IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD

• US 20070200933A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tani, Kuniyuki, Ohyama, Tatsushi, Watanabe, Keisuke, Kato, Keishi
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.110
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• 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 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An image capturing system includes a first camera, a second camera and a first rotating device. The first camera is configured to capture a first image. The second camera is configured to capture a second image whose scope is narrower than a scope of the first image. The first rotating device connects the first camera and the second camera. The first rotating device is configured to rotate the first camera and the second camera around a first rotational axis which is on the first rotating device.

Claims

1. An image capturing system comprising:

a first camera configured to capture a first image;

a second camera configured to capture a second image whose scope is narrower than a scope of the first image; and

a first rotating device which connects the first camera and the second camera and which is configured to rotate the first camera and the second camera around a first rotational axis which is on the first rotating device.

2. The image capturing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second rotating device configured to rotate the first camera around a second rotational axis according to a first rotational angle of the first rotating device around the first rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially in parallel with the first rotational axis and being in the first camera.

3. The image capturing system according to claim 2, wherein the second rotating device is configured to rotate the first camera by a second rotational angle substantially equal to the first rotational angle of the first rotating device in a second rotational direction opposite to a first rotational direction of the first rotating device.

4. The image capturing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a moving device configured to move the second camera in biaxial directions for panning and tilting.

5. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the first rotating device is configured to rotate the first camera and the second camera around the first rotational axis so that an angle from the first camera to a target object becomes equal to an angle from the second camera to the target object.

6. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the first camera is fixed to the first rotational axis.

7. The image capturing system according to claim 6, wherein the first rotating device is configured to rotate the second camera around the first rotational axis for panning.

8. The image capturing system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a moving device configured to move the second camera in a uniaxial direction for tilting.

9. The image capturing system according to claim 6, wherein an optical axis of the first camera is substantially coaxial with the first rotational axis.

10. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the first rotational axis, an optical axis of the first camera and a third rotational axis around which the second camera is configured to be panned are on a same line.

11. The image capturing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a distance measuring device configured to measure a distance from the image capturing system to a target object based on a first angle from the second camera in a first position to the target object, a second angle from the second camera in a second position to the target object and a rotational diameter of the second camera around the first rotational axis.

12. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the second camera is provided on the first rotational axis.

13. The image capturing system according to claim 12, wherein the first rotating device is configured to rotate the second camera around the first rotational axis for panning.

14. The image capturing system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a moving device configured to move the second camera in a tilting direction for tilting, the first camera being positioned outside the tilting direction.

15. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein the first rotational axis locates between the first camera and the second camera.

16. An image capturing system comprising:

first image capturing means for capturing a first image;

second image capturing means for capturing a second image whose scope is narrower than a scope of the first image; and

first rotating means for rotating the first image capturing means and the second image capturing means around a first rotational axis which is on the first rotating device, the first rotating means connecting the first image capturing means and the second image capturing means.

17. An image capturing method comprising:

capturing a first image using a first camera;

capturing a second image using a second camera, a scope of the second image being narrower than a scope of the first image;

connecting the first camera and the second camera via a first rotating device; and

rotating the first camera and the second camera around a first rotational axis which is on the first rotating device.