Handheld gimbal control method and handheld gimbal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028967-B2
Application number	US-201916569084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A method of controlling a handheld gimbal includes obtaining an input instruction, and selecting one follow mode from a plurality of follow modes for following movement of an input device or a handheld member of the handheld gimbal based on the input instruction. The plurality of follow modes have different following speeds. The method further includes controlling movement of the handheld gimbal using the selected follow mode to follow the movement of the input device or the handheld member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a handheld gimbal comprising:
obtaining an input instruction;
based on the input instruction, selecting one follow mode from a plurality of follow modes for following movement of an input device or a handheld member of the handheld gimbal, the plurality of follow modes having different following speeds; and
controlling movement of the handheld gimbal using the selected follow mode to follow the movement of the input device or the handheld member,
wherein in a follow mode having a largest following speed among the plurality of follow modes, a roll axis arm of the handheld gimbal maintains a horizontal attitude.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the input instruction is a first input instruction;
the method further comprising:
obtaining a second input instruction; and
based on the second input instruction, determining axis assemblies of the handheld gimbal that need to move in the selected follow mode;
wherein controlling the movement of the handheld gimbal using the selected follow mode includes controlling movement of the axis assemblies that need to move using the selected follow mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of follow modes include a first follow mode and a second follow mode;
in the first follow mode, the movement of the handheld gimbal is controlled according to a first speed determined by a difference between an actual attitude of a photograph device held by the handheld gimbal and an actual attitude of the input device or the handheld member; and
in the second follow mode, the movement of the handheld gimbal is controlled according to a sum of the first speed and a second speed determined by a difference between a current target attitude and a preceding target attitude in a process of controlling the handheld gimbal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first speed is determined by:
subtracting the actual attitude of the photograph device and a dead band from the actual attitude of the input device or the handheld member to obtain an attitude amount that the photograph device needs to be adjusted;
based on an acceleration of the input device or the handheld member, determining an amount of dynamic following change; and
multiplying the attitude amount that the photograph device needs to be adjusted by the amount of the dynamic following change and a pre-configured speed coefficient to obtain the first speed.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the dead band used in calculating the first speed in the second follow mode is smaller than the dead band used in calculating the first speed in the first follow mode; and/or
the amount of the dynamic following change used in calculating the first speed in the second follow mode is greater than the amount of the dynamic following change used in calculating the first speed in the first follow mode; and/or
the speed coefficient used in calculating the first speed in the second follow mode is greater than the speed coefficient used in calculating the first speed in the first follow mode.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining the actual attitude of the photograph device using an inertial measurement unit (IMU), no relative movement existing between the IMU and the photograph device; and
determining the actual attitude of the input device or the handheld member using movement data of the IMU and electric motors of the handheld gimbal.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second speed is determined by:
calculating an attitude difference between the current target attitude and the preceding target attitude of the photograph device in the control process; and
dividing the attitude difference by a length of a control time interval to obtain the second speed.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining another input instruction; and
based on the another input instruction, pre-configuring parameters used in determining the different following speeds of the plurality of follow modes in the handheld gimbal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the pre-configured parameters include at least one of a dead band, an amount of dynamic following change, or a speed coefficient, used in calculating the different following speeds.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the handheld gimbal includes at least one control button; and
obtaining the input instruction includes:
obtaining the input instruction triggered by at least a portion of the at least one control button.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
a number of the at least one control button included in the handheld gimbal is the same as a number of the plurality of follow modes; and
the input instruction triggered by the at least a portion of the at least one control button is used to select the one follow mode from the plurality of follow modes.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
selecting the one follow mode includes:
selecting a follow mode that controls the movement of the handheld gimbal according to a sum of a first speed and a second speed when one of the at least one control button persistently triggers the input instruction; and
in response to the one of the at least one control button stopping persistently triggering the input instruction, controlling the handheld gimbal to return to a state before the one of the at least one control button persistently triggered the input instruction,
wherein:
the first speed is determined by a difference between an actual attitude of a photograph device held by the handheld gimbal and an actual attitude of the input device or the handheld member; and
the second speed is determined by a difference between a current target attitude and a preceding target attitude in a process of controlling the handheld gimbal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the plurality of follow modes include a plurality of first follow modes that controls the movement of the handheld gimbal according to the first speed;
the follow mode that controls the movement of the handheld gimbal according to the sum of the first speed and the second speed is a second follow mode different from the plurality of first follow modes; and
selecting the one follow mode includes:
selecting one first follow mode from the plurality of first follow modes when the input instruction is an instant instruction triggered by the one of the at least one control button.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein selecting the one first follow mode from the plurality of first follow modes includes:
selecting the one first follow mode according to an order of the plurality of first follow modes.

15. The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the handheld gimbal includes a plurality of indictors corresponding to the plurality of first follow modes, respectively; and
the method further comprising:
in response to the one first follow mode is selected, turning on one of the indicators that corresponds to the one first follow mode.

16. A handheld gimbal comprising:
an input device configured to obtain an input instruction;
a handheld member connected to the input device;
a bracket connected to the input device and including one or more axis assemblies, each of the one or more axis assemblies including an axis arm and an electric motor for driving the axis arm to move; and
a processor configured to:
select one follow mode from a plurality of follow modes for following the input device or the handheld member based on the input instruction, the plurality of follow modes having different following speeds; and
control movement of the one or more axis ass

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Su Tie
• Pan Paul

Classifications

• G03B17/563

  Camera grips, handles (means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00) · CPC title

• F16M11/2085

  comprising means allowing sideward adjustment, i.e. left-right translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage · CPC title

• F16M11/18

  with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title

• F16M11/205

  the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. gimbals · 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