Systems and Methods for Controlling Cameras at Live Events

• US 20140320662A1
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Roger B. and Ann K. McNamee Trust U/T/A/D
• Original Assignee: Moontunes, Inc.
• Inventors: McNamee, Roger, Evans, Glenn, Frederick, Mark Richards
• Application Number:
  US14/218,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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

Provided is a computer-implemented method in which cameras at a live event can be remotely controlled by a user device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processor. The user device obtains a wireless transmission of a camera view of a live event from each of a plurality of video cameras at the live event. At least a subset of views from the plurality of cameras is displayed on the user device. The user device obtains instructions from the user directing movement of a first video camera of the plurality of video cameras. The user instructions are converted into one or more actuator commands and are wirelessly transmitted to the first video camera for changing the camera view of the live event of the first video camera.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a plurality of cameras at a live event comprising:

on a user device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

obtaining a wireless transmission of a camera view of a live event from each camera of the plurality of video cameras at the live event;

displaying at least a subset of views from the plurality of cameras on the user device;

obtaining a user instruction directing movement of a first video camera of the plurality of cameras;

converting the user instruction into one or more actuator commands; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more actuator commands to the first video camera for changing the camera view of the live event of the first video camera.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to obtaining the wireless transmission, establishing a wireless connection between the user device and the first video camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video camera is positioned and configured to record the live event and is mounted such that a control actuator can control the orientation of the first video camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises:

concurrently displaying a plurality of panels, wherein each respective panel in the plurality of panels displays a corresponding view of the subset of views from the plurality of video cameras.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to obtaining the user instruction directing movement of the first video camera, obtaining a user selection of the first camera as a designated camera.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining communication from the first video camera that is directed to the user device, wherein first video camera identifies a quality warning indicative of a condition that is resolvable by a change of orientation of the first video camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a designated camera view for at least one camera in the plurality of cameras is predetermined based on a user profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user profile is configured based on event venue, event type or one or more user preferences.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the user profile is accessed from a lookup table.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transitioning between (i) a default video camera preselected as a default designated camera and (ii) the first video camera in response to the user selection of the first camera as the designated camera.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the control actuator is a step motor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step motor is a variable reluctance step motor, a permanent magnet step motor, or a hybrid step motor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step motor is a unipolar step motor, an R/L step motor, or a bipolar chopper step motor.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the control actuator is an electrical actuator or a magnetic actuator.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission of a respective camera view is a video serial digital interface signal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is a tablet computer, a smart phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a TV or a portable media player.

17. The method claim 1, wherein when the first video camera is positioned such that it captures a view identical to a second video camera in the plurality of video cameras, and wherein the first video camera communicates with the user device suggesting an orientation change of first video camera to capture a different view.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuator commands to the first video camera includes a command to change orientation by a first angle in the plurality of angles in vertical plane.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuator commands to the first video camera includes a command to change orientation by a first angle in the plurality of angles in horizontal plane.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuator commands are transmitted over a cellular network or by an 802.11 protocol to the first camera.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the camera view of the first video camera via a computing cloud.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically, without human intervention, modifying the camera view of the first video camera via a computing cloud.

23. A user device, for controlling cameras at a live event, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors;

the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

obtaining a wireless transmission of a camera view of a live event from each of a plurality of video cameras at the live event;

displaying at least a subset of views from the plurality of cameras on the user device;

obtaining a user instruction directing movement a first video camera of the plurality of cameras;

converting the user instruction into one or more actuator commands; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more actuator commands to the first video camera for changing the camera view of the live event of the first video camera.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

obtaining a wireless transmission of a camera view of a live event from each of a plurality of video cameras at the live event;

displaying at least a subset of views from the plurality of cameras on the user device;

obtaining a user instruction directing movement a first video camera of the plurality of cameras;

converting the user instruction into one or more actuator commands; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more actuator commands to the first video camera for changing the camera view of the live event of the first video camera.