Control device, control method, and flight vehicle device

• US 10,011,371 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sabe, Kohtaro, Tanaka, Kayoko, Suzuki, Kousuke, Masuda, Masaaki, Kakinuma, Takekazu, Hayashi, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US15/510,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20170283088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77, 244900
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2203/00 Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/02 Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/38 by wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/093 : for control of exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 : involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/689 : Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 : provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 : Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 : by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 : using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 : On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

[Object] To provide a control device which enables a flight vehicle device to obtain a highly precise image.

[Solution] Provided is the control device including an illuminating control unit configured to adjust a light amount of an illuminating device according to an inclination of a body of a flight vehicle device that has an imaging device configured to photograph a photographing target and the illuminating device configured to illuminate the photographing target.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

adjust a light amount of an illuminating device according to an inclination of a body of a flight vehicle device that has an imaging device configured to photograph a photographing target and the illuminating device configured to illuminate the photographing target, and

operate a shutter of an imaging device when a movement speed of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lower than a predetermined value and movement acceleration of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lowerthan a predetermined value.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the inclination of the body is an inclination with respect to a horizontal plane.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the inclination of the body is an inclination with respect to the photographing target.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

adjust a light amount of the illuminating device so that illuminance of a photographing plane of the photographing target becomes substantially uniform.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

turn on the illuminating device when entering a photographing area in a vicinity of a photographing point at which the flight vehicle device photographs the photographing target.

6. A control method comprising:

acquiring an inclination of a body of a flight vehicle device with respect to a photographing target, the flight vehicle device including an imaging device configured to photograph the photographing target, and an illuminating device configured to illuminate the photographing target;

operating a shutter of the imaging device when a movement speed of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lower than a predetermined value and movement acceleration of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lower than a predetermined value; and

adjusting a light amount of the illuminating device according to the inclination of the body.

7. A flight vehicle device comprising:

an imaging device configured to photograph a photographing target;

an illuminating device configured to illuminate the photographing target; and

processing circuitry configured to

adjust a light amount of the illuminating device according to an inclination of a body with respect to the photographing target, and

operate a shutter of the imaging device when a movement speed of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lower than a predetermined value and movement acceleration of the flight vehicle device is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

8. The flight vehicle device according to claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

adjust a light amount of the illuminating device so that illuminance of a photographing plane of the photographing target becomes substantially uniform.

9. The flight vehicle device according to claim 7, wherein the illuminating device includes a plurality of LED light sources.

10. The flight vehicle device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of light sources are installed in a two dimensional array shape on one or a plurality of surfaces constituting the flight vehicle device,the one or plurality of surfaces facing the photographing target.

11. The flight vehicle device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of light sources are nstalled in a plurality of regions, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control light amounts of the plurality of light sources for each of the plurality of regions according to the inclination of the body.

12. The flight vehicle device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of light sources include an LED light source.

13. The flight vehicle device according to claim 9, wherein at least some LED light sources among the LED light sources have an optical member that changes directionality.

14. The flight vehicle device according to claim 7, comprising:

a first servo motor configured to drive the imaging device to rotate the imaging device in a tilt direction; and

a second servo motor configured to drive the imaging device to rotate the imaging device in a roll direction.