POV Action Camera Mounting and Horizon Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional first-person video cameras for action sports are not hands-free and require tethering to a separate digital video recorder, making them cumbersome for capturing POV video recordings.
Innovation Solution
A portable digital video camera with an integrated hands-free design, featuring a manual horizon adjustment control, laser alignment system, and a 'quick-release' mounting system for pitch, yaw, and roll adjustments, allowing for easy orientation and mounting on various surfaces without the need for external devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a portable digital video camera is designed to be compact and lightweight, then portability is improved, but the battery capacity and power supply duration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into multiple rechargeable battery units that can be used independently or combined. The camera can operate with one battery for portability, or multiple batteries can be connected in parallel to extend power supply duration when needed, resolving the contradiction between compactness and battery capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera incorporates a dynamic power management system that automatically adjusts power consumption based on operational mode. The system can switch between low-power and high-power modes, and dynamically manage battery power distribution to extend operational duration without increasing battery capacity or camera weight.
2Volume of moving object
If the camera body is made compact, then portability is improved, but the cooling performance and heat dissipation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The camera employs a heat dissipation system that utilizes the vertical dimension and external surfaces for cooling. Heat sinks and ventilation channels are designed to extend outward from the compact body, allowing effective heat dissipation without increasing the core camera volume, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and cooling performance.
3Measurement precision
If the camera is designed for high-performance image processing, then image quality is improved, but power consumption and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The camera implements dynamic power management that adjusts processing power based on operational needs. The microprocessor can switch between high-performance modes for quality image processing and low-power modes for basic operations, allowing the system to achieve high image quality when needed while minimizing power consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera uses periodic processing cycles where intensive image processing is performed intermittently rather than continuously. Between processing cycles, the system enters low-power states, allowing high-performance image processing capability while reducing average power consumption and heat generation.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An integrated hands-free, point of view, action sports digital video camera (or camcorder) (10) includes: a rotary horizon adjustment controller (14) for adjusting the orientation of a horizontal image plane (16) recorded by an image sensor with respect to the orientation of a camera housing (22); a laser alignment system with laser sources (48) capable of projecting light to define a horizontal projection axis (52) that is coordinated with orientation of the horizontal image plane (16); a manually operable switch (80), which covers a microphone (90) whenever the switch (80) is in the OFF position, for controlling video data capture; and a "quick-release" mounting system (120) that retains a desired orientation of the camera (10).