Scanning system

• US 3,881,053 A
• Filed: 10/10/1972
• Issued: 04/29/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1955
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/295,807
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 178/DIG.38,6.8,DIG.1,DIG.22,7.2 235/151.11
• US Class Current: 348/107
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0012 with more than one selection steps, e.g. selection of a record carrier from a selected compartment of a compartmented storage storage devices for articles B65G1/0407
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1883 for record carriers inside containers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/24 Drive disengaging means
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/444 reversing arrangements G11B15/442 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/683 wherein the recorder or player is moved according to the location of a selected cassette G11B15/684 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6875 wherein the recorder or player is moved towards a selected cassette in the magazine
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6895 Automatic tape changing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/54 with provision for moving the head into or out of its operative position or across tracks

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for automatically positioning a scanning device such as a video camera at selected locations of a substantial area of operation to permit the scanning device to selectively scan different phenomena within the realm of the different areas which may be scanned thereby. In one form, the scanning device is supported by a carriage which is movable along a trackway and is automatically or remotely controlled in its operation. The scanning device is also movable on a fixture which is secured to the carriage so that it may be predeterminately located at different distances from the carriage to scan along different paths of locations. The system includes one or more monitor stations containing receivers of the signals generated by the scanning device and respective viewing screens on which the scanned phenomenon may be displayed. Recording means is also provided which is selectively operably to permit the recording of signals of the scanned phenomena, which signals may be later monitored or analyzed. When it is desired to have a hard copy of the recorded information, a suitable camera or other form of reproduction means is provided which is operable to print copy by the person at the monitor station. In a particular form, the phenomena scanned comprise a plurality of record units or record tracks each containing plural recordings which may be separately and selectively scanned with the scanned information being remotely monitorable and recordable. Control of the operation of the scanner and its conveyance is effected either by automatic means or by remotely generated control signals which are generated by an operator'"'"''"'"'s selective operation of switches.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled scanning apparatus comprising in combination:

a television camera operable to scan a field aligned with the optical system of said camera, support means for supporting said television camera, means for movably mounting said television camera on said support means, motor means for driving said television camera in a plurality of directions on said support means, means for operating said television camera to cause it to scan the field aligned therewith and to generate video picture signals which are representative of the optical phenomena scanned by said camera, a monitor station having a video receiver and a video display means modulatable by the signals received from said television camera for generating visual presentations of the fields scanned by said television camera, means for communicating the output of said television camera to said video receiver, first control means for operating said motor means to effect the movement of said television camera in a first direction on said support means, second control means for said motor means operable to effect the movement of said television camera in a second direction on said support means, master control means for activating said first and second control means and means for operating said master control means to cause said motor means to drive said camera in a selected of said first and second directions, said master control means being operable when said television camera is predeterminately positioned after moving in said selected direction for stopping the movement of said camera to permit said camera to scan along a selected axis defining a predetermined image field and to generate picture signals of the phenomena within said predetermined image field.

2. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said master control means is operable in response to feedback signals which are generated with increments of movement of said camera as it is driven in a selected of said first and second directions and means operable to receive said feedback signals and selectively position said camera after moving a predetermined degree in a selected direction.

3. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for stopping said camera when predeterminately positioned comprises:

means for generating feedback pulses indicative of the degree of movement of said camera as it is driven in a selected direction, predetermining counter means operable to receive said feedback pulses, switching means controlled by said predetermining counter means and operable when activated thereby for controlling said motor means to stop movEment of said camera when the number of pulses received by said counter means is indicative that the camera is positioned to scan said predetermined image field.

4. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a power operated device supported adjacent said television camera and movable therewith when said camera is driven on said support means, said master control means being operable for controlling operation of said power operated device.

5. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a plurality of information record units each containing information scannable by said camera, said record units being disposed at different locations and accessible to said support means for said television camera whereby the camera may be made to scan the information contained by selected of said record units, said means for stopping movement of said television camera being variably controllable to stop said camera when it is in alignment with a selected of said record units and means for effecting relative movement between the information contained by a selected record unit and said camera when the camera is selectively positioned to scan said selected record unit to permit the camera to scan all of the information contained by said selected record unit.

6. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support means includes a trackway and a carriage adapted to be driven by said motor means along said trackway, means for movably supporting said camera on said carriage, said motor means comprising first power operated means for driving said carriage along said trackway and second power operated means for driving said camera with respect to said carriage, said first and second control means being operable to control operation of said first and second power means to predeterminately locate said carriage on said trackway and to selectively position said camera in attitude on said carriage to permit said camera to scan different fields when said carriage is selectively stopped on said trackway.

7. A scanning apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for movably supporting said camera on said carriage comprises a vertically extending fixture and said second power operated means is operable to move said camera in a vertical direction on said fixture.

8. A video scanning apparatus comprising in combination:

A substantially horizontal trackway, a carriage adapted for travel along said trackway, a video camera, a support for movably supporting said video camera on said carriage, first power means for driving said video camera in a plurality of directions on said support to permit said camera to scan along different paths, second power means for power driving said carriage along said trackway, first control means for said first power means, second control means for said second power means, a remote monitor station including receiving means for the signals generated by said camera, master control means located at said remote monitor station for predeterminately controlling the operation of said first and second control means so as to effect control of the movement and positioning of said carriage along said trackway and the movement of said video camera on said support whereby the camera may be predeterminately varied in location with respect to said carriage and may be selectively moved along said trackway for scanning different areas within the realm defined by said trackway and said support mounted on said carriage.

9. In a remote control television scanning apparatus, the combination comprising:

first means including a video camera for scanning image fields, second means for movably supporting said first means, third means for driving said first means on said second means and variably changing the scanning axis of said video camera, a monitor station including a video receiver and visual display means for the video information generated by said vIdeo camera, means for establishing a communication link between said first means and said video receiver, a video recorder having a recod member and means for recording the picture signals generated by said video camera on said record member, a recording input to said video recorder, means connecting the recording input for said video recorder with said video receiver whereby the video signals received by said receiver may be recorded, first control means operable from said monitor station for controlling the operation of said third means to move said video camera and predeterminately change the scanning axis of said video camera, second control means at said monitor station for controlling operation of said video recorder to record selected video signals generated by said video camera, and third control means for generating marker signals and selectively recording said marker signals on selected portions of said record member to permit the selective reproduction of said video signals from said record member.

10. In a remote control television scanning apparatus, the combination comprising:

first means including a video camera for scanning image fields, means for controlling said video camera to generate full-frame video picture signals, second means for movably supporting said video camera, third means for driving said video camera on said second means and variably changing the scanning axis of said video camera, a monitor station including a video receiver and visual display means for the video information generated by said camera, means for establishing a communication link between said first means and said video receiver, a video recorder operable to record the output of said video camera, a recording input to said video recorder, means connecting the recording input for said video recorder with said video receiver whereby the video signals received by said receiver may be recorded, first control means operable from said monitor station for controlling the operation of said third means to move said video camera and to predeterminately change the scanning axis of said camera, means for selectively coding the full-frame video picture signals recorded on said record member by said video recorder to permit the selective reproduction of said full-frame video signals from said recorder.