Coordinated audio and visual omnidirectional recording

A surveillance system which comprises;

• a camera means for forming an image of a 360° field of view around a viewpoint having a CCD array arranged to receive said image and generate an image signal,
• video memory means coupled to said CCD array for storing said image signal;
• a plurality of audial detectors arranged at positions around said viewpoint:
• a plurality of circuit means, one circuit means for each one audial detector, each circuit means arranged to provide that, when any one audial detector detects a sound coming from said 360° field of view before any other of said audial detectors detects said sound, then said circuit means coupled to said any one audial detector disables all other detectors of said plurality of audio detectors and emits a position signal providing that said any one audio detector emitting said position signal corresponds to said direction of said source of sound relative to said viewpoint;
• signal selecting means arranged in operable combination with said plurailty of audial detectors and said video memory means for applying said position signal to select exclusively from said memory a portion of said image signal generated from said area containing said source of sound;
• monitor means in combination with said signal selecting means for applying said portion of image signal to display an image of said area.