Watertight universal housing

• US 20040076415A1
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Underwater Design Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Underwater Design Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Da Silva, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/25
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

A watertight universal housing (1) which allows video cameras, or other electronic devices, to be operated under-water. The term “universal” is intended to indicate the housing'"'"'s suitability for use with a range of different video cameras or other electronic devices. The watertight universal housing has a sealable internal cavity (3) which is adapted to receive a remotely controllable electronic device (4), a programmable controller (6): and an electromagnetic signal transmitter (5) in the housing which is controlled by the programmable controller. The programmable controller is designed to receive a command to control the remotely controllable electronic device from a command providing device (8). The controller then causes the electromagnetic signal transmitter to selectively transmit electromagnetic signals corresponding to that command to the remotely controllable electronic device.

Claims

1. A watertight universal (as hereinbefore defined) housing comprising:

(a) a sealable internal cavity adapted to receive one of a number of different remotely controllable electronic devices which are operable by different sets of electomagnetic remote command signals;

(b) a programmable controller;

(c) operating means for conveying selected commands form a user to the programmable controller; and

(d) an electromagnetic signal transmitter in, on or about said housing which is controlled by the programmable controller;

wherein the programmable controller is adapted to;

(i) receive two or more sets of remote command signals from command providing means, each set of remote command signals being adapted to control one of the remotely controllable electronic devices;

(ii) store information concerning the remote command signals;

(iii) identify a remotely controllable electronic device located in the housing; and

(iv) upon receipt of selected commands from a user, cause the electromagnetic signal transmitter to transmit to the identified device the appropriate remote command signals, for the identified device, which correspond to the selected commands.

2. A housing according to claim 1 wherein the programmable controller is adapted to receive the sets of remote commands via one or more of:

(a) an electromagnetic signal;

or

(b) an electronic signal.

4. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remotely controllable electronic devices are cameras, including video cameras, movie cameras and still-image cameras.

6. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller includes:

controller memory means for storing the information concerning the remote signals; and

signal initiating means for prompting the electomagnetic signal transmitter to transmit the appropriate remote command signals.

7. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is situated inside the cavity.

8. A housing according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is located outside the cavity and is adapted to transmit the appropriate remote command signals to the selected camera via a transparent window on the camera.

9. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is adapted to transmit the appropriate remote command signals to the selected camera at least partially via a cable, such as a fibre optic cable.

10. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the electromagnetic signal transmitter is connected to the controller via an electrical signal carrier.

11. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the operating means is adapted to enable a user to send selected commands to the controller by means of operating signals.

12. A housing according to claim 11 wherein the operating means includes:

(a) operating buttons, located outside the cavity, by means of which a user may enter selected commands; and

(b) an electronic control module, adapted to detect any operation of the buttons and to send a corresponding operating signal to the controller;

wherein the controller is adapted, upon receiving said operating signal, to transmit a corresponding remote command signal to the selected camera.

13. A housing according to claim 12, wherein the buttons are located on a watertight keypad.

14. A housing according to claim 13 wherein the watertight keypad is in the form of a touch screen keypad situated on an outer wall of the housing, said touch screen keypad being adapted to receive user supplied keypad selections through the housing wall.

15. A housing according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the watertight keypad is connected to the electronic control module via an electrical signal carrier.

16. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the appropriate remote command signals transmitted by the electromagnetic signal transmitter comprise one or more of:

(a) infrared signals;

(b) microwave signals;

or

(c) radio signals;

17. A housing according to claim 16 wherein each appropriate remote command signal is transmitted by a direct beam or by flooding empty spaces within the cavity with the signal.

18. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a visible screen adapted to show images captured by the camera within the cavity.

19. A housing according to claim 18 wherein the screen is an LCD screen.

20. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a switchable power supply.

21. A housing according to claim 20 wherein the switchable power supply provides power to one or more of:

(a) the electronic device;

(b) the operating means;

(c) the electromagnetic signal transmitter;

(d) the controller; and

(e) the screen.

22. A housing according to claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the switchable power supply includes a single power circuit board (PCB).

23. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the identification of the electronic device within the cavity is effected either electronically or by receipt of an identification message input by the user.

3. A watertight universal housing (as hereinbefore defined) comprising:

(a) a sealable internal cavity adapted to receive one of a number of different remotely controllable electronic devices which are operable by different sets of electromagnetic remote command signals;

(b) a programmed controller which stores a plurality of sets of remote command signals, each set of remote command signals being adapted to control one of the remotely controllable electronic devices;

(c) operating means for conveying selected commands from a user to the programmed controller; and

(d) an electromagnetic signal transmitter in, on or about said housing which is controlled by the programmed controller;

wherein the programmed controller is adapted to;

(i) identify a remotely controllable electronic device located in the housing; and

(ii) upon receipt of selected commands from a user, cause the electomagnetic signal transmitter to transmit to the identified device, the appropriate remote command signals, for the identified device, which correspond to the selected commands.

5. A housing according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the programmed controller is also adapted to be programmable so as to receive and store additional sets of remote command signals from command providing means, said sets of remote command signals being adapted to control one of a number of additional remotely controllable electronic devices.

24. A watertight universal housing substantially as described herein with reference to any one or more of the accompanying diagrams.