US-12627875-B2 - Variable field of view camera

US12627875B2US 12627875 B2US12627875 B2US 12627875B2US-12627875-B2

Abstract

A camera lens cover couples to a camera to rotate a cover plate from a position that blocks the lens to a position that exposes the lens. The cover plate has a mirror inner surface that reflects light. When the cover plate rotates less than 90 degrees, a reflection captures visual images of a desktop from the mirror to the camera field of view. Rotation of the lens cover moves the mirror reflection axis to capture different parts of the desktop. When the cover plate rotates greater than 90 degrees, the lens field of view captures an end user looking at the camera. When the cover plate rotates 180 degrees, the mirror reflection is of the area behind the end user to enhance security. The cover plate rotates 270 degrees to a stowage position for unhindered webcam usage.

Inventors

Ghee Beng Ooi
Hin Loong Justin Wong
Chih Hao Kao

Assignees

DELL PRODUCTS L.P.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240725

Claims (15)

1 . An information handling system comprising: a housing; a processor coupled in the housing and operable to execute instructions that process information; a memory coupled in the housing and operable to store the instructions and information; a camera interfaced with the processor and operable to capture visual images along a field of view, the camera having a camera housing, a lens and an image sensor aligned with the lens to capture visual images from light passed through the lens along the field of view; a lens cover removeably coupled to the camera at the lens, the lens cover having a mount with an opening aligned to the lens field of view, a cover plate that blocks the opening, a hinge rotationally coupling the cover plate to the mount to rotate the cover plate between a blocking position that blocks the field of view and an open position that exposes the field of view, and a mirror coupled to the cover plate inside surface, the mirror directing a reflection to the field of view in the open position; and a sensor coupled to the cover plate near the mirror and operable to detect a person when located along a reflection axis of the mirror.
2 . The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the mount rotates about the opening to change an angular position of the hinge and thereby a reflection axis of the mirror.
3 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: one or more magnets coupled in the mount; and a ferromagnetic material coupled to the camera housing, the one or more magnets removeably coupling the mount to the camera housing.
4 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising: one or more magnets coupled to the camera housing; and a ferromagnetic material coupled to the mount, the one or more magnets removeably coupling the mount to the camera housing.
5 . The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises a ring having an opening, the mount rotating by sliding around the opening while the magnet holds the mount against the camera housing.
6 . The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the hinge rotates the cover plate to a first open position of less than 90 degrees that reflects light from a reflection axis to the camera lens field of view and to a second open position of greater than 90 degrees that reflects the light at an end user in the camera lens field of view.
7 . The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the hinge rotates the cover plate to a third open position of greater than 180 degrees that reflects light away from the camera lens field of view and the end user in the camera lens field of view.
8 . The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising: first and second members extending from the frame, each of the first and second members having an opening; and a pin inserted through the hinge and coupled in the first and second member openings.
9 . A method for capturing visual images with a camera, the method comprising: removably coupling a lens cover to a camera housing to block a lens of the camera with a cover plate over a lens of the camera; rotating the cover plate from a blocking position that blocks the lens to a first open position in which light enters the lens along a field of view; reflecting light from a mirror on an inner side of the cover plate into the lens along the field of view; rotating the cover plate to a second open position; receiving light along the field of view without reflecting from the mirror; rotating the lens cover about the field of view with the cover plate in the first open position; capturing visual images from light reflected by the mirror to the field of view as a reflection axis of the mirror rotates about the field of view; rotating the cover plate greater than 90 degrees to a third open position; reflecting light from the mirror at an end user being captured as a visual image by the camera, the mirror reflecting an area behind the end user; coupling a presence detection sensor to the cover plate proximate the mirror; and detecting a person behind the end user when the cover plate is in the third open position.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising: coupling magnets to the camera proximate the lens; and removably coupling the lens cover to the magnets with ferromagnetic material coupled in the lens cover.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises a steel ring having an open central region, the steel ring aligned with magnets when rotating 360 degrees around the lens.
12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising: extending first and second members from a frame coupled to the steel ring; and inserting a pin through the first and second members and the cover plate to couple the cover plate to a mount that holds the steel ring.
13 . A camera comprising: a housing; a lens coupled to the housing and having a field of view; an image sensor aligned with the lens to capture visual images from light passed through the lens along the field of view; and a lens cover removeably coupled to the camera at the lens, the lens cover having a mount with an opening aligned to the lens field of view, a cover plate that blocks the opening, a hinge rotationally coupling the cover plate to the mount to rotate the cover plate between a blocking position that blocks the field of view and an open position that exposes the field of view, and a mirror coupled to the cover plate inside surface, the mirror directing a reflection to the field of view in the open position; wherein: the hinge rotates the cover plate to a first open position of less than 90 degrees that reflects light from a reflection axis to the camera lens field of view; the hinge rotates the cover plate to a second open position of greater than 90 degrees that reflects the light at an end user in the camera lens field of view; and the hinge rotates to a third open position of greater than 180 degrees that reflects light away from the camera lens field of view and the end user in the camera lens field of view.
14 . The camera of claim 13 further comprising: one or more magnets coupled to the camera housing; and a ferromagnetic material coupled to the mount, the one or more magnets removeably coupling the mount to the camera housing.
15 . The camera of claim 13 wherein the mount rotates about the opening to change an angular position of the hinge and thereby a reflection axis of the mirror.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system cameras, and more particularly to an information handling variable field of view camera. Description of the Related Art As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. Information handling systems include processing components in a housing that cooperate to process information. Stationary information handling systems, such as desktop and tower systems, integrate processing components in a stationary housing and interact with an end user through peripheral input/output (I/O) devices, such as a peripheral display, keyboard and mouse. Portable information handling systems typically include the processing components, a keyboard, a display and a power source in a portable housing to support mobile operations. Portable information handling systems allow end users to carry a system between meetings, during travel, and between home and office locations so that an end user has access to processing capabilities while mobile. Portable information handling systems will also typically interact with an end user through peripheral I/O devices, which tend to have a larger and more user-friendly footprint than integrated I/O devices. One example of such an I/O device is a camera integrated in a portable housing to support videoconferencing. Portable information handling systems typically integrate a camera in a display bezel so that the end user is captured as a visual image viewing roughly into the camera. However, integrated cameras that fit into a thin housing tend to capture visual images with a lower quality than peripheral cameras that have a larger space available for a quality lens. Another advantage of a peripheral camera over an integrated camera is that the end user can place the camera at different locations to capture different visual images, such as a group of videoconference participants in a conference room or an object that is under discussion in the videoconference. In some instances, the object of interest might include notes or objects on the end user desktop. If an end user is participating in a videoconference with the portable information handling system integrated camera, the end user has to lift the system up to direct the camera in a desired direction. In contrast, a peripheral camera is more readily directed at the desktop or other locations to capture visual images of desired objects. However, even when using a peripheral camera, the end user has to release the camera from its bracket and point the camera field of view in a desired direction, which is often an awkward and two-handed task that disrupts the end user's train of thought. In some instances, peripheral camera field of view is directable by having a moveable bracket that holds the peripheral camera. One example is the Logitech Reach, which holds the camera at the end of an arm that rotates vertically and horizontally. This approach relies upon a stand placed on the desktop that is awkward to use and consumes valuable desktop space. Another example is the Logitech Brio 500, which mounts a camera on a top side of a peripheral display with a hinge to rotate the field of view down at the desktop. This approach uses a substantial hinge assembly that adds expense and still has a restricted movement for directing the field of view relative to the display position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a need has arisen for a system and method which directs a peripheral camera field of view to capture visual images around a desktop area. In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvant