Motorized Pan Tilt Heads, Follow Me, In The Picture. Automatic motorized pan head with manual tilt.

The picture on the front of the box.

In The Picture
The automatic cameraman for camcorders.


The picture on the left side of the box.	The picture on the right side of the box.
In The Picture The automatic cameraman for camcorders	Easy for everyone to use Continuous panning radius follows the action Smart-Track Motion Control Processor Universal camcorder and tripod attachments Manual tilt adjustment Adjustable clip-on transmitter Operating range up to 35 ft. without obstruction Sturdy ABS plastic for durability Total weight with batteries under 3 lbs. Recommended for use with most camcorders One year limited warranty Batteries and tripod not included

The picture on the top of the box.

In The Picture Is the first automatic cameraman for camcorders. Just mount it between any camcorder and your tripod. Clip its small transmitter on your belt. In The Picture will rotate the camcorder to follow the action and let everyone get in on the fun. Now people everywhere won't be stuck behind a viewfinder, Holidays vacations and birthdays can be remembered with the whole family in the picture. And videotaping with In The Picture is so convenient, you'll capture more of the good times and get in on the fun while you're doing it. Just think, You can videotape an entire party while you mingle with guests. Capture an afternoon cookout while you enjoy yourself. Or just spend more time playing with the kids instead of the camcorder.

For the sports enthusiast, In The Picture is an invaluable instructional tool. It's like having your own private coach to show you how you're really doing. It lets you easily videotape your golf swing, tennis game, or basketball moves. Then you can check your form to see where you need improvement. In The Picture is also ideal for public speaking, for videotaping seminars, performances and creating educational videos. All without the hassle or expense of a cameraman. One thing you can be sure of is that In The Picture will change the way you think about your camcorder. You'll find new uses that were never before possible. And once you start using In The Picture, you might just end up wondering how you ever did without it.

The picture on the bottom of the box.

With In The Picture you won't be left out of the picture. Thanks to the Smart Track motion control processor you can be sure your video will look smooth and natural. Smart-Track doesn't just follow the motion, but make judgments like a real cameraman It doesn't get 'tricked' by small movements that could cause a jumpy picture. It knows when to react quickly or slowly. So whether you want to record a fast break on the basketball court or roller-skates in the driveway, it won't miss a thing. And you'll have plenty of room to move around. In The Picture will track the action anywhere within a 35 foot radius. That's about 4,000 square feet of coverage!

Take In The Picture with you to the cookout. Get the whole gang in action on ice skates. Send the family back home a guided tour from your next trip. In The Picture is perfect for anyone who owns a camcorder because it has so many uses. It even works with your still camera to take great action photos. Plus, you'll discover new ways to use In The Picture all the time. Why miss out on all the fun? Get In The Picture.


Teacher, speakers and performers.				Sports action.
Before In The Picture public speakers and performers couldn't easily videotape themselves. In The Picture makes videotaping lectures, performances and creating instructional videos simple.				Before In The Picture trying to videotape your own sports action was a game of hit or miss. Now In The picture lets you easily videotape your sports performance anytime to help you improve your game.

Holidays vacations and birthdays.

Before In The Picture there was always someone missing from your videos, the person stuck behind the camcorder.
With In The Picture video can include the whole family and Dad can have a good time too.

Front View.

Skew view.

Belt Transmitter.


Manual Tilt up.	Manual Tilt down.

Bottom view.

What you get.

Technical information on the ultrasonic tracking system.
An ultrasonic tracking system comprising a transmitting unit and a drive unit. The transmitting unit is carried by the subject to be tracked and produces brief, periodic ultrasonic bursts. The drive unit has an ultrasonic receiver and a motorized assembly capable of tilting and panning an attached camera in response to control signals from the receiver. This receiver employs three ultrasonic microphones located at three of the four corners of an imaginary square centered on and perpendicular to the axis of the camera lens. The receiver measures the relative arrival times of signals received by the microphones, determines the direction and degree to which the camera is not pointed directly at the subject, and supplies control signals to the motorized assembly, to drive motors to reorient the camera (and receiver) to point toward the subject.

Field of the invention.
This invention relates to ultrasonic measuring and tracking systems and, more particularly, to a system for enabling a camera to track a moving subject.

Background of the invention.
Television and motion-picture cameras used for transmitting or recording images of moving subjects are usually aimed by a human operator, either directly or via remote control. Sometimes, however, problems are associated with the use of such cameras. For example, a camera operator may not be available, perhaps because the likely operator wishes to participate in the action being recorded (as in the making of home movies). Or the motion of the subject may be too rapid or unpredictable to be followed by a human operator (or at least the available operator), perhaps because the subject is participating in a sporting event or athletic competition. In any event, the camera operator is forced to watch the event through the camera's view finder. He or she cannot watch the event occur "live," since someone has to manage the camera. Thus, a parent who would like to both watch his or her child perform in a school play or athletic event and record the event for future replay must either forego the recording or forego the live enjoyment. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system which allows a camera to remain pointed at, and track, a moving subject without operator intervention.

Summary of the invention.
The present invention is a control system comprising two units. The first unit is a small, battery-operated, omni-directional, ultrasonic transmitter which is carried by the subject to be tracked. This transmitter produces brief, periodic bursts of sound at frequencies above the range of human hearing. The second unit comprises a motorized camera drive capable of tilting and panning an attached camera. In an exemplary embodiment, a battery-operated ultrasonic receiver is attached to the camera drive. The receiver is tuned to the same frequency as the transmitter carried by the subject. This receiver employs three ultrasonic microphones, together with electronic circuitry to detect and amplify the ultrasonic signals generated by the transmitter and intercepted by the microphones. The microphones are located at three of the four corners of an imaginary square centered on and perpendicular to the axis of the camera lens. The signals emanating from the subject will arrive at all three microphones simultaneously only if the camera is pointed directly at the subject. The receiver measures the relative arrival times of signals received by the microphones, determines the direction and degree to which the camera is not pointed directly at the subject, and causes a servo-system to drive motors to reorient the camera (and receiver) to point toward the subject.

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