Total bus surveillance system

A method of capturing a plurality of composite video image frames at a specified frames-per-second rate using a synchronized video monitoring system, the method comprising:

• using a plurality of sensor modules connected to a data bus to capture image data, wherein;
• each sensor module comprises a lens assembly, an image sensor, and a sensor controller;
• each sensor module in the plurality of sensor modules is positioned at a different physical location within a monitored area;
• and
• capturing the image data comprises each sensor module performing operations comprising:
• capturing, using the lens assembly and the image sensor, image data representing an image of a field of view associated with the physical location at which the sensor module is positioned;
• and
• inserting the image data onto the data bus during a distinct, non-overlapping subset of time allocated to the sensor module within a frame capture cycle;
• using a collection module connected to the data bus to generate a composite video image frame from the image data, wherein:
• the collection module comprises a digital image compression engine;
• and
• generating the composite video image frame comprises:
• retrieving, from the data bus, the image data inserted by each sensor module during the frame capture cycle;
• inserting the image data received from each sensor module into a distinct, non-overlapping region of a composite image;
• compressing and encoding the composite image, using the digital image compression engine, to generate a composite video image frame;
• and
• outputting the composite video image frame, wherein the outputting comprises one or more of:
• storing the composite video image frame in a computer-readable medium;
• and
• transmitting the composite video image frame for display on a display screen.