Apparatus and method for calibrating an aerial movement system

Abstract

An aerial movement system and method for calibrating same includes, generally, registration points and wireless position transceivers proximate the registration points and the object that communicate with a computer and allow for the computer to determine the appropriate amount of support lines to draw in or release.

Claims

1. A method of moving a camera over an expanse comprising the steps of: deploying a plurality of reels around a first expanse, each reel including a support line; fixing a first wireless position transceiver when deploying a first reel, the first position transceiver being deployed in a first set position around the first expanse; fixing a second wireless position transceiver when deploying a second reel, the second position transceiver being deployed in a second set position around the first expanse; coupling the support lines to a camera to be suspended over the expanse; associating a third wireless position transceiver with the camera; suspending the camera above the expanse using the support lines; transmitting a position of the first wireless position transceiver to the computer; transmitting a position of the second wireless position transceiver to the computer; transmitting a position of the third wireless transceiver to the computer; recording the movement of the camera to selected, known locations over the expanse using the computer and the first, second and third wireless transceivers; monitoring the reels using the computer as the camera is moved to the selected, known locations; calibrating the movement of the camera over the entire expanse based upon recorded movement of the camera; and controlling each reel to release and/or draw in each reel's respective support line using the computer in order to move the camera to any desired location over the expanse, the computer controlling an amount each reel releases and/or draws in each reel's respective support line using calculated amounts based calibrated movement of the camera and the positions received from the third wireless position transceiver over the expanse relative to the first and second wireless position transceiver, wherein each of the aforementioned steps are repeated at a second expanse.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that the accompanying drawings depict only typical embodiments, and are, therefore, not to be considered to be limiting of the scope of the present disclosure, the embodiments will be described and explained with specificity and detail in reference to the accompanying drawings as provided below.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an aerial movement system according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of an aerial movement system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of various embodiments, as represented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but is merely representative of various embodiments. While the various aspects of the embodiments are presented in drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated.

(5) The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

(6) Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

(7) Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

(8) Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

(9) In an embodiment of the invention, an aerial movement system 10 includes an object 12 to be suspended over an expanse 14. A plurality of reels 16 is disposed around the expanse 14. In a preferred embodiment, the object 12 is a camera 18, and the expanse 14 is a sporting surface (e.g., football field, basketball court, race track, etc.).

(10) Each reel 16 includes a support line 20 being coupled to the object 12. The support line 20 may or may not be able to transmit data from the object 12 (such as a video feed from a camera 18, or data from a probe). The reels 16 are in communication with a computer 22. The reels 16 may be in wireless communication with the computer 22, or alternatively, the reels 16 may be in communication with the computer 22 through wires 24.

(11) In addition, each reel 16 is associated with a registration point 26. As used herein, a reel 16 is associated with a registration point 26 by including a registration point 26 at some set position along the path of (but not necessarily on) the support line 20 between the reel 16 and the object 12. Thus, for example, in some embodiments of aerial movement devices 10 a sheave 28 is used to redirect the support lines 20. In such an embodiments, the registration point 16 may be on or adjacent the sheave 28. In other embodiments, no sheave 28 is needed, as the reels 16 are disposed, for example, in the rafters above the expanse 14. In such an embodiment, the registration point 26 may be disposed on or adjacent the reel 16.

(12) Disposed at each of the registration point 26 is a wireless position transceiver 30. An additional wireless position transceiver 30 is located on the object 12. The wireless position transceivers 30 are in wireless communication with the computer 22. The wireless position transceivers 30 may be, for example, GPS transceivers, or LPM (Local Positioning Measurement) transceivers. It is contemplated that the transceivers maybe GPS RTK, GPS WAAS, AGPS (Assisted GPS), LAAS (Local Area Augmentation System), GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System), DGPS (Differential GPS)transceivers, or any other similar type of technology. These types of transceivers provide very accurate positioning locations, and thus would be beneficial to use in such a system. An additional benefit associated with the use of LPM transceivers is that they may provide real time “closed loop” monitoring of the object 12 and reels 16, which allows for greater safety and control, as well as the ability to control, record and program movement of the object 12 and knowing its precise position. It will be appreciated that the transceiver can be comprised of a separate receiver and transmitter, or other similar components.

(13) In use, the wireless position transceivers 30 disposed at registration points 26 communicate their respective positions to the computer 22. At the same time, the wireless position transceiver 30 on the object 12 will also communicate its position to the computer 22. The position of the object 12 in relation to the registration points 26 associated with the reel 16 may then be used to calibrate the aerial movement system 10, and provide an accurate location of the object 12. This position, in turn, will be able to be utilized by the computer 22 to calculate the appropriate amount of support lines 20 to release and/or draw in from the reels 16 to move the object 12 to the desired location.

(14) In another embodiment of the invention, the invention is a method of calibrating an aerial movement system comprising the steps of: disposing a plurality of reels around an expanse, wherein each reel includes a support line and a registration point; coupling the support lines to an object to be suspended over the expanse; associating a first wireless position transceiver with the object; associating a second wireless position transceiver with the registration point of a first reel; associating a third wireless position transceiver with the registration point of a second reel; and suspending the object above the expanse.

(15) The method may also include the step of determining a position of the object and even further include the step of determining the position of the object in relation to the registration points of the first reel and the second reel.

(16) A method according to the present invention may also include the step of communicating between a computer and each of the first, the second and the third wireless position transceivers.

(17) Further, a method according to the present invention may also include the step of moving the object throughout the expanse.

(18) Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure provided herein. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. Note that elements recited in means-plus-function format are intended to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112 ¶6. The scope of the invention is therefore defined by the following claims.