GB2380886A

GB2380886A - Head-mounted video camera

Info

Publication number: GB2380886A
Application number: GB0124524A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rodney Brown
Original assignee: ROBOCAM Ltd
Current assignee: ROBOCAM Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-12
Filing date: 2001-10-12
Publication date: 2003-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-12
Also published as: GB0124524D0; GB2380886B

Abstract

A camera device (10) comprising an open head band (20) having a pair of arms (25,26) for gripping each side of the head (H) and which are connected by a bridge (27) for sitting against the top of the head. One arm (25) of said arms has a video camera (22) mounted thereon and one arm (25 or 26) of said arms preferably has an audio microphone (24) mounted thereon. The camera (22) can be housed in a housing formed integrally with one arm of the head band, or may be slidable along or rotatable on said arm. One arm may be adjustably secured to the resilient bridge (27) to permit the distance between arms to the varied. The arm carrying the camera may be shaped to fit around the wearer's ear. A video recorder may be connected to the device.

Description

Hands-Free Video Camera and Microphone Device Field This invention relates to means for mounting a video camera and microphone on the head of an individual leaving the hands free for use by the individual.

Background of the Invention Some premises open to the public may have entrances controlled by doormen/security men who during their course or duties may need to control the flow of persons into the premises, may need to forbid entry to particular individuals, or in many circumstances may need to eject individuals from some premises. In the above circumstances this may result in aggravation between the doormen and particular individuals which may be both verbal and in physical. Doormen and security men are therefor open to abuse and false accusations of violence by individuals who may be aggrieved by either being refused entry or being ejected. There is therefor a need for a surveillance record of the entrance to protect both the doormen and particular individual that may be confronting a doorman. A scanning video camera has disadvantages in that its field of view is limited and its view may be blocked on occasions so that it is not always able to record what might be happening between particular individuals.

There is therefore a need for a video recording means which can be carried by a doorman/security man to record what is happening between the doorman/securityman and an individual or group of individuals immediately in front of the doorman.

Furthermore such a recording means should leave the doorman's hands free so that he can defend himself if necessary.

Ways of mounting cameras which leave hand free are known. For Example WO-A-0045211 describes means of mounting a thermal imaging camera and a display screen to the helmet of a firefighter, allowing the wearer to view the camera image on the screen when necessary. US Patent 6016160 describes a similar apparatus. US Patent 602627 describes a method of mounting a video camera to the mouth guard of a sporting safety helmet. All these systems are extremely cumbersome and not suitable for street wear.

US 5583 571 describes a means of securing a video camera to headband of the type worn horizontally passing around the forehead and back of the head. This means makes no provision for audio recording and the band may slip up or down changing the image field.

Object of the present Invention The present invention provides means for providing an audio and video recording which can be worn relatively by an

individual to record what is happening to their front yet leave their hands free and another object is to provide an unobtrusive recording means that is still observable so that another party can observe that their actions may be recorded.

Statements of Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a camera device providing a head mounted video camera and comprising an open head band having a pair of arms for gripping on each side of the head and which are connected by a bridge for sitting against the top of the head, wherein one of said arms has a video camera mounted thereon.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a video camera and microphone device comprising an open head band having a pair of arms for gripping each side of the head and which are connected by a bridge for sitting against the top of the head, wherein one of said arms has a video camera mounted thereon and one of said arms has an audio microphone mounted thereon.

Preferably both the microphone and video camera are attached to the same arm.

The video camera may be fixedly mounted to said one arm with its image field located in front of the wearer and preferably

the video camera may be located in a housing formed integrally with said one arm, by for example moulding said arm and housing as a single component. Alternatively, the camera may be adjustably mounted on said arm. Preferably, the camera may be slidably mounted for movement along said one arm, and/or the camera may be rotatably mounted on said one arm.

The microphone may be housed in the camera housing or may be attached to an arm by a separate boom.

At least one of the arms of head band may be adjustably secured to the bridge allowing distance between the arms to be adjusted for comfort. The bridge may be resilient to bias the arms against the side of the head.

The lower end of the arm carrying the camera is shaped to fit around the top and rear of the ear and may carry a pad on the inner surface that presses against underside of the skull.

The lower end of the other arm may also be shaped to fit around the ear.

Preferably the arms and bridge are formed as separate plastics components which are assembled together to form the head band.

The invention also provides a video system and audio

surveillance system including a video and audio recorder, a camera device or a camera and microphone device according to the present invention, and leads interconnecting the recorder and apparatus. The recorder is a portable VCR which can be carried on the body of the wearer.

Detailed Description of Drawings The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- Fig. 1 is a video recording system according to the present invention showing a first embodiment of a camera and microphone device, Fig. 2 is a isometric view of a second embodiment of a camera and microphone device according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a sketch showing the device as worn, and Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of a camera and microphone device.

Detailed Description if the Invention With reference now to Fig. 1, there is shown a video and audio surveillance system which comprise a video camera and microphone device 10 which is connected via suitable leads 11 to a portable video and audio recorder 12, which may also, but not necessarily, include a flip open screen 13.

A suitable recorder 12 is a digital video recorder available from Sony under the trade name"Digital Video Walkman"both with and without screen 13 and is ideal for body worn applications.

The device 10 comprises an open head band 20, and a pinhole camera 22, which may include a built in audio microphone, or alternatively a separate microphone 24. The head band 20 comprises a pair of arms 25,26, which in use grip the side of a wearer's head, and which are interconnected by a bridge 27 which in use sits on the wearer's head. The arms 25,26 and bridge 27 may be moulded from a thermoplastics material and assembled together. The arms 26 and 27 have upper end portions 28 which are each telescopically received within the adjacent end 30 (see fig. 4) of the bridge 27 allowing the distance between the arms to be altered for different wearers. The end portions 28 are preferably an interference fit within the bridge 27 forming a friction grip type adjustment for the arms.

The bottom end portions 29 of the arms 26 & 27 are shaped to fit around the ears of the wearer and have a resilient pad 31 on their inner sides for gripping against the head. The pads 31 may be made from a polymeric resilient foam. Additionally or alternatively, the bridge 27 may be made from a resilient material which biases the arms 25,26 against the head of the

wearer. Apertures 31 are formed in the arms to allow the wearer's skin to breath.

The camera 22 is mounted on a boom 23 which in turn is attached to a mounting block 32 in which the microphone 24 is also mounted. The mounting block 32 is slidably attached to one arm 25 of the head band using a pair of two spaced apart grooves or apertures 33 which permit adjustment of the height of the camera on the arm. Alternatively, or additionally, the block 32 may be capable of rotational movement relative to the arm 23 to alter the angle of the camera relative to the arm.

The camera 22 and microphone 24 are connected via the leads 19 to the video recorder 12. A suitable microphone is a ASV-M25V connected to an RCA plug for use with VCRs available from The Spy Store Inc. WA, U. S. A. A suitable pinhole video camera is a PCUM or PCUMC available from Eye Tek Surveillance, of Chesterfield, England. As an alternative a suitable pinhole video camera with built-in audio microphone is a BPC or CPC also available from Eye Tek Surveillance.

The device 10 is fitted to a wearers head and the VCR 12 worn on the body. The camera position is adjusted to a give desired image field just in front of the wearer.

Now with reference to Figs. 2 & 3, there is shown a second

device 40 having a head band assembly 41 in which the two arms 45 and 46 are slidably connected with a bridge 47 as described above. The two arms 25 26 are also interconnected by an adjustable band 48 which passes around the back of a wearer's head H. The bottom portion 29 of the arms 46 carrying the camera 22 is shaped to fit around the ears E and the arms 45 and 46 have foam pads 51 on their inner sides.

A video camera 42 with built in microphone 24 is mounted on a boom 23 which is formed integrally with the arm 46. The leads 11 to the VCR 12 pass through the bottom portion 29 of the arm 46.

This embodiment has a fixed camera image field in relation to the wearer.

A third device 60 having a modified head band 20 is shown in Fig. 4 and is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, excepting that one arm 26 of the head band 20 has a integrally formed camera housing 61 for the camera 22 and microphone 24. The leads 11 to the VCR are taken through the bottom portion 29 which fits behind the ear E.

In this case the camera will be positions close to the wearer's cheek.

The devices 10,40 and 60 allow hands free audio and video surveillance of the space immediately in front of a wearer and because the apparatus is visible to another party it acts as a deterrent to bad or aggressive behaviour. The open head band facilitates the removal of the apparatus from the head of the wearer if grabbed.

The above devices may also be used in any situation where a hand free video and microphone record is required.

Claims

Claims 1. A camera device for a head mounted video camera and comprising an open head band having a pair of arms for gripping on each side of the head and which are connected by a bridge for sitting against the top of the head, wherein one of said arms has a video camera mounted thereon.
2. A camera and microphone device comprising an open head band having a pair of arms for gripping each side of the head and which are connected by a bridge for sitting against the top of the head, wherein one of said arms has a video camera mounted thereon and one of said arms has an audio microphone mounted thereon.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the microphone and video camera are attached to the same arm.
4. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the video camera may be fixedly mounted to said one arm with its image field located in front of the wearer.
5. A device as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the video camera is located in a housing formed integrally with said one arm.
6. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the camera is adjustably mounted on said arm.

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7. A device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the camera may be slidably mounted on one arm for movement along the arm.
8. A device as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the camera may be rotatably mounted one arm for pivotal movement.
9. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein a microphone is attached to an arm by a separate boom.
10. A device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the microphone is located in the camera housing.
11. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 wherein at least one of the arms of head band may be adjustably secured to the bridge allowing distance between the arms to be adjusted.
12. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the bridge resiliently biases the arms against the respective sides of the wearer's head.
13. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the lower end portion of the arm carrying the camera is shaped to fit around the top and rear of the ear.

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14. A device as claimed Claim 13 wherein the end portion of the arm has a pad on its inner side that presses against underside of the skull to help hold the apparatus on the wearers head.
15. A device as Claimed in claim 14 wherein the lower end portion of the other arm may also be shaped to fit around the ear.
16. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein the two arms are interconnected by a band which in use passes around the back of the wearer's head.
17. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 16 wherein the two arms and bridge are formed as separate plastics components which are assembled together to form the head band.
18. A video system surveillance system including a video recorder, and a device according to any one of Claims 1 to 17, and leads interconnecting the recorder and apparatus.