Self-leveling camera heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9277105-B2
Application number	US-201313974020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2013
Priority date	Jun 1, 2004
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, a self-leveling camera head may include an eccentric leveling weight assembly that is supported inside an outer housing for free rotation about an axis. The leveling weight assembly may be removably coupled to a separate camera module assembly supported inside the outer housing for rotation about the axis so that its images will be “upright,” i.e. earth normal.

First claim

We claim:

1. A self-leveling camera head system, comprising:
a camera head including:
an outer housing;
a camera module assembly including a high resolution image sensor supported inside the housing for free rotation about an axis;
a leveling weight coupled to the camera module assembly to turn the camera module assembly to a predetermined angular orientation;
a push cable connected to the camera head; and
a processing circuit connected to the push cable for processing a video signal from the camera head to generate a sub-sampled region and rotating the sub-sampled region into a predetermined orientation for display.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video signal comprises a sequence of low-resolution frames, and the processing circuit selectively generates high-resolution still images for storage in a memory or output on a video display.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an orientation sensor for sensing an angular orientation of the camera head and the processing circuit for processing a video signal from the camera head and an output signal from the orientation sensor so that images that are stored or displayed have a predetermined orientation.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the orientation sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer, a tilt indicator, a conductive ball sensor, a bubble sensor, a compass sensor, and a gyroscope.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera head further comprises:
a rear housing assembly with a female threaded forward end;
an illumination window;
an illumination window retainer having a forward end for holding the illumination window and a female threaded rearward end;
a male threaded coupling allowing the rear housing assembly to be screwed over a portion of the coupling ring and the illumination window retainer screwed over a forward portion of the coupling ring;
wherein the camera module assembly is supported inside an enclosure defined by the joining of the rear housing assembly, illumination window, illumination window retainer, and a coupling ring.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the coupling ring extends forward of the camera module assembly.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the illumination window comprises a transparent plastic material.

8. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed within the enclosure for illuminating a field of view of the camera head through the illumination window.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a slip ring assembly axially overlapping the leveling weight and having first and second portions configured to removably axially plug into one another and to provide electrical connections between a plurality of fixed connecters mounted to the outer housing and the rotatable camera module assembly, the first portion of the slip ring assembly including a plurality of flexible contact brushes and the second portion of the slip ring assembly including a plurality of rings.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of flexible contact brushes are mounted for rotation with the camera module assembly.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of rings are mounted for rotation with the camera module assembly.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the leveling weight is supported within the housing on a bearing assembly.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the leveling weight is physically separate from the camera module assembly.

Assignees

• Olsson Mark S
• Cox David A
• Lobree Brett D
• Seescan Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Cox David A
• Lobree Brett D

Classifications

• G03B37/005 Primary

  Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe, (G03B37/02 - G03B37/06 take precedence; instruments for performing medical examinations of cavities or tubes of the body by photographic inspection A61B1/00) · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/58

  Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors · CPC title