Assembly and method for switching direction of camera view

Abstract

An assembly and method of switching direction of camera view. The method comprises disposing a beam splitter element on a camera, the beam splitter element being configured such that first and second beams of light incident on first and second faces, respectively, of the beam splitter element are directable towards an entry lens of the camera; disposing first and second shutter elements in the paths of the first and second beams of light, respectively; and controlling the first and second shutter elements such that one of the first and second shutter elements is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state, and vice-versa.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An assembly for switching direction of camera view comprising:
 a beam splitter element configured to be disposed on a camera;   first and second shutter elements; and   a control unit configured to be coupled to the first and second shutter elements;   wherein the beam splitter element is configured such that first and second beams of light incident on first and second faces, respectively, of the beam splitter element are directable towards an entry lens of the camera;   wherein the first and second shutter elements are configured to be disposed in the paths of the first and second beams of light, respectively; and   wherein the control unit is configured to control the first and second shutter elements such that one of the first and second shutter elements is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state, and vice-versa.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first prism element configured to be disposed in the path of the first beam of light such that the first beam of light is deflected prior to being incident of the first face of the beam splitter element. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second prism element configured to be disposed in the path of the second beam of light such that the second beam of light is refracted prior to being incident of the second face of the beam splitter element. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter element is configured to be disposed at an angle relative to the entry lens of the camera. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more further beam splitter elements configured to be disposed on the camera; and   one or more further shutter elements;   wherein each further beam splitter element is configured such that the second beam of light and a further beam of light incident on first and second faces, respectively, of the further beam splitter element are directable towards the entry lens of the camera;   wherein each further shutter element is configured to be disposed in the path of the further beam of light; and   wherein the control unit is further configured to be coupled to the one or more further shutter elements and to control the first, second and the one or more further shutter elements such that one or more of the first, second and the one or more further shutter elements is in the open state while at least one other one is in a closed state, and vice-versa.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a first further beam splitter element is configured to be disposed adjacent the beam splitter element in a direction parallel to the plane of the entry lens of the camera, and optionally wherein the beam splitter element and the first further beam splitter element are integrally implemented as three or more interconnected prisms, and optionally wherein the control unit is configured to control the first, second and the first further shutter elements such that a two of the first, second and the first further shutter elements are in the open state while the remaining one is in a closed state, and vice-versa, and optionally wherein the remaining shutter element is configured to be disposed on a middle one of the three interconnected prisms, and optionally wherein a middle one of the three interconnected prisms comprises a flat base face opposite the second face of the beam splitter element and is configured to be disposed on the camera with the flat base facing the leans of the camera. 
     
     
         7 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein one or more second further beam splitter elements are configured to the disposed above the beam splitter element in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the entry lens of the camera, and optionally wherein the one or more second further beam splitter elements are configured to be in a rotated orientation relative to the beam splitter element and/or to each other. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that respective fields of view from the first and second faces have a desired relative orientation, and optionally wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that the respective fields of view from the first and second faces are substantially contiguous or wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that the respective fields of view from the first and second faces have a desired angular separation. 
     
     
         14 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , comprising two or more sets each comprising the beam splitter element and first and second shutter elements, the beam splitter elements of the respective sets being configured to be disposed on respective cameras, and optionally wherein the control unit is configured to control the first and second shutter elements of each set such that one of the first and second shutter elements of the first set is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state, and while one of the first and second shutter elements of the second set is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state. 
     
     
         17 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the beam splitter element is configured to be rotatable relative to the entry lens of the camera. 
     
     
         21 . A method of switching direction of camera view comprising:
 disposing a beam splitter element on a camera, the beam splitter element being configured such that first and second beams of light incident on first and second faces, respectively, of the beam splitter element are directable towards an entry lens of the camera;   disposing first and second shutter elements in the paths of the first and second beams of light, respectively; and   controlling the first and second shutter elements such that one of the first and second shutter elements is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state, and vice-versa.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising disposing a first prism element in the path of the first beam of light such that the first beam of light is deflected prior to being incident of the first face of the beam splitter element. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising disposing a second prism element in the path of the second beam of light such that the second beam of light is refracted prior to being incident of the second face of the beam splitter element. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the beam splitter element is configured to be disposed at an angle relative to the entry lens of the camera. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 disposing one or more further beam splitter elements on the camera, wherein each further beam splitter element is configured such that the second beam of light and a further beam of light incident on first and second faces, respectively, of the further beam splitter element are directable towards the entry lens of the camera;   providing one or more further shutter elements, wherein each further shutter element is disposed in the path of the further beam of light; and   controlling the first, second and the one or more further shutter elements such that one or more of the first, second and the one or more further shutter elements is in the open state while at least one other one is in a closed state, and vice-versa.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a first further beam splitter element is disposed adjacent the beam splitter element in a direction parallel to the plane of the entry lens of the camera, and optionally wherein the beam splitter element and the first further beam splitter element are integrally implemented as three or more interconnected prisms, and optionally comprising controlling the first, second and the first further shutter elements such that two of the first, second and the first further shutter elements are in the open state while at the remaining one is in a closed state, and vice-versa, and optionally wherein the remaining shutter element is disposed on a middle one of the three interconnected prisms, and optionally wherein a middle one of the three interconnected prisms comprises a flat base face opposite the second face of the beam splitter element and is disposed on the camera with the flat base facing the leans of the camera. 
     
     
         27 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein one or more second further beam splitter elements are disposed above the beam splitter element in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the entry lens of the camera, and optionally wherein the one or more second further beam splitter elements are in a rotated orientation relative to the beam splitter element and/or to each other. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that respective fields of view from the first and second faces have a desired relative orientation, and optionally wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that the respective fields of view from the first and second faces are substantially contiguous or wherein at least the beam splitter element is configured such that the respective fields of view from the first and second faces have a desired angular separation. 
     
     
         34 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising providing two or more sets each comprising the beam splitter element and first and second shutter elements, the beam splitter elements of the respective sets being configured to be disposed on respective cameras, and optionally comprising controlling the first and second shutter elements of each set such that one of the first and second shutter elements of the first set is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state, and while one of the first and second shutter elements of the second set is in an open state while the other one is in a closed state. 
     
     
         37 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the beam splitter element is configured to be rotatable relative to the entry lens of the camera.