SI24055A - The control system for stabilizing the head of the flight or stationary platform - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the control of an instrument (4) installed on a flying (1) or stationary (8) platform, which is intended to perform various tasks such as recording with a camera, taking measurements, positioning, control, and the like. The proposed system allows reliable, precise and easy handling of the flying (1) or stationary (8) platform and the instrument (4) at the same time. In the case of a flying platform (1), the so-called unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is only composed of a structure consisting of a fuselage (2) and the arms of the platform (3) on which the rotors are mounted ( 33), and is equipped with an instrument (4) such as a camera, stabilization system, i.e. stabilization head (5), a control system consisting of a control panel (6) for controlling the flying platform (1) and a system for tracking the orientation of the head (7) for guiding the instrument (4). The flying platform can also be in the form of a fixed wing. In the case of a stationary platform (8), only this consists of an instrument (4), such as a camera, mounted on a stabilization system, i.e. stabilization head (5), whereby everything is attached to a fixed support (tripod) or to a movable (rail, lift, crane, pulleys, levers, ladder, etc.) support (9).

Description

Stabilizer head steering system for flying or stationary platform

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a control system of an instrument mounted on a stabilizing head of a stationary or flying platform, or more specifically, a control system of an instrument guided by a head-tracking system and a control panel for remote control of the platform.

The state of the art

The present invention falls within the field of control and control of stationary or flying platforms, such as single or multiple unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipped with an instrument such as an aerial or photographic camera, or laser meter.

Single-drone and multi-drone drones are currently used in a wide variety of applications, depending on their intended use.

US Patent Application 2011/0017865 Al describes a multi-platform flying platform in which the rotors are mounted in such a way that the mounted camera allows a unobstructed view of the front.

U.S. Patent No. 7,658,555 BI discloses a camera vibration-reduction head that can be mounted on a mobile platform such as an aircraft, with stabilization around the three axes by gyroscopes.

US 2006083501 (Al) discloses an aerial photography device allowing 360 ° rotation of the device.

From patent application CN 101619971 (A), the aerial photograph system is known by means of a platform capable of three-axis stabilization.

US Patent Application 2003213868 (Al) discloses a camera control system that enables tracking of objects from an aircraft while the camera is movable and its motion is controlled by the user and the integrated control system.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,758 (A) describes a stabilization system for directing the camera, wherein rotary sensors mounted on the camera platform detect a rotation change in three axes.

JP2006264568 (A) discloses a helicopter with a simple construction and a camera guidance system and vibration damping.

From patent application CN201002722 (Y), a two-axis image stabilization system taken from an aircraft is known. The invention relates to lens stabilization and image compensation due to aircraft movement.

Patent Application CN201287830 (Y) describes a stabilized airborne housing wherein the system compensates for the vibration and movement of the aircraft.

US7658555 (BI) describes a camcorder enclosure with a stabilization system that allows manual handling of the camera on the aircraft.

From patent application CN101619971 (A), a solution of three-axis gyroscope platform stabilization is known which compensates for the rotation of the platform and its vibrations.

US5995758 (A) discloses an instrument stabilizer such as a camera, wherein sensors mounted on the platform detect the offset or rotation of the platform from its initial position in any of the three axes. The detected rotation in any axis is canceled or compensated by the use of motors that direct the platform back to its initial state.

W02005114366 (Al) discloses a solution of a head-tracking system in which the transmitter and the battery are integrated into the handset.

EP2428813 (Al) discloses a solution of a head orientation tracking system in which the position of the head is determined by sound.

US2009237355 (Al) discloses a solution for locating at least one user relative to a video display, wherein the tracking device is mounted on the user, for example, via glasses, headsets or on the arm.

US2011293129 (Al) discloses a solution for a head orientation tracking system that determines a user's head rotation relative to a reference (initial) head orientation.

US5138555 (A) describes a pilot head motion prediction system.

US2008120408 (Al) discloses a system and method for tracking head orientation, based on acoustic signals.

US2006146046 (Al) discloses a method for tracking and predicting the expected orientation of a head using a system for tracking the orientation of the head.

Description of existing systems

The current unmanned flying systems, according to the state of the art, require at least two operators for the smooth operation of the entire system: one is required to operate the flying platform, while the other is required to monitor and control the camera and track the object being observed. Such a system consequently has higher operating costs and less coordinated translational and rotational motion of the stabilization head.

Furthermore, according to the current state of the art, existing systems utilize one or both of the possible ways of tracking and controlling the system, i.e., platform control and / or stabilization head orientation. But everyone

systems that use both modes at the same time do not allow the platform to be optimally managed and simultaneously coordinated and easy to shoot with the camera.

The current state of the art in head-tracking systems for camera guidance also does not know the combination of proportional and progressive camera guidance with respect to the movement of the head from some initial reference point. Such a camera guidance system limits the flexibility of using cameras mounted on stationary or flying systems and makes the whole system less responsive and consequently less useful. Also, such a camera control system is awkward or tiring for the pilot or camera operator himself, as in some cases he may require quick and sudden movements and extreme head turns. This is especially clear in the case of head rotation about the vertical axis (up and down). Namely, the human body allows the head to be turned up to 55 ° from its normal horizontal position. If we want to direct our gaze in a direction that is more than 55 ° away from the horizontal position, we need to use eyes that allow the view to be up to 90 ° vertically upwards. Because head orientation tracking systems monitor the turn of the head rather than the eyes themselves, such systems are less flexible when shooting vertically upwards. While more advanced camera guidance systems use so-called eye-tracking systems that can cover the entire 90 ° angle, such a system can easily be replaced by using progressive camera guidance, for example by using an exponential camera response based on operator head displacement.

Purpose and object of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is a method of controlling and controlling a device mounted on stationary or flying systems that can overcome the above disadvantages and obstacles. By using the solutions mentioned in this patent, it is possible to achieve and provide simple, accurate, reliable and less expensive use of various instruments installed on fixed or flying systems, especially for photography or filming.

Description of solution to a technical problem with implementation examples

The invention proposes a solution to the problem of controlling and controlling an instrument 4 mounted on a flying 1 or stationary platform 8, wherein the instrument 4 may be a camera, a camera, a laser meter, or any other measuring, recording or monitoring instrument. The whole system consists of the following main sections:

a) Flying platforms 1 (aircraft) or fixed platforms 8 (fixed or mobile construction);

b) Platform management and propulsion systems (engines 35 with rotors 33 or aircraft wings in the case of flying platform 1 and levers, cables, tripods, rails, cranes and the like in the case of stationary platform 8);

c) Instrument 4 stabilization system - for example stabilization head 5;

d) a control panel 6 to control and operate the flying platform 1 or stationary platform 8;

e) Orientation tracking system for Chapter 7 for guidance and control of the instrument 4.

The invention relates to a control system for instrument 4, which can be mounted on a flying platform 1 or a stationary platform 8, and can be used for any service such as photography or video recording, surveillance, rescue and security, geo-information services, laser changes and other similar activities and services. The common features are common to both platforms, both flying and stationary, and are therefore described below. The following are examples of implementation examples for each platform design.

Instrument stabilization system or stabilization head

Instrument 4 is mounted on the platform stabilization system or the so-called stabilization head 5. The stabilization head 5 allows the movement of the instrument 4 around all three axes: longitudinal 11, transverse 10 and vertical 12. All three rotations are enabled by means of bearings 34 which are arranged inside stabilization heads 5. The stabilization head 5 is designed and constructed in such a way that all three axes of the stabilization head 5, longitudinal 11, transverse 10 and vertical axis 12 intersect at the center of gravity of the instrument 4 and the stabilization heads 5. Such placement of the instrument 4 reduces the loads of actuators 15 , which control the movement of the instrument 4, while increasing the responsiveness of the system.

The stabilizer head 5 incorporates actuators 15 and a gearbox 16 designed to give a maximum rotation speed of about 70 ° per second. The actuators 15 of the stabilization head 5 have a feedback loop that allows very precise and smooth stabilization of the instrument 4, since the system actively adjusts the speed and torque of the motors 15 according to the desired position or orientation.

The stabilization head 5 also has a transmitter 14 for transmitting a signal from the stabilization head 5 to the control panel 6.

Stabilization head 5 may have additional control or monitoring units 13 such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) or a control unit for stabilization of the stabilization head 5 itself.

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Instrument control systems

Instrument 4 is actively controlled by the operator 17 by means of a control panel 6 with which the operator 17 directs the flying 1 or stationary platform 8, and by means of a head orientation tracking system 7 by which the operator controls the instrument 4 itself.

The operator 17 controls the movement of the flying platform 1 or stationary 8 using a control panel 6 on which one or more control rods are located. One example of such an embodiment is as follows: the left joystick 18 is used to control the height in altitude - up / down (along the z-axis) - and the angular velocity about the z-axis, while the right joystick 19 is used to guide the platform horizontally directions: forward / backward (along the x-axis) and left / right (along the y-axis).

At the same time, the same operator 17 (or an assistant thereof) can control and guide the instrument 4 mounted on the stabilization head 5 by means of a head orientation tracking system 7. The head orientation orientation tracking system 7 consists of a video display 20 for displaying an image and / or signals from the instrument 4 and operating data of the flying 1 or stationary platform 8 from the inertial measuring unit 21 and the control computer 22 for processing and transmitting the orientation and movement data of the operator's head from the inertial measuring unit 21 to the computer 23 mounted on the flying 1 or stationary platform 8.

Communication between instrument, control panel and head orientation tracking system

Communication between the head tracking system 7, which may be in the form of glasses or a visor on the helmet, and the control panel 6 may be either wireless 25 or communication via cable 24. Data transmission between the flying 1 or the stationary platform 8 and the control panel 6 is can take at least two forms:

Data link 26 for transmitting data on desired speed and / or orientation of flying 1 or stationary platform 8, desired orientation of stabilizing head 5, and for platform status information (platform status);

Video link 27 between the instrument 4 and the head orientation tracking system 7 via the control panel 6.

The measured location and orientation information of the instrument 4 may also be transmitted between the instrument 4 and the head orientation tracking system 7 via a data link (feedback loop), and displayed on the video display 20, or some other data display.

Orientation and movement of the platform and instrument

The control of flying 1 or stationary platform 8 and instrument 4 follows the following process control logic:

1. The orientation and movement of instrument 4 and, consequently, its control are determined by continuous measurement using sensors mounted on a flying 1 or stationary platform 8 (inertial measuring unit - EMU - 28, RTK GPS 29 "real time kinematic global positioning system", pressure sensor 20, ultrasonic or laser distance meter 31, or any other direct or indirect location / speed / orientation meter 32), and optionally by means of a secondary or additional inertial measuring unit 13 mounted on the stabilizing head 5 of the instrument 4 and further measuring the orientation and the rotation of the instrument itself.

2. Computer 23 collects all measured data, processes it, and then calculates the speed and orientation of flying 1 or stationary platform 8.

3. Computer 23 then compares the measured position and velocity of the flying 1 or stationary platform 8 and the desired position and velocity determined by the operator 17 using the control panel 6 and the head orientation tracking system 7.

4. Depending on the difference between the measured position and the desired position and the speed of the platform 23, the computer 23 then evaluates and determines the appropriate control of the propulsion systems of the flying 1 or stationary platform 8 (be it engines, elevators, propellers, levers, pulleys, etc.).

5. The computer 23 then determines the desired positions of the stabilization actuators 15 of the stabilization head 5 according to the difference between the measured and desired position and the speed of the flying 1 or stationary platform 8, and depending on the desired orientation of the instrument 4.

Improving algorithms to better evaluate the state of the system

The position, velocity and orientation of flying platform 1 are determined primarily by measurements made with accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors.

The velocity is calculated by integrating the accelerometer measurements while the position is determined by integrating the calculated velocity. This leads to the basic problem of the progression of integral error. No measurement is 100% accurate or reliable and every measurement contains an error. These errors are accumulated during the measurement and processing of data in the first integral of the velocity calculation and in the second integral of the position calculation. This measurement error can be reduced or controlled using additional physically independent position sensors or platform speeds. Integration of the measurement results of additional sensors for better estimation of platform position and velocity is done in the Kalman filter. The advancement of the integral error in estimating the position and speed of the platform can be significantly reduced or limited by the use of additional sensors such as GPS. In situations where GPS is temporarily or permanently unavailable, such as when the system is used in closed buildings, an “optical flow” meter may be used instead of a GPS system.

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Implementation examples

In the following, the invention is presented in greater detail by means of figures and two embodiments:

FIG. 1 schematically represents a flying platform 1 consisting of a fuselage of platform 2, to which the arms of the platform 3 are attached and on which one rotor 33 is mounted on the arm of the platform 3. The location of the stabilization head 5 in which the instrument 4 is mounted is also shown;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the stabilization system or stabilization head 5 of the instrument 4 in three views and in 3D. In this embodiment, the instrument is a camera for recording video or photographing;

FIG. 3 shows the control system of flying platform 1 and instrument 4 as presented in this embodiment;

FIG. 4 schematically represents the control system of the flying platform 1 and the instrument 4 as presented in this embodiment, but from the point of view of control itself, that is, the connection between the movement of the head of the operator 17 and the movement of the flying platform 1 together with the stabilizing head 5.

FIG. 5 shows an additional embodiment in which the instrument 4 (in this case, video camera or camera) is mounted on a stationary platform 8, which is attached to a fixed or movable support such as rails, crane, levers, cables, tripods, and the like.

In FIG. 1 shows a flying platform 1 with four rotors 33. The rotors 33 are arranged on four arms 3 of the platform, which are attached to the hull 2 of the platform in X-arrangement. The arrangement of the arms 3 of the platform may in this case be of any shape or arrangement, such as the X-, Y-, Z-, A-, H-arrangement. The rotors 33 are driven by motoes 35.

Instrument 4, which in this case is a camera, is attached to a stabilization system, i.e. Stabilization head 5, which eliminates any unwanted changes in orientation and vibration of the instrument 4.

Flying platform 1 is equipped with a computer 23 that collects and processes the data and controls the flying platform 1 and the stabilization head 5 on which the instrument 4 is mounted. The computer 23 comprises an inertial measuring unit 28 by which it estimates the position, speed and orientation of the flying platform 1. The flying platform further comprises RTK GPS 29, a pressure sensor 30, an ultrasonic or laser distance meter 31, or any additional sensor for determining the position, velocity, orientation 32, which are used as additional measurements of the status of the flying platform 1.

In FIG. 3 shows a flying platform 1, which also includes a data link 26 for transmitting data between the flying platform 1 and the radio control panel 6, and a video link 27 for transmitting video data to a video display 20 mounted on the head orientation tracking system 7. Video data is transmitted via the control panel 6.

Such flying platform 1 as described above may be further equipped with systems described elsewhere in the present invention, i.e. one or more sensors for stabilizing the instrument 4 by means of a stabilization head 5, a control system for the instrument 4 by a system for tracking the orientation of the head and the control panel 6, and a communication system between the flying platform 1, the tracking system for the head 7 and the control panel 6.

In FIG. 2, a proposed embodiment already described above is presented in which the flying platform is further provided with an additional inertial measuring unit 13 attached to the instrument 4. Said measurement via an inertial measuring unit 13 may be further duplicated by an additional sensor such as an accelerometer and / or a ground magnetic field sensor capable of providing a temporally stable measurement of the orientation of the flying platform 1.

In the said embodiment, the orientation of the stabilization head 5 can be determined in two ways: either directly by means of an additional inertial measuring unit 13 mounted on the stabilizing head 5, or indirectly via an inertial measuring unit 28 mounted on a flying platform 1, and feedback loops from actuators 15 stabilization heads 5, hence the actuator position feedback.

In the following embodiment, stabilization head 5 is guided only by a signal from the head orientation tracking system 7. In other words, even if the flying platform 1 moves or rotates according to commands from the operator 17 and / or due to external influences such as wind , the stabilization head 5 will hold the instrument 4 in the desired orientation. Stabilization head 5 nullifies any rotational motion or movement of the flying platform 1.

The stabilization head 5 described in the above embodiment may be further guided by an advanced control system that includes a prediction of the expected movement of the platform. In other words, the actuators 15 can be controlled based on the current, actual measured data of the flying platform 1, and at the same time with additional prediction of the future movement of the platform, the prediction being based on the past and present measured data and input control commands of the operator 17. Such control can further improve stabilization of flying platform 1 and instrument 4.

The described embodiment may further include the proportional dependence of the displacement of the joystick (left 18 or right 19) and the speed of the flying platform 1. This control method can be achieved with a so-called fly-by-wire system.

FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, wherein the stabilization head 5 of the instrument 4 can be implemented as one, two or three-axis. At the same time, the head orientation tracking system 7 can also be implemented in one, two or three axes. The combination of these options allows for the control of the entire system, with the rotation of the entire flying platform 1 around its vertical axis 41 simultaneously assuming the role of steering the stabilizing head around its vertical axis 12. This control means that active stabilization of the stabilization head 5 and the instrument 4 around its axis is not performed. vertical axis 12 - This is especially interesting for applications where additional stabilization around the vertical axis is not required.

The technical solution of an embodiment as described above may also include any other instrument 4 incorporated in a single or multiple drone flying system. For example, these instruments can be different laser systems, infrared cameras, radars and the like.

In the specific embodiment described above, the orientation of the operator head 17 is measured by means of an inertial measuring unit 21 built into the head orientation tracking system 7, being functionally connected in a linear fashion (for example: 1 ° of head rotation equals 1 ° of stabilization head 5 rotation ) or progressively, for example, exponentially, and is defined by an appropriate function. In this way, the orientation of the stabilization head in a vertical direction 37 can be achieved over an angle of inclination of 55 ° from the horizontal position, which is the physical limit of the human neck. Such a system consequently permits the abandonment of the use of eye-tracking systems.

In addition, the embodiment can be described above upgraded such that the orientation of the head of the operator 17 is determined by means of an inertial measuring unit 21 and with a control computer 22 mounted on the tracking system of the orientation of the head 7.

For more accurate and / or more stable measurements of the orientation of the head of the operator 17, an axial accelerometer, a sensor for measuring the earth's magnetic field, or any other system that directly or indirectly determine the position or orientation of the head of the operator 17 may be used. , which measures and evaluates the orientation of the operator's head 17, may be fitted to glasses, the visor or any other element on the operator's head, or may be positioned near the operator's 17.

Further, the embodiment may be described above, together with any additional embodiments and upgrades, similarly implemented in a fixed-wing system in which the buoyancy of the vessel provides the wing instead of the rotoi.

Figure 5 shows a stationary platform 8 with stabilization head 5 and instrument 4. Similar to the guidance and control principles of instrument 5 as mentioned above for flying platform 1 can also be applied in the case of stationary platform 8: guidance of stabilization head 5 of stationary platform 8 se. implemented with the help of the tracking system for the orientation of the head 7 and the stabilization head 5. All the subordinate descriptions of the implementation example of the flying platform 1 are also used in this case stationary platform 8 wherein the stationary platform 8 can be mounted either on a fixed support (tripod) or on a movable but stationary support 9 (rails, elevator, crane, levers, pulleys, etc.).

Other possible embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art of unmanned aerial vehicles and aerial photography. One of them is that the unmanned aerial vehicle system can be exchanged for any vessel, whether on the ground, in water or in the air, and is thus further equipped with a stabilization system, ie a stabilization head 5, in which any instrument 4 is installed.

The descriptions of the embodiment examples given in this invention serve only as an example and in no way limit the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

A multi-platform stabilization system consisting of a stabilization head (5) mounted on a flying platform (1) or stationary platform (8) equipped with an instrument (4) and / or other sensors and integrated with the system for tracking the orientation of the head (7); wherein the head orientation tracking system (7) is intended to guide and control the stabilization head (5) and the instrument (4). System according to claim 1, characterized in that the platform is a flying platform (1) wherein it can be in the design with a wing or one or more rotors, and wherein the flying platform (1) has six degrees of freedom, ie three rotations and three translations, and stabilization head (5) one, two or three active degrees of freedom to stabilize the orientation of the instrument (4). System according to claim 1, characterized in that the stationary platform (8) is attached to a vehicle or water craft, or is attached to a lift, cables, levers, pulleys, rails or tripod, and wherein the stabilizing head (5) has one, two or three degrees of freedom to stabilize the orientation of the instrument (4). System according to claim 1, characterized in that the orientation of the stabilization head (5) is estimated and calculated by means of an inertial measuring unit (28) mounted on the platform, with the position of the actuators (15) of the stabilizing head (5), and a computer 23 mounted on a platform for capturing and processing sensory data. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the orientation orientation stabilization estimate (5) is further improved by the use of ground magnetic field sensors and / or other position / orientation / rotation measurement devices that allow the stabilization head orientation to be directly or indirectly evaluated (5). The system of claim 1 wherein the orientation of the stabilization head (5) is estimated directly from the measurements of the inertial measuring unit (13) mounted on the stabilization head (5). System according to claims 4 - 6, wherein the orientation and / or position estimate of the stabilization head (5) is calculated using the measured data from the sensors and the state estimation using a Kalman filter. 8. The system of claim 2, wherein a so-called fly-by-wire steering system is used to control the speed and position of the flying platform (1) and wherein the speed of the platform is functionally related to the offset of the left (18) or right (19) ) joysticks on the control panel (6). The system of claim 8, wherein the actuators (15) and the stabilization head (5) are controlled by a computer algorithm that allows the prediction of the movement of the platform at future times. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors of the head orientation tracking system (7) can be directly attached to the operator head (17), helmet, goggles or visor, or allow indirect measurement of the orientation and / or position of the operator head (17) via sensors installed in the vicinity of the operator (17). A device for controlling the instrument (4) mounted on different platforms, consisting of a head orientation tracking system (7) operated by a stabilizing head (5) mounted on the platform and equipped with an instrument (4) the dependence between the movement of the operator head (17) and the orientation of the stabilization head (5) is achieved by a computer algorithm. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the functional relationship between the orientation of the operator head (17) and the orientation of the stabilization head (5) depends on the orientation of the operator head (17), and wherein this functional relationship is between the orientation of the operator head (17) and the orientation stabilization heads (5) linear at an operator head deflection (17) up to 20 ° from the normal head position, and non-lineam, for example exponential, at an operator head (17) deflection by more than 20 °. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a feedback loop with information regarding the position and / or orientation of the stabilization head (5) is established by transferring data between the additional inertial measuring unit (13) mounted on the stabilization head (5) and the head orientation tracking system ( 7). The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the feedback loop with position and / or orientation information of the stabilization head (5) is determined by the position of the actuators (15) and the inertial measuring unit (28) is mounted on the platform. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the feedback loop with information regarding the position and / or orientation of the stabilization head (5) is displayed on the video display (20) of the operator's head orientation tracking system (7) or any other display.