Methods and apparatuses for stabilizing a payload

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11194231-B2
Application number	US-201916656285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2019
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

A method includes determining an actual orientation of a base of an apparatus, obtaining a target orientation of a payload support of the apparatus, and determining target angular displacements of the payload support about gimbal axes of a plurality of pivoted supports of the apparatus based on the actual orientation of the base and the target orientation of the payload support. The payload support is mounted to the base through the plurality of pivoted supports.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining an actual orientation of a base of an apparatus;
obtaining a target orientation of a payload support of the apparatus; and
determining target angular displacements of the payload support about gimbal axes of a plurality of pivoted supports of the apparatus, based on the actual orientation of the base and the target orientation of the payload support;
wherein the payload support is mounted to the base through the plurality of pivoted supports.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actual orientation of the base is relative to a reference orientation of the base.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the target angular displacements of the payload support is further based on a reference orientation of the base, wherein the reference orientation of the base was obtained at a time earlier than determining the actual orientation of the base.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reference orientation of the base and the actual orientation of the base differ by more than 45 degrees, more than 90 degrees, or more than 135 degrees, about an axis.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an actual orientation of the payload support;
wherein determining the target angular displacements is further based on the actual orientation of the payload support.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the target angular displacements of the payload support comprises transforming the actual orientation of the payload support with a non-identity function.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the non-identity function is a linear function.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the actual orientation of the payload support is based on signals of inertial sensors, the inertial sensors comprising at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining actual angular displacements of the payload support about the gimbal axes;
wherein determining the target angular displacements is further based on the actual angular displacements.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the target angular displacements comprises determining an actual orientation of the payload support based on the actual angular displacements and the actual orientation of the base.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the target angular displacements of the payload support comprises transforming the actual angular displacements of the payload support with a non-identity function.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the actual orientation of the base is based on signals of inertial sensors, the inertial sensors comprising at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the actual orientation of the base is based on an actual orientation of the payload support and actual angular displacements of the payload support about the gimbal axes.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pivoted supports include three pivoted supports, the gimbal axes of the three pivoted supports being mutually orthogonal.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to be mounted to a handle assembly comprising a handle configured to be held by a person's hand.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target orientation of the payload support is determined upon powering the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to be mounted on a vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payload support is configured to support a camera.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing the target orientation of the payload support.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the pivoted supports to the target angular displacements of the payload support.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the target angular displacements of the payload support comprises at least one of:
transforming the target orientation of the payload support with a non-identity function,
transforming the actual orientation of the base with the non-identity function, or
transforming the target angular displacements of the payload support with the non-identity function.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the non-identity function is a linear function.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Osmo Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Su Tie
• Pan Paul

Classifications

• H04N23/685

  performed by mechanical compensation · CPC title

• F16M13/04

  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 title

• G03B17/563

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

• F16M11/18

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

• F16M11/123

  the axis of rotation intersecting in a single point, e.g. by using gimbals · CPC title