UAV Camera Focus Range Control Based on Flight Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with camera apparatuses face challenges in controlling the focus lens during automatic focusing, as subjects captured are often far away, leading to unnecessary focus lens driving, potential collisions, and limited battery life due to prolonged focusing times.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus and method that set a drive range for the focus lens based on the height of the camera apparatus from a reference position, limiting or expanding the focus range accordingly to prevent collisions and optimize focusing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the focus lens is driven in the entire drivable range during automatic focusing, then the focusing capability is comprehensive, but the focusing time is prolonged and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting the focus lens drive range dynamically based on the UAV's flight height. When flying at high altitude, the system limits the focus lens to drive only within a specific range (e.g., 50%-100% of the drivable range) rather than the entire range, because subjects at high altitude are necessarily far away. This localized adjustment optimizes focusing speed for the actual shooting scenario without compromising the ability to focus on distant subjects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the focus lens drive range variable rather than fixed. The control apparatus dynamically determines the appropriate drive range based on real-time flight height information. As the UAV ascends or descends, the focus lens drive range is automatically adjusted, transforming a static system into a dynamic one that adapts to changing operational conditions to minimize focusing time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the focus lens is driven in the entire drivable range, then all distance ranges can be focused, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by restricting the focus lens operation to only the necessary portion of its drivable range based on flight height. At high altitude, only the upper portion of the focus range (e.g., 50%-100%) is utilized, eliminating unnecessary movement of the focus lens. This reduces energy consumption by the focus drive mechanism while maintaining the ability to focus on all relevant distant subjects encountered during high-altitude flight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using only the necessary subset of the focus lens drivable range rather than the full range. Since subjects captured during high-altitude flight are inherently distant, the system performs only partial focusing action within the limited drive range, avoiding excessive lens movement that would consume additional power without providing any benefit to the imaging task.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the focus lens drives unnecessarily, then comprehensive focusing is achieved, but collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by spatially constraining the focus lens movement to a safe subset of its drivable range when operating at high altitude. By limiting the drive range to 50%-100% based on height information, the system ensures the focus lens does not attempt to focus on extremely close subjects that would require the UAV to descend or the lens to move beyond safe limits, thereby eliminating collision risk while maintaining focusing coverage for all actual shooting scenarios.
4Productivity
If the focus lens operates continuously, then all subjects can be focused, but flight time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having the focus lens operate only within the necessary drive range determined by flight height, rather than continuously operating through the entire drivable range. This partial operation reduces the time the focus drive motor is active, decreasing power consumption and extending overall flight time, while still achieving efficient focusing on all subjects that are actually captured during high-altitude flight.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic action by continuously monitoring flight height and periodically adjusting the focus lens drive range limits accordingly. Rather than maintaining a fixed drive range throughout the flight, the control apparatus periodically updates the allowable focus range based on current altitude, optimizing power usage and extending flight duration through adaptive, periodic recalibration.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus, a camera apparatus, a flying object, a control method and a program are provided. The control apparatus is configured to control a driving of a focus lens included in a camera apparatus. The control apparatus includes a memory, storing a program; and a processor, configured to execute the program to set a drive range of the focus lens based on a height of the camera apparatus away from a reference position, and control the driving of the focus lens in the drive range.