Imaging Recording Apparatus

• US 20120120258A1
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edesix Ltd. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Edesix Ltd. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Hamish Donald Stuart, Chisholm, Alastair Hugh, Boutell, Stuart James, Paulson-Ellis, Christopher Geoffrey, Iddon, Robin Anthony, McBride, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,780,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/04 Hoods or caps for eliminating unwanted light from lenses, viewfinders or focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A body-mountable image capture device comprising a device body and a cover slidably mounted onto the device body, the device body comprising a camera, the cover sliding between a first position and a second position such that in the first position the camera is concealed and in the second position the camera is exposed. The body-mountable image capture device comprises activation means operable to initiate the camera when the cover is in the second position and the camera is exposed. The orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body such that the orientation of the camera can be maintained. The orientation of the camera may be automatically adjusted to keep the field of view generally horizontal. The camera may automatically rotate left and right in a horizontal plane responsive to movement of a head mounted sensor to thereby track a user'"'"'s head movements.

Claims

1. A body-mountable image capture device comprising a device body and a cover slidably mounted onto the device body, the device body comprising a camera, wherein the cover is operable to slide between a first position and a second position such that in the first position the camera is concealed by the cover and in the second position the camera is exposed.

2. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises an activation device operable to activate the camera when the cover is in the second position.

3. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 2, wherein the activation device deactivates the camera when the cover is in the first position.

4. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the camera continuously captures images when the cover is in the second position.

5. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the device body comprises a visual warning located on the device body such that it is concealed when the cover is in the first position and exposed when the camera is in the second position.

6. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 2, wherein the activation device comprises a magnetic proximity switch.

7. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 2, wherein the activation device comprises a toggle switch.

8. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body when the cover is in the second position such as to maintain the orientation of the camera.

9. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 8, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body in a vertical plane.

10. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 8, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body in the horizontal plane.

11. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 8, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjustable with respect to the orientation of the device body when the cover is in the second position such as to maintain the orientation of the camera in at least one plane.

12. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 11, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjustable with respect to that of the device body in a vertical plane when the cover is in the second position.

13. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 12, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjusted such as to maintain the orientation of the camera horizontally.

14. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 12, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable both manually and automatically with respect to that of the device body such that the orientation of the camera is manually determined by the user and then automatically maintained.

15. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 11, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises an adjustable mounting by which the camera is mounted to the device body operable to allow the orientation of the camera to be adjusted relative to that of the device body.

16. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 11, wherein the body-mountable image capture device comprises a position sensor attachable to a user'"'"'s head remotely connected to the device body, the position sensor is operable to detect the position of the user'"'"'s head, and the orientation of the camera is automatically adjusted to track the position of the user'"'"'s head.

17. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 16, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises an adjustable mounting by which the camera is mounted to the device body operable to allow the orientation of the camera to be adjusted relative to that of the device body.

18. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a manually operable formation, the manually operable formation being operable to assist a user to move the cover between the first and second positions.

19. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a card holder.

20. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 19, wherein the card holder is operable to retain a card such that the face of the card may be seen whilst retained within the card holder.

21. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 20, wherein the card holder is operable to retain a card having dimensions 80 to 90 mm by 50 to 60 mm.

22. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 20, wherein the card holder is operable to retain a card having the dimensions 85 mm by 55 mm.

23. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, further comprising a radio transceiver.

24. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises attachment means for attaching the body-mountable image capture device to a user.

25. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 24, wherein the attachment means comprises apertures operable to receive lanyard clips.

26. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 1, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises a communication device operable to transmit images stored on the storage media to an external device.

27. A body-mountable image capture device comprising a device body, the device body comprising a camera, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body such as to maintain the orientation of the camera.

28. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 27, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjustable with respect to the orientation of the device body such as to maintain the orientation of the camera in at least one plane.

29. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 28, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjustable in a vertical plane with respect to that of the device body such as to maintain the orientation of the camera in a vertical plane.

30. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 29, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjustable in the horizontal plane with respect to that of the device body such as to maintain the orientation of the camera in the horizontal plane.

31. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 30, wherein the orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to the orientation of the device body both manually and automatically such that the orientation of the camera with respect to that of the device body is first adjusted manually to a preferred orientation and then subsequently automatically adjusted to maintain the preferred orientation.

32. A body-mountable image capture device according to claim 31, wherein the body-mountable image capture device further comprises an adjustable mounting by which the camera is mounted to the device body operable to allow the orientation of the camera to be adjusted relative to that of the device body.

33. A body-mounted image capture device comprising a plurality of cameras, a tilt sensor and a selection module;

each camera within the plurality of cameras oriented having a field of view at a unique angle such that the collective field of view of the plurality of cameras forms a continuous field of view greater than that of any single camera within the plurality of cameras;

the tilt sensor is operable to produce a tilt signal, and the selection module is operable to select a single camera within the plurality of cameras dependant on the tilt signal, and images are recorded from the selected camera.

34. Apparatus comprising a body-mountable image capture device having a device body, and a remote position sensor, the device body comprising a camera and a data receiver operable to receive data from the remote position sensor, the remote position sensor comprising a position sensor and a data transmitter operable to transmit data to the device body;

wherein the remote position sensor is mountable to a user'"'"'s head and is operable to detect the position of the user'"'"'s head and to transmit data concerning the position of the user'"'"'s head to the device body; and

the device body is operable to receive data from the remote position sensor and automatically adjust the orientation of the camera responsive to the received data.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the orientation of the camera is automatically adjusted to correspond to the orientation of the user'"'"'s head in a single plane.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the single plane is the horizontal plane.

37. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the tilt sensor comprises an accelerometer.

38. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the body mountable image capture device is a body-mountable image capture device.