Interchangeable mounting platform

• US 9,781,312 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• 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:
  US15/012,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20160144961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/10 Handles for carrying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• 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 for interchangeably mounting onto a plurality of different types of base support comprising a first type of base support and a second type of base support, wherein the first type of base support is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the second type of base support is a handheld support member, the assembly configured for both aerial imaging and handheld photography comprising:

a payload configured to obtain image data, wherein the payload comprises or is operably coupled to a transmitter for transmitting the image data to a terminal, wherein said terminal is provided separately from the payload or located remotely to the payload; and

a mounting platform coupled to the payload via a first coupling, wherein the mounting platform comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain sensing data indicative of a spatial disposition of the mounting platform or the payload, wherein said sensing data is transmitted to the terminal, and wherein said mounting platform is configured to be releasably coupled via a second coupling to each of the first type and the second type of base support, and wherein the second coupling is a quick release coupling such that the quick release (1) is carried out manually without the use of tools and (2) enables the first type of base support and the second type of base support to be releasably coupled to and decoupled from the mounting platform,

wherein the mounting platform is configured to establish electrical communication with each of the first type of base support and the second type of base support separately, such that (1) the electrical communication is established with the first type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the first type of base support via the second coupling and is receiving power from a first power source on the first type of base support, and (2) the electrical communication is established with the second type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the second type of base support via the second coupling and is receiving power from a second power source on the second type of base support;

wherein the electrical communication is configured to initiate a recognition of whether the mounting platform is coupled to the UAV or to the handheld support member;

wherein the mounting platform is configured to control the spatial disposition of the payload relative to each of the first type of base support and the second type of base support based on the sensing data; and

when the mounting platform is coupled to the UAV and upon establishing the electrical communication between the mounting platform and the UAV, a first set of control signals is obtained by the mounting platform to control the spatial disposition of the payload relative to the UAV; and

when the mounting platform is coupled to the handheld support member and upon establishing the electrical communication between the mounting platform and the handheld support member, a second set of control signals is obtained by the mounting platform to control the spatial disposition of the payload relative to the handheld support member.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the payload is an imaging device comprising a storage medium.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first set of control signals is obtained by the mounting platform to control the spatial disposition of the payload about one or two of a roll axis, a pitch axis, or a yaw axis with respect to the UAV;

and wherein the second set of control signals is obtained by the mounting platform to control the spatial disposition of the payload about a roll axis, a pitch axis, or a yaw axis with respect to the handheld support member.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounting platform comprises at least one actuator configured to rotate the payload, and wherein the imaging device is stabilized by the at least one actuator.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the transmitter wirelessly transmits said image data to said terminal.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the terminal comprises a display configured to be coupled to the handheld support member via a mating interface of the handheld support member.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handheld support member comprises an input interface configured to receive input from a user, wherein the input comprises commands provided to the handheld support member to effect control of the spatial disposition of the payload via the mounting platform.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the spatial disposition of the payload comprises an orientation of the payload relative to the handheld support member.

9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the image data to the handheld support member.

10. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the display displays information indicating the type of the base support to which the mounting platform is attached.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the payload is stabilized and comprises a storage medium.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first power source is located onboard the UAV, and the second power source is located on the handheld support member.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first power source is configured to provide power to one or more propulsion units of the UAV.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the quick release coupling enables at least the sensing data from the mounting platform to be conveyed to (1) the first type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the first type of base support, and (2) to the second type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the second type of base support.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the sensing data from the mounting platform comprises data about a state of the mounting platform or the payload.

17. The assembly of claim 1, wherein an indication of whether the mounting platform is coupled to the first type of base support or the second type of base support is shown on a display of the terminal.

18. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a base adapter that is configured to support the mounting platform and that is configured to be releasably coupled via the second coupling to each of the first type and the second type of base support, wherein the base adapter comprises one or more vibration dampers.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the base adapter is configured to communicate at least one of power and data to the mounting platform or the payload.

20. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting assembly is configured to effect the control of the spatial disposition of the payload based on input from a user (1) via the terminal that is provided separate from the first type of base support, when the mounting platform is coupled to the first type of base support, and (2) via an input interface on the second type of base support, when the mounting platform is coupled to the second type of base support.

21. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first set of control signals is obtained to control the spatial disposition of the payload such that movement of the payload relative to the UAV is constrained about at least one of a roll axis, a pitch axis, or a yaw axis with respect to the UAV;

and wherein the second set of control signals is obtained to control the spatial disposition of the payload such that movement of the payload relative to the handheld support member is constrained about at least one of a roll axis, a pitch axis, or a yaw axis with respect to the handheld support member.

14. A method for interchangeably mounting onto a plurality of different types of base support comprising a first type of base support and a second type of base support to enable aerial imaging and handheld photography, wherein the first type of base support is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the second type of base support is a handheld support member, the method comprising:

providing a mounting platform coupled to a payload via a first coupling, wherein the mounting platform comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain sensing data indicative of a spatial disposition of the mounting platform or the payload, wherein the payload is configured to obtain image data and comprises or is operably coupled to a transmitter for transmitting the image data to a terminal, and wherein the terminal is provided separately from the payload or located remotely to the payload and configured to receive the image data and the sensing data;

releasably coupling the mounting platform via a second coupling to each of the first type and the second type of base support, wherein the second coupling is a quick release coupling such that the quick release (1) is carried out manually without the use of tools and (2) enables the first type of base support and the second type of base support to be releasably coupled to and decoupled from the mounting platform;

establishing electrical communication between the mounting platform and each of the first type of base support and second type of base support separately such that (1) the electrical communication is established with the first type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the first type of base support via the second coupling and is receiving power from a first power source on the first type of base support, and (2) the electrical communication is established with the second type of base support when the mounting platform is coupled to the second type of base support via the second coupling and is receiving power from a second power source on the second type of base support;

initiating a recognition of whether the mounting platform is coupled to the UAV or to the handheld support member;

controlling, with aid of the mounting platform, the spatial disposition of the payload relative to each of the first type of base support and the second type of base support based on the sensing data;

obtaining, by the mounting platform, a first set of control signals to control the spatial disposition of the payload relative to the UAV when the mounting platform is coupled to the UAV and upon establishing the electrical communication between the mounting platform and the UAV; and

obtaining, by the mounting platform, a second set of control signals to control the spatial disposition of the payload relative to the handheld support member when the mounting platform is coupled to the handheld support member and upon establishing the electrical communication between the mounting platform and the handheld support member.