DE102016004674B4 - Drive system for a camera - Google Patents

Abstract

Drive system for a camera (1, 2, 3) of a camera carrier device (11, 37, 4) designed as an image and/or video recording device, wherein the drive system is coupled to the camera (1, 2, 3), wherein the camera (1, 2, 3) comprises its own camera housing (3) which is freely rotatable and is installed within the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4), wherein the drive system consists of- at least one bimetallic spiral spring (5) which is constructed in the form of a spiral and which is coupled at one end to the freely rotatable camera housing (3) and at the other end to the carrier device (11, 37, 4), and which generates a torque when heated or heated,- power lines (10) which are coupled to the bimetallic spiral spring (5),- an evaluation unit or control unit (6) which is coupled to the bimetallic spiral spring (5) and energizes it, thereby warming or heating it, wherein a plurality of bimetallic spiral springs (5) are installed, which are arranged such that they can rotate the camera (1, 2, 3) about different axes.

Description

The invention relates to a drive system for the image sensor and its accompanying optical elements (practically image recording devices and cameras of all kinds) within a device that is equipped with a camera. The drive system is able to rotate the image sensor and its optical elements (its complete lens system) in almost any direction and thus also to detect moving targets without it being necessary to move the entire housing of the device in which the camera is installed.

From the EN 10 2008 031 054 A1 An intraoral camera is known that has a motor-driven aperture unit. The setting of this aperture unit can be fixed using permanent magnets.

From the GB 2 458 905 A A camera system is known which enables the optical axis to be pivoted. For this purpose, the camera is installed in a spherical housing which is driven to rotate by a motor, preferably a piezoelectric motor.

From the US 5 946 127 A A camera system is known in which the optical axis can be pivoted by means of magnetic means.

From the US 2001 / 0 017 665 A1 An actuator for a ball is known which can be pivoted by piezoelectric drives. This ball is preferably intended to accommodate a video camera.

From the US 6 734 914 B1 A camera system is known which has a spherical housing. This housing is in frictional contact with drive cylinders, which enable this spherical housing to be pivoted.

From the US 8 379 334 B2 A generic drive system for a camera is known. This has a spiral spring that forms a thermally activated actuator. In this way, the camera axis can be pivoted in one plane. Pivoting around several orthogonal axes is neither intended nor technically feasible with this system.

The drive system is used in all devices that have an image recording sensor, such as digital cameras of all kinds (video cameras, 35mm cameras, digital SLR cameras), notebooks, smartwatches (a type of wristwatch with PC-like or smartphone functions), tablet PCs, as well as webcams, drone cameras, vehicle cameras or surveillance cameras, data glasses, mobile phones, including smartphones, endoscopy cameras, medical devices of all kinds that have a camera, etc. The drive system is able to move or rotate the camera sensor and its optics in all of these devices and to do so in any direction. It is not the entire carrier device of the camera that is moved or rotated, but only the image sensor with its optics within the carrier device, almost like a human eye.

In particular, the system is perfectly suited for small devices that have a camera, such as mobile phones (smartphones), tablet PCs, notebooks / netbooks, data glasses, smartwatches, unmanned remote-controlled drones, robots, endoscopes, etc.

Almost every tablet PC, notebook or mobile phone / smartphone today has a built-in camera, usually even two.

Two cameras are sometimes necessary, one to take photos of the surroundings or make videos, and the other to enable a video conversation via providers that offer such services (e.g. Facebook, Skype, Tanga, Viber, X8, Cobra, Aquila, etc.). Because installing a camera is complex and because the parts are not particularly cheap, a weaker, inferior front camera and a better rear camera are usually installed. Installing two cameras brings with it other disadvantages. The space in a smartphone becomes quite tight for further extensions or technical innovations. The battery usually takes up most of the space in a smartphone. But the cameras and their controls should not be completely neglected either. Installing a weaker, inferior front camera brings with it other disadvantages. The video quality transmitted via video chat programs is pretty poor via the front camera. While the rear camera can usually take good photos or videos, the front camera is usually inferior. As the Internet is getting faster and faster these days, it is in the interest of users to transmit images or videos in high quality. In addition, many people take photos of themselves (so-called selfies), and good image quality from the front camera is desirable. For film/video or image recording, a mobile phone uses an image sensor, which also determines the image resolution. Due to the small dimensions of the optical lens and very small sensors, image recording is particularly susceptible to image noise. Even in good lighting conditions, only moderately high-quality images can be produced compared to conventional digital cameras. It is also clear that with such extremely small image sensors and even mini- Only a small amount of light from the surroundings or image subject reaches the lenses and the missing light information is compensated for via electrical paths. In addition, the sensor micro-components are arranged in a very small space, which leads to field interactions and no "clean transport" of the data signals can be guaranteed, which leads to image noise. Only when organic photo sensor technology is on the rise will the images become significantly better.

Installing two cameras in a smartphone not only requires the installation of two camera sensors, or image sensors, but also the accompanying optical elements that are part of an image recording optical system, such as optical lenses, image correction elements, image stabilizers and a control system. The software must also be able to control the two cameras separately, which also makes operating a smartphone more or less complicated.

The invention, when installed in a smartphone (mobile phone with PC features), practically completely replaces the second camera because it is electrically rotatable and can take pictures or video recordings from both the back and the front. The invention is particularly suitable for small devices such as drones, data glasses and tablet PCs.

There are numerous drive systems that are suitable for moving a camera. Most often, electric motors (usually stepper motors) and often small gears are used that can swivel the camera back and forth. However, electric motors and gears have some disadvantages. They cannot be made infinitely small, are accordingly heavy, can be susceptible to interference (e.g. dust or moisture), are not completely silent and do not move super quickly if a quick swivel of the camera is to be achieved.

Registration GB2439346A describes a suspension (gimbal) for a ball that is purely electromagnetic, without mechanical contact. A ball is held in an electromagnet cage, which can then be rotated. A camera can be installed in the ball. Both the rotating body and the stator shell are equipped with a large number of electromagnet coils that must be supplied with electricity. The interactivity between the fields of the coils generates a rotary motion. The camera sensor and the electromagnets are coupled with electrical lines, which in turn are coupled to the stator, which leads to vulnerability when the camera and electromagnets move. This arrangement is too complicated and economically uninteresting for small devices such as mobile phones, webcams, vehicle cameras, or drone cameras.

Numerous methods are described for rotating a ball.

Registration JP H08-272 446 A describes a device used to move figures on a sphere. The movement can take place in any direction, within physical limitations or specified parameters.

Registration US 5413010 A describes an electric motor that has a spherical rotor.

Registration US5280225A describes a device that is designed as a drive system for a spherical body. Here, a sphere is rotated in several axes using the principle of a stepper motor. This method is used more in the field of robotics.

Registration US 3178600 A indicates a structure with spherically arranged coils, where rotation of a body on one axis is permitted.

Registration US 3260475 A shows a special electric motor with a spherical rotor designed for space vehicles. The resulting torque can be developed in different directions, making it possible to drive in different directions without special steering devices or gears.

There are webcams for laptops on the market that can be rotated. However, the rotation is done manually, purely mechanically (directly touching the webcam housing with the hand).

A type of webcam that is also on the market can move electrically, but is powered by electric motors and a small gear. The movement reaction speed is not particularly high.

Camera systems for smartphones are described, including those that can be rotated, but almost all of them are mechanical. Several smartphone manufacturers have designed smartphones that have a rotatable camera that can be rotated mechanically by hand and can therefore take pictures from the back or the front. Such cameras have also been used in some laptops, such as older ASUS series (model ASUS W5000). The camera here is mounted on a rotating frame and is rotated backwards or forwards by hand. However, this camera can only be rotated on one axis. Theoretically, it would be possible to construct a camera that could rotate in several directions and that would be mounted on a gimbal. However, an electrically rotating camera in the traditional sense for notebooks would be associated with several problems in this case: for example, the conventional drive (usually via stepper motors and gears) would be too large, vulnerable, would ruin the aesthetics of the carrier device and the cabling would also have to be designed in such a way that it would not break when the camera is rotated back and forth.

In the applications listed, where a ball is rotated, the systems described there are quite complicated, cannot be implemented on a very small scale without great effort and are also relatively vulnerable.

There are similar principles that are theoretically transferable to a mobile phone, laptop, tablet PC, etc.

There are also methods of gently swiveling an image sensor in the camera back and forth. The optical elements remain static. Such methods are used to stabilize the image, but the change in the field of view is very small, so no great effects are to be expected. There are also physical limits here: the further the image sensor moves, the more distorted the image becomes, because the sensor moves in the field of view or focus point of the incoming light rays. The optical elements do not follow the movement of the sensor. A method works in a similar way, where only one of the lenses (or a group of them) can swivel back and forth. Here, too, there are disadvantages, in the form of image distortion with large swivel amplitudes. Here, the incoming light beam is more or less distorted, depending on how large the swivel amplitude of the lens is.

Well-known manufacturers (e.g. SONY, Panasonic, etc.) build electromagnetically movable lenses in smartphone cameras or other high-quality devices. The lens can be moved back and forth along the optical axis. This is how the automatic autofocus setting works in high-quality cameras.

As described, there are enough electric drives for cameras (surveillance cameras, IP webcams, etc.), but mainly electric motors and gears are used for the drive. The drive systems are too coarse, too slow and it is almost impossible or very difficult to reduce them to the size of a grain of rice.

For better understanding, from now on I will call every device that has a camera a carrier device. This can be, for example, a video camera, 35mm camera, SLR camera, notebook, smartwatch (wristwatch with PC function and/or built-in mobile phone features), tablet PC, webcam, drone, vehicle, aircraft, rocket, robot, surveillance camera, data glasses, mobile phone - including smartphone, extreme sports camera, TV studio/cinema film camera, steadycam, etc.

The invention specified in patent claims 1 to 16 is based on the problem of creating a drive system for cameras of all types which is able to rotate the camera within a carrier device smoothly and silently, with the movement effect almost like that of the human eye.

This problem is solved with the features listed in patent claims 1 to 16.

A drive system according to the invention is coupled to a camera which forms part of an image and/or video recording device. This drive system has a camera carrier device. The camera has its own camera housing which is installed freely rotatably within the camera carrier device. The drive system consists of at least one bimetal spiral spring which is constructed in the form of a spiral. This bimetal spiral spring is coupled at one end to the freely rotatable camera housing, while the other end is coupled to the carrier device. When heated or warmed, this bimetal spiral spring generates a torque to cause the camera to rotate. This warming or heating is generated by energizing the bimetal spiral spring, which is connected to power lines for this purpose. An evaluation unit or control unit is also coupled to the bimetal spiral spring, which energizes the bimetal spiral spring and thereby warms or heats it. Several bimetal spiral springs are installed so that the camera can rotate around different axes.

• - die Kamera dreht sich innerhalb des Träger-Geräts (also z.B. keine Schwenkung eines Smartphone notwendig um ein Zielobjekt, das etwas links oder rechts beim Fotografieren liegt),
• - macht recht fließende Bewegungen,
• - lautlos in der Bewegung
• - bringt kaum Zusatz-Gewicht mit,
• - extrem gut für kleine Geräte, vorzugsweise Smartphone / Mobiltelefone geeignet,
• - keine Verschleißteile, daher sehr langlebig,
• - eine recht flotte Änderung der Drehrichtung der Kamera möglich,
• - optimale Verwendung auch auf sich bewegenden / fliegende Träger-Geräte, wie Fahrzeuge, Hubschrauber, Raketen, Drohnen, Tablett-PC-s,
• - optimal für Video-Überwachungs-Geräte,
• - optimal auch für Film- / TV-Studio-Zwecke
• - Verfolgung eines beweglichen Objektes
• - günstiges System in der Herstellung und einfache Vorrichtung.

Advantages of the invention are:

• - the camera rotates within the carrier device (so, for example, no need to swivel a smartphone around a target object that is slightly to the left or right when taking a photo),
• - makes quite fluid movements,
• - silent in movement
• - hardly adds any additional weight,
• - extremely suitable for small devices, preferably smartphones / mobile phones,
• - no wearing parts, therefore very durable,
• - a fairly quick change of the rotation direction of the camera is possible,
• - optimal use also on moving / flying carrier devices, such as vehicles, helicopters, rockets, drones, tablet PCs,
• - ideal for video surveillance devices,
• - also ideal for film / TV studio purposes
• - Tracking a moving object
• - inexpensive system to manufacture and simple device.

The invention is a drive system for the camera, or rather for the image sensor and its accompanying optical elements, which is able to track a target to be photographed, to make a video recording of a moving object or person, or to achieve an automatic rotation of the image sensor and its optical elements in order to realize images or video recordings from behind and/or from the front (with only one image sensor). An extremely small movable camera system that can also be integrated into a small camera carrier device, in particular in a mobile phone (smartphone), tablet PC, webcam, wristwatch, etc., which is able to move similarly to the eye of a person or even faster and to dynamically capture the field of view within existing parameters. The drive system is quite fast, silent and can move, turn or rotate the camera dynamically and quickly within the camera carrier device, so that images can be taken from different angles and also from the back and front of the carrier device.

In addition, the invention can be designed in such a way that it is also able to automatically detect whether the image sensor and its optical elements should be directed forwards or backwards within the carrier device.

• 1 eine Variante, wobei die Kugel-Kamera einfach an Bimetall-Spiralfedern befestigt ist,
• 2 zeigt eine Variante, die eine Kardanaufhängung aufweist.
• 3 eine Variante mit mehrere Bimetall-Spiralfedern,
• 4 zeigt eine Variante, wobei nicht nur der Bildsensor, sondern auch eine Art Beleuchtung, die das Blickfeld des Sensors beleuchtet, bewegbar eingebaut ist.
• 5 eine vereinfachte Teil-Kardanaufhängung, mit nur zwei Achsen
• 6 ist eine Variante mit Bimetall-Elementen, in Form von Bändern oder Streifen
• 7 eine spezielle Variante mit einem aus elektroaktiven Kunststoff gebauten Licht-Fenster,
• 8 eine 3D-Kamera
• 9 eine leicht herausfahrbare Kamera
• 10 zeigt eine Variante, die mit einem Schallquellen-Erfassungs-System ausgestattet ist.
• 11 einen konkaven Bildsensor,
• 12 eine Variante, wobei das Stoppen der Kugel-Kamera in einer bestimmten Position über einen elektromagnetisch herausfahrbaren Stift erfolgt,
• 13 eine Variante, die in einem Smartphone eingebaut ist, wobei die Kugel-Kamera zusätzlich in der optischen Achse rotierbar ist.
• 14 (a, b, c, d) einige Einsatz-Beispiele der Erfindung,
• 15 ein Smartphone, bei dem die Kugel-Kamera am Rand oder am Eck eingebaut ist,
• 16 eine Variante, wobei feine und sehr kleine Heizspiralen (Heizwendel) die Bimetall-Elemente erwärmen,
• 17 die Heizwendel oder Glühwendel, die mit je einer Diode ausgestattet sind.

Examples of implementation are given on the basis of 1 to 17 explained. They show:

• 1 a variant where the ball camera is simply attached to bimetal spiral springs,
• 2 shows a variant that has a cardan suspension.
• 3 a variant with several bimetal spiral springs,
• 4 shows a variant in which not only the image sensor, but also a type of lighting that illuminates the field of view of the sensor is installed in a movable manner.
• 5 a simplified partial cardan suspension, with only two axles
• 6 is a variant with bimetallic elements, in the form of bands or strips
• 7 a special variant with a light window made of electroactive plastic,
• 8th a 3D camera
• 9 an easily extendable camera
• 10 shows a variant that is equipped with a sound source detection system.
• 11 a concave image sensor,
• 12 a variant in which the ball camera is stopped in a certain position by an electromagnetically extendable pin,
• 13 a variant that is built into a smartphone, whereby the spherical camera can also be rotated in the optical axis.
• 14 (a, b, c, d) some examples of the invention,
• 15 a smartphone with a spherical camera built into the edge or corner,
• 16 a variant in which fine and very small heating coils (heating coils) heat the bimetal elements,
• 17 the heating coil or filament, each of which is equipped with a diode.

The 6 , 16 and 17 not the subject matter of the invention, they serve merely for explanation.

The camera sensor 1 and its accompanying optical elements 2 are preferably mounted in a small spherical housing 3 (from here on the housing is called a spherical camera), which is mounted in a hollow sphere housing 4 (from now on this is just called a hollow sphere), which is only slightly larger than the spherical camera. The spherical camera can simply be placed loosely and freely rotatably in the hollow sphere, with one or more bimetallic spiral springs 5 being connected to the spherical camera at one end and to the hollow sphere at the other end ( 1 ). Or it can be mounted in a simple gimbal mount 8, in which case the spherical camera 3 no longer (or only rarely) touches the hollow sphere wall ( 2 The hollow sphere 4 is in some Variants are statically mounted, i.e. immobile, only the camera ball inside moves.

Specifically, a camera in a tablet PC, I-PAD, I-Phone, smartphone or other mobile phone can be installed in such a way that it can be electrically rotated backwards or forwards in the housing and is suitable for both rear and front shots. In a mobile phone, the camera is also preferably built in the form of a ball and placed in a hollow sphere, similar to the human eye in its hollow space, whereby the hollow sphere is transparent or at least has a window in one part through which the ball camera can receive the light from the

environment. The spherical camera is completely equipped with image sensor 1, electronic components and accompanying optical elements 2 (e.g. lenses, mini prisms, etc.). The spherical camera 3 is not rotated as usual by gears or electric motors (not even manually by touch), but is rotated or swiveled in a specific direction by one or more bimetallic spiral springs 5 or bimetallic strips 33 under electrical control. The swiveling or rotation can take place in one or more axes 7. Multi-axis rotation can be realized by a cardan suspension 8 if the spherical camera 3 is not to touch the hollow sphere wall ( 2 ). However, the simplest variant, particularly in small devices, is for the ball camera to be freely movable in the hollow sphere 4, which is held and rotated by a bimetallic spiral spring 5. The ball camera 3 does not necessarily have to be mounted. It can touch the walls of the hollow sphere, but its weight is very small and therefore there is hardly any friction when it is rotated back and forth by bimetallic spiral springs. The material from which the ball camera housing and the hollow sphere are made should be scratch-resistant (at least the surface coatings that will rub against each other) and possibly also self-lubricating (at least in some areas). The current signal is transferred to the image sensor via a flexible line 9 or via the bimetallic spiral spring itself. The camera can also have other shapes (e.g. like an egg, oval) or even have small edges, but the shape of a ball is best suited for this. The ball camera is coupled with bimetallic spiral springs, which are also connected to the hollow sphere at the other end. It can be swiveled or rotated in any direction simply by expanding the spiral spring when the temperature increases, which creates a torque in its center. As soon as a bimetallic spiral spring is energized, it is quickly heated by the internal current resistance and a torque is built up at the center point of the spiral. The bimetallic spiral spring is built very thin because it has to be heated quickly and with very little current and also has to cool down quickly when the current is switched off. After all, only weak torque forces are needed to move a very small camera in a cell phone. The ball camera is rotated quickly and silently in any direction by the bimetallic spirals, depending on which of the spirals is active. Depending on which of the bimetal spiral springs is active or energized, the ball camera is swiveled in the direction that corresponds to the torque of the active bimetal spiral spring. Because the bimetal spiral spring/strips can only rotate the ball camera in one direction when heated and rotate back when cooled, at least two bimetal spiral springs 5/strips 33 working against each other are necessary for each axis 7 in order to actively swivel the ball camera 3 in the desired direction. If one of them is activated, the ball camera is also rotated in that direction, despite the slight resistance of the mechanical tension of the counter spiral. If the bimetal spiral spring cools down, the ball camera rotates back to its original position. If the other spiral spring-shaped bimetal element is activated, the ball camera then rotates in the other direction. A control 6 ensures that the bimetal spiral spring/strips are heated precisely and that the ball camera also maintains the specific position. Because two bimetal spiral springs/strips that work against each other are always installed on a swivel axis 7, the temperature fluctuations from the outside are automatically compensated because both elements are equally warm or cold when de-energized (inactive). The drive with bimetal spiral springs/strips is not suitable for extremely fast swivels, but it can be controlled quite precisely, works maintenance-free and is reliable. Of course, no great movements can be achieved with such bimetal elements because they will eventually interfere with each other, but a swivel of several dozen degrees is possible. The thinner and smaller the bimetal elements are, the faster the reaction and the lower the power consumption. Maintaining a position of the ball camera is achieved by constant, precisely controlled heating of the specific bimetal elements, or by maintaining the flow of electrical current. If the voltage and thus of course the flow of current increases, the temperature in the bimetal element also increases, thus generating a stronger torque. Because the bimetal elements are very thin and have only a small mass, reaction inertia is hardly noticeable. This method is relatively simple and works very reliably and is completely maintenance-free. Above all, no further installation measures are necessary here: simply install the bimetal elements (e.g. bimetal spiral spring) on the rotary axes, connect them to power lines 10 on the control 6 and the drive is ready. As soon as fine, precisely controlled currents flow through the bimetal elements, they are more or less heated and expand. Because they are spiral-shaped, a torque is generated that causes the ball camera to rotate (similar to the earlier simple bimetal thermometers with bimetal spiral springs inside). Of course, the bimetal spiral springs do not have to be heated to red hot, but a temperature of 10-40° above the ambient temperature is sufficient to generate reasonable torques. The ball camera is very small for small devices such as mobile phones (smartphones), notebooks or tablet PCs, weighs only a few grams and can be rotated with very little force. The bimetal elements also exert little or no load. hardly any use is made of the battery of the camera carrier device, because the power consumption is very low. The very thin spiral spring can be heated with low voltages (e.g. lower than 3.7V) and currents of less than 10mA. The task of the evaluation unit or the control that supplies the spiral spring with power is to release a certain voltage to the corresponding bimetal spiral spring depending on the necessary rotation of the camera so that it heats up to the desired temperature. The heating takes place very quickly because the spiral spring is very thin, has a high electrical resistance and only has a small mass. It cools down just as quickly when the current flow is interrupted. This enables relatively fast movements of the spherical camera. The spherical camera is coupled to the hollow sphere via several bimetal spiral springs ( 3 ), at the centre of which are the rotation axes for the ball camera. Several such bimetallic spiral springs 5, which are arranged in two-dimensional axes or even three-dimensionally, enable two- or three-dimensional rotational movements of the ball camera housing. A movement of the ball camera in two axes would be completely sufficient for our purposes. The less mass the spiral spring has, the faster its reaction or movement. In order to achieve a swivel in any direction in two axes, at least four such bimetallic elements are necessary (two per rotation axis, arranged to work against each other). On the 6 A simple variant has been presented, where the ball camera simply hangs on a bimetallic spiral spring and is stimulated to rotate in certain directions when activated. Through an interaction of the software, which also controls the control unit for the drive system, the ball camera will perform smooth movements while tracking a target.

Supported by the software (mainly that of the carrier device), the target to be photographed can be detected and tracked if it is not moving too quickly, while always remaining almost in the center of the video recording images, even when taking single images. So-called face tracking can be achieved in this way, because the camera can track the face of a moving person by turning them and always place the face in the center of the recorded images. The attempt of the object to be photographed to move away from the center of the image sensor's detection angle is fully compensated by swiveling the ball camera until the end of the entire field of view is reached. This works in a similar way to how a person follows a moving object with their eyes without turning their head. The ball camera can also be rotated completely backwards, which would eliminate the need for an additional rear camera (particularly interesting for mobile phones).

The camera from the invention here has clear advantages over the prior art. This camera is rotated within the carrier device via a bimetal spiral spring or bimetal strip, whereby the rotation takes place relatively quickly and silently. The camera here is not only rotated back and forth, but also target tracking is carried out (automatic target tracking can thus be carried out without any problems). Because not the entire camera carrier housing 11 rotates here, but only the part, or the compact extra housing 3 in which the image sensor 1 and its optics 2 are located, relatively fast panning is possible. The spherical camera 3 would look back and forth like a human eye.

The ball camera is rotated using the differentiated expansions generated by bimetal spirals when heated, which are converted into torque. Of course, there is no 360° rotation that lasts continuously, as with an electric motor, but rather slight swivel movements. The bimetal spiral springs consist of at least two metals or alloys that have different expansion capabilities at certain temperatures. The phenomenon has been known for a long time and was previously used in mechanical thermometers. These were equipped with a bimetal spiral spring that rotated when the temperature fluctuated and this was how the temperature was determined. The rotation occurs, as is already known, through the different expansion coefficients of the two metal layers that make up the spiral spring. Because the bimetal spiral spring used there was quite thick, it took a little longer, even with rapid temperature changes, until the correct value was displayed, because the Bimetal spring seems a bit sluggish, or needs to be warmed up (or cooled down) first. The same principle is used here for rotating the camera of a smartphone or other camera-carrying device. Here, you can use several bimetal spiral springs that can rotate the ball camera in any direction. In addition, you can use two bimetal spiral springs per rotation axis, which generate mutual torques. In addition, you do not wait until ambient temperature differences arise, but the bimetal spiral springs are specifically energized and actively heated. The internal current resistance of the bimetal spiral spring is used for heating. You can also install a fine heating coil/frond 12 like in light bulbs, which touches the bimetal spiral spring and heats it when activated, but this is not absolutely necessary. Rotating the ball camera in two axes would be completely sufficient and would only require two or four bimetal spiral springs. A simplified partial cardan suspension 13 with only two axes can be very suitable for this. This suspension 13 consists, as shown in Figure 5, of just a quarter-circle long arm 14, which is equipped with a swivel joint 15 at each end. The ball camera is attached to one swivel joint and the hollow sphere is coupled to the other. A bimetallic spiral spring is installed on each of the swivel joints, which can cause the body attached to the joint to rotate when current flows. The current flow is ensured separately for each spiral spring by separate flexible lines.

The two bimetallic spiral springs 5 that work against each other and are installed on the same axis of rotation can be electrically connected to each other at both ends, whereby they are simply coupled to a semiconductor diode each, which is electrically connected to bimetallic spiral springs in the opposite direction of current conduction. The current that should flow on both spiral springs at the same time is selected by the semiconductor diodes and, depending on the direction of current flow, is selected to one or the other bimetallic spiral spring. In order to heat up just one of them, a small semiconductor diode is installed, which is directed in the opposite direction to the semiconductor diode of the other bimetallic spiral, whereby the heating of the individual bimetallic spiral spring can be achieved by reversing the current flow polarity. In this case, for example, the current flow from A to B would flow via the spiral spring 5A and then via the semiconductor diode 16A to the opposite pole. When the current flows from B to A, it flows via the spiral spring 5B and via the semiconductor diode 16B to the opposite pole. Because the bimetallic spiral springs have a greater current resistance than the semiconductor diode in the direction of current flow, hardly any current flows via the second spiral spring, which is short-circuited by the semiconductor diode, but rather via the latter. The bimetallic spiral spring 5A is activated for the pivoting in the vertical axis 7A. In order to pivot in the horizontal axis 7B, the bimetallic spiral spring 5B is energized and thus heated.

The installation of four bimetallic spiral springs (installed in pairs and in opposite directions of rotation) enables more precise rotation of the ball camera.

Because the spherical camera can rotate within the hollow sphere, it can be used as both a rear camera and a front camera. Of course, the spherical camera does not rotate uncontrollably, but is positioned very precisely in the desired field of view by controlling the bimetal spirals. Stopping in the desired position can be achieved by maintaining the temperature of the active bimetal spiral spring and possibly by briefly activating the opposite bimetal spiral spring. The hollow sphere can be built completely transparent, or it can be equipped with large light windows 17 in certain places through which the light from the image subjects or surroundings enters the camera sphere and reaches its sensor. Small additional optical elements (lenses) can successfully correct slight image distortion caused by the spherical windows. The camera can also be moved more or less out of the carrier device to increase the angle of view. In this case, another bimetallic spiral or bimetallic strip would be necessary to more or less extend the hollow sphere or a hollow cylinder in which the sphere camera would be mounted out of the carrier device.

The conductor connections between the bimetal spiral spring/strip, as well as the movable ball camera 3 and a signal processing unit 34, which is located outside the encapsulated sphere, are somewhat longer, flexible cables 9, which do not further hinder the movements of the ball camera. These conductors or micro cables must withstand a great deal of swiveling and always enable flawless signal transmission. Interwoven micro cables, as we know from loudspeaker membranes, can withstand a great deal of vibration. Although the ball camera is not only set in vibration, but also rotated back and forth, such cables can withstand several years of daily stress. Theoretically, the bimetal spiral spring can also be used for the current signal transport. As described, the ball camera can simply be installed loosely in the hollow sphere without any bearings. A cardan suspension would be optimal and somewhat more expensive (a greatly simplified cardan suspension with just one small arm, such as in the 5 When the ball camera reaches a certain rotational position, a control system 6 can quickly generate a counterforce via a counteracting bimetallic spiral spring until the active spiral spring has cooled down a little and the stretching/torque has decreased, whereby this counteracts further rotation of the ball camera.

When using gimbal mount 8, or variants where the ball camera is simply inserted loosely into the hollow sphere, no further vibrations are to be expected as soon as the desired positioning is achieved and the active bimetallic spiral springs are evenly supplied with power. Because the camera can also rotate around the optical axis, it is possible to take photographs or create perfect images even if the carrier device is held at an angle. The image would always be perfectly straight, no matter how angled the camera is held. Using the control unit and of course software support of the carrier device, the camera image sensor can be automatically rotated for video recordings so that widescreen images are taken. When taking single images, the photos can be aligned vertically if desired.

In the 6 A variant with bimetal elements in the form of bands or strips 33 is shown, whereby a swiveling of the ball camera can be achieved. Here, bimetal elements are installed, which can be quickly warmed up or even heated up by small currents and thus bend, causing a swiveling movement of the ball camera.

In a variant that is in the 7 As shown, the surface of the plastic window 17 of the camera carrier device, which protects the field of view of the image sensor, is made of a special plastic 18 (e.g. electroactive plastic) which is able to temporarily form a dome 19 on the outside when electrically or thermally controlled, into which the spherical camera slips, thereby significantly expanding the angle of view, for example when the carrier device (e.g. the mobile phone) is lying on the table and you want to remotely monitor the entire room from this position. By rotating the camera and creating the dome, the field of view could be monitored almost hemispherically. With a sound control that would be coupled to the drive system, the camera could then be automatically directed to where the sound or voice is coming from. In this case, the camera carrier device would have to have a stereo microphone or directional microphone, which is also the case with mobile phones (smartphones). An electronic coupling of the two systems, i.e. audio and optical detection systems, can control the drive system and thus the movement of the camera can be automated, pointing it precisely in the direction of the voice / sound source for image / video recording.

The rotating ball camera can be equipped with a return spring 20 or a rest position permanent magnet 21 which attracts a ferromagnetic region or ferromagnetic body 22 (preferably iron or nickel) in a rest position. The return spring or the rest position permanent magnet ensure that when the active rotation of the ball camera is switched off, a certain restoring force rotates the ball camera to a certain position. Another permanent magnet built into the hollow sphere wall attracts the ferromagnetic body or the other permanent magnet built into the ball camera.

The electrical and signal transmission from the sensor to the evaluation unit takes place via a very thin and extremely flexible cable 9, which is ideally shaped like a spring. The fine signal lines are intertwined, similar to the lines of a magnetic coil in a loudspeaker membrane. This method has proven to be very effective for protecting the lines from damage. It is known that the loudspeaker membrane undergoes a very high number of vibrations during its entire "life" (several hundred billion!!), with the power lines between the housing and the loudspeaker coil undergoing countless movements and vibrations, remaining intact even after years. The same technology could be used here too. This would ensure long-lasting, flawless signal and power transmission between the image sensor and the carrier device (e.g. a smartphone) despite the movement of the image sensor. If you use a longer cable that is finely intertwined and that is also shaped more or less like a spring in a spiral, you can enable almost complete rotation of the image sensor and its optical elements. The inner diameter of the hollow sphere is only slightly larger than the sphere in which the image sensor and its accompanying elements are installed. By generating torque via the bimetallic spiral spring, any rotation of the sphere camera can be achieved.

Likewise, the lighting elements 23, regardless of whether they emit radiation in the visible light spectrum or in the infrared range, can be moved with the camera. This enables optimal lighting that follows the movement of the field of view of the ball camera. A flashlight, preferably a strong light-emitting diode built into the camera ball, can also be used for this purpose ( 4 It is also conceivable to use Laser diodes as lighting. The laser diodes emit very intense light and can perfectly illuminate the subject. A combination of three primary light colors (RGB), or the installation of at least three laser diodes, with at least one emitting a red laser light, the second blue and the third green, can produce a total white light that illuminates the field of vision.

In the 4 A variant with bimetallic spiral springs installed in a gimbal is shown. The spiral springs are small bimetallic elements that are quickly warmed up or even heated up by small currents, thus causing the camera housing to move.

The ball camera can be mounted in a full gimbal mount 8 (three-axis rotation freedom) or a partial gimbal mount 13 with only two rotation axes, where the rotation axes are coupled with bimetallic springs ( 5 ). Depending on which of these is active, the ball camera is rotated. Because the bimetal elements can only rotate the ball camera in one direction when heated (and rotate back when cooled), at least two of these bimetal elements working against each other are necessary for each axis in order to achieve active swiveling of the ball camera in the desired direction. If one of these is activated, the ball camera is also rotated in that direction, despite the slight resistance of the opposing spiral. If the bimetal spiral spring cools down, it retracts and rotates the ball camera back to its original position. If the other bimetal element is activated, the ball camera then rotates in the other direction. A control system ensures that the heating and thus the expansion of the bimetal elements is carried out precisely and that the ball camera maintains its specific position. Because two bimetal elements working against each other are always installed on a swivel axis, the temperature fluctuations from the outside are automatically compensated because both elements are equally warm or cold when de-energized (inactive). The version with bimetal elements is not suitable for extremely fast panning, but can be controlled very precisely and is maintenance-free and very reliable. The thinner and smaller the bimetal spiral spring/strips are, the faster the reaction and the lower the power consumption. Maintaining the position of the ball camera is achieved by constant heating or controlled current flow through the specific bimetal element. If the electrical voltage increases, the temperature of the bimetal spiral spring also increases at the same time, and a stronger torque is generated. This method is relatively simple and works reliably. Above all, no further installation measures are necessary here: simply install the bimetal elements (e.g. bimetal spiral spring) on the rotary axes, connect them to power lines from the control system and the drive is ready. As soon as fine currents flow through the bimetal elements, they are more or less heated and expand. Because they are spiral-shaped, a torque is generated that causes the ball camera to rotate (similar to the earlier simple bimetal thermometers with bimetal spiral springs inside).

For 3D image capture, two such cameras and systems are necessary, which are best installed at a distance of 8th ).

In all variants, the camera will be installed like a human eye in a hollow sphere and will also be equipped with a tracking mechanism that is controlled by software that then automatically tracks the detected person or face.

The camera can be designed to be slightly lifted out of the mobile phone or tablet PC electromagnetically or electrically, so that it sticks out a little when the device is left somewhere ( 9 ). The cover lens or dome or a transparent hollow cylinder 24 in which the camera is located can be easily extended in this case. A transparent hollow cylinder with dome-shaped ends that also serve as viewing windows 17 for the image sensor would be ideal. The hollow cylinder could be equipped with a ferromagnetic ring 25 in the middle that is attracted by a statically attached electromagnetic coil 26 on the outside, whereby the hollow cylinder is lifted depending on how the mobile phone is positioned or the camera extends forwards or backwards. Instead of the ferromagnetic ring, a permanent magnet or permanent magnet ring 27 can be installed, which then moves depending on the polarity of the electromagnetic coil. The dome-shaped ends are of course transparent and each form a window through which the camera sensor can "look out". The dome causes little to no distortion of the image, which is predictable and can be easily corrected using software. The use of a correction lens in the optical system of the image sensor can also eliminate the distortion.

The 10 shows a variant that is equipped with a sound source detection system. Here, a stereo microphone 28 is used to locate a sound source 29. As soon as this has happened, the drive system is controlled via a control system so that the camera is aimed directly at where the sound source is located. This would be useful if you are recording videos and the recorded person being recorded is also speaking. In this case, the camera would automatically track the sound source.

Tracking moving objects can be supported by the carrier device's software. On the carrier device's control screen, you can mark an object with your finger touch and the camera would then automatically track it, regardless of how it moves or how the camera carrier device is held. However, the main task is performed by the drive system, which enables the rotation of the image sensor.

When taking pictures or videos with a conventional mobile phone (smartphone), you notice that the objects on the edge are often slightly distorted. This is because the image sensor is flat and the optical correction elements that could solve the problem hardly fit in a smartphone. The image sensor should not necessarily be flat, but it can be built slightly concave to better imitate the retina of the human eye. In this case, distortions of the image subject would hardly be noticeable ( 11 ). For the manufacturing process of such concave image sensors 30, a dome-shaped micro-mat made of plastic, which is provided with a memory effect, can be used very well. As soon as the doping is completed and the physical strength of the sensor is reached, the dome-shaped plastic part will bend flat again and thus detach from the sensor.

On the 12 A variant has been shown in which the ball camera is stopped in a certain position using an electromagnetically extendable pin 31. As soon as the desired position of the ball camera is reached, it should then be stopped immediately and held in that position. Stopping can be done using a small pin that is extended from the hollow sphere wall 4 towards the ball camera 3 by an electromagnetic coil 32 and then touches it to stop it.

The ball camera does not necessarily have to rotate completely, but for many applications it is sufficient to just pan slightly in two axes (two-dimensional movement - up, down, right, left and therefore any combination between these four directions), which can be achieved in many ways. Like an eye, they would follow the object and thus always take sharp photos even if objects were moving. If you build two such ball cameras on a carrier device (e.g. smartphone, laptop, tablet PC, webcam etc.) a short distance from each other, you can achieve stereo images or 3D recordings.

The 13 shows a variant that is built into a smartphone, where the ball camera can also be rotated on the optical axis. This variant is interesting because no matter how straight or at an angle you hold the smartphone when taking photos, you will always get good, straight pictures if this function is activated. In video mode, the ball camera is rotated so that the images are perfectly horizontal, so that you no longer make mistakes with the different positions of the smartphone when taking videos or pictures. The rotation can be done by simply shifting the center of gravity downwards or by using a small electrically movable or tiltable weight 35 that is built into the ball camera, which always aligns the ball camera so that the images are taken in a perfectly vertical position. If you want to record videos, as soon as you switch on the video mode, the weight 35 is electrically rotated 90° around the optical axis 36 and you can then take videos, with the video recordings always being made in a horizontal position, even when you turn the smartphone in any direction.

On the 14 (a, b, c, d) some examples of application of the invention are shown.

The 15 shows a smartphone 37 in which the spherical camera 3 is installed on the edge or, even better, on the corner 38, whereby a rotation from front to back enables an image to be taken over 180°. The angle of detection can be up to 300°, if you consider that the camera can also be directed diagonally downwards, both front and back (if you hold the smartphone vertically, for example).

16 shows a variant in which the bimetal elements are not directly powered, but are heated indirectly by a fine and very small heating coil (heating coil) 12. This method is a little more complicated, but works just as reliably. The fine heating coil is very thin and is designed in a micro format similar to the heating coil of a glow plug. A glow coil can also be used for this. The heating coil can enclose the bimetal element, touch it or simply be installed in close proximity. Other heating elements, such as electric ceramic heating elements, are also well suited for this.

Like in the 17 As shown, the heating elements, heating coil or filament can also be equipped with a diode 16 each, which are then arranged in such a way that when one current flows, one of the coils is warmed or heated and when the current flows in the opposite direction, the other. This has the advantage that in this case two bimetal heating elements with only two, instead of four lines. The reversal of the current flow alone determines which of the bimetal elements is heated or warmed.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS:

1

Camera sensor / image sensor

2

accompanying optical elements

3

spherical housing / spherical camera

4

Hollow sphere housing

5

Bimetal spiral spring

6

steering

7

axis

8th

Cardan suspension

9

flexible cable

10

Power cables Power cable for bimetal spiral spring

11

Camera carrier housing

12

Heating coil / fan

13

simplified cardan suspension with only two axles

14

Arm (suspension part)

15

Swivel joint

16

Semiconductor diode (also 16A and 16B)

17

Light window

18

Electroactive plastic

19

Hilltop

20

Return spring

21

Rest position permanent magnet

22

Ferromagnetic area or ferromagnetic body

23

Lighting elements / laser diodes / light-emitting diodes

24

Hollow cylinder

25

ferromagnetic ring

26

Electromagnetic coil

27

Permanent magnet ring

28

Stereo microphone

29

Sound source

30

Concave image sensors

31

Pen

32

Electromagnetic coil for the pen

33

Bimetallic elements in the form of bands / strips

34

Signal processing unit

35

Weight piece

36

optical axis

37

Mobile phone / smartphone

38

Corner of the mobile phone

Claims (16)

Drive system for a camera (1, 2, 3) of a camera carrier device (11, 37, 4) designed as an image and/or video recording device, wherein the drive system is coupled to the camera (1, 2, 3), wherein the camera (1, 2, 3) comprises its own camera housing (3) which is freely rotatable and is installed within the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4), wherein the drive system consists of - at least one bimetallic spiral spring (5) which is constructed in the form of a spiral and which is coupled at one end to the freely rotatable camera housing (3) and at the other end to the carrier device (11, 37, 4), and which generates a torque when heated or heated, - power lines (10) which are coupled to the bimetallic spiral spring (5), - an evaluation unit or control (6) which is coupled to the bimetallic spiral spring (5) and energizes it, thereby warming or heating it, wherein a plurality of bimetallic spiral springs (5) are installed, which are arranged so that they can rotate the camera (1, 2, 3) about different axes. Drive system according to Patent claim 1 , characterized in that the camera (1, 2, 3) comprises its own, preferably spherical, housing (3) which is rotatable within the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4) and which is placed in a hollow sphere (4) with light windows which is part of the housing of the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4). Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two bimetallic spiral springs (5) working against each other are installed per rotation axis and are separately supplied with power. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more lighting elements, preferably light-emitting diodes or laser diodes, whose light lies in the visible light spectrum or in the infrared range, are integrated with the rotatable camera (1, 2, 3) and can be moved with it. Drive system according to one of the Patent claims 2 until 4 , characterized in that the stopping of the camera (1, 2, 3) in a certain ten position via an electromagnetically extendable pin built into the hollow sphere (4) and the associated electromagnet coil (26), which touches the camera (1, 2, 3) and prevents it from rotating further. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is present in duplicate and is designed for 3D image acquisition. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera can be easily moved out of the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4) electromagnetically. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control (6) is coupled to a sound source detection system (28) which is designed to activate the corresponding bimetallic spiral springs (5), whereby the camera rotates in the sound source direction. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera (1, 2, 3) is mounted in a cardan suspension (8), on the axes of which at least one bimetallic spiral spring (5) is installed. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera (1, 2, 3) is rotatable about the optical axis within the carrier device (11, 37, 4) in a controlled manner. Drive system according to one of the Patent claims 2 until 10 , characterized in that a spring which is coupled to the camera (1, 2, 3) and the hollow sphere (4) is installed as a return spring. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera (1, 2, 3) is installed on the edge or at the corner of the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4). Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera (1, 2, 3) is rotatable on only one axis with two main image subject capture positions of 0° and 180°, where 0° means image/video recordings from the front and 180° means image/video recordings from the back of the camera carrier device (11, 37, 4). Drive system according to Patent claim 13 , characterized in that further image motif detection intermediate positions from 0° to 180° can be taken. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image sensor (1) of the camera (1, 2, 3) is not flat but concave. Drive system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bimetallic spiral springs (5) are coupled to semiconductor diodes (16, 16A, 16B) which divert a current to a specific bimetallic spiral spring (5) depending on the direction of current flow.

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