Camera control

• US 9,213,220 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Youbiq LLC
• Original Assignee: Youbiq LLC
• Inventors: Fowler, Gordon, Yonkers, E. Hubbard, Mednieks, Zigurd
• Primary Examiner(s): Pe, Geepy
• Application Number:
  US13/081,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/242 by spreading of the legs F16M11/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A system including a camera that includes a lens having an aperture, a tripod configured to support the camera, a mount configured to be coupled the tripod and to the camera, the mount including a pivot that is configured such that the camera is rotatable around an axis that is aligned with the aperture of the camera, a motor configured to control the rotation of the mount, a memory containing computer readable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to, calculate a desired position of the camera using sensor information, control the motor such that the camera is moved to the desired position, control the shutter of the camera to capture an image, and store the captured image.

Claims

1. A system for automatic acquisition of still images and generation of a spherical image, the system comprising:

a motor;

a camera that includes a lens having an aperture and that includes sensors configured to acquire a present geographical location of the camera including a present orientation of the lens, the camera adapted to calculate a plurality of desired positions of the camera using the present orientation of the lens, the desired positions of the camera including desired orientations of the lens, and to control the motor such that the camera is moved from the present location through the plurality of desired positions;

a tripod configured to support the camera;

a mount configured to be coupled to the tripod and to the camera, the mount including a horizontal pivot that is configured such that the camera is rotatable around a horizontal axis aligned with the aperture of the camera, and the mount including a vertical pivot that is configured such that the camera is rotatable around a vertical axis aligned with the aperture of the camera;

the camera including a memory containing computer readable instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

calculate a plurality of desired focuses of the camera;

control the shutter of the camera to capture a plurality of images at the desired focuses;

store the captured images;

generate the spherical image associated with the geographical location using the stored images, and the present geographical location, and

transmit the spherical image to a remote location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is included in the camera.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions cause the at least one processor to further determine, using the sensor information, the present camera position and lens orientation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor information includes one or more of camera location information, azimuth, orientation, acceleration, and sound.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera transmits the captured images to the remote location.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium for automatic acquisition of still images and generation of a spherical image, the non-transitory computer readable medium including computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor forming part of at least one computing system, cause the at least one processor to:

control the operation of a camera that includes a lens having an aperture and that includes sensors acquiring a latitude and longitude of present geographical location of the camera and present orientation of the lens;

collect information from the sensors in the camera;

process the sensor information to calculate a present position of the camera;

calculate a plurality of desired positions of the camera using the present orientation of the lens, the desired positions of the camera including desired orientations of the lens;

calculate a plurality of desired focuses of the camera;

control a motor attached to the camera to position the camera using the calculated positions, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the camera around a horizontal axis aligned with the aperture of the camera and a vertical axis aligned with an aperture of the camera to the plurality of desired positions such that the camera is moved from the present location through the plurality of desired positions;

capture a plurality of images using the camera at the desired positions and focusses;

store the captured images;

generate the spherical image associated with the geographical location using the stored images, and the present geographical location, and

transmit the spherical image to a remote location.

7. The computer readable instructions of claim 6, wherein the computer readable instructions are executed in a processor included in the camera.

8. The computer readable instructions of claim 6, wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to capture a plurality of images that are combinable to create a composite image.

9. The computer readable instructions of claim 8, wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to create a plurality of images that are combinable into the spherical image, the plurality of images being further combinable into a high dynamic range image.

10. The computer readable instructions of claim 8, wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to combine the plurality of images to create a composite image.

11. A system for automatically generating a spherical image from a plurality of still images, the system comprising:

a camera comprising a lens with focal plane, wireless communications device configured to be in communication with a remote computer, and a plurality of sensors configured to acquire a present azimuth, latitude, and longitude of the camera;

a mount coupled to the camera and supporting the camera, the mount including a motor, a horizontal pivot rotatable by the motor such that the supported camera is rotatable around a horizontal axis aligned with the lens focal plane of the camera, the mount including a vertical pivot rotatable by the motor such that the camera is rotatable around a vertical axis aligned with the focal plane of the camera;

the camera being detachable from the mount and configured to calculate a plurality of desired positions of the camera using a present orientation of the lens, the desired positions of the camera including desired orientations of the lens send instructions to the mount to move a field of view of the camera through a series of directions required to create the spherical image while the camera acquires the plurality of still images such that the camera is moved through the plurality of desired positions, the camera being configured to combine the acquired still images to form the spherical image, associate the present azimuth, latitude, and longitude of the camera with the spherical image, and transmit the spherical image with associated azimuth, latitude, and longitude to the remote computer for storage using the wireless communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensors are further configured to acquire a present date, time, brightness, acceleration, shutter speed, white balance, and sound.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the camera further comprises a touch-screen interface.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the mount further includes a tripod for supporting the mount, the tripod comprising two smaller legs and one larger leg, the smaller legs configured to fold to fit inside the larger leg.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the mount is configured to communicate with the camera, the remote computer and a remote control using a wireless connection.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the mount further comprises a detent on the vertical pivot configured to lock the camera in position.