Pan & tilt positioning unit

• US 20040042783A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quickset Defense Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Quickset International, Inc. (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mullin, Daniel Mark, Bratton, Raymond L., Diana, Carl Christopher, Cloud, Daniel Allen
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence

Abstract

A pan and tilt unit includes a platform for accommodating a device and a housing connected to the platform. A drive system is positioned within the housing and is adapted to move the platform in a desired direction. A plurality of drivers is further positioned within the housing in communication with the drive system and the device to append an internal operation protocol to a device operation protocol thereby permitting operation of the device by the pan and tilt unit.

Claims

1. A pan and tilt unit comprising:

a housing;

a platform connected to the housing, the platform for accommodating a device;

a drive system positioned within the housing adapted to move the platform in a desired direction; and

a control system positioned within the housing in communication with the drive system and the device to append an internal operation protocol to a device operation protocol thereby permitting operation of the device by the pan and tilt unit.

2. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the device is a camera.

3. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the control system further comprises:

an integrated programmable control system that stores one or more predetermined tours for moving the device in a desired sequence of motion.

4. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the control system appends a prefix and a suffix to the device operation protocol to permit communication with the device.

5. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the control system comprises:

an internal motor driver positioned within the housing.

6. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the control system comprises:

four internal motor drivers positioned within the housing.

7. The pan and tilt unit of claim 6 wherein the four internal motor drivers comprise:

a pan motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a pan direction;

a tilt motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a tilt direction;

a zoom motor driver for controlling magnification of a lens of the device; and

a focus motor driver for controlling focus of the lens of the device.

8. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a device enclosure positioned on the platform for accommodating the device.

10. The pan and tilt unit of claim 8 further comprising:

two devices positioned within the device enclosure, each device of the two devices positioned in an end of the device enclosure.

11. The pan and tilt unit of claim 8 further comprising:

a camera having a standard lens positioned in one end of the device enclosure; and

a camera having a night-vision lens positioned in an opposite end of the device enclosure.

12. The pan and tilt unit of claim 8 further comprising:

a slideable shelf positioned within the device enclosure, the slideable shelf fully extendible outside of the device enclosure.

13. The pan and tilt unit of claim 8 further comprising:

a socket integrated within the device enclosure, the socket connectable with the device upon placement of the device within the device enclosure.

14. The pan and tilt unit of claim 8 further comprising:

a blower positioned within the device enclosure, the blower generating an air screen across an output end of the device enclosure.

15. The pan and tilt unit of claim 14 further comprising:

an intake air filter positioned within the device enclosure at an opposite end of the device enclosure from the blower.

16. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 wherein the drive system comprises at least one worm gear.

17. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 further comprising:

an encoder positioned within the housing, the encoder maintaining a constant reference position of the pan and tilt unit.

18. The pan and tilt unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a shroud positioned over the platform, the shroud concealing all wiring between the housing and the platform.

9. The pan and tilt unit of claim 9 further comprising:

a universal mounting mechanism within the device enclosure.

19. A pan and tilt unit comprising:

a platform for accommodating a camera;

a housing connected to the platform;

a drive system positioned within the housing adapted to move the platform in a desired direction;

a plurality of drivers positioned within the housing in communication with the drive system and the camera to append an internal operation protocol to a camera operation protocol thereby permitting operation of the camera by the pan and tilt unit.

20. The pan and tilt unit of claim 19 wherein the plurality of drivers comprise:

a pan motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a pan direction;

a tilt motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a tilt direction;

a zoom motor driver for controlling magnification of a lens of the camera; and

a focus motor driver for controlling focus of the lens of the camera.

21. A method of operation of a pan and tilt unit comprising the steps of:

positioning a camera on a platform of the pan and tilt unit;

connecting the camera to a control system within the pan and tilt unit;

providing an instruction to the control system with a pan and tilt protocol;

appending the instruction with a camera protocol within the control system;

routing the instruction from the control system to the camera without the pan and tilt protocol; and

executing the instruction.

22. The method of operation of the pan and tilt unit according to claim 21 further comprising:

controlling the pan and tilt unit in a pan direction with an internal pan driver motor; and

controlling the pan and tilt unit in a tilt direction with an internal tilt motor driver.

23. The method of operation of the pan and tilt unit according to claim 21 further comprising:

controlling the magnification of the camera with an internal zoom motor driver; and

controlling the focus of the camera with an internal focus motor driver.

24. A pan and tilt unit comprising:

a housing;

a platform connected to the housing, the platform for accommodating a device;

a device enclosure positioned on the platform for accommodating the device; and

a drive system positioned within the housing adapted to move the platform in a desired direction, the drive system including at least one worm gear for moving the platform.

25. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a control system positioned within the housing in communication with the drive system and the device to append an internal operation protocol to a device operation protocol thereby permitting operation of the device by the pan and tilt unit.

26. The pan and tilt unit of claim 25 wherein the control system appends a prefix and a suffix to the device operation protocol to permit communication with the device.

27. The pan and tilt unit of claim 25 wherein the control system comprises:

four internal motor drivers positioned within the housing.

28. The pan and tilt unit of claim 27 wherein the four internal motor drivers comprise:

a pan motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a pan direction;

a tilt motor driver for controlling the pan and tilt unit in a tilt direction;

a zoom motor driver for controlling magnification of a lens of the device; and

a focus motor driver for controlling focus of the lens of the device.

29. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a universal mounting mechanism within the device enclosure.

30. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

two devices positioned within the device enclosure, each device of the two devices positioned in an end of the device enclosure.

31. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a camera having a standard lens positioned in one end of the device enclosure; and

a camera having a night-vision lens positioned in an opposite end of the device enclosure.

32. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a slideable shelf positioned within the device enclosure, the slideable shelf fully extendible outside of the device enclosure.

33. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a socket integrated within the device enclosure, the socket connectable with the device upon placement of the device within the device enclosure.

34. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a blower positioned within the device enclosure, the blower generating an air screen across an output end of the device enclosure.

35. The pan and tilt unit of claim 34 further comprising:

a filter positioned within the device enclosure at an opposite end of the device enclosure from the blower.

36. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

an encoder positioned within the housing, the encoder maintaining a constant reference position of the pan and tilt unit.

37. The pan and tilt unit of claim 24 further comprising:

a shroud positioned over the platform, the shroud concealing all wiring between the housing and the platform.