DEVICE, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR FINE-TUNING OF CAPTURE DEVICE - Patent application

Abstract

For devices designed to capture content (e.g., cameras (both still and video), microphones, sensors, and other devices), there is an incentive to reduce both installation time and installation error, and therefore it is well known that some degree of partial assembly, wiring, aiming, and / or commissioning occurs in a factory setting prior to shipment. However, many such devices require fine-tuning in the field after at least preliminary installation. Devices and methods for fine-tuning are discussed that do not rely on traditional means of on-site power and / or Internet access.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] <CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS> This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 362,263, filed March 31, 2022, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of targeting devices (e.g., cameras). More specifically, the present invention relates to devices that are typically at least partially assembled, wired, aligned, and / or commissioned at a factory setting, but require some degree of on-site adjustment or further commissioning (hereinafter, "fine-tuning"). More specifically, the present invention relates to fine-tuning devices when conventional means (e.g., wirelessly connecting to the device for remote targeting) are not available (e.g., Internet access has not yet been installed on-site). [Background technology]

[0003] For devices designed to capture content, such as cameras (both still and video), microphones, sensors, and other devices (hereinafter "capture devices"), it is well known that there is an incentive to reduce both installation time and installation errors. To this end, capture devices are often at least partially assembled, wired, aimed, and / or commissioned at a factory; see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 11,306,861 B1, granted April 19, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This patent includes a discussion of capture devices. A capture device encompasses any number of devices (including connections, power means, communication means, etc.) that can obtain or capture and / or transmit (e.g., live streaming, recording) content (e.g., video, images, sound, electromagnetic energy) related to a site or venue, or events at the site or venue.

[0004] However, it is often unavoidable that some degree of fine-tuning of the capture device must be completed in the field after installation. For example, a camera intended to capture a narrow field of view with a long setback may need to be rotated, tilted, swiveled, etc. (hereinafter "adjusted") after installation so that a landmark (e.g., home plate) is centered within the field of view or a feature (e.g., the horizon) is oriented correctly (e.g., appears truly horizontal).

[0005] Herein lies the problem: oftentimes, sites are of varying configurations when capture and distribution systems, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 11,306,861 B1, that are at least partially factory assembled, wired, aimed, and / or commissioned, are installed, and lack of power and / or internet access prevents installers from using traditional means to power up and complete fine-tuning of the devices.

[0006] Thus, there is room for improvement in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] It is well known that there are advantages to at least partially assembling, wiring, aiming, and / or commissioning a capture device in a factory-type setting prior to shipment. However, as discussed above, there is often a need to fine-tune the capture device in the field after installation, and even if the assembly, wiring, aiming, and / or commissioning has been performed, and the field is so basic that power and / or internet access is not yet available, traditional means of fine-tuning (e.g., remotely connecting to the capture device) may not be possible.

[0008] Thus, a primary object, feature, advantage, or aspect of the present invention is to improve over the state of the art and / or address a problem, issue, or shortcoming in the art.

[0009] A compact aiming device and method for operating such an apparatus is contemplated, which can be installed inside the housing of the capture device while in the factory, and which can be operated after the capture device has been at least pre-installed in the field to complete fine-tuning.

[0010] Further objects, features, advantages, or aspects of the present invention may include one or more of the following: a. the aiming device is compact and interfaces with other capture device assembly components such that a new capture device housing is not required; b. the apparatus has means for determining, correlating, and / or adjusting at least one of a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation, or a rotational orientation; c. The method of operation does not require a site power source or access to the Internet.

[0011] These and other objects, features, advantages, or aspects of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] This specification describes the drawings, which are identified by figure numbers and summarized below. [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an overview of a typical site that may include one or more capture devices that may benefit from aspects in accordance with the present invention; note that for clarity, only one capture device is shown. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the capture device; note that for clarity, all internal components and electrical connections have been omitted. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the capture device; note that for clarity, all internal components and electrical connections have been omitted. [Figure 4]Figures 4-12 show various views of the capture device of Figures 2 and 3, modified according to a first embodiment. Figure 4 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the capture device with the first embodiment apparatus installed (note that some fastening devices have been omitted). [Diagram 5] 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment device. [Figure 6] 1 shows an alternative perspective view of the first embodiment device. [Figure 7] 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment device. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the first embodiment device. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 shows a left side view of the device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 shows a right side view of the device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] Figures 13-21 show various views of the capture device of Figures 2 and 3, modified according to a second embodiment. Figure 13 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the capture device with the second embodiment apparatus installed (note that some fastening devices have been omitted). [Figure 14] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment device. [Figure 15] 1 shows an alternative perspective view of the second embodiment device. [Figure 16] 1 shows a front view of a second embodiment device. [Figure 17] 1 shows a rear view of the second embodiment device. [Figure 18] 1 shows a top view of a second embodiment device. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the second embodiment device. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 shows a left side view of the device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 21]FIG. 2 shows a right side view of the second embodiment device. [Figure 22] One possible method of operating the apparatus of FIGS. 4-21 to provide fine adjustment of the capture device of FIGS. 2 and 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] A. Overview To further understand the invention, certain exemplary embodiments according to the invention will now be described in detail. In this description, frequent reference will be made to the drawings. Reference numerals are used to designate particular parts in the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0014] With respect to terms, the terms "device", "component", "site", "portion", and "feature" are used more or less interchangeably herein; similarly for "site" and "venue". The use of one term over another is for convenience and not for limitation. Also, as previously mentioned, the term "fine-tuning" is generally defined herein as including some degree of on-site adjustment or further commissioning of the capture device, but can also include full adjustment or commissioning of the capture device after installation (e.g., some vertical adjustments are provided at the factory setting and some are provided in the field, while all horizontal adjustments are provided in the field during fine-tuning). Similarly, the term "capture device" is generally defined herein as a device designed to capture content, e.g., a camera (both still and video), microphone, sensor, and other device. Finally, the term "tuned" (including its root words and other variations of the term) is generally defined herein as rotating, tilting, pivoting, etc. (including their root words and other variations of the term).

[0015] Exemplary embodiments contemplate modifications of capture devices similar to those described in the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 11,306,861 to include devices (two embodiments of which are discussed) that allow fine-tuning without external power or Internet access according to the methods described below. For purposes of explanation (and not limitation), consider a sports lighting site as shown in FIG. 1, where a transformer 20 supplies power to a power distribution cabinet 30, which is distributed to each luminaire 80 at each pole 60 via power lines 70 that are regulated for the specific lighting load at the pole cabinet 50; this is well known in the art of sports lighting. A typical sports lighting installation, and other lighting systems for controlling lighting to a large area, has multiple poles 60 or other elevating structures (FIG. 1 shows four by way of example and not limitation, namely poles A, B, C, and D), and each pole or elevating structure typically has multiple individual luminaires (two or more, sometimes ten or more). There can be one or more capture devices associated with each venue or each pole. Often, some type of facility control system 10, such as that described in U.S. Patent No. 7,778,635 (incorporated herein by reference), controls the array of lights via remote operation of contactors or other power means in a control cabinet 40 so that they illuminate the venue 90 at desired times. The venue 90 often includes not only the playing area, but also three-dimensional spaces proximate to the playing area (e.g., for illuminating a ball in flight).

[0016] Thus, it may be desirable to have capture devices installed and positioned to capture content associated with venue 90 at one or more relevant times; for example, the capture devices may actively perform video recording (e.g., via sensors in the capture devices) only when game play is detected. To ensure sufficient coverage of the entire playing field, multiple capture devices may be installed with multiple streams of video and other data taken from multiple points / perspectives and collectively fed to facility management system 10. Thus, to ensure that the videos can be reliably combined, or to ensure seamless transitions between video streams, or for any number of other reasons, it may be beneficial for all capture devices to be fine-tuned to a common feature; for example, an example of such a feature in softball and baseball is home plate 91 (FIG. 1).

[0017] However, it should be noted that the capture device assembly 100 at the center field location may be located up to 400 feet or more from home plate 91, which is itself a very small object in comparison. Thus, any apparatus for fine adjustment must have a relatively large number of selectable iterations in a particular direction (e.g., vertically for adjusting down / up from where it is mounted, and rotationally for adjusting the plane in the field of view to appear more or less horizontal), and further be compact (e.g., so that it can fit within the capture device housing) and low cost (e.g., so that it can be left in place after use instead of being removed).

[0018] Using aspects of the generalized example above, two exemplary embodiments are now described, illustrated by one non-limiting example of a capture device assembly 100 (e.g., a camera) as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0019] B. Exemplary Method and Apparatus Embodiment 1 Taking again the example of a sports lighting application and a capture device assembly comprising a center field camera assembly 100, a first embodiment of the fine-tuning device 110 may be as shown in Figures 4-12. As can be seen from Figure 4, the fine-tuning device 110 is entirely contained within the interior space of the capture device assembly 100 defined by the outer housing 101 and the substrate 103, the substrate 103 having means 105 for horizontal adjustment (described below). The fine-tuning device 110 is designed to at least partially surround the aiming axis A of the capture device 102 (here a model Q1700-LE camera available from Axis Communications Inc, Chelmsford, MA, USA) and to be installed in a known relationship to the aiming axis A. The capture device 102 is resiliently secured at the front end by a spring 106 and adjusted at the rear end via part 104, which in combination with an acron nut 107 and a fine adjustment device 110 allows for vertical and rotational adjustment of the capture device 102 and its aiming axis A (described below).

[0020] To interface with other portions of the capture device assembly 100 and determine, correlate, and / or adjust at least one of the vertical or rotational orientations as described above, the fine adjustment device 110 includes several features (see FIGS. 5-12). For the specific example shown in FIGS. 1-3 (i.e., a center field camera aimed at home plate in a baseball stadium), the portion 112 of the fine adjustment device 110 is approximately 5 inches long and includes at least one aiming aperture 113 that is 3 / 16 inches in diameter with an aiming axis B (see FIGS. 4 and 5) parallel to the device aiming axis A of the camera 102 offset 4 inches above the aiming axis A (here the centerline) of the camera 102. There may be a pair of aiming apertures 113 aligned and spaced apart along the aiming axis B (see FIG. 5) (similar to a gun sight having two spaced apart aiming structures along the gun barrel). Alternatively, a single opening 113 in the portion 112 may be used to view the top end of the body 114 to which the level 111 is attached. FIG. 4 illustrates for this specific example the relative dimensional size of portion 112 to other components of micro-adjustment device 110, including housing 101 and the space inside housing 101 when attached to base 103. As will be appreciated, this example illustrates how micro-adjustment device 112 is of relatively small and compact size and can fit within the space defined by housing 101 when attached to base 103 without interfering with the operation of capture device 102 or capture device assembly 100. As will be appreciated, these characteristics of compactness and non-interference can be applied to other capture devices and capture device assemblies as well. Several openings 115 / 116 / 117 are included in body 114 for securing micro-adjustment device 110 in place (e.g., when a fastening device is used). Finally, an inexpensive and readily available bubble level 111 (preferably in a transparent housing so that it can be viewed from multiple angles, but this is by way of example and not limitation) is useful for verifying capture device 102 and its correct rotational orientation relative to sighting axis A (described below).

[0021] As can be seen, the aiming technique of portion 112 is a simple, passive, physical marker, or set or system of physical markers, or front and rear aiming components or sights, that allows the user to look at or through the user's eye 99 (shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 4 and 13) and align the aiming axis B with a target on or associated with the scene. The aiming marker 113 (or 123) can be in a variety of forms. Non-limiting examples are an aperture (sometimes referred to as a closed field of view) or a notch (sometimes referred to as an open field of view), or a combination thereof. Because the sight of the fine adjustment device 110 or 120 is mounted on the capture device assembly 100 such that the aiming axis B is parallel to the device aiming axis A, there is a pre-established, known correlation between the two, so that aiming at a desired target at the scene (usually tens if not hundreds of feet) can effectively approximate the aiming of the capture device with which the fine adjustment device is used.

[0022] C. Exemplary Method and Apparatus Embodiment 2 An alternative embodiment according to aspects of the invention contemplates a micro-adjustment device 120 similar to that of embodiment 1; parts 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, and 117 of embodiment 1 correlate in relative size and function with parts 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127 of this embodiment 2. The main difference between embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 is in the configuration of the micro-adjustment device, where, for example, part 122 is formed from threaded tubing (e.g., aluminum alloy) that is secured with a complementary nut on approximately the opposite side of body 124. An advantage to this embodiment is that the straightness of part 122 is more consistent than that of part 112, but the single-piece nature of body 124 combined with the higher cost of tubing for part 122 (as opposed to part 112) means that an overall higher cost is required to manufacture micro-adjustment device 120 than micro-adjustment apparatus 110.

[0023] In embodiment 2, the user's eye 99 passes through the first open end 123 (FIG. 18) of the tube 122, through the tube 122, and then through the second open end 123 (FIG. 17) all aligned along the field of view aiming axis B to a target at or associated with the scene. Axis B has a known correlation (e.g., parallelism) with device 102 aiming axis A. This is another example of simple passive visual alignment aiming.

[0024] D. Exemplary Methods One possible method of operating the fine adjustment device 110 / 120 to provide fine adjustment of the capture device in the capture device assembly, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, is shown in FIG. 22 according to method 200 (or other locations where this type of capture device may be used). As a first step 201, typically some degree of assembly, aiming, wiring, and / or commissioning of at least a portion of the capture device assembly is completed at a factory setting; of course, this may vary depending on, for example, the type and application of the capture device. In this embodiment, step 201 may include setting the device 102 in a preliminary operating orientation in the interior space and fixing the spring 106, as well as the portion 104 and the assembly 110 (or 120). The acone nut 107 may be tightened to set the rough vertical and rotational orientation. The housing portion 101 can then be secured to the base portion 103 (e.g., via a fastening device on a bracket) to enclose the interior space so that the capture device assembly 100 can be transported to the site (step 202). Step 201 can further include setting an IP address for the device, completing electrical connections, etc. Examples of wide area network connections to and from the capture device can be found, for example, in US 11,306,861 B1.

[0025] In the field, the outer housing 101 is removed so that the base 103 can be mated with a pole or other support structure (see FIG. 1) according to step 203, but in reality the installation is merely preliminary (e.g., the fastening device is not fully tightened) so as to allow for horizontal adjustment (step 204) by pivoting the base 103 to the direction and extent defined by the opening 105. In practice, for example, in the example baseball or softball field as shown in FIG. 1, the capture device assembly mounted at the center field position is actually mounted on a pole about 12 feet high, some distance to the left or right of the pitcher's mound (in or near the center of the diamond-shaped area in FIG. 1, with home plate 91 at one corner), so as to have a clear line of sight to the game play; thus, the horizontal adjustment forms part of the fine tuning in the field. Thus, the installer can twist and pivot the substrate 103 until the image of home plate 91 is more or less centered within the field of view opening 113 / 123 in the horizontal plane before fully tightening the fastening device and moving to the next step of the method 200. The installer looks with one eye 99 through the field of view 113 or 123, holds the proper eye 99 position, and simultaneously focuses on the field of view 113 or 123 and on the target, all at different distances, aligning all planes of focus. It is simple visual alignment.

[0026] According to steps 205 and 206, the vertical and rotational orientations are adjusted, respectively. In practice steps 205 and 206 may be performed one after the other (or before step 205), but the steps are more likely to be combined according to iterative adjustments to the Akron nuts 107. For example, tightening or loosening both Akron nuts 107 (e.g., via a nut driver) will raise or lower the rear of the capture device 102 by the same amount (the front end is fixed via spring 106), thus adjusting the vertical orientation. However, if one Akron nut 107 is raised or lowered more than the other, the result is a rotational orientation. In this way, the installer can adjust neither of the Akron nuts 107, only one, or both, while keeping the home plate 91 (or some other perceptible physical target at or associated with the venue) centered on the aiming aperture 113 / 123, in combination with maintaining the desired level as determined by the bubble level 111 / 121. In the most extreme cases (e.g., a center field camera with a 400 foot field radius), the center field camera only needs to be adjusted up or down about 1 degree in the vertical plane, so it is essential for steps 205 and 206 to have a large number of selectable iterations that can be selected and deselected as needed. This can be provided, for example, by a relatively continuously adjustable device such as an Akron nut, as opposed to a keyed mechanical device with discrete adjustment levels.

[0027] After the fine-tuning is completed, according to step 207, the outer housing 101 is replaced with the fine-tuning device 110 / 120 still installed in the interior space by placing it in its operating orientation and fastening it to the base 103 (e.g., via a fastening device). Given that the fine-tuning is such an iterative process with such a degree of fine-tuning, the process of removing the fine-tuning device 110 / 120 may cause misalignment of the capture device; hence the reason that the fine-tuning device 110 / 120 is of such a size and cost that it can be left in place after use instead of being removed.

[0028] E. Options and Alternatives The present invention can take many forms and embodiments. The above examples are just a few of them. Some examples are given below to give some sense of some of the options and alternatives.

[0029] The exemplary embodiment is described with respect to a particular application (i.e., a sports venue) designed for a particular purpose (i.e., for a baseball or softball sports venue, aimed at home plate and designed to capture game play near home plate), with a particular type of capture device and associated housing, in a particular mounting location. Note that all of the above may vary and not depart from at least some aspects of the present invention for different capture devices, as well as different installations and locations of the capture devices. In the example sports venue as in FIG. 1, the mounting height may be high enough (e.g., 30 feet or more) that the center field camera does not need to be installed several degrees left or right of the pitcher's mound, and thus, in addition to being a different structure, method 200 may not require step 204. As another example, the type of capture device may be different, e.g., instead of a camera installed at or near center field, the capture device may include a microphone or other sensor installed in a different housing and behind home plate. Additionally, the structure used to provide the adjustment need not be as described and illustrated herein, e.g., multiple springs with adjustable tension / compression may be used in place of the Akron nut. Additionally, the capture device may not have an associated housing at all, and thus the micro-adjustment apparatus 110 / 120 may not need to be located in an interior space (instead, perhaps attached (fixedly or removably) directly to the capture device). Again, all of the foregoing is possible and contemplated. Such considerations and variations based on the same may relate to and be used in a similar manner with any of a variety of different capture devices and how they are used or applied in any of a variety of locations.

[0030] Finally, while much discussion has been made regarding the advantages of at least partially assembling, wiring, aiming, and / or commissioning the capture device in a factory setting, this is not required to benefit from at least some aspects according to the present invention. For example, all wiring can be completed in the field during fine tuning. Also, adjustments in one, two, or three planes (i.e., horizontal, vertical, and / or rotational) are not required to benefit from at least some aspects according to the present invention. In some rare cases, it may be possible that the capture device assembly may already be sufficiently aligned at installation, which can be determined, verified, or otherwise correlated using the fine tuning device 110 / 120, and thus still benefit from such.

Claims

1. 1. A method for fine-tuning a device, comprising: a. completing one or more initial steps during assembly of the device with factory settings; b. installing the micro-adjustment assembly by fastening the micro-adjustment assembly to at least a portion of a component associated with the device; c. installing the device at the site with the fine adjustment assembly installed; d. adjusting at least one of the horizontal, vertical, or rotational orientation of the device by aligning the micro-adjustment assembly with features at the site; The method according to claim 1,

2. The one or more initial steps include: a. Assembly; b. Aiming; c. Wiring; or d. Commissioning; The method of claim 1 , comprising one or more of:

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component associated with the device comprises a housing that at least partially surrounds the device.

4. the housing is removable and defines an interior space; the micro-adjustment assembly is compact with respect to the housing and has an overall size that fits within the interior space of the housing without disrupting operation of the device when the cover is installed to enclose the device. The method of claim 3.

5. The method further comprises: a. shipping the device, after factory assembly, with the fine adjustment assembly attached to the site; b. removing the housing and placing the device, including the fine adjustment assembly, on a pole or lifting structure at the site; c. adjusting one or more of the horizontal, vertical, or rotational aiming of the micro-adjustment assembly via visual alignment with features at the site; d. replacing the housing; The method of claim 4.

6. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device has a device aiming axis, the fine adjustment assembly has one or more visual sights defining a field of view aiming axis, the fine adjustment assembly is mounted relative to the component of the device such that the field of view aiming axis is in known correlation with the device aiming axis, and the alignment includes visual alignment of one or more visual sights of the fine adjustment assembly with the feature of the scene.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more visual sights comprises one of an open field of view or a closed field of view.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the features of the venue include landmarks or perceptible locations at a venue or venue.

9. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein aligning the one or more visual sights of the micro-adjustment assembly with features at the site includes having an installer look through the one or more visual sights with their eyes, maintaining a proper eye position, and simultaneously focusing on the one or more visual sights and the features at the site, all at different distances, to align all focal planes.

10. a. a body suitable for mounting in a capture device; b. a length of material operatively connected to the body; c. visual alignment along the length of the material; A fine adjustment device comprising:

11. The body includes: a. a housing; b. Base; c. A capture device; or d. assembly; having one or more parts that interface or connect with 11. The apparatus of claim 10.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the length of the material and the size of the visual alignment target correlate to effective visual alignment with site-related features tens or hundreds of feet away.

13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the effective visual alignment includes the effect of an installer looking through the visual alignment aimer maintaining a proper eye position and simultaneously focusing on the visual alignment aimer and the feature at the site, all at different distances and with all focal planes adjusted.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the visual alignment target comprises one or more visual targets.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more visual sights comprise a closed field of view.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein each of the one or more visual sights includes an open field of view or a closed field of view.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a leveling device, the leveling device comprising a bubble level.

18. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, in combination with a device to be fine-tuned, the device having a removable housing defining an interior space, the fine-tuning apparatus being compact with respect to the housing and having an overall size that fits within the interior space of the housing without interrupting operation of the device when the cover is installed to surround the device.

19. 20. The combination of claim 18, wherein the device has a device aiming axis, the fine adjustment mechanism has a field of view aiming axis, and the fine adjustment mechanism is attached to the device such that the field of view aiming axis has a known correlation with the device aiming axis.

20. The combination of claim 18 , wherein the device comprises a capture device.

21. A. main body; b. a length of material operatively connected to the body; c. an aiming aperture extending along the length of the material; d. a leveling device; A fine adjustment device comprising:

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