US20230209191A1 - Devices and methods for leveling and orienting trail cameras - Google Patents
Devices and methods for leveling and orienting trail cameras Download PDFInfo
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/56—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof provided with illuminating means
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N23/68—Control of cameras or camera modules for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
- H04N23/681—Motion detection
- H04N23/6812—Motion detection based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/50—Constructional details
- H04N23/51—Housings
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N23/66—Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
- H04N23/661—Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
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- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
- H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N23/695—Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/18—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
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Abstract
Devices and methods are provided for leveling and orienting a trail camera mounted to a stationary object such as tree. For example, a device for leveling and orienting a trail camera includes a housing element comprising a first cavity and a second cavity formed in an upper surface of the housing element, a compass mounted in the first cavity of the housing element, wherein the compass is configured for use in directionally orienting the trail camera in a target direction, and a bubble level mounted in the second cavity of the housing element. The housing element includes at least one flat surface which is placed against a flat surface of a trail camera housing to determine a level position of the trail camera housing using the bubble level.
Description
- This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/350,482, filed on Jun. 17, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,601,593, which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/929,242, filed on Jul. 15, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/971,931, filed on Feb. 8, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- This disclosure relates generally to techniques for leveling and orienting trail cameras.
- Trail cameras are cameras that are used for various purposes such as hunting or game surveillance. In general, trail cameras have weather-resistant, airtight camera housings, which are designed for extended and unmanned use outdoors to record images (e.g., still photographs or videos) of wildlife and game. While trail cameras can be useful to hunters for various purposes such as pre-season scouting to determine where game is located, capturing frameable images for collection, etc., most users of trail cameras do not know how to properly position a trail camera to capture good images. Indeed, hunters typically do not take into account the negative aspects of improper trail camera orientation and positioning. For example, users of trail cameras neglect to position their trail camera away from sun rays that emanate from eastern, western and southern directions, wherein excessive glare into the camera lens can result in white-washed or low-grade photo quality. Indeed, when sunlight directly or indirectly strikes the lens of the trail camera, the light is scattered, and sun flare is produced. The sun flare manifests itself in the captured images as sunbursts, circles and/or as a haze. In addition, excessive sun glare can result in constant tripping of a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor of the trail camera in the early morning and afternoon hours. In this regard, to avoid the negative effects of sun glare in the trail camera lens, it is desirable to position a trail camera south of the intended target imaging area and facing in a northerly direction. Furthermore, the unlevel positioning of a trail camera result in the generation of photographs with a tilted horizon, which can be displeasing to view and result in a non-picturesque image.
- Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure generally include devices and methods for leveling and orienting trail cameras that can be mounted to stationary objects such as trees.
- For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a device for leveling and orienting a trail camera comprises: a housing element comprising a first cavity and a second cavity formed in an upper surface of the housing element; a compass mounted in the first cavity of the housing element, wherein the compass is configured for use in directionally orienting the trail camera in a target direction; and a bubble level mounted in the second cavity of the housing element; wherein the housing element comprises at least one flat surface which is placed against a flat surface of a trail camera housing to determine a level position of the trail camera housing using the bubble level.
- In another embodiment, a method is provided for mounting a trail camera to a fixed object. The method comprises utilizing a device to level and orient the trail camera, wherein the device comprises: a housing element comprising a first cavity and a second cavity formed in an upper surface of the housing element; a magnetic compass mounted in the first cavity of the housing element, wherein the compass is configured for use in directionally orienting the trail camera in a target direction; and a bubble level mounted in the second cavity of the housing element. The device is utilized to level and orient the trail camera by a process which comprises: utilizing the compass of the device to position the trail camera to face toward a target direction; placing the device against a flat surface of a housing of the trail camera; and maneuvering the trail camera into a level position as indicated by the bubble level, while the device is placed against the flat surface of the housing of the trail camera.
- In another embodiment, a trail camera comprises a protective housing, at least one bubble level integrally disposed on or within a surface of the protective housing, and a magnetic compass integrally disposed on or within a surface of the protective housing.
- These and other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
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FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a device for leveling and orienting a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure, whereinFIG. 1A is a top view of the device andFIG. 1B is a perspective side view of the device. -
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a trail camera which can be leveled and directionally orientated using the device ofFIGS. 1A and 1B . -
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C schematically illustrate a method of using the device ofFIGS. 1A and 1B for leveling and directionally orienting a trail camera mount, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a trail camera having a compass element and bubble level elements which are integrally formed, or otherwise mounted to, a protective case of the trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an electronic system of a trail camera which implements digital circuity that is configured to sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a trail camera which comprises an electronic system that is configured to electronically sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a method for displaying directional orientation information of a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIGS. 8A and 8B schematically illustrate methods for displaying level position information of a trail camera, according to embodiments of the disclosure. -
FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a system that is configured to enable wireless access to directional orientation and level position information of a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an electronic system of a wireless trail camera which implements circuitry that is configured to sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the wireless trail camera and to wirelessly transmit such information to a computing device of a user, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. - Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will now be described in further detail with regard to devices, systems, and methods for leveling and orienting trail cameras when mounting trail cameras to stationary objects such as trees.
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FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of adevice 100 for leveling and orienting a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 1A is a top view of thedevice 100 andFIG. 1B is a perspective side view of thedevice 100. Thedevice 100 comprises ahousing element 110 which is structurally and dimensionally configured with cavities in which abubble level 120 and acompass 130 can be fixedly inserted to hold thebubble level 120 andcompass 130. Thedevice 100 further comprises anoptional adapter element 140 which comprises aflange element 142 and astub element 144, which are disposed on thebackside surface 118 of thehousing 110. As explained in further detail below, theadapter element 140 is configured for use with bracket-type trail cameras in which a bracket element is first mounted to a fixed object (e.g., a tree) and the trail camera is mounted to the bracket. Theadapter element 140 allows an individual to level and orientate a trail camera bracket prior to installing the trail camera to the bracket. In some embodiments, thehousing element 110 comprises single integrated element that may be made of any suitable materials such as plastics or composite materials that are weather resistant, and manufactured using suitable techniques such as injection molding, for example, or by CNC machining techniques. - The
housing element 110 comprises sidewalls having flat portions 112 (or planar sidewall portions) and contouredportions 114, a flat bottom portion 116 (planar bottom portion), and aflat backside surface 118. Thecontoured portions 114 provide an ergonomic configuration that allows a user to readily hold thedevice 100 using a thumb and pointer finger. Thebottom portion 116 further comprises an optional cut-out groove 150 which extends from one side to an opposing side of thehousing element 110. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, theplanar sidewall portions 112 andflat bottom portion 116 provide surfaces which can be placed against flat surfaces of a trail camera housing for purposes of leveling the trail camera by viewing thebubble level 120 while maneuvering the trail camera into a level position. In addition, thecompass 130 is utilized to ensure that the trail camera is facing in a target direction (e.g., northward direction). -
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates atrail camera 200 which can be leveled and directionally orientated using thedevice 100 ofFIGS. 1A and 1B . Thetrail camera 200 comprises a housing 210 (e.g., protective case) comprising an upper surface 210-1 and side surfaces 210-2. Thetrail camera 200 further comprises acamera lens 220 for a visible light camera, one or morelight sensors 222, a plurality of infrared (IR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) 230, and a passive infrared (PIR)motion detector 240 comprising alens element 242, e.g., a Fresnel lens element. Thehousing 210 is essentially a protective case which provides an inner compartment to house the trail camera elements including, for example, a visible light camera, PIR motion detector circuitry, LED driver circuity, a display screen, control buttons, and other components that are commonly included with trail cameras. Thetrail camera 200 comprises acover element 250 which is hingedly connected to thehousing 210 by ahinge element 252. Thecover element 250 can be opened to access the control buttons and the display screen, which collectively provide user interfaces to control settings and functions of the trail camera, view captured images on the display screen, and perform other standard functions of trail cameras. - For illustrative purposes, a brief description will now be provided of various features and functionalities that can be implemented by the
trail camera 200. As is known in the art, thePIR motion detector 240 comprises an infrared radiation sensor element and associated detection circuitry, which is mounted to a printed circuit board within thetrail camera 200. ThePIR motion sensor 240 is configured to detect thermal signatures of objects in a detection area in front of the trail camera 200 (by sensing the thermal infrared radiation emitted from such objects), and detecting motion of objects in the detection area in response to detecting relative changes in the thermal infrared radiation over the detection area. Thelens element 242 of thePIR motion detector 240 is typically implemented as a Fresnel lens element. In this instance, thelens element 242 comprises a curved plastic element which comprises an array of Fresnel lenses, where each lens is configured to focus thermal infrared radiation which is captured in different detection zones within the detection area. The detection angle of thePIR motion detector 240 is primarily determined by the design of theFresnel lens cover 242. - The
trail camera 200 comprises a digital camera which is configured to capture digital images and digital video. The digital camera comprises a visible light imager and associated image processing circuitry that is mounted to the printed circuit board of thetrail camera 200. The digital camera can be configured to capture single still digital images, bursts of still digital images, and/or video. Thecamera lens 220 is configured to focus light to the visible light imager within thehousing 210. Thecamera lens 220 can be a fixed focal-length lens that provides a specific field of view, or thecamera lens 220 can be a user-changeable lens that allows a user to change the lens to provide wide angle or narrow angle viewing, as desired. - The
infrared LEDs 230 are configured to emit infrared light to provide light (e.g., flash illumination) for capturing digital images and/or digital video in low light or dark conditions (e.g., at night). When a digital image is captured or when a video is taken at night (or in low light conditions), theinfrared LEDs 230 are activated to provide light for the exposure. The light sensors 222 (e.g., photodetectors) and associated light detection circuitry are configured to detect a level of ambient light in the environment and generate a control signal to cause theinfrared LEDs 230 to be activated when the level of ambient light is below a given threshold level at a time when a digital image or video is being taken. - In some trail cameras, the
infrared LEDs 230 are configured to emit a given wavelength of infrared light, which results in black and white images, or slightly tinted shades of green or red. For example, theinfrared LEDs 230 can may be low-glow infrared LEDs or no-glow infrared LEDs, which emit infrared light at wavelengths that are above the visible light spectrum and cannot be readily seen by animals and thus, will not startle animals being photographed. Low-glow infrared flashes operate slightly above the visible light spectrum and emit infrared light at wavelengths in the range of about 732 nm to 850 nm, which can be seen by humans and animals as a faint red glow light. On the other hand, no-glow infrared flashes operate above the visible light spectrum and emit infrared light at wavelengths in the range of about 864 nm to 940 nm, which cannot be seen by humans and animals (e.g., providing a stealth flash). Some trail cameras utilize white-light LEDs which are configured to emit white light flash illumination for capturing color images and videos at night, but white flash illumination is not typically used as the white light can scare an animal and cause it to flee. The visible light imager that is used for the digital camera is configured to detect and capture infrared light at the wavelengths emitted by the low-glow or no-glowinfrared LEDs 230 so that good quality images and videos can be captured at night under the flash illumination emitted from theinfrared LEDs 230. - In general, the
trail camera 200 is configured to operate in a “sleep state” or “stand-by mode” during times when no digital images or videos are being taken. When thePIR motion detector 240 detects motion, the trail camera “wakes up” and various functions are triggered. Such functions include, but are not limited to, detecting ambient light levels, activating theinfrared LEDs 230 for flash illumination (if ambient light levels are low), activating the camera shutter, capturing one or more digital images or video under control of the camera electronics, storing the captured digital images or video on a SD (secure digital) card, etc. The trail camera then returns to stand-by mode until a next trigger event of thePIR motion detector 240. - The manufacturers of trail cameras provide protective cases with various types of mounting mechanisms, depending on the given design. For example, in some designs, a trail camera can be mounted to an object by bolting or screwing the protective case to the object (e.g., a tree or post). In other designs, a trail camera can be mounted to an object using a strap or chain, etc. wherein the trail camera is essentially strapped or chained to tree or post. With these mounting mechanisms, the protective cases are generally square or rectangular in shape and have flat sides. In this regard, the
device 100 ofFIGS. 1A and 1B can be utilized for leveling and directionally orienting thetrail camera 200 when screwing or strapping theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 to a stationary object such as a tree or post. - For example, as noted above, the
compass 130 is utilized to determine which side of the object (e.g., tree or post) is facing the desired direction (e.g., northward direction) so that when thetrail camera 200 is mounted to the object, thelens 220 of the camera is facing in the desired direction (e.g., northward direction). Next, when mounting theprotective case 210 to the object, thebubble level 120 of thedevice 100 can be used to ensure that the protective case is placed in a level position before screwing, bolting, strapping, or otherwise securing theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 to the object. - In one embodiment, leveling can be performed by placing one of the
planar sidewall portions 112 of thedevice 100 against one of the flat sidewall surfaces 210-2 of theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200, and viewing thebubble level 120 while maneuvering theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 into a vertically level position (i.e., vertically level with respect to the sides of the protective case 210). Similarly, if desired, leveling can be performed by placing one of theplanar sidewall portions 112 of thedevice 100 against a flat portion of the front side surface of theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200, and viewing thebubble level 120 while maneuvering theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 into a vertical level position (i.e., vertically level with respect to the front and back sides of the protective case 210). - It is to be noted, however, that in some instances, an individual may mount the
trail camera 200 to an object at an elevated position, and then have the front-side of thetrail camera 200 pointing in a downwardly direction such that the front-side of thetrail camera 200 is not vertically level. In this instance, thebubble level 120 can also be utilized to estimate or otherwise determine through delineated markings on thebubble level 120, the degree to which the front-side of the trail camera is non-level and the angle of downward direction to which the trail camera is directionally orientated. In any event, when thetrail camera 200 is placed in a high position on or tree or post, and is facing downward, the front-to-back (vertical) level position is not as important as the side-to-side (horizontal) level position, as pointing the camera down at an angle diminishes the detection range, causing the intended target to be closer to the trail camera, which may bring unwanted attention to the flash illumination emitted from theinfrared LEDs 230. It is preferable to place thetrail camera 200 at a height of about 3 feet to about 4 feet from the ground, with both horizontal and vertical leveling. - In another embodiment, leveling can be performed by placing the flat
bottom side 116 of thedevice 100 against the upper surface 210-1 of theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 with the ends of thebubble level 120 facing the opposing sidewalls 210-2 of theprotective case 210, and viewing thebubble level 120 while maneuvering theprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 200 into a vertically level position (i.e., vertically level with respect to the sides 210-2 of the protective case 210). In this instance, when theprotective case 210 comprises a rib element or flange element on the upper surface 210-1 of theprotective case 210, the flatbottom side 116 of thedevice 100 can be placed on the upper surface 210-1 of theprotective case 210 with the cut-outgroove 150 disposed over the rib or flange element so that thedevice 100 lays flat on the upper surface 210-1 of theprotective case 210. - In other embodiments, as noted above, the
adapter element 140 of thedevice 100 is configured for use with bracket-type trail cameras in which a bracket element is first mounted to a fixed object (e.g., a tree) and the trail camera is mounted to the bracket. Theadapter element 140 allows an individual to directionally orientate and level a trail camera bracket prior to installing the trail camera to the bracket. Various types of camera mounts exist which include gimbal, ball bearings to provide additional angles on a longitude and latitude plane from a fixed position. Such mounts support trail cameras with threaded inserts allows the trail cameras to be rotate 360 degrees and be tilted up and down about 120 degrees, with simple designs of screwing the camera mounts directly into trees. -
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3B schematically illustrate a method of using thedevice 100 for leveling and directionally orienting a camera mount, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 3A is a perspective view which shows a trailcamera mounting bracket 300 connected to a tree, wherein the mountingbracket 300 comprises a slottedbracket member 302 which comprises anelongated slot 304. Theelongated slot 304 is configured to engage a mounting stub that is disposed on the backside of a trail camera protective case to connect the trail camera to the mountingbracket 300. In this embodiment, thedevice 100 is utilized to directionally orientate and level the mountingbracket 300 before screwing the mounting bracket to the tree, as shown inFIG. 3A . - In particular,
FIGS. 3B and 3C schematically illustrate a method for slideably mounting theadapter element 140 of thedevice 100 to the slottedbracket member 302.FIG. 3B shows illustrates an initial position of thedevice 100 where theadapter element 140 is positioned at an open end of theelongated slot 304. As shown inFIG. 3B , thestub element 144 of theadapter 140 comprises opposing flat sidewalls 144-1 which define a width W that is substantially the same as the width W of theelongated slot 304 at a closed end of theelongated slot 304.FIG. 3C illustrates a final position of thedevice 100 where theadapter element 140 is positioned at the closed end (bottom end) of theelongated slot 304. This is achieved by inserting thestub element 144 of theadapter 140 into the open end of theelongated slot 304 with the slottedbracket member 302 disposed between theflat backside 118 of thedevice 100 and thewide flange element 142 of theadaptor 140, and then sliding thedevice 100 down to the bottom end of theelongated slot 304. - In this configuration as shown in
FIG. 3C , the wide flange element (which is wider than the width W of theslot 304, holds theflat backside 118 of thedevice 100 against the front face of the slottedbracket member 302, while the opposing flat sidewalls 144-1 of thestub element 144 keep thedevice 100 in a fixed position/orientation by preventing thedevice 100 from rotating with theadaptor element 140 engaged with slottedbracket member 302. Furthermore, in the configuration shown inFIGS. 3C , thedevice 100, and thus thebubble level 120, is positioned “square” with a vertical longitudinal axis of the slottedbracket member 302, which allows the slottedbracket member 302 to be vertically leveled using thebubble level 120. - As shown in
FIG. 3A , with thedevice 100 mounted to the slottedbracket member 302 of the mountingbracket 300, thecompass 130 of thedevice 100 is utilized to determine which side of the tree (or other stationary object) is facing a desired direction (e.g., northward direction) so that when thetrail camera 200 is mounted to the object, thelens 220 of the visible light camera and the flashillumination IR LEDs 230 are facing in the desired direction (e.g., northward direction). Once the proper location is determined, an individual can place the mountingbracket 300 in a vertical position against the side of the tree and view thebubble level 120 while maneuvering the mountingbracket 300 into a vertical level position. - It is to be understood that the
device 100 ofFIGS. 1A and 1B can be utilized with other types of mounting brackets. For example, some trail camera mounting brackets provide an elaborate tripod, and pan-tilt mechanism which comprises an element that is the same or similar to the slottedbracket member 302 as shown inFIGS. 3A-3C , wherein the slottedbracket member 302 is coupled to a tripod socket mechanism, wherein the tripod socket mechanism is screwed to, e.g., a tree or post, and wherein the tripod socket mechanism is configured to adjust the slottedbracket member 302 in three dimensions. - In another embodiment, a trail camera can be directionally orientated and leveled using bubble levels and a compass element that are integrated with the protective housing. For example,
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates atrail camera 400 having a compass element and bubble level elements which are integrally formed, or otherwise mounted to, aprotective case 210 of thetrail camera 400. In particular, thetrail camera 400 ofFIG. 4 is similar to thetrail camera 200 ofFIG. 2 , except that thetrail camera 400 comprises acompass element 410 which is integrally formed on or within the upper surface 210-1 of theprotective case 210 to allow an individual to directionally orientate thetrail camera 400. In addition, thetrail camera 400 comprises afirst bubble level 420 which is disposed on, or within, the sidewall 210-2 of theprotective case 210 to allow an individual to vertically level the front and back sides of theprotective case 210. Further, thetrail camera 400 comprises asecond bubble level 430 which is disposed on, or within, a frontside surface (e.g., hinged cover 250) of theprotective case 210 to allow an individual to vertically level the sidewalls 210-2 of theprotective case 210. It is to be understood that the positions of thecompass element 410 andbubble levels FIG. 4 are merely an illustrative example for positioning such elements, and that such elements can be disposed in other areas of theprotective case 210. For example, in some embodiments, theprotective case 210 can have a circular bubble level disposed on, or within, the upper surface 210-1 which allows thetrail camera 400 to be leveled side-to-side and front-to-back using the single circular bubble level. - In other embodiments of the disclosure, a trail camera can be designed with digital level and compass circuitry with proper user interfaces to allow users to directionally orientate and level the trail camera using digitally displayed level and directional orientation information. For example,
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an electronic system of a trail camera which implements digital circuity that is configured to sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIG. 5 , theelectronic system 500 comprises acircuit board 510 which comprises various integrated circuit (IC) chips and electronic components such as one ormore processors 511, visible light camera circuity 512 (e.g., imager and read-out circuity), infraredLED driver circuitry 513,digital level circuitry 514,digital compass circuitry 515, PIRmotion sensor circuitry 516, and memory 517 (volatile and non-volatile memory), which are connected using one or more internal busses 518 (e.g., system bus, frontside bus, expansion bus, and/or others suitable types of hardware busses) and associated bridges. In addition, theelectronic system 500 comprises an electronic display 520 (e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD)) to display various types of control information and captured images, etc.,control buttons 530 to control functionality and operation of the trail camera, and a removable memory card 540 (e.g., SD card) to provide added storage for captured images and video files. - The
processors 511 comprise one or more types of hardware processors that are configured to process program instructions and data to execute a native operating system (OS) and program code that is executed by theprocessor 511 to implements various functions of a trail camera. Theprocessors 511 may comprise one or more central processing units (CPUs), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and other types of processors, as well as portions or combinations of such processors. The term “processor” as used herein is intended to be broadly construed so as to include any type of processor that performs processing functions based on software, hardware, firmware, etc. - The
memory 517 comprises various types of memory such as volatile random-access memory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic RAM), non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM), or other types of memory, in any combination. Thememory 517 comprises “system memory” which comprises volatile and/or non-volatile memory that is used to store application program instructions that are read and processed by theprocessors 511 to execute the trail camera OS and one or more programs or processes to implement the various functionalities of the trail camera, and to temporarily store data that is utilized and/or generated by the OS and application programs being executed by the processor. In addition, thememory 517 provides persistent memory to persistently store configuration and/or control settings of the trail camera, which are used to control and implement functions of the trail camera which are executed by, or under control of, theprocessors 511. Thememory 517 can be implemented using a flash memory device, an SSD (solid state drive) device, or other types and combinations of non-volatile memory devices, which are suitable for the given application. - The visible
light camera circuitry 512, and the PIRmotion sensor circuity 516 are implemented using known imagers and sensors (e.g., visible light imagers, thermal IR sensors, etc.), associated read-out circuity, and IR sensor processing circuity commonly implemented in trail cameras. The infraredLED driver circuitry 513 comprises, or is otherwise responsive to control signals generated by, light detection circuitry (e.g., photodetectors and associated control/detection circuity) that is configured to detect a level of ambient light in the environment that is captured by thelight sensors 222, and generate a control signal to cause theinfrared LEDs 230 to be activated when the level of ambient light is below a given threshold level at a time when a digital image or video is being taken. - In some embodiments, the
digital level circuitry 514 anddigital compass circuitry 515 are implemented using commercially available, or proprietary state-of-the-art, digital level and orientation sensing technologies. For example, in some embodiments, thedigital compass circuity 515 is implemented using magnetic sensor technology or magneto-inductive technology which is configured to electronically sense and the earth's magnetic field to determine directional orientation. Thedigital level circuity 514 can be implemented using, for example, any suitable electronic inclinometer sensor technology which is configured to electronically sense the inclination, slope or tilt of an object. For example, in some embodiments, an accelerometer sensor can be utilized to implement an electronic level using known techniques. In some embodiments, thedigital level circuity 514 is implemented to enable side-to-side leveling of the trail camera and front-to-back leveling of the trail camera. -
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates atrail camera 600 which comprises an electronic system that is configured to electronically sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In some embodiments, thetrail camera 600 implements theelectronic system 500 shown inFIG. 5 to implement various camera functions including digital circuity for sensing and displaying directional orientation and level position information for thetrail camera 600.FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of thetrail camera 200 ofFIG. 2 with thecover element 250 opened to show acontrol interface 610 comprising anLCD screen 612, andvarious control buttons control button 614 comprises a sliding button that can be slideably moved from an “OFF” position (where thetrail camera 600 is turned off) to other positions to perform functions such as, e.g., (i) “Direction” to sense and display a directional orientation of thetrail camera 600, (ii) “Level” to sense and display level information of thetrail camera 600, (iii) “Start” to start an automatic image capture mode and (iv) “Playback” to playback captured images, etc. In other embodiments, the leveling and direction modes can be selectively activated by utilizing thecontrol buttons 616 to toggle through operational modes of the trail camera which are displayed on theLCD screen 612 and selecting a desired operational mode (e.g., level mode, direction mode, etc.) using a select (SEL) button of thecontrol buttons 616. -
FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a method for displaying directional orientation information of a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In particular,FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary mode of operation of thetrail camera 600 ofFIG. 6 in the “Direction” operational mode to sense and display a directional orientation of thetrail camera 600. In the “Direction” mode, theLCD screen 612 can display an indicator 700 (e.g., “Camera Direction”) to provide an indication to the user that thetrail camera 600 is in a “Direction” sensing mode. In the Direction sensing mode, avirtual compass 702 can be displayed to visually illustrate a directional orientation of thetrail camera 600 with respect to a displayedpointer 704. In addition to the virtual compass 720 (or alternative to the virtual compass 702), theLCD screen 610 can displaytextual direction information 706 to illustrate a directional orientation of thetrail camera 600. In addition, as an optional feature, atextual suggestion 708 can be displayed to remind the user that that best image capturing results can be obtained by facing thetrail camera 600 in a northerly direction. It is to be understood thatFIG. 7 illustrates non-limiting exemplary embodiments for displaying camera direction information on theLCD screen 612, and that other techniques can be implemented for rendering and displaying direction information on theLCD screen 612. -
FIGS. 8A and 8B schematically illustrate methods for displaying level position information of a trail camera, according to embodiments of the disclosure. In particular,FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary mode of operation of thetrail camera 600 ofFIG. 6 in the “Level” mode to sense and display the levelness of thetrail camera 600. In some embodiments, in the “Level” mode, theLCD screen 612 can display an indicator 800 (e.g., “Level Position”) to provide an indication to the user that thetrail camera 600 is in the “Level” mode. In the “Level” mode, a front-back indicator 810 can be displayed to show the degree of levelness (or non-levelness) of thetrail camera 600 relative to the front and back side surfaces of thetrail camera 600. In addition, a side-side indicator 820 can be displayed to show the degree of levelness (or non-levelness) of thetrail camera 600 relative to the sides of thetrail camera 600. In other embodiments, the level position information (side-to-side and/or back-to-front) can be displayed using virtual bubble levels in which virtual bubble levels are displayed in conjunction with numerical values or graphics which indicate pitch and level. - In some embodiments, as shown in
FIG. 8A , the level indication can be illustrated by displaying fixed solid lines 812 (F-B) and 822 (L-R) which provide level reference indicators (e.g., azimuth horizon), and movable dashedlines trail camera 600 with respect to the fixedreference lines numerical values level lines FIG. 8A , the front-back level information 810 shows that the front surface (F) of the trail camera is facing downward at an angle of 35 degrees relative to thereference level 812, and that the right side (R) of the trail camera is tilted downward at an angle of 15 degrees relative to thereference level 822. It is to be understood thatFIG. 8A illustrates non-limiting exemplary embodiments for displaying camera level information on theLCD screen 612, and that other techniques can be implemented for rendering and displaying level information on theLCD screen 612. - For example,
FIG. 8B illustrates an exemplary mode of operation of thetrail camera 600 ofFIG. 6 in the “Level” mode to sense and display the levelness of thetrail camera 600, wherein first and secondvirtual bubble levels FIG. 8B , a singlevirtual bubble level 850 can be displayed which visually illustrates both front-to-back levelness and side-to-side levelness. In particular, the singlevirtual bubble level 850 comprises a circular bull's eye bubble level which allows for leveling of planes in two dimensions. - It is to be understood that the type of level information and directional information that is displayed on the
LCD screen 612 can vary depending on the resolution and/or size of theLCD screen 612. For example, some trail cameras have low grade, low resolution and small size LCD screens which are not designed to display images, and which are configured to display low resolution textual characters. In this regard, the direction information that is display on such LCD screens can be limited to, e.g., thetextual direction information 706 ofFIG. 7 . In addition, level information that is displayed on small, low resolution LCD screens can be limited to, e.g., thenumerical values FIGS. 8A and 8B which provide an indication of the degree of inclination of the font-back and side-side relative to a fixed reference level (e.g., either horizontal or vertical reference). - In other embodiments of the disclosure, the
device 100 ofFIGS. 1A and 1B can include an electronic level and an electronic compass instead of thephysical bubble levels 120 and physicalmagnetic compass 130 elements. In this regard, thedevice 100 could have digital level circuitry and digital compass circuitry, a battery, and a small LCD screen, and a microprocessor to render and display level and orientation information on the small LCD screen, using methods as discussed herein. - In other embodiments of the disclosure, trail cameras are configured to allow users to wirelessly access and control their trail cameras through an application user interface that is rendered on a computing device or system apart from the trail camera. In such embodiments, the application user interface is configured with functionality that allows a user to wirelessly access directional orientation and level position information from the user's trail camera, and display or otherwise render such directional orientation and level position information on the user's computing device. For example,
FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a system that is configured to enable wireless access to directional orientation and level position information of a trail camera, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. - More specifically,
FIG. 9 illustrates asystem 900 which comprises a plurality ofuser computing devices communications network 940, aservice provider 950, and awireless trail camera 960. The computing devices include, for example, anelectronic tablet 910, asmart phone 920, and alaptop computer 930. Thecomputing devices service provider 950 and thewireless trail camera 960 over thecommunications network 940. In some embodiments, theservice provider 950 comprises a website that is supported and maintained by a trail camera manufacturer, wherein theservice provider 950 provides access to atrail camera application 952 to access and control thewireless trail camera 960. In some embodiments, the user can download thetrail camera application 952 to one or more of the user'scomputing devices wireless trail camera 960 over thecommunications network 940. In other embodiments, thetrail camera application 952 comprises a web application which can be accessed on a website of theservice provider 950 to enable web-based access and control of thetrail camera 960. - The
communications network 940 may comprise any known communications network such as, a global computer network (e.g., the Internet), a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), an intranet, a satellite network, a telephone or cable network, a cellular network (e.g., 3G, 4G (LTE), 5G), a wireless network such as Wi-Fi or WiMAX, or various portions or combinations of these and other types of communications networks. In this regard, the term “network” as used herein is therefore intended to be broadly construed so as to encompass a wide variety of different network arrangements, including combinations of multiple networks possibly of different types, which enable wireless communications with thewireless trail camera 960. - The
wireless trail camera 960 comprises a housing 970 (e.g., protective case), a visible light camera comprising alens element 220,infrared LEDs 230 for flash illumination,light sensors 222, and aPIR motion detector 240 comprising, e.g., aFresnel lens cover 242, similar to the exemplary trail camera embodiments discussed above. Thewireless trail camera 960 comprises aback cover element 980 which is connected to thehousing 970 by ahinge element 982. Theback cover element 980 can be opened to access a camera power supply (e.g., batteries), control buttons (e.g., an on/off button), and status LEDs which provide status information of thewireless trail camera 960 regarding, e.g., battery power level, network connectivity, user account status, etc. - The
wireless trail camera 960 further comprises an antenna 990 (and internal wireless transceiver circuity, cellular modem, etc.) to enable wireless communication with thewireless trail camera 960. The type of antenna that is implemented will depend on the type of wireless connectivity (e.g., WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, etc.) that is supported by thewireless trail camera 960. For example, in some embodiments, theantenna 990 comprise a multiband omnidirectional antenna that is coupled to thehousing 970 using a suitable connector (e.g., N connector). -
FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an electronic system of wireless trail camera which implements circuitry that is configured to sense and display directional orientation and level position information for the trail camera and wirelessly transmit such information to a computing device of a user, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. More specifically,FIG. 10 illustrate anelectronic system 1000 which can be implemented in thewireless trail camera 960 ofFIG. 9 . Theelectronic system 1000 comprises acircuit board 1010 which comprises various IC chips and electronic components such asprocessors 511, visible light camera circuity 512 (e.g., imager and read-out circuity), infraredLED driver circuitry 513,digital level circuitry 514,digital compass circuitry 515, PIRmotion sensor circuitry 516, memory 517 (volatile and non-volatile memory), and amemory card 540, which are connected using one or more internal busses 518 (e.g., system bus, frontside bus, expansion bus, and/or others suitable types of hardware busses) and associated bridges. The IC chips andcomponents FIG. 5 , so a detailed description of the configuration and functions of such components will not be repeated. - In addition, to support wireless connectivity and communication, the
electronic system 1000 comprisescellular modem 1120, a subscriber identification module (SIM)card 1130, and awireless transceiver 1140. In some embodiments, thecellular modem 1120 is utilized to enable cellular connectivity to thewireless trail camera 960 using a cellular communications network (e.g., Cellular 3G, 4G (LTE) and/or 5G cellular network service). Thecellular modem 1120 can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) card or PCI express (PCIe) card that plugs into a PCI or PCIe slot in thecircuit board 1010. In other embodiments, a satellite modem is utilized instead of, or in addition to, thecellular modem 1120, to enable wireless communication using a satellite communications network. - The
SIM card 1130 is implemented in conjunction with thecellular modem 1120 to enable wireless communication over a cellular communications network. TheSIM card 1130 comprises an IC chip that is configured to store a unique identification number (e.g., ICCID), a phone number, and other information associated with the consumer. The ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card ID) is a globally unique serial number that uniquely identifies theSIM card 1130. - The
wireless transceiver 1140 is implemented to enable wireless communication on a wireless local area network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network). Thewireless transceiver 1140 can be implemented using standard or proprietary wireless protocols. For example, in some embodiments, thewireless transceiver 1140 implements one or more wireless networking standards in the 802.11 set of protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi 802.11). In some embodiments, thewireless transceiver 1140 implements other wireless protocols such as Bluetooth or near field communication (NFC) to enable short-range wireless communication with thewireless trail camera 960. It is to be understood that depending on the desired wireless capabilities, thewireless transceiver 1140 can be implemented in conjunction with, or in place of, thecellular modem 1120, to support wireless connectivity with thewireless trail camera 960. - In other embodiments, although not shown in
FIGS. 5 and 10 , theelectronic systems electronic systems FIGS. 5 and 10 can implement Geo-tag GPS (global positioning system,) tagging capabilities to keep track of the location of the associated trail camera to, e.g., protect against theft of the trail camera. - In some embodiments, unlike the embodiment shown in
FIG. 6 , thewireless trail camera 960 does not include an electronic display (e.g., LCD) screen or control buttons to control functionalities of thewireless trail camera 960. Instead, a user will access and control the functions of thewireless trail camera 960 through an application user interface of thetrail camera application 952 which is downloaded from theservice provider 950 and which executes on the user's computing device (e.g., smart phone 920). When a user purchases thewireless trail camera 960, the user will commence a registration process with, e.g., theservice provider 950 to register thewireless trail camera 960, establish a registered user account, download thetrail camera application 952 which enables remote access to trail camera controls and image/video management, and select a given data plan to activate and utilize the cellular communication functions of the wireless trail camera (assuming that the wireless trail camera supports cellular connectivity). - During the registration process, the user will upload a camera identification code to the
service provider 950, which uniquely identifies thewireless trail camera 960. For example, in some embodiments, the camera identification code will be a bar code which is accessible by opening theback cover 980 of thewireless trail camera 960. The bar code is any type of static one-dimensional or multi-dimensional bar code such as a UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode or a QR code (Quick Response Code), which uniquely identifies thewireless trail camera 960. In some embodiments, the camera identification code comprises a globally unique mobile equipment identifier (MEID) or International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), which uniquely identifies thewireless trail camera 960. - Furthermore, during the registration process, in embodiments where the
wireless trail camera 960 supports cellular wireless communication, the user can select a given wireless data plan to enable wireless access and control of thetrail camera 960 using cellular wireless communications. The type of wireless data plans will vary depending on the manufacture service provider of the trail camera. For example, the wireless data plans can be implemented based on, e.g., payment of a monthly fee, which can include unlimited data or a maximum allocated amount of data (e.g., downloaded images and/or video), etc. Some service providers can provide free wireless data plans for up to a certain number (e.g., 100) of downloaded images. The wireless data plan for a given wireless trail camera can be linked to the camera IMEI and/or the SIM card ICCID. - When the user account is established, images and videos can be transmitted from the
wireless trail camera 960 directly to a computing device (e.g.,tablet 910,smart phone 920, and/or laptop computer 930) of the user. Thetrail camera application 952 can be used for access to camera controls and image management. For example, a user can utilize thetrail camera application 952 to perform functions such as (i) managing account settings and user preferences; (ii) monitoring data usage and data plans; (iii) adjusting and controlling various settings of the wireless trail camera, (iv) configuring settings for automatic transmission of captured images and/or videos (e.g., instant or delayed transmission); and (v) viewing and organizing captured images and videos. - In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, the
trail camera application 952 is configured to provide one or more user interfaces which allow a user to activate thedigital level circuitry 514 and/or thedigital compass circuitry 515 when mounting thewireless trail camera 960 to a fixed object (e.g., tree), and have camera levelness information and directional orientation information wirelessly transmitted in real-time from thewireless trail camera 960 to the user's computing device (e.g., smart phone) as the user is setting the wireless trail camera into proper position (e.g., strapping the wireless trail camera to a tree). For example, in some embodiments, thetrail camera application 952 is configured to render and display the directional orientation information and camera levelness information on a display screen of the user's computing device (e.g., smart phone) in the same or similar manner as shown inFIGS. 7, 8A and 8B . In this configuration, the user can view the directional orientation and levelness information that is displayed on the screen of the user's computing device as the user is maneuvering thewireless trail camera 960 into the desired position. - In some embodiments, the levelness and directional orientation information can be wirelessly transmitted from the
wireless trail camera 960 to the user's computing device using Bluetooth or NFC. In this instance, it is assumed that the computing device (e.g., smart phone) that is being utilized by the user to set thewireless trail camera 960 in position is in close proximity to thewireless trail camera 960 such that thetrail camera 960 and user computing device can be wirelessly linked using Bluetooth or NFC to enable wireless transmission of the levelness and directional orientation information from thewireless trail camera 960 to the user's computing device without the need to utilize the cellular or Wi-Fi communications network. In instances where thetrail camera 960 and/or user computing device do not implement Bluetooth or NFC, the camera levelness and directional orientation information can be wirelessly transmitted from thewireless trail camera 960 to the user's computing device over the cellular or WiFi communications network. - Following the initial mounting of the trail camera, when the user is located remote from the
wireless trail camera 960, the user can utilize thetrail camera application 952 to obtain current, real-time information regarding the camera levelness and camera directional orientation information to ensure that the wireless trail camera remains in the desired position. For instance, overtime, the wireless trail camera may slightly or significantly move out of position due to, e.g., the loosening of the camera mounting strap, the camera being hit by flying debris in wind, etc. In this manner, the user can remotely track the positioning of the wireless trail camera to ensure that the trail camera remains relatively level, etc. - Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein with reference to the accompanying figures, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be made therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (9)
1. A trail camera comprising:
a protective case;
a camera fixedly disposed within the protective case; and
at least one bubble level integrally disposed on or within a surface of the protective case;
wherein the at least one bubble level is configured to enable vertical leveling of the trail camera.
2. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level is integrally disposed on or within a sidewall surface of the protective case.
3. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level is integrally disposed on or within a front side surface of the protective case.
4. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level is integrally disposed on or within an upper surface of the protective case.
5. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level comprises a first bubble level that is integrally disposed on or within a sidewall surface of the protective case and a second bubble level that is integrally disposed on or within a front side surface of the protective case.
6. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level comprises a first bubble level that is integrally disposed on or within a first surface of the protective case and a second bubble level that is integrally disposed on or within a second surface of the protective case, wherein the first and second bubble levels are disposed orthogonally to each other.
7. The trail camera of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bubble level comprises a circular bubble level disposed on or within an upper surface of the protective case.
8. A trail camera comprising:
a protective case;
a camera fixedly disposed within the protective case; and
a magnetic compass integrally disposed on or within a surface of the protective housing to provide directional orientation information with respect to viewing direction of the camera.
9. The trail camera of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic compass is disposed on or within an upper surface of the protective case.
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