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The present invention is a camera control system designed for video capture of a presentation made in a lecture hall or similar place. The system combines preset views triggered by presence-sensing devices at fixed locations with views tracking the motion of the presenter elsewhere. A tracking camer

The present invention is a camera control system designed for video capture of a presentation made in a lecture hall or similar place. The system combines preset views triggered by presence-sensing devices at fixed locations with views tracking the motion of the presenter elsewhere. A tracking camera displays a preset view when the presenter steps on a switch mat or enters into the region of detection of some other presence sensor such as an infrared sensor. At other times, the tracking camera is guided by motion detection logic that uses a wide field of vision provided by a reference camera. The reference camera, the tracking camera, and the presence-sensing devices are integrated by a controller. Various parameters can be configured by a user through a graphical user interface on a computer, manual controls on the box housing the controller, or a hand-held remote control device.

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1. An apparatus for video monitoring of a presentation, comprising: a) a first presence sensor that signals to a controller a first preset trigger which is in an active state when the first presence sensor detects that a person is located in a first preset zone, and inactive otherwise, wherein the f

1. An apparatus for video monitoring of a presentation, comprising: a) a first presence sensor that signals to a controller a first preset trigger which is in an active state when the first presence sensor detects that a person is located in a first preset zone, and inactive otherwise, wherein the first preset zone is a spatially fixed region;b) a reference camera, which captures reference video signal within a reference field of vision and transmits the reference video signal to the controller;c) a tracking camera that executes motion commands received from the controller; andd) the controller, which (i) receives the state of the first preset trigger from the first presence sensor,(ii) receives the reference video signal from the reference camera,(iii) contains motion detection logic that detects motion in the reference video signal,(iv) receives a user-specified viewing configuration that includes a portion of the first preset zone, and excludes a portion, outside the first preset zone, of the reference field of vision,(v) has a first preset capture state, wherein the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to suspend tracking and to capture video according to the user-specified viewing configuration,(vi) has a motion capture state, wherein the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from a zone that the motion detection logic indicates is proximate to detected motion, and(vii) contains capture state selection logic that causes the controller to select among capture states. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is in the motion capture state when no trigger is active. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first presence sensor is a switch mat or an infrared sensor. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: e) a second presence sensor that signals to the controller a second preset trigger which is in an active state when a person is located in a second preset zone and inactive otherwise;and wherein the controller has a second preset capture state, such that the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from the second preset zone. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the capture state selection logic includes an initial step priority mode wherein if, while no trigger is active the first trigger becomes active, then the controller remains in the first preset capture state for so long as the first trigger remains active, and a last step priority mode wherein if, while the first trigger is active the second trigger changes from inactive to active, then the controller changes from the first preset capture state to the second preset capture state. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller has a multistep preset capture state in which the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from a third preset zone, and wherein the capture state selection logic further includes a multistep priority mode in which, if two triggers are active simultaneously, then the controller is in the multistep preset capture state. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: e) a user interface, including one or more user controls from a user control group consisting of: (i) a reference camera view control, whereby the user can define a fixed view for the reference camera,(ii) a tracking camera preset view control, whereby the user can define a fixed view presented by the tracking camera corresponding to a preset,(iii) a tracking camera tracking view control, whereby the user can bound the view presented by the tracking camera while it is capturing video from a zone that the motion detection logic indicates is proximate to detected motion,(iv) a masking control, whereby the user can define a mask indicating portions of the reference field of vision to be ignored by the motion detection logic when detecting motion in the reference video signal,(v) a priority mode selector, whereby a user can select from among initial step priority mode, last step priority mode, and multistep priority mode,(vi) a tracking disable control, whereby the user can disable tracking by the tracking camera,(vii) a preset disable control, whereby the user can disable sensing by the presence sensors,(viii) a preset definition control, wherein the user can define the preset video zones,(ix) a motion detection sensitivity control, whereby the user can set a parameter affecting the sensitivity of the motion detection logic, and(x) a trigger disable control, whereby the user can disable a preset trigger. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user interface is provided by a remote control unit. 9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller has a multistep preset capture state in which the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from a third preset zone, and wherein the capture state selection logic further includes a multistep priority mode in which, if two triggers are active simultaneously, then the controller is in the multistep preset capture state. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: e) a masking control, whereby a user can provide to the controller a mask defining a fixed area, such that reference video signal from the fixed area will not be considered by the motion detection logic. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mask specifies a fixed area where motion, from a source other than a presenter of the presentation, is expected. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-specified viewing configuration specifies fixed values of pan, tilt, and zoom for the tracking camera. 13. A method for video monitoring of a presentation, comprising: a) signaling, by a first presence sensor to a controller, a first preset trigger that is in an active state when the first presence sensor detects that a person is located in a first preset zone, and inactive otherwise, wherein the first preset zone is a fixed region of a room;b) capturing, by a reference camera, reference video signal within a reference field of vision and transmitting the reference video signal to the controller;c) receiving by the controller the state of the first preset trigger from the first presence sensor;d) receiving by the controller the reference video signal from the reference camera;e) detecting, by motion detection logic within the controller, motion in the reference video signal;f) receiving a user-specified viewing configuration that includes a portion of the first preset zone and excludes a portion, outside the first preset zone, of the reference field of vision;g) selecting by the controller using capture state selection logic from among a set of capture states, including a first preset capture state and a motion capture state;h) entering the first preset capture state upon its selection by the controller, wherein the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to suspend tracking and to capture video according to the user-specified viewing configuration; andi) entering the motion capture state upon its selection by the controller, wherein the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from a zone that the motion detection logic indicates is proximate to detected motion. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controller is in the motion capture state when no trigger is active. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first presence sensor is a switch mat or an infrared sensor. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: j) signaling, by a second presence sensor to the controller, a second preset trigger that is in an active state when a person is located in a second preset zone and inactive otherwise; andk) entering a second preset capture state upon its selection by the controller, wherein the controller sends at least one command to a tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from the second preset zone. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: l) selecting by a user a priority mode from a set of priority modes, including an initial step priority mode wherein if, while no trigger is active the first trigger becomes active, then the controller remains in the first preset capture state for so long as the first trigger remains active, and a last step priority mode wherein if, while the first trigger is active the second trigger changes from inactive to active, then the controller changes from the first preset capture state to the second preset capture state. 18. The method of claim 17, the set of priority modes further including a multistep priority mode in which, if two triggers are active simultaneously, then the controller is in a multistep preset capture state in which the controller sends at least one command to the tracking camera, thereby causing the tracking camera to capture video from a third preset zone. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: m) setting a configuration parameter through a user interface that contains one or more controls from a set consisting of the following controls: (i) a reference camera view control, whereby the user can define a fixed view for the reference camera,(ii) a tracking camera preset view control, whereby the user can define a fixed view presented by the tracking camera corresponding to a preset,(iii) a tracking camera tracking view control, whereby the user can limit the view presented by the tracking camera while it is capturing video from a zone that the motion detection logic indicates is proximate to detected motion,(iv) a masking control, whereby the user can define a mask indicating portions of the reference field of vision to be ignored by the motion detection logic when detecting motion in the reference video signal,(v) a priority mode selector, whereby a user can select from among initial step priority mode, last step priority mode, and multistep priority mode, and(vi) a tracking disable control, whereby the user can disable tracking by the tracking camera;(vii) a preset disable control, whereby the user can disable sensing by the presence sensors;(viii) a preset definition control, wherein the user can define the preset video zones;(ix) a motion detection sensitivity control, whereby the user can set a parameter affecting the sensitivity of the motion detection logic, and(x) a trigger disable control, whereby the user can disable a preset trigger. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user interface is provided by a remote control unit. 21. The method of claim 13, further comprising: j) eliminating a fixed area, defined by a mask provided through a user masking control, from the reference video signal used by the motion detection logic in the step of detecting motion. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the mask specifies a fixed area where motion, from a source other than a presenter of the presentation, is expected. 23. The method of claim 13, wherein the user-specified viewing configuration specifies fixed values of pan, tilt, and zoom for the tracking camera.