MULTI-USER CAMERA CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20030169329A1
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: SORRELLS, DAVID F., PARKER, JEFFREY L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A multi-user camera control system with automatic tracking capability for use in video conferencing and similar applications includes a plurality of personal controllers, one for each person utilizing the system. Each personal controller includes a micro-computer controlled keypad and associated communication circuitry as well as optional audio and tracking capability. The controller is programmed with the capability to send commands to the camera system.

The system employs programmed, automatically trackable controllers for issuing commands to control most of the functions of a camera including lens operation. Personal locator devices are electrically connected and can be programmed as a master and as slaves. In addition, a master having override features may be provided, as well as a director'"'"'s locator device for system wide control.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the field of view controls of a camera in a system including a camera, a means for controlling the field of view variables of the camera and at least two remote control devices capable of sending commands to the means for controlling the field of view variables of the camera comprising the steps of:

A. remembering at least two specific fields of view of the camera;

B. issuing a field of view command from at least one remote control device; and

C. moving the field of view of the camera to one of the fields of view remembered in step a;

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the steps of:

D. issuing commands from each of the remote control devices to remember different fields of view of the camera; and

E. remembering the remote control device that issued the respective command.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step C includes the step of:

F. moving the field of view of the camera to the field of view remembered in step D associated with the remembered remote control device of step E that issued the respective command.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the position of the camera with respect to a known reference.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. remembering the position in a first plane.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. remembering the position of the camera in two planes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the zoom perspective of the camera.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the iris position of the camera.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the steps of:

D. remembering the position of the camera in at least one plane;

E. remembering the zoom perspective of the camera; and

F. remembering the iris position of the camera.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step C includes the steps of:

G. moving the position of the camera to the remembered position of step D;

H. changing the zoom perspective of the camera to the remembered perspective of step E; and

I. moving the iris position of the camera to the remembered position of step F.

11. The method of claim 3 further including the step of:

G. issuing a command by one of the remote control devices to override commands from other remote control devices affecting the field of view of the camera.

12. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera in an automatic tracking system including a camera, a means for controlling the variables that define the field of view of the camera and at least two remote control devices automatically trackable by the tracking system and capable of sending commands to the means for controlling the field of view of the camera comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking at least one remote control device;

B. remembering at least two fields of view of the camera;

C. issuing a field of view variable command from at least one of the remote control devices; and

D. changing at least one of the field of view variables defining the camera field of view to change the field of the camera to a field of view remembered in step B.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step B includes the steps of:

E. issuing commands from each of the remote control devices to remember different fields of view of the camera; and

F. remembering the remote control device that issued the respective command.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step D includes the step of:

G. changing the field of view of the camera to the field of view remembered in step E associated with the remembered remote control device of step F that is issued the respective commands.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. remembering the position of the camera with respect to a known reference.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein step E includes the step of:

F. remembering the position in a first plane.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein step E includes the step of:

F. remembering the position of the camera in two planes.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. remembering the zoom perspective of the camera.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. remembering the iris position of the camera.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein step B includes the steps of:

E. remembering the position of the camera in at least one plane;

F. remembering the zoom perspective of the camera; and

G. remembering the iris position of the camera.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein step D includes the steps of:

H. ceasing the automatic tracking of a remote control device;

I. moving the position of the camera to the remembered position of step E;

J. changing the zoom perspective of the camera to the remembered perspective of step F; and

K. moving the iris position of the camera to the remembered position of step G.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein step A includes the step of:

E. issuing a command by a remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the remote control device.

23. The method of claim 12 wherein step A includes the step of:

E. issuing a command by a remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the remote control device for as long as the command is being issued.

24. The method of claim 12 wherein step A includes the step of:

E. issuing a command by a first remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the first remote control device; and

F. issuing a command by a second remote control device to provide or automatic tracking of the second remote control device and th cessation of automatic tracking of the first remote control device.

25. The method of claim 12 wherein step A includes the steps of:

E. issuing a command by a remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the remote control device by tracking system until the tracking system is substantially aligned with the remote control device; and

F. ceasing the automatic tracking of the remote control device that issued the command.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein step A includes the step of:

H. issuing a command by a remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the remote control device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein step G includes the step of:

H. changing the field of view to the field of view remembered in step F for the remote control device that issued the command for tracking.

28. A method of controlling the field of view controls of each camera in a system including at least two cameras, a means for controlling the variables that define the field of view of each camera and at least two remote control devices capable of sending commands to each means for controlling the field of view variables of the respective camera comprising the steps of:

A. remembering at least one field of view of each camera;

B. issuing a field of view variable command from at least one of the remote control devices to the means of controlling the cameras; and

C. changing the field of view variables of the camera associated with the field of view remembered in step A to provide the field of view remembered in step A.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein step A includes the steps of:

D. issuing commands from each of the remote control devices to remember a different field of view of the camera; and

E. remembering the remote control device that issued the respective command.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein step C includes the step of:

F. changing the field of view of the respective camera to the field of view remembered in step D associated with remembered remote control device of step E that issued the respective command.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the position of each camera with respect to a known reference.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. remembering the position of each camera in two planes.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the zoom perspective of each camera.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering the iris position of each camera.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein step A includes the steps of:

D. remembering the position of each camera in at least one plane;

E. remembering the zoom perspective of each camera; and

F. remembering the iris position of each camera.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein step C includes the steps of:

G. changing the position of the camera associated with the remembered field of view of step D to the remembered position;

H. changing the zoom perspective of the camera associated with the remembered field of view to the remembered perspective of step E; and

I. changing the iris position of the camera associated with the remembered field of view of step F to the remembered position.

37. The method of claim 31 further including the step of:

G. issuing a command by one of the remote control devices to override commands from other remote control devices affecting the field of view of any camera.

38. A method of controlling the field of view controls of each camera in a automatic tracking system including at least two cameras, a means for controlling the variables that define the field of view of each camera, selectively operable switch means receiving the video output of each camera and providing an output signal, and at least two remote control devices automatically trackable by the tracking system capable of sending commands to each means for controlling the field of view variables of the respective camera and the tracking system comprising the steps of:

A. remembering at least one field of view of each camera;

B. issuing a field of view variable command from at least one of the remote control devices to the means of controlling the cameras; and

C. changing the field of view variables of the camera associated with the field of view remembered in step A to provide the field of view remembered in step A.

39. The method of claim 38 further including the step of:

D. issuing a command by a remote control device to provide for automatic tracking of the remote control device by a camera.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. selectively switching the switch means to provide that the switch means output signal is the video signal from the camera tracking the remote unit that issued the command.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein step A includes the step of:

D. remembering a specific field of view that can be recalled by a command from any remote control device.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. issuing a command by a remote control device to change the field of view to the specific field of view remembered in step D.

43. A system for controlling the field of view control variables of a camera comprising a camera, control means for adjusting said field of view control variables of said camera and at least two remote control devices for sending commands to said control means thereby adjusting said field of view.

44. The system as defined in claim 43 wherein said field of view control variables of said camera include a position of the camera field of view with respect to a known reference defined by said control means, said control means including movable means for movement of said camera in at least one plane.

45. The system as defined in claim 43 wherein said field of view controls of said camera includes the perspective of said camera, said control means changing said perspective in response to a first command of one said remote control device.

46. The system as defined in claim 43 wherein said control means includes memory means for remembering each field of view command sent by each said remote control device, said field of view command including identity information indicative of respective said remote control device which sent said command, said control means remembering said identity information to enable said field of view to be moved to one of the fields of view remembered.

47. A system for controlling the field of view controls of a camera comprising at least two cameras, control means for controlling the variables that define the field of view of each said camera, at least two remote control devices capable of sending commands to said control means, said control means further including automatic tracking system means for tracking each remote control device by said tracking system means, said control means including memory means for remembering each said command received and information indicative of which said remote control unit is sending said command, further including selectively operable video signal switch means for receiving video output signal from each said camera and providing a video switch output signal in response to which said video output signal is selected, said video signal switch means being operably connected to said control means, said control means being responsive to commands from each said remote control device for selectively operating said video signal switch means to select a respective video output signal as said video switch output signal.

48. A method of controlling the field of view control variables of a camera in a system including a camera, a means for adjusting the field of view control variables of the camera, and at least two remote control devices for sending commands to the control means for adjusting the field of view:

A. issuing a field of view command from at least one remote control device; and

B. adjusting the field of view of the camera in response to the command of step A.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising the step of:

C. overriding a field of view command from the one remote control device by a field of view command from the other remote control device.

50. A method of controlling the field of view control variables of each camera in a system including at least two cameras, a means for adjusting the field of view control variables of each camera, and at least two remote control devices for sending commands to the control means for adjusting the respective field of view:

A. issuing a field of view command from at least one remote control device to the control means;

B. adjusting the field of view of the respective camera in response to the command of step A; and

C. remembering the remote control device that issued a respective command.