360 degree camera mount and related photographic and video system
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A holding assembly configured to releasably retain a plurality of photographic cameras in a predetermined orientation, said holding assembly comprising:
- a support including a support body having a plurality of support arms extending outwardly and radially from the support body; and
each of the support arms including a receptacle disposed thereon and in which a plurality of the receptacles are disposed radially about the exterior of said support body, each of said receptacles defining an open-ended enclosure having at least one latching feature for enabling a photographic camera to be releasably retained within the defined enclosure wherein the receptacles are oriented about said support such that each retained camera provides an overlapping field of view, the cameras being disposed on the support to create either a 360 degree by 180 degree full spherical composite image or a 360 degree composite image.
1 Assignment
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A camera holding assembly that is configured to hold a plurality of cameras in a predetermined orientation includes a support having a plurality of receptacles. Each of the receptacles include at least one feature enabling a camera to be releasably retained therein as well as at least one and preferably at least three attachment features configured for enabling the camera holding assembly to be secured to another object. The receptacles are oriented about the support so that each camera, when loaded into the defined receptacles, is aimed in a different angular orientation. Images obtained from each retained camera can be stitched to create either a composite 360 degree×180 degree full spherical image or a composite 360 degree composite image of a scene of interest.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A holding assembly configured to releasably retain a plurality of photographic cameras in a predetermined orientation, said holding assembly comprising:
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a support including a support body having a plurality of support arms extending outwardly and radially from the support body; and each of the support arms including a receptacle disposed thereon and in which a plurality of the receptacles are disposed radially about the exterior of said support body, each of said receptacles defining an open-ended enclosure having at least one latching feature for enabling a photographic camera to be releasably retained within the defined enclosure wherein the receptacles are oriented about said support such that each retained camera provides an overlapping field of view, the cameras being disposed on the support to create either a 360 degree by 180 degree full spherical composite image or a 360 degree composite image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for manufacture of a holding assembly that enables capture of 360 degree photographic or video images of a scene of interest, said method comprising:
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providing a support for said holding assembly comprising a center support body having a plurality of outwardly extending support arms, including a corresponding plurality of receptacles arranged on each extending support arm, each said receptacle defining an open-ended enclosure that is sized for releasably receiving at least one photographic camera body and in which each said receptacle is disposed in a specific angular or spherical orientation relative to each other to enable a 360 degree by 180 degree full spherical composite image or a 360 degree composite image to be created by the retained photographic cameras; and configuring each receptacle with a latching feature to enable a photographic camera body to be releasably secured within the support without requiring tools. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for creating 360 degree images of a scene of interest, the system comprising:
a holding assembly configured to releasably retain a plurality of cameras in a predetermined orientation, the holding assembly comprising; a supporting frame defined by a center support and a plurality of support arms outwardly extending from the center support; a plurality of receptacles disposed about the exterior of the supporting frame, each of said receptacles provided on a corresponding support arm and defining a receiving cavity sized to accommodate a camera and including a latching feature for releasably and individually retaining a photographic camera within the receptacle and wherein the receptacles are oriented about said supporting frame such that each camera, when loaded into the receptacles provides an overlapping field of view, the cameras being disposed to create a 360 degree by 180 degree full spherical composite image or a 360 degree composite image. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A holding fixture configured to retain a plurality of photographic cameras in a predetermined orientation, the holding fixture comprising:
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a support including a center support body and a plurality of support arms outwardly and radially extending from the support body; and a plurality of receptacles disposed about the exterior of the support and at the extending ends of each support arm, each of the receptacles defining an open-end enclosure sized for retaining a photographic camera and in which the receptacles are oriented about the support such that each retained photographic camera provides an overlapping field of view, the cameras being disposed such that a centerline of the lens barrel of each retained camera is configured to intersect at a common center apex to enable either a 360 degree by 180 degree full spherical composite image or a 360 degree composite image to be created. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification