System and method for improved video motion control

• US 9,160,898 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Autofuss, Co.
• Inventors: Hammond, Asa, Linnell, Jeff, Byrne, Kendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): SULLIVAN, TYLER
• Application Number:
  US13/358,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating a motion control photography set are disclosed. One embodiment includes a master control that receives control signals for a plurality of device actors, such as robot arms, lighting, and camera controls, and synchronizes the plurality of control signals with a global timeline to create a plurality of synchronized signals, such that the control data for each actor of the device actors is associated with a corresponding position in the global timeline. According to another embodiment, the set also includes a master input that conveys a master input signal to the master control indicating a position in the global timeline and a rate of progression through the global timeline. In response to the master input signal, the control data for each actor of the device actors is sent to respective device actors at an adjustable rate of progression through the global timeline.

Claims

1. A system for motion control photography comprising:

a master control comprising a processor and a memory that is configured to receive a plurality of control signals for a plurality of mechanically operable device actors and synchronize the plurality of control signals with a global timeline to create a plurality of synchronized signals to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to operate during a scene at respective positions associated with corresponding times in the global timeline; and

a master input device that is configured to convey a master input signal to the master control indicating an initial time in the global timeline and a rate to progress the scene through the global timeline;

wherein the master control is configured to respond to the master input signal by communicating the plurality of synchronized signals to the plurality of device actors to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to undergo respective movements starting from respective initial positions associated with the initial time;

wherein the respective movements for each device actor of the plurality of device actors correspond to the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline and the respective positions for each device actor associated with corresponding times in the global timeline.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the master input device comprises an analog interface;

wherein the analog interface is configured to return to a first position when no force is applied to the analog interface;

wherein adjustment of the analog interface in a first direction increases the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline from a base rate; and

wherein adjustment of the analog interface in a second direction opposite from the first direction decreases the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline from the base rate.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the analog interface comprises a wheel with a spring action that returns the wheel to the first position when no force is applied to the wheel.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an object detector that observes an area proximate to a first device actor of the plurality of device actors and transmits a safety shutdown signal to the first device actor when the object detector senses an object.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a master safety control;

wherein the master safety control comprises a programmable logic circuit; and

wherein the safety shutdown signal is transmitted to each of the plurality of device actors via the programmable logic circuit.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the first device actor is a robotic arm, the object detector is attached to a mounting point of the robotic arm, and wherein the area proximate to the first device actor comprises an area extending a fixed distance from the object detector.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the area proximate to the first device actor varies over time in a predetermined manner determined in association with the initial time in the global timeline and the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the object detector comprises a light detection and ranging unit.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of device actors comprises at least one camera robot and at least one lighting robot.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the master control is further configured to respond to the master input signal by causing each device actor of the plurality of device actors to move to the respective initial positions before causing each device actor to undergo respective motions starting from the respective initial positions associated with the initial time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the respective initial positions comprise respective positions associated with a particular frame of the global timeline.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the master input comprises an analog interface;

wherein the analog interface is configured to return to a first position when no force is applied to the analog interface;

wherein adjustment of the analog interface in a first direction causes each device actor of the plurality of device actors to move continuously forward through respective positions associated with subsequent corresponding times in the global timeline; and

wherein adjustment of the analog interface in a second direction opposite from the first direction causes each device actor of the plurality of device actors to move continuously backwards through respective positions associated with prior corresponding times in the global timeline.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the master input signal indicates at least one adjustment to the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline at a particular time in the global timeline;

wherein the master control is further configured to respond to the master input signal by causing each device actor of the plurality of device actors to undergo adjusted respective movements starting from respective positions associated with the particular time;

wherein the adjusted respective movements for each device actor of the plurality of device actors correspond to the adjusted rate to progress the scene through the global timeline and respective positions for each device actor associated with corresponding times occurring after the particular time in the global timeline.

10. A method of creating a film using motion control comprising:

receiving a plurality of control signals for a plurality of mechanically operable device actors at a master control comprising a processor and a memory;

synchronizing the plurality of control signals, using the master control, with a global timeline to create a plurality of synchronized signals to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to operate during a scene at respective positions associated with corresponding times in the global timeline;

receiving, at the master control, a master input signal indicating an initial time in the global timeline and a rate to progress the scene through the global timeline; and

communicating, in response to the master input signal, the plurality of synchronized signals from the master control to the plurality of device actors to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to undergo respective movements starting from respective initial positions associated with the initial time, wherein the respective movements for each device actor of the plurality of device actors correspond to the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline indicated by the master input signal and the respective positions for each device actor associated with corresponding times in the global timeline.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting, using at least one object detector, an object in an area proximate to a first device actor of the plurality of device actors;

and

transmitting, from the at least one object detector, a safety shutdown signal that prevents the plurality of device actors from operating.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating the plurality of synchronized signals from the master control to the plurality of device actors to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to undergo movements continuously backwards from the respective initial positions through respective positions associated with prior corresponding times in the global timeline.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving at the master control, during the communicating of the plurality of synchronized signals, a modifying control input for a first device actor of the plurality of device actors from an independent manual control;

synchronizing the modifying control input with the plurality of synchronized signals to create an updated plurality of synchronized signals during the communication of the plurality of synchronized signals; and

communicating the updated plurality of synchronized signals in place of the synchronized signals.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing the updated plurality of synchronized signals in a database, wherein the plurality of control signals are received at the master control from the database.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving at the master control, feedback data from the plurality of device actors describing actual operation according to the synchronized control signals; and

modifying the synchronized control signals in response to the feedback data.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving a plurality of control signals for a plurality of robotic device actors;

synchronizing the plurality of control signals with a global timeline to create a plurality of synchronized signals to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to operate during a scene at respective positions associated with corresponding times in the global timeline;

receiving a master input signal indicating an initial time in the global timeline and a rate to progress the scene through the global timeline; and

communicating, in response to the master input signal, the plurality of synchronized signals to the plurality of device actors to cause each device actor of the plurality of device actors to undergo respective movements starting from respective initial positions associated with the initial time, wherein the respective movements for each device actor of the plurality of device actors correspond to the rate to progress the scene through the global timeline indicated by the master input signal and the respective positions for each device actor associated with corresponding times in the global timeline.