Patent · US11425308B2 · B2 · US

Robotically movable display synchronously movable with robotically movable camera for displaying captured images in identical orientation

(11) Publication number

US11425308B2

(21) Application number

17/109,450

(22) Filing date

2020-12-02

(30) Priority date

2020-12-02

(43) Publication date

2022-08-23

(45) Date of grant

2022-08-23

(51) IPC

B25J 13/08; B25J 9/16; H04N 5/225; H04N 5/232

(52) CPC

H04N Pictorial communication, e.g. television: 23/695, 23/531, 23/54, 23/63, 23/661, 5/225251, 5/2253, 5/23299
B25J Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices: 11/00, 13/08, 9/0084, 9/1697
F16M Frames, casings or beds of engines, machines or apparatus, not specific to engines, machines or apparatus provided for elsewhere; stands; supports: 11/105, 11/18, 11/2064, 11/2092
G03B Apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them; apparatus or arrangements employing analogous techniques using waves other than optical waves; accessories therefor: 17/561, 2206/00

(72) Inventors

Andrew Flessas

(54) Title

Robotically movable display synchronously movable with robotically movable camera for displaying captured images in identical orientation

(57) Abstract

A system includes a robotic camera and a robotic display. The robotic camera has a robotic camera mount that moves an image capture device such as a camera and the robotic display has a robotic display mount that moves an image display device, such as a video display. The robotic mounts are used to synchronously move the camera and display so that they are in positions where captured images are displayed in the same orientation, e.g. images captured in a portrait orientation are displayed by the display in the same orientation and images captured in a landscape orientation are displayed by the display in the same orientation.

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Claims (20)

A method of displaying images captured by an image capture device via at least one image display device, comprising the steps of: supporting said image capture device via a robotic camera mount which is configured to rotate said image capture device about at least one axis; supporting said image display device via a robotic display mount which is configured to rotate said image capture device about at least one axis; moving said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a first image capture device orientation; capturing one or more first images in a first image orientation with said image capture device; moving said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a first image display device orientation; displaying said one or more first images in a first display orientation, which first display orientation is the same as said first image orientation; moving said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a second image capture device orientation; capturing one or more second images in a second image orientation; moving said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a second image display device orientation; displaying said one or more second images in a in a second display orientation, which second display orientation is the same as said second image orientation.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic camera mount is further configured to move said image capture device linearly along each of three orthogonal axis, or combinations thereof.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic camera mount is configured to move said image capture device in six degrees of freedom.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic display mount is further configured to move said image display device linearly along each of three orthogonal axis, or combinations thereof.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic display mount is configured to move said image display device in six degrees of freedom.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image capture device comprise a camera which is configured to capture images in electronic form.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image display device comprises a video display.
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first image orientation is a portrait orientation and said first display orientation is a portrait orientation.
The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said second image orientation is a landscape orientation and said second display orientation is a landscape orientation.
The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first image capture device orientation is a portrait orientation, said first image display device orientation is a portrait orientation, said second image capture device orientation is a landscape orientation and said second image display device orientation is a landscape orientation.
A system for displaying images captured by an image capture device comprising: a controller; a robotic camera comprising a robotic camera mount and an image capture device, the robotic camera mount comprising a head which is rotatable about at least one axis via actuation of at least one motor, and the image capture device mounted to the head for movement by the robotic camera mount; a robotic display comprising a robotic display mount and an image display device, the robotic camera mount comprising a head which is rotatable about at least one axis via actuation of at least one motor, and the image display device mounted to the head for movement by the robotic display mount; said controller configured to generate control instructions for causing said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a first image capture device orientation in which said image capture device captures images in a first image orientation and for causing said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a first image display device orientation for displaying images in a first display orientation, which first display orientation is the same as said first image orientation when said images in said first image orientation are displayed by said image display device; and for causing said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a second image capture device orientation in which said image capture device captures images in a second image orientation and for causing said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a second image display device orientation for displaying images in a second display orientation, which second display orientation is the same as said second image orientation when said images in said second image orientation are displayed by said image display device.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic camera mount is configured to move said head in six degrees of freedom.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic display mount is configured to move said head in six degrees of freedom.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said image capture device comprise a camera which is configured to capture images in electronic form.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said image display device comprises a video display.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said first image orientation is a portrait orientation and said first display orientation is a portrait orientation.
The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said second image orientation is a landscape orientation and said second display orientation is a landscape orientation.
The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said first image capture device orientation is a portrait orientation, said first image display device orientation is a portrait orientation, said second image capture device orientation is a landscape orientation and said second image display device orientation is a landscape orientation.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic camera mount comprises a lower arm movably connected to a base, an upper arm movably connected to said lower arm, and said head movably connected to said upper arm.
The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said controller comprises a main controller comprising a processor, a memory and machine-readable code stored in said memory and executable by said processor, and at least one robotic camera sub-controller which is configured to receive instructions from said main controller and output control instructions to said at least one motor of said robotic camera and at least one robotic display sub-controller which is configured to receive instructions from said main controller and output control instructions to said at least one motor of said robotic display.

Description

The present invention relates to the display of images captured by a camera via a video display.

Various circumstances exist where it is desirable to capture images, such as still or moving images, via an image capture device and then display those images via a separate display. One problem with the display of images via video displays is that changes in the orientation of the images may be incompatible with the display displaying the images.

For example, a display which is used to display images in a store for advertising purposes may be mounted to a wall in landscape orientation. Various images might then be shown on the display. If the images are also in landscape orientation, they will be displayed properly via the display. However, if some of the images are arranged in portrait orientation, problems arise.

First, the image could be rotated so that its orientation matches that of the display. However, this would result in viewers seeing the image sideways or lying on its side.

Second, if the image is displayed in its proper orientation, the image has to be scaled for display by the display, such as by reducing the dimensions of the image so that the full height of the image can be displayed via the display. The image then has a width dimension which is less than that of the display, so that bars or other elements must be displayed on either side of the displayed image to fill the space between the sides of the image and the sides of the display. In addition, the size of the displayed image is reduced, making it less visible.

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Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US11425308B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Robotically movable display synchronously movable with robotically movable camera for displaying captured images in identical orientation",
  "abstract": "A system includes a robotic camera and a robotic display. The robotic camera has a robotic camera mount that moves an image capture device such as a camera and the robotic display has a robotic display mount that moves an image display device, such as a video display. The robotic mounts are used to synchronously move the camera and display so that they are in positions where captured images are displayed in the same orientation, e.g. images captured in a portrait orientation are displayed by the display in the same orientation and images captured in a landscape orientation are displayed by the display in the same orientation.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of displaying images captured by an image capture device via at least one image display device, comprising the steps of: supporting said image capture device via a robotic camera mount which is configured to rotate said image capture device about at least one axis; supporting said image display device via a robotic display mount which is configured to rotate said image capture device about at least one axis; moving said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a first image capture device orientation; capturing one or more first images in a first image orientation with said image capture device; moving said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a first image display device orientation; displaying said one or more first images in a first display orientation, which first display orientation is the same as said first image orientation; moving said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a second image capture device orientation; capturing one or more second images in a second image orientation; moving said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a second image display device orientation; displaying said one or more second images in a in a second display orientation, which second display orientation is the same as said second image orientation.",
    "2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic camera mount is further configured to move said image capture device linearly along each of three orthogonal axis, or combinations thereof.",
    "3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic camera mount is configured to move said image capture device in six degrees of freedom.",
    "4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic display mount is further configured to move said image display device linearly along each of three orthogonal axis, or combinations thereof.",
    "5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said robotic display mount is configured to move said image display device in six degrees of freedom.",
    "6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image capture device comprise a camera which is configured to capture images in electronic form.",
    "7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said image display device comprises a video display.",
    "8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first image orientation is a portrait orientation and said first display orientation is a portrait orientation.",
    "9. The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said second image orientation is a landscape orientation and said second display orientation is a landscape orientation.",
    "10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said first image capture device orientation is a portrait orientation, said first image display device orientation is a portrait orientation, said second image capture device orientation is a landscape orientation and said second image display device orientation is a landscape orientation.",
    "11. A system for displaying images captured by an image capture device comprising: a controller; a robotic camera comprising a robotic camera mount and an image capture device, the robotic camera mount comprising a head which is rotatable about at least one axis via actuation of at least one motor, and the image capture device mounted to the head for movement by the robotic camera mount; a robotic display comprising a robotic display mount and an image display device, the robotic camera mount comprising a head which is rotatable about at least one axis via actuation of at least one motor, and the image display device mounted to the head for movement by the robotic display mount; said controller configured to generate control instructions for causing said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a first image capture device orientation in which said image capture device captures images in a first image orientation and for causing said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a first image display device orientation for displaying images in a first display orientation, which first display orientation is the same as said first image orientation when said images in said first image orientation are displayed by said image display device; and for causing said robotic camera mount to move said image capture device to a second image capture device orientation in which said image capture device captures images in a second image orientation and for causing said robotic display mount to move said image display device to a second image display device orientation for displaying images in a second display orientation, which second display orientation is the same as said second image orientation when said images in said second image orientation are displayed by said image display device.",
    "12. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic camera mount is configured to move said head in six degrees of freedom.",
    "13. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic display mount is configured to move said head in six degrees of freedom.",
    "14. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said image capture device comprise a camera which is configured to capture images in electronic form.",
    "15. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said image display device comprises a video display.",
    "16. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said first image orientation is a portrait orientation and said first display orientation is a portrait orientation.",
    "17. The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said second image orientation is a landscape orientation and said second display orientation is a landscape orientation.",
    "18. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said first image capture device orientation is a portrait orientation, said first image display device orientation is a portrait orientation, said second image capture device orientation is a landscape orientation and said second image display device orientation is a landscape orientation.",
    "19. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said robotic camera mount comprises a lower arm movably connected to a base, an upper arm movably connected to said lower arm, and said head movably connected to said upper arm.",
    "20. The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said controller comprises a main controller comprising a processor, a memory and machine-readable code stored in said memory and executable by said processor, and at least one robotic camera sub-controller which is configured to receive instructions from said main controller and output control instructions to said at least one motor of said robotic camera and at least one robotic display sub-controller which is configured to receive instructions from said main controller and output control instructions to said at least one motor of said robotic display."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to the display of images captured by a camera via a video display.\n\nVarious circumstances exist where it is desirable to capture images, such as still or moving images, via an image capture device and then display those images via a separate display. One problem with the display of images via video displays is that changes in the orientation of the images may be incompatible with the display displaying the images.\n\nFor example, a display which is used to display images in a store for advertising purposes may be mounted to a wall in landscape orientation. Various images might then be shown on the display. If the images are also in landscape orientation, they will be displayed properly via the display. However, if some of the images are arranged in portrait orientation, problems arise.\n\nFirst, the image could be rotated so that its orientation matches that of the display. However, this would result in viewers seeing the image sideways or lying on its side.\n\nSecond, if the image is displayed in its proper orientation, the image has to be scaled for display by the display, such as by reducing the dimensions of the image so that the full height of the image can be displayed via the display. The image then has a width dimension which is less than that of the display, so that bars or other elements must be displayed on either side of the displayed image to fill the space between the sides of the image and the sides of the display. In addition, the size of the displayed image is reduced, making it less visible.",
  "cpc": [
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  "ipc": [
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  "inventors": [
    "Andrew Flessas"
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  "filing_date": "2020-12-02",
  "publication_date": "2022-08-23",
  "grant_date": "2022-08-23",
  "priority_date": "2020-12-02",
  "application_number": "US-202017109450-A",
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