Hosted camera remote control

• US 9,679,392 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Naturalpoint Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Naturalpoint Incorporated (Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Richardson, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Frank
• Application Number:
  US14/802,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20150325002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/282 for generating image signals corresponding to three or more geometrical viewpoints, e.g. multi-view systems
• 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 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications

Abstract

A motion capture system includes motion capture cameras positioned in various locations and orientations with respect to a motion capture volume. The motion capture system includes a host computing device that is operatively coupled with the motion capture cameras. The host computing device remotely controls operation of the motion capture cameras to record movement within the motion capture volume. At least one of the motion capture cameras includes a user-interface that is operable by a user to remotely initiate a control operation of the host computing device.

Claims

1. A motion capture system comprising:

a plurality of motion capture cameras positioned in various locations and orientations with respect to a motion capture volume;

a host computing device, operatively coupled with the plurality of motion capture cameras, to remotely control operation of the plurality of motion capture cameras to record movement within the motion capture volume;

a display device operatively coupled to the host computing device and separate from the plurality of motion capture cameras, the display device being configured to display one or more views of the motion capture volume captured by one or more motion capture cameras of the plurality of motion capture cameras; and

at least one of the plurality of motion capture cameras including a user-interface operable by a user to remotely initiate a control operation of the host computing device or the plurality of motion capture cameras, where one such control operation includes a first motion capture camera of the plurality of motion capture cameras issuing a command which causes the host computing device to change one or both of a position and size of the first motion capture camera'"'"'s view of the motion capture volume displayed on the display device.

2. The system of claim 1, where the display device is configured to display each view of the motion capture volume for each motion capture camera, and where changing one or both of a position and size of the first motion capture camera'"'"'s view of the motion capture volume comprises changing one or both of the position and size of the first motion capture camera'"'"'s view of the motion capture volume relative to each other motion capture camera'"'"'s view of the motion capture volume.

3. The system of claim 1, where the control operation prompts the host computing device to control the first motion capture camera to provide a user-perceivable indication that a view from the motion capture camera is selected for display.

4. The system of claim 1, where the display device presents a view of the motion capture volume from each of the plurality of motion capture cameras, and the control operation includes enlarging the view of the motion capture volume from the first motion capture camera relative to views from other motion capture cameras.

5. The system of claim 1, where the control operation prompts the host computing device to adjust a state of the first motion capture camera.

6. The system of claim 5, where adjusting the state includes adjusting a focus of the first motion capture camera.

7. The system of claim 5, where adjusting the state includes adjusting a frame rate of the first motion capture camera.

8. The system of claim 5, where adjusting the state includes changing an operating mode of the first motion capture camera.

9. The system of claim 8, where changing the operating mode includes physically interchanging an optical component positioned in a light path upstream of an image sensor of the first motion capture camera.

10. The system of claim 8, where the control operation that prompts the host computing device to change the operating mode of the first motion capture camera also prompts the host computing device to change an operating mode of other motion capture cameras differently than the operating mode of the first motion capture camera that initiated the control operation.

11. A motion capture camera apparatus comprising:

an image sensor configured to receive incident light from a capture volume and thereby generate an image of the capture volume;

a controller, operable to receive a control operation from a host computing device to record movement within the capture volume via a plurality of motion capture cameras including the motion capture camera apparatus, wherein the host computing device is configured to remotely control operation of the plurality of motion capture cameras and a display device being configured to display one or more views of the capture volume captured by one or more of the plurality of motion capture cameras, and wherein the display device is separate from the plurality of motion capture cameras; and

a user interface operable by a user to remotely initiate a control operation of the host computing device, where the control operation includes causing the host computing device to change one or both of a size and position of a view of the capture volume captured by the motion capture camera apparatus displayed on the display device relative to other views of the capture volume captured by other motion capture cameras of the plurality of motion capture cameras also displayable on the display device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, where the control operation prompts the host computing device to adjust a state of the motion capture camera apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, where adjusting the state includes at least one of adjusting a focus of the motion capture camera apparatus, adjusting a frame rate of the motion capture camera apparatus, and changing an operating mode of the motion capture camera apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, where the user interface includes a multi-state actuator, the multi-state actuator adjustable to a first state to remotely initiate a first control operation of the host computing device and adjustable to a second state to remotely initiate a second control operation of the host computing device different from the first control operation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, where the multi-state actuator includes a depressible button, where the first state includes a single tap of the depressible button, and where the second state includes a double tap of the depressible button.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, where the multi-state actuator includes a selector wheel, where the first state includes rotating the selector wheel to a first position, and where the second state includes rotating the selector wheel to a second position different from the first position.

17. A method for controlling a host computing device operatively coupled to a plurality of motion capture cameras, comprising:

at the host computing device, receiving a first control operation through a communication link, where the first control operation is remotely initiated by user input to a user interface of a first motion capture camera of the plurality of motion capture cameras, where the host computing device is operatively coupled to a display device configured to present a view of a motion capture volume from each of the plurality of motion capture cameras, where the display device is separate from the plurality of motion capture cameras, and where the first control operation includes changing one or both of a size and position of the view of the motion capture volume from the first motion capture camera displayed on the display device relative to the views from other motion capture cameras displayable on the display device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second control operation remotely initiated by user input to a user interface of a second motion capture camera of the plurality of motion capture cameras; and

adjusting a state of the second motion capture camera in accordance with the second control operation differently than a state of the first motion capture camera.

19. The method of claim 18, where adjusting the state of the first motion capture camera includes placing the first motion capture camera in a tracking view mode and adjusting the state of the second motion capture camera includes placing the second motion capture camera in a scene mode.

20. The method of claim 17, where the display device is configured to simultaneously present the view of the motion capture volume from each of the plurality of motion capture cameras.