Television – Camera – system and detail – Camera connected to computer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2001-12-18
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Camera connected to computer
C348S211130, C702S188000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331872
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for taking pictures of a specific subject.
BACKGROUND ART
Nowadays, taking pictures of a player on a golf course or the like is usually done by a professional or amateur photographer taking a strip comprising approximately 10 frames at the starting hole or another member shooting a video of the player.
When taking pictures of a player, however, it is difficult for a nonaffiliated person to come into the course in view of the safety of players and the photographer himself and because of other reasons. On the other hand, having another player take pictures tends to disturb his concentration on the game.
Furthermore, in many cases pictures of a mere 10 frames or so taken at a starting hole are insufficient to be used for studying the player's swing and so on and serve no more than as souvenir pictures.
In addition, as the player often wants to study his swing throughout the game, taking pictures only at a starting hole is not wholly satisfactory, showing how good or bad his swings are only for at the starting hole.
Examples of conventional picture-taking apparatuses include one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying -open No. 191133/1988 which calls for taking pictures of a subject by means of transmitting signals from a transmitting means attached to the subject and receiving these signals using a receiving means, another disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying -open No. 117625/1989 which means attached to the subject and causing a picture-taking device to follow the direction of the strongest signal, and another disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 134351/1981 which calls for following a subject by means of a transmitting means attached to the subject and shooting for a specified period of time.
However, the configurations according to Japanese Patent Laying -open No. 191133/1988 and Japanese Utility Model Laying -open No. 117625/1989 merely call for causing a picture-taking device to follow a subject to take pictures thereof, and the configuration according to Japanese Patent Laying -open No. 134351/1989, too, is to take pictures of a subject for a specified period of time by means of simply orienting a picture-taking device in such a direction as to follow the subject. In other words, all of these configurations are capable only of taking pictures of a subject without consideration of the distance to the subject. Therefore, pictures are always taken under the same conditions, regardless of the distance between the subject and the picture-taking device, and often come out with unsatisfactory results, such as, for example, the subject is too small for the size of a frame or too large to fit completely in a frame.
In order to solve the above problems, a subject of the invention is to provide a picture-taking method and apparatus which is capable of reliably taking visual images of a subject while the subject is moving, ensuring an image of the subject within a frame maintains a nearly constant proportion in size.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
A method according to the invention calls for transmitting signals from a subject whose picture is being taken, orienting a picture-taking device in the direction of the signals upon receiving them, measuring the distance between the picture-taking device and the subject in order to determine the degree of zooming, adjust the angle of view and bring the picture-taking device into focus, taking pictures of the subject with the picture-taking device after bringing it into focus as above, with this picture-taking procedure lasting for a specified length of time after receiving the signals, and recording the pictures. Therefore, the invention is capable of receiving signals from a subject, adjusting the direction and the angle of view in the direction of the subject, bringing the subject into focus by zooming, and perform the shooting with the picture-taking device for a specified length of time.
According to another feature thereof, the invention handles a plurality of subjects whose pictures are being taken, each of which has its own ID; signals to be transmitted include ID data corresponding to respective subjects; and shooting is performed with the ID data being specified. Therefore, according to the invention, it is easy to judge which subject corresponds to a given pictures.
According to yet another feature of the invention, pictures are classified and separately recorded depending on their ID data. Therefore, it is possible to separately record respective images of different subjects.
According to yet another feature of the invention, ID data is added to each picture, and images which are thus provided with respective ID data are continuously recorded in the order in which they are shot and then edited with respect to each ID data. Therefore, it is possible to edit pictures according to respective subjects with a minimal number of picture recording means.
According to yet another feature of the invention, a plurality of picture-taking devices are provided, and the most suitable device is chosen from among these picture-taking devices based on signals from a subject whose picture is being taken. With the configuration as above, the invention is effective in taking pictures of a subject with the most appropriate picture-taking device.
According to yet another feature of the invention, signals from a subject are received by a plurality of receivers, data for the location of the subject from which the signals have been sent is extracted based on said signals, and the distance between the subject and-the picture-taking device is computed from the location extracted as above. With the configuration as above, the invention is effective in judging the location of a subject easily and taking pictures of the subject under the most appropriate conditions.
According to yet another feature of the invention, signals include locational data, and the distance and direction to the picture-taking device is computed from the locational data. With the configuration as above, the signal receiving device of the system is able to easily determine the location of a subject whose picture is being taken without having to be provided with a location detection means.
Further, according to yet another feature of tie invention, the invention is provided with one or more transmitting means which are respectively in the possession of subjects whose pictures are being taken and transmit signals; a signal receiving means to receive signals from the transmitting means; an extracting component to extract the location of the transmitting means based on the signals received by the receiving means; a picture-taking device for taking pictures of the subject, the picture-taking device being capable of zooming and bringing the subject into focus according to the distance thereto; a picture-taking device controller component to adjust the direction and angle of view of the picture-taking device based on the location extracted by the extracting component; and a picture recording means to record pictures taken by the picture-taking device. With the configuration as above, the invention is capable of receiving signals from a subject whose picture is being taken by means of the receiving means, adjusting the direction and the angle of view in the direction of the subject by means of the picture-taking device controller component, thereby bringing the subject into focus and taking pictures of same.
According to yet another feature of the invention, transmitting means have their own respective IDs, data for which is included in signals transmitted by the corresponding transmitting means, and the receiving means is provided with an ID discriminating means to determine the identification of the transmitting means based on the ID data included in the received signals. With the configuration as above, judgement can be easily made as to which transmitting means the subject whose picture has been taken corresponds to.
According to yet another feature thereof, the invention is provided with a plurality of picture reco
Garber Wendy R.
Moe Aung S.
Morrison Law Firm
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for taking visual images does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for taking visual images, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for taking visual images will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2585100