Active camera apparatus and robot apparatus

• US 7,446,813 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Takashi, Nakamoto, Hideichi, Kikuiri, Nobutaka, Ogawa, Hideki, Ito, Hideki, Hirokawa, Junko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; NgocYen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADEYIGA, TEMITOPE A
• Application Number:
  US10/895,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218.1, 348/207.99
• US Class Current: 348/374
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

An outer body of ball shell type has an opening. A camera is located in the outer body and receives an image from outside of the outer body through the opening. A camera support unit is located in the outer body and rotationally supports the camera along a first axis and a second axis mutually crossed at a center of the outer body. A first camera actuator is located in the outer body and rotationally actuates the camera around the first axis. A second camera actuator is located in the outer body and rotationally actuates the camera around the second axis.

Claims

1. An active camera apparatus, comprising:

an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening;

a camera in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening;

a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera, a lens of the camera facing the outside of the outer body through the opening, the camera support unit including a spur gear fixed to one edge of the half-toroidal member, an axis of the spur gear being fixedly connected to one end of the axial member, the camera support member with the camera being rotated around the first axis by rotation of the half-toroidal member and rotated around the second axis by rotation of the mounting plate, the camera support member having an engagement pin projected on an outer surface of the camera support member;

a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis and being a first motor fixed to an inside of the outer body, a rotation axis of the first motor being parallel to the first axis, and a pinion gear joining with the rotation axis engaging an inner gear of an inner circular surface of the half-toroidal member, the half-toroidal member being rotated around the first axis by rotation of the pinion gear of the first motor;

a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis and being a second motor fixed to the mounting plate, a rotation axis of the second motor being parallel to the second axis, a pinion gear joining with the rotation axis engaging the spur gear, the mounting plate being rotated around the second axis by rotation of the pinion gear of the second motor; and

an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit, the open-close member having an engagement hole into which the engagement pin movably fits, a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the first axis being longer than a length of the engagement hole along a rotation direction around the second axis.

2. The active camera apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when the camera support member rotates around the second axis, the open-close member links with camera support member by catching the engagement pin on an edge of the engagement hole along the rotation direction around the second axis.

3. The active camera apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, when the camera support member rotates around the first axis, the open-close member does not link with camera support member by sliding the engagement pin in the engagement hole along the rotation direction around the first axis.

4. An active camera apparatus, comprising:

an outer body of a ball shell type having an opening;

a camera in the outer body, the camera receiving an image from outside of the outer body through the opening;

a camera support unit in the outer body, the camera support unit rotationally supporting the camera along a first axis and a second axis crossing at a center of the outer body, the camera support unit including a half-toroidal member rotating around the first axis, an axial member as the second axis connecting between both edges of the half-toroidal member, a mounting plate through which the axial member passes mounting the camera, a camera support member as the ball shell type being located inside the outer body and fixed to the half-toroidal member and the camera, a lens of the camera facing the outside of the outer body through the opening, the camera support unit including a spur gear fixed to one edge of the half-toroidal member, an axis of the spur gear being fixedly connected to one end of the axial member, the camera support member with the camera being rotated around the first axis by rotation of the half-toroidal member and rotated around the second axis by rotation of the mounting plate;

a first camera actuator in the outer body, the first camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the first axis and being a first motor fixed to an inside of the outer body, a rotation axis of the first motor being parallel to the first axis, a pinion gear joining with the rotation axis engaging an inner gear of an inner circular surface of the half-toroidal member, the half-toroidal member being rotated around the first axis by rotation of the pinion gear of the first motor;

a second camera actuator in the outer body, the second camera actuator rotationally actuating the camera around the second axis and being a second motor fixed to the mounting plate, a rotation axis of the second motor being parallel to the second axis, a pinion gear joining with the rotation axis engaging the spur gear, the mounting plate being rotated around the second axis by rotation of the pinion gear of the second motor;

an open-close member as a partial ball shell type located in a space between the outer body and the camera support member, the open-close member being rotated around the second axis, the open-close member having two support pins projecting in opposite directions on an outer surface of the open-close member, the opposite directions being positioned along the second axis, the outer body having two support holes into which the support pins rotationally fit;

a torsion spring inter-carried in a space between the support pin and the support hole, the torsion spring energizing the open-close member along a rotation direction around the second axis, and

a third motor in the outer body, a rotation axis of the third motor joining with a pulley around which a wire is turned, a tip of the wire being connected to one end of an inside of the open-close member.

5. The active camera apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein, when the third motor actuates the rotation axis, the open-close member opens or closes the opening of the outer body around the second axis by adjusting a length of the wire.