Camera in a Headframe for Object Tracking

• US 20140267775A1
• Filed: 01/05/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Lablans
• Original Assignee: Spatial Cam LLC
• Inventors: Lablans, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30221 Sports video; Sports image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• 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 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Methods and apparatus track an object with a first camera causing a second camera to also track the object. The object is a moving object. Geospatial coordinates, including an elevation or altitude of a camera are determined on the camera. A pose of the camera, including a pitch angle and an azimuth angle are also determined. Azimuth is determined by a digital compass. A camera pose including pitch is determined by accelerometers and/or gyroscopes. Cameras are communicatively connected allowing to display an image recorded by one camera being displayed on a second camera. At least one camera is on a movable platform with actuators. Actuators are controlled to minimize a difference between a first image of the object and a second image of the object. Cameras are part of a wearable headframe.

Claims

1. An imaging system to locate an object, comprising:

a first computing device including a housing which holds a processor, a camera, a display to display an image generated by the camera, GPS (global positioning system) circuitry that generates geospatial coordinates of the first computing device including an altitude, a digital compass to generate a pointing direction of the camera, circuitry which determines an inclination of the camera and a communication circuit;

a second computing device in a housing attached to the object, the second computing device, which is portable and mobile, includes in the housing a processor, GPS circuitry that generates geospatial coordinates of the second computing device including an altitude, and a communication circuit;

wherein

the communication circuit of the second computing device is configured to receive a request originating from the communication circuit of the first computing device, to provide data related to the location of the object, and to transmit data that enables the first computing device to guide the camera into a pose that places the object in a field of vision of the camera of the first computing device.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is mobile and portable.

3. The imaging system of claim 2, wherein the housing of the first computing device is a wearable headframe.

4. The imaging system of claim 2, wherein the housing of the second computing device is portable and mobile.

5. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the housing of the second computing device is a wearable headframe which includes a camera and a display.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the geospatial coordinates generated by the first and the second computing device are applied by a processor to determine the pose that places the object in the field of vision of the camera of the first computing device.

7. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the camera of the first computing device is attached to an actuator controlled platform that places the camera of the first computing device in the pose that places the object in the field of vision of the camera of the first computing device.

8. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein the camera of the first computing device is enabled to point at a second object, the display of the first computer device is configured to also display an image generated by the camera of the second computing device, the first computer device is configured to provide instructions to the second computing device to place the camera of the second computer device in a pose that generates an image of the second object generated by the camera of the second computer device on a predetermined part of the display of the first computing device.

9. The imaging system of claim 8, further comprising:

the processor of the first computing device configured to determine geospatial coordinates of the second object.

10. The imaging system of claim 8, further comprising:

the processor of the first computing device configured to determine geospatial coordinates of the second object after it has moved to a next position.

11. The imaging system of claim 8, further comprising a remote control with a separate housing communicatively connected to the first computing device that is configured to initiate the instructions to the second computing device.

12. A system with a first wearable headframe, including a processor with a memory, a camera, a display configured to display an image generated by the camera, GPS (global positioning system) circuitry that generates geospatial coordinates of the first wearable headframe including an altitude, a digital compass to generate a pointing direction of the camera, circuitry which determines an inclination of the camera and a communication circuit and a second wearable headframe, including a processor with a memory, a camera, a display configured to display an image generated by the camera, GPS circuitry that generates geospatial coordinates of the second wearable headframe including an altitude, a digital compass to generate a pointing direction of the camera, circuitry which determines an inclination of the camera and a communication circuit, the communication circuits enabled to exchange data with each other, comprising:

the processor with the memory in the first wearable headframe configured to retrieve instructions from the memory to generate a request for location data of the second wearable headframe and to transmit the request by the communication circuit of the first wearable headframe to the communication circuit of the second headframe; and

the processor with the memory in the second wearable headframe configured to process and to authorize the request for location data of the second wearable headframe and to generate data that enables the camera of the first wearable headframe to be placed in a pose that places the second wearable headframe in a field of vision of the camera of the first wearable headframe.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

a difference between an actual pose and the pose of the camera of the first wearable headframe that places the second wearable headframe in the field of vision of the camera of the first wearable headframe is determined and an instruction is displayed on the display of the first wearable headframe to minimize the difference.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the first wearable headframe is configured to be moved towards an object, the camera of the first wearable headframe is configured to obtain an image of the object, the display of the first wearable headframe is configured to display the image of the object and the display of the first wearable headframe is also configured to display an image of obtained by the camera of the second wearable headframe;

the second wearable headframe is configured to be moved towards the object, the camera of the second wearable headframe is configured to obtain an image that is displayed on the display of the second wearable headframe, the display of the second wearable headframe is configured to display the image of the object obtained by the camera of the first wearable headframe; and

the processor of the first wearable headframe is configured to generate a confirmation message for the processor of the second wearable headframe when the object in the image obtained by the camera of the first wearable headframe and displayed by the display of the first wearable headframe is determined to coincide with the image obtained by the camera of the second wearable headframe which contains an image of the object and displayed by the display of the first wearable headframe.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

geospatial coordinates including a pose of the camera of the first wearable camera are determined;

geospatial coordinates including a pose of the camera of the second wearable camera are determined; and

geospatial coordinates of the object are determined.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the camera of the first wearable camera tracks the object while it is moving and the processor of the first wearable headframe provides instructions to the processor of the second wearable headframe enabling it to track the moving object.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a platform based camera with processor control configured to place the camera in a desired pose.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the platform based camera is placed in the desired pose based on a pose of the camera in the first wearable headframe tracking the object.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the object includes a device to generate geospatial coordinates.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the object follows a path with known geospatial coordinates.