Feedback and manual remote control system and method for automatic video recording

• US 9,160,899 B1
• Filed: 12/24/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: H4 Engineering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: H4 Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyle, Christopher T., Taylor, Scott K., Sammons, Alexander G., O'Callaghan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANG, NIEN
• Application Number:
  US13/726,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 386/234
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• 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

Feedback devices to keep a person being filmed, photographed, or otherwise recorded automatically by a recording system or automated camera pointing or similar system informed about the recording and manual remote control devices which allow the person being filmed, photographed, or otherwise recorded to take control of the recording camera or automated pointing system or similar system.

Claims

1. A system for providing remote manual control to a subject recorded by an automatic recording system, said system comprising:

a camera;

a positioner that, having been initialized, performs a tracking operation wherein said positioner orients said camera at the subject;

a base unit; and

a remote unit;

wherein said remote unit is substantially collocated with the subject during use and wherein said remote unit is equipped with at least one manual control that, when engaged, causes said remote unit to send a signal to said base unit that results in a new initialization of said positioner wherein the signal sent from said remote unit to said base unit upon engaging said at least one manual control causes said positioner to temporarily stop the tracking operation and to turn said camera in one direction until said at least one manual control is engaged again.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein another signal sent from said remote unit to said base unit upon engaging said at least one manual control causes said positioner to quickly pan said camera away from the subject and immediately pan said camera back to point at the subject.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein another signal sent from said remote unit to said base unit upon engaging said at least one manual control causes said base unit to begin using the current orientation of said camera as a new reference orientation.

4. A method of manual control by a freely moving subject being recorded by an automatically oriented camera of an automatic camera orienting system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) initializing the automatic camera orienting system;

b) recording the subject;

c) sending a feedback signal to the subject about the recording status, wherein the recording status comprises camera settings and orientation;

d) sending signals from the subject to the automatic camera orienting system; and

e) altering but continuing the automatic camera orienting process by a signal sent from the subject; and

f) creating a marker in the footage recorded by the camera of the automatic camera orienting system by sending a signal from the subject that causes the camera to point away from the subject and to immediately return to point at the subject.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving feedback from the automatic camera orienting system that informs the subject whether the camera is pointing at the subject.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending a first signal from the subject causing the camera to pan right or pan left, and sending a second signal from the subject to initialize the automatic camera orienting system.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending camera control signals from the subject and selected by the subject wherein said camera control signals comprise a camera pan right signal, a camera pan left signal, a camera tilt up signal, a camera tilt down signal, a camera zoom in signal, a camera zoom out signal, a camera stop recording signal, and a camera start recording signal.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending a signal from the subject to initialize the automatic camera orienting system.