WO2022078562A1

WO2022078562A1 - Mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device and method for operating thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2022078562A1
Application number: PCT/EA2020/050003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adil Suranchin; Iskander Rakhmanberdiyev; Alexander Moreno; Konstantin KLINKOV
Original assignee: Orbi Inc.
Priority date: 2020-10-15
Filing date: 2020-10-15
Publication date: 2022-04-21

Abstract

A mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, the mount comprises: a base for placing an object; a support member connected to the base and configured to position the mobile computing device in horizontal and vertical planes and to set the angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base; a holder of the mobile computing device, the holder mounted on the support member; an adjustable optical system attached to the support member and configured to adjust the field of view of the rear camera on the object, while the support member and the holder are configured such that the field of view of the rear camera is directed towards the adjustable optical system, while the user can see the screen of the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device of the presenter of the conference call comprises a unit for generating a virtual representation of the object mounted on the base, a unit for transmitting the virtual representation of the object to a mobile computing device of each participant and a unit for displaying a virtual representation of an object on a display. Also provided is a method of operating the mount.

Description

MOUNT DESIGNED FOR POSITIONING AND ORIENTING A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THEREOF

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a device for mounting a mobile computing device , and more particularly, to a mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device and a method of operating thereof . The mount can be used for positioning, orienting and fixing the mobile computing device in a desired position relative to an obj ect placed on the base so that multiple participants can collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in a real time , in particular, during a conference call .

Background of the Invention

A mobile computing device mount is a device that is configured to position and orient a video camera of a mobile computing device in a desired position, thereby softening blur in an image captured by a video camera that is caused by movement of the video camera .

Known from prior art is a display positioning system ( see , for example , US 2016/ 0282901 (patent US 9501096 ) ) , published September 29 , 2016 ) , configured for positioning a display for interaction and/or virtuali zation of tangible interface obj ects . According to an example embodiment , the display pos itioning system includes a display stand including a positioning portion having a recess , supports connected to the positioning portion, and an insert . The supports are configured to cooperatively support the positioning portion when the di splay is situated on a support surface . The insert may include an elongated body configured to slidably insert into the recess , the recess may be configured to receive and removably retain the insert , the insert and recess being correspondingly shaped . The elongated body includes an upwardly facing surface having a concavity shaped to receive and removably retain at least an edge portion of a computing device display when the insert is inserted into the recess of the display stand and equipped with the computing device display .

The design of the display positioning system does not provide for fixing the mobile computing device in the required position relative to the obj ect so that the obj ect falls into the field of view of the rear video camera that forms a virtual representation of this obj ect . Therefore , many participants cannot collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in real time , in particular, during a conference call .

Most closely related to the present invention is a phone camera tablet bipod support system ( see , for example , US 9644783 B2 , published may 9, 2017 ) that serves as a compact and pocketable camera support that attaches to an outer separate case or directly to the camera, tablet or phone body . This system ( fig . l ) uses one or more legs and/or other support features that fold away from the base and support the device whether it is a camera, phone or laptop/ tablet computing device .

The system represents a collapsible assembly for supporting a personal electronic device ( PED) for hands- free usage , the collapsible assembly comprising : a base member attached to the PED, the base member moveable from a collapsed position where the base member is directly adj acent to a first external surface of the PED to a deployed position where the base member is spaced apart from the first external surface of the PED; at least one leg rotatably connected to the base member, the at least one leg moveable from a first leg collapsed position where the at least one leg is at least partially positioned within a first recess formed in the base member to a f irst leg deployed position where a distal portion of the at least one leg is rotated to a position that is spaced apart from the base member .

The design of the collapsible assembly for supporting a personal electronic device for hands-free usage does not provide for fixing the mobile computing device in the required position relative to the obj ect so that the obj ect falls into the field of view of the rear video camera that forms a virtual representation of this obj ect . Therefore , many participants cannot collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in real time , in particular, during a conference call .

Summary of the Invention

The obj ect of the present invention is to provide a mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, the design of the mount ensuring fixing the mobile computing device in the desired position relative to the obj ect , at which position the obj ect placed on the base of the mount falls into the field of view of the rear camera that forms a virtual representation of the obj ect , being forwarded to participants of a conference call in real time , allowing multiple participants a possibility to collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in real time during a conference call .

The obj ect of the present invention is also to provide a method of operating a mount for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera that forms a virtual representation of the obj ect that is fixed on the base of the mount and falls into the field of view of the rear camera, said virtual representation of the obj ect being forwarded to participants of a conference call in real time , allowing multiple participants a possibility to collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in real time during a conference call .

The obj ect is attained by providing a mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, the mount comprising : a base for placing an obj ect ; a support member connected to the base and configured to position the mobile computing device in hori zontal and vertical planes and to set the angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base ; a holder of the mobile computing device , the holder mounted on the support member, an adj ustable optical system attached to the support member and configured to adj ust the field of view of the rear camera on the obj ect , while the support member and the holder are configured such that the field of view of the rear camera is directed towards the adj ustable optical system, while the user can see the screen of the mobile computing device , wherein the mobile computing device of the presenter comprises a unit for generating a virtual representation of the obj ect mounted on the base , a unit for transmitting the virtual representation of the obj ect to a mobile computing device of each participant of the conference call and a unit for displaying a virtual representation of an obj ect on a display .

Preferably, the support member comprises at least one pair of hinged rods , one of the pair of rods being pivotally connected to the base .

Preferably, the support member is in the form of a flexible leg .

Preferably, the base comprises built-in clamps configured to fix the obj ect on the base .

Preferably, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional obj ect is used as the obj ect .

Preferably, a paper medium is used as the two-dimensional ob j ect .

Preferably, at least one reflective element is used as an adj ustable optical system .

Preferably, a polished metal plate is used as the reflective element , said polished metal plate is configured to form a reflection of the obj ect without distortion, including reflection angles more than 45 degrees .

Preferably, a lens system is used as an adj ustable optical system . Preferably, at least one support member comprises an additional rod, pivotally connected to said pair of rods , wherein the adj ustable optical system is mounted on the support member by means of an additional rod, said additional rod is configured to adj ust the angle of inclination of the reflective element so as to direct the field of view of the rear camera to the obj ect .

Preferably, each of hinges comprises a locking mechanism that ensures the hinge to be locked in the desired position .

Preferably, the holder comprises built-in light sources located around the perimeter of the holder to distribute light evenly over the obj ect .

Preferably, the mount further comprises an electrical connector located on the support member and designed to supply power to the built-in light sources .

Preferably, the mobile computing device comprises a front camera ; the field of view of the front camera is directed towards the conference presenter .

The obj ect is further attained by providing a method of operating the mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of : placing the holder, that is fixed to the support member, in a hori zontal position above the middle part of the base at a distance of 20-25 cm from the base and fixing the holder by means of cl amp s ; placing the mobile computing device in the holder ; displaying the image transmitted from the rear camera on the display of the mobile computing device ; positioning the mobile computing device in the hori zontal and vertical planes on the support member and setting a certain angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base so that the field of view of the rear camera is directed to the adj ustable optical system, wherein the user can simultaneously see the screen of the mobile computing device , adj usting manually the adj ustable optical system, so that a speci fied area of the base intended for disposing the obj ect completely falls into the field of view of the rear camera ; placing the obj ect on the speci fied area of the base ; forming a virtual representation of the obj ect , transmitting the virtual representation of the obj ect to the mobile computing device of each participant and displaying the virtual representation of the obj ect on the display of the mobile computing device of each participant in the conference call in real time .

The technical ef fect achieved by the claimed invention is that the design of the mount allows a plurality of users , at least one of which has the mount , to collaborate on a virtual representation of an obj ect placed on the mount base in real time due to the presence of a reflective element , for example , a mirror pivotally mounted to direct the view of the rear camera of the mobile computing device to the obj ect on the mount base , so that the user can simultaneously view the screen of the mobile computing device , receive images of the obj ect fixed on the base , on the rear camera of the device , wherein the characteristics and design of the adj ustable optical system allow capturing the obj ect without distortion . In addition, conference participants can add edits and comments to the virtual view in real time .

Further, the invention makes it possible to provide video calls with other participants of the conference call in case the mobile computing device has a front camera .

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention is hereinafter explained by the description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which :

Fig . l illustrates a general view of a phone camera tablet bipod support system known from prior art ;

Fig . 2 illustrates a general side view of a mount for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera ; the field of view of the camera is shown, according to the invention;

Fig . 3 illustrates a general front view of the mount with an adj ustable optical system in the form of a reflective element fixed on a support member ;

Fig . 4 illustrates a general front view of the mount and the mobile computing device mounted on the a support member ;

Fig . 5 illustrates a general side view of the mount from below; built-in light sources located along the perimeter of the holder are shown;

Fig . 6 illustrates a general view of the mount in a folded state ;

Fig . 7 illustrates a general rear view of the mount with the mobile computing device and the adj ustable optical system .

Description of Preferred Embodiments

Various technologies pertaining to the mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device and a method of operating thereof are now described with reference to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to the like elements throughout . In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous speci fic details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects .

According to the invention a mount 1 ( fig . 2 ) is provided, the mount is designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device 2 having a rear camera 3 ; the mount 1 comprises a base 4 for placing an obj ect 5 .

A two-dimensional obj ect , for example , a flat obj ect , such as a sheet of paper with text or a drawing, or three-dimensional obj ect (not shown) can be used as the obj ect 5 .

The mount 1 also comprises a support member 6 connected to the base 4 and configured to position the mobile computing device 2 in horizontal and vertical planes and to set the angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base 4.

The support member 6 comprises at least one pair of hinged rods, one of the pair of rods being pivotally connected to the base 4.

In the described embodiment the support member 6 comprises two pairs of hinged rods 7, 8 and 9, 10, wherein one rod 8 and 10 of the each pair of rods, correspondingly, being pivotally connected to the base 4. The hinge elements 11, 12 connecting the rods 7, 8 and 9, 10 are mounted on the element 13.

The rods 8 and 10 are attached to the substrate 4 by means of hinges 15 and 16, respectively.

An embodiment is possible where the supporting element 6 is in the form of a flexible leg (not shown) .

A holder 17 of the mobile computing device 2 is mounted on the support member 6 by means of the hinge elements 18 and 19.

The mount 1 for positioning and orienting the mobile computing device 2 also comprises an adjustable optical system 20 (fig.3) attached to the support element 6 and configured to adjust the field of view of the rear camera 3 of the mobile computing device 2 on the object 5. The support member 6 and the holder 17 are configured such that the field of view of the rear camera 3 is directed towards the adjustable optical system 20, while the user can see the screen 21 of the mobile computing device 2 (fig.4) . The adjustable optical system 20 captures the image of the object 5 and ensures that the object 5 falls into the field of view of the rear camera 3 (shown in dashed lines) .

According to the described embodiment, at least one reflective element is used as an adjustable optical system 20.

In the preferred embodiment, the support member 6 comprises two additional rods 22, 23 (fig.3) , pivotally connected to said pair of rods 7, 8 and 9, 10, correspondingly. Herewith the adjustable optical system 20 is mounted on the support element 6 by means of said additional rods 22, 23 that are configured to adjust the angle of inclination of the reflective element so as to direct the field of view of the rear camera 3 to the object 5.

In the described embodiment, a polished metal plate is used as the reflective element, configured to form a reflection of the object 5 without distortion, particularly, when reflection angles are more than 45 degrees.

It is possible that the adjustable optical system 20 is a lens system (not shown) .

Each of hinges 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 comprises a locking mechanism (not shown) that ensures the hinge is locked in the desired position.

Due to the design of the support element 6, the optical system 20 can be adjusted in height and tilt in such a way as to ensure the operation of the mobile computing device 2 with a different arrangement of the field of view of the rear camera 3. The adjustment limits allow the optical system to be configured for various mobile computing devices with cameras with different viewing angles and different locations.

The base 4 comprises built-in clamps 24, 25, 26, 27 (fig. 4) configured to fix the object 5 on the base.

The mount 1 comprises built-in light sources 28 located around the perimeter of the holder 17 to distribute light evenly over the object 5.

The mount 1 further comprises an electrical connector 29 (fig.2) located on the support member 6 and designed to supply power to the built-in light sources 28.

The mobile computing device 2 comprises a front camera 30 (fig.4) , the field of view of the front camera is directed towards the conference call presenter.

While the mount 1 can be used simply to orient and lock the computing device in the desired position, it also provides numerous advantages including, but not limited to, providing an inexpensive alternative for developing a virtually unlimited range of applications that use physical object detection and recognition algorithms .

A method of operating the mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera is realized in the following way.

In case when it is required to obtain an image of an object 5 on the display of the mobile computing device 2, the following steps are performed.

First, the mount is moved from the folded position (fig. 6) to the unfolded position.

The holder 17 is placed above the middle of the base 4, at a height of about 20-25 cm (fig. 2) from it in a horizontal position. The clamps of the hinge elements 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19 are used to fix the position of the rods 7, 8, 9, 10 and the holder 17.

The object 5 is placed on the base 4 (fig. 4) , for example, it can be a sheet of paper with a picture and a text.

Lighting is turned on to provide illumination of the object 5 on the base 4.

Then the mobile computing device 2, for example, a mobile phone or tablet, is mounted in the holder 17 so that the lateral edge of the mobile computing device 2 is located in the recess 31 of the holder 17, ensuring stability.

The image transmitted from the rear camera 3 is transmitted on the display 21 of the mobile computing device 2.

Performing positioning of the mobile computing device 2 in the horizontal and vertical planes on the support member 6 and setting a certain angle of inclination of the mobile computing device 2 relative to the base 6 so that the field of view of the rear camera 3 is directed to the adjustable optical system 20. In the meantime, the user can see the screen 21 of the mobile computing device 2. Then adjusting manually the adjustable optical system 20, so that a specified area of the base intended for disposing the obj ect 5 completely falls into the field of view of the rear camera 3 .

The mobile computing device 2 is positioned in a predetermined position at an angle relative to the base 4 on two elements , i . e . in the recess 31 of the holder 17 and resting on the element 23 . For a more stable fastening, all elements can be equipped with additional locks (not shown) .

Since the mobile computing device 2 is facing the user, the camera 3 and the adj ustable optical system 20 are not visible in f ig . 4 .

The mobile computing device 2 is moved by the user to the right or left on the holder 17 , the rear camera 3 is directed j ust below the upper edge of the reflective element of the adj ustable optical system 20 so that the obj ect 5 completely falls into the field of view of the rear camera 3 of the mobile computing device 2 .

Fig . 2 shows the direction of the field of view of the rear camera 3 to the reflective element of the adj ustable optical system

20 .

The image of the obj ect 5 falls on the reflective element of the adj ustable optical system 20 , said image is captured by the rear camera 3 .

The image captured by camera 3 i s displayed on the display

21 of the mobile computing device 2 .

At the same time , a virtual representation of the obj ect 5 is formed, the virtual representation of the obj ect is transmitted to the mobile computing device of each conference participant , and the virtual representation of the obj ect is displayed on the display of the mobile computing device of each participant of the conference call in real time .

In case one of the participants of the conference call proposes to make a correction on the image of obj ect 5 , the following steps are carried out . The field of view of the rear camera 3 is directed downward to the obj ect 5 located on the base 4 by means of the reflective element of the optical system 20 .

Fig . 7 shows the possible location of the user ' s eyes and the direction of the gaze .

The user can make changes to the drawing of the obj ect 5 on a sheet of paper, while camera 3 of the computing device 2 will sequentially record all the user ' s actions . Then, as it is indicated above concerning the mode of obtaining an image of obj ect 5 on the display 21 of the mobile computing device 2 , the corrected image will fall on the reflective element of the optical system 20 , the corrected image will be captured by camera 3 and transmitted for processing and displaying on the display 21 of the mobile computing device 2 .

The corrected image is displayed and sent to other participants of the conference call using built-in wireless communication systems .

Industrial applicability

The mount can be used for positioning, orienting and fixing the mobile computing device in a desired position relative to an obj ect placed on the mount base so that multiple participants can collaborate on a virtual representation of the obj ect in a real time , in particular, during a conference call .

Claims

1. A mount designed for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, the mount comprising: a base for placing an object; a support member connected to the base and configured to position the mobile computing device in horizontal and vertical planes and to set the angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base; a holder of the mobile computing device, the holder mounted on the support member, an adjustable optical system attached to the support member and configured to adjust the field of view of the rear camera on the object, while the support member and the holder are configured such that the field of view of the rear camera is directed towards the adjustable optical system, while the user can see the screen of the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device of the presenter of the conference call comprises a unit for generating a virtual representation of the object mounted on the base, a unit for transmitting the virtual representation of the object to a mobile computing device of each participant and a unit for displaying a virtual representation of an object on a display.

2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the support member comprises at least one pair of hinged rods, one of the pair of rods being pivotally connected to the base.

3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the support member is in the form of a flexible leg.

4. The mount of claim 1, wherein the base comprises built- in clamps configured to fix the object on the base.

5. The mount of claim 4, wherein a two-dimensional or three- dimensional object is used as the object.

6. The mount of claim 5, wherein a paper medium is used as the two-dimensional object.

7 . The mount of claim 1 , wherein at least one reflective element is used as an adj ustable optical system.

8 . The mount of claim 7 , wherein a polished metal plate is used as the reflective element , said polished metal plate is configured to form a reflection of the obj ect without distortion, including reflection angles more than 45 degrees .

9 . The mount of claim 1 , wherein a lens system is used as an adj ustable optical system .

10 . The mount of claim 7 , wherein at least one support member comprises an additional rod, pivotally connected to said pair of rods , wherein the adj ustable optical system is mounted on the support member by means of an additional rod, said additional rod is configured to adj ust the angle of inclination of the reflective element so as to direct the field of view of the rear camera to the obj ect .

11 . The mount of claim 2 , wherein each of hinges comprises a locking mechanism that ensures the hinge to be locked in the desired position .

12 . The mount of claim 1 , wherein the holder compri ses built- in light sources located around the perimeter of the holder to distribute light evenly over the obj ect .

13 . The mount of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connector located on the support member and designed to supply power to the built-in light sources .

14 . The mount of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device comprises a front camera, wherein the field of view of the front camera is directed towards the conference presenter .

15 . A method of operating the mount for positioning and orienting a mobile computing device having a rear camera, of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of : placing the holder, that is fixed to the support member, in a hori zontal position above the middle part of the base at a distance of 20-25 cm from the base and fixing the holder by means of cl amp s ; 15 placing the mobile computing device in the holder ; displaying the image transmitted from the rear camera on the display of the mobile computing device ; positioning the mobile computing device in the hori zontal and vertical planes on the support member and setting a certain angle of inclination of the mobile computing device relative to the base so that the field of view of the rear camera is directed to the adj ustable optical system, wherein the user can simultaneously see the screen of the mobile computing device , adj usting manually the adj ustable optical system, so that a speci fied area of the base intended for disposing the obj ect completely falls into the field of view of the rear camera ; placing the obj ect on the speci fied area of the base ; forming a virtual representation of the obj ect , transmitting the virtual representation of the obj ect to the mobile computing device of each participant and displaying the virtual representation of the obj ect on the display of the mobile computing device of each participant of the conference call in real time .