Automatic leveling method of pan-tilt and pan-tilt

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic leveling method of a pan-tilt and the pan-tilt, the pan-tilt comprises a mounting assembly used for mounting photographic equipment and a driving assembly connected with the mounting assembly and used for driving the mounting assembly to move, and the automatic leveling method comprises the following steps: when the photographic equipment is mounted on the mounting assembly, the driving assembly drives the mounting assembly to move; acquiring the center of gravity of the photographic equipment and judging whether the center of gravity of the photographic equipment is in an unbalanced position; generating a control signal for adjusting the gravity center of the photographic equipment when the gravity center of the photographic equipment is in the unbalanced position; and the control module is used for controlling the driving module to work according to the control signal so as to drive the mounting module to move until the photographic equipment is in the gravity center balance position, so that the automatic leveling of the holder is realized. According to the automatic leveling method for the cradle head, the photographing equipment can be rapidly detected and adjusted to the gravity center balance position, the operation threshold is lowered, the leveling precision is high, and the preparation work efficiency of the cradle head is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of a pan / tilt platform, and in particular to an automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt platform and a pan / tilt platform. Background Art

[0002] The gimbal is a device used to carry a camera device (such as a mobile phone or camera). The camera device is usually installed on the gimbal with the help of auxiliary installation tools (such as a quick release plate or a rabbit cage). The gimbal needs to be leveled before use. If the gimbal is put into use without being leveled, the motor in the gimbal will continue to output current to provide unbalanced torque, which will not only cause energy loss and shorten the life of the motor, but also affect the stability of shooting.

[0003] However, the existing gimbal leveling method mainly relies on the operator's feel and experience. The operator needs to rely on subjective tactile perception to judge the balance state of each axis of the gimbal. In actual operation, it is often necessary to manually adjust the joints and angles of the gimbal repeatedly to approach the ideal balance position through continuous attempts. This method not only requires extremely high skill proficiency of the operator, but even experienced professionals find it difficult to ensure that the gimbal reaches an accurate balance state in a short period of time, resulting in a lengthy and cumbersome operation process, which greatly limits the efficient development of shooting work. Summary of the invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic leveling method for a pan / tilt platform and a pan / tilt platform, aiming to solve the technical problems that the existing pan / tilt platform leveling operation is complicated, time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic leveling method for a pan / tilt head, wherein the pan / tilt head comprises a mounting assembly for mounting a photographic device and a driving assembly connected to the mounting assembly and for driving the mounting assembly to move. The automatic leveling method comprises:

[0006] When the photographic device is mounted on the mounting assembly, obtaining the center of gravity of the photographic device and determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position;

[0007] generating a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position;

[0008] The driving component is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the mounting component to move until the photographic device is at a center of gravity balance position.

[0009] In some embodiments, the mounting assembly includes a mounting seat and a bearing seat connected to the mounting seat and used to bear the photographic device, and the driving assembly is located between the mounting seat and the bearing seat and is used to drive the bearing seat to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat;

[0010] The step of controlling the driving component to drive the mounting component to move according to the control signal until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position comprises:

[0011] The driving assembly is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position.

[0012] In some embodiments, controlling the driving assembly to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position includes:

[0013] When the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts forward, controlling the driving assembly to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position; and

[0014] When the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts backward, the driving assembly is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward until the photographic device is in the center of gravity balance position.

[0015] In some embodiments, the gimbal further comprises a locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to lock the bearing seat and the mounting seat;

[0016] The automatic leveling method further comprises:

[0017] After the photographic device is at the center-of-gravity balance position, the locking assembly is controlled to operate so as to lock the bearing seat and the mounting seat.

[0018] In some embodiments, the pan / tilt head further comprises a support frame connected to the mounting assembly and a movable frame movably connected to the support frame;

[0019] The obtaining of the center of gravity of the photographic device and determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position comprises:

[0020] Obtaining an inclination angle of the movable frame relative to the supporting frame, and determining whether the inclination angle is within a preset inclination angle range;

[0021] When the tilt angle exceeds the preset tilt angle range, the center of gravity offset direction of the photographic device is determined according to the tilt angle, and a control signal containing the determination result is generated.

[0022] In some embodiments, the pan / tilt platform further includes an angle adjustment component for driving the movable frame to rotate, and the automatic leveling method further includes:

[0023] obtaining the center of gravity of the gimbal when the photographic device is not mounted on the mounting assembly;

[0024] When the center of gravity of the gimbal is in an unbalanced position, a signal is generated to control the operation of the angle adjustment component until the gimbal is in a balanced position of the center of gravity.

[0025] In some embodiments, the pan / tilt platform includes a wireless communication unit, and before performing all steps, further includes:

[0026] Receiving a wireless control signal input by a user, and controlling the driving component, the locking component and the angle adjustment component to be in a standby state;

[0027] After all steps are performed, also include:

[0028] The adjustment result of the center of gravity of the photographic device and / or the center of gravity of the gimbal is sent to the user.

[0029] The present invention also provides a pan head, which includes a control device, a mounting component for mounting a photographic device, and a driving component connected to the mounting component and used to drive the mounting component to move. The control device includes a memory and a processor, and a computer program is stored in the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the automatic leveling method of the pan head as described above are implemented.

[0030] In some embodiments, the mounting assembly includes a mounting seat and a supporting seat connected to the mounting seat and used to support the photographic device. The driving assembly is located between the mounting seat and the supporting seat and is used to drive the supporting seat to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat.

[0031] In some embodiments, the bearing seat and the mounting seat are connected via a horizontal plug-in structure, and the driving assembly and the bearing seat are connected via a rack and gear transmission structure.

[0032] In some embodiments, the gimbal further includes a locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to lock the supporting seat and the mounting seat.

[0033] In some embodiments, the gimbal further includes a support frame connected to the mounting assembly and a movable frame movably connected to the support frame; the gimbal further includes an angle adjustment assembly for driving the movable frame to rotate.

[0034] The present application obtains the center of gravity of the photographic device and determines whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position when the photographic device is installed on the installation component; generates a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position; and controls the operation of the driving component according to the control signal to drive the installation component to move until the photographic device is in a balanced position of the center of gravity, thereby realizing automatic leveling of the pan / tilt. Compared with the traditional leveling method that relies on the operator's feel and experience, the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt of the present application can quickly detect and adjust the photographic device to a balanced position of the center of gravity, thereby lowering the operating threshold, having high leveling accuracy, and improving the efficiency of the preparation work of the pan / tilt. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the pan / tilt platform of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the pan / tilt platform of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0043] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0044] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the automatic leveling method of the pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0045] Fig.11 The figure is a flow chart of an automatic leveling method for a pan / tilt platform in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0046] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0047] Label name Label name 100 PTZ 10 Installing Components 20 Drive components 11 Mounting Block 12 Bearing seat 30 Locking assembly 40 Support frame 50 Activity rack 60 Angle adjustment kit 70 Horizontal plug-in structure 80 Rack and pinion transmission structure

[0048] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The scheme in the embodiment of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiment is only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of the present invention (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0051] It should also be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed on" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time.

[0052] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in the field to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 1 An embodiment of the present application provides a pan / tilt head 100, comprising a mounting assembly 10 for mounting a photographic device and a driving assembly 20 connected to the mounting assembly 10 and for driving the mounting assembly 10 to move.

[0054] The gimbal 100 involved in the present application is a device for installing and stabilizing photographic equipment (such as cameras, camcorders, etc.), and its main function is to provide multi-axial rotation and positioning, so that the photographic equipment can flexibly adjust the shooting angle and remain stable during the shooting process. The gimbal 100 can achieve motion control in the horizontal, vertical and rolling directions. For example, when taking panoramic photos or tracking moving objects, a smooth picture can be captured by the smooth rotation of the gimbal 100 in the horizontal direction; when shooting high or low objects, the vertical adjustment function can be used to accurately aim at the shooting target.

[0055] The mounting assembly 10 is mainly used to mount the photographic equipment on the pan / tilt head 100. The mounting assembly 10 generally includes a quick-release plate, screws, clamps and other components. The quick-release plate can conveniently mount the photographic equipment on the pan / tilt head 100 and can be quickly disassembled; the design of the clamp will vary according to different types of photographic equipment. For example, the clamps of some pan / tilt heads 100 can be adapted to camera bodies or lenses of different sizes, and the photographic equipment can be securely mounted by adjusting the width and height of the clamps.

[0056] The drive assembly 20 is mainly used to drive the installation assembly 10 to move. The drive assembly 20 is generally composed of a motor, a transmission mechanism (such as gears, screws, etc.) and a control circuit. The motor is a power source and rotates according to the control signal. The transmission mechanism converts the rotational motion of the motor into linear motion or rotational motion of the installation assembly 10 in each axial direction. The control circuit is responsible for receiving and processing the control signal to ensure that the drive assembly 20 works accurately.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 2 An embodiment of the present application provides an automatic leveling method of a gimbal 100, comprising:

[0058] Step S100, when the photographic device is mounted on the mounting assembly 10, the center of gravity of the photographic device is obtained and it is determined whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position;

[0059] Step S200, generating a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position;

[0060] Step S300, controlling the driving assembly 20 to work according to the control signal to drive the mounting assembly 10 to move until the photographic device is at a center of gravity balance position.

[0061] Among them, step S100 is used to obtain the center of gravity of the photographic device and determine whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position. When the pan-tilt head 100 is installed on the mounting assembly 10 of the photographic device, the center of gravity position of the photographic device can be obtained by a center of gravity detection device. The center of gravity detection device can generally adopt a combination of one or more sensors such as a pressure sensor and an angle sensor. For example, an angle sensor is installed at the connecting shaft of the mounting assembly 10 and the pan-tilt head 100. When the center of gravity of the photographic device is unbalanced, the mounting assembly 10 will be tilted relative to the pan-tilt head 100, and the angle sensor can measure the tilt angle. For example, angle sensors are installed on the horizontal axis and the vertical axis of the pan-tilt head 100 respectively. If the angle sensor on the horizontal axis detects that the mounting assembly 10 has a certain tilt angle relative to the horizontal direction (such as more than 1°), it means that the center of gravity of the photographic device is unbalanced in the horizontal direction; similarly, the angle sensor on the vertical axis can detect the tilt of the mounting assembly 10 in the vertical direction, thereby determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is unbalanced in the vertical direction.

[0062] Step S200 is used to generate a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position. The data of the center of gravity detection device can be used to determine the unbalance direction or degree of unbalance of the photographic device. For example, the inclination angle of the mounting assembly 10 in the horizontal and vertical directions can be directly obtained by the angle sensor. If the angle sensor in the horizontal direction detects that the mounting assembly 10 is tilted to the left by a certain angle (such as an angle of θ), then the unbalance direction is horizontal to the left; if the angle sensor in the horizontal direction detects that the mounting assembly 10 is tilted to the right by a certain angle (such as an angle of -θ), then the unbalance direction is horizontal to the right.

[0063] Furthermore, the movement direction, speed and other parameters of the driving assembly 20 are determined according to the imbalance direction or imbalance degree of the photographic device, and corresponding control signals are generated, which may be electrical signals or digital signals. If the imbalance direction is horizontally to the left, a control signal is generated for driving the mounting assembly 10 to move horizontally to the right, ensuring that the mounting assembly 10 moves to a suitable position to restore the center of gravity balance of the photographic device.

[0064] Step S300 is used to adjust the photographic device to a balanced center of gravity position. When the control signal requires the mounting assembly 10 to move in the horizontal direction, the driving assembly 20 will drive the mounting assembly 10 to move according to the control signal, thereby driving the photographic device to move and gradually adjust its position until the center of gravity of the photographic device reaches a balanced position.

[0065] It should be noted that in the process of adjusting the photographic device to the center of gravity balance position, there will be multiple adjustments until the center of gravity of the photographic device reaches the balance position. During the adjustment process, each adjustment needs to continuously optimize the control signal according to the actual situation of the photographic device and the change of the center of gravity position. For example, through multiple adjustments, the center of gravity of the photographic device gradually approaches the balance position and finally reaches a stable balance state, which can more accurately determine the center of gravity position of the photographic device, thereby ensuring that the photographic device is in a balanced state during the shooting process.

[0066] The present application obtains the center of gravity of the photographic device and determines whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position when the photographic device is installed on the mounting assembly 10; generates a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position; controls the drive assembly 20 to operate according to the control signal to drive the mounting assembly 10 to move until the photographic device is in a balanced position of the center of gravity, thereby realizing automatic leveling of the pan-tilt head 100. Compared with the traditional leveling method that relies on the operator's feel and experience, the automatic leveling method of the pan-tilt head 100 of the present application can quickly detect and adjust the photographic device to a balanced position of the center of gravity, reduces the operating threshold, has high leveling accuracy, and improves the preparation efficiency of the pan-tilt head 100.

[0067] For further information, please refer to Figure 3 The mounting assembly 10 includes a mounting seat 11 and a supporting seat 12 connected to the mounting seat 11 and used to support the photographic device. The driving assembly 20 is located between the mounting seat 11 and the supporting seat 12 and is used to drive the supporting seat 12 to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat 11.

[0068] In this embodiment, the layered design of the mounting seat 11 and the bearing seat 12 makes the installation and drive adjustment of the photographic device more flexible. Specifically, the mounting seat 11 can be used as a relatively fixed base part, and is stably connected to other parts of the pan / tilt head 100 (such as support legs, etc.). The bearing seat 12 is specifically used to place the photographic device, and the horizontal movement relative to the mounting seat 11 is achieved by the driving assembly 20, which can effectively finely adjust the horizontal position of the photographic device.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, controlling the driving assembly 20 to drive the mounting assembly 10 to move according to the control signal until the photographic device is at a center of gravity balance position includes:

[0070] Step S301, controlling the driving assembly 20 to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting base 12 to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at a balanced position of the center of gravity.

[0071] In this embodiment, a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device is generated when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position. For example, the center of gravity position information of the photographic device is obtained by a pressure sensor or an angle sensor installed on the mounting assembly 10 or the support base 12. If the sensor detects that the center of gravity of the photographic device is shifted forward, the control system will calculate the parameters such as the distance and speed that the support base 12 needs to move backward, and generate a corresponding control signal to control the support base 12 to move backward until the center of gravity of the photographic device is balanced in the front-to-back direction.

[0072] The method of achieving the center of gravity balance by driving the support base 12 to move forward and backward can achieve a relatively accurate adjustment. Specifically, since the driving component 20 can accurately control the moving distance and speed of the support base 12, the center of gravity position of the photographic device can be fine-tuned. For example, for some photographic devices with extremely high balance requirements, such as telephoto lens cameras, by finely driving the support base 12 to move forward and backward, the deviation of the center of gravity position can be controlled within a very small range, thereby ensuring stability during shooting.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, controlling the driving assembly 20 to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat 12 to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at a center of gravity balance position includes:

[0074] Step S3011, when the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts forward, the driving assembly 20 is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat 12 to move backward until the center of gravity of the photographic device is in a balanced position; and

[0075] Step S3012, when the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts backward, the driving assembly 20 is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat 12 to move forward until the photographic device is at a balanced center of gravity position.

[0076] In this embodiment, an angle sensor can be installed at the connection between the support seat 12 and the mounting seat 11, and the angle sensor can accurately measure the tilt angle of the support seat 12 in the front and rear directions. For example, when the angle sensor detects that the forward tilt angle is positive and exceeds the set threshold, it is determined to be forward tilt; when the backward tilt angle is negative and exceeds the set threshold, it is determined to be backward tilt. Of course, this is only exemplary, and the definition of forward tilt and backward tilt can also be specifically defined according to the selected center of gravity detection method, and the embodiment of the present application is not limited here.

[0077] The center of gravity of the photographic device may tilt forward or backward in different installation environments and usage scenarios. For example, when taking photos with a large tilt angle, the center of gravity of the photographic device may tilt forward; when installing heavier batteries or other accessories, the center of gravity of the photographic device may tilt backward. This embodiment detects the tilt direction of the center of gravity of the photographic device to generate a corresponding control signal to control the drive component 20 to drive the support seat 12 to move in a specific direction, so that the photographic device can achieve a balanced center of gravity, thereby being able to adapt to the center of gravity balance requirements of the photographic device in various different scenarios and improving the stability and shooting quality of the photographic device.

[0078] In some embodiments, the gimbal 100 further includes a locking assembly 30 , which is used to lock the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 .

[0079] In this embodiment, the locking assembly 30 can adopt mechanical structures such as snap-on locks and locking bolts, and utilize its own shape and structural characteristics to form a mechanical constraint by snapping the corresponding parts of the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 together to limit the relative movement and rotation between the two, thereby achieving locking, ensuring that there will be no relative displacement or looseness between the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11, thereby ensuring that the shooting position and angle of the photographic equipment remain stable, which is conducive to capturing high-quality, shake-free images.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 7 , further, the automatic leveling method also includes:

[0081] Step S400 , after the photographic device is at a balanced gravity center position, the locking assembly 30 is controlled to work so as to lock the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 .

[0082] When the photographic device is determined to be in a balanced position through the above-mentioned automatic leveling steps, this condition is used as a trigger signal to start the control operation of the locking assembly 30. The locking assembly 30 starts to work after receiving the control signal. For example, for an assembly using a locking bolt, the motor drives the nut to rotate, so that the bolt is gradually tightened, and the bearing seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 are tightly connected together; if it is a snap-on locking assembly 30, the control signal will drive the mechanical device to accurately snap the buckle into the corresponding slot to achieve the locking of the bearing seat 12 and the mounting seat 11.

[0083] Locking the photographic equipment after it is in a balanced center of gravity position can effectively prevent relative displacement between the support seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 due to external interference (such as slight vibration, accidental touch, etc.) during the shooting process, thereby destroying the balanced center of gravity state of the photographic equipment. Moreover, after the support seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 are locked, the entire gimbal 100 and the photographic equipment form a more stable overall structure. When the gimbal 100 performs various movements (such as horizontal rotation, pitch, etc.), it can better resist the inertial force and torque generated by the movement, reduce the shaking and jitter of the equipment, and improve the stability of the equipment under different working conditions.

[0084] Furthermore, the locking is performed only after the photographic device reaches the center of gravity balance, thus avoiding unnecessary locking operations during the leveling process, reducing the wear and energy consumption of the locking assembly 30. At the same time, it also avoids the situation where the leveling cannot be continued due to premature locking, thus improving the efficiency and reliability of the entire automatic leveling system.

[0085] In some embodiments, the gimbal 100 further includes a support frame 40 connected to the mounting assembly 10 and a movable frame 50 movably connected to the support frame 40 .

[0086] The support frame 40 is the basic support structure of the pan / tilt head 100, which is closely connected to the mounting assembly 10 to provide stable support for the entire pan / tilt head 100 system. The support frame 40 is usually made of a solid metal material, such as aluminum alloy or steel, to ensure that it has sufficient strength and stability to bear the weight of the mounting assembly 10, photographic equipment and other related components.

[0087] The movable frame 50 is movably connected to the support frame 40, and this connection mode enables the movable frame 50 to move within a certain range relative to the support frame 40. Common movable connection modes include rotational connection and pivot connection. Among them, through the rotational connection, the movable frame 50 can rotate around a fixed axis to achieve horizontal rotation; the pivot connection allows the movable frame 50 to swing at a certain angle in multiple directions, thereby increasing the flexibility and adjustability of the pan / tilt head 100.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 8 Further, obtaining the center of gravity of the photographic device and determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position includes:

[0089] Step S101, obtaining the tilt angle of the movable frame 50 relative to the support frame 40, and determining whether the tilt angle is within a preset tilt angle range;

[0090] Step S102: when the tilt angle exceeds the preset tilt angle range, the center of gravity offset direction of the photographic device is determined according to the tilt angle, and a control signal including the determination result is generated.

[0091] In the structure of the pan / tilt head 100, in order to obtain the tilt angle of the movable frame 50 relative to the support frame 40, an angle sensor is usually installed at the connection between the movable frame 50 and the support frame 40. These angle sensors can be mechanical, electronic or optical, and can accurately measure the tilt degree of the movable frame 50 relative to the support frame 40 in all directions. For example, a common electronic gyroscope sensor can sense the angle change of the movable frame 50 in real time and convert this information into electrical signal output. By processing and interpreting these electrical signals, the tilt angle of the movable frame 50 relative to the support frame 40 can be obtained.

[0092] Among them, the preset tilt angle range is determined according to the design requirements of the gimbal 100 and the characteristics of the photographic equipment. The setting of this range is intended to ensure that the photographic equipment can maintain a balanced center of gravity within a certain tilt range, thereby ensuring the stability of shooting. For example, for some professional gimbals 100 with higher precision requirements, the preset tilt angle range may be set to a relatively small value, such as ±1°; while for some relatively simple gimbals 100, this range may be appropriately relaxed, such as ±3°. The determination of the preset tilt angle range requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including the carrying capacity of the gimbal 100, the weight and center of gravity distribution of the photographic equipment, etc., and the setting is selected according to the actual situation.

[0093] The obtained tilt angle of the movable frame 50 relative to the support frame 40 is compared with the preset tilt angle range. If the tilt angle is within the preset range, it means that the center of gravity of the photographic device is in a balanced position, and the pan / tilt head 100 does not need to be adjusted additionally. If the tilt angle exceeds the preset range, it is necessary to further determine the direction of the center of gravity deviation of the photographic device and take corresponding adjustment measures.

[0094] Furthermore, when the tilt angle exceeds the preset tilt angle range, the direction of the center of gravity offset of the photographic device is determined based on the specific value and direction of the tilt angle. For example, if the movable frame 50 tilts forward at an angle exceeding the preset range, it can be inferred that the center of gravity of the photographic device may be offset forward; if the movable frame 50 tilts to the left at an angle exceeding the preset range, the center of gravity of the photographic device may be offset to the left. Based on the determination result of the center of gravity offset direction, a control signal containing the determination result is generated. This control signal will serve as a basis for subsequent adjustment of the pan / tilt 100 and the photographic device. The control signal may contain a variety of information, such as the center of gravity offset direction (forward, backward, left, right, etc.), the offset degree (reflected by the size of the tilt angle), etc. The control signal may be in the form of a digital signal, an analog signal, or other specific signal format.

[0095] The generated control signal will be transmitted to the control system of the pan / tilt head 100, and the control system will start the corresponding adjustment mechanism according to the content of the control signal. For example, if the control signal indicates that the center of gravity of the photographic device is shifted forward, the control system will send a command to the drive assembly 20 to drive the support seat 12 to move backward to adjust the center of gravity position of the photographic device; if the center of gravity is shifted to the left, the control system will control the drive assembly 20 to move the support seat 12 to the right. In this way, the center of gravity of the photographic device is accurately adjusted to ensure that the photographic device is always in a balanced center of gravity position, thereby improving the stability and quality of shooting.

[0096] Please refer to Fig. 9 In some embodiments, the pan / tilt platform 100 further includes an angle adjustment component 60 for driving the movable frame 50 to rotate, and the automatic leveling method further includes:

[0097] Step S500, obtaining the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 when the photographic device is not mounted on the mounting assembly 10;

[0098] Step S600, when the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 is in an unbalanced position, a signal for controlling the angle adjustment component 60 to operate is generated until the gimbal 100 is in a balanced position of the center of gravity.

[0099] When the photographic equipment is not mounted on the mounting assembly 10, the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 is mainly determined by its own components such as the support frame 40, the movable frame 50, and the angle adjustment assembly 60. In order to obtain the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100, high-precision pressure sensors can be installed at key parts of the pan / tilt head 100 (such as the bottom of the support frame 40, the connection point of the movable frame 50, etc.), and these sensors can measure the pressure borne by various parts. According to the principles of mechanics, the center of gravity position of the pan / tilt head 100 can be obtained by analyzing and calculating these pressure data.

[0100] The acquired center of gravity position of the gimbal 100 is compared with the preset balance position. If the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 is not within the preset balance position, it is determined that the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 is in an unbalanced position. When the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 is determined to be in an unbalanced position, the control system will generate a signal to control the operation of the angle adjustment component 60 according to the direction and degree of the center of gravity imbalance. This signal will contain detailed instruction information, such as the direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in which the angle adjustment component 60 needs to rotate, the angle of rotation, etc., to ensure that the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 can be effectively adjusted.

[0101] The angle adjustment component 60 starts to work after receiving the control signal. The angle adjustment component 60 is usually composed of a motor and a transmission device (such as gears, belts, etc.). The motor rotates according to the command of the control signal, and drives the movable frame 50 to rotate accordingly through the transmission device. For example, if the control signal requires the movable frame 50 to rotate clockwise at a certain angle, the motor will rotate clockwise according to the command, and the movable frame 50 will rotate to the specified angle through the gear transmission.

[0102] When the angle adjustment component 60 drives the movable frame 50 to rotate, the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 will change accordingly. The system will continuously monitor the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100. When the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 enters the preset balance position or area, it means that the pan / tilt head 100 is in the balance position, and the angle adjustment component 60 stops working.

[0103] Adjusting the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 before installing the photographic equipment can ensure that the pan / tilt head 100 is in a relatively stable balanced position in the initial state. This lays a good foundation for the subsequent installation of the photographic equipment and automatic leveling, reduces the interference caused by the imbalance of the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 on the leveling of the photographic equipment, and improves the efficiency and accuracy of the entire automatic leveling system.

[0104] Furthermore, by adjusting the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 itself, it is easier to achieve overall center of gravity balance when the gimbal 100 carries photographic equipment. Even after the photographic equipment is installed, since the gimbal 100 itself is already in a good balance state, the required adjustment range may be smaller when adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic equipment, so that the overall center of gravity of the photographic equipment and the gimbal 100 can be adjusted to a balanced position more quickly and accurately, further optimizing the leveling effect.

[0105] Please refer to Fig.10 and Fig.11 In some embodiments, the pan / tilt platform 100 includes a wireless communication unit, and before performing all steps, further includes:

[0106] Step S700, receiving a wireless control signal input by a user, and controlling the driving assembly 20, the locking assembly 30 and the angle adjustment assembly 60 to be in a standby state;

[0107] After all steps are performed, also include:

[0108] Step S800, sending the adjustment result of the center of gravity of the photographic device and / or the center of gravity of the gimbal 100 to the user.

[0109] Among them, the wireless communication unit in the gimbal 100 is responsible for receiving the wireless control signal input by the user. Common wireless communication technologies include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. When the wireless communication unit receives the wireless control signal input by the user, the control system will control the drive component 20, the locking component 30 and the angle adjustment component 60 to enter the standby state according to the signal instruction, without the user manually operating the various components of the gimbal 100, thereby improving the convenience and efficiency of operation. The user can easily prepare the gimbal 100 through a mobile phone or other device at a location far away from the gimbal 100 to prepare for subsequent shooting.

[0110] It should be understood that for the drive component 20, the control system will stop sending the drive signal to the drive component 20, so that the drive component 20 stops running and is ready to receive new instructions at any time; for the locking component 30, if it is in a locked state, the control system will unlock it according to the instruction, or maintain the current state but enter a low-power standby mode, waiting for subsequent operation instructions; after receiving the standby instruction, the angle adjustment component 60 stops rotating, and the movable frame 50 maintains the current position, waiting for further subsequent operations. This ensures that before the pan / tilt head 100 starts automatic leveling or other operations, each component is in a stable and controllable initial state.

[0111] After completing all the automatic leveling steps, the control system of the pan / tilt head 100 will collect the adjustment results of the center of gravity of the photographic equipment and / or the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100. These results include information such as whether the center of gravity has reached a balanced position, the specific direction and amplitude of the center of gravity adjustment, etc. For example, through the calculation of sensor data and the control system, it is determined whether the center of gravity of the photographic equipment is adjusted in the front-back and left-right directions, and whether it is finally in the preset balance area. For the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100, its initial imbalance state, adjustment process and final balance will also be recorded. The control system will organize this information into a format that is easy to understand and transmit. For example, the adjustment results are encoded in the form of numbers, text or charts so that they can be sent to the user through a wireless communication unit. The user can see the prompt information on whether the center of gravity of the photographic equipment and the center of gravity of the pan / tilt head 100 are balanced, as well as the specific adjustment parameters on the interface of the mobile phone application, so that the user can understand the status of the pan / tilt head 100 and the photographic equipment in a timely manner.

[0112] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 The embodiment of the present application also provides a gimbal 100, which includes a control device, a mounting component 10 for mounting a photographic device, and a driving component 20 connected to the mounting component 10 and used to drive the mounting component 10 to move. The control device includes a memory and a processor. A computer program is stored in the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the automatic leveling method of the gimbal 100 are implemented.

[0113] Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be completed by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above-mentioned methods. Among them, any reference to memory, storage, database or other media provided in this application and used in the embodiments may include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) or flash memory. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in a variety of forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (SSRSDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link (Synchlink) DRAM (SLDRAM), memory bus (Rambus) direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and memory bus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0114] In some embodiments, the mounting assembly 10 includes a mounting seat 11 and a supporting seat 12 connected to the mounting seat 11 and used to support the photographic device. The driving assembly 20 is located between the mounting seat 11 and the supporting seat 12 and is used to drive the supporting seat 12 to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat 11.

[0115] In this embodiment, the layered design of the mounting seat 11 and the bearing seat 12 makes the installation and drive adjustment of the photographic device more flexible. Specifically, the mounting seat 11 can be used as a relatively fixed base part to be stably connected to other parts of the pan / tilt head 100 (such as a bracket, a base, etc.). The bearing seat 12 is specifically used to place the photographic device, and the horizontal movement relative to the mounting seat 11 is achieved by the driving assembly 20, which can effectively finely adjust the horizontal position of the photographic device.

[0116] In some embodiments, the support base 12 and the mounting base 11 are connected via a horizontal plug-in structure 70 , and the driving assembly 20 and the support base 12 are connected via a rack and gear transmission structure 80 .

[0117] The horizontal plug-in structure 70 is intended to achieve a horizontal connection between the bearing seat 12 and the mounting seat 11. For example, a slide groove of a specific shape is provided on the mounting seat 11, and the shape and size of the slide groove match the slider on the bearing seat 12.

[0118] The horizontal plug-in structure 70 makes the installation process of the bearing seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 simple and quick. The user only needs to align the slider on the bearing seat 12 with the slide groove on the mounting seat 11 and then insert it horizontally to complete the connection without using complicated tools or performing cumbersome operations.

[0119] Due to the precise matching of the slide groove and the slider, the bearing seat 12 can be accurately positioned on the mounting seat 11 after installation, ensuring the position accuracy of the photographic equipment after installation. When the bearing seat 12 or the mounting seat 11 is damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced, the horizontal plug-in structure 70 makes the disassembly process very convenient. The corresponding repair or replacement operation can be carried out by simply pulling the bearing seat 12 out horizontally from the mounting seat 11, reducing maintenance costs and time.

[0120] The rack and gear transmission structure 80 is a power transmission method between the drive assembly 20 and the support base 12. The drive assembly 20 generally includes a motor, and a gear is installed on the output shaft of the motor. On the support base 12, a rack meshing with the gear is provided. When the motor is started, the motor output shaft drives the gear to rotate, and the gear and the rack mesh with each other, converting the rotational motion of the gear into the linear motion of the rack, thereby driving the support base 12 to move in the horizontal direction.

[0121] In this embodiment, the rack and gear transmission structure 80 can achieve a high transmission efficiency and effectively transmit the power of the motor to the support seat 12. Moreover, the rack and gear transmission structure 80 is relatively compact and occupies a small space. This is very beneficial to the overall structural design of the gimbal 100, and can achieve efficient power transmission and precise position control in a limited space. It also helps to reduce the overall weight of the gimbal 100 and improve the portability of the gimbal 100.

[0122] In some embodiments, the gimbal 100 further includes a locking assembly 30 , which is used to lock the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 .

[0123] In this embodiment, the locking assembly 30 can adopt mechanical structures such as snap-on locks and locking bolts, and utilize its own shape and structural characteristics to form a mechanical constraint by snapping the corresponding parts of the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11 together to limit the relative movement and rotation between the two, thereby achieving locking, ensuring that there will be no relative displacement or looseness between the supporting seat 12 and the mounting seat 11, thereby ensuring that the shooting position and angle of the photographic equipment remain stable, which is conducive to capturing high-quality, shake-free images.

[0124] In some embodiments, the gimbal 100 further includes a support frame 40 connected to the mounting assembly 10 and a movable frame 50 movably connected to the support frame 40 ; the gimbal 100 further includes an angle adjustment assembly 60 for driving the movable frame 50 to rotate.

[0125] The support frame 40 is the basic support structure of the pan / tilt head 100, which is closely connected to the mounting assembly 10 to provide stable support for the entire pan / tilt head 100 system. The support frame 40 is usually made of a solid metal material, such as aluminum alloy or steel, to ensure that it has sufficient strength and stability to bear the weight of the mounting assembly 10, photographic equipment and other related components.

[0126] The movable frame 50 is movably connected to the support frame 40, and this connection mode enables the movable frame 50 to move within a certain range relative to the support frame 40. Common movable connection modes include rotational connection and pivot connection. Through the rotational connection, the movable frame 50 can rotate around a fixed axis to achieve horizontal rotation; the pivot connection allows the movable frame 50 to swing at a certain angle in multiple directions, thereby increasing the flexibility and adjustability of the pan / tilt head 100.

[0127] The above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is impossible to list all the embodiments here. Any obvious changes or modifications derived from the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for automatic leveling of a pan / tilt head, characterized in that: The pan head includes a mounting assembly for mounting photographic equipment and a driving assembly connected to the mounting assembly and used to drive the mounting assembly to move. The automatic leveling method includes: When the photographic device is mounted on the mounting assembly, obtaining the center of gravity of the photographic device and determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position; generating a control signal for adjusting the center of gravity of the photographic device when the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position; The driving component is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the mounting component to move until the photographic device is at a center of gravity balance position.

2. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting assembly includes a mounting seat and a bearing seat connected to the mounting seat and used to bear the photographic device, and the driving assembly is located between the mounting seat and the bearing seat and is used to drive the bearing seat to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat; The step of controlling the driving component to drive the mounting component to move according to the control signal until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position comprises: The driving assembly is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position.

3. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt head according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of controlling the driving assembly to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward and backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position comprises: When the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts forward, controlling the driving assembly to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move backward until the photographic device is at the center of gravity balance position; and When the center of gravity of the photographic device tilts backward, the driving assembly is controlled to work according to the control signal to drive the supporting seat to move forward until the photographic device is in the center of gravity balance position.

4. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The pan / tilt head further comprises a locking assembly, and the locking assembly is used to lock the bearing seat and the mounting seat; The automatic leveling method further comprises: After the photographic device is at the center-of-gravity balance position, the locking assembly is controlled to operate so as to lock the bearing seat and the mounting seat.

5. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt head according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pan head also includes a support frame connected to the mounting assembly and a movable frame movably connected to the support frame; The obtaining of the center of gravity of the photographic device and determining whether the center of gravity of the photographic device is in an unbalanced position comprises: Obtaining an inclination angle of the movable frame relative to the supporting frame, and determining whether the inclination angle is within a preset inclination angle range; When the tilt angle exceeds the preset tilt angle range, the center of gravity offset direction of the photographic device is determined according to the tilt angle, and a control signal containing the determination result is generated.

6. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt platform according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pan head further includes an angle adjustment component for driving the movable frame to rotate, and the automatic leveling method further includes: obtaining the center of gravity of the gimbal when the photographic device is not mounted on the mounting assembly; When the center of gravity of the gimbal is in an unbalanced position, a signal is generated to control the operation of the angle adjustment component until the gimbal is in a balanced position of the center of gravity.

7. The automatic leveling method of a pan / tilt platform according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pan / tilt platform includes a wireless communication unit, and before performing all steps, also includes: Receiving a wireless control signal input by a user, and controlling the driving component, the locking component and the angle adjustment component to be in a standby state; After all steps are performed, also include: The adjustment result of the center of gravity of the photographic device and / or the center of gravity of the gimbal is sent to the user.

8. A pan / tilt head, characterized in that: The pan-tilt head includes a control device, a mounting component for mounting a photographic device, and a driving component connected to the mounting component and used to drive the mounting component to move. The control device includes a memory and a processor. A computer program is stored in the memory. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the automatic leveling method of the pan-tilt head as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 are implemented.

9. The pan / tilt head according to claim 8, characterized in that: The mounting assembly includes a mounting seat and a bearing seat connected to the mounting seat and used to bear the photographic device. The driving assembly is located between the mounting seat and the bearing seat and is used to drive the bearing seat to move horizontally relative to the mounting seat.

10. The pan / tilt head according to claim 9, characterized in that: The bearing seat is connected to the mounting seat via a horizontal plug-in structure, and the driving assembly is connected to the bearing seat via a rack and gear transmission structure.

11. The pan / tilt head according to claim 9, characterized in that: The pan head also includes a locking assembly, which is used to lock the bearing seat and the mounting seat.

12. The pan / tilt head according to claim 9, characterized in that: The pan head also includes a support frame connected to the mounting assembly and a movable frame movably connected to the support frame; the pan head also includes an angle adjustment assembly for driving the movable frame to rotate.

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