create signals from them to activate camera functions, stream the real time video image content at the first resolution using the wireless connection protocol device to the wireless connection-enabled control ler without displaying the video image content at the video camera, receive the control signals for adjusting image capture settings of the video camera, adjust the length of recal l time, adjust the image capture settings of the video camera prior to recording the scene, The video that it captures is preferably high resolution 1080p quality at 30 frames per second but other resolutions may be used without departing from the invention.

The camera operating system in that the camera 120 never changes states while recording. When the camera 120 is turned on the recording system begins creating segmented video files of the same length, which are continual ly created while the camera 120 is operating; these files are only permanently stored when a signal is inputted to the camera 120 by the user or by the sensors of the camera, without the signal, files will be discarded, the camera 120 maintains a directory file with details so it can process each video and that it knows which files are to be preserved. From this information the camera 120 will edit the segmented video files to create the required video, this can occur either during the cameras operation to upload the file via a cel lular connection or WiFi network or alternatively when the camera 120 is connected to a power source and over a internet connected WiFi network to a local or cloud based storage solution.

The cloud can notify a user's smartphone when their account has a new video or videos that have been uploaded to it with directly from the camera 120 or through the users smartphone and uploaded from the application to the cloud. The videos can then be browsed using a smartphone and edited and shared directly from there. They can also be downloaded to the user's smartphone from the cloud or to their computer form the web browser.

Figure 1 shows the current art for video capture. The process begins with 2, the user turning the camera on, 4 is the state the camera 120 wil l automatical ly enter once it turned on, 28 is when the user is ready to capture video, they must actively point the camera at the subject, 30 is when the user presses record to start recording, 32 is the process by which the camera saves the video, 34 is when the user has finished recording they press the record button again and the camera stops recording, 36 is when the camera saves the finished video file to the memory, 6 is when the user turns the camera off, 8 will require the user to connect the camera to the computer, either by cable or by using removable memory from the camera, 10 is when the user instructs the computer to remove the videos and place them in a folder or in some instances the software may request to import the files, 12 is the process of the computer to import the files into editing software, 14 is the user editing the videos in the software, 1 6 is the process of deciding format and file type that wil l be exported, 18 is the computer software exporting the new video file, 20 is if the user backs the original video and new video to an external source, 22 is the user sharing the files to friends and family, 24 is the user re-formatting or deleting files off the memory card before the next use, and 26 is when the user connects their camera to a power source to charge or puts the battery in an external charging device.

Figure 2 is an example of recall for video capture, one of the video capture techniques described above. 38 is the same is in the previous art in that the camera 120 must be turned on, 40 is that the camera 120 enters recall mode immediately and begins saving the preset recall time, if the user decides to retrospectively save a video, then a press of the recall button 52 to create a video of what just happened, 54 is the camera 120 saving the recall video to the memory, 56 is when the user decides to watch a video while using the camera, they must open their smartphone, connect wirelessly to transfer the video to the specific application needed,, 60 the appl ication will retrieve the videos from the camera, leaving a copy for later cloud upload, 62 the user can watch or share their videos once they are transferred to their smartphone, 42 is the user turning the camera 120 off, 44 is the process of charging the camera 120 through USB or via wireless charging, 46 is that when the camera 120 detects a power source it will activate WiFi (or any other suitable

communication mode/medium) and connect to the internet, uploading al l videos to the cloud, 48 is an alert from the cloud so users know when they have been uploaded to the cloud and then 58 is the user accessing and watching and sharing their videos from their smartphone. Figure 3 is an example of the methodology used to create recal l video files. As described in Figure 2, 64 is the camera 120 being turned on and then in 66 is enters recal l mode. The camera 120 has a recal l time X in 68 programmed into its memory from a smartphone, other means, or retained from the last known setting, when the camera 120 receives a signal 72, it logs the time the signal was received 74, it needs to define the time the video should start 76, it also reads the time since the last signal was received 78, the camera 120 then needs to define the moment the video needs to start from, to do this the camera 120 needs to identify if this is an isolated video or a video that needs to be added to a preceding video, in 86 the camera 1 20 checks if the elapsed time, K, since the last video ended is greater or less than the pre-set recall time, if "K" is longer than "X", then the camera 120 wil l move to 80 and use a formula to define the start point of the video, 82 is when both the start and end of the video is known, 84 is that the segmented video files are combined and saved, 88 is if the time since the last recal l "K" is less that the total recall time "X", this requires the newest video file to be to be combined to most recent previous video, the camera 120 needs to establ ish how long since the end of the last recal l video has passed being "A", giving the total length of the new video, 90 establishes the length of the video, 92 is where the video is combined to the previous video and in 84 the video is saved in the cameras 120 memory. While discussed with respect to a second received signal, the invention is not l imited to two signals only and further signals such as a third and subsequent signal may be received. When further signals are received the system establ ishes how long since the end of the last recal l video has passed being "A", giving the total length of the new video, 90 establ ishes the length of the video, 92 is where the video is combined to the previous video and in 84 the video is saved in the cameras 120 memory.

Referring to Figures 4A to 4D an example of the camera 120 of the present invention is shown, 101 is an attachment cl ip that provides for a lanyard or safety mechanism in case the camera 120 fal ls, 94 is the lens, 96 is the microphone, 98 is the recall button , 100 is the status light for connectivity of Bluetooth and WiFi, 102 is the white LED that lets the user know what mode the camera 120 is in, 104 is the micro-USB port to charge the camera 120 and access videos via a USB cable if required, 106 is the power status LED, this can be green or red, it provides a red flash and rapid flash to indicate that a signal has been provided to the camera, 108 is the power button which can be pressed to turn power on and held for (for example) 3 seconds to turn power off, taping the power button during operation turns on the WiFi in the camera.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict or in any way l imit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Further, the above embodiments may be implemented individual ly, or may be combined where compatible. Additional advantages and modifications, including combinations of the above embodiments, wil l readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of the Appl icant's general inventive concept.