A universal camera

Abstract

This application provides a omnidirectional camera, comprising: a base, the first surface of which is spherical; a spherical camera detachably mounted on the first surface via a mounting surface, the spherical camera being configured to move in any direction along the first surface of the base; the first surface of the base is provided with a plurality of electromagnet groups, each electromagnet group comprising a plurality of electromagnets, the spacing between adjacent electromagnets being a first distance; the mounting surface of the spherical camera is provided with a plurality of permanent magnet groups corresponding to the plurality of electromagnet groups, each permanent magnet group comprising a plurality of permanent magnets, the permanent magnets and the electromagnets having opposite polarities at their closest ends, the spacing between adjacent permanent magnets being a second distance, the second distance being unequal to the first distance. The omnidirectional camera of this application allows the camera to move in any direction within the base by controlling the attractive force between the camera and the base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of camera structure design technology, and in particular to a universal camera. Background Technology

[0002] In scenarios such as video surveillance and video chat, cameras need to be able to rotate easily to capture images from various angles. However, most current cameras are fixed and cannot rotate, or can only rotate in limited directions (such as up, down, left, and right). Furthermore, the rotation of these cameras is either achieved by the camera and its mounting base rotating together, or by a mechanical connection between the camera and the base, with the camera's rotation on the base controlled by a mechanical structure. Such mechanical structures are complex, prone to damage, and make the camera inconvenient to disassemble.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide more effective and reliable technical solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a universal camera that can move in any direction within a base, and the camera has a simple structure that is easy to disassemble and install.

[0005] This application provides a universal camera, comprising: a base, the first surface of which is spherical; a spherical camera detachably mounted on the first surface via a mounting surface, the spherical camera being configured to move in any direction along the first surface of the base; the first surface of the base is provided with a plurality of electromagnet groups, each electromagnet group including a plurality of electromagnets, the spacing between adjacent electromagnets being a first distance; the mounting surface of the spherical camera is provided with a plurality of permanent magnet groups corresponding to the plurality of electromagnet groups, each permanent magnet group including a plurality of permanent magnets, the permanent magnets and the electromagnets having opposite polarities at their closest ends, the spacing between adjacent permanent magnets being a second distance, the second distance being unequal to the first distance; and a control module, communicatively connected to the plurality of electromagnets, configured to control any electromagnet in the plurality of electromagnet groups on the first surface of the base to be energized or de-energized.

[0006] In some embodiments of this application, the plurality of electromagnet groups are arranged in a matrix on the first surface of the base, and the plurality of electromagnets are arranged in a matrix within the electromagnet groups; the plurality of permanent magnet groups are arranged in a matrix on the mounting surface of the spherical camera, and the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in a matrix within the permanent magnet groups.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is square, and the cross-section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface of the spherical camera is square.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional side length of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is equal to the first distance.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the sum of the cross-sectional side length of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface and the first distance is greater than the sum of the cross-sectional side length of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface and the second distance.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, if the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross section of the mounting surface of the spherical camera is X, then the number of the several permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group is greater than or equal to 2 / (1-X).

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the number of the plurality of electromagnet groups is the same as the number of the plurality of permanent magnet groups, the area of ​​the plurality of electromagnet groups is larger than the area of ​​the plurality of permanent magnet groups, and the spacing between the plurality of electromagnet groups is the same as the spacing between the plurality of permanent magnet groups.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the electromagnet is embedded in the first surface of the base; the permanent magnet is embedded in the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the surface of the electromagnet does not protrude from the first surface of the base; the surface of the permanent magnet does not protrude from the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

[0015] This application provides a universal camera, in which the camera and the base are magnetically connected. By controlling the attraction between the camera and the base, the camera can move in any direction within the base. The camera has a simple structure and is easy to disassemble and install. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The following accompanying drawings describe in detail the exemplary embodiments disclosed in this application. The same reference numerals denote similar structures in several views of the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are non-limiting and exemplary, and the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Other embodiments may similarly fulfill the inventive intent of this application. It should be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0017] in:

[0018] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a distribution diagram of the electromagnet assembly in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the distribution of electromagnets in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a distribution diagram of the permanent magnet assembly in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a distribution diagram of the permanent magnets in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of the universal camera described in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a first moment;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a second moment;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a third moment;

[0027] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a fourth moment. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following description provides specific application scenarios and requirements for this application, intended to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the content of this application. Various partial modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the embodiments shown, but rather to the widest scope consistent with the claims.

[0029] To provide a thorough understanding of the relevant disclosures to those skilled in the art, specific details of the invention are illustrated by example in the following detailed description. However, the disclosures herein should be understood to be consistent with the scope of the claims and not limited to these specific inventive details. For example, various modifications to the embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art; and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Furthermore, these details could be practiced by those skilled in the art without knowledge of them, even without the following disclosures. On the other hand, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the scope of this application, well-known methods, processes, systems, components, and / or circuits are generally summarized without detailed description. Therefore, the disclosures herein are not limited to the illustrated embodiments but are consistent with the scope of the claims.

[0030] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments only and is not restrictive. For example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the use of a singular form (e.g., "a", "an", and / or equivalent descriptions) to describe an element in this application may include multiple elements of that element. The terms "comprising" and / or "including" as used in this application refer to open-ended concepts. For example, A comprising / including B simply means that feature B is present in A, but does not exclude the possibility that other elements (e.g., C) are present or added to A.

[0031] It should be understood that the terms used in this application, such as "system," "unit," "module," and / or "block," are one way of distinguishing different components, elements, parts, sections, or components at different levels. However, if other terms can achieve the same purpose, they may also be used in this application instead of the terms mentioned above.

[0032] The modules (or units, blocks, cells) described in this application can be implemented as software and / or hardware modules. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, when a unit or module is described as "connected," "connected to," or "coupled to" another unit or module, the expression may mean that the unit or module is directly connected, linked, or coupled to the other unit or module, or it may mean that the unit or module is indirectly connected, linked, or coupled to the other unit or module in some form. In this application, the terms "and / or" include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] In view of the following description, these and other features of this application, as well as the operation and function of the related elements of the structure, and the economy of assembly and manufacture of the components, can be significantly improved. All of these form part of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be clearly understood that the drawings are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. It should be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0034] The flowcharts used in this application illustrate operations implemented according to some embodiments of this application. It should be clearly understood that the operations in the flowcharts may not be implemented in a sequential order. Instead, the operations may be implemented in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, one or more additional operations may be added to the flowcharts. One or more operations may be removed from the flowcharts.

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0036] In scenarios where a spherical camera is embedded in a hemispherical shell, in order for the camera to capture images from multiple angles, the camera needs to be able to rotate like an animal's eye. This allows people to control the spherical camera to rotate to a specific angle according to specific needs, thereby obtaining images from that specific angle.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the universal camera described in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Embodiments of this application provide a universal camera, with reference to... Figure 1 As shown, it includes: a base 100, the first surface 101 of which is spherical; and a spherical camera 200, which is detachably mounted on the first surface 101 via a mounting surface 102, and the spherical camera 200 is configured to move in any direction along the first surface 101 of the base 100.

[0039] The mounting surface 102 is provided with a plurality of permanent magnets, and the first surface 101 is provided with a plurality of electromagnets. The mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101 can be attracted and attached together by the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnets and the electromagnets. The distribution of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102 and the distribution of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 will be described in detail later. It should be noted that... Figure 1 The diagram shows the assembly of the omnidirectional camera. In operation, the spherical camera 200 is attracted to the base 100 by the magnetic attraction between the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101.

[0040] In addition, the omnidirectional camera also includes a control module. Since the control module can be installed on the base 100 or remotely set at the user end, the control module is not located in... Figure 1 The hardware structure diagram shows that the control module is communicatively connected to several electromagnets on the first surface 101. The control module is used to control the energization or de-energization of the electromagnets, thereby controlling the attractive force between the electromagnets on the first surface 101 and the permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102. This allows the mounting surface 102 to move in any direction on the first surface 101 under the influence of the attractive force, thus enabling the spherical camera 200 to rotate in any direction on the first surface 101.

[0041] In some embodiments of this application, the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101 are formed of a low-friction material to minimize the friction between the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101, so that the spherical camera 200 can rotate and move smoothly on the first surface 101.

[0042] In this embodiment, the base 100 is vertical and can be mounted on a flat surface such as a desktop or vehicle. The omnidirectional camera is, for example, a chat camera adapted to a computer or a vehicle-mounted camera. In other embodiments, the base 100 may be suspended from a wall or streetlight, and the omnidirectional camera is used as a surveillance camera. As long as the base 100 has a first surface 101 for accommodating the omnidirectional camera 200, the specific shape and structure of the base 100 are not limited, and the shape and structure of the base 100 can be set according to the specific application scenario.

[0043] When it is necessary to disassemble the spherical camera 200, it is only necessary to de-energize all the electromagnets on the first surface 101. There is no attraction between the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101, and the spherical camera can be easily disassembled.

[0044] In a universal camera described in this application, when a user needs to rotate the camera, the magnetic field distribution of the first surface 101 can be updated by the control module. At this time, the magnetic field distribution of the first surface 101 after the update has changed compared with the magnetic field distribution of the first surface 101 before the update. Therefore, the attraction of the first surface 101 to the mounting surface 102 will change, so that the mounting surface slides along the first surface 101 under the action of the updated magnetic field, thereby realizing the universal rotation of the spherical camera.

[0045] Compared with conventional cameras, in the technical solution of this application, the spherical camera 200 is installed on the base 100 by magnetic adsorption, without a direct mechanical connection structure, so the structure is simple and easy to install and disassemble; the omnidirectional camera 200 is rotated in all directions on the first surface 101 by controlling the attraction between the first surface 101 and the mounting surface 102, thus realizing the function of an omnidirectional camera.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a distribution diagram of the electromagnet assembly in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application.

[0047] refer to Figure 2 As shown, a plurality of electromagnet groups 300 are disposed on the first surface 101 of the base 100. The plurality of electromagnet groups 300 are arranged in a matrix on the first surface 101 of the base 100. The plurality of electromagnet groups 300 are square. The number of the plurality of electromagnet groups 300 can be set according to the actual situation. In this embodiment, only four electromagnet groups are used as an example.

[0048] Figure 3 This is a distribution diagram of the electromagnets in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application.

[0049] refer to Figure 3 As shown, each electromagnet group 300 includes several electromagnets, and the distance between adjacent electromagnets is a first distance. The number of electromagnets can be set according to actual conditions. The more electromagnets there are, the greater the movable position of the mounting surface 102 on the first surface 101. This application embodiment only uses 36 electromagnets as an example. The 36 electromagnets are numbered from 01 to 36.

[0050] In some embodiments of this application, the plurality of electromagnets are arranged in a matrix within the electromagnet group 300. The cross-section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 of the base 100 is square. The matrix distribution and the square cross-section allow the overall distance between adjacent electromagnets to be closer, resulting in a stronger attractive force. In some embodiments of this application, the side length of the cross-section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 of the base 100 is equal to the first distance.

[0051] In other embodiments of this application, the plurality of electromagnets may also be distributed in other ways in the electromagnet group 300, such as radially or concentrically. The cross-section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 of the base 100 may also be circular. A circular cross-section allows for a higher distribution density of electromagnets, improving the movement efficiency of the mounting surface 102.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, the electromagnet is embedded in the first surface 101 of the base 100. The surface of the electromagnet does not protrude from the first surface 101 of the base 100; that is, the surface of the electromagnet can be coplanar with the first surface 101 or slightly recessed into the first surface 101. This minimizes the size and weight of the gimbal camera and reduces the friction between the first surface 101 and the mounting surface 102.

[0053] Figure 4 This is a distribution diagram of the permanent magnet assembly in the universal camera described in this application embodiment.

[0054] refer to Figure 4 As shown, the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is provided with a plurality of permanent magnet groups 400 corresponding to the plurality of electromagnet groups 300. The plurality of permanent magnet groups 400 are arranged in a matrix on the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200. The plurality of permanent magnet groups 400 are square in shape. The number of the plurality of permanent magnet groups 400 is the same as the number of the plurality of electromagnet groups 300. In this embodiment, only four permanent magnet groups are used as an example.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, the area of ​​the plurality of electromagnet groups 300 is larger than the area of ​​the plurality of permanent magnet groups 400, and the spacing between the plurality of electromagnet groups 300 is the same as the spacing between the plurality of permanent magnet groups 400.

[0056] Figure 5 This is a distribution diagram of the permanent magnets in the universal camera described in the embodiments of this application.

[0057] refer to Figure 5 As shown, each permanent magnet group 400 includes several permanent magnets. The permanent magnets and the electromagnets have opposite polarities at their closest ends. The spacing between adjacent permanent magnets is a second distance, which is not equal to the first distance. The number of permanent magnets can be set according to actual conditions. The number of permanent magnets cannot be too small; otherwise, the attraction between the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101 will not be strong enough, the installation between the mounting surface 102 and the first surface 101 will not be secure, and the spherical camera 200 will easily fall off. This application embodiment only uses 16 permanent magnets as an example. The 16 permanent magnets are numbered s01 to s16.

[0058] In some embodiments of this application, the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in a matrix within the permanent magnet group 400. The cross-section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is square.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, the sum of the side length of the cross section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 and the first distance is greater than the sum of the side length of the cross section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102 and the second distance, so that only one electromagnet and one permanent magnet can completely overlap at any time.

[0060] In other embodiments of this application, the plurality of permanent magnets may also be distributed in other ways in the permanent magnet group 400, such as radially or concentrically. The cross-section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 may also be circular.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface 101 of the base 100 is equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200. This equal area maximizes the attractive force between the electromagnets and the permanent magnets.

[0062] In this application, the second distance is less than the first distance only as an example. The ratio of the second distance to the first distance is 0.2 to 0.9, for example, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, etc.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross section of the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is set to X. Then, the number of the several permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group is greater than or equal to 2 / (1-X). This allows the mounting surface 102 to move indefinitely in this direction until it reaches the boundary of the first surface in that direction.

[0064] For example, if the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross-section of the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is L (specifically, for example, the side length of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet is L, the distance between the electromagnets (first distance) is L, and the distance between the permanent magnets (second distance) is 0.8L), then the number of the several permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group 400 is greater than or equal to 10; if the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross-section of the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is 0.6 (specifically, for example, the side length of the electromagnet and the permanent magnet is L), then the number of the several permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group 400 is greater than or equal to 10. If the distance between electromagnets (first distance) is L, and the distance between permanent magnets (second distance) is 0.6L, then the number of the plurality of permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group 400 is greater than or equal to 5; if the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross section of the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200 is 0.5 (specifically, for example, the side length of the electromagnets and permanent magnets is L, the distance between electromagnets (first distance) is L, and the distance between permanent magnets (second distance) is 0.5L), then the number of the plurality of permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group 400 is greater than or equal to 4.

[0065] In some embodiments of this application, the permanent magnet is embedded in the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200. The surface of the permanent magnet does not protrude from the mounting surface 102 of the spherical camera 200. That is, the surface of the electromagnet can be coplanar with the mounting surface 102 or slightly recessed into the mounting surface 102. This minimizes the size and weight of the omnidirectional camera and reduces the friction between the first surface 101 and the mounting surface 102.

[0066] Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of the universal camera described in an embodiment of this application.

[0067] refer to Figure 6 As shown, the universal camera includes a first surface 101 and a plurality of electromagnets 103 fixed on the first surface 101. The universal camera also includes a mounting surface 102 and a plurality of permanent magnets 105 fixed on the mounting surface 102. The universal camera also includes a control module 104 for controlling the electromagnets 103 to be energized or de-energized.

[0068] The control module 104 can independently control the energization or de-energization of any electromagnet.

[0069] When the control module 104 energizes a certain electromagnet 103, the energized electromagnet becomes magnetic and attracts the corresponding permanent magnet. Therefore, the polarity of the end of the electromagnet 103 connected to the first surface 101 should be opposite to the polarity of the end of the permanent magnet 105 connected to the mounting surface 102. This ensures that the electromagnet 103 and the permanent magnet 105 attract each other, so that when the magnetism of the first surface 101 is changed, the mounting surface 102 will move due to the change in the attractive force. Therefore, [the following is an explanation of the electromagnet 103 and permanent magnet 105]. Figure 6 In the circuit where the electromagnet 103 is located, the orientation of the positive and negative terminals of the power supply and the winding direction of the coil on the electromagnet 103 are not fixed. All circuit designs that enable the electromagnet 103 to attract the permanent magnet 105 when the electromagnet 103 is energized and to stop attracting the permanent magnet 105 when the electromagnet 103 is de-energized are within the protection scope of this application.

[0070] The function of the control module 104 is to control the electromagnet 103 to be energized or de-energized. Specifically, when the control module 104 controls the switch of a certain electromagnet 103 to be closed, the electromagnet 103 is energized and has magnetism, and can generate an attractive force on the corresponding permanent magnet 105; when the control module 104 controls the switch of a certain electromagnet 103 to be opened, the electromagnet 103 is de-energized and loses magnetism, and no longer generates an attractive force on the corresponding permanent magnet 105.

[0071] It should be understood that the control module 104 here may also be just a concept. In specific applications, if there are some situations, such as the mounting surface 102 not needing to be moved frequently but only occasionally, or in order to reduce the cost of the universal camera, the switch of the electromagnet 103 can be manually controlled to turn on / off, without the need for a real "control module". That is, the control module here only represents the function of controlling the magnetism of the electromagnet 103. Any means that can achieve this function can be understood as the "control module" in this application.

[0072] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a first moment; Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a second moment; Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a third moment; Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the relative positions of the mounting surface and the first surface of the omnidirectional camera described in this application embodiment at a fourth moment.

[0073] The following is combined Figures 7 to 10This application explains how the omnidirectional camera achieves rotation from the first moment to the fourth moment.

[0074] refer to Figure 7 As shown, in actual use, the first surface 101 and the mounting surface 102 of the universal camera are attached together. For the sake of simplicity, an electromagnet group 300 and a permanent magnet group 400 are used as an example in this embodiment.

[0075] refer to Figure 3 As explained, the electromagnet group 300 includes several electromagnets. Here, we take 36 electromagnets as an example. These 36 electromagnets are numbered 01-36. Each of the 36 electromagnets is a square of equal size, and the distance between them is equal to the side length of one electromagnet. As mentioned earlier, any one of these 36 electromagnets can be individually controlled to be energized or de-energized. When an electromagnet is energized, it becomes magnetic and attracts the permanent magnet.

[0076] refer to Figure 5 The description states that the permanent magnet group 400 includes several permanent magnets; here, 16 permanent magnets are used as an example. These 16 permanent magnets are numbered s01-s16, and they are squares of the same size as the 36 electromagnets. The distance between these 16 permanent magnets is less than the distance between the 36 electromagnets. It should be noted that... Figure 7 The permanent magnets s01-s16 shown in the illustration are slightly smaller than the electromagnets 01-36, only to facilitate the illustration of the positional relationship between the permanent magnets and the electromagnets. In reality, the permanent magnets s01-s16 and the electromagnets 01-36 are exactly the same size.

[0077] Continue to refer to Figure 7 As shown, at the first moment, only electromagnet 15 is energized, while the other electromagnets are de-energized. Electromagnet 15 has an attractive force on the permanent magnet, causing permanent magnet s02 to come into complete contact with it. If you want the mounting surface 102 to move to the right at this time, you only need to de-energize electromagnet 15 and simultaneously energize electromagnet 16.

[0078] refer to Figure 8 As shown, at the second moment, electromagnet 15 is de-energized and electromagnet 16 is energized. There is no longer an attractive force between electromagnet 15 and permanent magnet s02, while there is an attractive force between electromagnet 16 and permanent magnet s03. Due to this attraction, permanent magnet s03 will naturally come into complete contact with electromagnet 16. The process of permanent magnet s03 and electromagnet 16 coming into complete contact is the process of mounting surface 102 moving to the right. Figure 8 In the case shown, if the mounting surface 102 needs to continue moving to the right, it is only necessary to de-energize electromagnet 16 and simultaneously energize electromagnet 17.

[0079] refer to Figure 9 As shown, at the third moment, electromagnet 16 is de-energized and electromagnet 17 is energized. This means that there is no longer an attractive force between electromagnet 16 and permanent magnet s03, while there is an attractive force between electromagnet 17 and permanent magnet s04. Due to this attraction, permanent magnet s04 and electromagnet 17 will naturally become completely attached. The process of permanent magnet s04 and electromagnet 17 becoming completely attached is the process of mounting surface 102 moving to the right again. Figure 9 In the case shown, if the mounting surface 102 needs to continue moving to the right, it is only necessary to de-energize electromagnet 17 and simultaneously energize electromagnet 15.

[0080] refer to Figure 10 As shown, at the fourth moment, electromagnet 17 is de-energized and electromagnet 18 is energized. This means that there is no longer an attraction between electromagnet 17 and permanent magnet s04, while there is an attraction between electromagnet 15 and permanent magnet s01. Due to the attraction, permanent magnet s01 and electromagnet 15 will naturally be completely attached. The process of permanent magnet s01 and electromagnet 15 being completely attached is the process of mounting surface 102 moving to the right again.

[0081] Following the above process, the mounting surface 102 can be moved continuously to the right until it reaches the right boundary or a designated position of the first surface 101.

[0082] Similarly, in Figure 7 In the case shown, if it is necessary to control the mounting surface 102 to move in other directions, the movement can be completed simply by energizing the electromagnets in those other directions. For example, in Figure 7 In the illustrated scenario, if the mounting surface 102 needs to move to the left, electromagnets 14, 16, 15, 14... need to be energized sequentially. This utilizes the change in the electromagnets' attractive force to attract permanent magnets s01, s04, s03, s02... to completely adhere to electromagnets 14, 16, 15, 14..., thus continuously moving the mounting surface 102 to the left until it reaches the left boundary of the first surface 101 or a designated position. If the mounting surface 102 needs to move upward, electromagnets 27, 21, 15, 27... need to be energized sequentially. If the mounting surface 102 needs to move downward, electromagnets 21, 27, 15, 21... need to be energized sequentially. The specific process can be referred to the above process for controlling the rightward movement of the mounting surface 102, and will not be repeated here.

[0083] Through the process of controlling the movement of the mounting surface 102 described above, the mounting surface 102 can be moved in any direction, such as up, down, left, right, upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right. This, in turn, allows the spherical camera 200 to rotate in any direction.

[0084] This application provides a universal camera, in which the camera and the base are magnetically connected. By controlling the attraction between the camera and the base, the camera can move in any direction within the base. The camera has a simple structure and is easy to disassemble and install.

[0085] In summary, after reading this detailed disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing detailed disclosure is presented by way of example only and is not restrictive. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art will understand that this application is intended to encompass various reasonable changes, improvements, and modifications to the embodiments. These changes, improvements, and modifications are intended to be made by this application and are within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0086] Furthermore, certain terms used in this application have been used to describe embodiments of this application. For example, "an embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, it is to be emphasized and understood that two or more references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" or "alternative embodiment" in various parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, specific features, structures, or characteristics may be appropriately combined in one or more embodiments of this application.

[0087] It should be understood that in the foregoing description of the embodiments of this application, in order to aid in understanding a feature and for the purpose of simplifying this application, various features are sometimes combined in a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. Alternatively, various features may be distributed across multiple embodiments of the invention. However, this does not mean that the combination of these features is necessary, and those skilled in the art, upon reading this application, may extract some features as individual embodiments for understanding. That is, the embodiments in this application can also be understood as an integration of multiple sub-embodiments. It is also valid when the content of each sub-embodiment contains fewer than all the features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment.

[0088] In some embodiments, figures used to describe and claim certain embodiments of this application, expressing quantities or properties, should be understood to be modified in certain circumstances by the terms “about,” “approximately,” or “substantially.” For example, unless otherwise stated, “about,” “approximately,” or “substantially” may represent a variation of ±20% of the value they describe. Thus, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters listed in the written description and appended claims are approximate values ​​that may vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained in a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, numerical parameters should be interpreted based on the number of significant figures reported and by applying common rounding techniques. Although some embodiments of this application set forth a wide range of numerical ranges and parameters that are approximate, specific embodiments all list numerical values ​​that are as accurate as possible.

[0089] Each patent, patent application, publication of the patent application, and other materials such as articles, books, specifications, publications, documents, articles, etc., cited herein may be incorporated by reference. The entire contents used for all purposes, except for any history of prosecution documents associated with it, that may be inconsistent with or conflict with this document, or that may have a limiting effect on the widest extent of the claims, are now or hereafter associated with this document. For example, in the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the description, definition, and / or use of terms associated with any of the included materials and the terms, description, definition, and / or used in connection with this document, the terms used herein shall prevail.

[0090] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of this application. Other modified embodiments are also within the scope of this application. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein are merely examples and not limitations. Those skilled in the art can adopt alternative configurations to implement the invention of this application based on the embodiments in this application. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited to those embodiments precisely described in the application.

Claims

1. A universal camera, characterized in that, include: The base, wherein the first surface of the base is spherical; A spherical camera, which is detachably mounted on the first surface via a mounting surface, is configured to move in any direction along the first surface of the base; The first surface of the base is provided with a plurality of electromagnet groups, which are arranged in a matrix on the first surface of the base. Each electromagnet group includes a plurality of electromagnets, and the distance between adjacent electromagnets is a first distance. The mounting surface of the spherical camera is provided with a plurality of permanent magnet groups corresponding to the plurality of electromagnet groups. The plurality of permanent magnet groups are arranged in a matrix on the mounting surface of the spherical camera. Each permanent magnet group includes a plurality of permanent magnets. The permanent magnets and the electromagnets have opposite polarities at their closest ends. The spacing between adjacent permanent magnets is a second distance. The second distance is not equal to the first distance. The control module is communicatively connected to the plurality of electromagnets and is configured to control any one of the electromagnet groups on the first surface of the base to be energized or de-energized.

2. The universal camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of electromagnets are arranged in a matrix in the electromagnet group; the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in a matrix in the permanent magnet group.

3. The universal camera as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The cross-section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is square, and the cross-section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface of the spherical camera is square.

4. The universal camera as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

5. The universal camera as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The cross-sectional side length of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface of the base is equal to the first distance.

6. The universal camera as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The sum of the side length of the cross section of the plurality of electromagnets on the first surface and the first distance is greater than the sum of the side length of the cross section of the plurality of permanent magnets on the mounting surface and the second distance.

7. The universal camera as described in claim 6, characterized in that, If the ratio of the second distance to the side length of the cross section of the mounting surface of the spherical camera is X, then the number of the several permanent magnets along the side length direction of the permanent magnet group is greater than or equal to 2 / (1-X).

8. The universal camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of electromagnet groups is the same as the number of permanent magnet groups, the area of ​​the electromagnet groups is larger than the area of ​​the permanent magnet groups, and the spacing between the electromagnet groups is the same as the spacing between the permanent magnet groups.

9. The universal camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The electromagnet is embedded in the first surface of the base; the permanent magnet is embedded in the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

10. The universal camera as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The surface of the electromagnet does not protrude from the first surface of the base; the surface of the permanent magnet does not protrude from the mounting surface of the spherical camera.

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