Method, control apparatus and control system for remotely controlling an image capture operation of movable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11924539-B2
Application number	US-202017074393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A method for controlling image capture includes: receiving, from a movable device, an image of a target imaging area; adjusting, by a first control apparatus, one or more first imaging parameters for imaging the target imaging area based at least in part on the image to obtain one or more first adjusted imaging parameters; adjusting, by operating on an interactive interface of a second control apparatus, one or more second imaging parameters for imaging the target imaging area based at least in part on the image to obtain one or more second adjusted imaging parameters, the interactive interface being configured to receive user interaction to control an attitude of a gimbal device configured on the movable device, the gimbal device carrying an imaging device for imaging the targeted area; and sending, by the first control apparatus and/or the second control apparatus, an instruction carrying the one or more first adjusted imaging parameters and the one or more second adjusted imaging parameters to the movable device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling image capture, comprising:
receiving, from a movable device, an image of a target imaging area;
controlling a flight attitude of the movable device by holding a first control apparatus and operating a joystick on the first control apparatus, the joystick being located on a top surface of the first control apparatus;
manually adjusting, by using a dial configured on the first control apparatus, an attitude of a gimbal device configured on the movable device while controlling the flight attitude of the movable device, the gimbal device carrying an imaging device for imaging the target imaging area, the dial being located in a slot of a sidewall of the first control apparatus with a portion of a cylindrical sidewall of the dial being exposed to be turned by a finger;
adjusting, by operating on an interactive interface of a second control apparatus, one or more imaging parameters for imaging the target imaging area based at least in part on the image to obtain one or more adjusted imaging parameters, the interactive interface being configured to receive user interaction to control the attitude of the gimbal device; and
sending, by the second control apparatus or by the second control apparatus through the first control apparatus, an instruction carrying the one or more adjusted imaging parameters to the movable device;
wherein the interactive interface includes a gimbal control icon projected onto the image of the target imaging area, the gimbal control icon including a scrollbar and being configured to receive user interaction to control the attitude of the gimbal device.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first control apparatus further comprises a button, the method further comprising:
selecting a target adjustable mode in response to at least one of the dial being turned, the button being pressed, or the joystick being operated.

3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the target adjustable mode comprises a program control mode, an aperture priority mode, a shutter priority mode, or a manual mode,
the method further comprising, after selecting the target adjustable mode:
adjusting at least one of an ISO sensitivity value, a shutter value, an aperture value, or an exposure value in response to the dial being turned.

4. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the target adjustable mode is a manual focus mode,
the method further comprising, after selecting the manual focus mode:
performing a focusing operation on the image in response to the dial being turned, and/or
performing the focusing operation in response to an operation on a scrollbar or a function menu in the interactive interface of the second control apparatus that corresponds to a focus parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein performing the focusing operation in response to the operation on the scrollbar or the function menu in the interactive interface of the second control apparatus includes:
magnifying an area in the image on which the focusing operation is performed;
determining whether the area is in focus as a result of the focusing operation; and
in response to the area being not in focus:
continuing the focusing operation on the target imaging area according to the dial being turned; and
adjusting a light metering parameter according to an operation on the interactive interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing at least one of:
enabling at least one of a light metering operation, an automatic focusing operation, or a manual focusing operation in response to an operation on the first control apparatus;
enabling the light metering operation and/or the automatic focusing operation in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus;
enabling the light metering operation and/or the manual focusing operation in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus;
enabling the automatic focusing operation or an automatic focusing lock operation in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus;
enabling an automatic exposure operation or an automatic exposure lock operation in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus; or
enabling a spot light metering operation or a global light metering operation in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
switching among a plurality of shooting modes in response to at least one of:
a button on the second control apparatus being pressed,
a scrollbar in the interactive interface of the second control apparatus that corresponds to the shooting modes being touched, or
a function menu in the interactive interface of the second control apparatus that corresponds to the shooting modes being touched,

wherein the shooting modes comprise a program automatic mode, an aperture priority mode, a shutter priority mode, and a manual mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an updated image of the target imaging area from the movable device.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the instruction is a first instruction,
the method further comprising:
adjusting, by the first control apparatus and/or the second control apparatus, the one or more imaging parameters for imaging the target imaging area based at least in part on the updated image to obtain one or more updated adjusted imaging parameters; and
sending, by the first control apparatus and/or the second control apparatus, a second instruction carrying the one or more updated adjusted imaging parameters to the movable device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a touch on the interactive interface of the second control apparatus, performing at least one of:
enabling a light metering operation;
enabling an automatic focusing lock operation;
enabling an automatic exposure operation; or
enabling a spot light metering operation or a global light metering operation.

11. A system for controlling image capture, comprising:
a first control apparatus, configured to:
receive, from a movable device, an image of a target imaging area;
control a flight attitude of the movable device by holding the first control apparatus and operating a joystick on the first control apparatus, the joystick being located on a top surface of the first control apparatus; and
manually adjust, by using a dial configured on the first control apparatus, an attitude of a gimbal device configured on the movable device while controlling the flight attitude of the movable device, the gimbal device carrying an imaging device for imaging the target imaging area, the dial being located in a slot of a sidewall of the first control apparatus with a portion of a cylindrical sidewall of the dial being exposed to be turned by a finger; and

a second control apparatus having an interactive interface, the second control apparatus configured to:
receive, from the movable device, the image of the target imaging area; and
adjust one or more imaging parameters for imaging the target imaging area based at least in part on the image to obtain one or more adjusted imaging parameters, the interactive interface being configured to receive user interaction to control the attitude of the gimbal device;
wherein:
the second control apparatus is further configured to send an instruction carrying the one or more adjusted imaging parameters to the movable device through or not through the first control apparatus; and
the interactive interface includes a gimbal control icon projected onto the image of the target imaging

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhong Heli
• Yang Bingzhen
• Yu Lifu
• Zhang Zhiyuan

Classifications

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/64

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title