A SLIDING SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a sliding system providing imaging devices such as camera to move along a single axis and operating method of said system.

Prior Art

Imaging devices such as camera or image capturing device are fixed to the ground by a variety of supporting elements (e.g. a tripod, etc.)in order to capture images clearly and accurately. Especially when recording visuals continuously (e.g. during a video shoot), any unwanted movement of the imaging device will have a hugely negative impact on the quality of the images being recorded. In addition, the need may arise to move the camera along an axis during continuous shooting. The prior art contains a range of different supporting elements that allow imaging devices to be moved along an axis. With systems that allow movement along a single axis, the movement of the imaging device in relation to the supporting element is usually controlled by a user. However, if the user in question is inexperienced, any movement of the device on a horizontal plane may result in an undesirable framing of the target scene being recorded.

In the prior art, there are a variety of embodiments in order to prevent an undesirable framing of the target scene during the movement of imaging device. One of said embodiments is a system disclosed in the patent document

US2012268608A1. In the disclosed monitoring system, information (such as the user's face or an image of the background) relating to a particular target scene is initially chosen. When said target scene is moved in relation to the camera (or vice versa), the camera automatically rotates to face the target scene. Keeping the position of the filmed image stable during this rotation process is

accomplished through an image processing technology. However, with such systems, the task of processing the image is arduous and the control system requires high processing power.

The Brief Description of the Invention

A system that enables an imaging device to maintain its view of a target scene while moving on a given axis along with an operating method for said system is disclosed in the present invention. Said sliding system comprises at least one supporting element which provides the imaging device to move along movement axis; at least one transporting element attached to supporting element on one end as to ensure movement along said movement axis; a moving element, at least one moving element disposed on one side of said transporting element and fixed on one end to said imaging device so as to enable movement of said imaging device on an axis perpendicular to the movement axis in relation to the transporting element; a control panel whereby users can enter the location of the imaging device in a first position in relation to a target scene to be recorded by the imaging device; at least one control unit able to calculate the vertical distance and the horizontal distance of the imaging device on the movement axis in relation to the target scene based on the information entered into the control panel; capable, in other words, of calculating the horizontal and vertical components of the actual distance; and also able to calculate the current horizontal distance of the imaging device in relation to the target scene using the movement distance of the imaging device on the movement axis when the imaging device is moved to a second position; and using said current horizontal distance and the fixed vertical distance is able to calculate the current angle between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device and the target scene and the movement axis in relation to the second position of the imaging device and allow the imaging device to rotate towards the target scene by causing the moving element to move based on the calculated current angle. Said method relates to location information is entered relative to the target scene to be saved at first location of the imaging device to the imaging unit by said control panel used by the user, through the entered location information, information relating to the first position of the imaging device is used to determine the actual distance between target scene and the imaging device and the first angle between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device and the target scene and said movement axis; based on this collected information said control unit calculates the vertical distance and the horizontal distance of the imaging device on the movement axis in relation to the target scene; when the imaging device of the sliding system, which is now in imaging mode, is brought to the second position, said control unit calculates the current horizontal distance of the imaging device on the moving axis to the target scene using the movement distance of the imaging device on the moving axis; using the calculated horizontal distance and the fixed vertical distance, the control unit then calculates the current angle between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device and the target scene and the movement axis in relation to the second position of the imaging device; the imaging device is rotated according to the calculated current angle through the control unit acting on the moving element.

The Aim of the Invention

The aim in developing a sliding system is to provide a system that enables an imaging device to maintain its view of a target scene while moving on a given axis along with an operating method for said system.

Yet another aim in developing the sliding system is to provide a sliding system that enables users to easily record images at high quality along with an operating system for said system.

Description of Figures What follows are drawings and their corresponding descriptions provided in order to better illustrate the sliding system provided by the invention.

Figure-1: A view from above of the sliding system.

Figure-2: A view from above of the movement of the imaging device during its use together with the sliding system.

The means in the figures are numbered one by one and the definitions of said numbers are given in the following:

P. Sliding System

C. Imaging Device

H. Supporting Element

T. Target Scene

M. Movement axis

1. Transporting Element

2. Reference Element

I. First Position

II. Second Position

a. First Angle

β. Current Angle

al. Horizontal Distance

a2. Current Horizontal Distance

b. Vertical Distance

d. Actual Distance

r. Movement Distance Detailed Description Of the Invention

Imaging devices such as camera and image capturing device are fixed to the ground by using supporting elements in order to capture at high quality. Said supporting elements enable the imaging device to move e.g. along horizontal axis. In said type of systems, imaging device should be facing continuously the target scene during the image of the target scene is being captured. However, if the user in question is inexperienced, any movement of the device on a horizontal plane may result in an undesirable framing of the target scene being recorded. A sliding system which enables the imaging device to face the target scene continuously which is previously determined during the imagind device is being slided is developed in the present invention.

The sliding system (P), as developed with the sliding system (P) and illustrated by way of example in Figure 1 and a configuration thereof shown in Figure 2 comprises at least one supporting element (H) allowing an imaging device (C) to move along a linear movement axis (M); at least one transporting element (1) fixed to the supporting element (H) on one end so as to ensure movement along said movement axis (M); at least one moving element disposed on one side of said transporting element (1) and fixed on one end to said imaging device (C) so as to enable movement of said imaging device (C) on an axis perpendicular to the movement axis (M) in relation to the transporting element (1); a control panel whereby users can enter the location of the imaging device (C) in a first position (I) in relation to a target scene (T) to be recorded by the imaging device (C); at least one control unit able to calculate the vertical distance (b) and the horizontal distance (al) of the imaging device (C) on the movement axis (M) in relation to the target scene (T) based on the information entered into the control panel; capable, in other words, of calculating the horizontal and vertical components of the actual distance (d); and also able to calculate the current horizontal distance (a2) of the imaging device (C) in relation to the target scene (T) using the movement distance (r) of the imaging device (C) on the movement axis (M) when the imaging device (C) is moved to a second position (II); and using said current horizontal distance (a2) and the fixed vertical distance (b) is able to calculate the current angle (β) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and the movement axis (M) in relation to the second position (II) of the imaging device and allow the imaging device (C) to rotate towards the target scene (T) by causing the moving element to move based on the calculated current angle (β).

Said control panel may be provided as a panel situated above the transporting element (1) or as a remote controller capable of wired or wireless communication with the control unit. Said location information consists of the actual distance (d) between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and the first angle (a) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and said movement axis (M).

With the operating method of the sliding system (P) of the invention, information relating to the first position (I) of the imaging device (C) is used to determine the actual distance (d) between target scene (T) and the imaging device (C) and the first angle (a) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and said movement axis (M). Based on this collected information said control unit calculates the vertical distance (b) and the horizontal distance (al) of the imaging device (C) on the movement axis (M) in relation to the target scene (T). When the imaging device (C) of the sliding system (P), which is now in imaging mode, is brought to the second position (II), said control unit calculates the current horizontal distance (a2) of the imaging device (C) on the moving axis (M) to the target scene (T) using the movement distance (r) of the imaging device (C) on the moving axis (M). Using the calculated horizontal distance (a2) and the fixed vertical distance (b), the control unit then calculates the current angle (β) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and the movement axis ( ) in relation to the second position (II) of the imaging device (C). Finally, the imaging device (C) is rotated according to the calculated current angle (β) through the control unit acting on the moving element. Thus, the imaging device (C) is made to face the target scene (T) in the second position (II) (and in its other positions).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention information relating to the first angle (a) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and the movement axis (M) is entered into the control panel as a numeric value. In a step of this embodiment wherein information regarding the actual distance (d) and the angle (a) is acquired, such information is used without calculation. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the user moves the imaging device (C) so as to make it face the target scene (T). This movement may be effected through a switch located on the control panel or carried out manually. As a result of this movement, the value of said first angle (a) is sensed by at least one angle sensor based on the position of the imaging device (C).

In an example embodiment of the invention comprising a step wherein the vertical distance (b) and the horizontal distance (al) of the imaging device (C) on the movement axis ( ) in relation to the target scene (M) is calculated, said vertical distance (b) and the horizontal distance (al) is calculated according to the following formula: b = sm(a) x d (1) al = cos (a) x d

In the step wherein the current horizontal distance (a2) of the imaging device (C) is calculated in relation to its second position (II), the current horizontal position (a2) is calculated according to the following formula: a2 = al - r (2)

In this formula the movement distance (r) consists of a positive or negative value depending on the direction of movement. In a step in the second position (II) wherein the current angle (β) between the imaginary line drawn between the imaging device (C) and the target scene (T) and the movement axis (M) is calculated, the current angle (β) is calculated according to the following formula or an equivalent trigonometric formula: arccot (a2/b) (3)

As illustrated in this example embodiment, the operations carried out on said control panel consist only of trigonometric operations. As such, said control unit may have a low operational capacity. . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said sliding system (P) comprises a distance sensor system that is able to measure the movement distance (r) of the imaging device (C) on the movement axis (M). Said movement sensor system comprises at least one reference element (2) that is attached to one end of the supporting element (H) on one side and to the other end of the supporting element (H) on the other and at least one sensor that is contained in said transporting element (1) and calculates the movement distance (r) in relation to the reference element (2).

In an example embodiment of the invention said reference element (2) is a belt (or, alternatively, a toothed rack). The sensor referred to in this embodiment comprises at least one wheel (or, alternatively, a gear that connects with said tooth rack) that connects with the reference element (2) and rotates in proportion to the movement of the transporting element (1) as it moves in relation to the supporting element (H) and at least one calculation unit able to determine the movement distance (r) based on the number of wheel rotations. In the operating method disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the step wherein the imaging device (C) is moved based on calculation of the current angle (β) and the current horizontal distance (a2) in relation to the second position (II) is repeated at specific intervals (e.g. once every 0.05 seconds). Thus, the imaging device (C) is made to face the target scene (T) at all times as it moves along the movement axis (M).

With the sliding system (P) of the invention and the operating method of said sliding system (P), the imaging device (C) can be made to face the target scene (T) at all times as it is made to travel along the movement axis (M). During this process, it is sufficient for the control unit being used by the sliding system (P) to have a low operational capacity since trigonometric calculations are all that are required. Moreover, supporting elements (H) of varying constructions may be used with said sliding system (P) since the supporting element (H) comprised by said sliding system (P) does not require a specific configuration.