Adaptable camera array structures

{
  "publication_number": "US9575394B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Adaptable camera array structures",
  "abstract": "A housing structure that can be used for forming a variety of camera arrays is disclosed. The housing structure comprises a plurality of camera retaining elements which can adaptably receive and retain cameras of various sizes and shapes. Adjacent camera retaining elements that form the housing structure are connected to each other via moveable couplings that enable the formation of camera arrays of various sizes and shapes.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus comprising: a housing structure for a plurality of cameras, the housing structure comprising: a plurality of camera retaining elements forming an array, each of the plurality of camera retaining elements configured to receive and retain a respective one of the plurality of cameras; and at least one coupling attached to adjacent camera retaining elements in the array, the coupling permitting the adjacent retaining elements to be connected to and disconnected from each other, and to be oriented at a range of different angles relative to each other.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of camera retaining elements comprises a structure that adaptably retains cameras of different sizes.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of camera retaining elements comprises an elastically deformable member sized and shaped for shape mating retention of a camera body.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each element being moveably attached to an adjacent camera retaining element of the plurality of camera retaining elements via the coupling formed and shaped to permit differing angled orientations between the attached camera retaining elements.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each camera retaining element being moveably attached to an adjacent camera retaining element of the plurality of camera retaining elements via a magnetic coupling formed and shaped to permit differing angled orientations between the attached retaining elements.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of camera retaining elements is detachably coupled to an adjacent camera retaining element in the array via a detachable moveable coupling.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 1, the plurality of camera retaining elements form a segment comprising an upper camera retaining element, a middle camera retaining element and a lower camera retaining element.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 7, the upper camera retaining element being moveably attached to an upper edge of the middle camera retaining element and the lower camera retaining element being moveably attached to a lower edge of the middle camera retaining element.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 7, the middle camera retaining element being oriented along a long axis whereas the upper camera retaining element and the lower camera retaining element are oriented along their respective short axes orthogonally to the long axis of middle camera retaining element.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of segments.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 7, an edge of a middle camera retaining element of a first segment of the plurality of segments being attached to an edge of a middle receiving element of an adjacent segment.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 7, the array is a spherical array.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 7, the array is a linear array comprising a plurality of middle receiving elements, each middle receiving element coupled to at least one adjacent middle receiving element in the array.",
    "14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stand configured to hold the array of camera retaining elements.",
    "15. The apparatus of claim 14, the stand further comprising a connector configured for receiving and retaining a selected one of a plurality of holding structures.",
    "16. The apparatus of claim 15, the selected holding structure being a ball with apertures on its surface, the apertures being configured for receiving and retaining extension rods that are detachably connected to selected retaining elements for holding the array.",
    "17. An apparatus comprising: a spherical housing structure for a plurality of cameras, the spherical housing structure comprising: a plurality of camera retaining elements forming an array, each of the plurality of camera retaining elements configured to receive and retain a respective one of the plurality of cameras; and at least one coupling attached to adjacent camera retaining elements in the array, the coupling permitting the adjacent retaining elements to be connected to and disconnected from each other, and to be oriented at a range of different angles relative to each other; and a motorized stand that receives the spherical housing structure.",
    "18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a holding structure attached to the stand, the holding structure bearing the spherical housing structure thereon.",
    "19. The apparatus of claim 18, the holding structure is a spiky ball holding structure.",
    "20. The apparatus of claim 17, the at least one coupling comprising two cylindrical members and a joining plate, each of the two cylindrical members is attached to a respective one of the camera retaining element and each of the two cylindrical members grooved to permit a geared mating engagement with each other.",
    "21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein a motor attached to the motorized stand is a servo motor."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Devices such as Occulus Rift and Samsung Gear VR bought virtual reality (VR) content out of the research realm and into the consumer market. Cheaper devices such as Google Cardboard are currently available which allow consumers to use their smartphones as virtual reality devices. User experiences with documentaries, films and games are greatly enhanced when their video content is presented as VR content as it provides viewers/gamers an illusion of having been transported into the world being viewed. This is because the VR content can in some cases be provided as 360 degree panoramic views as opposed to the two-dimensional series of images that is currently used in videos. The 360 degree images are captured using rotational cameras with ultra wide-angle lenses. When combined with head tracking, such 360 degree images allow the viewers to explore the images from different angles as they would in the real-world.\n\nThis disclosure is related to apparatus that enables assembling camera arrays of various sizes and shapes for collecting image data that can be used for generating content, including VR content. An apparatus comprising a housing structure for a plurality of cameras is disclosed in one embodiment. The housing structure comprises a plurality of camera retaining elements and at least one coupling attached to a pair of the camera retaining elements that form an array. Each of the plurality of camera retaining elements can receive and retain a camera and the coupling permits retaining elements in the pair to be connected to and disconnected from each other.",
  "cpc": [
    "G03B 17/561",
    "H04N 13/243",
    "H04N 23/51",
    "H04N 23/90"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G03B 17/56"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Otoy Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Charles Wallace"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-06-10",
  "publication_date": "2017-02-21",
  "grant_date": "2017-02-21",
  "priority_date": "2015-06-10",
  "application_number": "US-201514735933-A",
  "family_id": "57504282",
  "cited_by_count": 23,
  "citations": [
    "US5023725A",
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    "US20110249100A1",
    "US20130201296A1",
    "US20140028865A1",
    "US20140153916A1",
    "US20150138311A1"
  ]
}