Converting dual-context video data to full color video

A method comprising:

• providing a first series of video frames encoded in accordance with a full color model and a second series of video frames encoded in accordance with an underdetermined color model, the first series of video frames and the second series of video frames being interleaved as to form a series of pairs of frames, with each pair of frames in the series of frames comprising a color video frame and an underdetermined video frame;
• generating a composite image for each pair of frames in the series of frames comprising a set of brightness values from the underdetermined video frame and a set of chrominance values from the color video frame;
• and
• replacing the underdetermined video frame in each of the series of pairs of frames with the composite image generated for the pair of frames to provide a color video stream, such that the color video stream comprises the first series of video frames and the composite image generated for each pair of frames of the series of pairs of frames.

A system comprising:

• a dual-context camera that provides a series of color video frames and a series of grayscale video frames, the series of color video frames and the series of grayscale video frames being interleaved as to form a series of pairs of frames, each comprising a color video frame and a grayscale video frame;
• an image merger that generates a composite image for each pair of frames in the series of frames, the composite image comprising a set of brightness values from the grayscale video frame and a set of chrominance values from the color video frame;
• and
• a color video source that replaces the grayscale video frame in each of the series of pairs of frames with the composite image generated for the pair of frames to provide a color video stream, such that the color video stream comprises the first series of color video frames and the composite image generated for each pair of frames of the series of pairs of frames.