Remote camera relay controller method and apparatus

• US 6,400,903 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Conoval
• Original Assignee: Paul Conoval
• Inventors: Conoval, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Arthur A
• Application Number:
  US09/681,079
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/57, 396/58, 396/59, 396/502, 396/263, 396/264, 396/265, 348/375, 348/17, 348/13
• US Class Current: 396/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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

A remote camera relay method and apparatus for remotely operating a self-contained, unattended digital camera over a communications link. Format conversion means are included for transparently relaying control signals and remote image data between a local host processor and the remotely located digital camera, independently of specific camera command and image protocols. It thereby functions as a universal remote image transmission adapter, operable as an attachment for use with self-contained digital cameras. A portable enclosure is provided for accommodating the remote relay communications and control electronics and for attaching a hand-held digital camera thereto. Further means are included for remotely actuating the pan and tilt orientation of the camera in accordance with field-of-view selection commands. Data rate conversion and error correction coding are included for providing reliable, low power image forwarding. The communications channel could be a dial-up telephone system, a network connection, modem, an infra-red link or a wireless RF link, for example. Additional control means are provided for remotely selecting the camera field of view for image capture, and includes the ability to access only those subsets of image scenes for which viewing permissions are authorized. A further mode of operation includes protocol training whereby host photographing commands are captured by the remote relay invention during on-line operation, then replayed at programmed times resulting in automatic scheduled remote image capture. Power management is provided for maximizing operating time when used in low power, portable, battery operation.

Claims

1. A camera communications relay apparatus for remote operation of a self-contained digital camera over a communications link wherein said digital camera is located at a remote location and includes an external interface for receiving camera commands and for outputting image data, said camera communications relay apparatus comprising:

remote communications means at said remote location;

local communications means at a local location;

an online mode wherein said remote communications means is communicatively coupled to said local communications means, thereby allowing a data stream to be passed therebetween over said communications link;

an offline mode wherein said remote communications means and said local communications means are communicatively uncoupled;

a photographing schedule;

means for storing said photographing schedule at said remote location;

first command means, coupled to said external interface, for signaling said digital camera to capture and store a photograph therein during said offline mode in accordance with the stored photographing schedule, said digital camera comprising means for retaining the stored photograph therein for non-real-time retrieval at a later time during said online mode;

second command means, coupled to said external interface, for signaling said digital camera to output an image data stream to said external interface thereof at said later time, wherein said image data stream is characterized by a non-real-time digital representation of said stored photograph, and wherein said second command means operates independently of said first command means;

forwarding means for receiving said image data stream from said external interface and providing said image data stream to said remote communications means in a format compatible for forwarding to said local communications means when operating in said online mode, thereby producing a forwarded image data stream at said local location;

host receiving means, at said local location, for accepting said forwarded image data stream;

interface coupling means for coupling said external interface of said digital camera to said camera communications relay apparatus and for decoupling therefrom, wherein said digital camera cooperates with said camera communications relay apparatus when coupled thereto and said digital camera is independently operable in a conventional photographing manner, apart from said camera communications relay apparatus, for capturing and storing photographs therein, when decoupled therefrom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an enclosure for accommodating said remote communications means, said first command means, said second command means, said forwarding means and said means for storing said photographing schedule, therein;

attachment means for attaching said digital camera to said enclosure and for detaching therefrom, wherein said enclosure provides a supporting platform for maintaining said digital camera in a photographing position and disposes, said interface coupling means for coupling said external interface to said camera communications relay apparatus, when attached thereto, and said digital camera is independently operable, apart from said enclosure for capturing and storing photographs therein, when detached therefrom.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for producing said photographing schedule at said local location and providing said photographing schedule to said local communications means thereby forwarding said photographing schedule to said remote location in accordance with said online mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising third command means for signaling said digital camera to delete said stored photograph therefrom.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communications link comprises a telephone network, said local communications means comprises a local modem and said remote communications means comprises a remote modem.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said communications link comprises a wireless link, said remote communications means comprises a remote wireless transceiver and said local communications means comprises a local wireless transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating camera command data at said local location and providing said camera command data to said local communications means for forwarding to said remote communications means in said online mode, thereby producing remote camera command data at said remote location, and further comprising means for forwarding said remote camera command data to said external interface of said digital camera in a format compatible with the operation thereof, thereby causing said digital camera to respond in accordance with said camera command data during said online mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising protocol training means, said protocol training means comprising:

memory means;

command capture means wherein said remote camera command data is captured in said memory means in said online mode;

means for associating the captured remote camera command data with its corresponding camera function;

means for selecting said camera function in said offline mode;

means for outputting said captured remote camera command data to said external interface in accordance with the selected camera function in said offline mode.

9. A camera communications relay apparatus for remote operation of a self-contained digital camera over a communications link wherein said digital camera is located at a remote location and includes an external interface for receiving camera commands and for outputting image data, said camera communications relay apparatus comprising:

remote communications means at said remote location;

local communications means at a local location;

an online mode wherein said remote communications means is communicatively coupled to said local communications means, thereby allowing a data stream to be passed therebetween over said communications link;

an offline mode wherein said remote communications means and said local communications means are communicatively uncoupled;

a photographing schedule;

means for storing said photographing schedule at said remote location;

first command means, coupled to said external interface, for signaling said digital camera to capture and store a photograph therein during said offline mode in accordance with the stored photographing schedule, said digital camera comprising means for retaining the stored photograph therein for non-real-time retrieval at a later time during said online mode;

second command means, coupled to said external interface, for signaling said digital camera to output an image data stream to said external interface thereof at said later time, wherein said image data stream is characterized by a non-real-time digital representation of said stored photograph, and wherein said second command means operates independently of said first command means;

third command means for generating a camera positioning command at said remote location, said camera positioning command corresponding to a selected camera field-of-view;

camera positioning means for orienting said digital camera in response to said camera positioning command thereby positioning said digital camera to said selected camera field-of-view, wherein said photograph produced by said first command means corresponds to said selected field-of-view;

forwarding means for receiving said image data stream from said external interface and providing said image data stream to said remote communications means in a format compatible for forwarding to said local communications means when operating in said online mode, thereby producing a forwarded image data stream at said local location;

host receiving means, at said local location, for accepting said forwarded image data stream;

attachment means for supportively attaching said digital camera to said camera positioning means and for detaching therefrom;

interface coupling means for coupling said external interface to said camera communications relay apparatus and for decoupling therefrom;

wherein said digital camera cooperates with said camera communications relay apparatus when supportively attached and coupled thereto and said digital camera is independently operable in a conventional photographing manner, apart from said camera communications relay apparatus, for capturing and storing photographs therein, when detached and decoupled therefrom.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an enclosure for accommodating said remote communications means, said first command means, said second command means, said third command means, said forwarding means and said means for storing said photographing schedule and said camera positioning means, therein, wherein said enclosure provides a supporting platform for maintaining said digital camera in a photographing position and disposes said interface coupling means for coupling said external interface to said camera communications relay apparatus when said digital camera is attached to said camera positioning means.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said camera positioning means comprises motor means for rotating said attachment means in a lateral plane and a vertical plane thereby producing panning and tilting motion of said digital camera when attached thereto.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising position access control means for selectively orienting said camera positioning means in accordance with permissions, thereby orienting said digital camera to allowable field-of-views when said digital camera is attached to said camera positioning means, whereby the capture and storage of photographs is restricted to said allowable field-of-views.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said photographing schedule includes predetermined photographing times and predetermined camera orientations corresponding to said predetermined photographing times, and wherein said first command means is responsive to said predetermined photographing times and said third command means is responsive to said predetermined camera orientations, thereby causing said digital camera to capture and store photographs corresponding to said predetermined camera orientations at said predetermined photographing times in said offline mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for producing said photographing schedule at said local location and providing said photographing schedule to said local communications means thereby forwarding said photographing schedule to said remote location in accordance with said online mode.

15. A camera communications relay apparatus for remote operation of a self-contained digital camera over a communications link wherein said digital camera is located at a remote location and includes an external interface for receiving camera commands and for outputting image data, said camera communications relay apparatus comprising:

remote communications means at said remote location;

local communications means at a local location, communicatively coupled to said remote communications means;

a data streaming mode wherein said remote communications means and said local communications means are configured for passing a data stream from said remote location to said local location over said communications link in a format characterized by an uninterrupted transfer of successive data elements without data retransmission;

first command means for signaling said digital camera to capture and store a photograph therein;

second command means for signaling said digital camera to output an image data stream to said external interface thereof, wherein said image data stream is characterized by a digital representation of said stored photograph;

an FEC encoder at said remote location, provided with said image data stream, for producing an FEC encoded data stream therefrom;

forwarding means for providing said FEC encoded data stream to said remote communications means for forwarding to said local communications means in accordance with said data streaming mode, thereby producing a forwarded FEC encoded data stream at said local location;

an FEC decoder at said local location, said FEC decoder corresponding to said FEC encoder for correcting transmission errors in said forwarded FEC encoded data stream, thereby producing a corrected image data stream at said local location;

host receiving means at said local location for receiving said corrected image data stream;

interface coupling means for coupling said external interface of said digital camera to said camera communications relay apparatus and for decoupling therefrom, wherein said digital camera cooperates with said camera communications relay apparatus when coupled thereto and said digital camera is independently operable in a conventional photographing manner, apart from said camera communications relay apparatus, for capturing and storing photographs therein, when decoupled therefrom;

whereby said FEC encoder, said FEC decoder and said data streaming mode, in combination, provides a protocol-free transmission of data from said digital camera to said local host receiving means, thereby eliminating the need for camera-specific transmission protocol processing and allowing for the universal adaptation of an arbitrary digital camera for remote image access.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said FEC encoder and said FEC decoder comprise a Reed Solomon encoder and a Reed Solomon decoder, respectively.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said remote communications means is a remote modem, said local communications means is a local modem, and said remote modem and said local modem are configured in accordance with said data streaming mode wherein data retransmission between said local modem and said remote modem is inhibited.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said communications link comprises a wireless link, said remote communications means comprises a wireless transmitter and said local communications means comprises a wireless receiver.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

an offline mode wherein said remote communications means and said local communications means are communicatively uncoupled;

a photographing schedule;

means for storing said photographing schedule at said remote location;

and wherein said first command means is responsive to said photographing schedule thereby commanding said digital camera to capture and store photographs therein in accordance with said schedule when operating in said offline mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

an enclosure for including said remote communications means, said first command means, said second command means, said FEC encoder and said forwarding means, therein;

attachment means for attaching said digital camera to said enclosure and for detaching therefrom, wherein said enclosure provides a supporting platform for maintaining said digital camera in a photographing position and disposes said interface coupling means for coupling said external interface to said camera communications relay apparatus when attached thereto, and said digital camera is independently operable in a conventional photographing manner, apart from said enclosure for capturing and storing photographs therein, when detached therefrom.