Gimbal device, method for controlling gimbal device, and program

Abstract

To provide a gimbal device capable of detecting that balance is lost and performing balance adjustment at an appropriate timing even when information on a mounted object cannot be acquired.SOLUTION: A gimbal device (1) to and from which a load (100) can be attached and detached, the gimbal device (1) including a slide portion (14, 16, 18, 20) that is translationally movable in a predetermined direction, a rotation portion (7, 9, 11) that is rotationally movable around a predetermined axis, a slide position detection unit (71, 72, 73, 74) that detects position information of the slide portion, a rotation position detection unit (61, 62, 63) that detects rotation angle information of the rotation portion, and a control unit (50, 60, 70) that controls the slide portion based on the position information and controls the rotation portion based on the rotation angle information, the control unit detects imbalance of the gimbal device, and moves the slide portion so as to adjust the balance of the gimbal device when a predetermined condition is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gimbal device, a method for controlling a gimbal device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] To properly use a gimbal device, it is important to adjust the balance (center of gravity) of the gimbal device, including the mounted object. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for adjusting the center of gravity by moving the weight of the gimbal device in response to changes in the center of gravity in the optical axis direction caused by lens zoom of the mounted camera. Patent Document 2 discloses a method for an interchangeable lens camera in which the camera acquires lens center of gravity information linked to an ID from the attached lens and calculates the combined center of gravity position of the camera and lens. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-211626 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-56636 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, if information about the payload, such as center of gravity information, cannot be obtained, it is difficult to reduce the time required for balance adjustment.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a gimbal device that can detect imbalance and perform balance adjustment at an appropriate time even when information about the mounted object cannot be obtained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A gimbal device according to one aspect of the present invention is a gimbal device to which a mount can be attached and detached, and includes a slide section that can move translationally in a predetermined direction, a rotation section that can move rotationally around a predetermined axis, a slide position detection section that detects position information of the slide section, a rotation position detection section that detects rotation angle information of the rotation section, and a control section that controls the slide section based on the position information and controls the rotation section based on the rotation angle information, and the control section detects imbalance of the gimbal device, and if predetermined conditions are satisfied, moves the slide section to adjust the balance of the gimbal device.

[0007] Other objects and features of the present invention are illustrated in the following examples. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gimbal device that can detect imbalance and perform balance adjustment at an appropriate time even when information about the mounted object cannot be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a gimbal device according to each embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an imaging system in each embodiment. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the gimbal device in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is an explanatory diagram of the movement direction of each slide plate in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a gimbal device in a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] First, with reference to FIG. 1, a gimbal device 1 will be described as an example of an electronic device in each embodiment. FIG. 1 is an external view of the gimbal device 1. In FIG. 1, a power switch 2 is an operating member that switches the power of the gimbal device 1 on and off. A display unit 3 is a display unit provided on the gimbal device 1 that displays various information. An operating unit 4 is an operating member that issues various instructions to the gimbal device 1 or an imaging device 100 that will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The operating unit 4 is, for example, an operating member that combines a push button and an eight-way key, but is not limited to this. The number of operating members is also not limited.

[0012] The gimbal camera I / F 5 is an interface that connects the gimbal device 1 and the imaging device 100. The gimbal camera I / F 5 is a connection unit that connects to the imaging device 100 via, for example, a USB cable (not shown), but is not limited to this, including its arrangement. The grip unit 6 is a holding unit shaped to be easy for the user to hold when holding the gimbal device 1.

[0013] The pan drive unit 7 has a first rotary drive motor and is a rotating unit (first rotating unit that can rotate around the first rotation axis) that can rotate (pan axis rotation) an object mounted on the gimbal device 1 around a first rotation axis (pan rotation axis 8, predetermined axis). The pan rotation axis 8 is an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the grip unit 6 and is the rotation center of the pan drive unit 7.

[0014] The roll drive unit 9 is a rotation unit (second rotation unit that can rotate around the second rotation axis) that has a second rotation drive motor and is capable of rotating (roll axis rotation) an object mounted on the gimbal device 1 around a second rotation axis (roll rotation axis 10, predetermined axis). The roll rotation axis 10 is an axis that is disposed on a plane that includes the pan rotation axis 8, and is the rotation center of the roll drive unit 9.

[0015] Tilt drive unit 11 is a rotating unit (third rotating unit capable of rotational movement around the third rotation axis) that has a third rotation drive motor and is capable of rotating (tilt axis rotation) an object mounted on gimbal device 1 around a third rotation axis (tilt rotation axis 12, predetermined axis). Tilt rotation axis 12 is an axis perpendicular to roll rotation axis 10, and is the rotation center of tilt drive unit 11. Note that in each embodiment, each rotation drive motor is a three-phase brushless DC motor that rotates an object mounted on gimbal device 1 around each rotation axis, but is not limited to this.

[0016] The first slide plate driving unit 13 has a first slide drive motor and can move the first slide plate (first slide portion) 14 along a first slide axis (first direction, predetermined direction) that is perpendicular to the pan rotation axis 8. The first slide plate 14 is driven by the first slide plate driving unit 13 and is a mechanism (slide portion) that can move translationally to any position in the first direction.

[0017] The second slide plate driving unit 15 has a second slide drive motor and can move the second slide plate (second slide unit) 16 along a second slide axis (second direction, predetermined direction) that is perpendicular to the roll rotation axis 10. The second slide plate 16 is driven by the second slide plate driving unit 15 and is a mechanism (slide unit) that can move translationally to any position in the second direction.

[0018] The third slide plate driving unit 17 has a third slide drive motor and can move the third slide plate (third slide portion) 18 along a third slide axis (third direction, predetermined direction) that is perpendicular to the tilt rotation axis 12. The third slide plate 18 is driven by the third slide plate driving unit 17 and is a mechanism (slide portion) that can move translationally to any position in the third direction.

[0019] The fourth slide plate driving unit 19 has a fourth slide drive motor and can move the fourth slide plate (fourth slide portion) 20 along a fourth slide axis (fourth direction, predetermined direction). The fourth slide plate 20 is a mechanism (slide portion) that is driven by the fourth slide plate driving unit 19 and can move translationally to any position in the fourth direction. Note that in each embodiment, each slide drive motor is a linear actuator that linearly moves an object mounted on the gimbal device 1 in response to a control signal, but is not limited to this.

[0020] The camera fixing base 21 is a base (a fixing portion for fixing an object) on which an object mounted on the gimbal device 1 is attached. The object mounted on the gimbal device 1 is, for example, the imaging device 100, and is attached by a tripod screw, but is not limited to this.

[0021] Next, the first to fourth slide axes will be described. Here, the three axes constituting the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system are called the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and the axis parallel to the gravity axis is defined as the Y-axis. In addition, for the purpose of the description, it is assumed that the gimbal device 1 is placed in a normal position (predetermined position). Here, the normal position is a state in which the long side of the grip portion 6 is parallel to the gravity axis (Y-axis), the camera fixing base 21 is perpendicular to the Y-axis, and the optical axis of the imaging device 100 attached to the camera fixing base 21 is perpendicular to the Y-axis. The axis parallel to the optical axis of the imaging device 100 is defined as the Z-axis, and the X-axis is defined as an axis perpendicular to the YZ plane.

[0022] When the gimbal device 1 is in the normal position, the first slide axis and the fourth slide axis are parallel to the Z axis, and the positive direction of the Z axis is defined as the first slide axis positive direction 22 and the fourth slide axis positive direction 28, respectively. The negative direction of the Z axis is defined as the first slide axis negative direction 23 and the fourth slide axis negative direction 29, respectively. The second slide axis is parallel to the X axis, and the positive direction of the X axis is defined as the second slide axis positive direction 24 and the negative direction of the X axis is defined as the second slide axis negative direction 25, respectively. The third slide axis is parallel to the Y axis, and the positive direction of the Y axis is defined as the third slide axis positive direction 26 and the negative direction of the Y axis is defined as the third slide axis negative direction 27, respectively.

[0023] The rotation directions are also defined as follows. When the gimbal device 1 is in the normal position, the direction of rotation clockwise relative to the + direction of the Y axis is defined as pan axis rotation + direction 30, and the direction of rotation counterclockwise relative to the + direction of the Z axis is defined as roll axis rotation + direction 32, and the direction of rotation counterclockwise relative to the - direction of the Z axis is defined as roll axis rotation - direction 33. The direction of rotation clockwise relative to the + direction of the X axis is defined as tilt axis rotation + direction 34, and the direction of rotation counterclockwise relative to the - direction of the X axis is defined as tilt axis rotation - direction 35. However, the definitions and relationships of these axes are merely examples and are not limited to these.

[0024] Next, the control of the gimbal device 1 for maintaining the optical axis of the image capture device 100 in a desired direction (for example, the Z-axis direction) will be described. The gimbal device 1 has the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11, as well as the first to third rotary drive motors described above, as well as respective axis encoders 61, 62, and 63, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 2. The system control unit 50 is capable of calculating the angle (target value) of each rotary drive unit required to maintain the optical axis of the image capture device 100 in a desired direction. The system control unit 50 supplies power to each rotary drive unit via the rotation control unit 60 so that the difference between the value (current value) of the rotation position detection unit (each axis encoder 61, 62, and 63) and the target value is eliminated. It is assumed that the power supplied to each rotary drive unit is determined by PID control for the control deviation (the difference between the target value and the current value), but this is not limited to this.

[0025] Next, balance adjustment will be described. A balanced (balanced) state of the gimbal device 1 is a state in which the center of gravity of the loads is located on the pan rotation axis 8, the roll rotation axis 10, and the tilt rotation axis 12. Here, the term "loads" refers to the loads for the pan driver 7, the roll driver 9, and the tilt driver 11, respectively. In other words, the loads for the tilt driver 11 include the imaging device 100 and the lens device 200, as well as the third slide plate driver 17, the third slide plate 18, the fourth slide plate driver 19, the fourth slide plate 20, and the camera mount 21. The loads for the roll driver 9 include the loads for the tilt driver 11, as well as the second slide plate 16 and the second slide plate driver 15. The loads for the pan driver 7 include the loads for the roll driver 9, as well as the first slide plate 14 and the first slide plate driver 13.

[0026] When the gimbal device 1 is balanced, no rotational force acts on the imaging device 100 unless power is supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11. On the other hand, when the gimbal device 1 is out of balance, a rotational force acts that moves the center of gravity in the direction of gravity, and therefore, in order to maintain the optical axis of the imaging device 100 in a desired direction, it is necessary to continuously supply power to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11. At this time, the power supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11 depends on the mass of each mounted object and the distance from the center of rotation to the center of gravity of the mounted object.

[0027] As described above, the first to fourth slide plate drivers 13, 15, 17, and 19 can translate the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 to any desired positions. Therefore, by translating each slide plate, the center of gravity of the load can be moved (changed), and the optical axis of the imaging device 100 can be kept parallel to the Z axis without supplying power to the pan driver 7, the roll driver 9, and the tilt driver 11. In each embodiment, moving the center of gravity of the load to an appropriate position by translating each slide plate is called balance adjustment.

[0028] Next, the imaging system 1000 in each embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the imaging system 1000. The imaging system 1000 includes a gimbal device 1, an imaging device 100 connected to the gimbal device 1, and a lens device 200 connected to the imaging device 100.

[0029] The system control unit 50 is a control unit consisting of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire gimbal device 1. The system control unit 50 executes programs recorded in the nonvolatile memory 51 to realize various processes described later in each embodiment. The system control unit 50 also realizes various arithmetic processes by loading programs and the like read from the nonvolatile memory 51 into the system memory 52. ​​The system control unit 50 can also detect the operation mode (fixed angle of view mode, follow mode, etc.) and state (static state, handheld, walking shot, running shot, panning, tilting, etc.) of the gimbal device 1 as work process information.

[0030] Additionally, the system control unit 50 has an internal communication unit 90, and can communicate with the camera system control unit 150 via the gimbal camera I / F 5 to exchange various types of information. The various types of information include, for example, control instructions for the image capture device 100, the individual identification ID of the image capture device 100, and information about the operation mode (still image capture mode, video capture mode, LV mode, MENU mode, SLEEP mode, etc.). The various types of information may also include information about the attitude, movement, center of gravity coordinates, mass, motion vector of the captured image, remaining battery level, and attached accessories of the image capture device 100. The various types of information may also include information about the lens device 200 obtained by the camera system control unit 150 (described later) communicating with the lens system control unit 250, and various calculation results calculated by the camera system control unit 150.

[0031] The nonvolatile memory 51 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, such as a Flash-ROM. Constants and programs for the operation of the system control unit 50 are stored in the nonvolatile memory 51. Here, the programs are programs for executing various flowcharts, which will be described later in each embodiment. The nonvolatile memory 51 also stores information on the centers of gravity and masses of various members of the gimbal device 1.

[0032] The system memory 52 is, for example, a RAM. Constants and variables for the operation of the system control unit 50 and the programs of the nonvolatile memory 51 are loaded into the system memory 52. ​​The system timer 53 is a clock unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of an internal clock. The power supply unit 54 is made up of primary batteries such as alkaline batteries or lithium batteries, secondary batteries such as NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, or Li batteries, an AC adapter, etc.

[0033] The power supply control unit 55 is composed of a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a PD-IC (USB power delivery control IC), a selector switch circuit, etc., and detects whether a battery is installed, the battery type, and the remaining battery power. The power supply control unit 55 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the system control unit 50, and supplies the necessary power for the necessary period to each block inside the gimbal device. The power supply control unit 55 also communicates with the camera power supply control unit 155 via the gimbal camera I / F 5, allowing the exchange of various information and power. The various information includes information regarding the individual identification IDs, mass, center of gravity coordinates, remaining battery power, etc. of the image capture device 100 and the lens device 200 connected to the image capture device 100.

[0034] The rotation control unit 60 is composed of a motor driver, an encoder detection circuit, etc., and can detect the rotation angle and rotation speed of each axis rotation drive motor from the output signals of each axis encoder 61, 62, 63 (described later). Based on the rotation angle detection results and instructions from the system control unit 50, the rotation control unit 60 supplies a desired amount of power to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11 to rotate the rotation drive motors of each rotation axis. Based on instructions from the system control unit 50, the rotation control unit 60 also sends a control signal to a rotation axis lock unit 64 (described later) to lock each rotation axis (pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11) so that it does not rotate.

[0035] The pan axis encoder 61 is disposed near the pan driver 7 and uses an arbitrary angle as a reference and outputs absolute value information of the rotation angle of the pan driver 7 around the pan rotation axis 8 as an electrical signal to the rotation control unit 60. The roll axis encoder 62 is disposed near the roll driver 9 and uses an arbitrary angle as a reference and outputs absolute value information of the rotation angle of the roll driver 9 around the roll rotation axis 10 as an electrical signal to the rotation control unit 60. The tilt axis encoder 63 is disposed near the tilt driver 11 and uses an arbitrary angle as a reference and outputs absolute value information of the rotation angle of the tilt driver 11 around the tilt rotation axis 12 as an electrical signal to the rotation control unit 60. These encoders include magnetic sensors such as Hall elements, but are not limited to these.

[0036] The rotation axis locking unit 64 is a mechanical mechanism that physically fixes (locks) the rotation of each axis at an arbitrary angle, and can select whether the rotation control unit 60 is fixed (locked) or released (free).

[0037] The slide plate control unit 70 is composed of a motor driver, an encoder detection circuit, etc., and can detect the position, movement amount, and movement speed of each axis slide plate from the output signals of each axis encoder (slide axis detection unit) 71, 72, 73, 74, which will be described later. Furthermore, based on the movement amount detection result and instructions from the system control unit 50, the slide plate control unit 70 supplies a desired amount of power to the first to fourth slide plate driving units 13, 15, 17, 19 to move each axis slide plate. Based on instructions from the system control unit 50, the slide plate control unit 70 also outputs a control signal to a slide plate lock unit 75, which will be described later, to fix (lock) the position of each axis slide plate.

[0038] The first encoder 71 is disposed near the first slide plate driver 13 and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the position of the first slide plate 14 to the slide plate control unit 70. The second encoder 72 is disposed near the second slide plate driver 15 and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the position of the second slide plate 16 to the slide plate control unit 70. The third encoder 73 is disposed near the third slide plate driver 17 and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the position of the third slide plate 18 to the slide plate control unit 70. The fourth encoder 74 is disposed near the fourth slide plate driver 19 and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the position of the fourth slide plate 20 to the slide plate control unit 70. Each of these encoders includes, but is not limited to, an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter or a photoreflector, or a magnetic sensor such as a Hall element.

[0039] The slide plate locking unit 75 is a mechanical mechanism that physically fixes (locks) each axis slide plate at any position, and can be controlled by the slide plate control unit 70 to select whether it is fixed (locked) or released (free).

[0040] The attitude detection unit 80 is configured with a circuit including a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and detects the attitude and movement of the grip unit 6 and the camera mount base 21, to which the imaging device 100, as a mounted object, is attached, relative to the direction of gravity. The attitude detection unit 80 can detect the attitude of the camera mount base 21, for example, by arranging an acceleration sensor on the third slide 18, which maintains a constant positional relationship with the camera mount base 21 even when the tilt axis rotates. Alternatively, the attitude detection unit 80 can detect the attitude of the camera mount base 21 based on information from the acceleration sensor arranged on the grip unit 6 and information on the rotation angle of each axis of the rotation drive motor detected by the rotation control unit 60. Based on the information detected by the attitude detection unit 80, the system control unit 50 sends instructions to the rotation control unit 60 and the slide control unit 70 so that the camera mount base 21 maintains the desired attitude.

[0041] The communication unit 90 is included in the system control unit 50 and enables communication with the imaging device 100 via any interface. The power detection unit 91 is included in the system control unit 50 and enables the power supply unit 54 to detect the direction of power and current supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11 via the rotation control unit 60. Furthermore, the power supply unit 54 can detect the direction of power and current supplied to the first to fourth slide plate drive units 13, 15, 17, and 19 via the slide plate control unit 70. The operation mode detection unit 92 is included in the system control unit 50 and enables the operation mode of the gimbal device 1 to be detected.

[0042] The slide drive permission means 93 is included in the system control unit 50 and outputs an internal signal to permit the movement of each slide when the movement of each slide does not interfere with the user's shooting. For example, any setting is possible, such as permitting the movement of the slide when the operation mode of the imaging device 100 is in the MENU mode, but not permitting the movement of the slide when video shooting is in progress.

[0043] The imbalance determination means 94 is included in the system control unit 50 and determines whether the gimbal device 1 is out of balance. For example, the imbalance determination means 94 determines that the balance is out of balance when the power supplied to each of the pan drive unit 7, the roll drive unit 9, and the tilt drive unit 11 detected by the power detection unit 91 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. However, the determination conditions are not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily.

[0044] This concludes the description of the gimbal device 1. Next, the imaging device 100 mounted on the gimbal device 1 and the lens device 200 connected to the imaging device 100 will be described.

[0045] The camera system control unit 150 is a control unit including at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire imaging device 100. The camera system control unit 150 executes programs stored in a nonvolatile memory 151 to perform various processes described later in each embodiment. The camera system control unit 150 also loads programs and the like read from the nonvolatile memory 151 into a system memory 152 to perform various types of arithmetic processing. The camera system control unit 150 also communicates with the system control unit 50 or the lens system control unit 250 via the camera gimbal I / F 105 or the camera lens I / F 106, and is able to exchange various types of information.

[0046] The nonvolatile memory 151 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, and may be, for example, a Flash-ROM. Constants, programs, etc. for the operation of the camera system control unit 150 are recorded in the nonvolatile memory 151. The programs referred to here refer to programs for executing various flowcharts described later in each embodiment. The system memory 152 is, for example, a RAM. Constants and variables for the operation of the camera system control unit 150 and the programs of the nonvolatile memory 151 are loaded in the system memory 152.

[0047] The camera power supply unit 154 is made up of a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as an NiCd battery, an NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like. The camera power control unit 155 is composed of a battery detection circuit, a DCDC converter, a PD-IC (USB power delivery control IC), a selector switch circuit, etc., and detects whether a battery is installed, the battery type, and the remaining battery level. The camera power control unit 155 also controls the DCDC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the camera system control unit 150, and supplies the necessary power for the necessary period to each block inside the gimbal device. The camera power control unit 155 also communicates with the camera power control unit 155 via the camera gimbal I / F 105, allowing the exchange of various information and power.

[0048] The imaging unit 131 is composed of an imaging element such as a CMOS or a CCD. Imaging control is performed based on instructions from the camera power control unit 155, and captured image information acquired by the imaging unit 131 is processed by the image processing unit 132 and transmitted to the camera system control unit 150.

[0049] The camera operation unit 104 is an operation unit for inputting various predetermined operation instructions to the camera system control unit 150. These operation units are configured by any one of a switch, a dial, a touch panel, a voice recognition device, etc., or a combination of these.

[0050] Camera display unit 103 is a display device such as a rear monitor or electronic viewfinder, and is configured with a liquid crystal display such as an LCD or an organic EL display, and displays a menu screen, a playback image, and a through image of data from imaging unit 131. Camera display unit 103 may also function as a touch panel (operation unit). In this case, the touch panel constitutes part of camera operation unit 104. A capacitance type touch detection method is used, and the touch panel detects the proximity of a finger to the operation surface and a touch operation.

[0051] The camera attitude detection unit 181 is configured with a circuit including a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor, and detects the attitude and movement of the imaging device 100 relative to the direction of gravity. The camera system control unit 150 can determine the attitude of the imaging device 100 in which the image captured by the imaging unit 131 was captured, based on the information detected by the camera attitude detection unit 181. The camera system control unit 150 can also add the information detected by the camera attitude detection unit 181 to the image file of the captured image, or rotate and record the image.

[0052] The actuator contact 107 is composed of a mechanism for connecting camera peripheral accessories such as a strobe (not shown) and an external microphone (not shown), and a communication terminal for the camera system control unit 150 to communicate with a control unit (not shown) on the peripheral accessory side.

[0053] Next, we will explain the lens device 200. The lens device 200 is an interchangeable lens unit, and is composed of a lens group 263, an aperture 262, a lens drive control unit 261 for driving the lens and the aperture for focus control, a lens system control unit 250, etc. External light from a composition including a subject enters the imaging unit 131 of the imaging device 100 through the aperture 262 and the lens group 263.

[0054] The lens camera I / F 206 is a lens connection unit and is composed of a mechanism for attaching and detaching the lens device 200 and a communication terminal for controlling focusing and aperture drive. The lens system control unit 250 is a control unit composed of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire lens device 200. The lens system control unit 250 executes programs recorded in the nonvolatile memory 251 to perform various processes described below in each embodiment. In addition, the lens system control unit 250 communicates with the camera system control unit 150 via the lens camera I / F 206, and is able to exchange various types of information. The various types of information include, for example, information regarding the individual identification ID, attitude, movement, center of gravity coordinates, and mass of the lens device 200.

[0055] The nonvolatile memory 251 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, such as a Flash-ROM. The nonvolatile memory 251 stores constants, programs, individual identification IDs, and the like for operating the lens system control unit 250. The programs referred to here are programs for executing various flowcharts described later in each embodiment. [Example]

[0056] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4(a) to (d). In this embodiment, a method (a method for controlling the gimbal device 1) for detecting imbalance during use of the gimbal device 1 and automatically adjusting the balance to an optimum value at a timing that does not interfere with the user's shooting will be described.

[0057] Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing a control method for the gimbal device 1 in this embodiment. Each process in the flowchart in Fig. 3 is realized by the system control unit 50 of the gimbal device 1 loading a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 51 into the system memory 52, executing it, and controlling each functional block. The overall flow will be explained with reference to Fig. 3, and a supplementary explanation regarding the movement of the slide plate will be provided with reference to Figs. 4(a) to (d). The flowchart in Fig. 3 starts from a state in which the imaging device 100 is attached to the camera fixing base 21 and the gimbal device 1 is facing in the normal position.

[0058] First, in step S301, the system control unit 50 detects the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate axis (X, Y, and Z axes) directions (the amount of movement of the gimbal device 1, movement information) based on information from the attitude detection unit 80. If the detected amount of movement is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S302. On the other hand, if the detected amount of movement is less than the predetermined value, step S301 is repeated. If the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 in the X, Y, and Z axes directions is large, the system control unit 50 needs to supply power according to the acceleration to each drive unit in order to keep the camera fixation base 21 horizontal. Therefore, the predetermined value here is used to detect (determine) that the grip unit 6 is not moving in the X, Y, or Z axes directions, and is assumed to be, for example, a value of about 0.1 m / s, but is not limited to this.

[0059] In step S302, the system control unit 50 detects power information (power supplied to the rotation drive motors) supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11. If the detected power is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (predetermined power or greater), the process proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if the detected power is less than the predetermined value (less than predetermined power), the process proceeds to step S301. When balance adjustment is performed appropriately, the power supplied to each drive unit is approximately zero. Therefore, the predetermined value here is assumed to be, for example, a value of several mW to several tens of mW, but is not limited to this.

[0060] In step S303, the system control unit 50 determines the axis and direction (movement axis and movement direction) along which the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 are to be moved. Note that a method for determining the movement axis and movement direction will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d).

[0061] In step S304, the system control unit 50 determines the operation mode of the gimbal device 1. If it is determined that the operation mode is a mode that prioritizes balance adjustment (balance priority mode), the process proceeds to step S307. On the other hand, if the operation mode is not the balance priority mode, the process proceeds to step S305. Here, the mode that prioritizes balance adjustment (balance priority mode) is, for example, a follow shooting mode, but is not limited to this, and a dedicated operation mode that prioritizes balance adjustment may be provided.

[0062] In step S305, the system control unit 50 detects the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 in the three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate axis (XYZ axes) directions (the amount of movement, movement information of the gimbal device 1) based on the information about the attitude acquired by the attitude detection unit 80. If the detected amount of movement is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S307. On the other hand, if the detected amount of movement is less than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S306.

[0063] If the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 in the X, Y, and Z axes is small, the angle of view of the imaging device 100 is likely to be fixed. In this case, if the slide plate is moved, the change in the angle of view due to the movement of the slide plate will be noticeable, which may interfere with shooting. On the other hand, if the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 is large (if the amount of change in the attitude of the gimbal device 1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined change value), the user is likely to be changing the angle of view. In this case, the change in the angle of view due to the movement of the slide plate will not interfere with shooting. Therefore, the predetermined value here is a value for detecting that the grip unit 6 is moving in the X, Y, and Z axes, and is, for example, about 0.1 m / s, but is not limited to this.

[0064] In step S306, the system control unit 50 detects the elapsed time since the processing of step S303 based on information from the system timer 53, and determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the processing of step S303. If the detected elapsed time is equal to or greater than the predetermined time (if the predetermined time has elapsed since the processing of step S303), the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S301. On the other hand, if the elapsed time is less than the predetermined time, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S305. The predetermined time here is, for example, about several seconds, but is not limited to this.

[0065] In step S307, the system control unit 50 moves the slide plate determined in step 303 from among the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 by an arbitrary movement amount via the slide plate control unit 70. The movement amount here is assumed to be, for example, about 1 cm, but it does not need to be a uniform movement amount and may be set appropriately in accordance with the shape of the gimbal device 1 and the expected mounted object.

[0066] Next, in step S308, the system control unit 50 detects the amount of movement of the grip unit 6 in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate axis (XYZ axis) directions (the amount of movement, movement information of the gimbal device 1) based on information from the attitude detection unit 80, similar to step S301. If the detected amount of movement is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S309. On the other hand, if the detected amount of movement is less than the predetermined value, the system control unit 50 repeats step S308.

[0067] In step S309, similar to step S302, the system control unit 50 detects power information (power supplied to the rotation drive motors) supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11. If the detected power is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (predetermined power or greater), the process proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if the detected power is less than the predetermined value (less than the predetermined power), the system control unit 50 determines that an appropriate balance has been achieved, and ends this flow.

[0068] Next, with reference to FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d), examples of the movement axes and movement directions of the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 determined in step S303 will be described. The same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 are used for components described with reference to FIG. 1, and their description will be omitted. Furthermore, the term "mounted objects" in the description of FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d) refers to the mounted objects for the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11, respectively. FIG. 4(a) is a simplified diagram of the fourth slide plate 20 as viewed from the X-axis direction. FIG. 4(b) is a simplified diagram of the third slide plate 18 as viewed from the Z-axis direction. FIG. 4(c) is a simplified diagram of the second slide plate 16 as viewed from the Z-axis direction. FIG. 4(d) is a simplified diagram of the first slide plate 14 as viewed from the X-axis direction.

[0069] The system control unit 50 detects the power (power information) supplied to the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11, and at the same time, can detect the direction in which the current flows via the rotation control unit 60. If the direction in which the current flows can be detected, it is possible to know which drive unit is applying force in which rotation direction, that is, it is possible to know the approximate direction in which the center of gravity of the payload is displaced relative to each rotation drive unit.

[0070] Dotted line 401 indicates the Y-axis axis that intersects perpendicularly with tilt rotation axis 12. Center of gravity 402 indicates the position of the center of gravity of the payload relative to tilt drive unit 11. When center of gravity 402 of the payload is on tilt rotation axis 12, the power supplied to tilt drive unit 11 is approximately zero. Center of gravity 403 indicates the position of the center of gravity of the payload relative to roll drive unit 9. When center of gravity 403 of the payload is on roll rotation axis 10, the power supplied to roll drive unit 9 is approximately zero. Center of gravity 404 indicates the position of the center of gravity of the payload relative to pan drive unit 7. When center of gravity 404 of the payload is on pan rotation axis 8, the power supplied to pan drive unit 7 is approximately zero.

[0071] 4(a) to 4(d) show an example of a case where the center of gravity 402 has moved forward of the dotted line 401 (in the + direction 28 of the fourth slide axis) due to zooming of the lens device 200 connected to the imaging device 100, causing imbalance. From 4(a) and 4(b), it can be seen that the center of gravity 402 of the load is misaligned with respect to the tilt driver 11. Similarly, from 4(c) it can be seen that the center of gravity 403 of the load is misaligned with respect to the roll driver 9, and from 4(d) it can be seen that the center of gravity 404 of the load is misaligned with respect to the pan driver 7.

[0072] At this time, the system control unit 50 supplies power to the rotational drive motors of the pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, and tilt drive unit 11 to keep the optical axis of the imaging device 100 parallel to the Z axis. The amount of power supplied to each unit depends on the mass of the load relative to the rotational drive unit and the distance from the center of rotation to the center of gravity. Here, it is assumed that the camera mount 21 gives priority to the rotational drive unit. When the center of gravity 402 is located at the position shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the current direction detected by the system control unit 50 indicates that the tilt drive unit 11 is applying a force in the tilt axis rotation negative direction 35. At this time, the system control unit 50 determines, via the slide plate control unit 70, to move the fourth slide plate 20 in the fourth slide axis negative direction 29 and the third slide plate 18 in the third slide axis positive direction 26, and proceeds to step S304.

[0073] 4(c) and the power supplied to the tilt driver 11 detected in step S302 is less than a predetermined value, the system controller 50 determines to move the second slide plate 16. From the current direction detected by the system controller 50, it is clear that the roll driver 9 is applying a force in the roll axis rotation negative direction 33. In this case, the system controller 50 determines to move the second slide plate 16 in the second slide axis positive direction 24 via the slide plate controller 70, and proceeds to step S304.

[0074] In Fig. 4(d), it is assumed that the gimbal device 1 is not in the normal position and the grip unit 6 is tilted. When the gimbal device 1 is in the normal position, the pan rotation axis 8 is perpendicular to the Y axis (axis of gravity), so power is not supplied to the pan driving unit 7 regardless of the position of the center of gravity 404. Therefore, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the first slide plate driving unit 13 can move only when the grip unit 6 is tilted with respect to the Y axis (axis of gravity), as shown in Fig. 4(d).

[0075] If the center of gravity 404 is located at the position shown in FIG. 4(d) and the power supplied to the tilt driver 11 and the roll driver 9 detected in step S302 is less than a predetermined value, the system controller 50 determines to move the first slide plate 14. From the current direction detected by the system controller 50, it is clear that the pan driver 7 is applying a force in the pan axis rotation + direction 30. In this case, the system controller 50 determines to move the first slide plate 14 in the first slide axis - direction 23 via the slide plate controller 70, and proceeds to step S304. Note that in this embodiment, the method of determining the movement directions of the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 has been described with reference to FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d), but the method is not limited to this method.

[0076] According to this embodiment, it is possible to detect imbalance during use of the gimbal device 1 and automatically adjust the balance at a timing that does not interfere with the user's photography. [Example]

[0077] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In this embodiment, a method (a method for controlling the gimbal device 1) will be described in which information obtained through communication with the imaging device 100 is used to detect imbalance during use of the gimbal device 1 and automatically adjust the balance to an optimum level at a timing that does not interfere with the user's imaging.

[0078] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a control method for the gimbal device 1 in this embodiment. Each process in the flowchart in Fig. 5 is realized by the system control unit 50 of the gimbal device 1 loading a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 51 into the system memory 52, executing the program, and controlling each functional block. The flowchart in Fig. 5 starts with the imaging device 100 attached to the camera fixing base 21 and the gimbal device 1 facing in the normal position. In addition, the term "mounted objects" in the explanation of Fig. 5 is used to mean the mounted objects for the pan driving unit 7, roll driving unit 9, and tilt driving unit 11, respectively.

[0079] First, in step S501, the system control unit 50 communicates with the camera system control unit 150 to acquire information relating to the centers of gravity (center of gravity information of mounted objects) of the image capture device 100 and the lens device 200. The center of gravity information is information acquired through communication with the image capture device 100, and is, for example, information on the mass of the image capture device 100 in a connected state with the lens device 200 and the coordinates of the center of gravity when the camera fixing base 21 is set as the origin, but is not limited to this.

[0080] Next, in step S502, the system control unit 50 determines whether the gimbal device 1 is out of balance. If it is determined that the gimbal device 1 is out of balance, the process proceeds to step S504. On the other hand, if it is determined that the gimbal device 1 is not out of balance, the process proceeds to step S503. While it is possible to determine whether the gimbal device 1 is out of balance based on the power supplied to each rotation drive unit as in the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the determination is made based on the center of gravity information acquired in step S501. An unbalanced state refers to a state in which the center of gravity of the payload including each member of the gimbal device 1 is located on the pan rotation axis 8, the roll rotation axis 10, and the tilt rotation axis 12, respectively.

[0081] The system control unit 50 performs calculations using the information acquired in step S501 and the center of gravity, mass, and center of rotation information of each member of the gimbal device 1 recorded in the non-volatile memory 51. Based on the calculation results, the system control unit 50 determines whether the center of gravity of the payload is located on each of the pan rotation axis 8, roll rotation axis 10, and tilt rotation axis 12. If the center of gravity of the payload is located on each rotation axis, the system control unit 50 determines that the payload is balanced. On the other hand, if the center of gravity of the payload is away from each rotation axis by more than a predetermined value, the system control unit 50 determines that the balance is lost.

[0082] In step S503, the system control unit 50 waits for a predetermined time and then proceeds to step S501. The purpose of waiting in step S503 is to avoid occupying the system control unit 50 by continuously repeating step S501 (continuing camera communication), and the wait time is, for example, about 1 second, but is not limited to this.

[0083] In step S504, based on the calculation results of step S502, the system control unit 50 calculates the amount and direction of movement of the slide plate (determines the movement position of the slide plate) so that the center of gravity of the mounted object moves onto each rotation axis. Subsequently, in step S505, the system control unit 50 communicates with the camera system control unit 150 to acquire information about the image capture device 100 (camera state). The information about the image capture device 100 here includes, but is not limited to, the operation mode, image subject information, and AF information. The purpose of acquiring this information is to confirm that changes in the angle of view caused by the movement of the slide plate in step 509 (described later) will not interfere with the user's shooting.

[0084] Next, in step S506, the system control unit 50 determines whether the current timing is a predetermined timing (timing at which the slides can be moved) at which it is acceptable to move the first to fourth slides 14, 16, 18, and 20. If it is determined that the current timing is acceptable to move the slides, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S509. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current timing is not acceptable to move the slides, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S507. This determination is made based on the information about the image capture device 100 acquired in step S505. The determination that it is acceptable to move the slides is made, for example, when the operation mode (operation mode information) of the image capture device 100 is either the LV mode, the still image capture mode, or the MENU mode. Alternatively, the determination is made when the operation mode is the video capture mode or the still image capture mode (during capture) and the main subject is not being tracked. However, the present embodiment is not limited to these.

[0085] In step S507, the system control unit 50 waits for a predetermined time, and then proceeds to step S508. The purpose of waiting in step S507 is to avoid occupying the system control unit 50 by continuously repeating step S505 (continuing camera communication). The wait time is, for example, about one second, but is not limited to this.

[0086] Next, in step S508, the system control unit 50 detects the elapsed time since the processing of step S505 based on information from the system timer 53. If the detected elapsed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time (if the predetermined time has elapsed since the processing of step S505), the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S501. On the other hand, if the detected elapsed time is less than the predetermined time, the system control unit 50 proceeds to step S505. The elapsed time here is, for example, about several seconds, but is not limited to this.

[0087] In step S509, the system control unit 50 moves the first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, and 20 to arbitrary positions based on the calculation results in step S504, and then ends this flow.

[0088] As described above, the gimbal device 1 of each embodiment is detachable and includes a slide unit, a rotation unit, a slide position detection unit, a rotation position detection unit, and a control unit. The slide unit is at least one slide unit (e.g., first to fourth slide plates 14, 16, 18, 20) that can translate in a predetermined direction. The rotation unit is at least one rotation unit (e.g., pan drive unit 7, roll drive unit 9, tilt drive unit 11) that can rotate around a predetermined axis. The slide position detection unit is at least one detection unit (e.g., first to fourth encoders 71, 72, 73, 74) that detects position information of each slide unit. The rotation position detection unit is at least one detection unit (e.g., pan axis encoder 61, roll axis encoder 62, tilt axis encoder 63) that detects rotation angle information of each rotation unit. The control units (system control unit 50, rotation control unit 60, slide plate control unit 70) control the slide unit based on the position information and control the rotation unit based on the rotation angle information.

[0089] In each embodiment, the control unit detects imbalance of the gimbal device 1 and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, moves the sliding unit to perform balance adjustment of the gimbal device 1. In other words, if the control unit detects imbalance of the gimbal device 1, it moves the sliding unit at a timing when the predetermined condition is satisfied. Preferably, the control unit detects imbalance using movement information of the gimbal device. Also preferably, the control unit detects imbalance using information about power supplied to the rotating unit. More preferably, the control unit detects imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and the power supplied to the rotating unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined power. Also preferably, the control unit detects imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and the difference between the power supplied to the rotating unit before balance adjustment and the power supplied to the rotating unit after balance adjustment is equal to or greater than a predetermined difference. Also preferably, the control unit detects imbalance using information acquired through communication with the mounted object. More preferably, the information acquired through communication with the mounted object is center of gravity information of the mounted object.

[0090] In each embodiment, the predetermined condition is preferably a condition in which movement of the sliding section does not interfere with the user's shooting. More preferably, the predetermined condition is a condition in which the amount of change in the attitude of the gimbal device 1 acquired by the attitude detection section 80 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. Also preferably, the predetermined condition is a condition in accordance with operation mode information of the mounted object. More preferably, the predetermined condition is a condition in accordance with operation mode information and captured image information. More preferably, the predetermined condition is a state in which shooting is in progress and the subject is not being tracked.

[0091] In each embodiment, the sliding section is moved at a timing when the predetermined conditions are satisfied, because if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, the movement of the sliding section would interfere with the user's photography. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the sliding section drive permission means 93 may permit the movement of the sliding section even if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, depending on the user's settings. That is, the control unit may be able to change whether or not to move the sliding section even if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, depending on the user's settings. If the user's settings permit the movement of the sliding section even if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, the control unit moves the sliding section if it detects imbalance of the mounted object, even if the predetermined conditions are not satisfied. That is, if it detects imbalance of the mounted object, the control unit performs balance adjustment regardless of whether the predetermined conditions are satisfied. In this case, the control unit may not need to determine whether the predetermined conditions are satisfied. Alternatively, even if the control unit determines whether the predetermined conditions are satisfied, it may ignore the determination result.

[0092] In each embodiment, the control unit may be able to change the second timing in accordance with a user setting, thereby enabling more appropriate balance adjustment in accordance with the user's needs.

[0093] (Other Examples) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0094] According to each embodiment, it is possible to provide a gimbal device, a method for controlling a gimbal device, and a program that can detect imbalance and perform balance adjustment at an appropriate time even when information about the payload cannot be obtained.

[0095] The disclosure of each embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) A gimbal device to which a payload can be attached or detached, a slide portion that is translationally movable in a predetermined direction; a rotating part that is rotatable around a predetermined axis; a slide position detection unit that detects position information of the slide unit; a rotational position detection unit that detects rotation angle information of the rotating unit; a control unit that controls the sliding unit based on the position information and the rotating unit based on the rotation angle information, The control unit detects imbalance of the gimbal unit and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, moves the sliding unit to adjust the balance of the gimbal unit. (Configuration 2) 2. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using movement information of the gimbal device. (Configuration 3) 3. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using information about power supplied to the rotating unit. (Configuration 4) The gimbal device according to configuration 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is less than a predetermined amount and the power supplied to the rotating unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined power. (Configuration 5) The gimbal device according to configuration 1, characterized in that the control unit detects the imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and the difference between the power supplied to the rotating unit before performing the balance adjustment and the power supplied to the rotating unit after performing the balance adjustment is equal to or greater than a predetermined difference. (Configuration 6) 2. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using information acquired through communication with the mounted object. (Configuration 7) 7. The gimbal device according to claim 6, wherein the information is center of gravity information of the mounted object. (Configuration 8) 8. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition in which movement of the sliding portion does not interfere with a user's shooting. (Configuration 9) further comprising an attitude detection unit that acquires information about the attitude of the gimbal device; 9. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined condition is that the amount of change in the attitude of the gimbal device acquired by the attitude detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount of change. (Configuration 10) 9. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition according to operation mode information of the mounted object. (Configuration 11) 11. The gimbal device according to configuration 10, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition according to the operation mode information and the captured image information. (Configuration 12) 9. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined condition is a state in which photography is being performed and a subject is not being tracked. (Configuration 13) The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 12, wherein the control unit is capable of changing whether or not to move the sliding unit even if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, depending on a user setting. (Configuration 14) 14. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 13, wherein the control unit is capable of changing the predetermined conditions in accordance with settings made by a user. (Configuration 15) The slide portion is a first sliding portion that is translationally movable in a first direction; a second slide portion that is translationally movable in a second direction; a third slide portion that is translationally movable in a third direction; a fourth slide portion that is translationally movable in a fourth direction, The rotating part is a first rotating portion that is rotatable around a first rotation axis; a second rotating portion that is rotatable around a second rotation axis; 15. The gimbal device according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, further comprising: a third rotation unit that is rotatable about a third rotation axis. (Configuration 16) the first sliding portion moves in response to rotation of the first rotating portion, the second sliding portion moves in response to rotation of the second rotating portion, the third sliding portion and the fourth sliding portion are moved by the third rotating portion, The control unit moving the first slide portion and the second slide portion so as to change the position of the center of gravity of the load relative to the first rotating portion; moving the second sliding portion and the third sliding portion so as to change the position of the center of gravity relative to the second rotating portion; 16. The gimbal device according to configuration 15, wherein the third slide portion and the fourth slide portion are moved so as to change the position of the center of gravity relative to the third rotation portion. (Method 1) A method for controlling a gimbal device to which a mounted object is detachable, the gimbal device having a sliding section that is capable of translational movement in a predetermined direction, a rotating section that is capable of rotational movement around a predetermined axis, and a fixing section that fixes the mounted object, comprising: detecting imbalance of the gimbal assembly; and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, moving the slide portion so as to perform balance adjustment of the gimbal device. (Configuration 17) A program that causes a computer to execute the gimbal device control method described in Method 1.

[0096] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 Gimbal device 7 Pan drive unit (rotating unit) 9 Roll drive unit (rotating unit) 11 Tilt drive unit (rotation unit) 14 First slide plate (slide part) 16 Second slide plate (slide part) 18 Third slide plate (slide part) 20 Fourth slide plate (slide part) 50 System control unit (control unit) 60 Rotation control unit (control unit) 61 Pan axis encoder (rotation position detection unit) 62 Roll axis encoder (rotation position detection unit) 63 Tilt axis encoder (rotation position detection part) 70 Slide plate control unit (control unit) 71 First encoder (slide position detector) 72 Second encoder (slide position detector) 73 Third encoder (slide position detector) 74 4th encoder (slide position detector) 100 Imaging device (mounted)

Claims

1. A gimbal device to which a payload can be attached or detached, a slide portion that is translationally movable in a predetermined direction; a rotating part that is rotatable around a predetermined axis; a slide position detection unit that detects position information of the slide unit; a rotational position detection unit that detects rotation angle information of the rotating unit; a control unit that controls the sliding unit based on the position information and the rotating unit based on the rotation angle information, The control unit detects imbalance of the gimbal unit and, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, moves the sliding unit to adjust the balance of the gimbal unit.

2. The gimbal device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using movement information of the gimbal device.

3. The gimbal device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using information about power supplied to the rotating unit.

4. 2. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and the power supplied to the rotating unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined power.

5. 2. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects the imbalance when the amount of movement of the gimbal device is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and when a difference between power supplied to the rotating unit before performing the balance adjustment and power supplied to the rotating unit after performing the balance adjustment is equal to or greater than a predetermined difference.

6. The gimbal device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit detects the imbalance by using information acquired through communication with the mounted object.

7. 7. The gimbal device according to claim 6, wherein the information is center of gravity information of the mounted object.

8. 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition in which movement of the sliding portion does not interfere with a user's shooting.

9. further comprising an attitude detection unit that acquires information about the attitude of the gimbal device; 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is that the amount of change in the attitude of the gimbal device acquired by the attitude detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount of change.

10. 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition according to operation mode information of the mounted object.

11. 11. The gimbal device according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition according to the operation mode information and the captured image information.

12. 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is a state in which an image is being captured and a subject is not being tracked.

13. 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of changing, in accordance with a user setting, whether or not to move the sliding unit even if the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

14. 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is capable of changing the predetermined condition in accordance with a setting by a user.

15. The slide portion is a first slide portion that is translationally movable in a first direction; a second slide portion that is translationally movable in a second direction; a third slide portion that is translationally movable in a third direction; a fourth slide portion that is translationally movable in a fourth direction, The rotating part is a first rotating portion that is rotatable around a first rotation axis; a second rotating portion that is rotatable around a second rotation axis; 8. The gimbal device according to claim 1, further comprising: a third rotating portion that is rotatable about a third rotation axis.

16. the first sliding portion moves in response to rotation of the first rotating portion, the second sliding portion moves in response to rotation of the second rotating portion, the third sliding portion and the fourth sliding portion are moved by the third rotating portion, The control unit moving the first slide portion and the second slide portion so as to change the position of the center of gravity of the load relative to the first rotating portion; moving the second sliding portion and the third sliding portion so as to change the position of the center of gravity relative to the second rotating portion; 16. The gimbal device according to claim 15, wherein the third slide portion and the fourth slide portion are moved so as to change the position of the center of gravity relative to the third rotation portion.

17. A method for controlling a gimbal device to which a mounted object is detachable, the gimbal device having a sliding section that is capable of translational movement in a predetermined direction, a rotating section that is capable of rotational movement around a predetermined axis, and a fixing section that fixes the mounted object, comprising: detecting imbalance of the gimbal assembly; and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, moving the slide portion so as to perform balance adjustment of the gimbal device.

18. A program causing a computer to execute the gimbal device control method according to claim 17.

Images