Portable video system for two-way remote steadicam-operated interviewing

• US 20070206090A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nfg Tv
• Original Assignee: Nfg Tv
• Inventors: Barraud, Toby, Springman, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US11/711,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A portable steadicam-operated two-way interviewing system provides direct eye to eye contact between host and subject even while the subject is in motion and in a remote location. The interviewing system includes a portable remote host station and a portable interviewing station that communicate via two-way wireless video and audio devices and directional antennae on both stations. The interviewing station includes a modem teleprompter-type arrangement, but with live video of the host displayed on the monitor. A stereo microphone picks up audio for recording with video onto a recording media. The host operates the remote host station while interviewing using a hand-carried telescoping staff with retractable tripod base for mounting the various components for portability.

Claims

1. A portable interviewing system for capturing and transmitting video and audio via two-way wireless video and audio transmissions, said system comprising:

a portable interviewing station including a video capture and display unit having a video camera configured to capture locally obtained video for transmitting via a first directional antennae, and a video monitor to display received video from said first directional antennae, wherein said video monitor and said video camera are configured and arranged in said video capture and display unit to allow an interviewee looking directly into said video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of a remote interviewer displayed on said video monitor; and

a remote host station including a compact monitor and video capture unit having a compact video camera configured to capture video of said interviewer for transmitting via a second directional antennae to said interviewing station, and a compact monitor to display received video of said interviewee from said second directional antennae, wherein said compact monitor and said compact video camera are configured and aligned to allow said interviewer looking directly into said compact video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of said interviewee displayed on said compact monitor.

2. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said video capture and display unit includes a partially reflective screen positioned in front of said video camera to partially reflect an image from said video monitor toward said interviewee'"'"'s line of vision.

3. The portable interviewing system of claim 2, wherein said partially reflective screen is positioned at approximately a forty-five degree angle in front of said video camera.

4. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said video capture and display unit includes a recording device for recording said video and audio of said interviewee from said camera.

5. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said video capture and display unit includes a microphone and mixer for obtaining two-channel audio of said interviewee and inputting a mixed audio signal into said video camera.

6. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said portable interviewing station further comprises wireless audio and video devices configured to wirelessly transmit and receive said audio and video information between said interviewee and said interviewer.

7. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said portable interviewing station further comprises a camera stabilizing system for dampening vibrations caused by motion of said video camera and thereby minimizing image degradation, wherein said video camera, said monitor, and said wireless video and audio transmitter and receiver devices are operatively mounted on said camera stabilizing system.

8. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said remote host station further comprises a wireless audio receiver device, a wireless audio transmitter device, a wireless video receiver device for receiving video, and a wireless video transmitter device for transmitting video, wherein said wireless devices are configured to wirelessly transmit audio and video of an interviewer to said interviewing station and to wirelessly receive said locally obtained video and audio of an interviewee from said interviewing station.

9. The portable interviewing system of claim 1, wherein said remote host station further comprises a portable mounting staff, wherein said compact video camera, said compact monitor, and said wireless video devices and antennae, and said wireless audio transmitter device are operatively mounted on said portable mounting staff.

10. The portable interviewing system of claim 10, wherein said portable mounting staff is a hand-carried portable mounting staff.

11. The portable interviewing system of claim 10, wherein said portable mounting staff is positioned on a retractable tripod base.

12. A method of providing a portable interviewing system comprising:

providing a portable interviewing station including a video camera configured for capturing locally obtained video for transmitting via a first directional antennae and a video monitor for displaying received video from said first directional antennae, wherein said video monitor and said video camera allow an interviewee looking directly into said video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of a remote interviewer displayed on said video monitor; and

providing a remote host station including a compact video camera configured for capturing video of said interviewer for transmitting via a second directional antennae to said interviewing station, and a compact monitor for displaying received video of said interviewee from said second directional antennae, wherein said compact monitor and said compact video camera are configured and aligned to allow said interviewer looking directly into said compact video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of said interviewee displayed on said compact monitor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning a partially reflective screen in front of said video camera of said portable interviewing stations to partially reflect an image from said video monitor toward said interviewee'"'"'s line of vision.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising positioning said partially reflective screen at approximately a forty-five degree angle in front of said video camera.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising recording said video and audio of said interviewee from said camera.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a microphone and mixer for obtaining two-channel audio of said interviewee and inputting a mixed audio signal into said video camera.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring wireless audio and video devices to wirelessly transmit and receive said audio and video information between said interviewee and said interviewer.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising dampening vibrations caused by motion of said video camera.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein dampening said vibrations comprises mounting said video camera, said monitor, and said wireless video and audio transmitter and receiver devices to a camera stabilizing system.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein providing said remote host station comprises providing a wireless audio receiver device, a wireless audio transmitter device, a wireless video receiver device for receiving video, and a wireless video transmitter device for transmitting video, wherein said wireless devices are configured to wirelessly transmit audio and video of an interviewer to said interviewing station and to wirelessly receive said locally obtained video and audio of an interviewee from said interviewing station.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein providing said remote host station further comprises providing a portable mounting staff, wherein said compact video camera, said compact monitor, and said wireless video devices and antennae, and said wireless audio transmitter device are operatively mounted on said portable mounting staff.

22. A portable interviewing system, comprising a portable interviewing station for capturing and transmitting video and audio of an interviewee to a remote interviewer and a portable remote host station for capturing and transmitting video and audio of a remote interviewer, thereby providing live two-way wireless audio and video communication between said portable interviewing station and said portable remote host station, wherein

said interviewing station comprises:

wireless video devices including directional antennae and wireless audio devices configured to wirelessly transmit locally obtained video and audio of an interviewee to said remote host station and to wirelessly receive said video and audio of interviewer from said remote host station;

a video capture and display unit comprising a video camera configured to capture said locally obtained video of an interviewee for transmitting, and a video monitor to display the received video and audio of a remote interviewer to an interviewee, wherein said video monitor and said video camera are configured and arranged in said video capture and display unit to allow an interviewee looking directly into said video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of a remote interviewer displayed on said video monitor; and

a camera stabilizing system for dampening vibrations caused by motion of said video camera and thereby minimizing image degradation, wherein said video camera, said monitor, and said wireless video and audio transmitter and receiver devices are operatively mounted on said camera stabilizing system; and

wherein

said remote host station comprises;

a wireless audio receiver device, a wireless audio transmitter device, a wireless video receiver device and a directional antenna for receiving video, and a wireless video transmitter device and a directional antenna for transmitting video, wherein said wireless devices are configured to wirelessly transmit audio and video of an interviewer to said interviewing station and to wirelessly receive said locally obtained video and audio of an interviewee from said interviewing station;

a compact monitor and video capture unit comprising a compact video camera configured to capture video of an interviewer for transmitting to said interviewing station, and a compact monitor to display the received video and audio of an interviewee, wherein said compact monitor and said compact video camera are configured and aligned to allow an interviewer looking directly into said compact video camera to maintain eye to eye contact with an image of an interviewee displayed on said compact monitor; and

a hand-carried portable mounting staff, wherein said compact video camera, said compact monitor, and said wireless video devices and antennae, and said wireless audio transmitter device are operatively mounted on said portable mounting staff.