Head-mounted video recording system

• US 8,531,592 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Lemire, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morehead, III, John H
• Application Number:
  US11/972,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A helmet- or head-mounted video recording system is provided for mounting on a piece of head gear such as a head-protective helmet. The system includes a camera module attachable to the head gear, including a first video camera integrated into the camera module for generating a video signal. A recording module is removably attachable to the head gear and is adapted to receive the video signal and store data representative of the video signal. A power supply module is removably attachable to the head gear and is electrically connectable to the camera module and the recording module.

Claims

1. A head-worn video recording system for mounting on a piece of head gear, comprising:

a recording module removably attachable to the head gear and adapted to receive the video signal and store data representative of the video signal;

a camera module attachable to the head gear, including a first video camera integrated into the camera module for generating a video signal;

a power supply module removably attachable to the head gear and electrically connectable to said camera module and to said recording module; and

a light module integrated with said camera module and electrically coupled to said power supply module, wherein said first camera module and said light module are each pivotable about a common pivot axis which extends transversely with respect to an optical axis of said first video camera.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transversely extending tie rod coupled to said first video camera and said light module, wherein pivoting rotation of one of said first video camera and said light module causes pivoting rotation of the other.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

said light module is adapted to be selectively decoupled from said tie rod wherein when said light module is decoupled from said tie rod, each of said camera module and said light module can pivot about the pivot axis independently of the other.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising either or both of:

said first camera module and said light module pivotable about said common pivot axis so that said first camera will image a scene, subject, or object within a line of sight of a user donning the head gear and an optical path of said light module will extend in a direction generally parallel to the line of sight of the user donning the head gear; and

said first video camera having an optical axis which is substantially parallel to an optical path of said light module for illumination of a scene, subject or object to be imaged.