Camera control system and associated pan/tilt head

• US 8,083,420 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• 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:
  US12/901,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 396427-428, 248/183.4, 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 pan table located beneath the mounting platform; and

a first pantograph linkage connected to the mounting platform and to the pan table, the pantograph linkage configured to permit the mounting platform to tilt with respect to the pan table without moving a center-of-gravity defined respective to the mounting platform.

2. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pan/tilt head further comprises a second pantograph linkage disposed on a side of the mounting platform opposite that of the first pantograph linkage.

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

4. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first pantograph linkage is defined by parallel members connected with the mounting platform and transverse members transverse to and connected with the parallel members.

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

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

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

7. 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 a 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 a tilt motor and the pantograph linkage.

8. The pan/tilt head as set forth in claim 7, 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.