Gimbal control method, gimbal, and unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021271221-A1
Application number	US-202117321438-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Sep 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gimbal control method includes obtaining a target attitude parameter of a target attitude of an active gimbal and transmitting the target attitude parameter to a follower gimbal to adjust the follower gimbal to the target attitude. The target attitude is an attitude that the active gimbal is moving to.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gimbal control method comprising:
obtaining a target attitude parameter of a target attitude of an active gimbal, the target attitude being an attitude that the active gimbal is moving to; and transmitting the target attitude parameter to a follower gimbal to adjust the follower gimbal to the target attitude.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting current joint angle data of the active gimbal to the follower gimbal to adjust a joint angle of the follower gimbal to be same as a current joint angle of the active gimbal to avoid a mechanical position limit of the follower gimbal during a process of adjusting the follower gimbal to the target attitude.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in response to an absolute value of a difference between the current joint angle of the active gimbal and a current joint angle of the follower gimbal being greater than 180°, the follower gimbal is adjusted to an attitude corresponding to the current joint angle data of the active gimbal according to a predetermined movement direction, the predetermined movement direction being opposite to a direction, in which the follower gimbal moves to the attitude corresponding to the current joint angle data of the active gimbal in a shortest path.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the current joint angle data of the active gimbal includes at least one of a joint angle of a yaw axis motor of the active gimbal, a joint angle of a pitch axis motor of the active gimbal, or a joint angle of a roll axis motor of the active gimbal.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the target attitude parameter of the target attitude of the active gimbal includes:
obtaining the target attitude parameter of the target attitude with a predetermined accuracy of the active gimbal, the predetermined accuracy being higher than an attitude measurement accuracy of the active gimbal.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a data type of the target attitude parameter includes a float data type.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, to the follower gimbal, a flag bit indicating the active gimbal is in a predetermined mode to cause the follower gimbal to move to a predetermined position when the active gimbal is adjusting an attitude in the predetermined mode.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined position includes a zero joint angle of the follower gimbal.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined mode includes at least one of a compass alignment mode or a gimbal automatic alignment mode.

10 . A gimbal configured as an active gimbal of an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
an input device; an output device; a processor; and a memory storing a program code that, when executed, causes the processor to:
control the input device to obtain a target attitude parameter of a target attitude of the active gimbal, the target attitude being an attitude that the active gimbal is moving to; and
control the output device to transmit the target attitude parameter to a follower gimbal included in the unmanned aerial vehicle to adjust the follower gimbal to the target attitude.

11 . The gimbal of claim 10 , wherein the program code further causes the processor to:
control the output device to transmit current joint angle data of the active gimbal to the follower gimbal to adjust joint angle of the follower gimbal to be same as a current joint angle of the active gimbal to avoid a mechanical position limit of the follower gimbal during a process of adjusting the follower gimbal to the target attitude.

12 . The gimbal of claim 11 , wherein the program code further causes the processor to:
in response to an absolute value of a difference between the current joint angle of the active gimbal and a current joint angle of the follower gimbal being greater than 180°, adjust the follower gimbal to an attitude corresponding to the current joint angle data of the active gimbal according to a predetermined movement direction, the predetermined movement direction being opposite to a direction, in which the follower gimbal moves to the attitude corresponding to the current joint angle data of the active gimbal in a shortest path.

13 . The gimbal of claim 11 , wherein the current joint angle data of the active gimbal includes at least one of a joint angle of a yaw axis motor of the active gimbal, a joint angle of a pitch axis motor of the active gimbal, or a joint angle of a roll axis motor of the active gimbal.

14 . The gimbal of claim 10 , wherein the program code further causes the processor to:
obtain the target attitude parameter of the target attitude with a predetermined accuracy of the active gimbal, the predetermined accuracy being higher than an attitude measurement accuracy of the active gimbal.

15 . The gimbal of claim 10 , wherein a data type of the target attitude parameter includes a float data type.

16 . The gimbal of claim 10 , wherein the program code further causes the processor to:
Transmit, to the follower gimbal, a flag bit indicating the active gimbal is in a predetermined mode to cause the follower gimbal to move to a predetermined position when the active gimbal is adjusting an attitude in the predetermined mode.

17 . The gimbal of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined position includes a zero joint angle of the follower gimbal.

18 . The gimbal of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined mode includes at least one of a compass alignment mode or a gimbal automatic alignment mode.

19 . An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body; a power system mounted at the vehicle body and configured to provide power for the unmanned aerial vehicle; an active gimbal including:
a first input device;
an output device;
a first processor; and
a first memory storing a first program code that, when executed, causes the first processor to:
control the input device to obtain a target attitude parameter of a target attitude of the active gimbal, the target attitude being an attitude that the active gimbal is moving to; and
control the output device to transmit the target attitude parameter to a follower gimbal to adjust the follower gimbal to the target attitude; and

a follower gimbal including:
a second input device;
a second processor; and
a second memory storing a second program code that, when executed, causes the second processor to:
control the second input device to receive the target attitude parameter of the target attitude of the active gimbal; and
control the follower gimbal to be adjusted to the target attitude according to the target attitude parameter.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Yingzhi
• Liu Shuai
• He Changxin
• Yang Yong
• Chen Hanping

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16M2200/041

  for balancing rotational movement of the head · CPC title

• F16M11/2071

  for panning and rolling (F16M11/2078 takes precedence) · CPC title