Video System and Methods for Operating a Video System

Number: 20170163973
Published: 2017-06-08
Filed: 2017-01-24
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Aagaard; Kenneth John, Barbatsoulis; Larry, Trizano; Frank, Farrell; Craig
CPC: H04N23/62; H04N13/243; H04N23/661; H04N23/635; H04N17/002; H04N23/695; H04N23/69; H04N13/296; H04N23/90; H04N7/181
Verdict: Low Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

A multi-camera master-slave video system for remotely controlling stadium or field cameras from a central pan head.

Abstract

A multiple camera video system and methods for operating such a system. The system may include a plurality of cameras located around a stadium, athletic playing field or other location. The cameras are remotely controlled in a master-slave configuration. A camera operator at a master pan head selects one of the plurality of cameras as the current master camera and utilizes the master pan head to adjust the telemetry and zoom of the master camera to follow the target object. The telemetry and zoom parameters of the master camera are then used to calculate corresponding telemetry, zoom and/or other parameters for each of the plurality of slave cameras. Video captured by each of the cameras is stored for the production of replay video feeds or for archiving. The replays may be capable of “spinning” through the video feeds of adjacent cameras in order for the viewer toget the sensation of revolving around the target object. The multiple camera video systemalso includes methods for calibrating the system.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the present invention to be clearly understood and readily practiced, the present invention will be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar elements, which figures are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top level block diagram of the components of a multiple camera video system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an exemplary camera system;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of exemplary camera control attributes;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a master camera following a target object across a field of play;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the geometric relationships between a camera and a target object;

FIG. 6 (6a-6e) shows simulated frames of video images that illustratethe operation of the present invention in a video replay mode;

FIG. 7 (7a-7e) showssimulated frames of video images that further illustrate the operation of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a system diagram of the camera system and the camera control system;

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary robotic pan head;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of one exemplary embodiment of the wiring inside the camera controller panel;

FIG. 11 is a schematic of one exemplary embodiment of a camera control system;

FIG. 12 shows a sample calibration computer program screen shot

Claims

79. A method of controlling a plurality of variable pointing camera systems, comprising: reading parameters of a master variable pointing camera system of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems; determining parameters for a plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems based on the parameters of the master variable pointing camera system and mapping data for the plurality of pointing camera systems, wherein the master variable pointing camera system and the plurality of slave variable pointingcamera systems are positioned around a scene, such that, at a point in time, each of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems is aimed at a target within the scene and a size of the target in an image from each of the variable pointing camera systems is substantially the same; and controlling the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems based on the parameters for the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems wherein the mapping data includes initial calibration data established when the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems are installed at the scene.