Stabilized camera platform system

Abstract

A stabilized camera system has a roll frame formed as a parallelogram linkage and pivotably attached to a pan frame. A tilt frame is pivotably attached to the roll frame. Control circuits are provided to compensate for drift, to allow manual aiming of the camera during stabilized camera operation, and for providing rapid leveling. The stabilized camera system is compact with low moments of inertia to allow rapid movements.

1 . A camera head comprising:
 an arcuate pan frame;   a roll frame rotatably attached to the pan frame via a roll collar, with the roll frame comprising a parallelogram linkage;   a tilt frame rotatably attached to the roll frame via a tilt collar;   wherein the parallelogram linkage provides a rigid connection between the roll collar and the tilt collar.   
     
     
         2 . The camera head of  claim 1  further comprising first and second roll motors linked to the roll collar. 
     
     
         3 . The camera head of  claim 1  further comprising first and second tilt motors linked to the tilt collar. 
     
     
         4 . The camera head of  claim 1  further comprising first and second pan motors linked to a pan shaft on the pan frame. 
     
     
         5 . The camera head of  claim 4  further comprising a roll shaft attached to the pan frame, with the pan shaft and the roll shaft at right angles. 
     
     
         6 . The camera head of  claim 1  with the pan frame formed as a quarter circle. 
     
     
         7 . The camera head of  claim 1  wherein the tilt frame includes an L-shaped camera platform. 
     
     
         8 . A stabilized camera system, comprising:
 a pan frame including a pan shaft aligned on a pan axis;   a roll frame attached to the pan frame via a roll collar and rotatable about a roll axis perpendicular to the pan axis;   at least one pan motor linked to the pan shaft;   at least one roll motor linked to the roll collar; and   a control system linked to the at least one pan motor and the at least one roll motor.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the roll frame comprises first and second rigid, straight and parallel bars pivotally attached to each other to form a parallelogram linkage.