Abstract:
A method and system for manipulating a field of view of a video image from a remote vehicle allow a spectator to issue a field of view command specifying a desired field of view. The method and system are configured to modify the video image to conform to the field of view command. The method and system may modify the video image by manipulating a video camera. The method and system may also modify the video image by composing the desired field of view image from one or more concurrently generated video images.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. The Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to methods for manipulating a remote image. Specifically, the invention relates to methods and systems for manipulating an image field of view for a remote vehicle.  
           [0003]    2. The Relevant Art  
           [0004]    Racing enthusiasts enjoy viewing racing action from a variety of viewpoints. One of the most exciting viewpoints is the viewpoint of the driver of a vehicle. Video cameras have been mounted in vehicles to provide a remote spectator a video image of racing action from the driver&#39;s viewpoint. However, current methods and systems for providing a video image from a racing vehicle diminish the experience. The spectator is restricted to a fixed field of view. Critical views such as to the rear or to the sides of the vehicle are often not available. The spectator does not have the option of viewing other action outside the fixed field of view, reducing the racing experience. Thus the spectator cannot participate in much of the drama, strategy, or excitement of viewing a race from the driver&#39;s point of view.  
           [0005]    Racing is a 360° experience. Important action takes place all around vehicle. Limiting a video image to a fixed or predetermined viewpoint limits the value of the experience. Providing a spectator with the capability to view all aspects of a racing situation enhances the experience for the remote spectator.  
           [0006]    What is needed is a method and system for manipulating a video image of a field of view for a remote vehicle. Such a method and system preferably would allow a spectator to determine the field of view of a video image from a racing vehicle. Additionally, the method and system may also allow multiple spectators to determine independent fields of view from a video image.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The various elements of the present invention have been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available remote controlled vehicles. More particularly, various elements of the present invention have been developed in response to the present state of the art and in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available remote control vehicle control vision systems. Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved method, and system for manipulating a video image field of view from a racing vehicle.  
           [0008]    In accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein in the preferred embodiments, an improved remote control vehicle is provided and configured to move in a direction selectable remotely by a user. The vehicle comprises a chassis configured to move about in response to vehicle control data from a user; a controller residing within the chassis configured to receive network switched packets containing the vehicle control data; and an actuator interface module configured to operate an actuator in response to the vehicle control data received by the controller. The controller is configured to transmit vehicle data feedback to a user. Additionally, the controller may comprise a wireless network interface connection configured to transmit and receive network switched packets containing vehicle control data.  
           [0009]    The present invention comprises a method of controlling a vehicle over a digital data network, including but not limited to a LAN, WAN, satellite, and digital cable networks. The method comprises providing a mobile vehicle configured to transmit and receive vehicle control data over the network, providing a central server configured to transmit and receive vehicle control data, transmitting vehicle control data, controlling the mobile vehicle in response to the transmitted vehicle control data, and receiving vehicle feedback data from the vehicle. Transmitting vehicle control data may comprise transmitting network switched packets in a peer-to-peer environment or in an infrastructure environment.  
           [0010]    In one aspect of the present invention, a method for manipulating a field of view from a remote vehicle is presented. A spectator transmits a field of view command specifying a desired field of view for a video image from a racing vehicle. The field of view command manipulates a video camera mounted in a vehicle to capture the desired field of view. In one embodiment, the method allows a spectator to manipulate the field of view of a video camera through a 360° visual space of a remote field of action.  
           [0011]    In an alternate aspect of the present invention, a method for manipulating multiple fields of view from a remote vehicle is presented. The method captures a video image from a video camera mounted in a remote vehicle. A spectator transmits a field of view command specifying a desired field of view. The method composes a field of view image corresponding to the desired field of view. In one embodiment, the method composes multiple independent field of view images according to multiple, independent field of view commands.  
           [0012]    Various elements of the present invention are combined into a system for manipulating a video image for a remote vehicle. The system uses a video camera mounted in a remote vehicle to capture a video image. A spectator transmits a field of view command to the system specifying a desired field of view. The system manipulates the video camera field of view to conform to the desired field of view. The system transmits the desired field of view image to the spectator.  
           [0013]    The present invention facilitates selecting a desired field of view image for a remote vehicle. The present invention further provides for multiple spectators to independently select multiple desired field of view images. The various elements and aspects of the present invention provide an enhanced viewing experience for a spectator viewing a video image from a remote vehicle. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    In order that the manner in which the advantages and objects of the invention are obtained will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a network controlled vehicle of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vehicle control module of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a schematic top view diagram illustrating one embodiment a vehicle/video camera of the prior art;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a schematic top view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vehicle/manipulatable video camera system of the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation method of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation system of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a schematic top view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vehicle/multiple video camera system of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a multiple field of view manipulation method of the present invention; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation system of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like.  
         [0025]    Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module.  
         [0026]    Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle  100  that is controllable over a network. As depicted, the vehicle  100  comprises a video camera module  102  and a vehicle control module  104 . The vehicle  100  is in one embodiment replicated at one-quarter scale, but may be of other scales also, including one-tenth scale, one-fifth scale, and one-third scale. Additionally, the network controlled vehicle  100  may embody scaled versions of airplanes, monster trucks, motorcycles, boats, buggies, and the like. In one embodiment, the vehicle  100  is a standard quarter scale vehicle  100  with centrifugal clutches and gasoline engines, and all of the data for the controls and sensors are communicated across the local area network. Alternatively, the vehicle  100  may be electric or liquid propane or otherwise powered. Quarter scale racecars are available from New Era Models of Nashua, NH as well as from other vendors, such as Danny&#39;s ¼ Scale Cars of Glendale, Ariz.  
         [0027]    The vehicle  100  is operated by remote control, and in one embodiment an operator need not be able to see the vehicle  100  to operate it. Rather, a video camera module  102  is provided with a one or more cameras  106  connected to the vehicle control module  104  for displaying the points of view of the vehicle  100  to an operator. The operator may control the vehicle  100  from a remote location at which the operator receives vehicle control data and optionally audio and streaming video. In one embodiment, the driver receives the vehicle control data over a local area network. Under a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the video camera module  102  is configured to communicate to the operator using the vehicle control module  104 . Alternatively, the video camera module  102  may be configured to transmit streaming visual data directly to an operator station.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the vehicle control module  104  of FIG. 1. The vehicle control module  104  preferably comprises a network interface module  202 , a central processing unit (CPU)  204 , a servo interface module  206 , a sensor interface module  208 , and the video camera module  102 . In one embodiment, the network interface module  202  is provided with a wireless transmitter and receiver  205 . The transmitter and receiver  205  may be custom designed or may be a standard, off-the-shelf component such as those found on laptops or electronic handheld devices. Indeed, a simplified computer similar to a Palm™ or Pocket PC™ may be provided with wireless networking capability, as is well known in the art and placed in the vehicle  100  for use as the vehicle control module  104 .  
         [0029]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the CPU  204  is configured to communicate with the servo interface module  206 , the sensor interface module  208 , and the video camera module  102  through a data channel  210 . The various controls and sensors may be made to interface through any type of data channel  210  or communication ports, including PCMCIA ports. The CPU  204  may also be configured to select from a plurality of performance levels upon input from an administrator received over the network. Thus, an operator may use the same vehicle  100  and may progress from lower to higher performance levels. The affected vehicle performance may include steering sensitivity, acceleration, and top speed. This feature is especially efficacious in driver education and training applications. The CPU  204  may also provide a software failsafe with limitations to what an operator is allowed to do in controlling the vehicle  100 .  
         [0030]    In one embodiment, the CPU  204  comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server module  212 . SNMP provides an extensible solution with low computing overhead to managing multiple devices over a network. SNMP is well known to those skilled in the art. In an alternate embodiment not depicted, the CPU  204  may comprise a web-based protocol server module configured to implement a web-based protocol, such as Java™, for network data communications.  
         [0031]    The SNMP server module  212  is configured to communicate vehicle control data to the servo interface module  206 . The servo interface module  206  communicates the vehicle control data with the corresponding servo. For example, the network interface card  202  receives vehicle control data that indicates a new position for a throttle servo  214 . The network interface card  202  communicates the vehicle control data to the CPU  204  which passes the data to the SNMP server  212 . The SNMP server  212  receives the vehicle control data and routes the setting that is to be changed to the servo interface module  206 . The servo interface module  206  then communicates a command to the throttle servo  214  to accelerate or decelerate.  
         [0032]    The SNMP server  212  is also configured to control a plurality of servos through the servo interface module  206 . Examples of servos that may be utilized depending upon the type of vehicle are the throttle servo  214 , a steering servo  216 , a camera servo  218 , and a brake servo  220 . Additionally, the SNMP server  212  may be configured to retrieve data by communicating with the sensor interface module  308 . Examples of some desired sensors for a gas vehicle  100  are a head temperature sensor  222 , a tachometer  224 , an oil pressure sensor  226 , a speedometer  228 , and one or more accelerometers  230 . In addition, other appropriate sensors and actuators can be controlled in a similar manner. Actuators specific to an airplane, boat, submarine, or robot may be controlled in this manner. For instance, the arms of a robot may be controlled remotely over the network.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment a vehicle/video camera of the prior art illustrates the limitations discussed in the background of the invention. The vehicle/video camera  300  includes a vehicle  310 , a video camera  320 , and a transmitter  330 . The video camera  320  is mounted in the vehicle  310 . The video camera  320  captures a video image. The transmitter  330  transmits the video image. The video camera  320  field of view is fixed.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 is an illustration of one embodiment of a vehicle/manipulatable video camera system  400  of the present invention. The system  400  is allows the manipulation of a field of view of a video image from a remote vehicle. The system  400  includes a vehicle  310 , a video camera  320 , a video camera control module  410 , a transmitter  330 , and a receiver  420 . The vehicle  320  may be controlled by a person within the vehicle or by remote control.  
         [0035]    The video camera  320  is mounted to the video camera control module  410 . The video camera control module  410  is mounted to the vehicle  310 . The receiver  420  receives a field of view command. The field of view command specifies a desired field of view. The video camera control module  410  manipulates the video camera  320  to conform to the desired field of view. The video camera  320  captures a video image of the desired field of view. The transmitter  330  transmits the video image.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation method  500  of the present invention. The method  500  manipulates a field of view of a video image from a remote vehicle. The method  500  includes a transmit field of view command step  510 , a receive field of view command step  520 , a manipulate camera step  530 , a capture field of view image step  540 , a transmit field of view image step  550 , and a reposition camera test  560 .  
         [0037]    The transmit field of view command step  510  transmits a field of view command from a user. The field of view command specifies a field of view desired by the user. The receive field of view command step  520  receives the field of view command at a receiver  420  mounted on a remote vehicle  310 . The manipulate camera step  530  manipulates a video camera  320  mounted on the remote vehicle  310  in response to the field of view command. In response the field of view command, the video camera  320  conforms to the field of view specified by the field of view command.  
         [0038]    The capture field of view image step  540  captures a field of view image with the video camera  320 . The transmit field of view image step  550  transmits the field of view image from the remote vehicle  310  by way of a transmitter  330 . The user may view the field of view image that conforms with the desired field of view. The reposition camera test  560  determines of a second field of view is desired by the user. If a second field of view is desired, the method  500  loops to the transmit field of view command step  510 . If a second field of view is not desired, the method  500  loops to the capture field of view image step  540 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation system  600  of the present invention. The system  600  includes a remote vehicle  310  with a video camera  320 , a transmitter  330 , a video camera control module  640 , and a receiver  650 . The system further includes a spectator display  610  with a field of view command module  620  and a field of view image display module  630 .  
         [0040]    The spectator display  610  utilizes the field of view command module  620  to control a remote field of view. The field of view command module  620  issues a field of view command conforming to a desired field of view. The receiver  650  receives the field of view command. The video camera control module  640  manipulates the video camera  320  to conform to the field of view command. The video camera  320  captures a video image. The transmitter  330  transmits the video image. The image display module  630  displays the video image of the desired field of view.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 7 is an illustration of one embodiment of a vehicle/multiple video camera system  700  of the present invention. The system  700  captures one or more video image field of view from a remote vehicle. The system  700  includes a vehicle  310 , one or more video cameras  320 , and a transmitter  330 . Although for clarity purposes the system  700  is depicted with eight video cameras, any number of video cameras may be employed. The video cameras  320  are mounted in the vehicle  310 . The video cameras  320  capture a plurality of video images. The transmitter  330  transmits the plurality of video images. A field of view image may be composed from one or more of the video images.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 8 is flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a multiple field of view manipulation method  800  of the present invention. The method manipulates a field of view image composed of one or more video images as described in FIG. 7. The method  800  includes a capture video image step  810 , a receive field of view command step  820 , a compose field of view image step  830 , and a transmit field of view image step  840 .  
         [0043]    The capture video image step  810  captures a video image. In one embodiment, a plurality of video images are captured. The receive field of view command step  820  receives a field of view command. The field of view command specifies a desired field of view.  
         [0044]    The compose field of view image step  830  composes a field of view image. The field of view image conforms to the desired field of view. Modifications to the field of view command may manipulate composition of the field of view image. In one embodiment, the field of view image is concatenated from one or more video images. The transmit field of view image step  840  transmits a field of view image. In one embodiment, the field of view image is transmitted via a network.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a field of view manipulation system of the present invention. The system  900  includes a remote vehicle  310  with a video camera  320  and a transmitter  330 . The system  900  further includes a computer  910  with a field of view control module  920  and a video processing module  930 . The system also includes a spectator display  610  with a field of view command module  620  and a field of view image display  630 .  
         [0046]    The video camera  320  is mounted in the remote vehicle  310 . The video camera  320  captures a video image. The transmitter  330  transmits the video image. The spectator display  610  interfaces with a spectator. The field of view command module  620  issues a field of view command. The field of view command specifies a desired field of view.  
         [0047]    The computer  910  receives the video image. The computer  910  also receives the field of view command. The computer  910  field of view control module  920  identifies the desired field of view from the field of view command. The computer  910  video processing module  930  composes a field of view image. The field of view image conforms to the desired field of view of the field of view command. The video processing module  930  transmits the field of view image to the spectator display  610 . The spectator display  610  field of view display  630  displays the field of view image.  
         [0048]    The present invention permits a spectator to manipulate a field of view of a video image from a remote vehicle  310 . The invention manipulates a video camera  320  field of view to provide a desired field of view. Allowing a spectator to manipulate the field of view enhances a racing cockpit viewing experience.  
         [0049]    Additionally, the invention may be employed within a vehicle controlled by an occupant. For instance, under the invention, subscriptions or tickets may be sold to enthusiasts who wish to ride along with a pilot or driver of a vehicle. The enthusiast may transmit commands to alter the field of view over the Internet and receive the display of the selected field of view over the Internet. Thus, for example, Nascar™ fans could “ride along” with their favorite driver, and control the field of view from the race car.  
         [0050]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.