Remote-controlled tracking system for tracking a remote control unit and positioning and operating a camera and method

• US 5,561,519 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Sorrells, David F., Parker, Jeffrey L., Mix, John D., Daber, Richard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US08/470,050
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 250/231.18, 250/203.3, 250/206.1, 250/206.2, 318/640, 318/648, 356/139.06, 354/81, 352/53, 352/197, 352/243, 348/169
• US Class Current: 356/139.06
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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

Abstract

The system includes improvements to a remote tracking system for motion picture as well as still picture cameras. The system provides for improved motor control for PAN and TILT functions including motor turn-off in the event of stall; the use of optical means to provide position feedback through the use of a light-blocking disk graduated on a "gray scale" which eliminates mechanical contacts; mechanical levers that are motor driven for operation of ON/OFF and ZOOM functions of a motion picture camera or shutter control for a still camera via either the base or remote unit command circuitry. The remote unit is formed as a hand-held wand and also provides audio circuitry. A space diversity RF receiver is used to improve the communication link between the remote unit and the base unit.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled tracking system for tracking a movable remote control unit comprises a base station, said base station including control circuit means for automatically determining the relative position and movement of said remote control unit with respect to said base station and providing control output signals in response thereto, said base station including movable means responsive to said control circuit means for moving said base station in response to said control output signals, said remote control unit including command circuit means for selectively providing a STEALTH command signal to said control circuit means, said control circuit means being responsive to said STEALTH command signal to automatically move said movable means when said tracking mode is inoperative as automatically determined by said control circuit means.

2. A method of positioning and operating a camera by a controller to automatically track a target with a field of view of the camera, comprising the steps of:

A. associating a camera with a tracking unit that is movable by tracking commands from the controller to track a target in at least one plane;

B. issuing a command to the controller to cease positioning of the field of view of the camera to track the target while continuing to determine a relationship of the target with the field of view; and

C. stopping by the controller the tracking of the target.

3. The method of claim 2 including the steps of:

D. issuing a command to the controller to resume positioning of the field of view of the camera by the controller; and

E. tracking and positioning the field of view to track the target by the controller.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein step C includes the step of:

D. connecting a computer to the controller operable to send commands to override the tracking commands from the controller.

5. A method of positioning and operating a camera mounted on a tracking unit that is movable by a controller to automatically track a target by the camera comprising the steps of:

A. mounting a camera having a ZOOM LENS function and having a ZOOM control for operating the ZOOM function on a tracking unit movable by the controller in at least one plane;

B. attaching operation control means to the camera for operating the ZOOM control of the camera in response to commands from the controller; and

C. issuing by the controller commands to the operation control means to operate the ZOOM control of the camera.

6. A method of positioning and operating a camera mounted on a tracking unit that is movable by a controller to automatically track a target by the camera comprising the steps of:

A. mounting a camera on the tracking unit that is movable by the controller in at least one plane;

B. determining the position of the tracking unit;

C. generating an output signal indicative of the position of the tracking unit to the controller;

D. remembering by the tracking unit at least one position of the tracking unit;

E. determining by the tracking unit the remembered positions obtained in step D;

F. discontinuing the tracking of the target and moving the tracking unit to a position remembered in step D; and

G. resuming tracking of the target after the tracking unit has been moved to a remembered position in step F.

7. A method of positioning and operating a camera by a command-driven controller having memory to automatically track a target comprising the steps of:

A. associating a camera with a tracking unit that is movable by the controller to be movable in at least one plane;

B. providing to the controller by the target signals to operate the controller;

C. receiving signals provided by the target;

D. integrating tracking commands from the controller with the automatic tracking capability of the tracking unit for altering the automatic tracking capability;

E. generating by the controller data containing information regarding the position of the tracking unit; and

F. issuing by the target a first signal to the controller to place the information regarding the position of the tracking unit into the memory of the controller.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the steps of:

G. issuing by the target a second signal to the controller to move the tracking unit in response to the information placed in memory in step E; and

H. moving by the controller the tracking unit in accord with the second signal.

9. A method of positioning and operating a camera by a controller to automatically track a target by the camera comprising the steps of:

A. moving the target to a first position and automatically tracking the target in subsequent movement thereof;

B. integrating tracking commands from the controller with the tracking capability of the controller for altering the tracking capability;

C. remembering the first position; and

D. instructing the controller to cease automatic tracking of the target and move to the first remembered position.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of:

E. instructing the tracking unit to resume automatic tracking of the target.

11. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera used in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking the target;

B. determining at least one specific field of view of the camera;

C. remembering by the system at least one selected specific field of view of the camera; and

D. controlling by the system the cessation of automatic tracking in step A of the target to return to at least one selected specific field of view of the camera remembered in step C.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. determining the at least one specific field of view of the camera of step B by automatically tracking the target to the one specific field of view of the camera which is remembered in step C.

13. The method of claim 11 further including the step of:

E. re-enabling the automatic tracking disabled in step D to begin tracking of the target by the camera.

14. The method of claim 11 further including the steps of:

E. remembering by the system another specific field of view of the camera; and

F. controlling the field of view of the camera to go from one remembered specific field of view to another remembered specific field of view.

15. The method of claim 11 further including the step of:

E. issuing commands from the target to remember the at least one specific field of view of a step C and to control the cessation of automatic tracking and to return to the at least one remembered specific field of view of step D.

16. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera used in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking the target;

B. issuing a command to the system for controlling the cessation of automatic tracking of the target; and

C. issuing a direction of movement command to the system to move the field of view in accord with the movement command.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step C further includes the step of:

D. issuing speed control information in the direction of movement command to move the field of view at a specific rate.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein step D further includes the step of:

E. varying the speed control command to selectively increase or decrease the movement of the field of view.

19. The method of claim 16 further including the step of:

D. issuing another command to begin tracking of the target.

20. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera used in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking the target;

B. determining when automatic tracking of the target in step A is no longer possible; and

C. continuing to move the field of view of the camera in substantially the same direction and at the same rate as the field of view was moving during automatic tracking of the target when tracking is no longer possible.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the step of:

D. automatically returning to automatic tracking of the target when automatic tracking becomes possible.

22. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera used in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking the target;

B. controlling the zoom perspective of the camera'"'"'s field of view by the system; and

C. issuing commands to the system for controlling the zoom perspective of the camera'"'"'s field of view.

23. The method of claim 22 further including the step of:

D. issuing the commands of step C by the target to control the zoom perspective of the camera'"'"'s field of view.

24. The method of claim 22 further including the steps of:

D. remembering by the system a plurality of zoom perspectives;

E. issuing command to the system to recall a zoom perspective remembered in step D; and

F. controlling by the system the camera field of view to provide the zoom perspective of step E.

25. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera used in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising the steps:

A. automatically tracking the target with the field of view;

B. continuously determining by the system when automatic tracking of the target in step A is no longer possible;

C. continuing to move the field of view of the camera by the system in substantially the same direction and at the same rate as the field of view was moving during automatic tracking of the target when tracking is determined no longer possible; and

D. automatically returning the system to operation in the automatic tracking of the target when tracking is determined to be operative by the system.

26. A method of positioning and operating a camera mounted on a tracking unit comprising the steps of:

A. automatically tracking a target with the field of view of the camera;

B. defining tracking error as the difference between the desired and actual positions of the target with respect to the camera field of view;

C. automatically determining by the tracking unit the error defined in step B; and

D. establishing by the tracking unit a plurality of selectable tracking response modes, each mode resulting in a different tracking response of the tracking unit for the same determined error.

27. The method of claim 26 further including the steps of:

E. automatically determining the time period that an error exists;

F. establishing by the tracking unit a time period that a predetermined amount of error must exist before the camera field of view is changed by the tracking unit; and

G. changing the camera field of view when a predetermined amount of error exists for the predetermined time period established in step F.

28. A method of controlling the field of view of a camera in a system for the automatic tracking of a target with the field of view comprising:

A. providing by the system a user-selectable reference position representing the desired position of the target in the field of view;

B. selectively changing by the user the reference position to provide a desired location of the target in the field of view; and

C. automatically tracking the target with the field of view of a camera in accord with the reference position selected in step B.