Omnidirectional camera with multiple processors and/or multiple sensors connected to each processor

An apparatus comprising:

• a casing configured to secure (A) a plurality of sensors, each of said sensors configured to capture images and (B) a plurality of audio modules configured to capture audio;
• a first processor configured to receive (i) said images from a first of said plurality of sensors and said audio from a first of said plurality of audio modules and (ii) said images from a second of said plurality of sensors and said audio from a second of said plurality of audio modules;
• and
• a second processor configured to receive (i) said images from a third of said plurality of sensors and said audio from a third of said plurality of audio modules and (ii) said images from a fourth of said plurality of sensors and said audio from a fourth of said plurality of audio modules, wherein (i) said first processor is configured to generate (a) a first video stream in response to said images from said first of said plurality of sensors, (b) a second video stream in response to said images from said second of said plurality of sensors, (c) a first audio stream in response to said audio from said first of said plurality of audio modules and (d) a second audio stream in response to said audio from said second of said plurality of audio modules, (ii) said second processor is configured to generate (a) a third video stream in response to said images from said third of said plurality of sensors, (b) a fourth video stream in response to said images from said fourth of said plurality of sensors, (c) a third audio stream in response to said audio from said third of said plurality of audio modules and (d) a fourth audio stream in response to said audio from said fourth of said plurality of audio modules, (iii) lenses for said sensors are arranged to allow said images to provide coverage for a spherical field of view of a scene surrounding the apparatus and (iv) said audio modules are arranged to allow said audio to provide coverage for a spherical sound-field of a scene surrounding the apparatus.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of image modules each comprising (i) a sensor configured to capture images and (ii) a lens mounted to said sensor;
• a plurality of audio modules configured to capture audio;
• a plurality of processors each configured to (A) receive said images from said plurality of image modules, (B) receive said audio from said plurality of audio modules and (C) generate a plurality of video streams and audio streams, wherein (i) each one of said audio streams is generated by one of said processors in response to said audio received from one of said audio modules, (ii) said audio modules are arranged to allow said audio to provide coverage for a spherical sound-field of a scene surrounding the apparatus and (iii) said lenses are arranged to allow said images to provide coverage for a spherical field of view of a scene surrounding the apparatus;
• and
• a communication circuit configured to (i) receive said plurality of video streams and audio streams packaged by said plurality of processors, (ii) forward said plurality of video streams and audio streams into a single transmission and (iii) transmit said single transmission to a network, wherein said single transmission transmits said plurality of video streams and audio streams on a first in first out basis.