Method and apparatus of camera control

• US 20090262193A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trace Optic Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Trace Optic Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Anderson, Jeremy L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/157
• 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 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated camera control system (10). The automated camera control system (10) is a control management system for television broadcasting at a track based event, such as horse or motor racing. The automated camera control system (10) allows a single operator (54) to simultaneously control a plurality of cameras (16). The automated camera control system (10) improves the compositional quality of the footage. The operator (54) can simultaneously perform all the functions of a director including vision switching and camera setting for the outgoing television broadcast (86).

Claims

1. An apparatus for camera control including:

a plurality of slaved cameras each controllably adapted to assume a plurality of viewing directions;

a control apparatus in communication with the plurality of slaved cameras and adapted to control the direction of the plurality of slaved cameras to simultaneously track a spatial node, moving at a known velocity and in a known direction.

2. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the node moves along a predetermined spatial path.

3. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 2, wherein the node can be offset from the predetermined spatial path in the horizontal and vertical planes.

4. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the apparatus individually controls specific functions of each of the slaved cameras.

5. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 4, wherein the functions are pan, tilt, zoom and focus.

6. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 4, wherein the functions are pre-programmed.

7. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of slaved cameras can be adapted to sequentially track one or more nodes.

8. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of slaved cameras are configured to frame a specified field of view around the node of known zoom length and zoom width.

9. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the field of view of the slaved cameras is manually adjusted.

10. The apparatus for camera control as in claims 8, wherein the field of view of the slaved cameras is automatically adjusted.

11. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the field of view of the slaved camera encompasses an area surrounding the node regardless of the geographical location of the node.

12. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the zoom length can be controlled.

13. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the zoom width can be controlled.

14. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the field of view of each of the slaved cameras is collectively controlled by a zoom trigger device.

15. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the field of view of any one slaved camera is individually controlled using an individual zoom slider.

16. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the field of view of all slaved camera is controlled using a joystick zoom trigger and zoom thumb toggle.

17. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 10, wherein the size of the area surrounding the node is pre-programmed.

18. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 8, wherein the plurality of slaved camera'"'"'s field of view around the node can be individually proportionally enlarged and contracted from the default field of view around the node using individual zoom sliders.

19. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the slaved cameras are adapted to automatically focus on the node.

20. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the velocity of the node is manually controlled.

21. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the velocity of the node is preprogrammed.

22. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 21, wherein the velocity of the node can be replayed after a manually altered preprogrammed run.

23. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, including at least one unslaved camera.

24. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the slaved and unslaved cameras are mounted on an encoded servo pan tilt head apparatus.

25. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the node is sent to a known start position.

26. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the direction of movement of the node can be changed.

27. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the node is configured to assimilate with a desired target.

28. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the apparatus can recognise and interact with multiple nodes.

29. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the slaved and unslaved cameras are controlled using a joystick.

30. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined path includes a plurality of milestones.

31. The apparatus for camera control as in claim 30, wherein the velocity of the node and the slaved camera'"'"'s focus, pan, tilt, and zoom functions are preprogrammed to specific milestones.

32. A method of camera control including the steps of:

surveying a sporting environment;

placing a plurality of slaved cameras within the sporting environment;

determining the location of each individual camera;

controlling the movement of the plurality of slaved cameras, via a control apparatus, to simultaneously track a spatial node moving at a known velocity and in a known direction.

33. The method of camera control as in claim 32, wherein the plurality of cameras includes slaved and unslaved cameras.

34. The method of camera control as in claim 32, wherein a camera'"'"'s location is determined by the use of a plurality of survey markers and a resection survey method.

35. The method of camera control as in claim 32, wherein one or more cameras are aligned onto the node.

36. The method of camera control as in claim 33, wherein the slaved and unslaved cameras are mounted on an encoded servo pan tilt head to facilitate the tracking of the node.