HEAD MOUNTABLE CAMERA SYSTEM

• US 20140160248A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: POMERANTZ, ITZHAK, LASSER, MENAHEM, YAIRI, RAHAV, ALROD, IDAN, SHARON, ERAN, NAVON, ARIEL, PRESMAN, NOAM
• Granted Patent: US 10,061,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/001 Constructional or mechanical details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Head mountable camera devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least two cameras; and

a mounting structure attached to the at least two cameras that is configured to, while the mounting structure is on a user'"'"'s head, remain substantially or entirely outside of a field of vision of the user and to position the at least two cameras to be substantially or entirely outside of the field of vision of the user and to be at approximately an eye level of the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two cameras are positioned to enable stereo video recording via the at least two cameras.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller configured to adjust at least one of a focal distance of a camera of the at least two cameras and a field of view of the camera in response to receiving an output of the sensor, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an inclinometer or a satellite-based positioning sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to toggle between multiple modes of operation of the at least two cameras, the multiple modes including a stereo recording mode and an extended field of view mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device attached to the mounting structure and configured to store first data received from the at least two cameras, the first data including one or both of image data and video data, wherein the stored first data has a first quality; and

a controller coupled to the mounting structure and configured to provide second data to a transmitter, wherein the second data corresponds to the first data and wherein the second data has a second quality different from the first quality.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first quality corresponds to a first resolution and wherein the second quality corresponds to a second resolution that is less than the first resolution.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first quality corresponds to a first color depth and wherein the second quality corresponds to a second color depth that is less than the first color depth.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a jaw motion sensor configured to detect a predetermined motion of the jaw of the user'"'"'s head while the mounting structure is worn on the user'"'"'s head.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a condition corresponding to whether the mounting structure is being worn; and

a controller configured to modify an operation of at least one of the at least two cameras in response to an output of the sensor corresponding to the mounting structure not being worn.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a lens holder configured to adjust a position of an external lens relative to a field of view of at least one of the at least two cameras in response to a change of orientation of the mounting structure.

11. An apparatus comprising:

multiple cameras that are configurable to operate according to a stereo video recording mode;

a chassis that is configured to support the multiple cameras while the chassis is worn on a head of a user; and

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive camera operating instructions from a portable electronic device, wherein at least one of the multiple cameras is responsive to the camera operating instructions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device includes a mobile phone.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a chassis;

a camera attached to the chassis;

a beacon emitter attached to the chassis; and

a controller coupled to the camera and configured to process video data from the camera to identify whether a beacon signal of another beacon emitter is received by the camera.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to process the video data during a video capture operation of the camera to identify, in real-time or near real-time, whether the beacon signal is received.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to process the video data during a post-processing operation after the video data has been stored to a memory device.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the beacon emitter is configured to emit visible light.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the visible light is amplitude-modulated.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the visible light is color-modulated.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the beacon emitter is configured to generate a beacon signal having a frequency outside a visible light spectrum.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second beacon emitter coupled to the chassis, wherein a first beacon signal of the beacon emitter differs from a second beacon signal of the second beacon emitter to enable the first beacon signal to be identified as corresponding to the beacon emitter and the second beacon signal to be identified as corresponding to the second beacon emitter.

21. A method comprising:

at a device including a memory, performing;

receiving video data; and

processing the received video data to locate a predetermined graphical feature in the video data and to store an updated version of the video data in the memory, wherein one or more frames of the video data identified as including the predetermined graphical feature are modified or removed upon storing the updated version of the video data.

22. A method comprising:

at a device including a camera, wherein a chassis is configured to support the camera while the chassis is worn on the head of a user, performing;

receiving, during a video recording operation of the camera, user input corresponding to at least one of an audio signal corresponding to a spoken keyword detected by a microphone and user input text data from a text entry interface of a mobile electronic device; and

storing the user input in conjunction with video data captured by the camera during the video recording operation.