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

• US 10,462,347 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Guyot, Josh, Bevirt, JoeBen
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US16/288,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20190199909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/425 along guiding means
• 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: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• 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 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 coupled to the camera, the positioning apparatus having a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis; and

a driver in communication with the positioning apparatus,

wherein the driver is configured to receive a sequence comprising;

first predetermined positions of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis;

second predetermined positions of the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis;

a first time period over which to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis; and

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

wherein the driver is configured to send commands to move the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis to the first predetermined positions according to the first time period and to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis to the second predetermined positions according to the second time period, and

wherein the camera is configured to capture an image frame at each of the first and second predetermined positions of the positioning apparatus.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first time period is equal to the second time period.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to output a panoramic image based on the image frames captured by the camera at each of the first and second predetermined positions of the positioning apparatus.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to send commands to move the positioning apparatus between the first predetermined positions by rotating the positioning apparatus 180 degrees about the first rotational axis or to send commands to move the positioning apparatus between the second predetermined positions by rotating the positioning apparatus 180 degrees about the second rotational axis.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to selectively control the positioning apparatus to move between the first predetermined positions at a first speed and to selectively control the positioning apparatus to move between the second predetermined positions at a second speed.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to selectively control the positioning apparatus to move between the first predetermined positions at a first speed and to selectively control the positioning apparatus to move between the second predetermined positions at the first speed.

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

receiving a command to create a panoramic image; and

in response to receiving the command to create the panoramic image, selectively controlling a positioning apparatus having a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis to move to each predetermined position in a sequence of predetermined positions, the sequence of predetermined positions comprising;

first positions of the positioning apparatus about the first rotational axis;

second positions of the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis;

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

a second time period over which to move the positioning apparatus about the second rotational axis to the second positions.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

selectively controlling a camera coupled to the positioning apparatus to capture an image frame at each predetermined position in the sequence of predetermined positions.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

generating a panoramic image based on the image frames captured by the camera at each of the predetermined positions of the positioning apparatus.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first time period is equal to the second time period.

11. The method of claim 7, comprising:

selectively controlling the positioning apparatus to move between the first positions by rotating the positioning apparatus 180 degrees about the first rotational axis or to move between the second predetermined positions by rotating the positioning apparatus 180 degrees about the second rotational axis.

12. The method of claim 7, comprising:

selectively controlling the positioning apparatus to move between the first predetermined positions at a first speed and to move between the second predetermined positions at a second speed.

13. The method of claim 7, comprising:

selectively controlling the positioning apparatus to move between the first predetermined positions at a first speed and to move between the second predetermined positions at the first speed.