Remote control method and terminal

Abstract

A method of controlling a payload supported by a carrier on a vehicle includes displaying, on a user interface of a terminal, at least one visual selector that causes a rotation control of the payload to be turned on or off, detecting, by a sensor of the terminal, an attitude of the terminal with respect to a plurality of rotational axes of the terminal, and displaying, on the user interface of the terminal, a plurality of attitude range indicators corresponding to a plurality of rotational axes of the payload. The rotation control controls the payload to rotate with respect to at least one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload. Each of the plurality of attitude range indicators includes a visual indicator indicating the detected attitude of the terminal with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a payload supported by a carrier on a vehicle, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a user interface of a terminal, at least one visual selector that causes a rotation control of the payload to be turned on or off, the rotation control controlling the payload to rotate with respect to at least one of a plurality of rotational axes of the payload;   detecting, by a sensor of the terminal, an attitude of the terminal with respect to a plurality of rotational axes of the terminal; and   displaying, on the user interface of the terminal, a plurality of attitude range indicators corresponding to the plurality of rotational axes of the payload, each of the plurality of attitude range indicators including a visual indicator indicating the detected attitude of the terminal with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in response to the at least one visual selector being in an on position, a rotation of the terminal about one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal causes a rotation of the payload about a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload; and   in response to the at least one visual selector being in an off position, the rotation of the terminal about the one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal does not cause the rotation of the payload about the corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal include at least one of a pitch axis, a yaw axis, or a roll axis of the terminal, and the plurality of rotational axes of the payload include at least one of a pitch axis, a yaw axis, or a roll axis of the payload. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual selector includes a button, and the button is turned on or off by a touching or selecting operation on the button. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of attitude range indicators includes a slider bar configured to be oriented in a direction reflecting a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of attitude range indicators includes a first region and a second region, the first region indicating a predetermined range of angles corresponding to a first control mode, the second region indicating a range of angles within an overall range of angles the vehicle is able to move but outside the predetermined range of angles, and the range of angles indicated by the second range corresponding to a second control mode. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second region is visually discernible from the first region. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first control mode is an angle-to-angle control mode in which an attitude change of the terminal causes a rotational angle of the payload to be changed; and   the second control mode is an angle-to-speed control mode or an angle-to-acceleration control mode in which the attitude change of the terminal causes a rotational speed or a rotational acceleration of the payload to be changed.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payload includes an image capturing device or a lighting device supported by the carrier on the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one visual selector includes a first visual selector and a second visual selector different from the first visual selector;   the at least one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload includes a first rotational axis of the payload and a second rotational axis of the payload different from the first rotational axis;   the first visual selector causes control of the payload to rotate with respect to the first rotational axis to be turned on or off; and   the second visual selector causes control of the payload to rotate with respect to the second rotational axis to be turned on or off.   
     
     
         11 . A terminal, comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect an attitude of the terminal with respect to a plurality of rotational axes of the terminal; and   a processor configured to:
 display, on a user interface of the terminal, at least one visual selector that causes a rotation control of a payload supported by a carrier on a vehicle to be turned on or off, the rotation control controlling the payload to rotate with respect to at least one of a plurality of rotational axes of the payload; and 
 display, on the user interface of the terminal, a plurality of attitude range indicators corresponding to the plurality of rotational axes of the payload, each of the plurality of attitude range indicators including a visual indicator indicating the detected attitude of the terminal with respect to a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal. 
   
     
     
         12 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein:
 in response to the at least one visual selector being in an on position, a rotation of the terminal about one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal causes a rotation of the payload about a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload; and   in response to the at least one visual selector being in an off position, the rotation of the terminal about the one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal does not cause the rotation of the payload about the corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload.   
     
     
         13 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal include at least one of a pitch axis, a yaw axis, or a roll axis of the terminal, and the plurality of rotational axes of the payload include at least one of a pitch axis, a yaw axis, or a roll axis of the payload. 
     
     
         14 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one visual selector includes a button, and the button is turned on or off by a touching or selecting operation on the button. 
     
     
         15 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein one of the plurality of attitude range indicators includes a slider bar configured to be oriented in a direction reflecting a corresponding one of the plurality of rotational axes of the terminal. 
     
     
         16 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of attitude range indicators includes a first region and a second region, the first region indicating a predetermined range of angles corresponding to a first control mode, the second region indicating a range of angles within an overall range of angles the vehicle is able to move but outside the predetermined range of angles, and the range of angles indicated by the second range corresponding to a second control mode. 
     
     
         17 . The terminal of  claim 16 , wherein the second region is visually discernible from the first region. 
     
     
         18 . The terminal of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first control mode is an angle-to-angle control mode in which an attitude change of the terminal causes a rotational angle of the payload to be changed; and   the second control mode is an angle-to-speed control mode or an angle-to-acceleration control mode in which the attitude change of the terminal causes a rotational speed or a rotational acceleration of the payload to be changed.   
     
     
         19 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein the payload includes an image capturing device or a lighting device supported by the carrier on the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The terminal of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the at least one visual selector includes a first visual selector and a second visual selector different from the first visual selector;   the at least one of the plurality of rotational axes of the payload includes a first rotational axis of the payload and a second rotational axis of the payload different from the first rotational axis;   the first visual selector causes control of the payload to rotate with respect to the first rotational axis to be turned on or off; and   the second visual selector causes control of the payload to rotate with respect to the second rotational axis to be turned on or off.