Abstract:
A system for controlling a gimbal has a gimbal controller. The gimbal controller has a communication device with a unique communication address and a microcontroller communicating with the communication device. The gimbal controller receives instructions addressed to the communication address and outputs one or more control outputs for controlling movement of a gimbal about at least one axis in response to receipt of the instructions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 61/621,152, filed Apr. 6, 2012, and is incorporated herein as set forth in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed to the control of a camera gimbal, and in particular, a system for remotely controlling the gimbal of a stabilized camera. 
         [0003]    For a number of reasons, cameras are mounted on platforms. These platforms can be stationary, such as a tripod, or moving, such as on a helicopter or other aerial carrier, or even on tracks as well known in the movie industry to “follow” a shot. The cameras are supported on these platforms with mechanical positioning systems. 
         [0004]    This type of mechanical camera positioning system is typically referred to as a gimbal mount or simply gimbal. Gimbal camera mounts  10  are an essential part of both photographic and cinematography. These systems are used for terrestrial filming while mounted on a tripod mount, pole or arm. In addition, gimbals are used for filming from aerial platforms where the absence of axis stabilization would yield unusable video and still shots. 
         [0005]    As seen in  FIG. 1 , gimbal  10  may include a series of mounts  5 ,  7 ,  9  to support a camera  20  in three directions; capable of motion along three axes; pan, roll and tilt. Each respective mount is fixed in one axis of rotation. Axis  5  is fixed along the horizontal axis. Mount  7  is fixed relative to the tilt axis, but may be capable of movement about the pan axis but not the roll axis. Mount  9  is fixed in the pan axis, but is capable of movement about the tilt axis. Camera  20  in this embodiment is supported by mount  9 . 
         [0006]    Gimbal  10  includes electro-mechanical movement devices  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  such as a servo motor, stepper motor, or magnetic actuator capable of moving a respective mount about at least one axis of rotation. These electro-mechanical devices  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  allow for motorized movement of the camera to alter the field-of-view of the camera. 
         [0007]    Existing gimbal systems utilize an electro-mechanical joystick assembly specifically configured to control a particular camera  20  to actuate the speed and direction of the motors  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  to change the angle of camera  20  about each axis. More sophisticated electronic controllers can automate certain functions to maintain particular orientations. An example would be to allow the automated controller to alter the roll axis so that the horizon as seen by camera  20  is maintained level to the ground in view regardless of orientation of the platform. This sophisticated automation can also be extended to all three axis to maintain the line-of-sight of camera  20  while the angle of the host platform changes with time. 
         [0008]    The prior art gimbal camera has been satisfactory, however in stabilized camera environments, particularly those stabilized cameras mounted in aerial platforms, control of the gimbal is often done through a joystick or other hand control. The joystick communicates with the controller. However, only the specific joystick configured to communicate with the controlled gimbal can communicate with each other. In other words, without significant reengineering, a single joystick cannot be used to control a number of different gimbals; and conversely the gimbal  10  cannot be controlled without an expensive, sophisticated joystick. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, a device which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A system for controlling a gimbal includes a gimbal controller operatively coupled to the gimbal. The microcontroller provides one or more control outputs for controlling movement of the gimbal in one or more directions. The system includes a communication device having a unique communication address. The microcontroller receives instructions addressed to the communication address and outputs control outputs in response thereto. 
         [0011]    In a preferred embodiment the unique communication address is an internet protocol address. The control outputs control movement of the gimbal in a roll axis, tilt axis, or pan axis. In another embodiment of the invention, the gimbal controller may additionally receive input from a joystick controller. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gimbal and camera constructed in accordance with the prior art; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a system for controlling the gimbal in accordance with the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 2  which shows a gimbal controller  100  constructed in accordance with the invention. Electronic gimbal controller  100  includes motion sensors, in particular by way of non-limiting example, digital gyroscope  112 , accelerometer  114  and magnetometers  110  for detecting motion of gimbal  10  and/or camera  20 . Outputs from motion sensors  110 ,  112 ,  114  are used to stabilize and control a gimbal  10 . In addition, a communication device  104 , which may be formed as an integrated circuit with a microcontroller  108  is used to wirelessly transmit and receive control and configuration information. 
         [0016]    The intelligence of gimbal controller  100  is provided by a microcontroller  108 . 3-axis magnetometer  110  is a sensor that provides information to the microcontroller as to the orientation of gimbal  10  with respect to the Earth&#39;s magnetic field. 3-axis gyroscope sensor  112  detects changes in the rate of rotation of gimbal  10  about the roll, tilt, and pan axis. 3-axis accelerometer  114  senses the acceleration forces experienced by gimbal  10  along the roll, tilt, and pan axis. Microcontroller  108  combines the information provided by these three sensors to provide an accurate estimate of the current position and movement of gimbal  10 . 
         [0017]    Gimbal controller  100  is fixed to the gimbal mount of gimbal  10  and thereby has the ability to recognize changes in movement of gimbal  10 . The movement of gimbal  10  closely coordinates with movement of camera  10 , but in a preferred embodiment sensors  110 ,  112 ,  114  may be mounted directly on camera  20 . 
         [0018]    Microcontroller  108  generates control signals  120  for various types of electro-mechanical motorized devices such as devices  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  which are used to alter the angle of the roll, tilt, and pan axis of gimbal  10 . These are indicated in  FIG. 2  as outputs  120  from the gimbal controller  100 . 
         [0019]    In addition to the gimbal axis outputs, gimbal controller  100  outputs control signals, such as control signal  128  that control the movement of the host platform (not shown) , such as an aerial platform, or a cart on a truck, to track an object (move along an axis) by way of example. Additional examples of an output  120  may be control signal outputs that control the operation of camera  20  such as shutter and zoom control signals, 
         [0020]    Gimbal controller  100  also includes a communication device  104 , formed, in one non-limiting example, as an integrated circuit with microcontroller  108  to send and receive information on a wireless network utilizing an antenna  102 . Each gimbal controller  100  is assigned a unique communication address, such as an internet protocol (“IP”) address. Providing gimbal controller  100  with a unique internet address allows the remote control of numerous gimbal mounts  10  connected to a common or bridged wireless network from a single device. The internet address may be an ad hoc address or part of an existing network. In a preferred, but non-limiting embodiment, the unique address is a Mac ID. This allows a portable device such as a smart phone to communicate with and provide control signals to gimbal controller  100 . 
         [0021]    A typical application would be the filming of a sporting event where the line-of-sight of multiple cameras can be controlled by a single person operating a control system also connected to the network. 
         [0022]    Utilizing output signals  120 , gimbal controller  100  has the ability to automatically control the roll, tilt, and pan axis of gimbal  10  to maintain a fixed line-of-sight for camera  20 , during the typical operation of gimbal  10 , manual control of the line-of-sight is often required. However, a joystick controller  130  may also be used to input control information to alter the fixed position of the gimbal  10  and camera  20 . Microcontroller  108  has the ability to decipher and utilize input commands from joystick controller  130  and produce outputs  120  in response thereto. The network connectivity of gimbal controller  100 , addressable at an IP address, allows control and manipulation of a gimbaled camera using a mobile communication device. An example would be a smart phone application with a virtual joystick to provide manual control of the line-of-sight of the camera. Sophisticated physical joysticks are no longer needed. 
         [0023]    The smart phone application would include several control features for typical photography and cinematography applications. In the simplest example a virtual joystick would be used to control the roll, tilt, and pan axis of the camera. In smart phones incorporating movement sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes, the movement of the phone in free space could be used to control the movement of the gimbal. This removes the need for sophisticated dedicated joysticks as used in the art. 
         [0024]    Another application would be time-lapse photography where a picture is taken at regular intervals over a long span of time. The smart phone application would be used to choose the start and stopping orientation of the gimbal, interval between pictures, and overall length of time. In addition, a movement choreography feature could be used where the user simply moves the smart phone in free space indicating the movement of the gimbal and then specifies time duration for the movement. Gimbal movement can be pre-planned much like a flight plan ahead of the shoot. 
         [0025]    Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out, novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is the intention therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0026]    It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.