Positioning apparatus for photographic and video imaging and recording and system utilizing the same

• US 10,021,286 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Bevirt, JoeBen, Guyot, Josh
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/217,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A method and device are provided for positioning a mounted camera. The device includes a holding element that secures the mounted camera to the device, a wireless linkage at which remote attitude commands representing attitude changes of a remote driver are received, a local controller that interprets the remote attitude commands and generates local attitude commands that move the camera to mimic an orientation of the remote driver, and an attitude sensing element that senses a local attitude of the device. The attitude sensing element includes a gyro, an accelerometer, or a magnetometer, and jitter present in the remote attitude commands is removed and not passed on to the local attitude commands.

Claims

1. A device for supporting a camera comprising:

a positioning apparatus having a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis;

the camera coupled to the positioning apparatus;

and

a driver coupled to the positioning apparatus,

wherein the driver and the camera are separately coupled to the positioning apparatus,

wherein the driver receives a time-lapse sequence comprising;

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis,

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis,

a first time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis at a first speed,

a second time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis at a second speed, and

a frequency of frame capture for the camera to capture image frames between the positions of the positioning apparatus,

wherein the driver sends commands to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis according to the first time interval and to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis according to the second time interval, and

wherein the camera captures image frames while the orientation of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis changes according to the frequency of frame capture.

2. A positioning device for supporting a camera comprising:

a positioning apparatus having a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis; and

a driver coupled to the positioning apparatus,

wherein the driver receives a motion sequence comprising;

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis,

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis,

a first time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis, and

a second time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis,

wherein the driver sends commands to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis according to the first time interval and to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis according to the second time interval.

3. The device of claim 2,

wherein the driver comprises the camera and is removably coupled to the positioning apparatus,

wherein the positions of the positioning apparatus are received as user inputs to the driver,

wherein the driver displays one or more image frames captured by the camera at each of the positions of the positioning apparatus during input of the positions, and

wherein the motion sequence is a time-lapse sequence and comprises a frequency of frame capture for the camera to capture image frames between the positions of the positioning apparatus.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the motion sequence is a time-lapse sequence.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the positioning apparatus is coupled to the camera.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the positioning apparatus is removably coupled to the camera.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises the camera.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein the driver comprises the camera.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the driver is removably coupled to the positioning apparatus.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein the driver is remotely located from the positioning apparatus and comprises the camera.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the driver is configured to display image frames captured by the camera.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein the motion sequence comprises a frequency of frame capture for the camera to capture image frames between the positions of the positioning apparatus.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the positions of the positioning apparatus, the frequency of frame capture, and the first and second time intervals are received as user inputs to the driver.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the driver displays one or more image frames captured by the camera at each of the positions of the positioning apparatus during input of the positions.

15. A method for operating a device for supporting a camera, the method comprising:

receiving, at a positioning apparatus having a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis, a motion sequence from a driver, the motion sequence comprising;

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis,

positions for orientation of the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis,

a first time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis, and

a second time interval over which to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis; and

based on a command from the driver, moving the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis according to the first time interval and moving the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis according to the second time interval.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the positions of the positioning apparatus and the first and second time intervals are received as user inputs to the driver.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the camera is removably coupled to the positioning apparatus.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the driver displays one or more frames captured by the camera at each of the positions of the positioning apparatus during input of the positions of the motion sequence at the driver.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion sequence includes a frequency of frame capture by the camera between the positions of the positioning apparatus.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion sequence comprises positions for orientation of the first rotational axis and positions for orientation of the second rotational axis.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the motion sequence comprises movement of the first rotational axis between the positions of the first rotational axis and movement of the second rotational axis between the positions of the second rotational axis.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises an output port via which the positions of the positioning apparatus are transmitted to the driver.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises an input port that is a wireless signal port via which the positioning apparatus or the camera receives commands from the driver.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sensing the positions of the positioning apparatus using an attitude sensing element, wherein the attitude sensing element includes a gyro, an accelerometer, or a magnetometer.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion sequence is a time-lapse sequence.