Multi-camera shooting holder control system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of multi-camera shooting pan-tilt control, and discloses a multi-camera shooting pan-tilt control system which comprises a central control host, at least one pan-tilt child node and a dual-channel communication link. The central control host comprises a state machine director logic module, a predictive verification engine, a dynamic path re-planning module and a state transition ready verification module. The predictive verification engine continuously carries out kinematics simulation and safety verification on all potential state transitions in the background, and if it is detected that a penetration risk exists between the holders, the dynamic path re-planning module generates a corrected safety motion path. And the state transition ready verification module inquires the internal ready state of the target holder sub-node before actually executing state transition so as to ensure that parameters such as focusing and exposure are ready, and then the transition can be executed. According to the invention, the automatic, high-safety and high-picture quality cooperative control of the multi-camera shooting holder is realized, and the professional director production efficiency and the picture quality are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of multi-camera pan-tilt head control technology, specifically to a multi-camera pan-tilt head control system. Background Technology

[0002] In professional photography, camera pan / tilt heads are widely used for image stabilization, motion control, and subject tracking. Currently, the control panel of most camera pan / tilt heads is typically integrated into the handle. Operators directly control the pan / tilt head using the hand handle to perform operations such as changing the shooting angle and tracking the subject. The control circuitry and the pan / tilt head motor are usually directly connected via hardware wiring.

[0003] The inherent limitation of this control method is that one operator can only operate one gimbal at a time, and the operation must be handheld on-site. When the shooting scene requires multi-camera and multi-angle switching, such as shooting the same subject from different directions and angles, multiple operators must be assigned to operate multiple gimbals separately. This approach not only increases manpower input but also reduces the flexibility of shooting deployment. In complex broadcast environments, the coordinated movement of multiple gimbals, preventing one gimbal from entering the shooting frame of another camera (i.e., continuity errors), and ensuring that the image is in sharp focus and accurately exposed during switching all rely heavily on the operator's experience and real-time judgment to achieve the desired image quality. The inherent nature of manual coordination makes it difficult for the system to achieve highly automated and standardized quality control, thereby increasing the potential risk of shooting errors and limiting further improvements in overall shooting efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, this invention proposes a multi-camera photography gimbal control system to address the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a multi-camera pan-tilt control system, which solves the problems of high manpower input, low collaborative efficiency, difficulty in automatically ensuring image quality, and the risk of errors in existing multi-camera pan-tilt control systems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a multi-camera pan-tilt control system, comprising: The central control unit is used to manage and coordinate the operation of multiple PTZ sub-nodes; At least one PTZ sub-node is used to execute control commands issued by the central control host; A dual-channel communication link is used for data exchange between the central control host and at least one PTZ sub-node; The central control unit includes: The state machine broadcast logic module is used to store the preset system state set, event set, and logical transition relationship between states, and to decide the target state based on the received external events; The predictive verification engine runs continuously in the background, acquiring the attitude data of all gimbal sub-nodes in real time, and performing kinematic simulation and safety verification on all potential next state transitions in the state machine broadcast logic module. The dynamic path replanning module works in conjunction with the predictive verification engine. When the predictive verification engine predicts that the default path of state transition has a risk of physical interference, it generates a corrected safe motion path. The State Transition Readiness Verification module is called before the state transition is executed to query the internal readiness status of the target PTZ sub-node.

[0007] Preferably, the dual-channel communication link includes: The control link is used to transmit high-priority, low-latency control commands, real-time attitude data of the gimbal sub-nodes, and status response codes between the central control host and the gimbal sub-nodes. A data link is used to transmit high-bandwidth media data streams between the central control host and the PTZ sub-nodes, the media data streams including real-time preview video streams or media files.

[0008] Preferably, the state machine broadcasting logic module is based on a deterministic finite state machine model, which includes: A finite set of states, wherein each state is determined by assigning one of the ON_AIR, PREVIEW, TRANSFER, or IDLE roles to all said PTZ sub-nodes in the system; A finite set of events is used to trigger a change in state; The logical transition matrix is ​​used to define the transition rules from the current state to the target state.

[0009] Preferably, the predictive verification engine performs parallel simulation and pure kinematic geometry anti-detection calculations during security verification.

[0010] Preferably, the pure kinematic geometry anti-fouling calculation includes: Establish a globally unified three-dimensional world coordinate system, and map the precise three-dimensional positions of all the gimbal sub-nodes and the real-time attitude of the camera lenses of the gimbal sub-nodes in space to the three-dimensional world coordinate system; Identify the set of PTZ sub-nodes that assume the ON_AIR role and the set of PTZ sub-nodes that assume the TRANSFER role during state transition; Define the field of view of each PTZ sub-node camera that assumes the ON_AIR role as a field of view cone; Define the space occupied by the physical shape of each gimbal sub-node that plays the role of TRANSFER during the movement as a motion envelope; Collision detection is performed to determine whether the motion envelope intersects geometrically with the field of view cone. If they intersect, it is determined that there is a risk of being exposed.

[0011] Preferably, the field of view cone is determined by the precise position and orientation of the pan-tilt sub-node camera that assumes the ON_AIR role in the three-dimensional world coordinate system, as well as the optical parameters of the lens; the motion envelope is a boundary volume that moves along the simulated motion path of the pan-tilt sub-node that assumes the TRANSFER role and completely contains the physical entity of the pan-tilt sub-node.

[0012] Preferably, the corrected safe motion path generated by the dynamic path replanning module is intended to generate a new motion path for the gimbal sub-node from the initial posture to the target posture, and the new motion path satisfies the non-blinding constraint throughout the entire motion time.

[0013] Preferably, the dynamic path replanning module uses a search-based algorithm, a sampling-based algorithm, or an interpolation-based algorithm to generate a corrected safe movement path.

[0014] Preferably, the state transition readiness verification module: A readiness status query command is sent to the target PTZ sub-node via the control link to request the target PTZ sub-node to report its internal readiness status. When the internal ready state is not ready, prevent state transition and continue polling until the internal ready state becomes ready.

[0015] Preferably, the internal ready state includes at least one of the following: focus lock state, exposure stabilization state, white balance calibration state, or motion mechanism stabilization state.

[0016] This invention provides a multi-camera pan-tilt control system. It has the following advantages: 1. This invention, by setting up a predictive verification engine and a dynamic path replanning module, performs pre-kinematic simulation and geometric interference detection on all potential motion paths before the actual execution of state transitions. Once a risk of obstruction is detected in the motion envelope and field of view cone, the system generates a corrected safe path. This proactive safety verification mechanism eliminates potential shooting accidents at the decision-making stage, avoiding broadcast accidents caused by gimbal movement obstructing the live broadcast, and significantly improving the safety and reliability of multi-camera automated systems.

[0017] 2. This invention adds a state transition readiness verification module, which proactively queries the internal readiness status of the target PTZ sub-node before performing a state switch. The system ensures that image switching or camera movement is only performed after the camera's focus, exposure, and other parameters have reached a stable state. If the target camera position is not ready, the system automatically enters standby mode until it becomes ready, effectively avoiding switching to blurry or inaccurately exposed images, thereby ensuring the professionalism and technical quality of the final output image.

[0018] 3. This invention employs a dual-channel communication link design, physically or logically separating high-priority control commands from high-bandwidth media data streams. The control link is dedicated to transmitting low-latency control commands and gimbal attitude data, while the data link carries the real-time video stream. This design ensures that the transmission of critical control commands is not affected by the bandwidth consumption of large-capacity data streams, thus preventing delays or packet loss and guaranteeing the real-time performance and stability of the entire system control.

[0019] 4. This invention automates complex tasks such as directing logic, motion safety verification, and camera position status checks by integrating them into a central control unit. Through a state machine directing logic module that presets the shooting process, the operator only needs to trigger advanced events to drive the entire multi-camera system, eliminating the need for independent manual control of each pan / tilt unit. The system automatically completes tasks that previously required multiple people, such as path planning, continuity error avoidance, and image quality readiness confirmation. It integrates the functions of traditional directors, cameramen, and other roles, making it possible for a single person to complete multi-camera shooting and production, thus significantly reducing on-site manpower and improving overall shooting efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present invention.

[0021] Among them, 100 is the central control host; 200 is the PTZ sub-node; 300 is the dual-channel communication link; 310 is the control link; 320 is the data link; 400 is the state machine broadcasting logic module; 500 is the predictive verification engine; 600 is the dynamic path replanning module; 700 is the state transition readiness verification module; and 800 is the action primitive library. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] See attached document Figure 1 This invention provides a multi-camera pan-tilt control system, which may include: The central control host 100 and at least one gimbal sub-node 200 exchange data through a dual-channel communication link 300. The central control host 100 is used to generate and send control commands, and the gimbal sub-node 200 is used to receive and execute control commands to drive the camera gimbal to complete the specified actions.

[0024] The dual-channel communication link 300 is divided at the physical layer or logical layer, including: Control link 310 is used to transmit high-priority, low-latency control commands, real-time gimbal attitude data, and status response codes between the central control host 100 and the gimbal sub-node 200. Data link 320 is used to transmit high-bandwidth media data streams, such as real-time preview video streams or media files, between the central control host 100 and the PTZ sub-node 200.

[0025] By separating the control commands from the media data stream transmission channel, the real-time performance and reliability of the control commands are ensured to remain unaffected by high-bandwidth data transmission.

[0026] The central control unit 100 integrates multiple logic modules that work together; in one embodiment, these modules may include: The state machine broadcast logic module 400 is used to store a preset set of system states, a set of events, and logical transition relationships between states (i.e., logical transition matrix), and to decide the target state based on received external events (such as operator input).

[0027] The predictive verification engine 500 is used to run continuously in the background, acquire the attitude data of all gimbal sub-nodes 200 in real time, and perform kinematic simulation and safety verification of all possible next state transitions in the state machine broadcast logic module 400.

[0028] The dynamic path replanning module 600 works in conjunction with the predictive verification engine 500. When a risk of physical interference (such as slipping through) is predicted in the default path of state transition, the dynamic path replanning module 600 is activated to generate a corrected, interference-free, safe motion path.

[0029] The state transition readiness verification module 700 is called before the state transition is executed. It is used to query the target gimbal sub-node 200 for its internal readiness status (such as whether the focus is locked) to determine whether to execute the transition immediately or enter automatic standby until the target is ready.

[0030] The gimbal sub-node 200 contains an action primitive library 800, which stores multiple sets of standardized atomic action units (such as smooth camera movement, standby tracking, state transition, etc.). The gimbal sub-node 200 calls and executes the corresponding action primitives according to the role instructions sent by the central control host 100.

[0031] The system of this invention first performs initialization. The central control host 100 loads the state machine broadcast logic module 400 and establishes a three-dimensional kinematic model of all PTZ sub-nodes 200 for use by the predictive verification engine 500.

[0032] During system runtime, the predictive verification engine 500 continuously and in parallel simulates all possible next state transitions in the background. For any simulation, the engine calls the dynamic path replanning module 600 to determine whether there is a risk of detection through pure kinematic geometry calculations (such as view frustum projection). If a risk exists, the dynamic path replanning module 600 generates a corrected safe path. All verified or corrected transition schemes are cached.

[0033] When an external event (such as an operator pressing a button) is triggered, the state machine broadcast logic module 400 determines the target state. At this time, the system does not execute immediately, but first calls the state transition readiness verification module 700 to query the readiness state from the target PTZ sub-node 200 through the control link 310.

[0034] If the target PTZ sub-node 200 is not ready, the state transition readiness verification module 700 will prevent the state transition, keeping the system in its current state until the PTZ sub-node 200 sends a ready signal.

[0035] If the target PTZ sub-node 200 reports readiness, the central control host 100 immediately retrieves the pre-calculated safe transfer scheme (including the corrected safe path) from the cache, which was previously calculated by the predictive verification engine 500 and the dynamic path replanning module 600, and sends it as an instruction to the corresponding PTZ sub-node 200 via the control link 310. The action primitive library 800 of the PTZ sub-node 200 receives the instruction and executes the corresponding safe action. During this process, the preview screen of the PTZ sub-node 200 is transmitted back via the data link 320, and its real-time attitude is continuously fed back to the central control host 100 via the control link 310 for the predictive verification engine 500 to perform calculations for the next cycle.

[0036] See attached document Figure 2 This invention provides a multi-camera pan-tilt control method, comprising the following steps: S100, System initialization and dual-channel network construction steps: Deploy the central control host 100 and multiple PTZ sub-nodes 200, and establish a physically or logically isolated dual-channel communication link 300; The central control host 100 loads the state machine broadcast logic module 400, and establishes a three-dimensional kinematic model based on the physical parameters of each PTZ sub-node 200.

[0037] S200, Predictive Verification and Dynamic Path Replanning Steps: Before receiving an external state transition event, the predictive verification engine 500 continuously collects real-time attitude data of each gimbal sub-node 200 through the control link 310, and simulates all potential next state transition paths in the parallel simulation state machine broadcast logic module 400; the dynamic path replanning module 600 performs interference detection based on geometric view frustum on the simulation path. If line-of-sight occlusion or physical collision risk is detected, a corrected safe motion path is generated and cached.

[0038] S300, Event Response and Target State Decision-Making Steps: The central control host 100 receives external trigger events, and the state machine broadcast logic module 400 determines the target state of the system according to the preset logic transition matrix.

[0039] S400, Ready State Check and Automatic Standby Switching Steps: The state transition readiness verification module 700 sends a status query command to the PTZ sub-node 200 involving the target state through the control link 310; if the received feedback signal is not ready, the current state is maintained and waiting is maintained; if the received feedback signal is ready, state execution is triggered.

[0040] S500, Safe Path Execution and Action Primitive Calling Steps: The central control host 100 calls the verified or modified safe transfer scheme cached in step S200 and issues instructions through the control link 310; the PTZ sub-node 200 calls the corresponding action unit in the action primitive library 800 according to the instructions to complete the physical movement.

[0041] The following section will elaborate on the technical implementation details of the modules of the above systems, based on specific principles.

[0042] See attached document Figure 1 The present invention provides a multi-camera photography gimbal control system, which may include: a central control host 100 and at least one gimbal sub-node 200.

[0043] The central control unit 100 is the core processing unit of the system, responsible for the operation of control logic, state decision-making, and motion path planning and verification. The hardware components of the central control unit 100 include, but are not limited to: a high-performance processor for performing complex computational tasks, such as state machine logic, kinematic simulation, and path planning algorithms; a storage unit for storing system configuration data, the 3D model of the gimbal, preset state transition matrices, motion primitive libraries, real-time running data, and pre-calculated safety paths; a network interface module for establishing wireless communication connections with the gimbal sub-nodes 200; and an operator interaction interface, including a display and input devices (such as physical buttons and touch screens), for the operator to perform system settings, input commands, and perform real-time monitoring.

[0044] The gimbal sub-node 200 is the system's execution unit, responsible for receiving and precisely executing instructions from the central control host 100, and collecting its own status data in real time. The hardware components of each gimbal sub-node 200 include, but are not limited to: a high-precision robotic gimbal system, which integrates servo motors and encoders with multiple degrees of freedom for precise attitude control of the camera; a camera unit, including an imaging sensor, a zoom lens, and an autofocus mechanism, for image acquisition; a local processing unit, for parsing instructions from the central control host 100, executing local control loops, and collecting sensor data from the gimbal and camera; a local storage unit, for storing high-resolution raw footage; and a wireless communication unit, for data transmission with the central control host 100.

[0045] The central control host 100 exchanges information with at least one PTZ sub-node 200 through a dual-channel communication link 300. The dual-channel communication link 300 is physically or logically isolated in its technical implementation to ensure the transmission characteristics of different types of information.

[0046] Control link 310 is the first link in the dual-channel communication link 300, mainly used to transmit high-priority, low-latency, and low-data-volume control information. Control link 310 can operate in the 2.4GHz frequency band and adopts a wireless communication protocol suitable for low-latency and high-reliability transmission, such as the IEEE-802.15.4 standard or a customized narrowband wireless protocol. The information transmitted through this link includes: role instructions sent by the central control host 100 to the PTZ sub-node 200, such as executing the ON_AIR primitive or switching to PREVIEW mode; readiness status query instructions sent by the central control host 100 to the PTZ sub-node 200; readiness status signals fed back by the PTZ sub-node 200 to the central control host 100; and real-time attitude data (such as the camera's three-dimensional position, attitude angle, lens zoom and focus parameters) reported by the PTZ sub-node 200 at high frequency. Control link 310 is designed with redundancy and error control mechanisms to ensure the reliable delivery of critical control commands.

[0047] Data Link 320 is the second link in the dual-channel communication link 300, mainly used to transmit high-bandwidth data streams with relatively high latency tolerance. Data Link 320 can operate in the 5.8GHz frequency band and adopts high-speed wireless communication standards, such as IEEE-802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) or similar broadband wireless technologies. The information transmitted through this link includes: preview video streams that the PTZ sub-node 200 collects in real time and sends back to the central control host 100 for operator monitoring and rough composition decisions; and file transfers after the shooting task, where the PTZ sub-node 200 uploads high-resolution original shooting footage stored locally to the central control host 100 or a designated storage server in batches. The design of Data Link 320 focuses on throughput to meet the needs of large-capacity data transmission.

[0048] The motion primitive library 800 is pre-stored in the local storage unit of each PTZ sub-node 200. It contains a set of standardized atomic motion units. These atomic motion units are abstract descriptions of specific behaviors of the PTZ and its mounted camera. Each primitive encapsulates the corresponding kinematic features, control parameters and execution logic. When the central control host 100 issues role instructions to the PTZ sub-node 200, it specifies that the PTZ sub-node 200 should call and execute the specific motion primitive in the motion primitive library 800.

[0049] S211: Define gimbal control variables; the gimbal sub-node 200 controls its own attitude and lens parameters through a unified control variable vector. Describe: ; in, It indicates the current attitude angle of the gimbal in three-dimensional space (such as yaw angle, pitch angle, roll angle) and defines the direction of the gimbal; The angular velocity representing the change in attitude of the gimbal; Indicates the optical parameters of the camera lens, such as Represents zoom focal length. Represents the focus distance. Represents aperture size; each action primitive, based on its own function, [determines / determines / area]. Control some or all of the variables in it.

[0050] S212: Define the ON_AIR primitive ( ); Used to execute preset camera movements during live streaming or recording; the motion trajectory design of this primitive follows the principle of smoothness to avoid jerking when the image starts and stops; its kinematic characteristics are mathematically described by the smooth transition of position, velocity and acceleration, and can adopt an S-shaped velocity curve; the S-shaped velocity curve ensures the smoothness of the motion by limiting the rate of change of acceleration (i.e., jerk) during the motion process. like This indicates that a certain degree of freedom of the gimbal is in time. The attitude angle on, This represents the jerk of that degree of freedom. The motion constraints can be expressed as: ; in, It is a preset maximum jerk limit to ensure that the gimbal's movement transitions smoothly during acceleration and deceleration phases. The control parameters include target attitude, total motion duration, maximum speed limit, and jerk limit.

[0051] S213: Define PREVIEW primitives ( ); This primitive is used by the pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) system to track a predetermined target or maintain a specific composition when not broadcasting video. Its motion characteristics include a relatively mild response speed, allowing for a certain level of target tracking error, and the ability to continuously adjust to keep the target within the frame. During execution... Meanwhile, the gimbal sub-node 200 continuously monitors the target's position information and fine-tunes the gimbal's attitude through an internal feedback control loop (such as a PID controller); at the same time, this primitive also controls the camera lens to autofocus, ensuring that the target is always in focus. The control parameters include the image coordinates or three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the target area, the maximum allowed tracking speed, and the focus mode setting.

[0052] S214: Define the TRANSFER primitive ( ); Used to enable the gimbal to start from a certain position Smooth transition to another target posture The path generation of this primitive can be based on simple linear interpolation (e.g., in joint space or Cartesian space), but its path definition is flexible in order to meet the needs of dynamic path replanning. It can be composed of a series of discrete key attitude points connected together, or described by parametric curves (such as Bézier curves or B-spline curves); the central control host 100 issues... At that time, a specific path point sequence or curve parameters will be provided; The control parameters include the initial attitude. Target attitude The total duration of the motion, the maximum speed limit, and the key intermediate path points or curve parameters generated by the dynamic path replanning module 600.

[0053] S215: Define the IDLE primitive ( ); Used to keep the gimbal in a preset static posture, such as docking in a safe position, during task breaks or when the system is idle; the kinematic characteristics of this primitive are a stationary state or moving to a fixed standby position at a predefined speed. The control parameters include pose information of the static target attitude or standby attitude.

[0054] Each action primitive is instantiated as an executable program or function in the PTZ child node 200. When the central control host 100 receives the calling instructions and parameters, it can drive the PTZ to perform the corresponding movement.

[0055] The state machine broadcast logic module 400 is deployed on the processor of the central control host 100 and loads the configuration from its storage unit. The state machine broadcast logic module 400 abstracts the entire multi-camera collaborative shooting process into a deterministic finite state machine (DFA) to define the system's behavior mode under different shooting scenarios and the switching logic between scenarios.

[0056] S221: Define a finite state machine model; this finite state machine... It can be formally described by a quadruple: ; in: It is a finite set of states that includes all predefined shooting states in the system; It is a finite set of events that includes all external inputs that can trigger a change in state; It is a state transition function, which defines the rules for the system to transition from one state to another; It is the initial state of the system, the first preset state that the system enters after startup.

[0057] S222: Define the set of states Each state in the system Corresponding to a specific shooting scene; a state By providing all of the system Each gimbal sub-node 200 is assigned a unique role for definition; the role is the action primitive that the gimbal sub-node 200 needs to invoke.

[0058] ; in, Indicates the state Next, the Each cloud platform sub-node has 200 assigned roles; the set of roles is... When a gimbal child node is assigned the role of When it executes The primitive is responsible for the main output of the current screen; when a gimbal child node is assigned the role of When it executes The original text describes a gimbal sub-node responsible for tracking or preparing the next shooting target; when a gimbal sub-node is assigned the role of... When it executes The original phrase means "in a standby or reset state".

[0059] When a gimbal sub-node is assigned the role of At that time, this means in the state Below, the gimbal sub-node needs to execute a preset or dynamically planned motion path, typically used to achieve complex camera movement effects, such as continuous movement from an initial pose to a target pose, or shooting along a curved path; this motion path is defined by the corresponding... Primitives are defined, and their duration can be related to the state. Duration matching. For example, in a state defined as "host close-up". In the context, the role of gimbal sub-node A Possibly The role of gimbal sub-node B Possibly (Preparing to film the guests), while the roles of other gimbal sub-nodes C. Possibly In a state defined as "scene transition motion" In the context of the gimbal sub-node D, the role of... Possibly It will execute a pre-planned motion path to transition the shooting angle.

[0060] S223: Define the event set Each event in the system It corresponds to an external trigger signal that can be recognized by the central control host 100; the source of the trigger signal may include: physical button operation performed by the operator through the interactive interface (such as pressing the "switch to guest camera" button); timer expiration event inside the system; or logical signal generated by other intelligent analysis modules (such as voice recognition or image recognition modules) (such as detecting that the host has finished speaking).

[0061] S224: Define the logical transition matrix State transition function The specific implementation in this system is a logical transition matrix. The matrix is ​​stored in the storage unit of the central control host 100, and its data structure can be a two-dimensional array or a hash table. The core broadcasting logic of the system is defined, which maps a combination of (current state, input event) to a specific target state.

[0062] ; in, It is the current state of the system. It is a received external event. It is by The target state obtained from the query; when an event... When this occurs, the state machine broadcast logic module 400 will query... This matrix determines the next state to transition to and passes that target state information to subsequent processing modules. It defines all expected state transition paths that align with the director's intent.

[0063] The predictive verification engine 500 is one of the core logic modules of the central control host 100. Its function is to run continuously in the background to perform pre-kinematic simulation and geometric safety verification of possible state transitions of the system. This mechanism ensures that the potential risks of all state transitions have been assessed before execution and provides input for subsequent dynamic path replanning.

[0064] S311: Parallel simulation mechanism; predictive verification engine 500 continuously monitors the current system state of state machine broadcast logic module 400. The engine does not wait for external events to trigger it, but actively and in parallel simulates all potential future state transitions; specifically, it traverses the logical transition matrix. All from Triggered events and according to Determine all possible target states For each of these potential transfers The engine will simulate in a virtual environment, simulating the actions that all gimbal sub-nodes 200 will perform during this transfer; this parallel simulation mechanism allows the system to grasp all possible risks before the actual switch occurs.

[0065] S312: Pure kinematic geometry anti-obfuscation calculation; This calculation aims to detect whether, during any potential state transition, a gimbal sub-node in the camera's field of view will be occluded by other moving gimbal sub-nodes, i.e., an "obfuscation" will occur.

[0066] S3121: Establish a three-dimensional coordinate system A globally unified three-dimensional world coordinate system is established within the central control unit 100. Precise three-dimensional position of all 200 gimbal sub-nodes in the system. And the real-time attitude (position and orientation) of its camera lens in space are precisely mapped to In the middle; these precise geometric data are the foundation for subsequent anti-fake calculations; real-time attitude data Each PTZ sub-node 200 reports to the central control host 100 at high speed via control link 310.

[0067] S3122: Identify ON_AIR and TRANSFER gimbals; for each state transition to be simulated... The predictive validation engine 500 first determines the target state. The definition identifies those who will bear The set of child nodes of the character's gimbal and will bear The set of child nodes of the character's gimbal ;in, The gimbal in the middle is the camera position that needs to maintain the integrity of the image. The gimbal in the image is a camera position where its movement could cause continuity errors.

[0068] S3123: Define the field of view cone ;for Each gimbal sub-node The field of view of its onboard camera is abstracted into a field of view cone in three-dimensional space. The field of view cone Depend on The camera in The precise position and orientation of the camera lens, along with its optical parameters (such as focal length and field of view), determine its zoom capabilities; Determines the horizontal field of view and vertical field of view ; It can be described as a truncated pyramid defined by the camera's optical center vertex and clipping planes (near plane and far plane).

[0069] S3124: Define the motion envelope ;for Each gimbal sub-node The space occupied by its physical shape during movement is abstracted into a three-dimensional physical envelope. The envelope is a boundary volume, such as an axis-aligned bounding box (AABB), a directed bounding box (OBB), or a sphere, which in time... along Simulated motion path Move upwards and fully encompass the gimbal sub-nodes. The physical entity includes the gimbal itself, the camera, and its accessories.

[0070] S3125: Performs collision detection; predictive verification engine with 500 pairs of sensors. Each gimbal sub-node and Each gimbal sub-node Perform traversal, and in The entire motion time Internal, continuous or discrete inspection Motion envelope Whether or not field of view cone Geometric intersection occurs; if there exists a point in time... If the following conditions are met, then there is a risk of the mistake being exposed: ; in, It is a time variable. It is the duration of the movement; It is a cloud platform sub-node In time The motion envelope; It is a cloud platform sub-node The field of view cone; The intersection operation represents the set operation; This represents the empty set; this collision detection process is purely based on geometry and trajectory, without involving physical mechanics or dynamics calculations; if an intersection is detected, it indicates... The movement path will enter The captured image was obstructed; this detection result will be passed to the dynamic path replanning module 600.

[0071] The dynamic path replanning module 600 is deployed on the central control host 100 and works closely with the predictive verification engine 500. The function of this dynamic path replanning module is to be activated when the predictive verification engine 500 detects a potential risk of being exposed, and to generate a corrected safe movement path to ensure the safety of state transition.

[0072] S321: Activate the dynamic path replanning module 600; the trigger condition for this module is: in step S3125, the predictive verification engine 500 detects any potential state transition through simulation. There are cloud platform sub-nodes. Motion envelope With gimbal sub-nodes field of view cone Geometric interference occurs, i.e., satisfies Once the condition is determined to be true, the predictive verification engine 500 calls the dynamic path replanning module 600 and passes the interfering gimbal sub-nodes to it. Interference field of view cone ,as well as primitive Original language (including) and ).

[0073] S322: Generate a safe motion path The goal of the Dynamic Path Replanning Module 600 is to... Generate a new motion path The new path starts from the same Departure, arrival at the same However, throughout its entire motion time The interior must meet the requirement of no visible flaws; The process of generating this path can be formally described as an optimization problem: ; ; in: It is a new motion path generated after optimization; The candidate path in time The posture; It is a cost function used to evaluate the quality of a path. This cost function can include the total motion time of the path and the smoothness of the path (e.g., the path's third derivative, i.e., jerk). (the integral of the path), or the degree of deviation of the path from the original path; It is the total duration of exercise; yes along The motion envelope during movement; yes The field of view cone; This indicates a constraint condition, namely, that the intersection of the motion envelope and the field of view cone must be an empty set throughout the entire motion time course.

[0074] S323: Specific implementation of the path generation algorithm; To solve the optimization problem described in S322 above, this invention can employ a variety of specific algorithms.

[0075] In one embodiment, the algorithm is a search-based algorithm, such as Algorithm A; the central control host 100 will connect the PTZ sub-nodes The attitude motion space (e.g., a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space consisting of heading and pitch angles) is discretized to construct a configuration space graph; in this graph, all the attitude motion spaces (e.g., two-dimensional or three-dimensional spaces consisting of heading and pitch angles) are ... Occluded pose points or regions are marked as "obstacles" or "high-cost regions"; Algorithm A then searches the graph for a path from... arrive Total cost The shortest path that does not pass through areas with obstacles.

[0076] In another embodiment, the algorithm is a sampling-based algorithm, such as the RRT algorithm, which randomly samples in the configuration space and builds a search tree until a connection is found. and And a path that satisfies the constraints.

[0077] In yet another embodiment, the algorithm is an interpolation-based algorithm, for example, using Bézier curves or B-splines to parameterize the motion path. The dynamic path replanning module 600 adjusts the control points of the curve using an optimization algorithm (e.g., gradient descent) to ensure that the generated curve satisfies the no-breach constraint in S322 (by...). (When applying high penalties), it can also minimize the cost function. (For example, maintaining the smoothness of the curve).

[0078] The dynamic path replanning module 600 generates Ultimately, it was packaged into a new, revised version. Original language ( ) parameters (e.g., path point sequence or curve control points).

[0079] S324: Generate and cache the safe transition matrix The dynamic path replanning module 600 will calculate the safe path. (Alternatively, if no risk is detected in S321, the original method is used.) ), and the transfer Action primitives of all other gimbal child nodes involved (e.g.) or These can be combined to form a complete and securely verified state transition scheme.

[0080] This scheme is stored in a dedicated cache area within the central control host's 100 storage unit, called the secure transfer matrix. ; Data structures and The indexing method remains consistent, that is, through (current state) Input event Use the query function to perform the query.

[0081] ; in, It is the target state. It is the first The securely verified action primitives that each cloud platform sub-node should execute during this transfer ( , , or the revised version ).

[0082] The predictive validation engine 500 runs continuously in the background, and when it detects... When changes occur, the data will be cleared or updated. The cache in the middle, and recalculate all from the new A safe transfer plan for departure, ensuring The system always caches all next steps for safe transfer based on the current system state.

[0083] The state transition readiness verification module 700, deployed on the processor of the central control host 100, is a key innovative module for ensuring the quality of the broadcast footage. This module determines the target state from the state machine broadcast logic module 400. It is activated after the actual execution of the state transfer. Its function is to actively query the internal readiness status of the target gimbal sub-node 200 and decide whether to immediately execute the transfer or enter standby based on the feedback.

[0084] S411: Ready-to-go check workflow; when the state machine broadcast logic module 400 is based on events... and current state The target state has been determined. At that time, the state transition readiness verification module 700 is invoked. This module first identifies the target state. China was designated as or The character's gimbal sub-nodes are identified, and these gimbal sub-nodes are marked as target camera positions. The state transition readiness verification module 700 sends a specific readiness status query command CMD_CHECK_READY to each target station via control link 310; this command requests the PTZ sub-node 200 to report the readiness status of its internal system. .

[0085] After receiving the CMD_CHECK_READY command, the PTZ sub-node 200 will have its local processing unit check its critical subsystems and aggregate them into a comprehensive system readiness status. ; It contains one or more of the following sub-states: S4111: Focus Lock Status; Whether the camera's autofocus system has successfully locked onto the target and reached the focus distance required for clear imaging.

[0086] S4112: Exposure stability status; whether the camera's aperture, shutter speed, ISO and other exposure parameters have been adjusted to appropriate values ​​and remain stable to avoid overexposure or underexposure of the image.

[0087] S4113: White balance calibration status; whether the camera's white balance has been accurately calibrated according to ambient light conditions.

[0088] S4114: Stable state of motion mechanism; whether the mechanical movement of the gimbal has stopped and is in a stable state, or is about to complete a smooth movement without obvious shaking or drift.

[0089] S4115: Internal self-test status; whether other key sensors, communication modules or storage units of the PTZ sub-node 200 are operating normally.

[0090] The PTZ sub-node 200 integrates its system readiness status. (For example, the Boolean value TRUE represents "Ready" or FALSE represents "Not-Ready") The state transition readiness verification module 700 of the central control host 100 is fed back through the control link 310.

[0091] S412: Automatic standby logic; the state transition readiness verification module 700 receives data from all target positions. After receiving feedback, a summary judgment is made.

[0092] If all target positions If both values ​​are "Ready", the state transition readiness verification module 700 considers the system ready for a state transition; it will notify the state machine directing logic module 400 that execution can continue, and will retrieve the data from the safe transition matrix. Extracting targets The secure transfer solution is sent to the corresponding PTZ sub-node 200.

[0093] If any target position If the state is "Not-Ready", the state transition readiness verification module 700 will block the current state transition operation; at this time, the system remains in the current state. The state transition readiness verification module 700 then enters a loop query mode, which continuously sends the CMD_CHECK_READY instruction to the unready target station through the control link 310 at a preset frequency (e.g., every 100 milliseconds).

[0094] This loop will continue until feedback is received from the target location. The state transition readiness verification module 700 automatically triggers once all target stations have returned a "Ready" signal, allowing the state transition to proceed. The corresponding secure transfer plan is retrieved and sent.

[0095] This automatic standby logic ensures that the camera only switches shots or moves when all key camera positions are in optimal shooting condition. This effectively avoids quality problems such as blurry images, inaccurate exposure, or unstable movement caused by camera positions not being ready, thus improving the overall professionalism and safety of the broadcast.

[0096] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system, characterized in that, include: The central control unit is used to manage and coordinate the operation of multiple PTZ sub-nodes; At least one PTZ sub-node is used to execute control commands issued by the central control host; A dual-channel communication link is used for data exchange between the central control host and at least one PTZ sub-node; The central control unit includes: The state machine broadcast logic module is used to store the preset system state set, event set, and logical transition relationship between states, and to decide the target state based on the received external events; The predictive verification engine runs continuously in the background, acquiring the attitude data of all gimbal sub-nodes in real time, and performing kinematic simulation and safety verification on all potential next state transitions in the state machine broadcast logic module. The dynamic path replanning module works in conjunction with the predictive verification engine. When the predictive verification engine predicts that the default path of state transition has a risk of physical interference, it generates a corrected safe motion path. The State Transition Readiness Verification module is called before the state transition is executed to query the internal readiness status of the target PTZ sub-node.

2. The multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-channel communication link includes: The control link is used to transmit high-priority, low-latency control commands, real-time attitude data of the gimbal sub-nodes, and status response codes between the central control host and the gimbal sub-nodes. A data link is used to transmit high-bandwidth media data streams between the central control host and the PTZ sub-nodes, the media data streams including real-time preview video streams or media files.

3. The multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The state machine broadcasting logic module is based on a deterministic finite state machine model, which includes: A finite set of states, wherein each state is determined by assigning one of the ON_AIR, PREVIEW, TRANSFER, or IDLE roles to all said PTZ sub-nodes in the system; A finite set of events is used to trigger a change in state; The logical transition matrix is ​​used to define the transition rules from the current state to the target state.

4. The multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The predictive verification engine performs parallel simulations and pure kinematic geometry anti-detection calculations during security verification.

5. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pure kinematic geometry anti-detection calculation includes: Establish a globally unified three-dimensional world coordinate system, and map the precise three-dimensional positions of all the gimbal sub-nodes and the real-time attitude of the camera lenses of the gimbal sub-nodes in space to the three-dimensional world coordinate system; Identify the set of PTZ sub-nodes that assume the ON_AIR role and the set of PTZ sub-nodes that assume the TRANSFER role during state transition; Define the field of view of each pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) sub-node camera that assumes the ON_AIR role as a field of view cone; Define the space occupied by the physical shape of each gimbal sub-node that plays the role of TRANSFER during the movement as a motion envelope; Collision detection is performed to determine whether the motion envelope intersects geometrically with the field of view cone. If they intersect, it is determined that there is a risk of being exposed.

6. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The field of view cone is determined by the precise position and orientation of the pan-tilt sub-node camera in the three-dimensional world coordinate system, as well as the optical parameters of the lens, which plays the ON_AIR role; the motion envelope is a boundary volume that moves along the simulated motion path of the pan-tilt sub-node playing the TRANSFER role and completely contains the physical entity of the pan-tilt sub-node.

7. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The corrected safe motion path generated by the dynamic path replanning module is intended to generate a new motion path for the gimbal sub-node from the initial posture to the target posture. The new motion path satisfies the no-bloop constraint throughout the entire motion time.

8. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The dynamic path replanning module uses search-based, sampling-based, or interpolation-based algorithms to generate a corrected safe movement path.

9. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The state transition readiness verification module: A readiness status query command is sent to the target PTZ sub-node via the control link to request the target PTZ sub-node to report its internal readiness status. When the internal ready state is not ready, prevent state transition and continue polling until the internal ready state becomes ready.

10. A multi-camera pan-tilt control system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The internal ready state includes at least one of the following: focus lock state, exposure stabilization state, white balance calibration state, or motion mechanism stabilization state.

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