Coordinated camera pan tilt mechanism

• US 7,717,629 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Kenoyer, Michael L., Oxford, William V., Vanderwilt, Patrick D., Haenlein, Hans-Christoph, Kaplan, Jonathan I., Lukic, Branko
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney; Christopher E
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARKER, AUTUMN H
• Application Number:
  US11/404,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20060269278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 396/427, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 352/69
• US Class Current: 396/428
• 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: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• 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

In various embodiments, a camera may be controlled by one or more motors in a base of the camera. Cables and other components may be used to manipulate the camera lens through the side arms of the camera. Putting the motors in the base may reduce the size of the outer case of the camera and add stability. A pan motor may pan the camera while a tilt motor may move a tilt pulley relative to a lens portion of the camera (which may or may not tilt the camera depending on the panning motion of the camera). In some embodiments, images from the camera may be converted into a serialized stream and transported over a cable from the lens through a center shaft of the camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a camera comprising a lens portion;

a base portion, the base portion comprising;

a pan plate coupled to the lens portion;

a first motor coupled to the pan plate, wherein the first motor is operable to move the pan plate which is operable to pan the lens portion;

a tilt plate coupled to the lens portion;

a second motor coupled to the tilt plate, wherein the second motor is operable to move the tilt plate;

wherein the tilt plate is coupled to the lens portion through a tilt mechanism, the tilt mechanism comprising;

a tilt pulley coupled to the tilt plate, wherein the tilt pulley is operable to be rotated by the tilt plate; and

a cable coupled to the tilt pulley and to the lens portion, wherein the cable is operable to tilt the lens portion when the tilt pulley rotates relative to the lens portion;

wherein the lens portion is coupled to the base portion through a yoke arm, wherein the yoke arm is at least partially hollow and wherein the cable runs through at least a portion of the yoke arm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tilt motor is operable to rotate the tilt pulley through the tilt plate to offset relative motion of the tilt pulley with respect to the lens portion when the lens portion is panned.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is a high definition camera.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pan motor and tilt motor is biased against the pan plate or tilt plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an opto-interrupter on at least one of the pan plate and the tilt plate, wherein the opto-interrupter is operable to detect motion of the at least pan plate or tilt plate past a predefined point.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the opto-interrupter is operable to send a signal to stop the first motor or second motor if the opto-interrupter detects motion past the predefined point.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a thin cable coupled to the camera, wherein the thin cable is operable to transmit a high-speed serial digital stream.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the thin cable is operable to carry digitized microphone data and digital image data.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the thin cable is operable to carry bi-directional control data for controlling the first motor, second motor, focus motor, zoom motor, iris motor, or power to the camera.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an array of microphones coupled to the camera, wherein the array of microphones is used to detect a direction to a sound source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a remote control sensor coupled to the camera.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a field programmable gate array (FPGA) operable to control the pan motor and tilt motor in the base of the camera.