Portable video and imaging system

• US 9,019,431 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Ally Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Digital Ally Incorporated
• Inventors: Phillips, Steve, Troxel, Jason R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRABHAKHER, PRITHAM DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/040,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140092299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-158, 348373-376, 348/77, 348/82, 348114-115, 34821199-2114, 348/211.14, 340/194, 340/230, 2063161-3163, 224/197, 224/587, 224/194, 224/230, 2 69-157
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2206/00 Systems for exchange of information between different pieces of apparatus, e.g. for exchanging trimming information, for photo finishing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A portable video and imaging system includes a camera for capturing video of an event, and a video recording device for recording the captured video of the event. The camera is housed in a first housing, the recording device is housed in a second housing, and the first and second housings are physically separate. Various embodiments provide for the system to be mounted to a user'"'"'s body, an article of clothing, such as a shirt or a hat, to a vehicle, or to an ancillary component carried by the user, such as a firearm.

Claims

1. A portable video system comprising:

a camera component for capturing video of an event, said camera component comprising a camera housed within a camera component housing configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s body,

wherein the camera component housing includes a front side and a rear side, and wherein said rear side of the camera component housing has a recessed seat,

said camera component housing including an input to instruct recording by the camera;

a recording component comprising a processor and a memory associated with the camera for storing the captured video; and

a mounting assembly for mounting the camera to the user'"'"'s body, the mounting assembly being a button-mount assembly including a slotted plate presenting a slot for receipt of a button through the slot, wherein the button is located on a clothing article of the user,

wherein said slot of the slotted plate of the button-mount assembly is formed in the plate along a longitudinal axis of said slotted plate,

wherein the slot is open at a lower end of the slotted plate and closed at an upper end of the slotted plate, such that the slot is placed behind the user'"'"'s button and guided downwards over yarn or other material that secures the button to the user'"'"'s clothing article so that the button extends from said front of the slotted plate, and the yarn or other material securing the button to the user'"'"'s clothing article is held within the slot of the slotted plate,

wherein said button-mount assembly further includes a mounting bracket that at least partially overlays and forwardly extends from a front of the slotted plate to present a longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket,

wherein the button is held in the longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket,

wherein the camera component housing is configured to be coupled with the mounting bracket of the button-mount assembly,

wherein said mounting bracket includes a ledge configured to interfit in said recessed seat of the camera component housing to secure the camera to said button-mount assembly.

2. The portable video system of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises an image sensor and a lens.

3. The portable video system of claim 2, wherein said camera component is operable to capture the event for a predetermined period of time prior to the user actuating the input to instruct recording by the portable video system.

4. The portable video system of claim 1, wherein the button-mount assembly further includes a retention clip held in the longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket and for securing in the track after placement of the slotted plate about the button, wherein the retention clip prevents the button-mount assembly from becoming dislodged from the user'"'"'s clothing article.

5. The portable video system of claim 1, wherein said camera component housing is a first housing, wherein said processor and memory are stored in a second housing, and wherein the second housing is physically separated from the first housing.

6. The portable video system of claim 5, wherein said first and second housings are coupled via a wired cable for transmission of captured video from the camera stored in the first housing and to the memory stored in the second housing.

7. The portable video system of claim 5, further comprising:

a lock mechanism positioned on an exterior of said second housing,

wherein the lock mechanism is operable to selectively enable access to said memory located within said second housing.

8. A portable video system comprising:

a camera for capturing video of an event, said camera housed within a first housing configured to be mounted on a user'"'"'s body,

wherein said first housing includes an input to instruct recording by the camera,

wherein said first housing includes a recessed seat on a side of the first housing;

a microphone for capturing audio of an event;

a recording device housed within a second housing and operable to record the captured video and captured audio of the event,

said recording device being communicatively coupled with the camera and microphone,

said recording device including a processor and a memory for storing said captured video and captured audio of the event,

said second housing being physically separated from said first housing;

a mounting assembly for mounting at least the camera to a user'"'"'s body or a clothing article,

the mounting assembly being a button-mount assembly including a slotted plate presenting a slot for receipt of a button through the slot, wherein the button is located on said clothing article of the user,

wherein said slot of the slotted plate of the button-mount assembly is formed in the plate along a longitudinal axis of said slotted plate,

wherein the slot is open at a lower end of the slotted plate and closed at an upper end of the slotted plate, such that the slot is placed behind the user'"'"'s button and guided downwards over yarn or other material that secures the button to the user'"'"'s clothing article so that the button extends from said front of the slotted plate and the yarn or other material securing the button to the user'"'"'s clothing article is held within the slot of the slotted plate,

wherein said button-mount assembly further includes a mounting bracket that at least partially overlays and forwardly extends from a front of the slotted plate to present a longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket,

wherein the button is held in the longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket,

wherein the first housing is configured to be coupled with the mounting bracket of the button-mount assembly,

wherein said mounting bracket includes a ledge configured to interfit in said recessed seat of the first housing to secure the camera to said button-mount assembly.

9. The portable video system of claim 8, wherein the microphone is located within said first housing.

10. The portable video system of claim 8, wherein said camera comprises an image sensor and a lens.

11. The portable video system of claim 8, wherein said camera is operable to capture the event for a predetermined period of time prior to the user actuating the input to instruct recording by the portable video system.

12. The portable video system of claim 8, further comprising:

a lock mechanism positioned on an exterior of said second housing,

wherein the lock mechanism is operable to selectively enable access to the memory located within said second housing.

13. The portable video system of claim 8, wherein the button-mount assembly further includes a retention clip held in the longitudinal track between the front of the slotted plate and the mounting bracket and for securing in the track after placement of the slotted plate about the button, wherein the retention clip prevents the button-mount assembly from becoming dislodged from the user'"'"'s clothing article.

14. The portable video system of claim 8, wherein said first and second housings are coupled via a wired cable for transmission of captured video from the camera stored in the first housing and to the memory stored in the second housing.