Gimbal and control method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a gimbal and a control method thereof. The gimbal comprises a stabilizing part and a base. The control method comprises: obtaining state information of a shooting device, the state information being used to represent a shooting state of the shooting device; in response to the shooting state being a preview state, controlling the gimbal to operate in a first preset mode; in response to the shooting state being a shooting state or a video recording state, controlling the gimbal to operate in a second preset mode. The gimbal adopts different operating modes according to different shooting states of the shooting device, ensures quick adjustment of the shooting angle when previewing the composition or before shooting, meets the actual framing intention of the user, and filters or smooths the movement of the base during actual shooting, thereby realizing stabilization of the shooting device and ensuring the imaging effect of images and videos. The gimbal can adaptively adjust the operating mode according to the current shooting scene, meet the following degree requirement in different situations, and improve the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of gimbal control, specifically to a gimbal and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of image processing technology and the continuous iteration of shooting equipment, shooting devices with multiple image generation and processing functions have been widely used, and users' requirements for shooting effects have become increasingly stringent. As a device for stabilizing shooting equipment, the gimbal can improve the portability and flexibility of shooting equipment, and filter and smooth the movements of the user or carrier equipment through stabilization functions.

[0003] However, using related technologies to control the gimbal makes it difficult to adapt the degree of following of the stabilizer relative to the base according to the shooting scene. This fails to meet the different requirements of the shooting equipment for the degree of gimbal following when performing different shooting tasks, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides a gimbal and its control method.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a gimbal is provided, the gimbal including a stabilizing unit and a base, the method for controlling the gimbal including:

[0006] Acquire the status information of the shooting device, the status information being used to characterize the shooting status of the shooting device;

[0007] In response to the shooting state being a preview state, the gimbal is controlled to operate in a first preset mode;

[0008] In response to the shooting state being either photo taking or video recording, the gimbal is controlled to operate in a second preset mode;

[0009] The shooting device is mounted on the stabilizing unit. In the first preset mode, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit relative to the base is higher than that in the second preset mode.

[0010] In some embodiments of this disclosure, obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes:

[0011] The shooting status identifier is retrieved through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device. The shooting status identifier includes at least one of the following: preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier. The preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier correspond to the preview status, the photo status, and the video status, respectively.

[0012] Alternatively, the shooting status indicator can be retrieved via a remote control device, which is communicatively connected to the gimbal and the shooting equipment.

[0013] In some embodiments of this disclosure, obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes:

[0014] Detect the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device;

[0015] In response to detecting the shutter trigger signal and the shooting mode being the photo mode, the shooting state is determined to be the photo state;

[0016] In response to detecting the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the start of recording and the shooting mode being recording mode, the shooting state is determined to be the recording state;

[0017] In response to the absence of the shutter trigger signal or the detection of the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the end of recording, the shooting state is determined to be the preview state.

[0018] In some embodiments of this disclosure, controlling the gimbal to operate in a first preset mode includes:

[0019] Adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding first preset parameter value;

[0020] The control of the gimbal to operate in a second preset mode includes:

[0021] Adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding second preset parameter value;

[0022] When the gimbal is running at the first preset parameter value, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit relative to the base is higher than the degree of following when running at the second preset parameter value.

[0023] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the operating parameters include following speed and / or dead zone angle;

[0024] The following speed includes at least one of yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed.

[0025] In some embodiments of this disclosure, when the operating parameters include the following speed, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed is greater than the second preset parameter value;

[0026] When the operating parameters include the dead zone angle, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle is less than the second preset parameter value.

[0027] In some embodiments of this disclosure, controlling the gimbal to operate in a first preset mode includes:

[0028] Turn off the gimbal's stabilization function so that the stabilizing unit moves synchronously with the base;

[0029] The control of the gimbal to operate in a second preset mode includes:

[0030] The gimbal stabilization function is activated so that the movement amplitude of the stabilizing part is less than the movement amplitude of the base.

[0031] In some embodiments of this disclosure, obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes:

[0032] The device communicates with the shooting device using a preset connection method to obtain the status information of the shooting device. The preset connection method includes at least one of Bluetooth connection, local area network connection, universal serial bus connection, and shutter release cable connection.

[0033] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the control method for the gimbal further includes:

[0034] In the event that the status information acquisition fails, in response to a user's pressing or pushing operation on the control device of the gimbal, the gimbal is controlled to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode; or...

[0035] In response to user interaction with the remote control device, the pan-tilt unit is controlled to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode.

[0036] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a gimbal is provided, the gimbal including a stabilizing unit, a base, a memory, and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the processor is configured to perform the gimbal control method as described in the first aspect.

[0037] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure can include the following beneficial effects: The gimbal adopts different operating modes according to the different shooting states of the shooting device. In preview mode, the gimbal's stabilization relative to the base has a high degree of following accuracy, ensuring rapid adjustment of the shooting angle during preview composition or before capturing, thus meeting the user's actual framing intentions. Conversely, in photo or video recording mode, the gimbal's stabilization relative to the base has a lower degree of following accuracy, filtering or smoothing the base's movement during actual shooting, thereby stabilizing the shooting device and ensuring the imaging quality of images and videos. The gimbal can adaptively adjust its operating mode according to the current shooting scenario, meeting the following accuracy requirements in different situations and improving the user experience.

[0038] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0039] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a gimbal and shooting device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a gimbal control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the acquisition of status information of a shooting device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0043] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a gimbal control method according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0044] In the picture:

[0045] 10-Gimbal; 11-Base; 12-Stabilizer; 20-Shooting equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0047] In recent years, with the rapid development of image processing technology and the upgrading of shooting equipment, such as cameras and mobile phones with multiple image generation and processing functions, shooting devices have been widely used, making users' requirements for shooting effects increasingly stringent. As a device for stabilizing shooting equipment, the gimbal can improve the portability and flexibility of shooting equipment by clamping or housing it, and filter and smooth the movement of the user or carrier equipment through the stabilization function of the gimbal.

[0048] In related technologies, when using a gimbal, the degree of following between the base and the stabilizer in one or more directions can be changed by means of dampers or bearings, thereby achieving image stabilization and smoothing of the shooting equipment by independently controlling the attitude of the stabilizer.

[0049] Understandably, when a user is previewing a shot but hasn't started taking a photo or recording video, they need to move the gimbal to change the shooting angle (field of view) of the camera to prepare for previewing or capturing a shot. In this situation, the gimbal's stabilization function will lead to issues like poor gimbal tracking. When the user is taking a photo or starting to record video, they need to keep the shooting angle of the camera relatively fixed to ensure image and video quality. However, using related technologies to control the gimbal makes it difficult to adaptively adjust the degree of tracking of the stabilizer relative to the base according to the shooting scene, failing to meet the varying tracking requirements of the camera when performing different shooting tasks, resulting in a poor user experience.

[0050] Based on this, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a gimbal control method. By acquiring the status information of the shooting device, the method controls the gimbal to operate in a first preset mode when the shooting device is in preview mode, and controls it to operate in a second preset mode when the shooting device is in photo or video mode. This achieves operational control of the gimbal under different shooting states. The gimbal adopts different operating modes according to the shooting state of the shooting device. In preview mode, the gimbal's stabilizer has a high degree of following relative to the base, ensuring rapid adjustment of the shooting angle during preview composition or before capturing, thus meeting the user's actual framing intentions. In photo or video mode, the gimbal's stabilizer has a lower degree of following relative to the base, filtering or smoothing the base's movement during actual shooting, thereby stabilizing the shooting device and ensuring image and video imaging quality. The gimbal can adaptively adjust its operating mode according to the current shooting scenario, meeting the following requirements in different situations and improving the user experience.

[0051] The gimbal control method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to application scenarios including a gimbal and a shooting device. The gimbal can acquire the status information of the shooting device and operate in a corresponding preset mode according to the shooting status of the shooting device, thereby achieving adaptive adjustment of the operating mode. For example, the gimbal can be a handheld gimbal with its base set as a handheld part, allowing the base of the gimbal to move with the user's hand. The shooting device can be, for example, different types and models of mobile phones or cameras. The types of gimbal and shooting devices are not limited to these. Any gimbal that has difficulty in adaptively adjusting its operating mode and cannot meet the actual shooting intention can adopt the gimbal control method provided in this embodiment.

[0052] The gimbal control method provided in this application embodiment can also be applied to application scenarios including gimbals, shooting devices, mobile devices such as drones, and remote control devices. The gimbal is an airborne gimbal whose base is fixedly connected to the drone, so that the base of the gimbal can move with the drone. The remote control device can control the drone and realize communication with the gimbal and the shooting device.

[0053] In one exemplary embodiment, a method for controlling a gimbal is provided, with reference to... Figure 1 As shown, the gimbal 10 includes a stabilizing unit 12 and a base 11. The stabilizing unit 12 is used to mount the shooting device 20, and the base 11 is used to provide support for the stabilizing unit 12. Users can control the gimbal 10 by holding the base 11 or by fixing the base 11 to other devices such as drones. The stabilizing unit 12 can have various degrees of following relative to the base 11, i.e., motion synchronization. The position, attitude, and framing range of the shooting device 20 are all determined by the position and attitude of the stabilizing unit 12.

[0054] refer to Figure 2 As shown, the control methods for the gimbal include:

[0055] S100: Obtain the status information of the shooting device. The status information is used to characterize the shooting status of the shooting device.

[0056] In step S100, the gimbal 10 acquires the status information of the shooting device 20. The status information of the shooting device 20 can characterize the shooting status of the shooting device 20, that is, the shooting function that the shooting device 20 is currently performing. The shooting status includes preview status, photo taking status or video recording status, that is, the shooting device 20 is performing preview function, photo taking function and video recording function.

[0057] For example, the gimbal 10 can communicate with the shooting device 20 through various wired or wireless connection methods, and obtain status information by retrieving identifiers, detecting signals, etc. It can also communicate with the gimbal 10 and the shooting device 20 through a remote control device to transmit status information through the remote control device.

[0058] S200, in response to the shooting state being in preview state, controls the gimbal to operate in the first preset mode.

[0059] In step S200, when the shooting state of the shooting device 20 represented by the status information is the preview state, the gimbal 10 is controlled to operate in the first preset mode. The operating parameters of the gimbal 10 in the first preset mode can have corresponding parameter values, and the specific functions of the gimbal 10 in the first preset mode can have corresponding on / off states, so that the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 has a corresponding degree of following relative to the base 11.

[0060] S300, in response to whether the shooting state is photo mode or video mode, controls the gimbal to operate in the second preset mode.

[0061] In step S300, when the shooting state of the shooting device 20 represented by the status information is a photo shooting state or a video recording state, the gimbal 10 is controlled to operate in a second preset mode. The operating parameters of the gimbal 10 in the second preset mode may have parameter values ​​that are different from those corresponding to the first preset mode. The specific functions of the gimbal 10 in the second preset mode may have on / off states that are different from those corresponding to the first preset mode, so that the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 has a different degree of following relative to the base 11 than that corresponding to the first preset mode.

[0062] In the first preset mode, the degree of following of the stabilizing part 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than that in the second preset mode.

[0063] The stabilizing unit 12 has a higher degree of following relative to the base 11 in the first preset mode than in the second preset mode. This results in the gimbal 10 having a higher degree of following relative to the base 11 when the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, and a lower degree of following relative to the base 11 when the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode.

[0064] When the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, the user needs to change the shooting angle, i.e., the framing range, of the shooting device 20 by moving the gimbal 10 to prepare for preview composition or snapshot. In this case, the gimbal 10 operates in a first preset mode with a high degree of following between the stabilizer 12 and the base 11. This enhances the gimbal 10's ability to follow the user's hand or the drone, ensuring rapid adjustment of the shooting angle during preview composition or before snapshot, thus meeting the user's actual framing intentions. When the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode, the shooting angle needs to be kept relatively fixed to ensure image and video imaging quality. In this case, the gimbal 10 operates in a second preset mode with a lower degree of following between the stabilizer 12 and the base 11. This filters or smooths the movement of the base 11 during actual shooting, thus stabilizing the shooting device 20. Therefore, the gimbal 10 achieves adaptive adjustment based on the shooting scene, i.e., the shooting state of the shooting device 20, allowing the stabilization of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 to meet the needs of different shooting scenarios without user intervention.

[0065] In this embodiment, by acquiring the status information of the shooting device 20, and controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a first preset mode when the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, and controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a second preset mode when the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode, the operation control of the gimbal 10 in different shooting states is realized. The gimbal 10 adopts different operating modes according to the different shooting states of the shooting device 20. This allows the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 to have a high degree of following relative to the base 11 in preview mode, ensuring rapid adjustment of the shooting angle during preview composition or before capturing, thus meeting the user's actual framing intentions. Conversely, it allows the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 to have a lower degree of following relative to the base 11 in photo or video mode, filtering or smoothing the movement of the base 11 during actual shooting, thereby stabilizing the shooting device 20 and ensuring the imaging effect of images and videos. The gimbal 10 can adaptively adjust its operating mode according to the current shooting scene, meeting the following requirements in different situations and improving the user experience.

[0066] In some embodiments, obtaining the status information of the shooting device 20 includes: retrieving the shooting status identifier through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device 20. The shooting status identifier includes at least one of the preview identifier, the photo identifier, and the video identifier, which correspond to the preview status, the photo status, and the video status, respectively.

[0067] When the gimbal 10 obtains the status information of the shooting device 20, it can retrieve the current shooting status identifier through the data interface of the preset platform or application of the shooting device 20. The shooting status identifier can represent the shooting status of the shooting device 20 in the form of a numerical value or a character, and serve as the status information of the shooting device 20. The shooting status identifier includes at least one of a preview identifier, a photo identifier, and a video identifier, and the preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier correspond to the preview state, photo state, and video state, respectively. When the gimbal 10 retrieves the preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device 20, it can determine that the shooting device 20 is currently in the corresponding preview state, photo state, and video state.

[0068] In this embodiment, the shooting status identifier is retrieved through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device 20. This shooting status identifier can be used as status information to determine the current shooting state of the shooting device 20 based on the type of the retrieved shooting status identifier, providing a basis for selecting the operating mode of the gimbal 10. Retrieving the shooting status identifier through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device 20 is simple, has a fast response time, and ensures the accuracy of the status information, further improving the speed of operating mode adjustment and adaptability to shooting scenarios.

[0069] In other embodiments, obtaining the status information of the shooting device 20 includes: retrieving the shooting status identifier through a remote control device, wherein the remote control device is communicatively connected to the gimbal 10 and the shooting device 20.

[0070] The remote control device is used to control the gimbal 10 or the drone equipped with the gimbal 10, and can communicate with both the gimbal 10 and the shooting device 20. When the gimbal 10 obtains the status information of the shooting device 20, it can also retrieve the shooting status identifier through the remote control device. Specifically, the remote control device first retrieves the shooting status identifier through the data interface of the shooting device 20's preset platform, and then sends the shooting status identifier to the gimbal 10 as the status information of the shooting device 20. When the gimbal 10 retrieves the preview identifier, photo identifier, and video recording identifier through the remote control device, it can determine that the shooting device 20 is currently in the corresponding preview state, photo state, and video recording state.

[0071] In this embodiment, by retrieving the shooting status identifier through a remote control device, the shooting status identifier can be used as status information. The current shooting state of the shooting device 20 can be determined based on the type of the retrieved shooting status identifier, providing a basis for selecting the operating mode of the gimbal 10. Retrieving the shooting status identifier via a remote control device can be implemented even when the gimbal 10 and the shooting device 20 cannot communicate directly. This provides a way for status information to be transmitted between the shooting device 20 and the gimbal 10, improving the applicability of the gimbal 10 in acquiring status information.

[0072] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 As shown, the status information of the shooting device 20 is obtained, including:

[0073] S110 detects the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device.

[0074] In step S110, when the user triggers the shutter by performing a shutter trigger operation, the shooting device 20 will simultaneously generate a shutter trigger signal. The shutter trigger operation can include, for example, the user pressing the shutter button or clicking the shutter control in the user interface. The shooting device 20 has different shooting modes when performing different shooting functions, including photo mode and video mode. If the user triggers the shutter while the shooting device 20 is in photo mode or video mode, the shooting device 20 will execute the photo function and video function respectively, thus placing the shooting device 20 in photo mode and video mode respectively. The gimbal 10 can detect the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device 20 to determine the shooting state of the shooting device 20 based on the detection results, thereby acquiring state information.

[0075] S120: In response to detecting a shutter trigger signal and the shooting mode being photo mode, determine the shooting state as photo mode.

[0076] In step S120, when the gimbal 10 detects the shutter trigger signal and the shooting mode of the shooting device 20 is the photo mode, it means that the shooting device 20 has triggered the shutter in the photo mode, the shooting device 20 executes the photo function and enters the photo state, and at this time it can be determined that the shooting state of the shooting device 20 is the photo state.

[0077] S130: In response to detecting the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the start of recording and the shooting mode being video recording mode, determine that the shooting state is video recording state.

[0078] In step S130, when the gimbal 10 detects the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the start of recording and the shooting mode is recording mode, it means that the shooting device 20 has triggered the shutter in recording mode, the shooting device 20 executes the recording function and enters the recording state, and at this time it can be determined that the shooting state of the shooting device 20 is the recording state.

[0079] S140, In response to the absence of a shutter trigger signal or the detection of a shutter trigger signal corresponding to the end of recording, the shooting state is determined to be preview state.

[0080] In step S140, when the gimbal 10 does not detect a shutter trigger signal, or when the gimbal 10 detects a shutter trigger signal corresponding to the end object, it means that the shooting device 20 has not triggered the shutter or has triggered the shutter when ending recording. The shooting device 20 has not performed the photo and video recording functions or has completed the recording work. At this time, it can be determined that the shooting state of the shooting device 20 is the preview state.

[0081] In this embodiment, by detecting the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device 20, the shooting state of the shooting device 20 can be determined according to the different detection results, realizing the acquisition of state information and providing a basis for selecting the operating mode of the gimbal 10. Detecting the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device 20 allows for real-time monitoring of the shooting device 20, which is simple, has a fast response speed, and ensures the accuracy of state information, further improving the speed of operating mode adjustment and adaptability to shooting scenes.

[0082] In some embodiments, controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a first preset mode includes adjusting at least one operating parameter of the gimbal 10 to a corresponding first preset parameter value. Controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a second preset mode includes adjusting at least one operating parameter of the gimbal 10 to a corresponding second preset parameter value. When the gimbal 10 operates with the first preset parameter value, the degree of following of the stabilization unit 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than the degree of following when operating with the second preset parameter value.

[0083] When the gimbal 10 is running in the first preset mode, one or more operating parameters of the gimbal 10 can be adjusted to the first preset parameter value corresponding to the first preset mode, thereby controlling the operating mode by limiting the parameter value. When the gimbal 10 is running in the second preset mode, one or more operating parameters of the gimbal 10 can be adjusted to the second preset parameter value corresponding to the second preset mode, thereby controlling the operating mode by limiting the parameter value.

[0084] It should be noted that when there are multiple operating parameters, each operating parameter has a corresponding first preset parameter value and a second preset parameter value. The first preset parameter value and the second preset parameter value of the same operating parameter are different, the first preset parameter value of different operating parameters is different, and the second preset parameter value of different operating parameters is different. When the gimbal 10 switches between the first preset mode and the second preset mode, the number and type of operating parameters adjusted can be the same or different.

[0085] When the gimbal 10 operates with the first preset parameter value, the tracking degree of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than when the gimbal 10 operates with the second preset parameter value. This ensures that when the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, the gimbal 10 operates with the first preset parameter value, and the stabilizer 12 of the gimbal 10 has a higher tracking degree relative to the base 11. When the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode, the gimbal 10 operates with the second preset parameter value, and the stabilizer 12 of the gimbal 10 has a lower tracking degree relative to the base 11. This achieves adaptive adjustment of the gimbal 10 based on the shooting scene, i.e., the shooting state of the shooting device 20, allowing the tracking degree of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 to meet the needs of different shooting scenarios without user intervention.

[0086] In this embodiment, by adjusting at least one operating parameter of the gimbal 10 to the corresponding first preset parameter value and second preset parameter value, the gimbal 10 can be controlled to operate in the first preset mode and the second preset mode, respectively. When the gimbal 10 operates with the first preset parameter value, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than when it operates with the second preset parameter value. This ensures that the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 in the first preset mode is higher than that in the second preset mode, satisfying the following requirements under different conditions and improving the user experience. Controlling the operating mode by adjusting the parameter values ​​facilitates high-precision configuration and definition of the operating mode in the preset mode, and ensures that the gimbal 10 operates consistently within the same preset mode, thus improving the user experience.

[0087] In some embodiments, the operating parameters include follow speed, or the operating parameters include dead zone angle, or the operating parameters include both follow speed and dead zone angle. Follow speed includes at least one of yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed.

[0088] The operating parameters of the gimbal 10 include at least one of the following speed and dead zone angle. The following speed is the response speed of the stabilizer 12 in following the movement of the base 11. The greater the response speed of the stabilizer 12 in following the movement of the base 11, the higher the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11. The dead zone angle is the minimum rotation angle at which the stabilizer 12 can follow the movement of the base 11. That is, the stabilizer 12 can only follow the movement of the base 11 when the rotation of the base 11 reaches the dead zone angle. The smaller the dead zone angle, the higher the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11.

[0089] The following speed includes at least one of yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed. The yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed represent the rotation speed of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 along three mutually perpendicular axes of yaw, pitch, and lateral, respectively, and can determine the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 in different directions.

[0090] In this embodiment, at least one of the following speed and dead zone angle is used as the operating parameter. By adjusting the values ​​of these parameters, the operating mode of the gimbal 10 can be controlled, allowing the gimbal 10 to have different following speeds or dead zone angles in different operating modes. This enables the stabilizer 12 to have different degrees of following relative to the base 11, meeting the following requirements in different situations and improving the user experience. Using at least one of the yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed as the following speed allows the stabilizer 12 to follow the base 11 in three different directions. This allows the user to select the following speed to adjust according to actual needs, ensuring that the adaptive adjustment of the operating mode can adapt to different shooting scenarios and improving the user experience.

[0091] In some embodiments, when the operating parameters include the following speed, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed is greater than the second preset parameter value. When the operating parameters include the dead zone angle, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle is less than the second preset parameter value.

[0092] When the operating parameters include the following speed, when the gimbal 10 operates at the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than that when it operates at the corresponding second preset parameter value. Since the following speed is the response speed of the stabilizing unit 12 following the movement of the base 11, and the higher the following speed, the higher the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed should be greater than the second preset parameter value to ensure that the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 is higher in the first preset mode than in the second preset mode.

[0093] When the operating parameters include the dead zone angle, when the gimbal 10 operates at the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle, the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 is higher than that when operating at the corresponding second preset parameter value. Since the dead zone angle is the minimum rotation angle at which the stabilizer 12 can follow the movement of the base 11, and the smaller the dead zone angle, the higher the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle should be greater than the second preset parameter value to ensure that the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 in the first preset mode is higher than that in the second preset mode.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the operating parameters include the following speed, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed is greater than the second preset parameter value. When the operating parameters include the dead zone angle, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle is less than the second preset parameter value. The operating mode of the gimbal 10 can be controlled by adjusting the parameter values ​​of the following speed and the dead zone angle. This allows the gimbal 10 to have a larger following speed and a smaller dead zone angle when the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, and a smaller following speed and a larger dead zone angle when the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode. This ensures that the degree of following of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 is higher in the first preset mode than in the second preset mode, meeting the following requirements under different conditions and improving the user experience.

[0095] In some embodiments, controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a first preset mode includes: turning off the stabilization function of the gimbal 10 so that the stabilizing unit 12 moves synchronously with the base 11.

[0096] When the gimbal 10 is running in the first preset mode, the stabilization function of the gimbal 10 can be turned off, so that the gimbal 10 no longer provides image stabilization and smoothing effects to the shooting device 20, that is, it no longer filters and smooths the movement of the user or drone and other carrier devices. The stabilizing part 12 and the base 11 of the gimbal 10 are locked as a whole. This allows the stabilizing part 12 to move synchronously with the base 11, and the two have the same range of motion. When the base 11 moves with the user or drone, the stabilizing part 12 can have the same range of motion as the base 11, so that the stabilizing part 12 has a high degree of following relative to the base 11, which meets the requirements of the first preset mode.

[0097] Controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a second preset mode includes: activating the stabilization function of the gimbal 10 so that the movement amplitude of the stabilizer 12 is less than the movement amplitude of the base 11.

[0098] When the gimbal 10 is operated in the second preset mode, its stabilization function can be activated to provide image stabilization and smoothing effects to the shooting device 20. This is achieved by controlling the pose changes of the stabilizer 12 to filter and smooth the movements of the user or drone / other carrier device. The stabilizer 12 and the base 11 of the gimbal 10 are rotatably connected. This ensures that when the base 11 follows the user or drone, the movement amplitude of the stabilizer 12 is less than that of the base 11, resulting in a higher degree of tracking between the stabilizer 12 and the base 11, thus meeting the requirements of the second preset mode.

[0099] In this embodiment, by turning the stabilization function of the gimbal 10 on and off, the movement amplitude of the stabilizing unit 12 can be made equal to and less than the movement amplitude of the base 11, respectively. This allows the gimbal 10 to operate in a first preset mode and a second preset mode, ensuring that the tracking degree of the stabilizing unit 12 relative to the base 11 in the first preset mode is higher than that in the second preset mode. This satisfies the tracking degree requirements under different conditions and improves the user experience. By adjusting the on / off state of the stabilization function to control the operating mode, the conventional functions configured in the gimbal 10 can be used to achieve adaptive adjustment of the operating mode, ensuring the response speed and stability of controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in the first preset mode or the second preset mode, thus improving the user experience.

[0100] In some embodiments, obtaining the status information of the shooting device 20 includes: communicating with the shooting device 20 in a preset connection mode to obtain the status information of the shooting device 20. The preset connection mode includes at least one of Bluetooth connection, local area network connection, universal serial bus connection and shutter release cable connection.

[0101] When acquiring status information from the shooting device 20, the gimbal 10 communicates with the shooting device 20 using a preset connection method. This communication allows for actions such as retrieving shooting status indicators and detecting shutter trigger signals, thereby acquiring status information. At least one of the following preset connection methods can be used with the shooting device 20: Bluetooth, LAN, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and shutter release cable. This allows users to select the appropriate preset connection method based on the usage scenario and communication speed requirements, ensuring the stability and response speed of the acquired status information.

[0102] In this embodiment, a preset connection method is used to communicate with the shooting device 20. This communication connection enables the acquisition of the shooting device 20's status information, providing a basis for selecting the gimbal 10's operating mode. Using at least one of Bluetooth, LAN, Unicode, and shutter release cable connections as preset connection methods allows users to choose the method best suited to the current scenario and communication speed requirements. This helps ensure the stability and response speed of status information acquisition, improving the user experience.

[0103] In some embodiments, the control method of the gimbal further includes: in the event of failure to acquire status information, controlling the gimbal 10 to switch between a first preset mode and a second preset mode in response to a user's pressing or pushing operation on the control device on the gimbal 10; or, in response to a user's interactive operation on the remote control device, controlling the gimbal 10 to switch between a first preset mode and a second preset mode.

[0104] When the gimbal 10 fails to communicate with the shooting device 20, or when the gimbal 10 fails to retrieve the status identifier of the shooting device 20 or detect the shutter trigger signal, the gimbal 10 cannot successfully obtain the status information of the shooting device 20, resulting in a lack of basis for selecting the operating mode. At this time, the user needs to actively switch the operating mode so that the degree of following of the stabilizer 12 relative to the base 11 can meet the needs of the current scenario.

[0105] In this case, the user can control the gimbal 10 to switch between a first preset mode and a second preset mode by pressing or pushing the control device on the gimbal 10, thereby achieving active selection of the operating mode. The control device on the gimbal 10 may include, for example, buttons or sliding switches for interaction mounted on the base 11 or the stabilizing unit 12. When the gimbal 10 recognizes the user's pressing operation on the button or pushing operation on the sliding switch, it can switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode based on information such as the button type, the number of times the button is pressed, and the sliding switch position corresponding to the operation.

[0106] In this scenario, the user can also perform interactive operations on the remote control device connected to the gimbal 10, controlling the gimbal 10 to switch between a first preset mode and a second preset mode, thereby achieving active selection of the operating mode. Interactive operations on the remote control device may include clicking on the mode selection control on the remote control device's user interface. When the remote control device recognizes the interactive operation, it sends the corresponding control command to the gimbal 10, which can then switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode according to the control command.

[0107] In this embodiment, in the event of a failure to acquire status information, the gimbal 10 switches between a first preset mode and a second preset mode in response to a user's pressing or pushing operation on the control device of the gimbal 10, or in response to a user's interactive operation on the remote control device. This enables proactive selection of the operating mode in the event of a failure to acquire status information. Users can switch between the first and second preset modes based on the required level of tracking in the current scenario by pressing or pushing the control device or interacting with the remote control device, thereby adjusting the operating mode in unconventional situations and improving the user experience.

[0108] In one exemplary embodiment, a control method for a gimbal is provided, applied to a gimbal 10, with reference to... Figure 4 As shown, the control methods for the gimbal include:

[0109] S1. Connect to the shooting device using a preset connection method;

[0110] S2. Retrieve the shooting status indicator through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device to obtain the status information of the shooting device;

[0111] S3. Use the remote control to retrieve the shooting status indicator to obtain the status information of the shooting device;

[0112] S4. Detect the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device to obtain the status information of the shooting device;

[0113] S5. In response to the shooting state being in preview state, adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding first preset parameter value;

[0114] S6. Turn off the gimbal stabilization function;

[0115] S7. In response to the shooting state being photo mode or video recording mode, adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding second preset parameter value.

[0116] S8. Enable gimbal stabilization function;

[0117] S9. In the event that the status information fails to be acquired, in response to the user's pressing or pushing operation on the control device on the gimbal, control the gimbal to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode.

[0118] S10. In response to the user's interactive operation on the remote control device, control the pan-tilt unit to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode.

[0119] In this embodiment, by acquiring the status information of the shooting device 20, and controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a first preset mode when the shooting device 20 is in preview mode, and controlling the gimbal 10 to operate in a second preset mode when the shooting device 20 is in photo or video mode, the operation control of the gimbal 10 in different shooting states is realized. The gimbal 10 adopts different operating modes according to the different shooting states of the shooting device 20. This allows the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 to have a high degree of following relative to the base 11 in preview mode, ensuring rapid adjustment of the shooting angle during preview composition or before capturing, thus meeting the user's actual framing intentions. Conversely, it allows the stabilizing part 12 of the gimbal 10 to have a lower degree of following relative to the base 11 in photo or video mode, filtering or smoothing the movement of the base 11 during actual shooting, thereby stabilizing the shooting device 20 and ensuring the imaging effect of images and videos. The gimbal 10 can adaptively adjust its operating mode according to the current shooting scene, meeting the following requirements in different situations and improving the user experience.

[0120] In one exemplary embodiment, a gimbal 10 is provided, including a stabilization unit 12, a base 11, a processor, and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and when the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of any of the above-described gimbal control methods.

[0121] Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are indicated by the following claims.

[0122] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a gimbal, characterized in that, The gimbal includes a stabilizing unit and a base, and the control method of the gimbal includes: Acquire the status information of the shooting device, the status information being used to characterize the shooting status of the shooting device; In response to the shooting state being a preview state, the gimbal is controlled to operate in a first preset mode; In response to the shooting state being either photo taking or video recording, the gimbal is controlled to operate in a second preset mode; The shooting device is mounted on the stabilizing unit. In the first preset mode, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit relative to the base is higher than that in the second preset mode.

2. The control method for a gimbal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes: The shooting status identifier is retrieved through the data interface of the preset platform of the shooting device. The shooting status identifier includes at least one of the following: preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier. The preview identifier, photo identifier, and video identifier correspond to the preview status, the photo status, and the video status, respectively. Alternatively, the shooting status indicator can be retrieved via a remote control device, which is communicatively connected to the gimbal and the shooting equipment.

3. The control method for a gimbal according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes: Detect the shutter trigger signal and shooting mode of the shooting device; In response to detecting the shutter trigger signal and the shooting mode being the photo mode, the shooting state is determined to be the photo state; In response to detecting the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the start of recording and the shooting mode being recording mode, the shooting state is determined to be the recording state; In response to the absence of the shutter trigger signal or the detection of the shutter trigger signal corresponding to the end of recording, the shooting state is determined to be the preview state.

4. The control method for a gimbal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Controlling the pan-tilt unit to operate in a first preset mode includes: Adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding first preset parameter value; The control of the gimbal to operate in a second preset mode includes: Adjust at least one operating parameter of the gimbal to the corresponding second preset parameter value; When the gimbal is running at the first preset parameter value, the degree of following of the stabilizing unit relative to the base is higher than the degree of following when it is running at the second preset parameter value.

5. The control method for a gimbal according to claim 4, characterized in that, The operating parameters include follow speed and / or dead zone angle; The following speed includes at least one of yaw rotation speed, pitch rotation speed, and roll rotation speed.

6. The control method for a gimbal according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the operating parameters include the following speed, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the following speed is greater than the second preset parameter value; When the operating parameters include the dead zone angle, the first preset parameter value corresponding to the dead zone angle is less than the second preset parameter value.

7. The control method for a gimbal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Controlling the pan-tilt unit to operate in a first preset mode includes: Turn off the gimbal's stabilization function so that the stabilizing unit moves synchronously with the base; The control of the gimbal to operate in a second preset mode includes: The gimbal stabilization function is activated so that the movement amplitude of the stabilizing part is less than the movement amplitude of the base.

8. The control method for a gimbal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the status information of the shooting device includes: The device communicates with the shooting device using a preset connection method to obtain the status information of the shooting device. The preset connection method includes at least one of Bluetooth connection, local area network connection, universal serial bus connection, and shutter release cable connection.

9. The control method for a gimbal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The control method for the gimbal also includes: In the event that the status information acquisition fails, in response to a user's pressing or pushing operation on the control device of the gimbal, the gimbal is controlled to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode; or... In response to user interaction with the remote control device, the pan-tilt unit is controlled to switch between the first preset mode and the second preset mode.

10. A gimbal, characterized in that, The gimbal includes a stabilizing unit, a base, a memory, and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the processor is configured to perform the control method of the gimbal as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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