Patent Publication Number: US-2022236629-A1

Title: Camera mount system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/203,957, filed Nov. 29, 2018, which claims benefit from and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/592,017, filed Nov. 29, 2017, the contents of each of the above-identified applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional tripods provide a static platform on which a camera can be mounted. If the object of the picture moves off frame, the operator must manually re-position the mount. However, if the object is continuously moving out of the static frame, then the operator has little recourse. 
     Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present disclosure as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Systems, apparatuses, and methods provide a camera mount system substantially as illustrated by and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. 
     Various advantages, aspects and novel features of the present disclosure, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a camera mount system according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows the operation of the camera mount system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows a positioning device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows a camera mount according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in the list joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any element of the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. As another example, “x, y, and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary” means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As utilized herein, the terms “e.g.” and “for example” set off lists of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. 
     The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps that are illustrated. 
     Some embodiments according to the present disclosure provide systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to camera mount systems. 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a camera mount system according to the present disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the camera mount system  100  includes a camera mount  105  and a positioning device  110 . The camera mount  105  is configured to hold a camera (e.g., a recording device, a video recorder, an image recorder, etc.). The camera mount  105  and the camera (not shown) can be operatively coupled via a wireless or wired link. The camera mount  105  and the positioning device  110  can be operatively coupled via a communication link  115 . The communication link  115  can be wired (e.g., cable, wire, etc.) and/or wireless (e.g., cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, radio frequency (RF), local area network (LAN), personal area network (PAN), satellite, infrared, etc.). The communication link  115  can be one-way or two-way. 
     In some embodiments, the camera mount  105  can include, for example, a processor  120 , a memory  130  (e.g., a non-transitory memory), a sensor  140  (e.g., an infrared sensor, an RF sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a thermal sensor, a heat sensor, a heat source sensor, a motion detector, a target recognition sensor, etc.), a motor  145 , and other input/output devices  150  (e.g., a display, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive screen, transceivers for wireless and/or wired communication, transmitters, receivers, communication devices, buttons, user interfaces, graphical user interfaces, input/output ports, input/output interfaces, etc.). These components or subsystems can be operatively coupled via, for example, one or more buses. 
     In some embodiments, the positioning device  110  can include, for example, a processor  160 , a memory  170 , a compass  180 , a gyroscope  190  (e.g., a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope), an infrared light emitter  200  (or other type of electromagnetic source such as a visible light emitter, a radio frequency emitter, a microwave emitter, etc.), a sensor  210  (e.g., an infrared sensor, an RF sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, a thermal sensor, a heat sensor, a heat source sensor, a motion detector, a target recognition sensor, etc.), and other input/output devices  220  (e.g., a display, a keyboard, a touch-sensitive screen, transceivers for wireless and/or wired communication, transmitters, receivers, communication devices, buttons, user interfaces, graphical user interfaces, etc.). These components or subsystems can be operatively coupled via, for example, one or more buses. 
       FIG. 2  shows the camera mount system  100  in operation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to  FIG. 2 , a target  230  (e.g., wildlife, object, person, vehicle, etc.) is moving (e.g., continuously moving, sporadically moving, etc.) from position A to position B and then from position B to position C. 
     Some embodiments provide that the positioning device  110  is pointed or aimed at the target  230  at position A and is caused (e.g., after actuating a trigger) to emit an infrared beam  240  (e.g., via the infrared light emitter  200 ). Some embodiments contemplate that the positioning device  110  has one or more lenses to focus the infrared beam  240 . In some embodiments, the direction that the positioning device  110  is pointed or aimed at when the infrared beam  240  is triggered automatically causes the position of the mount to aim at and/or lock onto the target to start tracking (e.g., tracking automatically, semi-automatically, manually, etc.) the target  230 . The infrared beam  240  is reflected or scattered off of the target  230  at position A, and the reflected or scattered infrared beam  250  is received by the sensor  140  of the camera mount  105 . Some embodiments contemplate that one or more lenses (e.g., one or more lenses that are part of or attached to the camera mount  105 ) may be used to direct or guide infrared light to the sensor  140 . The signal received by the processor  120  from the sensor  140  based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam provides the camera mount  105  with information as to the location (e.g., distance and/or direction) of the target  230 , and/or the speed and/or movement direction of the target  230 . Several signals or a sampling of one or more signals over a period of time from the sensor  140  might be used to determine the speed and/or movement direction of the target  230 . Based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam signals, the processor  120  causes the motor  145  to move a camera platform that holds the camera so that the front of the camera platform (e.g., the front of the platform with the sensor  140 ), for example, faces (e.g., follows, tracks, etc.) the target  230 . 
     In addition, some embodiments provide that the compass  180  and/or the gyroscope  190  of the positioning device  110  provide information about where the positioning device  110  is located and the direction that the positioning device  110  is pointed or aimed at, thereby providing additional information about the position of the target  230 , and/or the speed and/or movement direction of the target  230 . The information from the compass  180  and the gyroscope  190  can be sent to the camera mount  105  via the communication link  115  (e.g., a wireless and/or wired link). 
     Some embodiments provide that the compass-based information and/or gyroscope-based information received from the positioning device  110  can be used by the processor  120  of the camera mount  105  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  to position or refine the position (e.g., location, direction, etc.) of the camera platform that holds the camera so that the front of the platform, for example, faces the target  230 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the compass-based information and/or gyroscope-based information can be used by the camera mount  105  to position the camera platform even if the target  230  is missed by the infrared beam emitted by the positioning device  110 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the processor  120  of the camera mount  105  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  can compare the information received from the sensor  140  and/or sensor  210  and the information provided by the positioning device  110 . Based on the comparison and possibly recent historical information stored in the camera mount  105 , the processor  102  and/or processor  160  can select and/or weight information received from the sensor  140  over information received from the positioning device  110 , or vice versa. Some embodiments provide that, based on the comparison, the camera mount  105  can adjust or refine the position of the camera platform so that the camera platform more precisely or accurately tracks or follows the target  230 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the processor  120  of the camera mount  105  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  causes the camera platform to track or follow the target  230  based on any combination of the received reflected or scattered infrared beam from the target  230 , compass-based information from the positioning device  110 , and/or gyroscope-based information from the positioning device  110 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the processor  120  of the camera mount  150  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  can automatically or semi-automatically track the target  230  via target recognition (e.g., pattern recognition, contrast differences, facial recognition, etc.). The target recognition can be facilitated by camera software and/or a device external to the camera (e.g., the camera mount  105 , a device in communication with the camera mount  105  and/or the camera, etc.). Some embodiments provide that the processor  120  of the camera mount  150  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  can automatically or semi-automatically track the target  230  via thermal imaging (e.g., infrared imaging, heat imaging, etc.). Thus, the camera mount  150  and/or the camera can track a moving target in light or dark conditions. 
     Some embodiments provide that the processor  120  of the camera mount  105  and/or the processor  160  of the positioning system  110  can store, in memory  130  and/or memory  170 , information received visually via its sensor  140  and digital compass-based information and/or gyroscope-based information from the positioning device  110  from various target locations. The historical information (e.g., recent historical information) can be used to smooth out (e.g., statistically smooth out, algorithmically smooth out, etc.) information being received, for example, from an unsteady hand wielding the positioning device  110 . The historical information can also provide a basis from which other target locations can be relatively located. 
     When the target  230  reaches position B, the positioning device  110  is aimed or pointed at the target  230  at position B and caused to emit or continue to emit an infrared beam  260  at the target  230  at position B. Some embodiments provide that the positioning device  110  can be triggered to emit the infrared beam  260  at the target at position B. The infrared beam  260  is reflected or scattered off of the target  230  at position B, and the reflected or scattered infrared beam  270  is received by the sensor  140  of the camera mount  105 . The signal received by the processor  120  from the sensor  140  based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam provides the camera mount  105  with information as to the location (e.g., distance and/or direction) of the target  230 , and/or the speed and/or movement direction of the target  230 . Based on the received reflected or scattered infrared beam signals, the processor  120  causes the motor  145  to move the camera platform that holds the camera so that the front of the camera platform (e.g., the front of the platform with the sensor  140 ), for example, faces (e.g., follows, tracks, etc.) the target  230 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the infrared beam is emitted continuously or periodically, for example, when a button is held down on the positioning device  110 . Thus, with the button held down, the positioning device  110  can be fluidly aimed at the target  230  as it moves from position A to position B, for example. The camera mount  105  correspondingly causes the camera platform with the sensor  140  to fluidly follow or track the target  230 . 
     Some embodiments provide that the positioning device  110  has its own sensor  210 . Accordingly, the positioning device  120  can emit the infrared beam from its infrared light emitter  200 , and can receive the reflected or scattered infrared beam via its sensor  210  along substantially the same beam path (e.g., back and forth along path  240  in  FIG. 2 ). Thus, the positioning device  110  uses this visual data from its sensor  210  to determine the location (e.g., distance and/or direction) of the target  230 , and/or the speed and/or movement direction of the target  230 . This information can be sent to the camera mount  105  via the communication link  115 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of the positioning device  110  according to the present disclosure. The positioning device  110  is shown with a housing  270  that houses the infrared light emitter  200 . A cap  280  disposed at an end portion of the housing  270  closes a battery compartment that includes one or more batteries  290 . The positioning device  110  is illustrated with a trigger  300  to activate the infrared light emitter  200  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The trigger  300  can have an attachment mechanism such as, for example, an adhesive backing so that it can stick to a surface. Although the trigger  300  is shown as connected to the rest of the positioning device  110  via a cord  310 , some embodiments contemplate that the trigger  300  communicate with the rest of the positioning device  110  via a wireless communication link. The illustrated embodiment of the positioning device  110  also includes a mounting bracket  320  so that the positioning device  110  can be mounted on a weapon (e.g., a gun, a rifle, a bow, a crossbow, etc.), any object, a vehicle, a platform, a surface, etc. Different types of mounting brackets can be structured or designed for different applications. 
       FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the camera mount  105  according to the present disclosure. The camera mount  105  is shown with a housing  330 . A moveable camera platform  340  is shown with the sensor  140  on a front face of the camera platform  340 . The camera platform  340  is structured so that the motor  145  can rotate the camera platform  340  approximately 360 degrees in a horizontal plane and rotate approximately 330 degrees in a vertical plane. The camera platform  340  is configured to receive a camera (not shown). 
     Some embodiments provide that the camera is held in place by the camera platform  340  and the camera platform  340  is rotated to change the direction of the camera. Some embodiments provide that the camera and the camera platform  340  are also electrically connected and in communication. For example, the camera can use the received distance information and/or direction and/or movement information of the target  230  to set up or configure its field of view, zoom, focus, etc. 
     Some embodiments provide that the camera mount  105  includes a transparent portion  350  of the housing  330  to protect the camera and portions of the camera mount  105  from the elements (e.g., environmental elements) without substantially affecting the ability of the camera to record images or the sensor  140  to sense infrared light. 
     Some embodiments provide that one or both of the camera mount  105  and the positioning device  110  are equipped with a satellite-based positioning system (e.g., global positioning system (GPS)) or some other location-determining system (e.g., a terrestrial location-determining system) to provide location information of the camera mount  105  and/or the positioning device  110 . 
     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.