US 7,071,898 B2Granted

Method for using a wireless motorized camera mount for tracking in augmented reality

AssigneeInformation Decision Technologies, LLC

InventorsAndrew Wesley Hobgood, John Franklin Ebersole, Jr., John Franklin Ebersole

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method for displaying otherwise unseen objects and other data using augmented reality (the mixing of real view with computer generated imagery). The method uses a motorized camera mount that can report the position of a camera on that mount back to a computer. With knowledge of where the camera is looking, and its field of view, the computer can precisely overlay computer-generated imagery onto the video image produced by the camera. The method may be used to present to a user such items as existing weather conditions, hazards, or other data, and presents this information to the user by combining the computer generated images with the user's real environment. These images are presented in such a way as to display relevant location and properties of the object to the system user. The primary intended applications are as navigation aids for air traffic controllers and pilots in training and operations, and use with emergency first responder training and operations to view and avoid/alleviate hazardous material situations. However, the system can be used to display any imagery that needs to correspond to locations in the real world.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for using a wireless motorized camera mount as a tracking system for Augmented Reality (AR) comprising:

providing wireless connections between a camera on a motorized camera mount and a computer;
capturing an image or view of the real world with the camera on a motorized camera mount;
determining the orientation of the camera being carried by the camera mount by using the computer to obtain information from the motorized camera mount;
in response to the camera orientation received by the computer from the camera mount, using the computer to control the aim of the camera by sending control signals to the camera motor mount to move the camera to a specified orientation, wherein the control signals cause the motor mount to move the camera to the specified orientation, to thus accomplish a feedback-based camera position control system;
in response to the camera orientation received by the computer from the camera mount, using the computer to generate a graphical image representing unseen information that corresponds to the known orientation of the viewpoint of the camera;
augmenting the image of the real world captured by the camera with the computer generated image;
and
presenting the augmented image to the user.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/092,007Filed 29 Mar 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 18 Jul 2002
Published: US 2005/0168403 A18 Sep 2005
Granted: 4 Jul 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

H04N 5/2224
Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment: related to virtual studio applications
H04N 23/63
Control of cameras or camera modules: by using electronic viewfinders
H04N
Pictorial communication

Family

Application10/198,584Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Jul 2002
Application60/607,310Us provisional application · filed 3 Sep 2004
Application60/640,982Us provisional application · filed 3 Jan 2005
Application60/661,749Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2005
Application60/665,704Us provisional application · filed 28 Mar 2005
Application11/092,083Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 29 Mar 2005
US 2005/0195279 A1Pre-grant publication · published 8 Sep 2005
US 6,903,707 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2002/0191003 A1Published application
US 2005/0168403 A1Published application
US 7,046,214 B2Related patent
US 7,071,898 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.