Automatic tracking system

• US 20060171705A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wiedeback, Fred R., Slupe, James P.
• Application Number:
  US11/048,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20060171705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/22 with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs F16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• 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

An automatic tracking system is built including a base, a rotating element, a pair (or more) of receiving elements, a motor, and a controller electrically coupled to the receiving elements and the motor, configured to operate as a direction finder. The motor rotates the rotating element to keep the receiving elements aligned with the signal from a portable transmitter. When a camera is mechanically coupled with the rotating element, the direction finder will keep the camera aligned to the portable transmitter as it moves with respect to the camera. Subject distance may also be calculated by the controller and sent to an image capture device as the focus distance to be used by the image capture device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a base;

a rotating element;

a motor mechanically coupled with said base and said rotating element, configured to rotate said rotating element with respect to said base;

at least two receiving elements, mechanically coupled with said rotating element;

a controller electrically coupled to said motor and said at least two receiving elements, configured to operate said motor such that said at least two receiving elements track a transmitter.

2. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said transmitter operates in the 60 GHz frequency band.

3. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said at least two receiving elements and said controller operate as a direction finder.

4. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said transmitter emits a code specific to an individual controller, and

wherein said controller is configured to track only a transmitter emitting said code specific to said controller.

5. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said rotating element is configured to mechanically couple with a camera.

6. A device as recited in claim 5,

wherein said rotating element uses a threaded bolt to mechanically couple with a camera.

7. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said base is configured to mechanically couple with a tripod.

8. A device as recited in claim 7,

wherein said base includes a threaded hole configured to mechanically couple with a tripod.

9. A device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said controller is configured to calculate a distance from said receiving elements to said transmitter.

10. A device comprising:

means for detecting a direction of a transmitter;

means for rotating a rotating element with respect to a base, wherein said means for detecting a direction of a transmitter controls said means for rotating said rotating element such that said rotating element tracks said direction of said transmitter.

11. A device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

means for mechanically coupling said base to a tripod.

12. A device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

means for mechanically coupling said rotating element to a camera.

13. A device as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

means for calculating a distance from said rotating element to said transmitter.

14. A method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a base;

b) mechanically coupling a motor to the base;

c) mechanically coupling a rotating element to the motor;

d) mechanically coupling at least two receiving elements to the rotating element;

e) electrically coupling a controller to the motor and the at least two receiving elements, wherein said controller is configured to operate motor such that the at least two receiving elements always face a transmitter.

15. A method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the transmitter operates in the 60 GHz frequency band.

16. A method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the at least two receiving elements and the controller operate as a direction finder.

17. A method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the transmitter emits a code specific to an individual controller, and

wherein the controller is configured to track only a transmitter emitting the code specific to the controller.

18. A method as recited in claim 14,

wherein the rotating element is configured to mechanically couple with a camera.

19. A method as recited in claim 18,

wherein the rotating element uses a threaded bolt to mechanically couple with a camera.

20. A device as recited in claim 14,

wherein the base is configured to mechanically couple with a tripod.

21. A device as recited in claim 20,

wherein the base includes a threaded hole configured to mechanically couple with a tripod.

22. A device as recited in claim 14,

wherein the controller is configured to calculate a distance from the receiving elements to the transmitter.