Camera control system and associated pan/tilt head

• US 7,527,439 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark T. Dumm
• Original Assignee: Mark T. Dumm
• Inventors: Dumm, Mark T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAHONEY, CHRISTOPHER E
• Application Number:
  US11/122,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 396/427, 396/428, 396/419, 248/183.4, 248/187.1, 352/243
• US Class Current: 396/419
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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

An apparatus for controlling one or more cameras is provided. The apparatus includes: a mounting sled, a tilt drive motor, a tilt drive train, a pan drive motor, and a pan drive train. The mounting sled includes a camera platform between two sled runners. A lower surface of each sled runner is formed by a circular arc. The tilt drive train includes a tilt drive shaft having an axis perpendicular to the camera platform. The pan drive train includes a pan drive shaft extending along the axis of the tilt drive shaft such that it receives the tilt drive shaft and turns independently and concentrically about the tilt drive shaft. The camera platform receives a camera such that the center of gravity of the camera is aligned with the diameter of the circular arc of the sled runners and the vertical axis of the tilt and pan drive shafts.

Claims

1. A pan/tilt head comprising:

a mounting platform;

a first pantograph linkage connected with the mounting platform, the pantograph linkage configured to permit the mounting platform to tilt without moving a center of gravity defined respective to the mounting platform;

a tilt motor operatively coupled with the pantograph linkage to selectively tilt the mounting platform without moving the center of gravity; and

a pan motor operatively coupled with the mounting platform to selectively pan the mounting platform without moving the center of gravity.

2. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pan/tilt head further comprises:

a second pantograph linkage disposed on the mounting platform on a side opposite that of the first pantograph linkage.

3. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 2, wherein each pantograph linkage is defined by parallel members connected with the mounting platform and transverse members transverse to and connected with the parallel members.

4. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 3, wherein the tilt motor is operatively coupled with at least one of the transverse members to selectively tilt the mounting platform without moving the center of gravity.

5. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tilt motor is arranged between the two pantograph linkages, and the pan motor is operatively coupled with the mounting platform and the tilt motor to selectively pan both the mounting platform and the tilt motor without moving the center of gravity.

6. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 2, wherein each pantograph linkage is defined by a vertical support bar connected with the mounting platform, an elevator arm parallel to the vertical support bar, and two crossbars transverse to and connected with the vertical support bar and the pan table.

7. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the center of gravity is spatially offset from the mounting platform.

8. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a tilt drive train operatively coupling the tilt motor and the pantograph linkage to selectively tilt the mounting platform without moving the center of gravity; and

an independent pan drive train operatively coupling the pan motor and the mounting platform independently from the tilt motor to selectively pan the mounting platform without panning the tilt drive motor.

9. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a pan drive train including at least a hollow pan drive shaft, the pan drive train coupling the pan motor and the mounting platform; and

a tilt drive train including at least a tilt drive shaft disposed within the hollow pan drive shaft, the tilt drive train coupling the tilt motor and the pantograph linkage.

10. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 9, wherein the tilt drive shaft, the hollow pan drive shaft, the tilt drive motor, and the pan drive motor are arranged concentrically along an axis that passes through the center of gravity.

11. A pan/tilt head comprising:

a mounting platform;

a constant-radius tilt mechanism connected with the mounting platform, the constant-radius tilt mechanism constraining tilting movement of the mounting platform along an arc about a center of gravity;

a tilt motor operatively coupled with the mounting platform to selectively tilt the mounting platform constrained by the constant-radius tilt mechanism; and

a pan motor operatively coupled with the mounting platform to selectively pan the mounting platform about the center of gravity;

wherein the constant-radius tilt mechanism comprises a first pantograph linkage defined by two parallel members connected with the mounting platform and two cross members connected with the parallel members, at least one cross member being operatively connected with the tilt motor.

12. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 11, wherein the constant-radius tilt mechanism further comprises:

a second pantograph linkage disposed on a side of the mounting platform opposite the first pantograph linkage.

13. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 12, wherein the tilt motor is disposed between the two pantograph linkages, and the pan motor is operatively coupled with the mounting platform by a pan drive train that includes the tilt motor.

14. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 11, wherein the center of gravity is spatially offset from the mounting platform.

15. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:

a pan drive train including at least a hollow pan drive shaft, the pan drive train coupling the pan motor and the mounting platform; and

a tilt drive train including at least a tilt drive shaft disposed within the hollow pan drive shaft, the tilt drive train coupling the tilt motor and the pantograph linkage.

16. A pan/tilt camera comprising:

a camera having camera center-of-gravity; and

a pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 11, the camera being mounted on the mounting platform with the camera center of gravity coincident with the center of gravity of the constant-radius tilt mechanism.

17. A tilt linkage for a pan/tilt head, the tilt linkage comprising:

an elevator arm attached to a pan table;

a parallel member connected with a mounting platform; and

two cross members connecting the parallel member to the elevator arm to define a pantographic linkage constraining tilting movement of the mounting platform along an arc about a center of gravity defined respective to the mounting platform;

wherein the two cross members connect to the elevator arm at a first and second elevator arm bearing location; and

wherein the first elevator arm bearing location, second elevator arm bearing location, and the center of gravity form a line as the mounting platform moves along the arc.

18. The tilt linkage as set forth in claim 17, wherein at least one of the cross members is configured to be rotatably driven to tilt the mounting platform.

19. The tilt linkage as set forth in claim 17, wherein the tilt linkage comprises two pantographic linkages disposed on opposite sides of the mounting platform.

20. A pan/tilt head comprising:

a mounting platform;

a constant-radius tilt mechanism connected with the mounting platform, the constant-radius tilt mechanism constraining tilting movement of the mounting platform along an arc about a center of gravity;

a tilt motor operatively coupled with the mounting platform to selectively tilt the mounting platform constrained by the constant-radius tilt mechanism; and

a pan motor operatively coupled with the mounting platform to selectively pan the mounting platform about the center of gravity;

wherein the constant-radius tilt mechanism comprises a first pantograph linkage defined by a vertical support bar connected with the mounting platform, an elevator arm parallel to the vertical support bar, and two crossbars transverse to and connected with the vertical support bar and the elevator arm, at least one elevator arm being operatively connected with the tilt motor.