U.S. patent application number 15/134321 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-01 for image stabilization mechanism.
The applicant listed for this patent is GoPro, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ryan Harrison, Noriaki Saika, Himay Rashmikant Shukla, Nenad Uzunovic.
Application Number | 20160352992 15/134321 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57394230 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160352992 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saika; Noriaki ; et
al. |
December 1, 2016 |
Image Stabilization Mechanism
Abstract
Disclosed is an electronic gimbal with camera and mounting
configuration. The gimbal includes an inertial measurement unit
which can sense the orientation of the camera and three electronic
motors which can manipulate the orientation of the camera. The
gimbal can be removably coupled to a variety of mount platforms,
such as an aerial vehicle or a handheld grip. Moreover, a camera
can be removably coupled to the gimbal and can be held in a
removable camera frame. Also disclosed is a system for allowing the
platform, to which the gimbal is mounted, to control settings of
the camera or to trigger actions on the camera, such as taking a
picture, or initiating the recording of a video. The gimbal can
also provide a connection between the camera and the mount
platform, such that the mount platform receives images and video
content from the camera.
Inventors: |
Saika; Noriaki; (Foster
City, CA) ; Harrison; Ryan; (El Granada, CA) ;
Shukla; Himay Rashmikant; (San Mateo, CA) ; Uzunovic;
Nenad; (San Mateo, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GoPro, Inc. |
San Mateo |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57394230 |
Appl. No.: |
15/134321 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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62167241 |
May 27, 2015 |
|
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62249879 |
Nov 2, 2015 |
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62302170 |
Mar 2, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64C 2201/127 20130101;
F16M 11/121 20130101; F16M 13/04 20130101; F16M 11/041 20130101;
H04N 5/2251 20130101; H04N 5/2328 20130101; B64D 47/08 20130101;
G03B 17/561 20130101; H04N 5/23203 20130101; G05D 1/0094 20130101;
H04N 5/772 20130101; H04N 5/23299 20180801; H04N 5/23293 20130101;
H04N 5/23258 20130101; F16M 13/02 20130101; H04N 7/183 20130101;
H04N 9/8205 20130101; B64C 39/024 20130101; F16M 11/18 20130101;
G03B 15/006 20130101; H04N 5/783 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/232 20060101
H04N005/232; H04N 5/77 20060101 H04N005/77; H04N 7/18 20060101
H04N007/18; H04N 5/225 20060101 H04N005/225 |
Claims
1. A stabilizing mounting system for a camera comprising: a
handheld grip comprising: a shaft; a gimbal connection at an end of
the shaft including a first securing mechanism and a first
electrical interface; a control button on the shaft, the control
button when activated causing a control signal to be transmitted
via the gimbal connection; and an electronic gimbal, comprising: a
grip connection including a second securing mechanism to removably
secure to the first securing mechanism of the handheld grip and a
second electrical interface to communicatively couple to the first
electrical interface of the handheld grip; a first motor connected
to the grip connection, the first motor to apply a first torque to
a first motor shaft to cause the first motor shaft to rotate about
a first axis of rotation; a second motor connected to the first
motor shaft, the second motor to apply a second torque to a second
motor shaft to rotate the second motor shaft about a second axis of
rotation; a third motor connected to the second motor shaft, the
third motor to apply a third torque to a third motor shaft to
rotate the third motor about a third axis of rotation; a camera
connection including a third securing mechanism to removably secure
a camera to the third motor shaft of the electronic gimbal, and the
camera connection comprising a third electrical interface to
communicatively couple the electronic gimbal to the camera; and an
internal data bus, wherein the bus communicatively connects the
second electrical interface to the third electrical interface, the
internal data bus to transfer the control signal from the handheld
grip to the camera when the control button is activated to enable
the control button on the handheld grip to control an action of the
camera.
2. The stabilizing mounting system of claim 1, wherein the handheld
grip further comprises: a battery to provide power to the handheld
grip, the electronic gimbal, and the camera.
3. The stabilizing mounting system of claim 1, wherein the control
signal when transmitted from the control button to the camera cause
the camera to take a picture or begin recording video.
4. The stabilizing mount system of claim 1, wherein the handheld
grip further comprises: a power button that when activated toggles
a power state of the camera.
5. The stabilizing mount of claim 1, wherein the handheld grip
further comprises: a light emitting diode to indicate a mode that
the camera is operating in.
6. The stabilizing mount of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
first motor, the second motor, and the third motor is configured as
a fixed motor in a fixed motor mode and wherein at least one of the
first motor, the second motor, and the third motor is configured as
an unfixed motor in an unfixed motor mode, wherein the fixed motor
operates to stabilize the camera at a fixed orientation about an
axis of rotation corresponding to the fixed motor, and wherein the
unfixed motor enables the camera to rotate about an axis of
rotation corresponding to the unfixed motor in response to the
movement of the handheld grip.
7. The stabilizing mount of claim 1, further comprising: a mode
control button to switch a mode of at least one of the first motor,
the second motor, and the third motor between the fixed motor mode
and the unfixed motor mode.
8. The stabilizing mount of claim 1, wherein in a default operation
mode, the first motor, the second motor, and the third motor are
configured such that a motor corresponding to a yaw axis is in the
unfixed mode, and motors corresponding to pitch and roll axes are
in the fixed mode.
9. The stabilizing mount of claim 1, wherein, the first axis of
rotation for the first motor shaft is orthogonal to the third axis
of rotation of the second motor shaft; and the second axis of
rotation for the second motor shaft is orthogonal to the third axis
of rotation of the third motor shaft.
10. The stabilizing mount of claim 9, wherein the first axis of
rotation for the first motor shaft is not orthogonal to the second
axis of rotation of the second motor shaft.
11. The stabilizing mount of claim 10, wherein the angle between
the axis of rotation of the second motor shaft and an axis
orthogonal to both the axis of rotation for the first motor shaft
and the axis of rotation for the third motor shaft is less than 30
degrees.
12. The electronic gimbal of claim 1, wherein the camera connection
comprises: a camera frame mount connected to the third motor shaft;
and a camera frame removably connected to the camera frame mount
and the camera, wherein the camera frame includes an electronic
connection between the camera and the electronic camera connection
of the electronic gimbal.
13. The electronic gimbal of claim 1, wherein the control signal
when transmitted from the control button to the camera causes the
camera to store a meta data tag in association with a current time
in a video being recorded by the camera.
14. A stabilizing mounting system for a camera comprising: a
handheld grip comprising: a shaft; a gimbal connecting means for
connecting to a gimbal, the gimbal connecting means comprising a
first securing means for mechanically securing to the gimbal and a
first electrical interfacing means for electrically interfacing to
the gimbal; a control means on the shaft for causing a control
signal to be transmitted via the gimbal connecting means; and an
electronic gimbal, comprising: a grip connecting means for
connecting to the handheld grip, the grip connecting means
including a second securing means for removably securing to the
first securing means of the handheld grip and a second electrical
interfacing means for communicatively interfacing to the first
electrical interfacing means of the handheld grip; a first rotating
means connected to the grip connecting means, the first rotating
means for applying a first torque to a first motor shaft to cause
the first motor shaft to rotate about a first axis of rotation; a
second rotating means connected to the first motor shaft, the
second rotating means for applying a second torque to a second
motor shaft to rotate the second motor shaft about a second axis of
rotation; a third rotating means connected to the second motor
shaft, the third rotating means for applying a third torque to a
third motor shaft to rotate the third motor about a third axis of
rotation; a camera connecting means for connecting to a camera, the
camera connecting means including a third securing means to
removably secure the camera to the third motor shaft, and the
camera connecting means comprising a third electrical interfacing
means for communicatively coupling the electronic gimbal to the
camera; and a data transfer means for communicatively connecting
the second electrical interfacing means to the third electrical
interfacing means, the data transfer means for transferring the
control signal from the handheld grip to the camera when the
control means is activated to enable the control means on the
handheld grip to control an action of the camera.
15. The stabilizing mounting system of claim 14, wherein the
handheld grip further comprises: a power means for providing power
to the handheld grip, the electronic gimbal, and the camera.
16. The stabilizing mounting system of claim 14, wherein the
control signal when transmitted from the control means to the
camera cause the camera to take a picture or begin recording
video.
17. The stabilizing mount system of claim 14, wherein the handheld
grip further comprises: a power control means for toggling a power
state of the camera when activated.
18. The stabilizing mount of claim 14, wherein the handheld grip
further comprises: a light emitting means for indicating a mode
that the camera is operating in.
19. The stabilizing mount of claim 14, wherein at least one of the
first rotating means, the second rotating means, and the third
rotating means is configured as a fixed rotating means in a fixed
mode and wherein at least one of the first rotating means, the
second rotating means, and the third rotating means is configured
as an unfixed rotating means in an unfixed mode, wherein the fixed
rotating means operates to stabilize the camera at a fixed
orientation about an axis of rotation corresponding to the fixed
rotating means, and wherein the unfixed rotating means enables the
camera to rotate about an axis of rotation corresponding to the
unfixed rotating means in response to the movement of the handheld
grip.
20. The stabilizing mount of claim 14, further comprising: a mode
control means for switching a mode of at least one of the first
rotating means, the second rotating means, and the third rotating
means between the fixed mode and the unfixed mode.
21. The stabilizing mount of claim 14, wherein in a default
operation mode, the first rotating means, the second rotating
means, and the third rotating means are configured such that a
rotating means corresponding to a yaw axis is in the unfixed mode,
and rotating means corresponding to pitch and roll axes are in the
fixed mode.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 62/167,241 filed on May 27, 2015, U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/249,879 filed on Nov. 2,
2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/302,170 filed
on Mar. 2, 2016, the contents of which are each incorporated by
reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Field of Art
[0003] The disclosure generally relates to the field of camera
gimbals and in particular to a detachable gimbal which can be
connected to a camera and to a remote controlled aerial vehicle and
to other mounting configurations.
[0004] Description of Art
[0005] An electronic gimbal may stabilize or set the orientation of
a camera. A gimbal can be mounted to a platform such as an
electronic vehicle. For example, a camera can be mounted via a
gimbal to a remote control road vehicle or aerial vehicle to
capture images as the vehicle is controlled remotely by a user. A
gimbal can allow the recording of stable video even when the
platform is unstable.
[0006] Most camera gimbals mounted on remote controlled vehicles do
not take into a consideration a multitude of issues involving the
camera itself in relation to the vehicle to which it is mounted.
These issues include, for example, allowing for a multiplicity of
different cameras to be mounted to the gimbal, using a securing
mechanism that will allow the gimbal to connect to a variety of
platforms, preventing or minimizing obstruction of the field of
view of the camera by components of the gimbal, and allowing
communication between the vehicle and the mounted camera.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The disclosed embodiments have advantages and features which
will be more readily apparent from the detailed description, the
appended claims, and the accompanying figures (or drawings). A
brief introduction of the figures is below.
[0008] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example
configuration of a camera mounted on a gimbal which is, in turn,
mounted to an aerial vehicle.
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a gimbal coupled to a
remote controlled aerial vehicle.
[0010] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B illustrate an example of a gimbal and
camera.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an example camera
architecture.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a detachable camera
frame.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a handheld grip coupled to a gimbal and
camera.
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of remote
controlled aerial vehicle in communication with a remote
controller.
[0015] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrates an example of a dampening
connection for coupling a gimbal to a mount platform.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The Figures (FIGS.) and the following description relate to
preferred embodiments by way of illustration only. It should be
noted that from the following discussion, alternative embodiments
of the structures and methods disclosed herein will be readily
recognized as viable alternatives that may be employed without
departing from the principles of what is claimed.
[0017] Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. It
is noted that wherever practicable similar or like reference
numbers may be used in the figures and may indicate similar or like
functionality. The figures depict embodiments of the disclosed
system (or method) for purposes of illustration only. One skilled
in the art will readily recognize from the following description
that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods
illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the
principles described herein.
Configuration Overview
[0018] Disclosed by way of example embodiments is an electronic
gimbal with a camera and a mounting configuration. The gimbal may
include an inertial measurement unit which can sense the
orientation of the camera and three electronic motors which can
manipulate the orientation of the camera. The gimbal can be
removably coupled to a variety of mount platforms, such as an
aerial vehicle or a handheld grip. Moreover, the camera can be
removably coupled to the gimbal and can be held in a removable
camera frame.
[0019] Also disclosed is a system for allowing the platform to
which the gimbal is mounted to control settings of the camera or to
trigger actions on the camera, such as taking a picture, or
initiating the recording of a video. The gimbal can also provide a
connection between the camera and the mount platform, such that the
mount platform receives images and video content from the
camera.
[0020] Further disclosed is a stabilizing mounting system for a
camera that may include a handheld grip and an electronic gimbal.
The handheld grip may include a shaft, a gimbal connection, and a
control button. The gimbal connection may be at an end of the shaft
and may include a first securing mechanism and a first electrical
interface. The control button may be on the shaft and when
activated may cause a control signal to be transmitted via the
gimbal connection. The electronic gimbal may comprise a grip
connection, a first motor, a second motor, a third motor, a camera
connection, and an internal data base. The grip connection may
include a second securing mechanism that may removably secure to
the first securing mechanism of the handheld grip and a second
electrical interface that may communicatively couple to the first
electrical interface of the handheld grip. The first motor may be
connected to the grip connection. The first motor may apply a first
torque to a first motor shaft to cause the first motor shaft to
rotate about a first axis of rotation. The second motor may be
connected to the first motor shaft. The second motor may apply a
second torque to a second motor shaft to rotate the second motor
shaft about a second axis of rotation. The third motor may be
connected to the second motor shaft. The third motor may apply a
third torque to a third motor shaft to rotate the third motor about
a third axis of rotation. The camera connection may include a third
securing mechanism that may removably secure a camera to the third
motor shaft of the electronic gimbal. The camera connection may
furthermore comprise a third electrical interface that may
communicatively couple the electronic gimbal to the camera. The
internal data bus may communicatively connect the second electrical
interface to the third electrical interface. The internal data bus
may furthermore transfer the control signal from the handheld grip
to the camera when the control button is activated to enable the
control button on the handheld grip to control an action of the
camera.
[0021] In another embodiment of the stabilizing mounting system,
the handheld grip may comprise a shaft and a gimbal connecting
means for connecting to a gimbal. The gimbal connecting means may
comprise a first securing means for mechanically securing to the
gimbal and may comprise a first electrical interfacing means for
electrically interfacing to the gimbal. The control means on the
shaft may cause a control signal to be transmitted via the gimbal
connecting means. The electronic gimbal may comprise a grip
connecting means for connecting to the handheld grip. The grip
connecting means may include a second securing means for removably
securing to the first securing means of the handheld grip and may
include a second electrical interfacing means for communicatively
interfacing to the first electrical interfacing means of the
handheld grip. A first rotating means may be connected to the grip
connecting means. The first rotating means may apply a first torque
to a first motor shaft that may cause the first motor shaft to
rotate about a first axis of rotation. A second rotating means may
be connected to the first motor shaft. The second rotating means
may apply a second torque to a second motor shaft to rotate the
second motor shaft about a second axis of rotation. A third
rotating means may be connected to the second motor shaft. The
third rotating means may apply a third torque to a third motor
shaft to rotate the third motor about a third axis of rotation. A
camera connecting means may connect to a camera. The camera
connecting means may include a third securing means that may
removably secure the camera to the third motor shaft. The camera
connecting means may further comprise a third electrical
interfacing means for communicatively coupling the electronic
gimbal to the camera. A data transfer means may communicatively
connect the second electrical interfacing means to the third
electrical interfacing means. The data transfer means may
furthermore transfer the control signal from the handheld grip to
the camera when the control means is activated which may enable the
control means on the handheld grip to control an action of the
camera.
Example System Configuration
[0022] Figure (FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an
example system framework. In this example, the system includes a
camera 120 connected to a detachable camera frame 130 which is
mounted on a gimbal 100 which is, in turn, coupled to an aerial
vehicle 110. The coupling between the gimbal 100 and the aerial
vehicle 110 can include a mechanical coupling and a communicative
coupling.
[0023] The camera 120 can include a camera body, one or more a
camera lenses, various indicators on the camera body (such as LEDs,
displays, and the like), various input mechanisms (such as buttons,
switches, and touch-screen mechanisms), and electronics (e.g.,
imaging electronics, power electronics, metadata sensors, etc.)
internal to the camera body for capturing images via the one or
more lenses and/or performing other functions. The camera 120 can
capture images and videos at various frame rates, resolutions, and
compression rates. The camera 120 can be connected to the
detachable camera frame 130, which mechanically connects to the
camera and physically connects to the gimbal 100. FIG. 1 depicts
the detachable camera frame 130 enclosing the camera 120 in
accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the
detachable camera frame 130 does not enclose the camera 120, but
functions as a mount to which the camera 120 couples. Examples of
mounts include a frame, an open box, or a plate. Alternately, the
detachable camera frame 130 can be omitted and the camera 120 can
be directly attached to a camera mount which is part of the gimbal
100.
[0024] The gimbal 100 is, in some embodiments, an electronic
three-axis gimbal which rotates a mounted object (e.g., a
detachable camera frame 130 connected to a camera 120) in space. In
addition to providing part of an electronic connection between the
camera 120 and the aerial vehicle 110, the gimbal can include a
sensor unit 101 and a control logic unit 102, both of which are
part of a gimbal control system 150. The gimbal control system 150
may detect the orientation of the gimbal 100 and camera 120,
determine a preferred orientation of the camera 120, and control
the motors of the gimbal in order to re-orient the camera 120 to
the preferred position. The sensor unit 101 may include an inertial
measurement unit (IMU) which measures rotation, orientation, and
acceleration using sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and
magnetometers. The sensor unit 101 can also contain rotary
encoders, which detect the angular position of the motors of the
gimbal 100, and a magnetometer to detect a magnetic field, such as
the earth's magnetic field. In some embodiments, the sensors of the
sensor unit 101 are placed such as to provide location diversity.
For example, a set of accelerometers and gyroscopes can be located
near the camera 120 (e.g., near the connection to the detachable
camera frame 130) and a set of accelerometers and gyroscopes can be
placed at the opposite end of the gimbal (e.g., near the connection
to the aerial vehicle 110). The outputs of these two sets of
sensors can be used by the IMU to calculate the orientation and
rotational acceleration of the camera, which can then be output to
the gimbal control logic 150. In some embodiments, the sensor unit
101 is located on the aerial vehicle 110. In some embodiments, the
gimbal control logic 150 receives data from sensors (e.g., an IMU)
on the aerial vehicle 110 and from the sensor unit 101 of the
gimbal 100.
[0025] The control logic unit 102 on the gimbal 100, the sensor
unit 101, and the control logic unit 113 on the aerial vehicle 110
may constitute a gimbal control system 150. As discussed above, the
IMU of the sensor unit 101 may produce an output indicative of the
orientation, angular velocity, and acceleration of at least one
point on the gimbal 100. The control logic unit 102 on the gimbal
100 may receive the output of the sensor unit 101. In some
embodiments, the control logic unit 113 on the aerial vehicle 110
receives the output of the sensor unit 101 instead of, or in
addition to the control logic unit 102 on the gimbal 100. The
combination of the two control logic units 102 and 113 may
implement a control algorithm which controls the motors of the
gimbal 100 to adjust the orientation of the mounted object to a
preferred position. Thus, the gimbal control system 150 may have
the effect of detecting and correcting deviations from the
preferred orientation for the mounted object.
[0026] The exact configuration of the two control portions of the
gimbal control system 150 may vary between embodiments. In some
embodiments, the gimbal control logic 102 on the gimbal 100
implements the entire control algorithm and the control logic unit
113 provides parameters which dictate how the control algorithm is
implemented. These parameters can be transmitted to the gimbal 100
when the gimbal 100 is originally connected to the aerial vehicle
110 or other mount platform. These parameters can include a range
of allowable angles for each motor of the gimbal 100, the
orientation, with respect to gravity, that each motor should
correspond to, a desired angle for at least one of the three
spatial axes with which the mounted object should be oriented, and
parameters to account for different mass distributions of different
cameras. In another embodiment, the control logic unit 113 on the
aerial vehicle 110 performs most of the calculations for the
control algorithm and the control logic unit 102 on the gimbal 100
includes proportional-integral-derivative controllers (PID
controllers). The PID controllers' setpoints (i.e., the points of
homeostasis which the PID controllers target) can be controlled by
the control logic unit 113 of the aerial vehicle 110. The setpoints
can correspond to motor orientations or to the orientation of the
mounted object. In some embodiments, either the control logic unit
102 of the gimbal 100 or the control logic unit 113 or the aerial
vehicle 110 is omitted, and the control algorithm is implemented
entirely by the other control logic unit.
[0027] The aerial vehicle 110 is shown connected to the gimbal 100
in one embodiment. In addition to an aerial vehicle, the gimbal 100
can also be removably attached to a variety of platforms, such as a
handheld grip, a land vehicle, and a generic mount, which can
itself be attached to a variety of platforms. The aerial vehicle
110 may include a camera controller 111, an image/video receiver
112, and the aforementioned control logic unit 113. The image/video
receiver 112 can receive content (e.g., images captured by the
camera 120 or video currently being captured by the camera 120).
The image/video receiver 112 can store the received content on a
non-volatile memory in the aerial vehicle 110. The image/video
receiver 112 can also transmit the content to another device. In
some embodiments, the aerial vehicle 110 transmits the video
currently being captured to a remote controller, with which a user
controls the movement of the aerial vehicle 110, via a wireless
communication network.
[0028] The gimbal 100 can be coupled to the camera 120 and to the
mount platform in such a way that the mount platform (e.g., a
remote controlled aerial vehicle 110 or a hand grip) can generate
commands via a camera controller 111 and send the commands to the
camera 120. Commands can include a command to toggle the power of
the camera 120, a command to begin recording video, a command to
stop recording video, a command to take a picture, a command to
take a burst of pictures, a command to set the frame rate at which
a video is recording, or a command to set the picture or video
resolution. Another command that can be sent from the mount
platform through the gimbal 100 to the camera 120 can be a command
to include a metadata tag in a recorded video or in a set of
pictures. In this example configuration, the metadata tag contains
information such as a geographical location or a time. For example,
a remote-controlled aerial vehicle 110 can send a command through
the gimbal 100 to record a metadata tag while the camera 120 is
recording a video. When the recorded video is later played, certain
media players may be configured to display an icon or some other
indicator in association with the time at which the command to
record the metadata tag was sent. For example, a media player might
display a visual queue, such as an icon, along a video timeline,
wherein the position of the visual queue along the timeline is
indicative of the time. The metadata tag can also instruct the
camera 120 to record a location, which can be obtained via a GPS
receiver (Global Positioning Satellite receiver) located on the
aerial vehicle 110 or the camera 120, in a recorded video. Upon
playback of the video, the metadata can be used to map a
geographical location to the time in a video at which the metadata
tag was added to the recording.
[0029] Signals, such as a command originating from the camera
controller 111 or video content captured by a camera 120 can be
transmitted through electronic connections which run through the
gimbal 100. In some embodiments, telemetric data from a telemetric
subsystem of the mount platform (e.g., aerial vehicle 110) can be
sent to the camera 120 to associate with video captured and stored
on the camera 120. A camera control connection 140 can connect the
camera controller 111 module to the camera 120 and a camera output
connection 141 can allow the camera 120 to transmit video content
or pictures to the image/video receiver 112. The connections can
also provide power to the camera 120, from a battery located on the
aerial vehicle 110. The battery of the aerial vehicle 110 can also
power the gimbal 100. In an alternate embodiment, the gimbal 100
contains a battery, which can provide power to the camera 120. The
connections between the camera 120 and the gimbal 110 can run
through the gimbal 100 and the detachable camera frame 130. The
connection between the camera 120 and the mount platform can
constitute a daisy chain or multidrop topology in which the gimbal
100 and detachable camera frame 130 act as buses. The connections
can implement various protocols such as HDMI (High-Definition
Multimedia Interface), USB (Universal Serial Bus), or Ethernet
protocols to transmit data. In one embodiment, the camera output
connection 141 transmits video data from the camera 120 via the
HDMI protocol connection and the camera control connection 140 is a
USB connection. In some embodiments, the connection between the
camera 120 and the mount platform is internal to the gimbal.
Example Aerial Vehicle Configuration
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the aerial vehicle
110 is a quadcopter (i.e., a helicopter with four rotors). The
aerial vehicle 110 in this example includes housing 230 for payload
(e.g., electronics, storage media, and/or camera), four arms 235,
and four rotors 240 (shown without rotor blades). Each arm 235
mechanically couples with a rotor 240 to create a rotary assembly.
When the rotary assembly is operational, all the rotor blades (not
shown) spin at appropriate speeds to allow the aerial vehicle 110
lift (take off), land, hover, and move (forward, backward) in
flight. Modulation of the power supplied to each of the rotors can
control the trajectory and torque on the aerial vehicle 110.
[0031] The gimbal 100 is coupled to the housing 130 of the aerial
vehicle 110 through a removable coupling mechanism that mates with
a reciprocal mechanism at a point 250 on the aerial vehicle having
mechanical and communicative capabilities. The gimbal 100 can be
removed from the aerial vehicle 110. The gimbal 100 can also be
removably attached to a variety of other mount platforms, such as a
handheld grip, a vehicle, and a generic mount, which can itself be
attached to a variety of platforms. In some embodiments, the gimbal
100 can be attached or removed from a platform without the use of
tools. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a camera mount 220, to
which a camera can be mounted, is shown attached to the gimbal 100.
In this example, the camera mount 220 is a plate to which the
camera or camera housing is mechanically coupled.
Example Gimbal
[0032] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B illustrate an example embodiment of the
gimbal 100 attached to a removable camera frame 130, which itself
is attached to a camera 120. The example gimbal 100 includes a base
arm 310, a middle arm 315, a mount arm 320, a first motor 301, a
second motor 302, and a third motor 303. Each of the motors 301,
302, 303 can have an associated rotary encoder, which will detect
the rotation of the axle of the motor. Each rotary encoder can be
part of the sensor unit 101. The base arm 310 may be configured to
include a mechanical attachment portion 350 at a first end that
allows the gimbal 100 to securely attach to a reciprocal component
on another mount platform (e.g., an aerial vehicle, a ground
vehicle, or a handheld grip), and also be removable. The base arm
310 may include the first motor 301. The base arm 310 may couple to
the middle arm 315. A first end of the middle arm 315 may couple to
the base arm 310, and a second end by the first motor 301. A second
end of the middle arm 315 may be where the second motor 302 is
coupled. A first end of the mount arm 320 may be coupled with the
second end of the middle arm 315 at the second motor 302. The
second end of the mount arm 320 may be where the third motor 303 is
coupled as well as the camera frame 130. Within the camera frame
130, the camera 120 may be removably secured.
[0033] The gimbal 100 may be configured to allow for rotation of a
mounted object in space. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3A and
FIG. 3B, the mounted object is a camera 120 to which the gimbal 100
is mechanically coupled. The gimbal 100 may allow for the camera
120 to maintain a particular orientation in space so that it
remains relatively steady as the platform to which it is attached
moves (e.g., as an aerial vehicle 110 tilts or turns during
flight). The gimbal 100 may have three motors, each of which
rotates the mounted object (e.g., the camera 120) about a specific
axis of rotation. Herein, for ease of discussion, the motors are
numbered by their proximity to the mount platform (i.e., the first
motor 301, the second motor 302, and the third motor 303).
[0034] The gimbal control system 150 may control the three motors
301, 302, and 303. After detecting the current orientation of the
mounted object, via the sensor unit 101, the gimbal control system
150 may determine a preferred orientation along each of the three
axes of rotation (e.g., yaw, pitch, and roll). The preferred
orientation may be used by the gimbal control system 150 to compute
a rotation for each motor in order to move the camera 120 to the
preferred orientation or keep the camera 120 in the preferred
orientation. In one embodiment, the gimbal control system 150 has a
preferred orientation that is configured by the user. The user can
input the preferred orientation of the camera 120 with a remote
controller which sends the preferred orientation for the camera 120
to the aerial vehicle 110 through a wireless network, which then
provides the preferred orientation to the gimbal control logic 150.
In some embodiments the preferred orientation can be defined
relative to the ground, so that the yaw, pitch, and roll of the
camera remain constant relative to the ground. In some embodiments,
certain axes of rotation can be unfixed. That is, an unfixed axis
of rotation is not corrected by the gimbal control system 150, but
rather remains constant relative to the aerial vehicle 110. For
example, the yaw of the camera 120 can be unfixed, while the roll
and the pitch are fixed. In this case, if the yaw of the aerial
vehicle 110 changes the yaw of the camera 120 will likewise change,
but the roll and the pitch of the camera 120 will remain constant
despite roll and pitch rotations of the aerial vehicle 110. In some
embodiments, bounds of rotation can be defined which limit the
rotation along certain axes relative to the connection between the
gimbal 110 and the mount platform. For example, if the
.alpha..sub.max and .alpha..sub.min are the relative maximum and
minimum values for the yaw of the camera 120 relative to the mount
platform, then if the aerial vehicle 110 is oriented at a yaw of
.alpha..sub.av degrees then the preferred roll of the camera
.alpha..sub.c can be chosen by the gimbal control system 150 so
that the angle .alpha..sub.c is between the angles
(.alpha..sub.min+.alpha..sub.av) and
(.alpha..sub.max+.alpha..sub.av). Similar maximum and minimum
values can be defined for the pitch and roll. The maximum and
minimum for each of the relative angles can be defined such that
the viewing angle of the camera 120 is not obstructed by the gimbal
100 and/or the mount platform at any angle within the valid
bounds.
[0035] In some embodiments, the preferred orientation of the camera
120 is defined using a tracking algorithm. For example, if tracking
is done via machine vision tracking, there may be a conversion from
a machine vision camera reference frame (e.g., the camera that is
used for machine vision), to host (e.g., the aerial vehicle)
reference frame. The gimbal may be given a setpoint in the host
reference frame such that the tracked point is in camera view
(e.g., with respect to the camera used for video). Cameras can be
the same or decoupled. If a user is carrying a GPS enabled tracker
or similar localization device, the user location will most likely
be in an earth (global) reference frame. The gimbal setpoint may be
in a local (e.g., the aerial vehicle) reference frame. The aerial
vehicle may have a navigation module that combines several sensors
to calculate its own position in global reference frame. The aerial
vehicle may convert user coordinates (e.g., global reference frame)
into a gimbal setpoint (e.g., local reference frame) such that the
object is in the view.
[0036] By way of another example, the camera 120 or the mount
platform may detect a tracked object. The tracked object can be,
for example, an audio source, a source radiating an electromagnetic
signal, a device communicatively coupled with the mount platform,
or an object identified by a machine vision system. The tracked
object may be detected using appropriate sensors on either the
camera 120 or the mount platform, and one or more processors on the
camera 120 or the mount platform may calculate the position of the
tracked object relative to the mount platform. Calculating the
position of the tracked object relative to the mount platform may
involve calculating the position of the tracked object relative to
the camera 120 and converting the position to the reference of the
mount platform. The position of the tracked object relative to the
mount platform may be used by the gimbal control logic 150 to
generate a setpoint (e.g., a preferred position) for the gimbal
100, defined so that the camera 120 is oriented to face the tracked
object. The position of the tracked object relative to the mount
platform might be such that the camera 120 cannot be oriented to
face the tracked object due to the mechanical limitations of the
gimbal 100 or due to the gimbal 100 or the mount platform
obstructing the view of the camera 120. In such a situation, a
setpoint of the gimbal 100 can be set to a default orientation or
the gimbal control logic 150 can define the setpoint so that the
camera 120 is oriented at an orientation as close as possible to
the ideal orientation.
[0037] In some embodiments, the user is able to define a tracked
object which the camera 120 tracks via a machine vision object
tracking algorithm. A video feed from the camera 120 or from a
camera on the mount platform can be transmitted to, for example, a
remote controller (dedicated controller with a display, smartphone,
or tablet) for display to the user (e.g., on a screen of a remote
controller which is communicatively coupled to the aerial vehicle
110 coupled to the gimbal 100). In addition, through the remote
controller, the user can select an object (e.g., by tapping the
object on a touchscreen) which selects the object as the tracked
object. A machine vision system can recognize a plurality of
objects in the video feed of the camera 120 using an object
classifier (e.g., a facial recognition system or a classifier
configured to recognize people) and display an indicator on the
video feed which indicates to the user that the object is available
for tracking. Once a tracked object is selected, a machine vision
object tracking algorithm can be used to orient the camera 120 so
that the tracked object is centered in the frame of the video. The
machine vision algorithms used to identify and track objects can be
performed by one or more processors on the camera 120, the mount
platform, a remote controller device communicatively connected to a
remote controlled vehicle to which the gimbal 100 is mounted, or a
remote server connected to via the Internet. The gimbal 100 can
also be configured to track an audio source, based on the
directionality of the audio source. The camera 120 or mount
platform can include a multiplicity of audio receivers (e.g., an
acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor) which can be used to
record sound from an audio source and to estimate the
directionality of the sound based on the relative delay between the
spatially diverse audio receivers. The gimbal 100 can track any
sound over a certain decibel level, or with a certain energy within
a given frequency range, or that match an audio profile of a user
which can be assessed using vocal recognition algorithms. In an
example embodiment, an audio output device carried by a user can
emit sound at an ultrasonic or infrasonic frequency (i.e., outside
the threshold of human hearing), and this audio output device can
be tracked by detecting the sound emitted by the audio output
device. Additionally, the tracked object can be a GPS tracker that
is communicatively coupled to the mount platform. The location
device can detect its own coordinates via a GPS receiver and
transmit the coordinates to the mount platform. The mount platform
can then calculate the position of the GPS tracker relative to
itself using a navigation module that also includes a GPS. In some
embodiments, a handheld remote controller used to control the mount
platform functions as the GPS tracker. Each of the aforementioned
tracking schemes can allow the camera 120 to continuously track an
object, such as a user, as the tracked object moves around and as
the mount platform moves around and rotates. In some embodiments,
multiple tracking systems can be combined to better track an
object. For example, a GPS tracker held by a user and a machine
vision system configured to track the user can be used in
conjunction to track the user more accurately than could be done
with either tracking system in isolation.
[0038] The axis to which each motor corresponds can depend on the
platform to which the gimbal is attached. For example, when
attached to the aerial vehicle 110, the first motor 301 can rotate
the mounted object about the roll axis, the second motor 302
rotates corresponding to rotation in yaw and the third motor 303
corresponds to rotation in pitch. However, when the same gimbal 100
is attached to a handheld grip, the motors may correspond to
different axis: for example, the first motor 301 corresponds to
yaw, and the second motor 302 corresponds to roll, while the third
motor 303 still corresponds to pitch.
[0039] In one embodiment, each of the three motors 301, 302, 303 is
associated with an orthogonal axis of rotation. However, in some
embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B
the motors 301, 302, 303 of the gimbal 100 are not orthogonal. A
gimbal 100 in which the motors are not orthogonal may have at least
one motor that rotates the mounted object about an axis which is
not orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the other motors. In a
gimbal 100 in which the motors are not orthogonal, operation of one
motor of the gimbal 100 can cause the angle of the camera 120 to
shift on the axis of another motor. In the example embodiment shown
in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the first motor 301 and the third motor 303
have axes of rotation that are orthogonal to each other, and the
second motor 302 and the third motor 303 are orthogonal, but the
first motor 301 and second motor 302 are not orthogonal. Because of
this configuration, when the gimbal 100 is coupled to the aerial
vehicle 110 and the aerial vehicle 110 is level, operation of the
first motor 301 may adjust only the roll of the camera 120 and the
third motor 303 adjusts only the pitch of the camera 120. The
second motor 302 may adjust the yaw primarily, but also may adjust
the pitch and roll of the camera 120. Suppose for the purpose of
example, the gimbal 100 is attached to the aerial vehicle 110 and
the camera 120 is initially oriented at a pitch, yaw, and roll of
0.degree. and that the axis of the second motor 302 is orthogonal
to the axis of the third motor 303 and forms an angle of 0 degrees
with the vertical axis, as depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. In FIG.
3B, the angle .theta. is measured clockwise, and is about
16.degree.. A rotation of .phi. degrees (where
-180.degree..ltoreq..phi..ltoreq.180.degree.) by the second motor
302 may also change the pitch, p, of the camera 120 to
p=(|.phi.|*.theta.)/90.degree. where a pitch greater than 0
corresponds to the camera being oriented beneath the horizontal
plane (i.e., facing down). The rotation of the second motor 302 by
.phi. degrees may also change the roll, r, of the camera 120 to
r=.theta.*(1-|.PHI.-90.degree.|/90.degree.) in the case where
-90.degree..ltoreq..phi..ltoreq.180.degree. and the roll will
change to r=-(.theta.*.phi./90.degree.-.theta. in the case where
-180.degree.<.phi.<-90.degree.. The change in the yaw, y, of
the camera 120 will be equivalent to the change in angle of the
second motor 120 (i.e., y=.phi.)).
[0040] A non-orthogonal motor configuration of the gimbal 100 can
allow for a larger range of unobstructed viewing angles for the
camera 120. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A and
FIG. 3B, the pitch of the camera 120 relative to the connection of
the gimbal 100 to the mount platform (e.g., aerial vehicle 110) can
be about 16.degree. higher without the camera's frame being
obstructed (i.e., without the motor appearing in the image captured
by the camera) than it could with an orthogonal motor
configuration. In some embodiments, the second motor 302 is not
identical to the other two motors 301, 303. The second motor 302
can be capable of producing a higher torque than the other two
motors 301, 303.
[0041] A larger value of .theta. (the angle between the second
motor 302 and the axis orthogonal to the rotational axes of the
other two motors) in a non-orthogonal motor configuration can
provide a larger range of viewing angles for the mounted camera
120, but a larger .theta. may involve a higher maximum torque than
a comparable orthogonal motor configuration. Thus, embodiments in
which the motors are not orthogonal may implement a value of
.theta. in which the two design considerations of a large viewing
angle for the camera 120 and the torque required from the motors
are optimized. Consequently, the choice of .theta. may depend on
many factors, such as the targeted price point of the gimbal 100,
the type of cameras supported, the desired use cases of the gimbal,
the available motor technology, among other things. Roughly,
.theta. can between 0.degree..ltoreq..theta..ltoreq.30.degree. in
one embodiment.
[0042] The gimbal 100 can support a plurality of different cameras
with different mass distributions. Each camera can have a
corresponding detachable camera frame (e.g., camera 120 corresponds
to the detachable camera frame 130), which secures the camera. A
detachable camera frame 130 may have a connector, or a multiplicity
of connectors, which couple to the gimbal 100 and a connector, or a
multiplicity of connectors, which couple to the camera 102. Thus,
the detachable camera frame 130 includes a bus for sending signals
from the camera to the gimbal 100, which can, in some cases, be
routed to the mount platform. In some embodiments, each detachable
camera frame has the same types of connectors for coupling to the
gimbal 100, but the type of connector that connects to the camera
is specific to the type of camera. In another embodiment, the
detachable camera frame 130 provides no electronic connection
between the camera 120 and the gimbal 100, and the camera 120 and
gimbal 100 are directly connected. In some embodiments, the gimbal
100 does not contain a bus and the camera 120 and the mount
platform communicate via a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth or
Wi-Fi).
[0043] In some embodiments, the gimbal 100 has a mount connector
304 (shown in FIG. 3B, but not in FIG. 3A) which allows the gimbal
100 to electronically couple to the mount platform (e.g., the
aerial vehicle 110). The mount connector 304 can include a power
connection which provides power to the gimbal 100 and the camera
120. The mount connector 304 can also allow communication between
the sensor unit 101 and control logic unit 102 on the gimbal 100
and the control logic unit on the mount platform. In some
embodiments, the mount connector 304 connects to the camera 120 via
busses (e.g., a camera control connection 140 and a camera output
connection 141) which allow communication between the mount
platform and the camera 120.
[0044] The gimbal 100 also can couple mechanically to a mount
platform via a mechanical attachment portion 350. The mechanical
attachment portion 350 can be part of the base arm 310. The
mechanical attachment portion 350 can include a mechanical locking
mechanism to securely attach a reciprocal component on a mount
platform (e.g., an aerial vehicle, a ground vehicle, an underwater
vehicle, or a handheld grip). The example mechanical locking
mechanism shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B includes a groove with a channel
in which a key (e.g., a tapered pin or block) on a reciprocal
component on a mount platform can fit. The gimbal 100 can be locked
with the mount platform in a first position and unlocked in a
second position, allowing for detachment of the gimbal 100 from the
mount platform. The mechanical attachment portion 350 may connect
to a reciprocal component on a mount platform in which the
mechanical attachment portion 350 is configured as a female portion
of a sleeve coupling, where the mount platform is configured as a
male portion of a sleeve coupling. The coupling between the mount
platform and the gimbal 100 can be held together by a frictional
force. The coupling between the mount platform and the gimbal 100
can also be held together by a clamping mechanism on the mount
platform.
[0045] If the gimbal 100 supports multiple different cameras of
differing mass distributions, the differences in mass and moments
of inertia between cameras might cause the gimbal 100 to perform
sub-optimally. A variety of techniques are suggested herein for
allowing a single gimbal 100 to be used with cameras of different
mass distributions. The detachable camera frame 130 can hold the
camera 120 in such a way that the detachable frame 130 and camera
120 act as a single rigid body. In some embodiments, each camera
which can be coupled to the gimbal 100 has a corresponding
detachable frame, and each pair of camera and frame have masses and
moments of inertia which are approximately the same. For example,
if m.sub.ca and m.sub.fa are the masses of a first camera and its
corresponding detachable frame, respectively, and if m.sub.cb and
m.sub.fb are the masses of a second camera and its corresponding
detachable frame, then,
m.sub.ca+m.sub.fa.apprxeq.m.sub.cb+m.sub.fb. Also, I.sub.cb and
I.sub.fb are the matrices representing the moments of inertia for
the axes around about which the first camera rotates for the first
camera and the corresponding detachable frame, respectively. In
addition, I.sub.cb and I.sub.fb are the corresponding matrices for
the second camera and the corresponding detachable frame,
respectively. Thereafter,
I.sub.ca+I.sub.fa.apprxeq.I.sub.cb+I.sub.fb, where "+" denotes the
matrix addition operator. Since the mounted object which is being
rotated by the gimbal is the rigid body of the camera and
detachable camera frame pair, the mass profile of the mounted
object may not vary although the mass profile of the camera itself
does. Thus, by employing detachable camera frames with specific
mass profiles a single gimbal 100 can couple to a multiplicity of
cameras with different mass profiles.
[0046] In alternate embodiments, the mass profile of the camera and
detachable frame pair is different for each different type of
camera, but control parameters used in the control algorithms,
implemented by the gimbal control system 150, which control the
motors, are changed to compensate for the different mass profiles
of each pair camera and detachable camera frame. Theses control
parameters can specify the acceleration of a motor, a maximum or
minimum for the velocity of a motor, a torque exerted by a motor, a
current draw of a motor, and a voltage of a motor. In one
embodiment, the camera 120 and/or the camera frame 130 is
communicatively coupled to either the gimbal 100 or the mount
platform, and upon connection of a camera 120 to the gimbal 100
information is sent from the camera 120 to the gimbal control
system 150 which initiates the update of control parameters used to
control the motors of the gimbal 100. The information can be the
control parameters used by the gimbal control system 150,
information about the mass profile (e.g., mass or moment of
inertia) of the camera 120 and/or detachable camera mount 130, or
an identifier for the camera 120 or the camera mount 130. If the
information sent to the gimbal control system 150 is a mass
profile, then the gimbal control system 150 can calculate control
parameters from the mass profile. If the information is an
identifier for the camera 120 or the detachable camera frame 130,
then the gimbal control system 150 can access a non-volatile memory
which stores sets of control parameters mapped to identifiers in
order to obtain the correct set of control parameters for a given
identifier.
Example Camera Architecture
[0047] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an example camera
architecture. The camera architecture 405 corresponds to an
architecture for the camera, e.g., 120. In one embodiment, the
camera 120 is capable of capturing spherical or substantially
spherical content. As used herein, spherical content may include
still images or video having spherical or substantially spherical
field of view. For example, in one embodiment, the camera 120
captures video having a 360.degree. field of view in the horizontal
plane and a 180.degree. field of view in the vertical plane.
Alternatively, the camera 120 may capture substantially spherical
images or video having less than 360.degree. in the horizontal
direction and less than 180.degree. in the vertical direction
(e.g., within 10% of the field of view associated with fully
spherical content). In other embodiments, the camera 120 may
capture images or video having a non-spherical wide angle field of
view.
[0048] As described in greater detail below, the camera 120 can
include sensors 440 to capture metadata associated with video data,
such as timing data, motion data, speed data, acceleration data,
altitude data, GPS data, and the like. In a particular embodiment,
location and/or time centric metadata (geographic location, time,
speed, etc.) can be incorporated into a media file together with
the captured content in order to track the location of the camera
120 over time. This metadata may be captured by the camera 120
itself or by another device (e.g., a mobile phone or the aerial
vehicle 110) proximate to the camera 120. In one embodiment, the
metadata may be incorporated with the content stream by the camera
120 as the content is being captured. In another embodiment, a
metadata file separate from the video file may be captured (by the
same capture device or a different capture device) and the two
separate files can be combined or otherwise processed together in
post-processing. These sensors 440 can be in addition to sensors in
a telemetric subsystem of the aerial vehicle 110. In embodiments in
which the camera 120 is integrated with the aerial vehicle 110, the
camera need not have separate individual sensors, but rather could
rely upon the sensors integrated with the aerial vehicle 110.
[0049] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the camera 120
comprises a camera core 410 comprising a lens 412, an image sensor
414, and an image processor 416. The camera 120 additionally
includes a system controller 420 (e.g., a microcontroller or
microprocessor) that controls the operation and functionality of
the camera 120 and system memory 430 configured to store executable
computer instructions that, when executed by the system controller
420 and/or the image processors 416, perform the camera
functionalities described herein. In some embodiments, a camera 120
may include multiple camera cores 410 to capture fields of view in
different directions which may then be stitched together to form a
cohesive image. For example, in an embodiment of a spherical camera
system, the camera 120 may include two camera cores 410 each having
a hemispherical or hyper hemispherical lens that each captures a
hemispherical or hyper hemispherical field of view which are
stitched together in post-processing to form a spherical image.
[0050] The lens 412 can be, for example, a wide angle lens,
hemispherical, or hyper hemispherical lens that focuses light
entering the lens to the image sensor 414 which captures images
and/or video frames. The image sensor 414 may capture
high-definition images having a resolution of, for example, 720p,
1080p, 4k, or higher. In one embodiment, spherical video is
captured in a resolution of 5760 pixels by 2880 pixels with a
360.degree. horizontal field of view and a 180.degree. vertical
field of view. For video, the image sensor 414 may capture video at
frame rates of, for example, 30 frames per second, 60 frames per
second, or higher. The image processor 416 performs one or more
image processing functions of the captured images or video. For
example, the image processor 416 may perform a Bayer
transformation, demosaicing, noise reduction, image sharpening,
image stabilization, rolling shutter artifact reduction, color
space conversion, compression, or other in-camera processing
functions. Processed images and video may be temporarily or
persistently stored to system memory 430 and/or to a non-volatile
storage, which may be in the form of internal storage or an
external memory card.
[0051] An input/output (I/O) interface 460 may transmit and receive
data from various external devices. For example, the I/O interface
460 may facilitate the receiving or transmitting video or audio
information through an I/O port. Examples of I/O ports or
interfaces include USB ports, HDMI ports, Ethernet ports, audio
ports, and the like. Furthermore, embodiments of the I/O interface
460 may include wireless ports that can accommodate wireless
connections. Examples of wireless ports include Bluetooth, Wireless
USB, Near Field Communication (NFC), and the like. The I/O
interface 460 may also include an interface to synchronize the
camera 120 with other cameras or with other external devices, such
as a remote control, a second camera, a smartphone, a client
device, or a video server.
[0052] A control/display subsystem 470 may include various control
and display components associated with operation of the camera 120
including, for example, LED lights, a display, buttons,
microphones, speakers, and the like. The audio subsystem 450 may
include, for example, one or more microphones and one or more audio
processors to capture and process audio data correlated with video
capture. In one embodiment, the audio subsystem 450 may include a
microphone array having two or microphones arranged to obtain
directional audio signals.
[0053] Sensors 440 may capture various metadata concurrently with,
or separately from, video capture. For example, the sensors 440 may
capture time-stamped location information based on a global
positioning system (GPS) sensor, and/or an altimeter. Other sensors
440 may be used to detect and capture orientation of the camera 120
including, for example, an orientation sensor, an accelerometer, a
gyroscope, or a magnetometer. Sensor data captured from the various
sensors 440 may be processed to generate other types of metadata.
For example, sensor data from the accelerometer may be used to
generate motion metadata, comprising velocity and/or acceleration
vectors representative of motion of the camera 120. Furthermore,
sensor data from the aerial vehicle 110 and/or the gimbal 100 may
be used to generate orientation metadata describing the orientation
of the camera 120. Sensor data from a GPS sensor can provide GPS
coordinates identifying the location of the camera 120, and the
altimeter can measure the altitude of the camera 120. In one
embodiment, the sensors 440 are rigidly coupled to the camera 120
such that any motion, orientation or change in location experienced
by the camera 120 is also experienced by the sensors 440. The
sensors 440 furthermore may associates a time stamp representing
when the data was captured by each sensor. In one embodiment, the
sensors 440 automatically begin collecting sensor metadata when the
camera 120 begins recording a video.
[0054] The camera 120 can be enclosed or mounted to a detachable
camera frame 130, such as the one depicted in FIG. 5. The
detachable camera frame 130 can include electronic connectors which
can couple with the corresponding camera (not shown). The
detachable camera frame 130 depicted in FIG. 5 includes a micro USB
connector 500, which can provide power to the camera and can allow
the mount platform (e.g., an aerial vehicle 110) to send executable
instructions to the camera 120, such as a command to change the
frame rate of a video, or take a picture. The HDMI connector 510
depicted in FIG. 5 may allow the camera to transmit captured video,
audio, and images to the mount platform. The detachable camera
frame 130 can include any set of connectors and utilize any
communication protocols to transmit data to and from the mount
platform. The detachable camera frame 130 can include a set of
connectors (not shown) which connect to the gimbal 100, so that the
gimbal 100 can act as a bus for transmitting data or power between
the mount platform 130 and the camera 120, and vice versa.
Mount Platform Examples
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of a mount platform
that can removably couple with the gimbal 100. In this example, the
mount platform is the handheld grip 600 that electronically and
mechanically couples with the gimbal 100. The handheld grip 600 can
include a plurality of buttons 605, 610, 615, 620, 625 which can be
used by a user to control the camera 120 and/or the gimbal 100. The
handheld grip 600 contains a battery from which it can provide
power to the gimbal 100 and may also be used to power and/or charge
the camera 120 in addition to operating any electronic functions on
the handheld grip 600 itself.
[0056] The handheld grip 600 can be communicatively coupled to the
camera 120 via a connection provided by the gimbal 100. The camera
120 can provide captured video content and images to the handheld
grip 600. In one embodiment, the handheld grip can store the
provided video content and images in storage media, such as a flash
storage, which can be removably coupled to the handheld grip 600
(e.g., a secure digital memory card (SD card) or a micro SD card)
or integrated into the handheld grip 600 itself. In an alternate
embodiment, the handheld grip 600 has a port which can be sued to
connect to another device, such as a personal computer. This port
can allow the connected device to request and receive video content
and images from the camera 120. Thus, the connected device, would
receive content from the camera 120 via a connection running
through the detachable camera frame 130, the gimbal 100, and the
handheld grip 600. In some embodiments, the port on the handheld
grip 600 provides a USB connection. The handheld grip can also
transmit executable instructions to the camera 120. These
instructions can take the form of commands which are sent to the
camera 120 responsive to a user pressing a button on the handheld
grip 600.
[0057] In some embodiments, the handheld grip includes a plurality
of buttons 605, 610, 615, 620, 625. An instruction can be sent from
the handheld grip 600 to the camera 120 responsive to pressing a
button. In one embodiment, a first button 605 takes a picture or a
burst of pictures. The first button 605 can also begin recording a
video or terminate the recording of a video if it is currently
recording. In some embodiments, the camera 120 can be in a picture
mode, in which it takes pictures or bursts of pictures, or a video
mode, in which it records video. The result of pressing the first
button 605 can be determined by whether the camera 120 is in video
mode or camera mode. A second button 610 can toggle the mode of the
camera 120 between the video mode and picture mode. A third button
615 can toggle the power of the camera 120. A fourth button 620 can
change the mode of the camera 120 so that it takes bursts of
pictures rather than a single picture responsive to pressing the
first button 605. A fifth button 625 can change the frame rate at
which the camera 120 records videos. In some embodiments, a button
on the handheld grip can also change the resolution or compression
rate at which pictures or videos are recorded. The handheld grip
600 can include light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other visual
indicators which can indicate the mode that the camera is operating
in. For example, an LED of a first color can be turned on in order
to indicate that the camera 120 is in picture mode and an LED of a
second color can be turned on to indicate that the camera 120 is in
video mode. In some embodiments, the handheld grip 600 can include
an audio output device, such as an electroacoustic transducer,
which plays a sound responsive to pressing a button. The sound
played by the audio output device can vary depending on the mode of
the camera. By way of example, the sound that is played when a
video recording is initiated is different than the sound that is
played when a picture is taken. As will be known to one skilled in
the art, additional buttons with additional functions can be added
to the handheld grip 600 and some or all of the aforementioned
buttons can be omitted. In one embodiment, the handheld grip 600
has only two buttons: a first button 605 which operates as a
shutter button, and a second button 610 which instructs the camera
120 to include a metadata tag in a recorded video, where the
metadata tag can specify the time at which the second button 610
was pressed.
[0058] In some embodiments, the rotational angle of the camera 120
to which each motor corresponds can vary depending on the mount
platform to which the gimbal is attached. In the embodiment shown
in FIG. 6, the first motor 301 controls the yaw of the camera 120,
the second motor 302 (not shown in FIG. 6) controls the roll of the
camera 120, and the third motor 303 controls the pitch of the
camera 120. This is in contrast to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B which depict
the motors controlling the roll, yaw, and pitch, respectively. In
some embodiments, the same gimbal 100 can operate in both
configurations, responsive to the mount platform to which it is
connected. For example, when connected to the handheld grip 600 the
gimbal's motors can operate as yaw, roll, and pitch motors,
respectively, and when connected to the aerial vehicle 110 the
gimbal's motors can operate as roll, yaw, and pitch motors.
[0059] In some embodiments, the camera's rotation for each axis of
rotation can be fixed or unfixed. When the camera's rotation is
fixed on an axis, then the camera will maintain that same
orientation, relative to the ground, on that axis despite the
movement of the handheld grip. Conversely, when the rotation of the
camera 120 is unfixed on an axis, then the camera's rotation on
that axis can change when the handheld grip 600 is rotated. For
example, if the yaw of the camera 120 is unfixed then a change in
the yaw of the handheld grip 600 by .phi. degrees can correspond to
a change in the yaw of the camera 120 by .phi. or -.phi. degrees
(depending on the point of reference for which the yaw is
considered). If all three of the camera's axes are unfixed, then
the motors 301, 302, 303 of the gimbal 100 will remain fixed (i.e.,
they will not turn) when the handheld grip 600 changes orientation.
The gimbal control system 150 can have a fixed yaw mode and an
unfixed yaw mode which dictates that the yaw of the camera 120
should remain fixed or unfixed, respectively. Similarly the gimbal
control system 150 can have a fixed and unfixed mode for the roll
and the pitch. The user can set the mode to unfixed for a certain
axis and reorient the camera 120 to the desired angle along that
axis, then set the mode for the axis to fixed so the camera 120
will remain at that angle. This will allow a user to easily set the
preferred angle of the camera relative to the ground. The gimbal
control system 150 can still stabilize the rotation along an axis,
while in unfixed mode. In one embodiment, a second button 610
toggles the yaw mode between fixed and unfixed, the third button
615 toggles the pitch mode between fixed and unfixed, and the forth
button 620 toggles the roll mode between fixed and unfixed. The
axes of the gimbal 100 can be in a fixed mode or unfixed mode while
connected to the aerial vehicle 110, as well. In one embodiment,
the yaw is unfixed and the pitch and roll are fixed by default. In
this embodiment, the yaw will be roughly fixed in the same
direction relative to the mount device and the pitch and roll will
remain fixed relative to a horizontal plane (e.g., the ground).
[0060] FIG. 7 illustrates a gimbal 100 attached to a remote
controlled aerial vehicle 110, which communicates with a remote
controller 720 via a wireless network 725. The remote controlled
aerial vehicle 110 in this example is shown with a housing 230 and
arms 235 of an arm assembly. In addition, this example embodiment
shows a thrust motor 240 coupled with the end of each arm 130 of
the arm assembly, a gimbal 100 and a camera mount 220. Each thrust
motor 240 may be coupled to a propeller 710. The thrust motors 240
may spin the propellers 710 when the motors are operational.
[0061] The aerial vehicle 110 may communicate with the remote
controller 720 through the wireless network 725. The remote
controller 725 can be a dedicated remote controller or can be
another computing device such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet
that is configured to wirelessly communicate with and control the
aerial vehicle 110. In one embodiment, the wireless network 725 can
be a long range Wi-Fi system. It also can include or be another
wireless communication system, for example, one based on long term
evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile communication standards. In
place of a single wireless network 725, the a uni-directional RC
channel can be used for communication of controls from the remote
controller 720 to the aerial vehicle 110 and a separate
unidirectional channel can be used for video downlink from the
aerial vehicle 110 to the remote controller 720 (or to a video
receiver where direct video connection may be desired).
[0062] The remote controller 720 in this example can include a
first control panel 750 and a second control panel 755, an ignition
button 760, a return button 765 and a display 770. A first control
panel, e.g., 750, can be used to control "up-down" direction (e.g.
lift and landing) of the aerial vehicle 110. A second control
panel, e.g., 755, can be used to control "forward-reverse"
direction of the aerial vehicle 110. Each control panel 750, 755
can be structurally configured as a joystick controller and/or
touch pad controller. The ignition button 760 can be used to start
the rotary assembly (e.g., start the propellers 710). The return
button 765 can be used to override the controls of the remote
controller 720 and transmit instructions to the aerial vehicle 110
to return to a predefined location as further described herein. The
ignition button 760 and the return button 765 can be mechanical
and/or solid state press sensitive buttons. In addition, each
button may be illuminated with one or more light emitting diodes
(LED) to provide additional details. For example the LED can switch
from one visual state to another to indicate with respect to the
ignition button 760 whether the aerial vehicle 110 is ready to fly
(e.g., lit green) or not (e.g., lit red) or whether the aerial
vehicle 110 is now in an override mode on return path (e.g., lit
yellow) or not (e.g., lit red). The remote controller 720 can
include other dedicated hardware buttons and switches and those
buttons and switches may be solid state buttons and switches. The
remote controller 720 can also include hardware buttons or other
controls that control the gimbal 100. The remote control can allow
it's user to change the preferred orientation of the camera 120. In
some embodiments, the preferred orientation of the camera 120 can
be set relative to the angle of the aerial vehicle 110. In another
embodiment, the preferred orientation of the camera 120 can be set
relative to the ground.
[0063] The remote controller 720 also can include a screen (or
display) 770 which provides for visual display. The screen 770 can
be a touch sensitive screen. The screen 770 also can be, for
example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an LED display, an organic
LED (OLED) display or a plasma screen. The screen 770 can allow for
display of information related to the remote controller 720, such
as menus for configuring the remote controller 720 or remotely
configuring the aerial vehicle 110. The screen 770 also can display
images or video captured from the camera 120 coupled with the
aerial vehicle 110, wherein the images and video are transmitted
via the wireless network 725. The video content displayed by on the
screen 770 can be a live feed of the video or a portion of the
video captured by the camera 120. For example, the video content
displayed on the screen 770 may be presented within a short time
(preferably fractions of a second) of being captured by the camera
120.
[0064] The video may be overlaid and/or augmented with other data
from the aerial vehicle 110 such as the telemetric data from a
telemetric subsystem of the aerial vehicle 110. The telemetric
subsystem may include navigational components, such as a gyroscope,
an accelerometer, a compass, a global positioning system (GPS)
and/or a barometric sensor. In one example embodiment, the aerial
vehicle 110 can incorporate the telemetric data with video that is
transmitted back to the remote controller 120 in real time. The
received telemetric data can be extracted from the video data
stream and incorporate into predefine templates for display with
the video on the screen 170 of the remote controller 120. The
telemetric data also may be transmitted separate from the video
from the aerial vehicle 110 to the remote controller 120.
Synchronization methods such as time and/or location information
can be used to synchronize the telemetric data with the video at
the remote controller 120. This example configuration allows a
user, e.g., operator, of the remote controller 120 to see where the
aerial vehicle 110 is flying along with corresponding telemetric
data associated with the aerial vehicle 110 at that point in the
flight. Further, if the user is not interested in telemetric data
being displayed real-time, the data can still be received and later
applied for playback with the templates applied to the video.
[0065] The predefined templates can correspond with "gauges" that
provide a visual representation of speed, altitude, and charts,
e.g., as a speedometer, altitude chart, and a terrain map. The
populated templates, which may appear as gauges on a screen 170 of
the remote controller 120, can further be shared, e.g., via social
media, and or saved for later retrieval and use. For example, a
user may share a gauge with another user by selecting a gauge (or a
set of gauges) for export. Export can be initiated by clicking the
appropriate export button, or a drag and drop of the gauge(s). A
file with a predefined extension will be created at the desired
location. The gauge to be selected and be structured with a runtime
version of the gauge or can play the gauge back through software
that can read the file extension.
Dampening Connection
[0066] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an example of a dampening connection,
which can allow the connection between the gimbal 100 and the
aerial vehicle 110 to have a small range of motion. The dampening
connection can include a floating connection base 800, a locking
cylindrical shell 810, four elastic pillars 820, connection housing
830, a four tapered locking blocks 840, a fixed mount floor 850
with four slots 855, and a fixed mount ceiling 860. The locking
cylindrical shell 810 can be attached to the connection housing
830, and may be capable of being rotated, which can be used to lock
the attachment portion 350 of the gimbal 100 into the connection
housing 830. The connection housing 830 is attached to the floating
connection base 800. The floating connection base 800 can be
attached to the fixed mount ceiling 860 by the four elastic pillars
820. The floating connection base 800 may have four tapered locking
blocks 840 projecting out of it. Each of the four tapered locking
blocks 800 may have a corresponding slot 855 into which it fits.
The corresponding slots 855 may be bored into the fixed mount floor
850.
[0067] Compared to a rigid mechanical connection, the dampening
connection can help to dissipate high frequency vibrations in the
gimbal 100 and to prevent, to some degree, the gimbal 100 from
vibrating, for example, when the aerial vehicle 110 is operational.
The dampening connection depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B can be a
mechanical connection between the gimbal 100 and the aerial vehicle
110, but similar structures can be used to connect the gimbal 100
to other mount platforms, such as ground vehicle, an underwater
vehicle, or a handheld grip. FIG. 8A shows a vertical perspective
(looking down) of the dampening connection, wherein the fixed mount
ceiling 860 has been removed. FIG. 8A shows a horizontal view of
the dampening connection. Both FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are simplified
for illustrative purposes, and thus the shapes, relative sizes, and
relative positions of the components of the dampening connection
are shown for ease of discussion purposes.
[0068] The dampening connection may comprise a floating connection
base 800, which is coupled to four elastic pillars 820. The elastic
pillars 820 may connect the floating connection base 800 to the
connection ceiling 860. Aside from the four elastic pillars 820,
the floating connection base 800 may not be rigidly connected to
the other components of the aerial vehicle 110, which allows it a
small range of motion. The floating connection base 800 may be
rigidly coupled to a connection housing 830. The connection housing
830 may contain the mount connector 304 of the gimbal 100 and the
electronic connector which connects the gimbal 100 and the aerial
vehicle 110 may be enclosed in the connection housing 830.
[0069] A locking cylindrical shell 810 may be connected to the
connection housing 830. The locking cylindrical shell 810 can
rotate along its axis. The user can insert the end of the gimbal
100 into the connection housing 830 and turn the locking
cylindrical shell 810 in order to lock the gimbal 100 to the
connection housing 830. When the gimbal 100 and the connection
housing 830 are thus locked together, the gimbal 100, the
connection housing 830, and the floating connection base 800 may
all be rigidly connected together. A user can unlock the gimbal 100
from the connection housing 830 by twisting the locking cylindrical
shell 810 in the opposite direction, which will allow the user to
remove the gimbal 100 from the connection housing 830.
[0070] When force is exerted on the gimbal 100 by the user in order
to insert to insert the mount connector 304 into the connection
housing 830, the floating connection base 800 may be pushed
backwards (e.g., in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the force would be directed to
the left). This may cause a deformation of the four elastic pillars
820 due to a shearing force, and the four tapered locking blocks
840 may be forced into the corresponding slots 855 on the fixed
mount floor 850. The elastic pillars 820 may be mechanically
coupled to the floating connection base 800 and to the fixed mount
ceiling 860, and, in the absence of a shearing force, may hold the
floating connection base 800 at an equilibrium position, relative
to the fixed mount ceiling 860, which may be rigidly mechanically
coupled to the chassis of the aerial vehicle 110. The fixed mount
floor 820 may also be rigidly mechanically coupled to the chassis
of the aerial vehicle 110. In some embodiments, the fixed mount
floor 820 and the fixed mount ceiling 860 are conjoined.
[0071] At equilibrium (e.g., when the user is not applying a force
on the gimbal 100), the four tapered locking blocks 840 may be
held, by shear forces on the elastic pillars 820, at a position
that is not flush with the corresponding slots 855. The gap between
the tapered locking blocks 840 and their corresponding slots 855
can be small (e.g., 2-5 millimeters). In some embodiments, at
equilibrium, the tapered locking blocks 840 rest outside the
corresponding slots 855. When a force pushes the tapered locking
blocks 840 into the slots 855 on the fixed mount floor 850, the
floating connection base 830 may be locked in place, which may make
it easier for the user to turn the locking cylindrical shell 810.
Once the user is no longer pushing on the gimbal 100, the restoring
sheer force on the elastic pillars 820 may move the floating
connection base 830 back into its equilibrium position. In this
equilibrium position, the floating connection base 830 may have
some freedom of movement, which may result in dampening
oscillations on the gimbal 100 or the aerial vehicle 110. Thus,
when connected to the aerial vehicle 110, the gimbal 110 may
"float" (e.g., is not rigidly coupled to the aerial vehicle 110)
during normal operation.
Additional Considerations
[0072] The disclosed configuration describes an electronic gimbal
capable of being removably connected to multiple different mount
platforms, such as aerial vehicles, ground vehicles, and handheld
grips. The disclosed configuration further describes an electronic
gimbal capable of removably connecting to multiple different
cameras, and maintaining the orientation of a camera in space while
the mount platform to which the gimbal is attached changes
orientation. Moreover, the gimbal can contain an internal bus
between the camera and the mount platform, which provides for
communication. The gimbal can also be configured with motors that
are not orthogonal which provides for a greater viewing angle for
the camera.
[0073] Throughout this specification, plural instances may
implement components, operations, or structures described as a
single instance. Although individual operations of one or more
methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one
or more of the individual operations may be performed concurrently,
and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order
illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate
components in example configurations may be implemented as a
combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and
functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as
separate components. These and other variations, modifications,
additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject
matter herein.
[0074] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic
or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules may
constitute either software modules (e.g., code embodied on a
machine-readable medium or in a transmission signal) or hardware
modules. A hardware module is a tangible unit capable of performing
certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain
manner. In example embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g.,
a standalone, client or server computer system) or one or more
hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group
of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application
or application portion) as a hardware module that operates to
perform certain operations as described herein.
[0075] In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implemented
mechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware module may
comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently
configured (e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a field
programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC)) to perform certain operations. A
hardware module may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry
(e.g., as encompassed within a general-purpose processor or other
programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software
to perform certain operations. It will be appreciated that the
decision to implement a hardware module mechanically, in dedicated
and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured
circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and
time considerations.
[0076] The various operations of example methods described herein
may be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors,
that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently
configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily
or permanently configured, such processors may constitute
processor-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more
operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in
some example embodiments, comprise processor-implemented
modules.
[0077] The one or more processors may also operate to support
performance of the relevant operations in a "cloud computing"
environment or as a "software as a service" (SaaS). For example, at
least some of the operations may be performed by a group of
computers (as examples of machines including processors), these
operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and
via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., application program
interfaces (APIs).)
[0078] The performance of certain of the operations may be
distributed among the one or more processors, not only residing
within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines.
In some example embodiments, the one or more processors or
processor-implemented modules may be located in a single geographic
location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment,
or a server farm). In other example embodiments, the one or more
processors or processor-implemented modules may be distributed
across a number of geographic locations.
[0079] Some portions of this specification are presented in terms
of algorithms or symbolic representations of operations on data
stored as bits or binary digital signals within a machine memory
(e.g., a computer memory). These algorithms or symbolic
representations are examples of techniques used by those of
ordinary skill in the data processing arts to convey the substance
of their work to others skilled in the art. As used herein, an
"algorithm" is a self-consistent sequence of operations or similar
processing leading to a desired result. In this context, algorithms
and operations involve physical manipulation of physical
quantities. Typically, but not necessarily, such quantities may
take the form of electrical, magnetic, or optical signals capable
of being stored, accessed, transferred, combined, compared, or
otherwise manipulated by a machine. It is convenient at times,
principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signals
using words such as "data," "content," "bits," "values,"
"elements," "symbols," "characters," "terms," "numbers,"
"numerals," or the like. These words, however, are merely
convenient labels and are to be associated with appropriate
physical quantities.
[0080] Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions herein
using words such as "processing," "computing," "calculating,"
"determining," "presenting," "displaying," or the like may refer to
actions or processes of a machine (e.g., a computer) that
manipulates or transforms data represented as physical (e.g.,
electronic, magnetic, or optical) quantities within one or more
memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a
combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that
receive, store, transmit, or display information.
[0081] As used herein any reference to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase
"in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
[0082] Some embodiments may be described using the expression
"coupled" and "connected" along with their derivatives. For
example, some embodiments may be described using the term "coupled"
to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or
electrical contact. The term "coupled," however, may also mean that
two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but
yet still co-operate or interact with each other. The embodiments
are not limited in this context.
[0083] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising,"
"includes," "including," "has," "having" or any other variation
thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For
example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a
list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements
but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to
such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless
expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or
and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is
satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B
is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is
true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).
[0084] In addition, use of the "a" or "an" are employed to describe
elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done
merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the
invention. This description should be read to include one or at
least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is
obvious that it is meant otherwise.
[0085] Upon reading this disclosure, those of skill in the art will
appreciate still additional alternative structural and functional
designs for the disclosed gimbal and associated systems. Thus,
while particular embodiments and applications have been illustrated
and described, it is to be understood that the disclosed
embodiments are not limited to the precise construction and
components disclosed herein. Various modifications, changes and
variations, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, may
be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the method and
apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and
scope defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *