Dual loop stabilization of video camera images

• US 7,643,063 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Trescott, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Don
• Application Number:
  US11/618,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20080158371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.7, 348113-161, 348184-185, 348/208.99, 3482081-20814, 396/13, 396/55
• US Class Current: 348/208.5
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 39/00 High-speed photography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/681 Motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction

Abstract

Dual loop stabilization of video images is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a video camera having a first image stability control component configured to stabilize a video image in a first motion environment. A second image stability control component is coupled between the video camera and a moveable platform and is configured to stabilize the video image in a second motion environment. A motion sensing device detects movement of the video camera and transmits a control signal to adjust a stabilization response of the second image stability control component according to the movement. In some embodiments, a first amplitude range of the first motion environment is at least partially lower than a second amplitude range of the second motion environment, and a first frequency range of the first motion environment is at least partially higher than a second frequency range of the second motion environment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing video images using dual loop image stabilization, comprising:

a video camera positioned on a moveable platform and configured to provide a video image of a scene, the video camera including an internal image stability control device configured to at least partially stabilize the video image when the video camera is subjected to a first motion environment including a first amplitude range and a first frequency range;

at least one external image stability control device coupled between the video camera and the moveable platform and configured to apply an opposing force along an axis in response to the video camera being subjected to a force in a linear direction along the axis in a second motion environment including a second amplitude range and a second frequency range, wherein the at least one external image stability control device includes a biasing member and a dampening member mounted approximately parallel to the axis, and wherein the biasing member and the dampening member operate in parallel to apply the opposing force along the axis; and

a motion sensing device coupled to the video camera and configured to detect movement of the video camera relative to the scene and to transmit a control signal to the at least one external image stability control device to adjust a stabilization response of the at least one external image stability control device according to the movement of the video camera.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internal first image stability control device includes digital image stabilization.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion sensing device includes a gyro, and at least one of the biasing member and dampening member is controlled by the control signal from the motion sensing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the biasing member and the dampening member includes an electromechanical component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moveable platform comprises an aircraft, and wherein the video camera includes a wide angle lens configured to capture at least part of an environment surrounding the aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first amplitude range of the first motion environment is at least partially lower than the second amplitude range of the second motion environment, and wherein the first frequency range of the first motion environment is at least partially higher than the second frequency range of the second motion environment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the internal and external image stability control devices are mechanical devices configured to stabilize an image captured by the video camera.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one external image stability control device comprises:

a first external image stability control device having a biasing member and a dampening member mounted approximately parallel to a z-axis (yaw); and

a second external image stability control device having a biasing member and a dampening member mounted approximately parallel to a y-axis (pitch),

wherein the z-axis (yaw) and the y-axis (pitch) are aligned with a direction of movement of the video camera having a line of sight substantially aligned along an x-axis.

9. A method of providing a video image from a moveable platform, comprising:

capturing a first video image of a first view from the moveable platform using a first video camera; and

capturing a second video image of a second view from the moveable platform using a second video camera;

stabilizing the first video image and the second video image using wherein first and second stabilization devices are associated with each of the first video camera and the second video camera, wherein the first and second stabilization devices are configured to reduce an adverse effect of one or more movements of the moveable platform on the first video image and the second video image wherein the first stabilization device includes a stability control device coupled between the first video camera and the moveable platform and configured to apply an opposing force along an axis in response to the video camera being subjected to a force in a linear direction along the axis, and wherein the stability control device includes a biasing member and a dampening member mounted approximately parallel to the axis, and wherein the biasing member and the dampening member operate in parallel to apply the opposing force along the axis;

adjusting a frame delivery of at least one of the first video image and the second video image to at least partially improve stabilization of the first video image and the second video image;

enabling a user to select the video image to be viewed, wherein the video image includes at least one of the first video image and the second video image; and

delivering the selected video image to a video display.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting frame delivery of at least one of the first video image and the second video image includes removing unstable frames from a sequence of frames prior to delivering the selected video image to the video display.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the frame delivery of the selected video image includes at least one of:

cropping the selected video image;

reducing resolution of the selected video image; and

replacing an unstable selected video image with a stable selected video image.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first stabilization device is configured to at least partially stabilize the first video images and the second video images when the first video camera and the second video camera are subjected to a first motion environment including a first amplitude range and a first frequency range, and wherein the second stabilization device is configured to at least partially stabilize the first video image and the second video image when the first video camera and the second video camera are subjected to a second motion environment including a second amplitude range and a second frequency range, wherein the first amplitude range is at least partially lower than the second amplitude range, and wherein the first frequency range is at least partially higher than the second frequency range.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second stabilization device associated with the first video camera includes a first sensing device configured in the first video camera to detect movement of the first video camera, wherein the second stabilization device associated with the first video camera receives a first signal from the first sensing device to make adjustments to stabilize the movements of the first video camera; and

the second stabilization device associated with the second video camera includes a second sensing device configured in the second video camera to detect movement of the second video camera, wherein the second stabilization device associated with the second video camera receives a second signal from the second sensing device to make adjustments to stabilize the movements of the second video camera.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering the video image to the video display includes delivering the selected video image to a video display device disposed on a back of a passenger seat within the moveable platform, wherein the first view captured by the first video camera is captured from a first side of the moveable platform and the second view captured by the second video camera is captured from a second side of the moveable platform.

15. A method of stabilizing a video image before delivery of the video image to a viewer, comprising:

stabilizing a video image by use of internal video camera controls;

sensing a motion of a video camera;

communicating a control signal representative of the sensed motion to one or more external mechanical video camera controls, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the external mechanical video camera controls to reduce an effect of the sensed motion on the video image;

stabilizing the video image via the external mechanical video camera controls by mounting, the video camera to a moveable platform with a biasing member and a dampening member that are mounted approximately parallel to an axis of the moveable platform, and wherein the biasing member and the dampening member operate in parallel to apply the opposing force along the axis;

changing a frame rate of the video image by removing at least one frame of a plurality of frames in the video image, wherein the at least one frame is perceived as unstable in relation to adjacent frames of the video image; and

distributing the video image to the viewer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein sensing a motion of a video camera includes receiving information from a gyro integrated with the video camera.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein stabilizing a video image by use of internal controls includes digital stabilization.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting a frame resolution to a lower resolution for the at least one frame perceived as unstable in relation to the adjacent frames of the video image.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the distributed video image depicts an environment external of an aircraft, wherein the video image is captured by a wide angle lens.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein

stabilizing a video image by use of internal mechanical video camera controls includes stabilizing the video image by use of internal mechanical video camera controls when the video camera is subjected to a first motion environment including a first amplitude range and a first frequency range;

and wherein stabilizing the video image via external mechanical video camera controls includes stabilizing the video image via the external mechanical video camera controls when the video camera is subjected to a second motion environment including a second amplitude range and a second frequency range;

and wherein the first amplitude range is at least partially lower than the second amplitude range, and wherein the first frequency range is at least partially higher than the second frequency range.