Detachable control device, gimbal device and handheld gimbal control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10983420-B2
Application number	US-201916600028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2019
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A detachable control device includes an operation member, a detachable interface configured to attach the detachable control device to a handle of a gimbal device, a wireless communication circuit, and a controller configured to detect an operation on the operation member, and generate control data according to the operation. The control data includes at least one of gimbal orientation control data for controlling an attitude of a gimbal of the gimbal device or camera function control data for controlling a photographing device mounted at the gimbal to perform a corresponding function. If the detachable control device is not attached to the handle, the controller sends the control data to at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wireless communication circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable control device comprising:
an operation member;
a detachable interface configured to attach the detachable control device to a handle of a gimbal device;
a wireless communication circuit;
a controller configured to:
detect an operation on the operation member;
generate control data according to the operation, the control data including at least one of gimbal orientation control data for controlling an attitude of a gimbal of the gimbal device or camera function control data for controlling a photographing device mounted at the gimbal to perform a corresponding function; and
in response to the detachable control device not being attached to the handle, send the control data to at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wireless communication circuit; and

an audio acquisition device configured to collect audio data;
wherein the controller is further configured to send the audio data to at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wireless communication circuit.

2. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wired communication circuit;
wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the detachable control device being attached to the handle, send the control data to the at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wired communication circuit.

3. The detachable control device of claim 1 , wherein the operation member includes at least one of:
a gimbal control joystick configured to receive an operation for generating the gimbal orientation control data; or
a camera function control button configured to receive an operation for generating the camera function control data.

4. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an audio recognition device;
wherein:
the control data is first control data, the gimbal orientation control data is first gimbal orientation control data, and the camera function control data is first camera function control data;
the audio recognition device is configured to recognize the audio data to determine second control data including at least one of second gimbal orientation control data or second camera function control data; and
the controller is further configured to send the second control data to at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wireless communication circuit.

5. The detachable control device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit includes at least one of a Bluetooth device, an infrared device, a ultra-wideband device, or a Wi-Fi device.

6. The detachable control device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive location detection data from the gimbal device through the wireless communication circuit; and
send location response data to the gimbal device through the wireless communication circuit.

7. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a position locating device configured to determine a geographical location of the detachable control device;
wherein the controller is further configured to generate location data according to the geographical location determined by the position locating device and send the location data to the gimbal device through the wireless communication circuit.

8. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inertial measurement unit configured to, in response to the detachable control device not being attached to the handle, detect attitude data of the detachable control device;
wherein:
the control data is first control data, the gimbal orientation control data is first gimbal orientation control data, and the camera function control data is first camera function control data; and
the controller is further configured to:
generate second control data according to the attitude data of the detachable control device, the second control data including at least one of second gimbal orientation control data or second camera function control data; and
send the second control data to at least one of the gimbal device or the photographing device through the wireless communication circuit.

9. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnet at the detachable interface and configured to interact with a linear Hall device at an assembleable interface of the handle.

10. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless charging device configured to wirelessly charge the detachable control device in response to the detachable control device being not attached to the handle; and
a wired charging device at the detachable interface configured to charge the detachable control device, the wired charging device including a power supply contact;
wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the detachable control device is attached to the handle based on a voltage at the power supply contact.

11. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an infrared transmitter or an infrared receiver at the detachable interface;
wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the detachable control device is attached to the handle according to a transmission of infrared signal at the infrared transmitter or the infrared receiver.

12. The detachable control device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a first status indicator or a loudspeaker configured to indicate whether the detachable control device is attached to the handle according to a determination by the controller;
a second status indicator configured to indicate a current operation status of a photographing device mounted at the gimbal device determined according to operation status data transmitted by the photographing device and received by the controller through the wireless communication circuit; or
a display screen configured to display an image generated according to image data transmitted by the photographing device and received by the controller through the wireless communication circuit.

13. The detachable control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the detachable control device is a wearable device.

14. A gimbal device comprising:
a handle including an assembleable interface configured to attach the handle to a detachable control device; and
a gimbal supported by the handle and including:
a wireless communication circuit configured to, in response to the handle not being attached to the detachable control device, receive gimbal orientation control data transmitted by the detachable control device; and
a controller configured to:
control an attitude of the gimbal according to the gimbal orientation control data;
send location detection data to the detachable control device through the wireless communication circuit;
receive location response data from the detachable control device through the wireless communication circuit; and
calculate a distance between the detachable control device and the gimbal device according to the location detection data and the location response data.

15. The gimbal device of claim 14 , wherein the gimbal further includes a wired communication circuit configured to, in response to the handle being attached to the detachable control device, receive the gimbal orientation control data.

16. The gimbal device of claim 14 , wherein:
the gimbal orientation control data is first gimbal orientation control data;
the wireless communication circuit is further configured to receive audio data sent by the

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lan Qiu
• Zhou Changxing
• Liu Wanqi

Classifications

• H04N23/66

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• F16M13/04 Primary

  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 title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title