Portable digital video camera configured for remote image acquisition control and viewing

• US 8,890,954 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contour IP Holding, LLC (iON Contour)
• Original Assignee: Contour, LLC (iON Contour)
• Inventors: Mander, Richard, Denton, Michael, Bodley, Ben, Tompkins, Alan, Gurganus, Keith, Barnsdale, Kelvin P., Third, Simon, Pierce, Carm, Perkins, Carl, O'Donnell, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARIKH, DAKSHESH D
• Application Number:
  US13/822,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/28 : Mobile studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 : Data link layer protocols

Abstract

A wearable digital video camera (10) is equipped with wireless connection protocol and global navigation and location positioning system technology to provide remote image acquisition control and viewing. The Bluetooth® packet-based open wireless technology standard protocol (400) is preferred for use in providing control signals or streaming data to the digital video camera and for accessing image content stored on or streaming from the digital video camera. The GPS technology (402) is preferred for use in tracking of the location of the digital video camera as it records image information. A rotating mount (300) with a locking member (330) on the camera housing (22) allows adjustment of the pointing angle of the wearable digital video camera when it is attached to a mounting surface.

Claims

1. An integrated, hands-free, portable, viewfinderless point of view digital video camera, comprising:

a lens and an image sensor, the image sensor capturing light propagating through the lens and representing a scene to be recorded, and the image sensor producing real time video image data of the scene;

a wireless connection protocol device configured to send real time image content by wireless transmission directly to and receive control signals or data signals by wireless transmission directly from a wireless connection-enabled controller; and

a camera processor configured to;

receive the video image data directly or indirectly from the image sensor,

generate, from the video image data, first video image content at a first resolution and second video image content at a second resolution, wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution,

communicate the first video image content using the wireless connection protocol device to the wireless connection-enabled controller without displaying the first video image content, the second video image content, or the video image data at the video camera,

receive the control signals from the wireless connection-enabled controller,

adjust image capture settings of the video camera prior to recording the scene based at least in part on at least a portion of the control signals, and

in response to a record command, cause the second video image content to be stored at the video camera, wherein

the wireless connection-enabled controller comprises executable instructions for execution on a handheld personal portable computing device, wherein when executed, the executable instructions cause the handheld personal portable computing device to;

receive the first video image content from the wireless connection protocol device,

display the first video image content on a display of the handheld personal portable computing device, the first video image content comprising a preview image of the scene, the preview image allowing a user of the video camera to manually adjust a position or orientation of the video camera to record the scene,

generate the control signals based at least on input received at the handheld personal portable computing device, wherein the control signals comprise at least one of a frame alignment, a multi-camera synchronization, remote file access, and a resolution setting and at least one of a lighting setting, an audio setting, and a color setting, and

communicate the control signals to the wireless connection protocol device.

2. The point of view digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the first video image content comprises a lower frame rate than a frame rate of the second video image content.

3. A portable, point of view digital video camera, comprising:

a lens;

means for capturing light propagating through the lens and representing a scene and producing real time video image data of the scene;

means for receiving the video image data directly or indirectly from the means for capturing light;

means for generating a first data stream and a second data stream corresponding to the video image data, wherein the second data stream is a higher quality than the first data stream;

means for wirelessly communicating the first data stream directly to a personal portable computing device for display on a display of the personal portable computing device,

wherein the first data stream comprises a preview image of the scene, the preview image allowing a user of the video camera to adjust a position or orientation of the video camera to record the scene, and

wherein the personal portable computing device generates control signals for the video camera, the control signals comprising at least one of a frame alignment, multi-camera synchronization, and a resolution setting, and at least one of a lighting setting, a color setting, and an audio setting;

means for receiving, prior to recording the scene, the control signals directly from the personal portable computing device via wireless transmission;

means for adjusting one or more settings of the video camera based at least in part on at least a portion of the control signals received from the personal portable computing device; and

means for causing the second data stream to be stored in a storage device as a second video file at the video camera based at least in part on a record command.

4. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the first data stream comprises first video image content and the second data stream comprises second video image content, wherein the first video image content and the second video image content comprises the same video image content at different resolutions or different frame rates.

5. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, further comprising:

means for causing the first data stream to be stored in the storage device at the video camera as a first video file based at least in part on the record command, and

following an end record command;

means for receiving a request to view the video image data, and

means for wirelessly communicating content from the first video file directly to the personal portable computing device for display on the display of the personal portable computing device.

6. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the video camera is configured as a server to the personal portable computing device.

7. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the video camera does not have a scene preview screen.

8. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the first data stream comprises at least one of a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the second data stream and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the second data stream.

9. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the first data stream comprises a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the second data stream and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the second data stream.

10. The point of view digital video camera of claim 3, further comprising:

means for monitoring a wireless connection bandwidth between the video camera and the personal portable computing device, and

means for adjusting at least one of a frame rate and an image resolution of the first data stream based at least in part on the monitored wireless connection bandwidth.

11. A portable, point of view digital video camera, comprising:

a lens;

an image sensor configured to capture light propagating through the lens and representing a scene, and produce real time video image data of the scene;

a wireless connection protocol device configured to send real time image content by wireless transmission directly to and receive control signals or data signals by wireless transmission directly from a personal portable computing device executing an application; and

a camera processor configured to;

receive the video image data directly or indirectly from the image sensor,

generate from the video image data a first image data stream and a second image data stream, wherein the second image data stream is a higher quality than the first image data stream,

cause the wireless connection protocol device to send the first image data stream directly to the personal portable computing device for display on a display of the personal portable computing device, wherein the personal portable computing device generates the control signals for the video camera, and wherein the control signals comprise at least one of a frame alignment, multi-camera synchronization, remote file access, and a resolution setting, and at least one of a lighting setting, a color setting, and an audio setting,

receive the control signals from the personal portable computing device, and

adjust one or more settings of the video camera based at least in part on at least a portion of the control signals received from the personal portable computing device.

12. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the first image data stream comprises first video image content and the second image data stream comprises second video image content, wherein the first video image content and the second video image content comprise substantially the same video image content at different resolutions or different frame rates.

13. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein based at least in part on a record command, the camera processor is further configured to cause the first image data stream to be stored in a storage device at the video camera as a first video file and cause the second image data stream to be stored in the storage device at the video camera as a second video file.

14. The point of view digital video camera of claim 13, wherein following an end record command, the camera processor is further configured to:

receive a request to view the video image data, and

cause the wireless connection protocol device to wirelessly communicate content from the first video file directly to the personal portable computing device for display on the display of the personal portable computing device.

15. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the control signals comprise the color setting and the camera processor is configured to adjust a video camera color setting based at least in part on the color setting from the control signals.

16. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the control signals comprise the lighting setting and the camera processor is configured to adjust a video camera lighting setting based at least in part on the lighting setting from the control signals.

17. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the control signals comprise the audio setting and the camera processor is configured to adjust a video camera audio setting based at least in part on the audio setting from the control signals.

18. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the video camera is configured as a server to the personal portable computing device.

19. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the first image data stream comprises at least one of a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the second image data stream and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the second image data stream.

20. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the first image data stream comprises a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the second image data stream and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the second image data stream.

21. The point of view digital video camera of claim 11, wherein the camera processor is further configured to:

monitor a wireless connection bandwidth between the wireless connection protocol device and the personal portable computing device, and

adjust at least one of a frame rate and an image resolution of the first image data stream based at least in part on the monitored wireless connection bandwidth.

22. A method for previewing a scene to be recorded on an integrated point of view digital video camera, the method comprising:

capturing in real time the scene using a lens and an image sensor of the video camera;

generating video image content corresponding to the scene at a first quality and at a second quality, wherein the first quality is lower than the second quality;

wirelessly communicating the video image content at the first quality in real time using a wireless connection protocol device of the video camera directly to a personal portable computing device, wherein the video image content at the first quality is displayed on a display of the personal portable computing device, thereby allowing a user to manually adjust a position or orientation of the video camera to record the scene, wherein the personal portable computing device generates control signals for adjusting one or more settings of the video camera, the control signals comprising at least one of a frame alignment, a multi-camera synchronization, and a resolution setting and at least one of a lighting setting, an audio setting, and a color setting;

receiving the control signals directly from the personal portable computing device to adjust the settings of the video camera prior to recording the scene; and

based at least in part on a record command, storing the video image content at the second quality at a storage device at the video camera.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

based at least in part on the record command, causing the video image content at the first quality to be stored in the storage device at the video camera as a first video file, and

following an end record command;

receiving a request to view the video image content, and

wirelessly communicating content from the first video file directly to the personal portable computing device for display on the display of the personal portable computing device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the video image content at the first quality comprises at least one of a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the video image content at the second quality and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the video image content at the second quality.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the video image content at the first quality comprises a first image resolution that is lower than a second image resolution of the video image content at the second quality and a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the video image content at the second quality.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

monitoring a wireless connection bandwidth between the wireless connection protocol device and the personal portable computing device, and

adjusting at least one of a frame rate and an image resolution of the video image content at the first quality based at least in part on the monitored wireless connection bandwidth.

27. A portable, point of view digital video camera, comprising:

a lens;

an image sensor configured to capture light propagating through the lens and representing a scene, and produce real time video image data of the scene, wherein the video camera does not include a screen for viewing the scene;

a wireless connection protocol device configured to send real time image content by wireless transmission directly to and receive control signals or data signals by wireless transmission directly from a personal portable computing device; and

a camera processor configured to;

receive the video image data directly or indirectly from the image sensor,

generate from the video image data a first image data stream and a second image data stream, wherein the second image data stream comprises a higher resolution image than the first image data stream,

prior to recording the scene, cause the wireless connection protocol device to communicate the first image data stream directly to the personal portable computing device for display on a display of the personal portable computing device, wherein the personal portable computing device generates the control signals for the video camera, and wherein the control signals comprise at least one of a frame alignment, multi-camera synchronization, remote file access, and a resolution setting, and at least one of a lighting setting, a color setting, and an audio setting,

receive the control signals from the personal portable computing device, and

adjust one or more settings of the video camera based at least in part on at least a portion of the control signals received from the personal portable computing device.

28. The point of view digital video camera of claim 27, wherein:

based at least in part on a record command, the camera processor is further configured to cause the first image data stream to be stored in a storage device at the video camera as a first video file and cause the second image data stream to be stored in the storage device at the video camera as a second video file, and

following an end record command, the camera processor is further configured to;

receive a request to view the video image data, and

cause the wireless connection protocol device to wirelessly communicate content from the first video file directly to the personal portable computing device for display on the display of the personal portable computing device.

29. The point of view digital video camera of claim 27, wherein the video camera is configured as a server to the personal portable computing device.

30. The point of view digital video camera of claim 27, wherein the first image data stream comprises a first frame rate that is lower than a second frame rate of the second image data stream.