Systems and methods for positioning a camera crane
First Claim
1. A system for positioning a camera head, the camera head coupled to a provided camera crane, the camera crane includes a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base at a proximate end-portion of the arm, and the camera head pivotally coupled to a distal end-portion of the arm, the system comprising:
- a first detector that detects a magnitude of a first angle between the arm and the base;
a second detector that detects a magnitude of a second angle of the arm with respect to a direction of gravity;
an actuator mechanically coupled between the camera head and the arm; and
a processing circuit;
the processing circuit detects a rate of change of the magnitude of the first angle; and
the processing circuit moves the actuator a linear distance in accordance with the magnitude of the second angle at a rate that corresponds to the rate of change to position a camera mount of the camera head parallel to a plane.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for positioning a camera crane include maintaining the position of a camera head in accordance with the inclination and rate of change of inclination of the arm of the crane. The inclination and rate of change are detected by an inclination detector and an angular detector respectively. The camera head may be positioned in accordance with the inclination as detected by the inclination detector. The rate of changing the position of the camera head may be in accordance with the rate of change detected by the angular detector.
59 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for positioning a camera head, the camera head coupled to a provided camera crane, the camera crane includes a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base at a proximate end-portion of the arm, and the camera head pivotally coupled to a distal end-portion of the arm, the system comprising:
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a first detector that detects a magnitude of a first angle between the arm and the base; a second detector that detects a magnitude of a second angle of the arm with respect to a direction of gravity; an actuator mechanically coupled between the camera head and the arm; and a processing circuit; the processing circuit detects a rate of change of the magnitude of the first angle; and the processing circuit moves the actuator a linear distance in accordance with the magnitude of the second angle at a rate that corresponds to the rate of change to position a camera mount of the camera head parallel to a plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for positioning a camera head, the camera head coupled to a provided camera crane, the camera crane includes a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base at a proximate end-portion of the arm, and the camera head pivotally coupled to a distal end-portion of the arm, the system comprising:
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a first detector that detects a magnitude of a first angle between the arm and the base; a second detector that detects a magnitude of a second angle between the arm and a horizontal plane, the horizontal plane perpendicular to a direction of gravity; an actuator mechanically coupled between the camera head and the arm; and a processing circuit;
whereinthe processing circuit determines an angular rate of change of the magnitude of the first angle; the processing circuit determines a first length of the actuator in accordance with the magnitude of the second angle; the processing circuit determines a second length of the actuator in accordance with the magnitude of the second angle plus an incremental value; the processing circuit moves the actuator between the first length and the second length at a rate in accordance with the angular rate of change. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for moving a camera head, the camera head coupled to a camera crane, the camera crane includes a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base at a proximate end-portion of the arm, and the camera head pivotally coupled to a distal end-portion of the arm, the method comprising:
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determining a rate of change in a magnitude of a first angle between the arm and the base in accordance with a first detector that detects the magnitude of the first angle between the arm and the base; detecting a second angle in accordance with a second detector that detects a magnitude of an angle between the arm and a direction of gravity; moving the actuator a linear distance in accordance with the second angle and at a rate that corresponds to the rate of change in the magnitude of a first angle, the actuator coupled between the arm and the camera head, wherein moving the actuator positions a camera mount of the camera head parallel to the plane. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for positioning a camera head, the camera head coupled to a provided camera crane, the camera crane includes a base, an arm pivotally coupled to the base at a proximate end-portion of the arm, and the camera head pivotally coupled to a distal end-portion of the arm, the system comprising:
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a first detector that detects a first inclination of the arm relative to the base; a second detector that detects a second inclination of the arm with respect to a direction of gravity; a linear actuator mechanically coupled between the camera head and the arm; and a processing circuit;
whereinthe processing circuit determines a present length of the actuator and a next length of the actuator in accordance with a magnitude of the second inclination; the processing circuit determines a rate of movement between the present length of the actuator and the next length of the actuator in accordance a rate of change of the first inclination; and the processing circuit moves the actuator from the present length to the next length at the rate of movement to position a camera mount of the camera head parallel to a plane.
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Specification