Article of clothing with video recording device support

• US 10,230,919 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utility Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Utility Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Davis, Ted Michael, Shanahan, Joseph Patrick, Araya, Simon, McKeeman, Robert Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morehead, III, John H.
• Application Number:
  US15/294,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/04 Vests, jerseys, sweaters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/06 Trousers
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 3/00 Overgarments fur garments A41D5/00; for children A41D11/00; professional or sporting protective garments A41D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0533 Cameras, e.g. reflex, digital, video camera
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/029 combined with electronic devices, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/025 Portable cases
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/06 combined with other apparatus having a different main function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

A video recording device, holster and article of clothing are disclosed to reliably and covertly provide for the capture of video, audio, and metadata, and perform other commands. The holster may be provided with a carrier that is, in turn, inserted into the holster. In one embodiment, the holster may be confirmed as being associated with the video recording device to authenticate a user, and establishes a docked position. Moreover, the video recording device may enter a mode of operation associated with using the video recording apparatus automatically when inserted into a holster.

Claims

1. A device for securing a recording device within an article of clothing, the device comprising:

a holster that holds a recording apparatus, said recording apparatus including a camera having a lens that allows video data to be recorded; and

an article of clothing that receives and secures said holster and said recording apparatus within said article of clothing, said article of clothing including a view hole positioned so as to be aligned with said lens of said camera, such that video may be recorded by the recording apparatus through said view hole.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said article of clothing defines a compartment for receipt of the holster and recording apparatus.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the holster includes at least one magnet and the recording apparatus is suitable to be acted upon by said magnet, so as to retain the recording apparatus in said holster in a position that video may be recorded by the recording apparatus without obstruction by either the holster or the article of clothing.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a retaining plate, the retaining plate retained within said article of clothing and engages said holster so to attach the recording apparatus in a desired position such that said camera may capture video data without obstruction by the holster, the retaining plate or the article of clothing.

5. A device for removably securing a recording device to an article of clothing, the device comprising:

a recording device including a camera having a lens for capturing at least video data information;

a carrier that receives said recording device, said carrier defining a magnetic portion;

a holster that receives said carrier, said holster including a corresponding magnetic element that, in combination with said magnetic portion of said carrier, acts to urge said carrier into said holster and register said carrier within said holster; and

a retaining plate attached to an article of clothing, said retaining plate including at least one fastener thereon for securing said holster to said retaining plate, whereby said holster may be fastened to said retaining plate, and said recording device may be placed into said carrier, and said carrier may be placed into said holster;

wherein said recording device is attached to said article of clothing in such a manner as to facilitate operation of said recording device in such a manner that said camera lens is not obstructed by said carrier, said holster or said article of clothing.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said retaining plate is secured to said article of clothing by at least one rivet and the at least one fastener removably secures said holster to said retaining plate.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said article of clothing includes a view opening and said recording device is attached to an inner surface of said article of clothing in a manner as to provide an unobstructed path between said recording device and an exterior of said article of clothing by way of said view opening.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said retaining plate defines a view opening aligned with said view opening in said article of clothing to maintain an unobstructed path between said recording device and an exterior of said article of clothing by way of said view opening in said retaining plate and said view opening in said article of clothing.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein said recording device detects a first upright orientation upon insertion of said recording device into said holster, detects a second, different orientation and, if said second, different orientation is maintained for a predetermined period of time, the recording device generates an alert informing of such a condition.

10. The device of claim 5, further including a near field communication chip in association with the holster that may be read by said recording device.

11. The device of claim 5, further including an operational mode device such that, while retained within the holster, the recording device may be manually activated so as to begin or to stop recording.

12. A method of attaching a video recording device to an article of clothing, the method comprising:

providing a holster to hold a video recording apparatus that is capable of capturing and recording one of at least video, audio or meta-data;

defining an unobstructed path to allow said video recording apparatus to record video and collect at least video data through said path;

attaching said holster to an article of clothing;

providing a magnetic field within said holster that operates to register said video recording device in a docked position and to secure said video recording device within said holster;

determining a first orientation of the video recording device when video recording device is first registered within the holster;

determining a second orientation of the video recording device after video recording device has been registered within the holster; and

setting a predetermined period of time for said video recording device to be in said second orientation, such that if said video recording device remains in said second orientation for a period of time that exceeds said predetermined period of time, said video recording device issues an alert;

wherein said video recording apparatus captures and records at least video data through said unobstructed path.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

assigning said holster to a particular user;

assigning said video recording device to said particular user;

registering said assigned video recording device with said assigned holster such that said assigned video recording device recognizes and will be operatively associated with said assigned holster such that if said assigned video recording device is inserted into another, non-assigned holster, said video recording device would not register or be operatively associated with said assigned holster.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of registering said assigned video recording device with said holster includes the use of a near field communications chip and protocol that enables the assigned video recording device to be registered with and thus communicate with the assigned holster by bringing said assigned video recording device within proximity of said assigned holster.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the assigned video recording device is electronically matched with an associated electronic system such that the video recording device may be used in conjunction with said associated electronic system without need of manual confirmation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the associated electronic system is an in-car video system.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the video recording device is automatically activated into an operational mode upon being inserted into said holster.