Automatic Tracking Camera

• US 20090121938A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grass Valley Canada (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Joseph J LAKS Patent Operations Thomson Licensing LLC
• Inventors: Wood, Stephen Robert, Umberhant, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49

Abstract

A tracking system includes an emitter array configured to emit radiation around a subject to be tracked in at least one dimension wherein each emitter or group of emitters is modulated to permit identification of a source of the radiation. A receiver is configured to receive the radiation from the emitter array, wherein one of the emitter array and the receiver are located on the subject to be tracked. A processor is configured to interpret changes in radiation and correlate the changes to a device position to output a device position control signal.

Claims

1. A tracking apparatus, comprising:

a processor responsive to changes in radiation received at a tracked subject—

the radiation emanating from at least one emitter associated with a tracking device, the processor determines tracking changes for the tracking device based on the received emitter radiation.

2. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter is modulated to permit identification of a source of radiation and the processor is responsive to changes in radiation from said modulation.

3. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter is an air array that includes a plurality of infrared diodes.

4. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor interfaces with a radiation receiver in proximity of the subject that includes a plurality of photodiodes.

5. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter includes diode pairs wherein the diode pair is arranged about a centerline such that each diode of the pair is directed at an equal and opposite angle from the centerline.

6. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter emits radiation to monitor X and Y directions relative to an initial tracking device position.

7. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor includes data acquisition software, which measures energy levels for a plurality of modulated emitter signals to determine a direction and magnitude for the changes to the tracking device position.

8. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the modulated emitter signals include a distinct modulation frequency for each emitter or group of emitters in the array.

9. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the receiver is coupled to the subject to be tracked and wirelessly communicates with the processor.

10. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter is controlled and modulated by a microprocessor.

11. A camera view tracking apparatus, comprising:

a video camera;

an emitter array configured to emit radiation towards a subject to be tracked in at least one dimension wherein at least one of each emitter of at least one group of emitters is modulated to permit identification of a source of the radiation; and

a receiver associated with a subject to be tracked and configured to receive the radiation from the emitter array; and

a processor configured to interpret changes in radiation and correlate the changes to a camera position.

12. The tracking apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pan/tilt unit configured to receive a camera position control signal from the processor and move the video camera in accordance therewith.

13. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the emitter array includes a plurality of infrared diodes.

14. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of photodiodes.

15. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the emitter array includes diode pairs for the at least one dimension wherein the diode pair is arranged about a centerline such that each diode of the pair is directed at an equal and opposite angle from the centerline.

16. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the emitter array emits radiation to monitor X and Y directions relative to an initial camera position.

17. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor includes data acquisition software, which measures energy levels for a plurality of modulated emitter signals to determine a direction and magnitude for the changes to the camera position.

18. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the modulated emitter signals include a distinct modulation frequency for each emitter or group of emitters in the array.

19. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the receiver wirelessly communicates with the processor.

20. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the emitter array is controlled and modulated by a microprocessor.

21. A camera view tracking apparatus, comprising:

a video camera;

a transmitter including a microprocessor which controls and modulates an emitter array, the emitter array being configured to emit radiation about a centerline between the emitter array and an initial position of a subject to be tracked in at least one dimension wherein each emitter or group of emitters is modulated to permit identification of a source of the radiation;

a receiver connected to the subject to be tracked and configured to receive the radiation from the emitter array and process received radiation signals;

a processor including data acquisition software, which measures energy levels for a plurality of modulated emitter signals to determine a direction and magnitude for the changes to the camera position, the processor configured to interpret changes in the received radiation signals and correlate the changes to a camera position to output a camera position control signal; and

a pan/tilt unit configured to receive the camera position control signal and move the video camera in accordance therewith.

22. The tracking apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the emitter array includes diode pairs for the at least one dimension wherein the diode pair is arranged about a centerline such that each diode of the pair is directed at an equal and opposite angle from the centerline.

23. A method comprising:

receiving radiation signals from a tracked subject, the radiation signals are emitted from an emitting source associated with a tracking device and received by the tracked subject via a receiver; and

processing and received radiation signals to determine tracking changes for the trackable device.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

measuring energy levels for a plurality of modulated emitter radiation signals that comprise the received radiation signals to determine a direction and magnitude for the changes to the tracking device position.