Interchangeable mounting platform

• US 9,777,887 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Pan, Paul, Zhao, Xifeng, Zhao, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W B
• Application Number:
  US15/092,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20170089513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/10 Handles for carrying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/123 the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/22 with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs F16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• 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 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 : for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 : Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 : Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A platform for interchangeably mounting a payload to a base support is provided. In one aspect, the platform comprises: a support assembly configured to be releasably coupled to a payload via a first coupling and configured to control a spatial disposition of the payload; and a mounting assembly configured to be releasably coupled via a second coupling to a plurality of types of base supports selected from at least two of the following: an aerial vehicle, a handheld support, or a base adapter mounted onto a movable object.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a camera configured to obtain image data;

a mounting platform coupled to the camera, wherein the mounting platform comprises;

an actuator configured to rotate the camera; and

one or more sensors configured to obtain sensing data indicative of a spatial disposition of the mounting platform or the camera;

a handheld support member comprising;

a handle including a distal end configured to be coupled to the mounting platform;

an input interface on the handle for interacting with a user'"'"'s finger for adjusting an orientation of the camera;

an electrical coupling configured to be electrically coupled to the mounting platform; and

an interface configured to be coupled to a display, said display provided as a separate component from the camera, wherein the handheld support member is configured to be releasably coupled to the display via the interface, wherein (1) the camera is configured to provide the image data and (2) the mounting platform is configured to provide the sensing data, to the display to be shown on the display.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the input interface is configured to input control signals to the assembly to adjust an orientation of the camera.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handheld support member is configured to releasably couple a mobile device as the display.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensing data to be shown on the display comprises information selected from the group consisting of a position, translational velocity, translational acceleration, orientation, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of the mounting platform or the camera.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical coupling is configured to transmit power between the handheld support member and the mounting platform.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical coupling is configured to transmit data between the handheld support member and the mounting platform.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a stand at a proximal end of the handle, the stand being capable of independently supporting the assembly in a vertical position when the stand is placed on a surface.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the input interface is located close to the distal end of the handle.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a rechargeable power source.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit coupled to the camera and configured to wirelessly transmit the image data.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more dampers comprise four dampers positioned at four corners of the mounting platform.

12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a base plate and a stand, and the one or more dampers are between the base plate and the stand.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein one or more dampers comprise four dampers positioned at four corners of the base plate.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting platform comprises an electrical interface enabling the camera to be electrically coupled to the mounting platform.

15. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a quick release coupling mechanism comprising tabs on the mounting platform and tabs on the handheld support member, wherein the tabs on the mounting platform are configured to be releasably coupled to the tabs on the handheld support member by placing the tabs on the handheld support member in gaps between the tabs on the mounting platform, and the tabs on mounting platform are configured to be decoupled from the tabs on the handheld support member by no more than two motions.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the tabs on the mounting platform are configured to be decoupled from the tabs on the handheld support member by no more than two motions consisting of depressing a button and a sliding motion.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the handheld support member comprises a spring element for constraining movement of the tabs of the mounting platform relative to the tabs of handheld support member when the mounting platform is coupled to the handheld support member.

18. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and the quick release coupling mechanism further comprising tabs on the UAV, wherein the tabs on the mounting platform are configured to be releasably coupled to the tabs on the UAV by placing the tabs on the UAV into gaps between the tabs on the mounting platform, and the tabs on the mounting platform are configured to be decoupled from the tabs on the UAV by no more than two motions.

19. An assembly comprising:

a camera configured to obtain image data;

a mounting platform coupled to the camera, wherein the mounting platform (1) comprises an actuator configured to rotate the camera and one or more sensors configured to obtain sensing data indicative of a spatial disposition of the mounting platform or the camera, and (2) is configured to be operatively coupled to a base adapter comprising (a) a base plate, (b) a stand, and (c) a plurality of dampers between the base plate and the stand; and

a handheld support member comprising;

a handle including a distal end configured to be coupled to the base plate;

an input interface on the handle for interacting with a user'"'"'s finger for adjusting an orientation of the camera;

an electrical coupling configured to be electrically coupled to the mounting platform; and

an interface configured to be coupled to a display, said display provided as a separate component from the camera, wherein the handheld support member is configured to be releasably coupled to the display via the interface, wherein (1) the camera is configured to provide the image data and (2) the mounting platform is configured to provide the sensing data, to the display to be shown on the display.

20. An assembly comprising:

a camera configured to obtain image data;

a communication unit coupled to the camera and configured to wirelessly transmit the image data to a terminal;

a gimbal assembly coupled to the camera and including an actuator configured to rotate the camera about at least one of a roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis;

one or more dampers coupled to the gimbal assembly for reducing vibration of the camera;

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising;

an electrical coupling configured to be electrically coupled to the gimbal assembly;

a plurality of rotors for propelling the UAV; and

a communication system configured to communicate with the terminal; and

a handheld support member comprising;

a handle;

an input interface on the handle for interacting with a user'"'"'s finger for adjusting an orientation of the camera;

an electrical coupling configured to be electrically coupled to the gimbal assembly; and

an interface configured to be coupled to a display, said display provided as a separate component from the camera, wherein the handheld support member is configured to be releasably coupled to the display via the interface, wherein (1) the camera is configured to provide the image data and (2) the gimbal assembly is configured to provide sensing data indicative of a spatial disposition of the gimbal assembly or the camera, to the display to be shown on the display; and

a quick release coupling mechanism including tabs on the gimbal assembly, tabs on the UAV, and tabs on the handheld support member,

wherein the tabs on the gimbal assembly are configured to be releasably coupled to the tabs on the UAV by inserting the tabs on the UAV into gaps between the tabs on the gimbal assembly, and

wherein the tabs on the gimbal assembly are further configured to be releasably coupled to the tabs on the handheld support member by inserting the tabs on the handheld support member into gaps between the tabs on the gimbal assembly.