Patent ID: 8614742

Claim:
A pan/tilt apparatus for an image capturing system, the apparatus comprising: a base; a stage rotatably connected to the base such that the stage is rotatable around a first axis relative to the base; an optical apparatus mounted on the stage including: a frame, a magnetic structure that is connected to the frame such that the magnetic structure is pivotable around a second axis, and an optical element that is fixedly connected to the magnetic structure such that the optical element pivots with the magnetic structure around the tilt axis, the optical element being disposed to receive an image directed along an incident axis, and to redirect the image along the first axis; panning means for controlling a rotational position of the stage relative to the base, thereby causing the optical element to assume a selected pan angle relative to the first axis; and tilting means for controlling a tilt angle of said optical element by altering a magnetic field applied to the magnetic structure, whereby a selected change in the magnetic field generated by said tilting means causes the magnetic structure to pivot around the second axis, thereby causing the optical element to assume a selected tilt angle relative to the second axis, wherein the tilting means is mounted entirely on the base and off of the stage such that the tilting means does not rotate around the first axis with the stage when the stage is rotated around the first axis by said panning means.