Modular Action Camera Mount With External Battery and One-Handed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing action cameras, such as GoPro, face issues with poor battery life, cumbersome interface, and weight distribution, making them inconvenient for continuous use during active sports, especially when controlling the camera via a smartphone app reduces battery life and requires two hands.
Innovation Solution
A modular action camera system with a mount that houses the battery, allowing for increased battery size without adding weight to the camera, and optional extension arms for better weight distribution, along with wireless control via phone or interactive buttons on mounts like ski poles, enabling hands-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the battery is integrated into the camera body, then the camera structure is simplified, but the battery size is limited and weight distribution becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system is divided into separate modules: a camera module and a mount module with battery. This segmentation allows the battery to be located in the mount rather than integrated into the camera body, enabling larger battery capacity without increasing camera weight or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is extracted from the camera body and placed in the mount. This extraction resolves the contradiction by allowing the battery size to be increased in the mount while the camera module remains lightweight and simple in structure.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the battery size is increased, then battery life is improved, but the camera weight increases and causes strain
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into camera and mount components, the heavy battery is placed in the mount which can be positioned closer to the user's body or support structure, while the camera module remains lightweight for easy handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight distribution problem is solved by moving the battery to a different spatial location (the mount) rather than keeping it in the camera body. This dimensional relocation allows larger battery capacity without increasing the weight of the handheld camera portion.
3Ease of operation
If the camera is controlled via smartphone app, then ease of operation is improved, but battery life is reduced due to WiFi connection
Solution Approach 1:
The mount acts as an intermediary between the smartphone and camera, housing a separate battery for the camera while allowing smartphone control. This intermediary structure enables the camera to be controlled via app without the camera's own battery being drained by WiFi connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply function is extracted from the camera and placed in the mount. This allows the camera to maintain WiFi connectivity for smartphone control without the camera's battery being depleted, as the mount provides separate power.
4Measurement precision
If two hands are required for smartphone control, then control precision is improved, but ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mount serves as an intermediary platform that can be positioned on various surfaces or body parts, freeing the user's hands while maintaining precise control through the smartphone app interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be controllable through the smartphone's touchscreen interface, which serves itself as the control mechanism, eliminating the need for physical buttons on the camera that would require hand operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An action camera system is disclosed that comprises an action camera and a mount where the mount is configured to detachably couple the camera. The mount comprises a battery, a base, a body, and a vertical support. The base can be attached to a helmet, a harness, an armband, a board, or a ski pole. The battery powers the action camera when it is attached to the mount. The action camera comprises two lenses with a separate image sensor or film frame for each lens. The action camera may be connected to the mount via a folding extension. The action camera communicates wirelessly with a smartphone or a control device. The smartphone can be attached to an armband. A ski pole mount may comprise a computer, a display, and user interface.