# US 12,192,631 B2 · Camera automated orientation with magnetic attachment to display panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,631 B2 - Document ID: US12192631B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/577,967 - Filed: 2022-01-18 - Published: 2023-06-15 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-14 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Jace W. Files; Andrew P. Tosh; John Trevor Morrison - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192631B2 ## CPC - H04N 7/144: {camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact} - H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects - G03B 17/561: {Support related camera accessories} - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - H04N 5/2628: {Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation} - H04N 23/51: Housings - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/57: Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices - G06T 2207/30244: Camera pose - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - 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) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A camera integrates a magnet at one end of a cylindrical housing to magnetically attract and attach the camera to a front side of a peripheral display, such as to support a video conference through an information handling system interfaced with the display. Camera orientation at a display panel front face is detected, such as with an accelerometer or with analysis of a visual image captured by the camera module, so that the camera orientation is presented with an orientation indicator at the camera front face, such as an LED that illuminates with a predetermined color to indicate an upright vertical orientation. In one alternative embodiment, a gimble interfaced with the camera module and cylindrical housing actuates to adjust the camera module to the upright vertical orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information handling system comprising: a processor operable to execute instructions to process information; a memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions and information; a display interfaced with the processor and operable to present the information as visual images at a display panel, the display panel having a ferromagnetic material disposed at a rear side of the display panel; and a camera having a camera module and magnet disposed in opposing ends of a cylindrical housing, the magnet attracted to the ferromagnetic material to hold the camera at the display panel with the camera module aligned to capture a field of view at a front position of the display, the camera including a processing resource, an orientation sensor interfaced with the processing resource and an orientation indicator exposed at the camera module end of the cylindrical housing and interfaced with the processing resource, the processing resource presenting an indication of camera orientation at which visual images are captured; wherein: the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer operable to detect a vertical orientation relative to gravity; and the orientation indicator comprises a light having predetermined illuminations associated with predetermined orientations. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined illuminations include a color indicating upright orientation when the horizontal orientation is within a predetermined number of degrees of upright. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined illuminations include a color indicating upright illumination when the vertical orientation is within a predetermined number of degrees of upright and when the vertical orientation is within a predetermined number of degrees of inverted. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined illuminations comprise a first color illumination when within a predetermined range of an upright vertical orientation and a second color illumination when without the predetermined range of the upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a gimble mechanism interfaced with the camera module and the processing resource, the processing resource commanding the gimble mechanism to rotate the camera module within the cylindrical housing to an upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the orientation indicator provides a visual indication of a vertical orientation when sensed orientation is within a predetermined range of upright and the gimble mechanism further adjusts the orientation within the predetermined range of upright. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the gimble mechanism adjusts the camera module orientation to achieve the upright vertical orientation as determined by an accelerometer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the gimble mechanism adjusts the camera module orientation to achieve the upright vertical orientation as determined by analysis of a visual image captured by the camera module. ### Claim 9 A method for coupling a camera to a display, the method comprising: coupling a cylindrical housing of the camera to a display panel front face with a magnet disposed in the one end of the cylindrical housing attracted to a ferromagnetic material behind the display panel and a camera module disposed in an opposing end of the cylindrical housing having a field of view directed towards the front of the display panel; sensing an orientation of the camera module relative to a vertical orientation; and presenting an indication of the orientation at the cylindrical housing camera module end by: presenting a first color illumination when the orientation falls within a predetermined range of an upright vertical orientation; and presenting a second color illumination when the orientation falls outside of the predetermined range of the upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the presenting an indication further comprise illuminating a light located on the axis of upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising presenting the first color illumination when the orientation falls within a predetermined range of an inverted vertical orientation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising actuating a gimble to rotate the camera module within the cylindrical housing to an upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing comprises sensing orientation with an accelerometer disposed in the cylindrical housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the sensing further comprises analyzing a visual image captured by the camera module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising applying autoframing to visual images captured by the camera module to correct offsets to an upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 16 A camera comprising: a cylindrical housing; a camera module disposed at one end of the cylindrical housing and aligned to capture visual images from a field of view; a magnet disposed in an opposite end of the cylindrical housing and configured to couple to a display panel backplate to hold the cylindrical housing at the display panel front side with the field of view directed away from the display panel; a processing resource disposed in cylindrical housing; an orientation sensor disposed in the cylindrical housing and interfaced with the processing resource; an orientation indicator disposed in the cylindrical housing and interfaced with the processing resource; and non-transitory memory interfaced with processing resource and storing instructions that when executed on the processing resource presents a camera module orientation with the orientation indicator based upon an orientation sensed by the orientation sensor; wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer and the orientation indicator illuminates to indicate an orientation of the camera module of within a predetermined range of an upright vertical orientation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The camera of claim 16 further comprising a gimble interfaced with the processing resource and operable to adjust the camera module to an upright vertical orientation within the cylindrical housing.