Measuring camera attitude
First Claim
1. A system for using attitude sensors with a camera, said camera being part of a camera assembly, said camera assembly including a fixed portion and a movable portion, said system comprising:
- a first sensor coupled to said camera assembly, said first sensor measures movement of said movable portion relative to said fixed portion; and
a first inclinometer coupled to said camera assembly, said first inclinometer measures an angle of a first axis of said fixed portion of said camera assembly, said measured angle including an actual angle component attributable to a gravitational force on said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to an acceleration force on said first inclinometer;
a first gyro coupled to said camera assembly, said first gyro measures a relative angular change of said first axis, said measured relative angular change including an actual relative angular change component substantially equal to said actual angle component of said angle measured by said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to at least one of offset and drift of said first gyro;
circuitry adapted to receive said measured angle and said measured relative angular change, said circuitry combines said measured angle and said measured relative angular change to remove said error component of said measured angle and said error component of said measured relative angular change in order to determine a value of said actual relative angular change component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed for using camera attitude sensors with a camera. A camera assembly includes a tripod base, a tripod head interface mounted on the tripod base, a tripod head mounted on the tripod head interface and a camera mounted on the tripod head. The tripod head enables the camera to pan and tilt. The system also includes a first optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been panned and a second optical encoder for detecting the amount that the camera has been tilted. Two inclinometers are mounted on the tripod head interface to measure attitude of the tripod head. Two gyroscopes (“gyros”) are mounted on the camera assembly. Data from the encoders, gyros and inclinometers are packaged and sent to graphics production equipment to be used for enhancing video captured by the camera.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for using attitude sensors with a camera, said camera being part of a camera assembly, said camera assembly including a fixed portion and a movable portion, said system comprising:
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a first sensor coupled to said camera assembly, said first sensor measures movement of said movable portion relative to said fixed portion; and a first inclinometer coupled to said camera assembly, said first inclinometer measures an angle of a first axis of said fixed portion of said camera assembly, said measured angle including an actual angle component attributable to a gravitational force on said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to an acceleration force on said first inclinometer; a first gyro coupled to said camera assembly, said first gyro measures a relative angular change of said first axis, said measured relative angular change including an actual relative angular change component substantially equal to said actual angle component of said angle measured by said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to at least one of offset and drift of said first gyro; circuitry adapted to receive said measured angle and said measured relative angular change, said circuitry combines said measured angle and said measured relative angular change to remove said error component of said measured angle and said error component of said measured relative angular change in order to determine a value of said actual relative angular change component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28)
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20. A method for using attitude sensors with a camera, said camera being part of a camera assembly, said camera assembly including a fixed portion and a movable portion, said method comprising:
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sensing data from a first sensor, said first sensor measures movement of said movable portion relative to said fixed portion; sensing data from a first inclinometer, said first inclinometer measures an angle of a first axis of said camera assembly, said measured angle including an actual angle component attributable to a gravitational force on said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to an acceleration force on said first inclinometer; sensing data from a first gyro, said first gyro measures a relative angular change of said first axis, said measured relative angular change including an actual relative angular change component substantially equal to said actual angle component of said angle measured by said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to at least one of offset and drift of said first gyro; and combining said data from said first sensor, said data from said first inclinometer, and said data from said first gyro, said combining includes combining said measured angle and said measured relative angular change to remove said error component of said measured angle and said error component of said measured relative angular change in order to determine a value of said actual relative angular change component. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30)
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31. A system for using attitude sensors with a camera, said camera being part of a camera assembly, said camera assembly including a fixed portion and a moveable portion, said system comprising:
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a first sensor coupled to said camera assembly, said first sensor measures movement of said movable portion with respect to said fixed portion along a first axis; a first gyro coupled to said camera assembly, said first gyro measures a relative angular change of said first axis, said measured relative angular change of said first axis including an actual relative angular change component and an error component attributable to at least one of offset and drift of said first gyro; a first inclinometer coupled to said camera assembly, said first inclinometer measures an angle of said first axis, said measured angle of said first axis including an actual angle component attributable to a gravitational force on said first inclinometer and an error component attributable to an acceleration force on said first inclinometer; a second sensor coupled to said camera assembly, said second sensor measures movement of said movable portion with respect to said fixed portion along a second axis; a second inclinometer coupled to said camera assembly, said second inclinometer measures an angle of said second axis, said measured angle of said second axis including an actual angle component attributable to a gravitational force on said second inclinometer and an error component attributable to an acceleration force on said second inclinometer; a second gyro coupled to said camera assembly, said second gyro measures a relative angular change of said second axis, said measured relative angular change of said second axis including an actual relative angular change component and an error component attributable to at least one of offset and drift of said second gyro; and circuitry adapted to receive said measured angle of said first axis, said measured relative angular change of said first axis, said measured angle of said second axis, and said measured relative angular change of said second axis, said circuitry combines said measured angle of said first axis and said measured relative angular change of said first axis to remove said error component of said measured angle of said first axis and said error component of said measured relative angular change of said first axis in order to determine a value of said actual relative angular change component for said first axis, said circuitry combines said measured angle of said second axis and said measured relative angular change of said second axis to remove said error component of said measured angle of said second axis and said error component of said measured relative angular change of said second axis in order to determine a value of said actual relative angular change component for said second axis. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification