Portable video and imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9237262-B2
Application number	US-201414575433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

A portable video and imaging system includes a camera for capturing video of an event, and a video recording device for recording the captured video of the event. The camera is housed in a first housing, the recording device is housed in a second housing, and the first and second housings are physically separate. Various embodiments provide for the system to be mounted to a user's body, an article of clothing, such as a shirt or a hat, to a vehicle, or to an ancillary component carried by the user, such as a firearm.

First claim

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

1. A portable video system comprising:
a first housing including a camera for capturing video of an event, said first housing having a size configured to mount on a user's body,
wherein the camera includes a camera mating member;
a second housing including a power source for powering the camera of the first housing,
wherein the first housing is physically separated from the second housing,
wherein the first and second housings are connected via a wired cable for transmission of at least one of power and the captured video;
a processor and a memory associated with the camera for storing the captured video; and
a set of interchangeable mounting assemblies for mounting the first housing to the user's body, including:
a first mount assembly including a first mount mating member that is configured to mate with the camera mating member so as to secure the first mount assembly to the first housing for mounting the first housing to the user; and
a second mount assembly including a second mount mating member that is configured to mate with the camera mating member so as to secure the second mount assembly to the first housing for mounting the first housing on an article on the user's body,
wherein the first mount mating member and the second mount mating member are configured to each interchangeably be mounted to the first housing by the user,
wherein the first mount mating member and the second mount mating member are of substantially the same size and shape to interchangeably mount with the camera mating member.

2. The portable video system of claim 1 ,
wherein the camera mating member presents a shape that is complementary to a shape presented by the first mount mating member,
wherein said shape presented by the camera mating member is complementary to a shape presented by the second mount mating member.

3. The portable video system of claim 2 ,
wherein the camera mating member is a recessed seat,
wherein the first mount mating member and the second mount mating member are each a raised seat.

4. The portable video system of claim 3 , wherein the recessed seat and the raised seat each present a generally square shape.

5. The portable video system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first mount assembly is a button-mount assembly including a slotted plate presenting a slot for receipt of a button through the slot, wherein the button is located on clothing worn by the user,
wherein the first mount mating member is a button-mount mating member,
wherein the second mount assembly is a clip mount assembly configured for grasping an article on the user's body,
wherein the second mount mating member is a clip mount mating member.

6. The portable video system of claim 5 ,
wherein the clip mount assembly includes:
at least two plates pivotably secured together at a general end of each plate, such that each plate pivots with respect to the other plate to position the plates in either of a closed position or an open position,
wherein when the plates are pivoted towards each other, the plates are in the closed position,
wherein when the plates are pivoted away from each other, the plates are in the open position, and
wherein when in the open position, the user can secure the plates around the article on the user's body, and
a spring is interposed between the plates at the end where the plates are pivotably secured together to provide a resilient tension that pivots the plates to the closed position unless the plates are otherwise actuated by the user.

7. The portable video system of claim 1 , wherein the set of interchangeable mounting assemblies further comprises:
a hat mount assembly for securing to a helmet or cap worn by the user,
said hat mount assembly further including a hat mount mating member that is configured to mate with the camera mating member so as to secure the hat mount to the camera for mounting the camera on a helmet or cap worn by the user; and
a hook-and-loop mount assembly comprising a plate and adhesively-securable hook-and-loop material for grasping a corresponding hook-and-loop material associated with the user,
said hook-and-loop mount assembly further including a hook-and-loop mount mating member that is configured to mate with the camera mating member so as to secure the hook-and-loop mount to the camera for mounting the camera on the corresponding hook-and-loop material associated with the user.

8. The portable video system of claim 1 , wherein the system is associated with a GPS receiver for providing a location of the system.

9. The portable video system of claim 8 , where said location of the system is stored as metadata for the captured video.

10. The portable video system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is programmed to receive information indicative of an input from the user marking at least a portion of the captured video.

11. The portable video system of claim 10 , wherein one of the first housing and the second housing includes an identification sensor for identifying the user of the system.

12. The portable video system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is programmed to receive information indicative of an input from the user marking at least a portion of the captured video.

13. The portable video system of claim 12 , wherein one of the first housing and the second housing includes an identification sensor for identifying the user of the system.

14. The portable video system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to receive information indicative of an input from the user marking at least a portion of the captured video.

15. The portable video system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first housing and the second housing includes an identification sensor for identifying the user of the system.

16. A portable video system comprising:
a first housing including a camera for capturing video of an event, said first housing having a size configured to mount on a user's body;
a second housing including a power source for powering the camera of the first housing,
wherein the first housing is physically separated from the second housing,
wherein the first and second housings are connected via a wired cable for transmission of at least one of power and the captured video;
a processor and a memory associated with the camera for storing the captured video; and
a set of interchangeable mounting assemblies for mounting the first housing, including:
a button-mount assembly including a slotted plate presenting a slot for receipt of a button through the slot, wherein the button is located on clothing worn by the user,
a clip mount assembly configured for grasping an article on the user's body, and
a hook-and-loop mount assembly comprising a plate and adhesively-securable hook-and-loop material for grasping a corresponding hook-and-loop material associated with the user,
wherein the button-mount assembly, the clip mount assembly, and the hook-and-loop mount assembly is each interchangeably mounted to the first housing mounted on the user.

17. The portable video system of claim 16 ,
wherein the first housing includes a front side and a rear side, and wherein said rear side of the first housing has a camera mating member,
said button-mount assembly further including a button-mount mating member that is configured to mate with the camera mating member so as to secure the button-mount assembly to the first housing for mounting the first housing on the clothing worn by t

Assignees

• Digital Ally Inc

Inventors

• Phillips Steve
• Troxel Jason R

Classifications

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title

• F16M11/10 Primary

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N5/2251

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/2252 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic