Method and system for controlling a gimbal

• US 10,054,258 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Osmo Technology Co Ltd (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Osmo Technology Co Ltd (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wang, Mingyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Todd M
• Application Number:
  US15/125,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20170002976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 248550, 2481821, 396419, 318649, 318648, 318638
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/126 for tilting and panning F16M11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/00 Details of stands or supports
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for controlling a gimbal used to carry a load. The method comprises: detecting a motion state of the gimbal or the load; determining whether a motion of the gimbal or the load is a user-intended motion according to the motion state; controlling the gimbal to move the load in an opposite direction to a moving direction of the motion if the motion is not a user-intended motion, thereby maintaining the load in an original posture; and controlling the load by the gimbal to move along a moving direction of the user-intended motion if the motion is a user-intended motion. The present invention also discloses a system for controlling a gimbal corresponding to the method for controlling a gimbal.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a gimbal used to carry a load, the method comprising:

detecting a motion state of the gimbal or the load;

determining whether a motion of the gimbal or the load is a user-intended motion according to the motion state;

controlling the gimbal to move the load in an opposite direction to a moving direction of the motion, thereby maintaining the load in an original posture, if the motion is not a user-intended motion; and

controlling the gimbal to move the load along the moving direction of the user-intended motion if the motion is a user-intended motion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a motion state of the gimbal or the load comprises detecting a rotation angle of the gimbal, and wherein determining whether the motion of the gimbal is a user-intended motion according to the motion state comprises determining whether the rotation angle exceeds a preset angle threshold;

the motion of the gimbal is determined as a user-intended motion if the rotation angle exceeds the preset angle threshold, while the motion of the gimbal is determined as not a user-intended motion if the rotation angle does not exceed the preset angle threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising obtaining the preset angle threshold that is less than a maximum rotation angle of the gimbal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a motion state of the gimbal or the load comprises detecting an angular velocity of the load, and wherein determining whether the motion of the load is a user-intended motion according to the motion state comprises determining whether the angular velocity exceeds a preset angular velocity threshold;

the motion of the load is determined as a user-intended motion if the angular velocity exceeds the preset angular velocity threshold, while the motion of the load is determined as not a user-intended motion if the angular velocity does not exceed a preset angular velocity threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gimbal is mounted on a moving object, and detecting a motion state of the gimbal or the load comprises detecting a control signal received by the moving object, and wherein determining whether the motion of the gimbal or the load is a user-intended motion according to the motion state comprises determining whether a control signal exists corresponding to a motion of the moving object;

the motion of the gimbal is determined as a user-intended motion if a control signal exists corresponding to a motion of the moving object, while the motion of the gimbal is determined as not a user-intended motion if a control signal does not exist corresponding to a motion of the moving object.

6. A system for controlling a gimbal used to carry a load, the system comprising:

a sensor that operates to detect a motion state of the gimbal or the load; and

a controller that operates to;

(1) determine whether a motion of the gimbal or the load is a user-intended motion according to the motion state;

(2) control the gimbal to move the load in an opposite direction to a moving direction of the motion if the motion is not a user-intended motion, thereby maintaining the load in an original posture; and

(3) control the gimbal to move the load along a moving direction of the user-intended motion if the motion is a user-intended motion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor detects a rotation angle of the gimbal, and the controller is configured to determine whether the rotation angle exceeds a preset angle threshold;

the motion of the gimbal is the user-intended motion if the rotation angle exceeds the preset angle threshold, while the motion of the gimbal is not the user-intended motion if the rotation angle does not exceed the preset angle threshold.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the angle threshold is less than a maximum rotation angle of the gimbal.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the sensor detects an angular velocity of the load, and the controller is configured to determine whether the angular velocity exceeds a preset angular velocity threshold;

the motion of the load is the user-intended motion if the angular velocity exceeds the preset angular velocity threshold, while the motion of the load is not the user-intended motion if the angular velocity does not exceed the preset angular velocity threshold.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the gimbal is mounted on a moving object, and the controller is configured to detect a control signal received by the moving object and to determine whether a control signal exists corresponding to a motion of the moving object;

the motion of the gimbal is the user-intended motion if a control signal exists corresponding to a motion of the moving object, while the motion of the gimbal is not the user-intended motion if a control signal does not exist corresponding to a motion of the moving object.