Video System and Methods for Operating a Video System

Abstract

A multiple camera video system and methods for operating such a system. The system may include a plurality of cameras located around a stadium, athletic playing field or other location. The cameras are remotely controlled in a master-slave configuration. A camera operator at a master pan head selects one of the plurality of cameras as the current master camera and utilizes the master pan head to adjust the telemetry and zoom of the master camera to follow the target object. The telemetry and zoom parameters of the master camera are then used to calculate corresponding telemetry, zoom and/or other parameters for each of the plurality of slave cameras. Video captured by each of the cameras is stored for the production of replay video feeds or for archiving. The replays may be capable of “spinning” through the video feeds of adjacent cameras in order for the viewer to get the sensation of revolving around the target object. The multiple camera video system also includes methods for calibrating the system.

1 - 78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . A method of controlling a plurality of variable pointing camera systems, comprising:
 reading parameters of a master variable pointing camera system of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems;   determining parameters for a plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems based on the parameters of the master variable pointing camera system and mapping data for the plurality of pointing camera systems, wherein the master variable pointing camera system and the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems are positioned around a scene, such that, at a point in time, each of the plurality of variable pointing camera systems is aimed at a target within the scene and a size of the target in an image from each of the variable pointing camera systems is substantially the same; and   controlling the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems based on the parameters for the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems wherein the mapping data includes initial calibration data established when the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems are installed at the scene.   
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein: reading parameters of the master variable pointing camera system includes reading mechanical and optical parameters of the master variable pointing camera system; and determining parameters for the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems includes determining mechanical and optical parameters for the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the master variable pointing camera system includes a first pan/tilt camera system, wherein the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems include a plurality of slave pan/tilt camera systems, and wherein: reading parameters of the master pan/tilt camera system includes reading pan, tilt, zoom and focus parameters of the master pan/tilt camera system; and determining parameters for the plurality of slave pan/tilt camera systems includes determining pan, tilt, zoom and focus parameters for the plurality of slave pan/tilt camera systems. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 79 , further comprising: storing digitized, time-stamped images from the variable pointing camera systems; and generating a video image sequence of the target by outputting an image from certain of the variable pointing camera systems in sequence according to the position of the variable pointing camera systems around the scene. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein generating the video image sequence includes generating a 3 D stop-motion video image sequence of the target by outputting images from each of the variable pointing camera systems according to their position around the scene, wherein the images are from a common point in time. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein determining parameters for the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems includes: determining a position of the target within the scene and a size of the target at the position in an image from the master variable pointing camera system based on the parameters of the master variable pointing camera system; and determining the parameters for each of the slave variable pointing camera systems based on the position of the target and the size of the target in the image from the master variable pointing camera system. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 79 , further comprising selecting one of the slave variable pointing camera systems to be the master variable pointing camera system. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein a first of the plurality of slave variable pointing camera systems is taken off line during filming of the scene, re-calibrated to adjust the initial calibration data, and returned on line during filming.