# US 11,310,416 B2 · Control device, control system, control method, and storage medium

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- Number: US 11,310,416 B2
- Document ID: US11310416B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/748,485
- Filed: 2020-01-21
- Published: 2020-05-21
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-23
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hiroyasu Morita
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310416B2

## CPC

- G02B 7/102: {controlled by a microcomputer (cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14)}
- H04N 23/665: {involving internal camera communication with the image sensor, e.g. synchronising or multiplexing SSIS control signals}
- G02B 7/04: with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
- G03B 15/006: {Apparatus mounted on flying objects}
- H04N 23/634: {Warning indications}
- H04N 23/66: Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
- H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
- H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
- G03B 2205/0046: Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)

## Abstract

There is provided a control device that controls a moving apparatus to which an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens is mounted, the device comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain lens information including information pertaining to a zoom position of the zoom lens; and a control unit configured to control movement of the moving apparatus based on the lens information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control device that controls a moving apparatus to which an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens is mounted, the control device comprising:
a memory storing a program; and
a computer that executes the program stored in the memory, and controls movement of the moving apparatus,
wherein the computer:
obtains information indicating a maximum weight that can be mounted to the moving apparatus;
obtains information indicating a weight of the zoom lens;
obtains information indicating a weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens;
determines whether or not a total of the weight of the zoom lens and the weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens exceeds the maximum weight; and
in a case where the total exceeds the maximum weight, controls the movement of the moving apparatus so that the moving apparatus does not start moving.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control device according to claim 1, wherein the moving apparatus is a flying object.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is included in the image capturing apparatus or the moving apparatus.

### Claim 4

A control device that controls an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens, the image capturing apparatus being mounted to a moving apparatus, the control device comprising:
a memory storing a program; and
a computer that executes the program stored in the memory, and controls the zoom lens,
wherein the computer:
obtains information indicating a position of a predetermined part of the moving apparatus;
obtains information indicating a current zoom position of the zoom lens;
determines, based on the position of the predetermined part, whether or not the current zoom position is distanced from a zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within a shooting range by greater than or equal to a threshold; and
in a case where the current zoom position is not distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold, controls the zoom lens so that the zoom position of the zoom lens is moved at a slower speed than when the current zoom position is distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The control device according to claim 4, wherein the moving apparatus is a flying object including a propeller, and
the predetermined part is the propeller.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The control device according to claim 4, wherein the moving apparatus is a flying object.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The control device according to claim 4, wherein the control device is included in the image capturing apparatus or the moving apparatus.

### Claim 8

A method of controlling a moving apparatus to which an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens is mounted, the method comprising:
obtaining information indicating a maximum weight that can be mounted to the moving apparatus;
obtaining information indicating a weight of the zoom lens;
obtaining information indicating a weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens;
determining whether or not a total of the weight of the zoom lens and the weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens exceeds the maximum weight; and
in a case where the total exceeds the maximum weight, controlling the movement of the moving apparatus so that the moving apparatus does not start moving.

### Claim 9

A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens, the image capturing apparatus being mounted to a moving apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining information indicating a position of a predetermined part of the moving apparatus;
obtaining information indicating a current zoom position of the zoom lens;
determining, based on the position of the predetermined part, whether or not the current zoom position is distanced from a zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within a shooting range by greater than or equal to a threshold; and
in a case where the current zoom position is not distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold, controls the zoom lens so that the zoom position of the zoom lens is moved at a slower speed than when the current zoom position is distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a moving apparatus to which an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens is mounted, the method comprising:
obtaining information indicating a maximum weight that can be mounted to the moving apparatus;
obtaining information indicating a weight of the zoom lens;
obtaining information indicating a weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens;
determining whether or not a total of the weight of the zoom lens and the weight of the image capturing apparatus without the zoom lens exceeds the maximum weight; and
in a case where the total exceeds the maximum weight, controlling the movement of the moving apparatus so that the moving apparatus does not start moving.

### Claim 11

A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image capturing apparatus including a zoom lens, the image capturing apparatus being mounted to a moving apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining information indicating a position of a predetermined part of the moving apparatus;
obtaining information indicating a current zoom position of the zoom lens;
determining, based on the position of the predetermined part, whether or not the current zoom position is distanced from a zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within a shooting range by greater than or equal to a threshold; and
in a case where the current zoom position is not distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold, controls the zoom lens so that the zoom position of the zoom lens is moved at a slower speed than when the current zoom position is distanced from the zoom position at which the predetermined part will be present within the shooting range by greater than or equal to the threshold.