# US 10,481,481 B2 · Camera mounting for stereoscopic panoramic recordings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,481 B2 - Document ID: US10481481B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/772,360 - Filed: 2016-11-07 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-05 - Assignees: Berliner Kta Shareholder GmbH - Applicants: Berliner Kta Shareholder GmbH - Inventors: Dennis Alexander Niewöhner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481481B2 ## CPC - G03B 37/04: with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view - F16M 13/02: for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle - F16M 13/04: for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains {, e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head (apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B)} - G03B 17/561: {Support related camera accessories} - G03B 35/08: by simultaneous recording - G03B 35/10: having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system - H04N 13/204: using stereoscopic image cameras (stereoscopic photography G03B35/00) - H04N 13/282: for generating image signals corresponding to three or more geometrical viewpoints, e.g. multi-view systems - 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 (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A camera-mounting apparatus includes a mechanically stabilizing frame, a plurality of camera fastenings, each being suitable for receiving and fixing at least one camera. The camera fastenings are attached in a distributed manner around the frame and are oriented such that a total field of view of all the cameras is larger than a field of view of an individual camera. Each point of the total field of view lies in the field of view of at least two of the cameras. An interior of the frame includes a cavity for receiving a support, in particular the head of a person wearing the device or a small (approximately head-sized) vehicle or aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera-mounting apparatus comprising: a mechanically stabilizing frame; and a plurality of camera fastenings, each of which is suitable for receiving and fixing a camera, the camera fastenings being attached to and distributed around the frame and oriented such that when a camera having a field of view is received by each of the camera fastenings, overall field of view of all of the cameras is larger than the field of view of an individual camera; wherein: each point of the overall field of view of all of the cameras lies within the field of view of at least two of the cameras; the frame is approximately ring-shaped, toroidal or bowl-shaped, or has the form of a hollow polygon, a hollow equilateral polygon of a hollow polyhedron; and an interior of the frame includes a cavity for receiving a head of a person wearing the device, or a small (approximately head-sized) vehicle or aircraft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the overall field of view of all of the cameras comprises a full circle or the entire sphere. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according claim 1, wherein the camera fastenings are arranged in pairs and are oriented such that in each case two cameras always have substantially the same field of view. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein all pairs of camera fastenings are mounted equidistant from each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera fastenings are located on corners of a polygon, an equilateral polygon, or a polyhedron. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the interior of the frame there are provided: damping elements that are mechanically connected thereto; and a head-mounted carrying device, which is connected thereto optionally via one or more damping elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera-mounting apparatus is prepared for fastening on an unmanned small vehicle or aircraft and/or is assembled from modules that can be joined without tools or plugged together. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame: is optimized with reinforcing ribs for torsional and flexural stiffness; and/or is adjustable in an inner diameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distances between the cameras are adjustable with respect to each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastening of the cameras in the camera fastenings is carried out without tools, the cameras being held by friction and/or by being triaxially braced in the camera fastenings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, including holders for accessories selected from the group consisting of lights, microphones and motion sensors. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, including a position-stabilization device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said position stabilization device includes a ball joint with a ball which is rotatably mounted with low friction in a perforated cavity, said ball being connected, via a first shank, which is guided through a hole of the cavity, and connected to the frame of the camera-mounting apparatus by support arms. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The camera-mounting apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein the position-stabilization device includes a second ball joint positioned in the centre of gravity of the camera holding apparatus, wherein the first shank connects the two ball joints, and the support arms engage the second ball joint. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the position-stabilization device includes at least one second shank, which is preferably fastened on the ball, diametrically opposite to the first shank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising camera mounts that are connected to the at least one second shank via support arms at an end remote from the ball of the at least one second shank. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame, at least partially, has a star-shaped structure in which the camera attachments are held singly, in pairs or in larger groups only by means of support arms emanating from a central hub. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the total field of view of a part of the cameras comprises a hemisphere, wherein, for each camera of this part of the cameras, an angle between the polar axis of the hemisphere and the direction of view of the camera is less than half an aperture angle of the camera. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising: on outer sides of the camera fastenings, connecting webs; and/or further camera fastenings on an upper and/or a lower side. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera fastenings are arranged directly next to one another. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The camera-mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of camera fastenings comprise a cube-shaped arrangement comprising eight camera fastenings, wherein the camera fastenings are arranged in pairs next to each other and two of the pairs, when laid back-to-back, form a plane of the cube-shaped arrangement, comprising a total of two planes, the viewing directions of the cameras of the two planes being offset by 90 degrees.