Two degree of freedom camera mount

• US 6,595,704 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrica, Inc. (The Premium Interior Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Metrica, Inc. (The Premium Interior Group AG)
• Inventors: Ambrose, Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Application Number:
  US09/827,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20020146249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 396/324, 396/325, 396/328, 396/419, 396/427, 396/428, 352/243, 352/132, 348/143, 348/144, 348/151, 348/159, 348/373
• US Class Current: 396/428
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A two degree of freedom camera mount. The camera mount includes a socket, a ball, a first linkage and a second linkage. The socket includes an interior surface and an opening. The ball is positioned within an interior of the socket. The ball includes a coupling point for rotating the ball relative to the socket and an aperture for mounting a camera. The first and second linkages are rotatably connected to the socket and slidably connected to the coupling point of the ball. Rotation of the linkages with respect to the socket causes the ball to rotate with respect to the socket.

Claims

1. A camera mounting apparatus comprising:

a)a socket including and interior surface and an opening;

b)a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface of said socket, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera;

c)a first linkage operably connected to said ball wherein movement of said first linkage causes relative rotational movement of said ball along a first path with respect to said

d)a second linkage operably connected to said ball wherein movement of said second linkage causes relative rotational movement of said ball along a second path with respect to said socket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first linkage includes a first shaft portion and a first arm rotatably connected said socket and said second linkage includes a second shaft portion and a second arm rotatably connected said socket.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein two camera mounts are coupled together for mounting stereo cameras.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first linkage includes a first shaft portion and a first arm portion, wherein rotation of said first shaft portion causes relative rotation between said first arm portion and said socket, wherein said second linkage includes a second shaft portion and a second arm portion, wherein rotation of said second shaft portion causes relative rotation between said second arm portion and said socket, wherein rotation of said first shaft portion is independent of rotation of said second shaft portion.

5. A camera mounting apparatus comprising:

a) a socket including an interior surface and an opening;

b) a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface of said socket, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera and a coupling point for rotating said ball relative to said socket;

c) a first arm rotatably connected to said socket, said first arm having a first slot coupled to said coupling point; and

d) a second arm rotatably connected to said socket, said second arm having a second slot coupled to said coupling point, wherein rotation of said first and second arms moves said coupling point to cause relative rotation of said ball with respect to said socket.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein, said first arm includes a shaft portion and a coupling portion that includes said slot, wherein rotation of said shaft portion causes relative rotation between said coupling point and said socket, moving said coupling point along a path defined by said second slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said coupling point is a post.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said coupling point is configured to prevent rotation of said coupling point within said slot.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said coupling point includes a rectangular portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein two camera mounts are coupled together for mounting stereo cameras.

10. The apparatus of clam 5 wherein said first and second arms are adjacent to said exterior surface of said socket.

12. A camera mount apparatus comprising:

a) a socket including and interior surface and an exterior surface, said socket including an opening;

b) a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface of said socket, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera and a post extending from said ball having a square portion for moving said ball relative to said socket;

c) a first linkage rotatably connected to said socket having a first arm with a first slot coupled to said post such that said post is constrained to motion along a first path defined by said first slot; and

d) a second linkage rotatably connected to said socket having a second arm with a second slot coupled to said post such that said post is constrained to motion along a second path defined by said second slot, wherein rotation of said first linkage with respect to said socket moves said post along said second path and rotation of said first linkage moves said post along said first path to cause relative rotation of said ball with respect to said socket.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein, said first arm includes a shaft portion and a coupling portion that includes said slot, wherein rotation of said shaft portion causes relative rotation between said coupling portion and said socket, moving said coupling point along said second slot.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein two camera mounts are coupled together for mounting stereo cameras.

15. A method for positioning a camera comprising:

a)mounting a camera in an aperture in a ball;

b)moving a first linkage operably connected to said ball to rotate said ball along a first path within an interior region of a socket to position said camera; and

c)moving a second linkage that moves independently of said first linkage to rotate said ball along a second path within the interior region of the socket to position said camera.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein moving said first linkage comprises rotating a shaft portion of said first linkage.

17. A method for positioning a camera comprising:

a) mounting a camera in an aperture in a ball having a coupling post;

b) rotating a shaft portion of a first linkage to cause rotation of a first arm portion of said first linkage with respect to a socket, wherein rotation of said first arm portion moves said coupling post along a first path defined by a slot in a second arm portion of a second linkage to rotate said ball with respect to said socket; and

c) rotating a shaft portion of a second linkage to cause rotation of said second arm portion of said second linkage with respect to said socket, wherein rotation of said second arm portion moves said coupling post along a second path defined by a slot in said first arm portion of the said first linkage to move said ball with respect to said socket.

18. A robotic arm and head unit comprising:

a)a robotic arm connected to a deck;

b)a robotic head connected to said deck;

c)a camera mount connected to said head, said camera mount including a socket having an interior surface, a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera, a first linkage operably connected to said ball for rotating said ball with respect to said socket along a first path, and a second linkage operably connected to said ball for rotating said ball in said socket along a second path;

d)a camera connected to said mount; and

e)a control for moving said arm and head and positioning said camera.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein perception of an object by said camera provides a signal to said control, said signal is processed by said control to determine a position of said object and said control causes said arm to move a tool attached to an end of said arm to the position of the sensed object.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said head is mounted to said deck by a robotic neck.

21. A robotic arm and head unit comprising:

a)a robotic arm connected to a deck;

b)a robotic head connected to said deck;

c)a first camera mount connected to said head, said first camera mount including a socket having an interior surface, a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera, and a linkage operably connected to said ball for rotating said ball in said socket;

d) a second camera mount coupled to said first camera mount for mounting stereo cameras;

e)a first camera connected to said first mount;

f)a second camera connected to said second mount;

g) a control for moving said arm and head and positioning said camera.

22. A robotic arm and head unit comprising:

a)a robotic arm connected to a deck;

b)a robotic head mounted to said deck by a robotic neck including four degrees of freedom;

c)a camera mount connected to said head, said camera mount including a socket having an interior surface, a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera, and a linkage operably connected to said ball for rotating said ball in said socket;

d)a camera connected to said mount;

e)a control for moving said arm and head and positioning said camera.

23. A robotic arm and head unit comprising:

a)a robotic arm connected to a deck, said arm includes at least four degrees of freedom;

b)a robotic head connected to said deck;

c)a camera mount connected to said head, said camera mount including a socket having an interior surface, a ball positioned within a region defined by said interior surface, said ball including an aperture for mounting a camera, and a linkage operably connected to said ball for rotating said ball in said socket;

d)a camera connected to said mount; and

e)a control for moving said arm and head and positioning said camera.