Video camera control apparatus

• US 5,206,732 A
• Filed: 12/11/1991
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Broadcast & Communications Ltd. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hudson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greening, Wendy R.
• Application Number:
  US07/804,917
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 358/108, 358/210, 358/86, 358/903, 358/909, 358/209, 358/181, 358/185
• US Class Current: 348/211.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

A video camera control apparatus (10'"'"') includes a respective remote control panel (14) and a respective camera control unit (16) for each of several video cameras (12) to be controlled by the apparatus. Each remote control panel (14) is connected to the associated camera control unit (16) by a respective bus (18) whereby technical operational control of each camera can be effected at the associated remote control panel (14). A respective interface unit (30) is connected in the bus (18) between each remote control panel (14) and the associated camera control unit (16). A master control unit (34) connected to all of the interface units (30) is capable of communicating with any selected one of the camera control units (16) via the associated interface unit (30) to enable technical operational control of any selected one of the cameras (12) to be effected at the master control unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of video cameras, said apparatus comprising:

a camera control unit for each of said plurality of video cameras;

a plurality of remote control panels each connected to an associated one of the camera control units by a respective bus so that technical operational control of each of said video cameras can be effected at the associated remote control panel;

a plurality of interface units each connected in the respective bus between one of the remote control panels and the associated camera control unit, each of said interface units including control microprocessor means which, in response to receipt of technical operational control data identified as pertaining to the camera associated with the respective interface unit, directs said data to the associated camera control unit by way of the bus to which the respective interface unit is connected; and

a master control unit connected to all of said interface units by a common bus for supplying said technical operational control data thereto, thereby enabling said master control unit to communicate with any one of the camera control units by way of the associated interface unit and thereby allowing technical operational control of any selected one of the cameras at said master control unit.

2. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of video cameras, said apparatus comprising:

a camera control unit for each of said plurality of video cameras;

a plurality of remote control panels each connected to an associated one of the camera control units by a respective bus so that technical operational control of each of said video cameras can be effected at the associated remote control panel;

a plurality of interface units each connected in the respective bus between one of the remote control panels and the associated camera control unit; and

a master control unit connected to all of said interface units and capable of communicating with any one of the camera control units by way of the associated interface unit to enable technical operational control of any selected one of the cameras at said master control unit and control of at least some technical operating parameters of the selected one of the cameras at one of said master control unit and the respective remote control panel.

3. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of video cameras, said apparatus comprising:

a camera control unit for each of said plurality of video cameras;

a plurality of remote control panels each connected to an associated one of the camera control units by a respective bus so that technical operational control of each of said video cameras can be effected at the associated remote control panel;

a plurality of interface units each connected in the respective bus between one of the remote control panels and the associated camera control unit;

a preview selector for generating a preview select signal; and

a master control unit connected to all of said interface units and responsive to said preview select signal for automatically establishing communication with the camera control unit associated with the camera whose video signal is selected for previewing by way of the associated interface unit to enable technical operational control of the respective camera at said master control unit.

4. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of video cameras, said apparatus comprising:

a camera control unit for each of said plurality of video cameras;

a plurality of remote control panels each connected to an associated one of the camera control units by a respective bus so that technical operational control of each of said video cameras can be effected at the respective remote control panel and in which each of said remote control panels is capable of monitoring performance data supplied by the respective camera;

a plurality of interface units each connected in the respective bus between one of the remote control panels and the associated camera control unit; and

a master control unit connected to all of said interface units and capable of communicating with any one of the camera control units by way of the associated interface unit to enable technical operational control of any selected one of the cameras at said master control unit;

each of said interface units being operative to pass said performance data received from the respective camera to the respective remote control panel regardless of whether said master control unit is communicating with the respective camera.