Television – Camera – system and detail – Remote control
Reexamination Certificate
1997-02-21
2001-02-20
Garber, Wendy (Department: 2712)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Remote control
C348S372000, C348S014160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06191814
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a television camera apparatus provided with a motorized pan and tilt positioning, or positioning of motorized devices such as zoom lenses used with television cameras, and more particularly used in a monitoring system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A television camera apparatus used for a monitoring system is mounted on a remotely controlled motorized pan-tilt head that positions the camera for observation from different angles. Such television cameras may use remotely controlled motorized zoom lens, and may be mounted inside the case having a front glass pane with a motorized wiper mechanism, and having a fan or a heater for cooling or heating the camera. Such television cameras are remotely controlled and can be automatically re-positioned by energizing all or some of the motors simultaneously.
Such cameras require a power supply having a sufficient capacity to power the camera itself and any of the individual motors, or all the motors and other peripherals simultaneously. Therefore, such television camera that is remotely operated and consumes power at random is powered via an exclusive heavy power cable connected to the exclusive power supply, which is laborious and costly.
On the other hand, televisions cameras that are mounted onto a fixed non-movable mount and use fixed, or manually adjustable lens do not consume power at random. Such cameras with stable constant current drain make use of the transmission line, drawn between the camera and the monitoring site, for applying power to the camera. The transmission line may also be used for propagating an external synchronizing signal from the monitoring site to the camera.
Such apparatus for externally synchronizing television cameras, is an apparatus for transmitting an external synchronizing signal from an external synchronizing signal generator to the television cameras by injecting the external synchronizing signal into the video signal transmission line and locking an internal synchronizing signal generator of the television camera by means of the transmitted external synchronizing signal. Such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,352 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
When the monitoring system employs a plurality of television cameras, such television cameras will transmit video, audio and I.D signals through the video transmission line to the monitoring site, while control signals may be propagated to the camera from the monitoring site via the same video transmission line. Such monitoring system apparatus which employs a plurality of television cameras, transmits video, audio and I.D signals to the monitoring site and propagates control signals and external synchronizing signal to the cameras, via the same transmission line is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,060 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In all such systems, where the video, audio, ext. sync, I.D and control signals are propagated through the video transmission line, along with power for powering the camera, the current drain through the transmission line must be regulated and stable because otherwise it will disturb the transmission of the signals.
It will be impossible to power any of the above television cameras through the video transmission line whenever starting up of the motors causes current surges and/or random current is drained by the television camera and any of its pan-tilt motors, zoom lens motors, and/or other current draining peripherals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for powering a television camera along with powering its motorized positioning devices and other power consuming peripherals through the camera transmission line extending between the television camera and the receiving site, for transmitting video and audio signals generated by the television camera along with an identification code identifying the television camera, and at the same time, ensure propagation of external synchronizing signals and control signals to the television cameras through the same transmission line.
The above and other objects are attained by an apparatus for powering television cameras via camera transmission lines, comprising a single television camera or a plurality of television cameras each processing an electrical information signal including a video signal, a single current supply means or a plurality of current supply means for applying constant current to the television camera, a single transmission line or a plurality of camera transmission lines for respectively connecting each television camera with each current supply means, and an external synchronizing signal generating means for generating an external synchronizing signal and applying the same to the plurality of the television cameras and to a receiving means.
Each current supply means includes a feeding circuit for feeding the information signal to the receiving site through a corresponding information transmission line. The receiving site may include a selection circuit for selecting one of the plurality of corresponding information transmission lines or switching over from one information transmission line to another. The selection and the switching-over timing of the information signals through the selection circuit is synchronized with the external synchronizing signal.
Each camera transmission line corresponds to a combination of the current supply means and television cameras, and each television camera is powered and transmits an information signal to the receiving site through the corresponding camera transmission lines. The information signals from the single television camera or each of the plurality of television cameras are fed to each respective current supply means. The information signal output from each current supply means can be connected to a television monitor through a single information transmission line or to any one of the plurality of the inputs of the selection circuit of the receiving site through a plurality of corresponding information transmission lines.
Power fed to each television camera through the camera transmission line is a constant current which is maintained at a predetermined level by a current regulator circuit incorporated in the current supply means. The predetermined current is the sum of the constant current consumed by the television camera circuits and the additional constant current fed to a rechargeable battery connected to the television camera. As the charged battery provides energy for driving the motors and any other peripherals that present a variable or random current drain and/or current surge, the camera can be remotely controlled or automatically operate any of the positioning motors or other current draining peripherals individually or all the motors and other peripherals simultaneously, without disturbing the propagated signals through the camera transmission line. The charge battery can also power the camera circuits when the constant current fed to the camera is cut or switched off.
Each current supply means includes a signal separation/injection circuit to remove the information signals generated by the television camera that are propagated through the camera transmission line from the DC, and feed the separated information signals to an information signal output terminal. The external synchronizing signal along with control signals generated by the receiving site can be fed in a reverse direction through the information signal output terminal and through the signal separation/injection circuit and via the camera transmission line to the television camera, or it may be fed directly to the camera transmission line via an injection circuit through separate control and/or external synchronizing signal terminals.
Each television camera incorporates a DC separation circuit to separate the DC from the ext. sync signals and control signals generated by the receiving site and feed the separated ext. sync signals and control signals to an ext. sync and control sign
Elbex Video Ltd.
Garber Wendy
Helfgott & Karas P.C.
Wilson Jacqueline
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