Wearable camera systems and apparatus for aligning an eyewear camera

• US 9,635,222 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissire, Abdelaaziz
• Application Number:
  US14/832,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

A wearable camera system includes an eyewear which includes a temple and a lens and a camera coupled to eyewear, the camera having a field of view. The wearable camera system further includes a marker coupled to the eyewear, the camera, or both, the marker positionable on or in front of the lens of the eyewear at a location such that when a wearer of the eyewear aligns the marker with a target, the field of view of the camera includes the target.

Claims

1. A wearable camera system comprising:

an eyewear including a temple and a lens;

a camera coupled to the eyewear and having a field of view;

a marker coupled to the eyewear, the camera, or both, and positioned on or in front of the lens of the eyewear at a location such that when a wearer of the eyewear aligns the marker with a target, the field of view of the camera includes the target; and

an alignment indicator comprising the marker, wherein the alignment indicator is pivotably coupled to the camera, and wherein the alignment indicator comprises an arm coupling the marker to the camera and configured to pivot between a deployed position in which the marker is positioned in the location to a stowed position in which the marker is adjacent to the camera.

2. The wearable camera system of claim 1, wherein the arm is aligned with a horizontal orientation of the image capture device when the arm is in the deployed position.

3. The wearable camera system of claim 1, wherein the marker comprises a center indicator configured to provide an indication of an approximate center of the field of view of the camera.

4. The wearable camera system of claim 1, wherein the camera is movably coupled to the temple.

5. The wearable camera system of claim 1, wherein the marker comprises a center indicator configured to provide an indication of an approximate center of the field of view of the camera.

6. A wearable camera system comprising:

an eyewear including a temple and a lens;

a camera coupled to the eyewear and having a field of view;

a marker coupled to the eyewear, the camera, or both, and positioned on or in front of the lens of the eyewear at a location such that when a wearer of the eyewear aligns the marker with a target, the field of view of the camera includes the target; and

an image framing apparatus removably coupled to the eyewear and comprising the marker, wherein the image framing apparatus includes a first image frame outline, wherein the marker is within the first image frame outline, and wherein the camera is pivotably between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the camera is pivotably between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the first image frame outline is configured to provide an approximation of an image to be captured by the camera when the camera is in the first orientation, and the image framing apparatus further comprising a second image frame outline configured to provide an approximation of an image to be captured by the camera when the camera is in the second orientation.

7. The wearable camera system of claim 6, wherein the image framing apparatus includes a second image frame outline enclosed by the first image frame outline.

8. The wearable camera system of claim 6, wherein the camera is movably coupled to the temple.

9. A method for capturing a digital image, the method comprising:

positioning a marker on or in front of a lens of eyewear, a camera coupled to the eyewear, wherein the marker is attached to an arm pivotably coupled to the camera, and wherein said positioning a marker comprises rotating an arm from a first position to a second position;

aligning the marker with a target; and

capturing an image with the camera while maintaining the target in alignment with the marker to include the target in the image.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said capturing an image includes capturing a first image in a landscape orientation, the method further comprising rotating the camera about a pivot joint to capture a second image in a portrait orientation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the camera is movably coupled to the eyewear, the method further comprising rotating the camera or a front portion of the camera relative to the eyewear to align the arm with a horizontal direction.

12. A method for capturing a digital image, the method comprising:

positioning a marker on or in front of a lens of eyewear, a camera coupled to the eyewear;

aligning the marker with a target; and

capturing an image with the camera while maintaining the target in alignment with the marker to include the target in the image, wherein said capturing an image includes capturing a first image in a landscape orientation, the method further comprising rotating the camera about a pivot joint to capture a second image in a portrait orientation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said positioning a marker comprises attaching a sheet of static cling material to the lens, the sheet including the marker.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the marker is provided on a sheet of static cling material comprising a camera aperture, and wherein said positioning a marker comprises aligning the camera aperture of the sheet with the lens of the camera and attaching the sheet to a front portion of the camera.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the marker is attached to an arm pivotably coupled to the camera, and wherein said positioning a marker comprises rotating an arm from a first position to a second position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the camera is movably coupled to the eyewear, the method further comprising rotating the camera or a front portion of the camera relative to the eyewear to align the arm with a horizontal direction.