HEAD MOUNTABLE CAMERA SYSTEM

• US 20140160250A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• 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, YAIRI, RAHAV, LASSER, MENAHEM, BAR, YARON
• Granted Patent: US 10,110,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• 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 23/695 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:

a plurality of cameras; and

a mounting structure attached to the plurality of cameras, wherein the mounting structure, while the mounting structure is on a user'"'"'s head, is configured to at least partially wrap around a rear of the user'"'"'s head and to position the plurality of cameras to be at approximately an eye level of a user wearing the mounting structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is configured to be supported on the user'"'"'s head by resting on one or more ears of the user.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a body that is configured to support a camera while the body is worn on a head of a user; and

a controller coupled to the body and configured to process video data from the camera to detect a first instance of a first sign detection icon and to detect a second instance of a second sign detection icon, wherein the first sign detection icon and the second sign detection icon are included in a frame of the video data, wherein the first sign detection icon and the second sign detection icon define an area of the frame, wherein the controller is further configured to capture text located in the area, to perform an optical character recognition operation on the text, and to provide an output based on a result of the optical character recognition operation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to provide the text to the user via a speaker, via an ear phone, via a display, via an electronic device communicatively coupled to the controller, or a combination thereof.

5. A method comprising:

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

receiving, during a video recording operation of the first camera and the second camera, a first image generated by the first camera and a second image generated by the second camera, wherein the first image includes a pointer that points to an object and the second image includes the pointer that points to the object;

detecting a first set of objects pointed to by the pointer in the first image based on a first two dimensional analysis of the first image;

detecting a second set of objects pointed to by the pointer in the second image based on a second two dimensional analysis of the second image;

performing a comparison of one or more candidate objects in the first set of objects to one or more candidate objects in the second set of objects; and

identifying the object pointed to by the pointer as being a candidate object that is in the first set and that is in the second set.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first image and the second image are stereoscopic images.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a body that is configured to support a camera while the body is worn on a head of a user, wherein the camera is configured to generate video data; and

a controller coupled to the body and configured to receive sensor data from a physiological sensor coupled to the body and determine a physiological state of the user based on the sensor data, wherein the controller is further configured to include searchable data, based on the physiological state, in metadata corresponding to a portion of the video data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the physiological state of the user includes running, sweating, coughing, a high pulse rate, or a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a body that is configured to support a camera while the body is worn on a head of a user; and

a controller coupled to the body and configured to detect, in video data received from the camera, a reflection of a face of a person and to identify the face as belonging to the user that is wearing the body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to attach a tag to a portion of video data based on identification of the face as belonging to the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to identify the user as an authorized user based on detection of the face, to determine a location associated with the user and, in response to identifying the user as an authorized user, to provide a security access code associated with the location.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reflection of the face of the user or any other identifiable item of the user is from a convex mirror.

13. A method comprising:

at a device including a memory, performing;

receiving video data from a headgear device that includes a camera and a body, wherein the body is configured to support the camera while the body is worn on a user'"'"'s head;

detecting a pointer in the received video data;

detecting at least one object pointed to by the pointer;

determining whether a plurality of solicitation objects includes the detected object; and

when the plurality of solicitation objects includes the detected object, creating a record associated with detection of the object, wherein the record indicates an association between the user and the object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the object corresponds to an advertisement associated with a vendor, and wherein the method further comprises sending the record to the vendor, to the user, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the pointer is a finger or a hand of the user.

16. A method comprising:

at a device including a memory, performing;

receiving a request, from a first device, for a temporary identifier;

generating the temporary identifier;

storing the temporary identifier at the memory;

sending the temporary identifier to the first device;

receiving a message from the first device and storing the message at the memory, wherein the message is associated with the temporary identifier;

receiving the temporary identifier from a second device;

performing a comparison between a time associated with the temporary identifier and a time associated with reception of the temporary identifier from the second device or between a location associated with the first device and a location associated with the second device; and

selectively sending the message to the second device in response to a result of the comparison.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing an indication of the time associated with the temporary identifier and the location associated with the first device at the memory in conjunction with the temporary identifier.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first device comprises a first headgear device that includes a first body and a beacon emitter, wherein the first body is configured to support the beacon emitter while the first body is worn on a head of a user, and wherein the beacon emitter is configured to transmit a beacon signal corresponding to the temporary identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second device comprises a second headgear device that includes a second body and an optical sensor that is configured to detect the beacon signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the optical sensor comprises a camera, a photodiode, or a combination thereof.