HK1063661A - Operator supported remote camera positioning and control system - Google Patents

Description

Operator supported telecamera positioning and control system

Technical Field

The invention relates to a camera support. In particular, the invention relates to a mount for remotely positioning a camera.

Background

In the field of photography and other visual arts, it is often necessary to increase the field of view to obtain different special effects, taking pictures from angles and heights that cannot be achieved with a tripod or a camera held by a photographer. This is especially true when recording athletic activity. Various systems have been developed to accomplish this, including luffing rotating booms, as shown in U.S. patent No.4,849,778 to Samuelson, and fixed cam mounts for aircraft, such as shown in U.S. patent No.4,156,512.

While these methods do increase the range of viewing angles and lifts, they often have complex components, are often difficult to operate individually by a photographer, and are too large to be held and manipulated individually by a photographer with certainty. The size of these devices often limits the range of viewing and recording that is required.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a telecamera positioning system that can be supported, operated and manipulated by a single operator.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera stand that is fully portable by a single operator.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an operator supported camera system that can position the camera at a substantial distance from the operator while the operator is performing positioning and pointing controls.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an operator supported camera system that can be easily manipulated by an operator while maintaining image quality.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an operator supported camera system that is lightweight and avoids premature operator fatigue.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a telecamera positioning system for use and support by a single operator. The system may include: a camera; a camera positioner supporting a camera; and a monitor for viewing the images generated by the camera. The monitor has an attachment for securing the monitor to the operator and in view of the operator. The camera positioner has an operator interface for supporting the camera positioner and spatially manipulating the camera through the camera positioner. The camera positioner positions the camera at least 3 feet away from the operator interface, outside of hand-reachable range. Thus, a single operator can independently support, position and manipulate the camera outside the reach of the hand to obtain a larger field of view while monitoring the camera view.

The camera may be a video camera and the monitor may be a video monitor. The monitor attachment may secure the monitor to the operator's body, such as by a belt or the like. In addition, the monitor attachment may also include a frame similar to the bezel for securing the monitor in front of the operator's eyes.

An operator interface allows an operator to support the camera positioner and spatially manipulate the camera via the camera positioner. The operator interface may perform these functions through a combination structure, such as a handle. The operator interface may also include a number of components, including a hand interface, such as a handle, and a body interface, such as a support strap, wrapped around the back of the chest of the operator.

According to one aspect of the invention, the camera positioner is an elongated boom that is telescopic, the operator interface includes two separate handle surfaces proximate a proximal end of the boom, and the camera is secured to a distal end of the boom opposite the proximal end. Embodiments of the operator interface may also have an auxiliary support structure connected lengthwise to the boom for connection to an operator.

The auxiliary support structure may, for example, have a belt for securing around the operator's body, a bias line extending from the belt, a pulley attached to one end of the line opposite the belt; an action line along which the pulley moves; and a frame extending laterally from the boom that provides a fixed mount for both ends of the line of action so that the operator can bear a portion of the system weight while performing free steering of the boom in all directions.

The system may also have a different camera head configuration. For example, the system may have two camera servos for controlling the pan and tilt of the camera relative to the boom. The camera side servo may provide an output shaft and a camera support arm extending laterally from the output shaft for securing a camera. The boom side servo may provide a second output shaft and a servo support arm extending therefrom for securing the camera side servo. Preferably, a disconnect member is provided having a weakened portion and a platform to which the boom side servo is attached. A disconnect member is removably mounted to the distal end of the elongated boom to disconnect the camera head in the event of a crash or other potentially damaging impact. The system may also have at least one hand-operated controller for camera-side and boom-side servos, the controller being secured to the boom proximate one of the grip surfaces.

The system may also have a power supply assembly for providing power to the monitor, servo and camera, the power supply assembly having an attachment for securing the power supply assembly to the operator. A video recorder for storing images generated by the camera is also provided. The video recorder may have a recorder attachment for securing the video recorder to an operator; and an image cable for transmitting a signal of the camera to the monitor, the image cable extending inside the boom; a power cable for connecting the power supply assembly to the monitor, the camera and the servo; and a control cable for transmitting a control signal of the controller to the servo.

The present invention thus provides a system that enables a single operator to independently support, manipulate and monitor a telecamera that is outside the reach of the hand. In this way, a large viewing angle range can be achieved independently.

Drawings

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings. In the figure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sports environment illustrating the use of a telecamera positioning system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an operator utilizing one embodiment of a telecamera positioning system in accordance with the present invention, illustrating body support assistance;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a camera head assembly used in one embodiment of an operator support camera system according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

The present invention is directed to a camera support. The present invention provides a camera support that can be held, manipulated and controlled by a single operator. The camera mount allows the camera to be placed at a significant distance from the operator, can be positioned and pointed at a high height, and allows a wide range of lateral positioning. In addition, this remote positioning provides a large range of motion for the operator to support the camera system.

Referring to fig. 1, an embodiment 10 of the present invention may include a camera 12 supported by a camera positioner, such as a boom 14. The camera positioner is provided with an operator interface, such as a handle area 16 of the boom 14, to allow an operator 18 to support the boom 14 and spatially manipulate the camera 12. By means of the boom 14, the operator 18 can, for example, follow the movement of the skater 20 in an arcuate track 22. Such observation can be achieved by the telecamera positioning system according to the present invention and can be managed by a single operator.

Taking the boom 14 as an example, a camera positioner according to the present invention positions the camera outside the reach of the operator's hand. This remote location is at least 3 feet from the operator interface, such as the handle area 16 of the boom 14.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, a distance of 3 feet between the operator interface and the camera location is to convey the positioning operation of the camera outside the reach of the hand. In measuring this 3 foot spacing, the reference point in the operator interface may be the closest point to the operator in use. For the boom 14, the operator interface includes a handle area 24 at one end of the boom 14 held by the right hand of the operator 10, the 3 foot distance being calculated from this point rather than from a more distant area held by the left hand of the operator 18. Of course, the boom 14 may extend beyond this 3 foot distance, as shown.

In fig. 2, the embodiment is shown partially from the operator's end. The boom 14 is shown only partially, and in practice extends to the distal end of the fixed camera, an example of which is shown in fig. 4 and described in more detail in the following description.

Referring to fig. 2, the telecamera positioning system also includes a monitor for viewing images generated by a camera (not shown). According to the invention, the monitor is fixed on the operator, in the field of view of the operator. Thus, the operator 18 can independently support, position and manipulate the camera (not shown, see FIG. 1) outside of hand reach by a single person to obtain a wider field of view while monitoring the camera view.

In a preferred embodiment, the monitor is included in an image recorder such as a video cassette recorder 26 for storing images generated by the camera. The monitor may be independent of the recorder 26, with the recorder 26 being optional. However, in this preferred mode, the monitor is a flip-up type monitor 28 mounted on the recorder 26. A preferred recorder is a DVCR such as Sony GV-D700, self-contained high specific capacity lithium ion battery (not shown). Preferably, the recorder also allows viewing of pictures that have been taken.

The monitor may be secured to the operator in different ways. In one embodiment, the monitor 28 and its associated recorder 26 are secured together by an abdominal assembly at the operator's waist. The belly assembly may be, for example, a Radio Shack portable CD player pouch with a zipper cover that houses a flip-up monitor of the DVCR.

The monitor may also include a video monitor eyepiece 30, such as a lightweight Sony PLM-A35LCD eyepiece, to which the system video signal is supplied. This configuration allows for "heads up" operation of the camera positioning system 10 without looking at the abdominal assembly. This greatly facilitates tentering of the video object. The use of the eyepiece 30 in the system also enables a lighter weight video tape recorder without the use of a monitor.

Because the elongated boom 14 is used as a camera positioner, the operator interface may have a hand interface 16 on the boom and a body interface such as a harness 32. For longer booms, it may be desirable to provide a harness 32 in addition to the operator's hand to utilize the operator's body to support the boom 14, thereby providing additional stability and support for greater bending torques.

As in the harness 32, the body interface may be configured to provide support for the boom 14, while the hand interface 16 is primarily for the purpose of allowing the operator to manipulate the boom and thus the position of the camera. Of course, the hand interface 16 may also be used to support the boom 14 at the same time, with or without the assistance of a body interface such as the harness 32.

The hand interface may include two handles 34, 36 separated along the length of the boom 14. The grip region may be identified with padding, foam, or the like. Preferably, the designated and separate handle area for the operator's hand may have a handle 36 at the end of the boom. Additionally, a continuous area (not shown) may be provided to allow the operator to vary the hand position along the boom 14. The boom 14 may not provide a designated area, in which case the boom 14 itself may serve as a hand interface.

The operator body interface may be configured in different ways so long as it enables the operator 18 to support the boom with his or her body in addition to the hands. The operator body interface may include an auxiliary support structure 38 attached along the length of the boom 14 for securing to the operator 18. The auxiliary support structure 38 may have a strap 40 for wrapping around the body of the operator. A bias line 42 extends from the belt 40 to a pulley 44. The line of action 46 travels along the pulley 44 and a frame 48 formed by four struts 50 extends laterally away from the boom 14, providing a fixed connection at each end of the line of action 46. In use, the operator 18 can bear a portion of the weight of the system while being free to maneuver the boom 14 in all directions. The line of action 46 enables lateral swinging of the boom 14 by corresponding movement of the pulley 44.

Bias line 42 may be provided by a spring 52. The spring 52 allows flexible vertical and axial movement of the boom 14 relative to the operator 18.

Other support structures may also be provided, from hand-based supports for smaller positioners to body-assisted supports for longer or heavier positioning systems. What is important is that the support allows a single person to support and manipulate the positioner and associated camera without assistance from the operator.

The boom 14 used in the current embodiment is a lightweight 7-segment one 7-meter long carbon fiber telescopic loop that is found in many kite shops. The practical length limit of this boom system is 5 meters for a 4.0 ounce camera head and an unreinforced loop bar. The reinforcement method will be described in the following description. Thin-walled circular sections can provide the greatest stiffness per unit weight by concentrating all material as far away from the neutral line of the beam as possible.

One source of telescopic tube assemblies is the telescopic fiberglass rods produced by Premier kits of Hyattsville, maryland. Of the 4 different length rods offered by this manufacturer, the 22 foot long model 77922 is the best choice due to its greater pipe diameter and thus greater rigidity. This tube assembly has 7 segments one meter long, with the two thinnest segments of the tip discarded in this embodiment. All of the tube sections of this telescoping tube are relatively thin walled and the wall thickness at the ends is about 0.050 inches. When extended, the segments abut, strengthening the friction fit contact area. The root section of this tubular assembly has a root portion beyond the diameter, which is about 1.53 inches. Each segment has an outer diameter about 0.12 inches smaller than the diameter of its adjacent major segment and a taper of about 0.080 inches in diameter along its length. This tube assembly has a thick paint and primer layer which protects the relatively thin fiberglass wall, accounting for approximately 10% of the total tube assembly weight. The weight of the 7-segment 22-foot long tube is approximately 2.2 pounds. Cutting and painting of the tube assembly length is not strictly controlled and thus there can be significant variations in weight and length.

Excessive bending flexibility of the cannula can adversely affect the quality of the image obtained by the camera support system. The weight and rigidity of the bushing are therefore optimized to maximize its rigidity-to-weight ratio. First, the paint and primer layer is removed too thickly. For each tube segment, a super-rigid boron fiber bundle was added at every quarter of its circumference. Using 5.6 mil (thousandths of an inch) boron fibers produced by the Textron System of Wilmington, maryland, more fibers were added to the root or proximal sections of the tube, and less fibers were added to the outer or distal sections of the tube in turn. The tube sections were then coated with a very light (0.5 ounces per square yard) fiberglass cloth and epoxy. After baking, the modified tube sections are individually finished and assembled into the proper telescoping configuration, which is important because the outside diameter is changed due to the boron and glass epoxy treatment. The final weight of each pipe section after treatment may be maintained at + -1% to 2% of the original weight. The bending stiffness of the pipe section can be increased by about 15% after treatment as described above by calculating the bending stiffness of the pipe section by measuring the oscillation frequency of the pipe section when free falling.

The handheld portion of the telecamera positioning system in this embodiment weighs approximately 2.26 pounds (1025 grams), has a full length of 16.4 feet (5 meters), and has a 4 ounce 2 channel (pan and tilt) camera head. If additional operator support components are added, such as a VCR with its own battery, boom power supply, and monitor eyepiece, the total system weight is about 6.8 pounds (about 3.1 Kg). This weight will vary with the exact system configuration. Smaller batteries may reduce weight by a half pound or more, and shorter boom lengths may also reduce total system weight by several ounces per meter.

For indoor or tight space use, shorter camera boom lengths are often required. A short length of thin-walled round-section telescopic shank can be obtained, which has a smaller diameter. Smaller diameter tubes have less bending and torsional stiffness than larger diameter tubes. This lack of rigidity can result in poor image quality, positioning and pointing errors or "judder". To maximize rigidity, the largest diameter of the series of telescopic booms is used as the starting point for the camera boom.

The joint of the pipe sections extends over a given extension distance to ensure a tight fit. The bond points are then fine drilled in a drilling process to create repeating sets of orthogonal holes for the locking pins. The lightweight carbon fiber locking pins ensure that the joints of the telescopic boom do not slip when the boom is compressed by the action of gravity during stunt maneuvers or when the boom is erected. The pin desirably frictionally engages the hole and may also be held in place by a rubber band or a safety clip.

After determining the length and number of segments according to the shooting requirements, the segment of the nearest or largest diameter of the telescopic tube is used. In order to minimize the maximum weight of rigidity, the unnecessary distal end of the telescopic tube is removed through the proximal end of the tube to configure the boom length for shooting. The remaining segments are pinned, and the camera head is pinned in the distal tube segment.

Referring to FIG. 3, the camera 12 is attached to a boom 14 (shown in part) at an end remote from an operator (not shown). This embodiment includes an assembly, collectively referred to as a boom head 54, including a weak link 56, a cable disconnect bracket 58, two servos 60, 62 for pan and tilt functions, servo arms 64, 66 and accompanying isolation/connection hardware, a cable strain relief and a camera 12.

The weak link 56 may disconnect the boom head 54 from the boom 14 in a potentially damaging event, such as a collision of the camera with an external object. This break can help absorb impact forces and mitigate possible damage to the camera or servo.

Preferably, the weak link 56 is a narrow tube drilled with the same hole pattern as the telescoping boom section. The diameter of the bore 68 is a relatively large fraction of the diameter of the weak link 56, causing the necessary stress concentrations to break when any portion of the head assembly 54 is contacted by sufficient force. The weak link 56 may be a thin walled narrow tube of fiberglass that is lightweight. Preferably, the weak link 56 maintains a relatively low length to diameter ratio (short) to reduce bending. Preferably, a lightweight laminate 70 of the same size as the servo 60 is provided at the end of the weak link 56 for mounting the servo 60.

The servo 60 may be secured to the plate 70 with double-sided tape to eliminate shear slippage, and two lightweight nylon cable ties (not shown) maintain the compressive load between the servo 60 and the laminate plate 70.

The two servos 60, 62 are a boom-side servo 60 and a camera-side servo 62. Preferably, unnecessary weight of each servo is removed by trimming the mounting rim from the case and replacing the lead-out wires and connectors of each servo with light-weight wires and connectors, so that the mass can be reduced by about 10 to 30%. This requires direct solder-down and solder-back of the surface mount component PC amplifier/controller board inside the servo during disassembly, requiring proper grounding and technical protocols.

The servo cartridge may further cut itself out if it has additional strength for the required task. A portion of the length of the servo cartridge bolt may be cut away. Various other material removal methods may be employed to reduce the weight of the hanger head assembly.

Preferably, the servos 60, 62 used to point the camera 12 are both Hitec 225 metal gear, aluminum output shaft servos to support the loads generated during stunt maneuvers. Preferably, the servos 60, 62 are equipped with rigid, reasonably strong thick plastic "X" arms. For the boom side servo 60, the "X" arm can be two thin, one thick, and extended in the remaining direction with another thin lightweight laminate 72, with a prescribed high preload torque coupled with very small steel bolts, nuts and washers to achieve maximum compressive load between the arm (not shown) and the laminate arm extension 72. Preferably, the nut is then tightened to ensure that it does not become loose from vibration during servo operation and hard maneuvers.

Preferably, the width of the arm and extension 72 is the width of the servo to which they are to be attached, i.e., the camera side servo 62. The thickness of the servo arm is used to increase the torsion and beam stiffness of the camera support. Lightweight (medium to low density by length) balsa wood pedestals 74 may be bonded to the ends of the laminated sheet arm extensions 72 parallel to the pedestal direction.

The camera side servo 62 is bonded to the balsa support 74 with double-sided tape to prevent shear slip and is held in compression with two medium-sized zip ties (not shown). Preferably, a small plastic "X" arm with these servos is attached to the camera 12 using a small zipper fastener so that the camera 12 can be attached to the camera side servo 62.

For the current embodiment shown, a lightweight servo, such as the Hitec HS85 metal gear of the Hitec HS81 metal gear, can be used for the camera side servo instead of the heavier HS-225. With this daisy chain servo structure, the lighter the servo weight to be supported and driven, the lighter the servo can be used, and thus the lighter the servo can be used on the camera side of the servo chain. For very light weight boom head weights of 1 to 2 ounces, very light servos of 1/2 and even 1/4 ounces can be used for lighter 1/2 or 1/3 ounce cameras. Since the servo is dimensioned according to the weight of the camera, the weight of the camera is a major determinant of the total weight of the head of the boom. Because the camera head weight is a major factor in the required boom stiffness, the boom strength, and thus the boom weight, the camera itself, is a major determinant of the overall weight of the hand-held portion of the camera boom system.

The camera may be PC-17 from Supercircuits. This is a small fixed focus, high depth of field, high resolution color CCD camera with 450 lines of high resolution, with a raw weight of 2.5 ounces. This specification gives a camera with a relatively high resolution-to-weight ratio of 180 lines/ounce. The new cameras have a smaller size (lighter weight) and a higher resolution, and the resolution-to-weight ratio can be used as one criterion for selecting cameras. If there are specific resolution requirements for a specific application, a larger mass of camera is required. Preferably, the automatic functions of the camera include gain control, white balance, black balance, shutter (1/60 to 1/100,000 seconds), color saturation, hue, and color brightness to help keep weight to a minimum, as no additional components need to be added for these tasks. Connectors and cables may be adapted or omitted to reduce weight.

Preferably, the camera has an "RCA" style video jack and a coaxial cable power connector. The two connectors can be replaced by specially-made micro coaxial cable connectors and micro power connectors respectively. Changing the two connectors to a lightweight one can produce a weight savings of 0.4 ounces for an improved 2.1 ounce camera weight and a resolution-to-weight ratio of 214 lines/ounce. This specially designed lightweight coaxial cable and power connector will be described in detail in the cable connection section of this specification.

Another example of a good camera chosen for the camera boom is supercircuitpc-53 XS, which is a 380 line resolution color camera with a raw weight of 1/2 ounces. The native resolution-to-weight ratio for this camera is 760 lines/ounce. This camera also has a relatively heavy connector compared to the weight of the camera itself. Replacing these connectors with lighter weight can reduce the weight by 1/3 ounces, resulting in an improved resolution-to-weight ratio of 1140 lines/ounces. This higher resolution-to-weight ratio is offset by the practical limit of the low resolution of such color video cameras.

The command and data processing system transmits camera pointing commands from an operator-side controller (not shown) to the servos 60, 62 and camera signals from the camera 14 back to the monitor (not shown, see fig. 2). Some of the subsystem components may be located along the length of the positioner and at its distal end, so their weight is a very critical factor.

For a cable, it is preferred that there be two cables over the length of the boom 14. The first is a 4-core ribbon cable carrying +6V and +12V power, and two servo commands from the operator control to the camera head. The ribbon cable is a stranded copper core with great flexibility and as low electrical resistance as possible. For a 20 foot long ribbon cable with a 5 meter boom, 28AWG # may be used. The second cable is a very thin coaxial cable (RG-178, 0.078 o.d.) that carries the camera signal back to the recorder, with its shield serving as a common ground path for all of the boom head electrical components, including both servo, camera power, and video signals. The coaxial cable shield has a 2 inch long pigtail with one D-connector terminal at each end to disconnect the common ground used by the multiple electrical components of the boom head and the multiple controls at the proximal end of the boom. The coaxial cable shield acts as a common ground to reduce the number of connectors and thereby reduce the overall weight of the overall boom cable. The ribbon cable carries the power for the servo and the camera, as well as one variable pulse width TTL position command for each of the two servos. Coaxial cables and ribbon cables have connectors at both ends to allow modularity, facilitate error finding, and facilitate reconfiguration, maintenance, and upgrade. All power cable connectors have sockets on the power side to avoid shorting of exposed pins. The ribbon cable has a quad core portion of the integrated circuit socket at the distal end as a connector and is preferably stress relieved with a heat shrink tubing for inspection and breakage detection. The connector is visibly scored to prevent the wrong voltage from being supplied to the camera or servo. The proximal end of the boom ribbon cable has a similar quad section of the integrated circuit plug, also stress relieved and notched.

The camera boom cable is connected at both ends to a "break-away stand". The distal, or hanger head, disconnect frame 76 has a quad core portion 78 out of the ic socket with exposed pins and a ground lead 80 with D-shaped plug terminals, both of which are preferably stress relieved with heat shrink tubing for inspection and damage detection. Also, the quad connectors are visually notched to prevent the application of an erroneous voltage to the camera or servo. The remote disconnect shelf 76 also has a 3-core "JST" type miniature connector 82 for each servo 60, 62, passing the ground path, +6V voltage path, and command signal path to the servo 60, 62. The "JST" type connector 82 is lighter than other connectors, such as Futaba-J type, which is important because each gram of weight reduction at the distal end of the boom contributes to image stability. The remote disconnect shelf 76 also has a miniature power connector 84 for communicating the ground path and the +12V path to the camera 12, with a lightweight 3000 microfarad capacitor 86 between the +6V servo power and common ground to reduce/eliminate servo motor noise from the video ground path.

The operator side disconnect shelf (not shown) also has a Futaba-J type power plug and a Futaba-J type servo command plug for the two camera pointing channels, respectively. The lightweight Futaba-J connector allows the servo drive or pointing controller (not shown) to be modular and interchangeable to facilitate error finding, reconfiguration (channel switching), placement of servo signal reversers, maintenance and upgrade. The Futaba-J connector for the pointing controller provides a lightweight connector that allows the use of manual servo drives, typically a radio controlled model amateur. The remote disconnect shelf has a Futaba-J type socket connector for receiving an operator power Futaba-J power plug.

The proximal end of the coaxial boom cable has a military gold plated SMB coaxial connector to ensure durability with a tightening force several times the weight of the coaxial cable segment coming out of the operator recorder and power supply. This allows the operator and boom to move freely without the coaxial cable disengaging under its own weight.

For the recording and monitoring device and its cradle connected to the operator, the operator carries the belly assembly, with the portable digital video tape recorder and power source attached, preferably a 12V battery with a 6V tap. Preferably, this belly assembly is a 1200mAHr high specific capacity nickel metal hydride battery and is rapidly rechargeable (high current) to facilitate charging. Preferably, the 12V line from the belly module battery has a series switch so that the camera power supply (12V) can be switched on and off. The switch has a relatively high switching force and is incorporated into the belly assembly to prevent inadvertent turning off of the camera. The switch has a connector for charging the 12V belly pack battery. The connector on the belly assembly battery outlet has a 12V lead at the signal location of the Futaba-J connector (on the same side as the key flange) so that any model amateur "smart charger" or peak detect charger can be used for charging. A 6V power supply is already available so that the servo controller and servo are activated when power is applied to the boom. The camera may then be turned on once the availability of the pointing function is confirmed.

To drive the servo and its controller, a 6V battery may be used. Additionally, a 4.8V battery may also be provided. As separate components, the servo and controller work well. The servo is faster at higher voltages and has more torque, which also causes the camera to point at a high speed due to the limited number of digital steps in the decoded position (decoded by the amplifier/controller board in the servo). This makes it impossible to realize a narrow-angle lens. Well below 4.8V, the logic in the servo or controller may fail and the quality of the variable pulse width command signal from the hand operated controller may also become ineffective when running along the 20 foot unshielded narrow gap ribbon cable. To solve this problem, a voltage of 6V may be applied to the hand-operated controller and a slightly lower voltage may be applied to the servo to produce a slightly slower and gentler pointing movement of the camera.

The coaxial cable from the recorder to the boom has a standard right angle video plug at the proximal end to plug into a socket on the DVCR side without easily protruding from the belly assembly. This is somewhat heavier so that a boom section of coaxial cable having an outer diameter of about 0.1 "may be subject to wear from exposure.

The coaxial connector between the camera and the boom cable can be made manually from a pair of high current connectors, a pair of D-connector terminals, and a heat shrink tubing. Radio Shack part numbers (274-. The rear ends of these crimp-type connectors are removed to reduce weight. The middle of these connectors is designed to compress the conductors and is trimmed away to reduce the size of the coaxial cable shield to be used. The hemispherical end of the male side connector can be removed leaving an open cylinder with the trimmed edges deburred and smoothed.

The D-plug receptacle crimp connector is also trimmed to remove weight by cutting away the crimp flanges designed to maintain insulation of the strain relief wires. The middle of the D-connector terminal is crimped onto the center of the coaxial cable. The male D-shaped plug is cut to approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of its original length, which is shorter than the length of the shield post on which it is located. This ensures that the electrical continuity of the shield (ground path) is established before electrical contact of the positive voltage signal is made at the time of plugging. The D-connector is held on the dielectric layer of the coaxial cable and the cable end of the D-connector is insulated from the shield of the coaxial cable using a suitably small diameter heat shrink tube as a strain relief. The heat shrink tube should be placed over the dielectric layer of the coaxial cable after the shield is pulled back 3 to 5mm depending on the diameter of the cable (less for RG-178 of 0.070 outer diameter and more for the thicker belly assembly cable) before crimping the D-connector over the center conductor of the coaxial cable.

The two sockets of the miniature coaxial connector are arranged at one end of the connector and the two plugs are arranged at the other end. The coaxial cable to be connected typically has a different diameter because it is a short camera coaxial pigtail that is to be docked with the very thin boom coaxial cable. Regardless of the diameter of the two cables, stress relief, centering, relative position of the inner and outer contacts, and electrical characteristics (continuity of crimp and insulation between the signal and shield) are the primary goals of the miniature coaxial connector manufacturing process. The full length of the female D-connector is covered in a heat shrink tubing where the shielded female connector is crimped onto the shield. This heat shrinkable tube is used to insulate the D-type female connector from the shielded male connector during and after plugging. Then, a heat shrinkable tube with a larger diameter is placed on the female D-shaped connector from the position where the shielding male connector enters the plugging state to the position where the female shielding connector is pressed on the shielding layer. The heat shrinkable tube is shrunk to have a slightly larger inner diameter than the shield female terminal for holding the female connector at the center of the shield female connector. After making the female-to-female (FF) side connector, the shielded female connector is crimped onto the coaxial shield along the cable so that the ends of the two female contacts are at the same location along the cable after the final outer heat shrink tube portion is placed on the cable. After crimping, the female shield terminal is covered and protected with a heat shrink tube. This heat shrink tubing also serves to stress relieve the female shield and keep the locking flange of the crimp connector from being exposed, thereby scratching or damaging components of the camera boom system that cannot withstand failure or scratching.

The male-male (MM) side of the miniature coaxial connector is then completed as is the FF side. For the reasons just described, the end of the intermediate plug should be about 2 or 3mm shorter than the end of the male shield. Multiple layers of heat shrink tubing are used as in the FF side to provide strain relief, electrical isolation between the center conductor path and the outer shield, and to keep the inner plug centered within the respective shield. For the reasons previously described, the MM side micro coaxial connector is also covered by a heat shrink tube.

In this embodiment, the Servo controller is a modified Manual service Drivers manufactured by Customeclronics of Corpus Christi, Tex. They were modified to provide a faster signal refresh rate than the original 20 msec controller. The refresh rates of the various controllers used on the boom are also different so that they do not interfere with each other due to antenna effects on the long straight section of unshielded ribbon cable, where the ribbon cable transmits their signals from the proximal disconnect shelf to the boom head. The potentiometer is sealed to prevent fouling. Preferably, the controller is removed from the relatively heavy case and is sealed with a heat shrink tube to prevent short circuits by contact with external objects. They can be strapped to a lightweight aircraft laminate using medium size lightweight nylon zip-ties connectors, with the potentiometer and centering button also mounted on the same laminate. Preferably, a large size knob is used on the potentiometer to facilitate fine control input by the operator.

Each laminate can be secured to a pair of light weight model airplane muffler mounts produced by Dave brown products using #10 nylon nuts and bolts. For each mount, the mount is again secured to the proximal section of the boom tube by a medium-sized, lightweight nylon zipper clip. A small strip of thin foam plastic tape with a single face of glue is then placed between the boom tube and the mount, the glue face being on one side of the mount to prevent surface wear and to prevent sharp corners from contacting the boom tube, which can cause stress concentrations and fatigue failure of the boom tube.

Preferably, the controller power and servo command signal cable lead-out is 24 inches long, rather than the usual 8 inch cable, to facilitate reaching the midpoint of the proximal boom segment where the cable engages the proximal disconnect shelf. The controller outlet typically has a standard Futaba-J type connector that is lightweight and facilitates error finding, reconfiguration (channel switching), maintenance and upgrades.

The foregoing comparison discloses in detail preferred components and configurations for practicing the invention, but it is understood that such detail is solely for that purpose. The scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims.

Claims (16)

1. A telecamera positioning system for single use and support by an operator comprising:

a camera;

a camera positioner supporting said camera, said camera positioner having an operator interface to enable an operator to support said camera positioner and spatially manipulate said camera by said camera positioner, said camera positioner positioning said camera at least 3 feet from said operator interface;

a monitor for viewing images generated by the camera, the monitor having a monitor attachment for securing the monitor to an operator interacting with the operator interface in the operator's field of view such that the operator can independently support, position and manipulate the camera outside of hand contact range by a single operator to obtain a wider field of view and monitor the camera's view.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a video camera.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitor is a video monitor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor attachment is for securing the monitor to the body of the operator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor attachment comprises a frame for securing the monitor in front of the operating group.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said operator interface comprises at least one of a hand interface and a body interface.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said hand interface is for spatially manipulating the camera and said body interface is an operator support interface of the camera positioner.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the hand interface is configured to spatially manipulate the camera and at least partially provide an operator support interface for the camera positioner.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioner is an elongated boom, the operator interface includes two separate handle surfaces proximate a proximal end of the boom, and the camera is mounted proximate a distal end of the boom opposite the proximal end.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operator interface comprises an auxiliary support structure coupled to the boom along the length thereof for coupling to an operator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said auxiliary support structure comprises a belt that encircles the body of the operator, a bias line extending away from the belt, and a pulley attached to an end of said line opposite said belt; an action line along which the pulley moves; and a frame extending laterally away from the boom that provides securement of both ends of the line of action so that the operator can carry a portion of the system weight while freely manipulating the boom in all directions.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the boom is telescopically adjustable.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising: a camera side servo having an output shaft and a camera support arm extending laterally away from the output shaft, the camera being secured to the camera support arm; a boom-side servo having a second output shaft and a servo support arm extending laterally from the second output shaft, the camera-side servo being fixed to the servo support arm; a disconnect member having a weakened portion and a platform to which the boom side servo is attached, said disconnect member being removably attached to the distal end of said elongated boom; and at least one hand-operated controller of said camera side servo and said boom side servo, said controller being fixed on said boom proximate to a surface of said handle.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a power assembly for providing power to the monitor, servo and camera, the power assembly having a connector for securing the power assembly to the operator.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising: a video recorder for storing images generated by the camera, the video recorder having a recorder connector for securing the video recorder to an operator; and an image cable for transmitting a signal of the camera to the monitor, the image cable extending along an inside of the boom; a power cable for connecting the power supply assembly to the monitor, the camera and the servo; and a control cable for transmitting a control signal of the controller to the servo.

16. An operator supported camera positioning and control system comprising:

a camera positioner including an elongated boom having an operator interface at a proximal end and a camera assembly supported at an opposite distal end, said operator interface including two handle surfaces spaced apart along a length of the boom;

the camera assembly includes a camera; a camera side servo having an output shaft and a camera support arm extending laterally away from the output shaft, the camera being secured to the camera support arm; a boom-side servo having a second output shaft and a servo support arm extending laterally from the second output shaft, the camera-side servo being fixed to the servo support arm; and a disconnect member having a stem with a weakened portion and a platform to which the boom side servo is secured, the disconnect member being removably attached to a distal end of the elongated boom;

at least one hand-operated controller for the camera-side servo and the boom-side servo, the controller being secured to the boom proximate the handle surface;

a monitor for viewing the image generated by the camera, said monitor having a line-of-sight connector for securing the monitor within the operator's field of view;

a power assembly for providing power to the monitor, servo and camera, said power assembly having a connector for securing the power assembly to the operator;

a video recorder for storing images generated by the camera, the video recorder having a recorder connector for securing the video recorder to an operator; and

an image cable for transmitting a signal of the camera to the monitor, the image cable extending along an inside of the boom; a power cable for connecting the power supply assembly to the monitor, the camera and the servo; and a control cable for transmitting a control signal of the controller to the servo.