Apparatus for registering a scene, especially for its reproduction on the screen of a video monitor

• US 4,928,174 A
• Filed: 10/04/1988
• Issued: 05/22/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thyssen Industrie AG Maschinenbau
• Original Assignee: Thyssen Industrie AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Smith, Terence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Application Number:
  US07/253,249
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 358/229, 358/108, 358/180, 358/213.28, 358/185, 250/203 R
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for viewing a scene, especially for the reproduction thereon on the screen of a video monitor. This apparatus contains as usual a lens for projecting an image of the scene on a focal plane, and a video pickup lying in this focal plane for converting the brightness, and if necessary the hue, of individual points of the picture into electrical signals. To view a section of the scene or for recording, viewing and, in some cases, following a selected subject within the scene the video pickup is mounted in accordance with the invention for displacement in the focal plane over the entire image and is smaller than the image projected in the focal plane. The video pickup is furthermore coupled with a drive mechanism which contains drives acting in different directions. Another drive can serve to rotate the video pickup.

Claims

1. Apparatus for viewing a scene, especially for its reproduction on a view-screen of a video monitor, comprising:

a housing, a lens mounted on the housing for projecting an image of the scene on a focal plane, a video pickup disposed in the housing, situated in the focal plane and being of a bidimensional configuration for converting the brightness and, if desired, the hue of individual points of a portion of the image into electrical signals, the video pickup being smaller than the image and being mounted for rotation around an axis and for displacement over the entire image for viewing, studying and in some cases following of a selected subject within the scene, and a driving mechanism for shifting the video pickup in the focal plane, said driving mechanism containing drives acting in different directions and an additional drive for rotating the video pickup around said axis.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the video pickup consists of photosensitive elements or cells of a CCD component.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the video pickup is fastened in a mounting and the mounting is connected with a sliding rod of a linear drive.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the mounting is mounted for displacement in guides of a frame bearing the drive and coupled with the additional drive.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the focal plane is a plane.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a slipring system is associated with the drive mechanism for the additional drive.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein for the purpose of steadying a subject on the video monitor at least one of said drives is controlled by signals derived from signals characteristic for deviations of a desired position of a body on which the apparatus is mounted with respect to a system of coordinates fixed in space.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein means supplying said signals characteristic for said deviations are built into the housing.