Compact portable teleprompter and associated system and method

• US 9,876,945 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Padcaster, LLC
• Original Assignee: Padcaster, LLC
• Inventors: Arce, Brigham
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/255,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2222 Prompting

Abstract

A system for a teleprompter is disclosed herein. The teleprompter system comprises a handheld camera. The teleprompter system also comprises a lens, coupled to the handheld camera. The teleprompter system further comprises a teleprompter, removably coupled to the lens. The teleprompter system further comprises a mobile device, removably coupled to the teleprompter.

Claims

1. A teleprompter system, comprising:

a handheld camera;

a lens, coupled to the handheld camera, wherein the lens comprises first threads;

a teleprompter, removably coupled to the lens;

a mobile device, removably coupled to the teleprompter; and

an adapter interposed between the lens and the teleprompter, wherein the adapter comprises second threads threadably engaged with the first threads of the lens and wherein the teleprompter is removably coupled to the adapter.

2. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the teleprompter is co-movably coupled with a portion of the lens such that the teleprompter moves with the portion of the lens as the portion of the lens moves relative to the handheld camera.

3. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the first threads of the lens are filter threads configured to threadably engage a filter of the lens.

4. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein:

the teleprompter comprises third threads;

the adapter further comprises fourth threads;

and

the fourth threads of the adapter are threadably engaged with the third threads of the teleprompter.

5. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the handheld camera is one of a digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera or a digital mirrorless camera.

6. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the teleprompter comprises:

a cover;

a mirror, fixedly retained within the cover; and

a mobile device mount, adjustably movably coupled with the cover to clamp the mobile device between the cover and the mobile device mount.

7. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a display that has a maximum diagonal dimension equal to or less than about seven inches.

8. The teleprompter system according to claim 1, wherein the teleprompter has maximum dimensions equal to or less than about 15×

12×

12 cm.

9. A teleprompter, for removably coupling with a handheld camera and a mobile device, the teleprompter comprising:

a cover, partially peripherally enclosing a space and comprising a proximal open end and a distal open end opposite the proximal open end;

a mirror, located within the space between the proximal open end and the distal open end; and

a mobile device mount, adjustably movably coupled with the cover to fully peripherally enclose the space;

wherein;

the mobile device mount is movable between an open position and a closed position;

in the open position, the mobile device is insertable between the cover and the mobile device mount; and

in the closed position, the mobile device, inserted between the cover and the mobile device mount, is clamped by the cover and the mobile device mount.

10. The teleprompter according to claim 9, wherein:

the mobile device mount comprises a shelf, defining a flat surface;

the mobile device mount further comprises an adjustment mechanism;

the mobile device mount is configured to concurrently maintain an orientation of the flat surface relative to the mirror and move the shelf toward the cover in a first direction parallel to the proximal open end of the cover to locate the mobile device mount in the closed position; and

the mobile device mount is configured to concurrently maintain an orientation of the flat surface relative to the cover and move the shelf away from the cover in a second direction, opposite the first direction, parallel to the proximal open end of the cover to locate the mobile device mount in the open position.

11. The teleprompter according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises:

at least one rod, non-movably fixed to the shelf; and

at least one rail, non-movably fixed to the cover;

wherein at least the one rod is retained within and movable along at least the one rail.

12. The teleprompter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a proximal end cap removably coupleable with the proximal open end; and

a distal end cap removably couplable with the distal open end;

wherein when removably coupled with the proximal open end and the distal open end, respectfully, the proximal end cap and distal end cap fully enclose the space.

13. The teleprompter according to claim 12, wherein:

the mobile device mount comprises a shelf, configured to support the mobile device thereon; and

when the mobile device mount fully peripherally encloses the space, the distal end cap receives at least a portion of the shelf when the distal end cap is removably coupled with the distal open end of the cover.

14. The teleprompter according to claim 9, wherein the proximal open end of the cover comprises a camera interface, configured to directly interface with a lens coupled to the handheld camera.

15. The teleprompter according to claim 14, wherein the handheld camera interface of the proximal open end of the cover comprises second threads, threadably engageable with first threads of the lens.

16. The teleprompter according to claim 9, further comprising an adapter, comprising third threads, wherein:

the proximal open end of the cover is removably coupleable to the adapter; and

the third threads of the adapter are threadably engageable with first threads of a lens coupled to the handheld camera.

17. A method of teleprompting script to a user, the method comprising:

removably coupling a teleprompter to a lens of a handheld camera via threaded engagement with threads of the lens of the handheld camera;

releasably securing a mobile device to the teleprompter;

scrolling script on a display of the mobile device; and

reflecting the script, from the display, off of a mirror of the teleprompter.

18. A teleprompter system, comprising:

a handheld camera;

a lens, coupled to the handheld camera;

a teleprompter, removably coupled to the lens; and

a mobile device, removably coupled to the teleprompter

wherein;

the lens comprises first threads;

the teleprompter comprises second threads; and

the second threads of the teleprompter are threadably engaged with the first threads of the lens.