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US 11,388,352 B2Granted
Camera array
OwnerMichael Shawn Lawler, Ian Sharplesinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of outward-facing cameras, arranged in nodal clusters surrounding and mounted to the top plate of a plate structure, with the plate structure having an elevated platform for an additional upward-facing camera. The nodal clusters and the configuration of clusters on the top plate enable overlaps in coverage between clusters and more informationally dense coverage within each cluster.
Claims20
A camera array system comprising a plurality of cameras, a plate structure, an elevated platform, and a central controller,
- a. with the plate structure comprising a top plate, the top plate having a center and a periphery;
- b. with the elevated platform mounted to the center of the top plate and extending above the top plate;
- c. with the plurality of cameras arranged in a plurality of camera clusters, the plurality of camera clusters including first, second, third, and fourth outward-facing camera clusters and an upward-facing camera;
- i. with the four outward-facing camera clusters being attached to and disposed on the periphery of the top plate at points approximately 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees around the center of the top plate;
- ii. with each of the four outward-facing camera clusters comprising a middle camera, a left wing camera, and a right wing camera;
- 1. with the left wing camera facing a first direction, the middle camera facing a second direction, and the right wing camera facing a third direction;
- 2. with the first direction diverging 15-60 degrees from the second direction, the second direction diverging 15-60 degrees from the third direction, and the third direction diverging 30-120 degrees from the first direction;
- iii. with the upward-facing camera attached to and disposed on the elevated platform and facing a direction substantially orthogonal to the first, second, and third directions;
- d. with the central controller coupled to each camera and configured to provide simultaneous signals to each camera to start or stop recording.
6 more elements
A camera array system comprising a plurality of cameras and a top plate;
- a. with the top plate configured to attach to a vehicle and having a center and a periphery;
- b. with the plurality of cameras arranged in a plurality of camera clusters, the plurality of camera clusters including first, second, third, and fourth outward-facing camera clusters;
- i. with the four outward-facing camera clusters being attached to and disposed on the periphery of the top plate;
- ii. with the first outward-facing camera cluster positioned at a point approximately 0 degrees around the center of the top plate, the second outward-facing camera cluster positioned at a point approximately 90 degrees around the center of the top plate, the third outward-facing camera cluster positioned at a point approximately 180 degrees around the center of the top plate, and the fourth outward-facing camera cluster positioned at a point approximately 270 degrees around the center of the top plate;
- iii.
- iv. with each camera in the outward-facing camera clusters facing substantially away from the center of the top plate and in directions having a common plane;
- v. with each outward-facing camera cluster comprising a left camera and a right camera, with the left camera having a first direction and a first field of view and the right camera having a second direction and a second field of view;
- vi. with the first direction being an optical axis of the left camera and passing orthogonally through a center of the first field of view;
- vii. with the first direction being an optical axis of the right camera and passing orthogonally through a center of the second field of view;
- viii. with the first direction and second direction within each outward-facing camera cluster having a point of intersection;
- ix. with the optical axis of the left camera of the first outward-facing camera cluster being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the right camera of the second outward-facing camera cluster, the optical axis of the left camera of the second outward-facing camera cluster being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the right camera of the third outward-facing camera cluster, the optical axis of the left camera of the third outward-facing camera cluster being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the right camera of the fourth outward-facing camera cluster, and the optical axis of the left camera of the fourth outward-facing camera cluster being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the right camera of the first outward-facing camera cluster.
8 more elements
A camera array system comprising a plurality of cameras and a plate;
- a. with the plate having a center and a periphery and configured to attach to a moving vehicle;
- b. with the plurality of cameras arranged in a plurality of camera clusters, the plurality of camera clusters comprising outward-facing camera clusters;
- i. with the outward-facing camera clusters being attached to and disposed on the periphery of the plate at points surrounding the center of the plate;
- ii. with the upward-facing camera cluster attached to and disposed on the center of the plate;
- iii. with each outward-facing camera cluster comprising a left camera, a middle camera, and a right camera, with the left camera having a first direction and a first field of view, the middle camera having a second direction and a second field of view, and the right camera having a third direction and a third field of view;
- iv. with the first direction being an optical axis of the left camera and passing orthogonally through a center of the first field of view;
- v. with the second direction being an optical axis of the middle camera and passing orthogonally through a center of the second field of view;
- vi. with the third direction being an optical axis of the right camera and passing orthogonally through a center of the third field of view;
- vii. with the first direction, second direction, and third direction within each outward-facing camera cluster having a joint of intersection.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.