(19)
`
`(12)
`
`Europäisches Patentamt
`
`European Patent Office
`
`Office européen des brevets
`
`*EP001064783B1*
`EP 1 064 783 B1
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`(11)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION
`
`(45) Date of publication and mention
`of the grant of the patent:
`04.06.2003 Bulletin 2003/23
`
`(21) Application number: 99908727.3
`
`(22) Date of filing: 25.03.1999
`
`(51) Int Cl.7: H04N 5/232, G06F 1/16
`
`(86) International application number:
`PCT/CA99/00249
`
`(87) International publication number:
`WO 99/049656 (30.09.1999 Gazette 1999/39)
`
`(54) WEARABLE CAMERA SYSTEM WITH VIEWFINDER MEANS
`
`TRAGBARES KAMERASYSTEM MIT VISIERMITTEL
`
`SYSTEME DE CAMERA PORTABLE AVEC VISEUR
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE CH DE FR GB IE IT LI SE
`
`(30) Priority: 25.03.1998 CA 2233047
`15.10.1998 CA 2249976
`
`(43) Date of publication of application:
`03.01.2001 Bulletin 2001/01
`
`(73) Proprietor: Mann, W. Stephen G.
`Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4 (CA)
`
`(72) Inventor: Mann, W. Stephen G.
`Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4 (CA)
`
`(74) Representative: Kazi, Ilya et al
`Mathys & Squire,
`100 Gray’s Inn Road
`London WC1X 8AL (GB)
`
`(56) References cited:
`EP-A- 0 665 686
`WO-A-94/26061
`WO-A-97/34411
`DE-A- 19 547 166
`US-A- 4 786 966
`US-A- 5 610 678
`
`EP-A- 0 827 337
`WO-A-96/36271
`DE-A- 4 436 528
`DE-U- 9 217 643
`US-A- 5 550 585
`
`• PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 096, no.
`011, 29 November 1996 & JP 08 179223 A
`(CANON INC), 12 July 1996 & US 5 815 741 A
`(OKUYAMA ET AL.)
`• 25 - 32: "WEARABLE COMPUTING: A FIRST
`STEP TOWARD PERSONAL IMAGING"
`COMPUTER, vol. 30, no. 2, 1 February 1997,
`pages 25-32, XP000722152
`
`Remarks:
`The file contains technical information submitted
`after the application was filed and not included in this
`specification
`
`Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
`notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
`a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
`99(1) European Patent Convention).
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
`EP1 064 783B1
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`Description
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`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001] The present invention pertains generally to a
`new photographic or video means and apparatus com-
`prising a body-worn portable electronic camera system
`with wearable viewfinder means.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002]
`In photography (and in movie and video pro-
`duction), it is desirable to capture events in a natural
`manner with minimal intervention and disturbance. Cur-
`rent state-of-the-art photographic or video apparatus,
`even in its most simple "point and click" form, creates a
`visual disturbance to others and attracts considerable
`attention on account of the gesture of bringing the cam-
`era up to the eye. Even if the size of the camera could
`be reduced to the point of being negligible (e.g. no big-
`ger than the eyecup of a typical camera viewfinder, for
`example), the very gesture of bringing a device up to the
`eye is unnatural and attracts considerable attention, es-
`pecially in establishments such as gambling casinos or
`department stores where photography is often prohibit-
`ed. Although there exist a variety of covert cameras
`such a camera concealed beneath the jewel of a necktie
`clip, cameras concealed in baseball caps, and cameras
`concealed in eyeglasses, these cameras tend to pro-
`duce inferior images, not just because of the technical
`limitations imposed by their small size, but, more impor-
`tantly because they lack a means of viewing the image.
`Because of the lack of a viewfinder, investigative video
`and photojournalism made with such cameras suffers
`from poor composition.
`[0003]
`It appears that apart from large view cameras
`upon which the image is observed on a ground glass,
`most viewfinders present an erect image. See, for ex-
`ample, U.S. Pat. No. 5095326 entitled "Neppler-type
`erect image viewfinder and erecting prism". In contrast
`to this fact, it is well-known that one can become accus-
`tomed, through long-term psychophysical adaptation
`(as reported by George M. Stratton, in Psychology Re-
`view, in 1896 and 1897) to eyeglasses that present an
`upside-down image. After wearing upside-down glass-
`es constantly, for eight days (keeping himself blindfold-
`ed when removing the glasses for bathing or sleeping)
`Stratton found that he could see normally through the
`glasses. More recent experiments, as conducted by and
`reported by Mann, in an MIT technical report Mediated
`Reality, medialab vismod TR-260, (1994), (the report is
`available in http://wearcam.org/mediated-reality/index.
`html) suggest that slight transformations such as rota-
`tion by a few degrees or small image displacements give
`rise to a reversed aftereffect that is more rapidly assim-
`ilated by the wearer, and that such effects can often
`have a more detrimental effect on performing other
`tasks through the camera as well as more detrimental
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`flashbacks upon removal of the camera. These findings
`suggest that merely mounting a conventional camera
`such as a small 35mm rangefinder camera or a small
`video camcorder to a helmet, so that one can look
`through the viewfinder and use it it hands-free while per-
`forming other tasks, will result in poor performance at
`doing those tasks while looking through the camera
`viewfinder. Moreover, these findings suggest that doing
`tasks while looking through the viewfinder of a conven-
`tional camera, over a long period of time, may give rise
`to detrimental flashback effects that may persist even
`after the camera is removed. This is especially true
`when the tasks involve a great deal of hand-eye coordi-
`nation, such as when one might, for example, wish to
`photograph, film, or make video recordings of the expe-
`rience of eating or playing volleyball or the like, by doing
`the task while concentrating primarily on the eye that is
`looking through the camera viewfinder. Indeed, since
`known cameras were never intended to be used this
`way (to record events from a first-person-perspective
`while looking through the viewfinder) it is not surprising
`that performance is poor in this usage.
`[0004] Part of the reason for poor performance asso-
`ciated with simply attaching a conventional camera to a
`helmet is the induced parallax and the failure to provide
`an orthoscopic view. Even viewfinders which correct for
`parallax, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5692227 in which
`a rangefinder is coupled to a parallax error compensat-
`ing mechanism, only correct for parallax between the
`viewfinder and the camera lens that is taking the picture,
`but do not correct for parallax between the viewfinder
`and the image that would be observed with the naked
`eye while not looking through the camera.
`[0005] Traditional camera viewfinders often include
`the ability to overlay virtual objects, such as camera
`shutter speed, or the like, on top of reality, as described
`in U.S. Pat. No. 5664244 which describes a viewfinder
`with additional information display capability.
`[0006] Open-air viewfinders are often used on ex-
`tremely low cost cameras, as well as on some profes-
`sional cameras for use at night when the light levels
`would be too low to tolerate any optical loss in the view-
`finder. Examples of open-air viewfinders used on pro-
`fessional cameras, in addition to regular viewfinders, in-
`clude those used on the Grafflex press cameras of the
`1940s (which had three different kinds of viewfinders),
`as well as those used on some twin-lens reflex cameras.
`While such viewfinders, if used with a wearable camera
`system, would have the advantage of not inducing the
`problems such as flashback effects described above,
`they would fail to provide an electronically mediated re-
`ality. Moreover, although such open air viewfinders
`would eliminate the parallax between what is seen in the
`real world and what is seen in the real world looking
`through the viewfinder, they fail to eliminate the parallax
`error between the viewfinder and the camera.
`[0007] A manner of using a plurality of pictures of the
`same scene or object, in which the pictures were taken
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`using a camera with automatic exposure control, auto-
`matic gain control, or the like has been proposed in
`'PENCIGRAPHY' WITH AGC: JOINT PARAMETER ES-
`TIMATION IN BOTH DOMAIN AND RANGE OF FUNC-
`TIONS IN SAME ORBIT OF THE PROJECTIVE-WYCK-
`OFF GROUP, published by S. Mann, in M.I.T. (medialab
`vismod) tech report TR-384, December, 1994, and later
`published also in Proceedings of the IEEE International
`Conference on Image Processing (ICIP-96), Lausanne,
`Switzerland, September 16-19, 1996, pages 193-196.
`(The report is also available on a world wide web site:
`http://wearcam.org/icip96/index.html as a hypertext
`document, along with related documents on http://wear-
`cam.org.) This report relates to a manner of camera self-
`calibration in which the unknown nonlinear response
`function of the camera is determined up to a single un-
`known scalar constant. Therefore, once the camera is
`so understood, it may be used, within the context of the
`method, as a quantigraphic light measuring instrument.
`As each pixel of the camera then becomes a light meas-
`uring instrument, successive pictures in a video se-
`quence become multiple estimates of the same quantity
`once the multiple images are registered and appropri-
`ately interpolated. The measurement from a plurality of
`- such estimates gives rise to knowledge about the
`scene sufficient to render pictures of increased dynamic
`range and tonal fidelity, as well as increased spatial res-
`olution and extent. In this way a miniature video camera
`as may be concealed inside a pair of eyeglasses may
`be used to generate images of very high quality, suffi-
`cient for fine-arts work or other uses where good image
`quality is needed.
`[0008] WO-A-97 34411 discloses a beamsplitter in
`front of an eye of a user, wherein the beamsplitter diverts
`some of the eyeward bound light to an electronic cam-
`era, and where the output of the camera is transmitted
`to a remote display. My article "Wearable Computing: A
`First Step Toward Personal Imaging" in IEEE Computer,
`Vol. 30, No. 2, published 1997 February 1, on pages
`25-32, discusses a head-mounted camera and display
`system, in which the display is responsive to an output
`of the camera.
`[0009] United States Patent 5,550,585 shows, in se-
`rial order, a lens, image sensor array, display, and a fur-
`ther lens, all four of these being directly in front of an
`eye of a user of the apparatus. The sensor output enters
`a processor, and the output of the processor enters the
`display. United States Patent 4,786,966 discloses a
`head-mounted video camera and a video display in front
`of the eyes of a user.
`[0010]
`In DE-A-44 36 528, a camera and display are
`mounted to an eyeglass holder so that the display shoes
`an enlarged view of subject matter viewed by the cam-
`era.
`[0011]
`In WO96/36721, video cameras are mounted
`at the sides of the head of a wearer and the cameras
`are oriented and focused based on eye tracking meas-
`urements. The cameras only capture an approximation
`
`of the natural vision of the wearer.
`[0012]
`In U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,678, a head borne view-
`finder is provided for a body worn camera.
`
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0013]
`It is an object of this invention to provide a
`method of positioning a camera in which both hands
`may be left free.
`[0014]
`It is a further object of this invention to provide
`a means of exposing a film or acquiring a picture elec-
`tronically where the spatial extent (field of view) of the
`image may be ascertained without having to hold any
`device up to the eye.
`[0015] What is described is a wearable camera and
`viewfinder for capturing video of exceptionally high com-
`positional and artistic calibre. In addition to the fact that
`covert versions of the apparatus can be used to create
`investigative documentary videos having very good
`composition. for everyday usage the device need not
`necessarily be covert. In fact, it may be manufactured
`as a fashionable device that serves as both a visible
`crime deterrent, as well as a self-explanatory (through
`its overt obviousness) tool for documentary videomak-
`ers and photojournalists.
`[0016] Another feature of the invention is that the
`wearable camera has a viewfinder such that the image
`may be presented in a natural manner suitable for long-
`term usage patterns.
`[0017] There are several reasons why it might be de-
`sired to wear the camera over a sustained period of time:
`
`1. There is the notion of a personal visual diary of
`sorts.
`
`2. There is the idea of being always ready. By con-
`stantly recording into a circular buffer, a retroactive
`record function, such as a button that instructs the
`device to "begin recording from five minutes ago"
`may be useful in personal safety (crime reduction)
`as well as in ordinary everyday usage, such as cap-
`turing a baby's first steps on video. With the prior
`art in photography and video, we spend so much
`time preparing the camera and searching for film,
`batteries, etc., or at the very least, just getting the
`camera out of its carrying case, that we often miss
`important moments like a baby's first steps, or a
`spontaneous facial expression during the opening
`of a gift.
`
`3. There is the fact that the wearable camera sys-
`tem, after being worn for a long period of time, be-
`gins to behave as a true extension of the wearer's
`mind and body. As a result, the composition of video
`shot with the device is often impeccable without
`even the need for conscious thought or effort on the
`part of the user. Also, one can engage in other ac-
`tivities, and one is able to record the experience
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`without the need to be encumbered by a camera,
`or even the need to remain aware, at a conscious
`level, of the camera's existance. This lack of the
`need for conscious thought or effort suggests a new
`genre of documentary video characterized by long-
`term psychophysical adaptation to the device. The
`result is a very natural first-person perspective doc-
`umentary, whose artistic style is very much as if a
`recording could be made from a video tap of the op-
`tic nerve of the eye itself. Events that may be so
`recorded include involvement in activities such as
`horseback riding, climbing up a rope, or the like, that
`cannot normally be well recorded from a first-per-
`son perspective using cameras of the prior art.
`Moreover, a very natural first-person perspective
`genre of video results. For example, while Wearing
`an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to look
`through the eyepiece of a telescope or microscope
`and record this experience, including the approach
`toward the eyepiece. The experience is recorded,
`from the perspective of the participant.
`
`4. A computational system, either built into the
`wearable camera, or worn on the body elsewhere
`and connected to the camera system, may be used
`to enhance images. This may be of value to the vis-
`ually impaired. The computer may also perform oth-
`er tasks such as object recognition. Because the
`device is worn constantly, it may also function as a
`photographic/videographic memory aid, e.g. to help
`in way-finding through the recall and display of pre-
`viously captured imagery.
`
`[0018]
`It is desired that the proposed viewfinder ar-
`rangement be suitable for long-term usage, such as
`when one may be wearing the camera for sixteen hours
`per day, looking through it all the while. Traditional view-
`finders are only looked through on a shorter term basis.
`Thus there will be some important differences between
`the wearable camera system and traditional cameras.
`For example, when the wearable camera system com-
`prises a zoom lens for the camera, it is desired that the
`viewfinder also comprise a zoom lens, so that when
`zooming into a scene, the image in the viewfinder can
`be made to subtend a lesser visual angle (appear to get
`smaller). It is also desired that the exact extent of this
`reduction in apparent visual angle be controlled to ex-
`actly cancel out the usual effect in which zooming in pro-
`duces increased magnification. In this manner the wear-
`able camera system provides the wearer with absolutely
`no apparent magnification, or change in apparent mag-
`nification, while looking through the viewfinder and ex-
`ploring the full range of zoom adjustment.
`[0019] Some viewfinders are equipped with a zoom
`capability, as, for example, is described in U.S. Pat. No.
`5323264, so that their field of coverage (magnification)
`varies with the varying of a zoom lens. The reader will
`need to be careful not to confuse these zoom viewfind-
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`ers of the prior art with the zoom viewfinder of the wear-
`able camera invention in which viewing takes place
`through an electronic viewfinder where the decrease in
`visual angle subtended by the image of the viewfinder
`screen is coupled to the increase in focal length of the
`camera within the proposed invention. This coupling ne-
`gates (cancels out) any increase in magnification that
`would otherwise result from zooming in on the scene.
`At first this lack of increase in apparent magnification
`with increase in lens focal-length may seem counter-in-
`tuitive, in the sense that we normally expect zooming in
`to produce an increase in apparent magnification as ob-
`served while looking through a camera viewfinder. This
`expectation is owing to known cameras. However, after
`using the wearable camera system for an extended pe-
`riod of
`time, one quickly grows accustomed to the
`unique characteristics of its viewfinder, and the much
`more seamless integration of its viewfinder with every-
`day life. This seamlessness is such that after time, the
`wearer will begin to operate the wearable camera inven-
`tion without appreciable conscious thought or effort.
`With magnification, or changes in magnification, it is
`much more difficult to fully adapt to the presence of the
`camera.
`[0020] An important aspect of the proposed invention
`is the capability of the apparatus to mediate (augment,
`diminish, or otherwise alter) the visual perception of re-
`ality.
`[0021] The proposed camera viewfinder is related to
`the displays that are used in the field of Virtual Reality
`(VR) in the sense that both are wearable. However, an
`important difference is that the proposed invention al-
`lows the wearer to continue to see the real world, while
`VR displays block out the ability to see the real world.
`[0022]
`It is possible with the invention to allow visual
`reality to be mediated in order to make certain that ex-
`posure is correct as well as to keep the wearer of the
`apparatus in the feedback loop of the photo composi-
`tional process by constantly providing the wearer with a
`video stream. Moreover, it is desired that the apparatus
`will allow the wearer to experience a computationally
`mediated visual reality, and for that experience to be
`shared through wireless communications networks so
`that the wearer may receive additional visual informa-
`tion, as well as be aware of modifications to visual reality
`that might arise, for example, as part of a communica-
`tions process in a shared virtual environment. For such
`compositional and interactional capabilities, a simple
`air-based viewfinder is inadequate.
`[0023]
`It is possible with this invention to provide such
`a method of exposing a film or acquiring a picture elec-
`tronically where the tonal characteristics of the picture
`may be ascertained without having to hold any device
`up to the eye.
`[0024]
`It is possible with this invention to provide such
`a method of exposing a film or acquiring a picture elec-
`tronically where no apparent difference in body move-
`ment or gesture between when a picture is being taken
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`and when no picture is being taken is detectable by oth-
`ers.
`[0025]
`It is possible with this invention to provide the
`user with a means of determining the composition of the
`picture from a display device that is located such that
`only the user can see the display device, and so that the
`user can ascertain the composition of a picture or take
`a picture or video and transmit image(s) to one or more
`remote locations without the knowledge of others in the
`immediate environment.
`[0026]
`It is possible with this invention to provide the
`user with a means of determining the composition of the
`picture from a display device that is located such that
`only the user can see the display device, as well as an
`optional additional display device that the user can show
`to others if and when the user desires to do so.
`[0027]
`It is possible with this invention to provide the
`user with a means of determining the composition of the
`picture from a display device that is located such that
`both the user as well as others can see it, if the user
`should so desire.
`[0028]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`wearable camera viewfinder means in which video is
`displayed on a viewfinder in such a way that all rays of
`light from the viewfinder that enter the eye appear to
`emanate from essentially the same direction as they
`would have had the apparatus not been worn.
`[0029]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`means for a user to experience additional information
`overlaid on top of his or her visual field of view such that
`the information is relevant to the imagery being viewed.
`[0030]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`means and apparatus for a user to capture a plurality of
`images of the same scene or objects, in a natural proc-
`ess of simply looking around, and then have these im-
`ages combined together into a single image of
`in-
`creased spatial extent, spatial
`resolution, dynamic
`range, or tonal fidelity.
`[0031]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`viewfinder means in which the viewfinder has a focusing
`mechanism that is coupled to a focusing mechanism of
`a camera system, so that when the camera is focused
`on a particular object the viewfinder also presents that
`object in a manner such that when the apparatus moves
`relative to the user's eye, the object appears to neither
`move with or against the movement of the eye, so that
`the rays of light entering the eye are approximately the
`same in direction as if the apparatus were not present.
`[0032]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`viewfinder means in which the viewfinder has a focusing
`mechanism that is coupled to a focusing mechanism of
`a camera system, so that when the camera is focused
`on a particular object the viewfinder also presents that
`object in the same focal depth plane as the object would
`appear to the user with the apparatus removed.
`[0033]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`viewfinder means in which the viewfinder has a focusing
`mechanism that is controlled by an automatic focusing
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`mechanism of a camera system.
`[0034]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`stereo viewfinder means in which the viewfinder system
`has camera focusing, camera vergence, display focus-
`ing, and display vergence control where all four are
`linked together so that there is only need for a single
`control.
`[0035]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`stereo viewfinder means in which the viewfinder has fo-
`cusing and vergence control mechanisms that are con-
`trolled by an automatic focusing mechanism of a camera
`system.
`[0036]
`It is possible with this invention to provide a
`viewfinder means in which the viewfinder has a focusing
`mechanism that is controlled by an automatic focusing
`mechanism of a camera system, and in which the ap-
`paratus comprises an eye-tracking mechanism that
`causes the focus of the camera to be based on where
`the user is looking, and therefore the focus of the view-
`finder mechanism to be also focused in such a manner
`that the convergence of light rays from whatever object
`happens to be within the foveal region of the eye's view
`also produces rays of light that have the same focal dis-
`tance as they would have had with the apparatus re-
`moved from the user.
`[0037] The proposed invention facilitates a new form
`of visual art, in which the artist may capture, with rela-
`tively little effort, a visual experience as viewed from his
`or her own perspective. With some practice, it is possi-
`ble to develop a very steady body posture and mode of
`movement that best produces video of the genre per-
`taining to this invention. Because the apparatus may be
`lightweight and close to the head, there is not the pro-
`trusion associated with carrying a hand-held camera. Al-
`so because components of the proposed invention are
`mounted very close to the head, in a manner that bal-
`ances the weight distribution. Mounting close to the
`head minimizes the moment of inertia about the rota-
`tional axis of the neck, so that the head can be turned
`quickly while wearing the apparatus. This arrangement
`allows one to record the experiences of ordinary day-to-
`day activities from a first-person perspective. Moreover,
`because both hands are free, much better balance and
`posture is possible while using the apparatus. Anyone
`skilled in the arts of body movement control as is learned
`in the martial arts such as karate, as well as in dance,
`most notably ballet, will have little difficulty capturing ex-
`ceptionally high quality video using the apparatus of this
`invention.
`[0038] With known video or movie cameras, the best
`operators tend to be very large people who have trained
`for many years in the art of smooth control of the cum-
`bersome video or motion picture film cameras used. In
`addition to requiring a very large person to optimally op-
`erate such cameras, various stabilization devices are of-
`ten used, which make the apparatus even more cum-
`bersome. The apparatus of the invention may be opti-
`mally operated by people of any size. Even young chil-
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`dren can become quite proficient in the use of the wear-
`able camera system.
`[0039] A typical embodiment of the invention compris-
`es one or two spatial light modulators or other display
`means built into a pair of eyeglasses together with one
`or more sensor arrays. Typically one or more CCD
`(charge coupled device) image sensor arrays and ap-
`propriate optical elements comprise the camera portion
`of the invention. Typically a beamsplitter or a mirror sil-
`vered on both sides is used to combine the image of the
`viewfinder with the apparent position of the camera. The
`viewfinder is simply a means of determining the extent
`of coverage of the camera in a natural manner, and may
`comprise either of:
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`•
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`A reticle, graticule, rectangle, or other marking that
`appears to float within a portion of the field of view.
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`A display device that shows a video image, or some
`other dynamic information perhaps related to the
`video image coming from the camera.
`
`[0040] One aspect of the invention allows a photog-
`rapher or videographer to wear the apparatus continu-
`ously and therefore always end up with the ability to pro-
`duce a picture from something that was seen a couple
`of minutes ago. This may be useful to everyone in the
`sense that we may not want to miss a great photo op-
`portunity, and often great photo opportunities only be-
`come known to us after we have had time to think about
`something we previously saw.
`[0041] Such an apparatus might also be of use in per-
`sonal safety. Although there are a growing number of
`video surveillance cameras installed in the environment
`allegedly for "public safety", there have been recent
`questions as to the true benefit of such centralized sur-
`veillance infrastructures. Most notably there have been
`several examples in which such centralized infrastruc-
`ture has been abused by the owners of it (as in roundups
`and detainment of peaceful demonstrators). Moreover,
`"public safety" systems may fail to protect individuals
`against crimes committed by the organizations that in-
`stalled the systems. The apparatus of this invention al-
`lows the storage and retrieval of images by transmitting
`and recording images at one or more remote locations.
`Images may be transmitted and recorded in different
`countries, so that they would be difficult to destroy, in
`the event that the perpetrator of a crime might wish to
`do so.
`[0042] The apparatus of the invention allows images
`to be captured in a natural manner, without giving an
`unusual appearance to others (such as a potential as-
`sailant).
`[0043] Moreover, as an artistic tool of personal ex-
`pression, the apparatus allows the user to record, from
`a first-person-perspective, experiences that have been
`difficult to so record in the past. For example, a user
`might be able to record the experience of
`looking
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`through binoculars while riding horseback, or the expe-
`rience of waterskiing, rope climbing, or the like. Such
`experiences captured from a first-person perspective
`provide a new genre of video by way of a wearable cam-
`era system with viewfinder means that goes beyond cur-
`rent state-of-the-art point of view sports videos (such as
`created by cameras mounted in sports helmets which
`have no viewfinder means).
`[0044] A typical embodiment of the invention compris-
`es a wearable viewfinder system which is fitted with a
`motorized focusing mechanism. A camera also fitted
`with a motorized focusing mechanism is positioned up-
`on one side of a mirror that is silvered on both sides, so
`that the viewfinder can be positioned on the other side
`and provide a view that is focused to whatever the cam-
`era is focused on. Such an apparatus allows the user to
`record a portion of his or her eye's visual field of view.
`With the correct design, the device will tend to cause the
`wearer to want to place the recording zone over top of
`whatever is most interesting in the scene. This tendency
`arises from the enhancement of the imagery in this
`zone. In much the same way that people tend to look at
`a TV set in a darkened room, regardless of what is play-
`ing (even if the TV is tuned to a blank station and just
`playing "snow"), there is a tendency when wearing the
`invention to look at
`the recording/display/viewfinder
`zone. Therefore, there is a tendency to try to put the
`recording zone on top that which is of most interest.
`Therefore using the apparatus, after time, does not re-
`quire conscious thought or effort. It was once said that
`television is more real than real life, and in much the
`same way, the wearer of the apparatus becomes a cy-
`bernetic organism (cyborg) in a true synergy of human
`and camera. This is particularly true with a low vision
`system in which one can actually see better through the
`viewfinder than in real life (e.g. at night when an image
`intensifier provides enhanced vision). In this case, the
`tendency of the wearer to want to become an organism
`that seeks best picture is very pronounced.
`[0045] Accordingly, the present invention in one as-
`pect comprises headgear having an electronic camera
`borne by said headgear and an electronic display borne
`by said headgear, said electronic display responsive to
`an output from said electronic camera, wherein the im-
`provement comprises: reflective optics arranged for, at
`least partially, reflecting light such that a first pencil of
`light which would otherwise converge at a first point out-
`side a lens assembly of said camera is at least partially
`reflected to a second pencil of light directed at an optical
`center of said lens assembly of said camera, said lens
`assembly comprising at least one lens, wherein said re-
`flective optics is further for reflecting light from said dis-
`play such that said reflected light from said display forms
`a third pencil of light approximating said first pencil of
`light, in order to provide substantial exact registration of
`what would have been seen at said first point due to said
`first pencil of light, in the absence of said headgear, with
`what, in the presence of said headgear, is seen at said
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`EP 1 064 783 B1
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`first point due to said third pencil of light.
`[0046] According to another aspect of the present in-
`vention, there is provided headgear having a sensor
`borne by said headgear, a display borne by said head-
`gear, said display situated for being visible to a wearer
`of said headgear when said headgear is worn, an output
`from said sensor for a processor, and an input to said
`display for accepting input from said processor, wherein
`the improvement comprises: reflective optics arranged
`for reflecting light such that at least a portion of at least
`some rays of light which would otherwise, in the ab-
`sence of said reflective optics, not be measured by said
`sensor, is reflected to be measured by said sensor, said
`processor for determining