US 12,267,589 B1
Computer program product and automated method for auto-focusing a camera and/or a lighting fixture on one of a plurality of microphones in a venue that is being worn, carried, held, or spoken into by a person at the venue
Benjamin Slotznick, Mt. Gretna, PA (US)
Filed by Benjamin Slotznick, Mt. Gretna, PA (US)
Filed on Feb. 9, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/437,949.
Application 18/437,949 is a continuation of application No. 18/227,746, filed on Jul. 28, 2023, granted, now 11,902,659.
Application 18/227,746 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/117,199, filed on Mar. 3, 2023, granted, now 11,750,925, issued on Sep. 5, 2023.
Application 18/117,199 is a continuation of application No. 17/952,802, filed on Sep. 26, 2022, granted, now 11,601,731, issued on Mar. 7, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/400,790, filed on Aug. 25, 2022.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/67 (2023.01); G10L 15/22 (2006.01); H04N 23/611 (2023.01); H04R 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 23/675 (2023.01) [G10L 15/22 (2013.01); H04N 23/611 (2023.01); H04R 1/08 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated method for auto-focusing one or both of a camera and a lighting fixture on one of a plurality of microphones in a venue, wherein a plurality of persons in the venue are wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into a respective microphone at the venue, and wherein only one microphone of the plurality of microphones is active at a time, the venue including a real-time location system (RTLS) having a plurality of RTLS tags and a RTLS receiver for locating a position of each of the RTLS tags in three-dimensional space, and wherein each of the RTLS tags is fixed to a respective microphone and transmits a signal that is received by the RTLS receiver, the method comprising:
(a) detecting which one of the plurality of microphones is active;
(b) identifying, using the RTLS, the position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue by using the signal transmitted from the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone and received by the RTLS receiver to calculate the position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space,
wherein the position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue is presumed to be the same position as the active microphone that the RTLS tag is fixed to;
(c) auto-focusing one or both of the camera and the lighting fixture on the identified position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue;
(d) detecting when a different one of the microphones becomes active; and
(e) switching the auto-focusing of one or both of the camera and the lighting fixture on the identified position of the RTLS tag fixed to the newly detected active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue,
wherein when the lighting fixture is auto-focused on the identified position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue, the lighting fixture thereby illuminates an area that is in proximity of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone which is presumed to include the person in the venue who is wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into the microphone having the RTLS tag fixed thereto, and
and wherein when the camera is auto-focused on the identified position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space in the venue, the camera thereby outputs a video signal of an area that is in proximity of the RTLS tag which is presumed to include an image of the person in the venue who is wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into the active microphone having the RTLS tag fixed thereto.