Photography – Plural image recording – Stereoscopic
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-06
2004-03-02
Mahoney, Christopher (Department: 2851)
Photography
Plural image recording
Stereoscopic
C396S333000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06701081
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a certain apparatus whereby a mount for two cameras for use in stereo imaging has controls for the convergence of the two cameras, adjustment of the position of the image plane in one camera with respect to the image plane in the other camera such that the two cameras are correctly focused on the same image, adjustment of the spacing between the two cameras such as to mimic the average distance between human eyes, and adjustment of the two cameras such that the two cameras, while being converged, rotate around the same image (nodal) point.
The primary benefits of the present invention are a compact mechanical configuration, simple and precise control of the optical convergence of two cameras, simple and precise alignment of the image plane in one camera with respect to the image plane in the second camera, simple adjustment of the distance between the cameras to mimic the distance between human eyes, and simple adjustment of the image (nodal) point around which the cameras are rotated for convergence.
2. Description of the Background Art
A wide variety of camera mounts have been known and used since the beginning of the film and television industries. Almost all of these are designed for a single camera and two dimensional photography. A small number of camera mounts that hold two cameras simultaneously have been made for making three dimensional photographs, motion picture films and television shows, commonly referred to as “stereo graphic” or “3D” imaging. At least one such camera mount known to Applicant has a very coarse, manual adjustment of the convergence of the two camera's optical systems, but it is poorly designed and very difficult to use. To applicant's knowledge, no dual camera mount, of the design disclosed herein, has contained all of the following elements: (a) a convenient and accurate convergence adjustment mechanism; (b) the ability to precision adjust, in any dimension, the position of the image planes between the two cameras such that they were located at the same image focal plane and received the same image; (c) the ability to adjust the spacing between the two cameras such as to mimic the average distance between human eyes; and (d) the ability to adjust the two cameras such that the two cameras, while being converged, rotate around the same image (nodal) point.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists of a mount for two cameras that provides a combination of precision convergence control and precision alignment of the image planes of two cameras for stereo graphic imaging. More particularly, it is an apparatus for precise control of the convergent focusing of two cameras and the fine adjustment of the position of the image plane in one camera with respect to the image plane in the other camera. This apparatus significantly improves the ability to make stereo graphic images by making the adjustment of camera convergence and the alignment of the image focal planes precise and simple.
One object of the invention is to combine into a single mount for two cameras a simple and precise control of the optical convergence of the two cameras.
Another object of the invention is to combine into a single mount for two cameras simple and precise alignment of the image focal plane in one camera with respect to the image focal plane in the second camera.
Another object of the invention is to combine into a single mount for two cameras simple means for adjustment of the distance between the two cameras to mimic the distance between human eyes.
Another object of the invention is to combine into a single mount for two cameras simple means for adjustment of the image (nodal) point around which two cameras are rotated for convergence.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon.
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patent: 4768049 (1988-08-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 4996547 (1991-02-01), McKeown et al.
patent: 5752113 (1998-05-01), Borden
patent: 5778268 (1998-07-01), Inaba
patent: 5949477 (1999-09-01), Hoglin
Dwyer Patrick H.
Southam Gordon R.
Air Controls, Inc.
Mahoney Christopher
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