VIDEO CAMERA TRACKING SYSTEM BASED ON GEOPOSITION DATA FEEDBACK

• US 20080187176A1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shanks, David Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/781 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems

Abstract

The present invention discloses systems for tracking objects. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises a positioning mechanism, a camera, coupled to the positioning mechanism, a controller, coupled to the positioning mechanism, and a position sensor, coupled to the controller, wherein the position sensor sends data related to a geolocation of the position sensor to the controller, and the controller moves the positioning mechanism based on the data related to the geolocation of the position sensor.

Claims

1. A system for tracking an object, comprising:

a positioning mechanism;

a camera, coupled to the positioning mechanism;

a controller, coupled to the positioning mechanism; and

a position sensor, coupled to the controller, wherein the position sensor sends data related to a geolocation of the position sensor to the controller, and the controller moves the positioning mechanism based on the data related to the geolocation of the position sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the position sensor is a satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a field of view of the camera is changed based on the geolocation of the position sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera tracks the position sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a television delivery system coupled to an output of the camera.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the television delivery system comprises a satellite television delivery system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of cameras and a plurality of positioning mechanisms, each camera in the plurality of cameras coupled to a positioning mechanism in the plurality of positioning mechanisms in a respective fashion, and a plurality of position sensors, wherein each camera tracks a unique position sensor out of the plurality of position sensors.

8. A tracker for tracking an object, comprising:

a positioning mechanism; and

a controller, coupled to the positioning mechanism, wherein the controller receives geolocation data from a position sensor, the controller moving the positioning mechanism to track the objece based on the geolocation of the position sensor.

9. The tracker of claim 8, wherein the position sensor is a satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver.

10. The tracker of claim 9, wherein the tracker further comprises a video camera.

11. The tracker of claim 10, wherein a field of view of the video camera is changed based on the geolocation of the position sensor.

12. The tracker of claim 11, further comprising a television delivery system coupled to an output of the video camera.

13. The tracker of claim 12, wherein the television delivery system comprises a satellite television delivery system.