Photography – Camera support – Surveillance type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-05
2003-01-07
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera support
Surveillance type
C348S143000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06503000
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pan/tilt camera for intelligently photographing an object, and more particularly to a pan/tilt camera for effectively photographing an object by adjusting the camera to a desired direction according to motion of the object through controlling a pan movement unit for horizontal movement and a tilt movement unit for vertical movement at the same time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A camera is to photograph an image, of which applications becomes broad in fields of a manless monitoring system, a picture phone, etc. Therefore, there are more needs for a function of rotating the camera to a desired direction.
A pan/tilt camera currently used is configured to move its direction right/left or upward/downward with use of at least two motors for x-axis movement and y-axis movement. A controller used for adjusting a direction of such camera employs a scan and detect method in which a user should directly watch for an object photographed through the camera on a screen of a view finder and intentionally adjust the object to a center of the view finder screen. Such scan and detect method may control the motors respectively with use of a remote controller and rotate the camera right/left or upward/downward along the object.
However, such conventional pan/tilt camera should control each motor for x-axis movement or y-axis movement with use of each function key, which makes movement of the camera unnatural. In addition, the conventional technique has difficulty to quickly capture motion of the object in fact that it takes much time for adjusting a direction of the camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention is designed to overcome problems of the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a pan/tilt camera, which may adjust its direction right/left and upward/downward at the same time by way of simultaneously controlling right/left rotation and upward/downward rotation thereof.
In order to obtain the object, the present invention provides a pan/tilt camera comprising: a camera for photographing an object; a first housing for receiving a part of the camera, the first housing possibly rotating right/left in integration with the camera; a tilt movement means received in the first housing for moving the camera upward/downward; a pan movement means connected to the first housing, the pan movement means moving the first housing right/left in a separate way from the tilt movement means; a second housing for receiving the pan driving means; and a control means for generating an interrupt signal, driving both of the tilt and pan movement means according to the interrupt signal, adjusting directions of the tilt and pan movement means with controlling rotatory speed of the tilt and pan movement means at each interrupt signal in order to move the camera along the object.
The tilt movement means may include a tilt motor for generating rotative force by using driving force from outside, the control means controlling rotatory speed and direction of the tilt motor; a reduction gearbox engaged with the tilt motor for reducing rotatory speed of the tilt motor to a desired rate; and a tilt gear engaged with the reduction gearbox for receiving the speed-reduced rotative force of the tilt motor, the tilt gear being engaged with a tilt shaft combined with a bracket for fixing the camera in order to rotate the camera upward/downward.
The pan movement means may include a pan motor for generating rotative force by using driving force from outside, the control means controlling rotatory speed and direction of the pan motor; a reduction gearbox engaged with the pan motor for reducing rotatory speed of the pan motor to a desired rate; and a pan gear engaged with the reduction gearbox for receiving the speed-reduced rotative force of the pan motor, the pan gear being engaged with a pan shaft formed vertically in integration with the first housing in order to rotate the first housing right/left.
The tilt motor may be a step motor and the control means may control the rotatory speed of the tilt motor by regulating pulse transmitted to the tilt motor.
The pan motor may also be a step motor and the control means may control the rotatory speed of the pan motor by regulating pulse transmitted to the pan motor.
The tilt shaft may be fixedly combined to the bracket for fixing the camera and rotationally combined to a side of the first housing; and the tilt shaft may rotate the camera and the bracket upward/downward at the same time when the tilt gear is rotating.
The pan shaft may be fixedly combined to a lower portion of the first housing and rotationally combined with a bracket fixed to the second housing; and the pan shaft may rotate the first housing and the camera right/left at the same time when the pan gear is rotating.
In order to perform the object, the present invention provides a pan/tilt camera including a camera for photographing an object; a first housing for receiving a part of the camera, the first housing possibly rotating right/left in integration with the camera, the first housing having a front portion and a rear portion; a housing combining unit for combining the front portion and the rear portion of the first housing; a driving unit received in the first housing for supplying rotative force with use of power from outside; a tilt shaft rotationally combined to both sides of the first housing at a position near the housing combining unit, the tilt shaft rotating the camera upward/downward by the rotative force of the driving unit; a pan shaft fixedly combined to a lower portion of the first housing, the pan shaft extending vertically; a tilt movement unit received in the first housing for moving the camera upward/downward; a pan movement unit for rotating the pan shaft right/left in a separate way from the tilt movement unit; a second housing for receiving the pan driving unit; a bracket combined with the second housing for fixing the pan shaft rotatable; and a control means for generating an interrupt signal, driving both of the tilt and pan movement means according to the interrupt signal, adjusting directions of the tilt and pan movement means with controlling rotatory speed of the tilt and pan movement means at each interrupt signal in order to move the camera along the object.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4855838 (1989-08-01), Jones et al.
patent: 5268734 (1993-12-01), Parker et al.
patent: 5463432 (1995-10-01), Kahn
patent: 5598207 (1997-01-01), Kormos et al.
patent: 5802412 (1998-09-01), Kahn
patent: 5850579 (1998-12-01), Melby et al.
patent: 6147701 (2000-11-01), Tamura et al.
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Gray David M.
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