System and method for isolating camera movement

• US 8,559,802 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: McClatchie, Iain Richard Tyrone, Muldoon, Ian Rickard
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W B
• Application Number:
  US13/480,572
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 396/12, 396/13
• US Class Current: 396/13
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view

Abstract

A system and method for isolating the motion of a camera relative to a base structure is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may generally include a plurality of bearing pucks coupled to the base structure. Each of the bearing pucks may be configured to receive and expel a pressurized fluid. In addition, the system may include a camera support coupled to the camera. The camera support may include at least one bearing member defining a spherical surface. The bearing member may be positioned adjacent to the bearing pucks such that the pressurized fluid forms a fluid layer between the spherical surface and the bearing pucks. The fluid layer may suspend the bearing member relative to the bearing pucks such that the camera support is rotationally isolated from the base structure.

Claims

1. A system for isolating the motion of a camera relative to a base structure, the system comprising:

a plurality of bearing pucks coupled to the base structure, each of said plurality of bearing pucks being configured to receive and expel a pressurized fluid; and

a camera support coupled to the camera, said camera support including at least one bearing member defining a spherical surface, said at least one bearing member being positioned adjacent to said plurality of bearing pucks such that the pressurized fluid forms a fluid layer between said spherical surface and said plurality of bearing pucks,

wherein the fluid layer suspends said at least one bearing member relative to said plurality of bearing pucks such that the camera is rotationally isolated from the base structure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said spherical surface comprises a first spherical surface and a second spherical surface, a first bearing puck of said plurality of bearing pucks being positioned adjacent to said first spherical surface and a second bearing puck of said plurality of bearing pucks being positioned adjacent to said second spherical surface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first and second bearing pucks are radially aligned on said at least one bearing member.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said at least one bearing member is configured as a spherical cap.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said spherical surface comprises an outer spherical surface, at least three bearing pucks of said plurality of bearing pucks being spaced apart around said outer spherical surface.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least three bearing pucks are spaced apart equally around said outer spherical surface.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said at least one bearing member is configured as a spherical segment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one bearing member comprises a first bearing member and a second bearing member.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said first and second bearing members have a common center of rotation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said first bearing member is configured as a top portion of a sphere and said second bearing member is configured as a middle portion of a sphere.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said spherical surface comprises a first spherical surface and a second spherical surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least three bearing pucks of said plurality of bearing pucks are positioned adjacent to said first spherical surface and at least one bearing puck of said plurality of bearing pucks is positioned adjacent to said second spherical surface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of bearing pucks comprises at least three pairs of bearing pucks, each of the at least three pairs of bearing pucks including a first bearing puck positioned adjacent to said first spherical surface and a second bearing puck positioned adjacent to said second spherical surface, said first and second bearing pucks being radially aligned on said at least one bearing member.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bearing pucks defines a bearing surface having a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of curvature of said spherical surface.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuation device configured to control the movement of said camera support relative to said plurality of bearing pucks.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said actuation device comprises an electromagnetic actuation device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said electromagnetic actuation device includes a magnetic field generator coupled to the base structure and a magnet associated with said spherical surface.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to said actuation device, said controller being configured to control the operation of said actuation device.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to said controller, said sensor being configured to monitor an orientation of said camera support.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid layer suspends said at least one bearing member relative to said plurality of bearing pucks such that said camera support is rotatable relative the base structure in three dimensions.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein a damped coupling is formed between said plurality of bearing pucks and the base structure.

22. A method for isolating the motion of a camera relative to a base structure, the camera being coupled to a camera support having at least one bearing member, the method comprising:

supplying pressurized fluid to a plurality of bearing pucks coupled to the base structure, said plurality of bearing pucks being positioned adjacent to a spherical surface of the at least one bearing member; and

suspending the camera support relative to said plurality of bearing pucks on a fluid layer formed between said spherical surface and said plurality of bearing pucks in order to rotationally isolate the camera from the base structure.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising controlling the movement of the camera support relative to the at least one bearing member.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein comprising controlling the movement of the camera support relative to the at least one bearing member comprises controlling the operation of an actuation device associated with the at least one bearing member.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising monitoring an orientation of the camera support relative to the base structure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein controlling the movement of the camera support relative to the at least one bearing member comprises controlling the movement of the camera support based on the orientation of the camera support relative to the base structure.

27. A system for capturing aerial photography from an airplane, the system comprising:

a camera configured to capture images from a fuselage of the airplane;

a plurality of bearing pucks coupled to a portion of the fuselage, each of said plurality of bearing pucks being configured to receive and expel a pressurized fluid;

a camera support coupled to said camera, said camera support including at least one bearing member defining a spherical surface, said at least one bearing member being positioned adjacent to said plurality of bearing pucks such that the pressurized fluid forms a fluid layer between said spherical surface and said plurality of bearing pucks,

wherein the fluid layer suspends said at least one bearing member relative to said plurality of bearing pucks such that said camera is rotationally isolated from the fuselage.