Portable video recording system with automatic camera orienting and velocity regulation of the orienting for recording high quality video of a freely moving subject

• US 9,253,376 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• 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 T., Marton, Denes
• Primary Examiner(s): Vieaux, Gary C
• Application Number:
  US14/223,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20140204230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169
• 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

This invention relates to the automatic pointing of a pointing device, such as a camera, without the assistance of a person who operates the camera. Systems and methods are disclosed wherein the system is substantially stationary during recording but is portable to the venue of recording. For the purpose of recording, the camera turns automatically to optically follow the person, animal, or object that is being recorded. The present invention provides for high quality video recording; the high quality video recording here refers to features of the inventive systems and methods that provide for smooth camera motion necessary to take enjoyable videos for personal or for commercial use. This invention provides a portable system that automatically records videos from the vantage point of a sports fan, of a spectator or of a competition judge.

Claims

1. A portable automated video recording system for automated orientation of a camera to point at a freely moving target for recording high quality video, said system comprising:

a) a positioner configured to orient the camera in angular increments of less than about 0.1 degrees;

b) a remote unit configured to obtain location information and comprising a transmitter configured to transmit said location information; and

c) a base station comprising a receiver to receive said location information from said remote unit and configured to determine turning angles to orient the camera at the freely moving target and driving voltages to regulate the velocity of the orienting by said positioner; and

d) location information received by said base station when said remote unit is collocated with the camera is stored and used as the location of the camera by said base station; and

e) said base station is further configured to command said positioner to orient the camera at the freely moving target using location information received from said remote unit when said remote unit is collocated with the freely moving target and the location of the camera received by said base station when said remote unit is collocated with the camera; and

f) an enclosure to house said base station and said positioner, said enclosure further comprising at least one feedback device that provides feedback to the freely moving target regarding the orientation of the camera and that is also oriented by said positioner at the freely moving subject along with the camera as the freely moving subject moves.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a mounting base to support said positioner.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one feedback device comprises at least one light source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one feedback device comprises at least one collimated light beam.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said positioner comprises at least one motor wherein each of said at least one motor is associated with a gearbox, said gearbox comprising a driving shaft and a driven shaft that orients the camera and said gearbox reduces the angular velocity of the driven shaft, and said driven shaft and said driving shaft are each associated with an encoded wheel to assist determining the orientation of the camera.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote unit comprises a sensor to receive signals from components of a global positioning system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the velocity with which the camera turns is dependent on changes in the location of the subject.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said base station also controls the zoom of the camera.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one driving mechanism to turn the camera and a backlash compensator for each driving mechanism to effect smooth turning of the camera.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one driving mechanism comprises a driving shaft and a driven shaft and wherein said backlash compensator comprises at least two encoded wheels, wherein at least one of said at least two encoded wheels is associated with said driving shaft and at least one of said at least two encoded wheels is associated with said driven shaft of said at least one driving mechanism.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said backlash compensator operates with a set backlash value.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said backlash compensator determines backlash every time when the system is powered up.

13. A method of automatically following a freely moving target with a camera to record high quality video, said method comprising the steps of:

a) setting up a camera associated with a positioning device, the positioning device configured to orient the camera with an angular resolution of at least about 0.1 degrees;

b) collocating a remote unit that obtains location information with the camera and storing location information obtained as the location of the camera;

c) moving the remote unit to a location away from the camera such that the remote unit is at or near the center of the field of view of the camera and storing the location of the remote unit;

d) determining an initial pointing angle of the camera using the stored location of the camera and the stored location of the remote unit;

e) periodically receiving signals relevant to the location of the remote unit associated with the freely moving target and transmitting information related to the location of the remote unit to the positioning device;

f) periodically determining turning angle values for orienting the camera to remain pointed at the remote unit based in part on the initial pointing angle of the camera and computing values for driving voltages for the positioning device;

g) commanding the positioning device to orient the camera using the computed driving voltages to regulate the velocity of the orienting; and

h) providing a collimated light beam that has an edge that substantially coincides with an axis of the camera that corresponds to a pointing direction of the camera and moving the remote unit with the aid of the collimated light beam to assist the step of locating the remote unit near the center of the field of view of the camera prior to the step of determining the initial pointing angle of the camera using the stored location of the camera and the stored location of the remote unit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of

a) determining whether movements of the freely moving target warrant commanding the positioning device to orient the camera based on the determined turning angle and velocity values if the determined turning angle and velocity values are outside of a designated deadband;

and

b) only commanding the positioner to orient the camera if the determined turning angle and velocity values are outside of the designated deadband.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the deadband may be zero or negative.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of

a) locating the remote unit away from the camera at a distance dependent on the desired precision of the orientation of the camera;

and

b) locating the remote unit near the center of the field of view of the camera.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of orienting the camera at the remote unit to effect the step of locating the remote unit near the center of the field of view of the camera.