Unmanned aerial vehicles for collaboration

• US 10,112,706 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sopper, Clark, Woodward, Adam, Bavor, Jr., Clayton Woodward
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US15/226,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20170029098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/29 Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2222 Prompting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A mobile telepresence system may include a frame, a propulsion system operably coupled to the frame to propel the frame through a designated space, a screen movably coupled to the frame, and an image output device coupled to the frame. The frame may include a central body defining a longitudinal axis of the frame, a first arm at a first end portion of the central body, and a second arm at a second end portion of the central body, opposite the first end portion of the central body. The propulsion system may include rotors at opposite end portions of the first and second arms which propel the frame in response to an external command. The image output device may project an image onto the screen in response to an external command.

Claims

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a propulsion system coupled to the frame and configured to propel the aerial vehicle in response to a command from a remote device;

a screen pivotably coupled to the frame;

an image output device movably mounted to the frame, wherein the image output device is configured to project an image onto the screen; and

a controller configured to;

operate a communication module to communicate with the remote device.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the propulsion system includes a plurality of rotors each coupled to a respective portion of the frame.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a coupling device that pivotably couples the screen to a forward end of the frame.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the coupling device includes at least one hinge, the at least one hinge comprising:

a first bracket fixed to the forward end of the frame;

a second bracket fixed to a top end of the screen;

a shaft extending through the first bracket and the second bracket to couple the first bracket and the second bracket such that the screen is rotatable about the shaft relative to the forward end of the frame; and

a stop mechanism that limits an amount of rotation of the screen about the shaft to within a predetermined range.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 4, wherein, in a neutral position the screen is oriented substantially vertically, and in a first position the screen is rotated in a first direction about the shaft such that a rear facing surface of the screen is rotated toward a bottom surface of the frame and positioned at a first side of the neutral position, and in a second position the screen is rotated in a second direction about the shaft, the second direction being opposite the first direction, such that a forward facing surface of the screen is rotated upward and positioned at a second side of the neutral position, and wherein the predetermined range is between the first position and the second position.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein air flow during flight of the aerial vehicle causes the screen to rotate within the predetermined range so that the screen aligns itself in an aerodynamic position.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the screen has a unitary structure made of a foam material, including a semi-translucent, perforated display area surrounded by a rigid outer frame, a thickness of the display area being less than a thickness of the rigid outer frame, and wherein air can flow through the perforated display area during flight of the aerial vehicle.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a speaker configured to output audio based on audio data, and wherein the image output device comprises a projector configured to project the image based on image data.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the projector and the speaker to output in real-time audio data and image data associated with a remote location, wherein the audio data and image data is received from the remote device via the communication module.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone configured to receive an audio input; and

a camera configured to capture an image input.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the communication module to transmit in real time image inputs received by the camera at a current location and audio inputs received by the microphone at the current location to the remote device located at a remote location, wherein the remote location is different from the current location.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 11, wherein the image output device is further coupled to the screen such that the image output device moves in response to movement of the screen.

13. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a propulsion system operably coupled to the frame and configured to propel the aerial vehicle in response to a command from a remote device;

a docking station configured to receive a mobile electronic device, wherein the mobile electronic device is configured to display a first image; and

a first mirror movably coupled to the frame, wherein the first mirror is arranged to reflect the first image displayed by mobile electronic device towards a surface.

14. The aerial vehicle of claim 13, further comprising:

a second mirror movably coupled to the frame, wherein the second mirror is arranged to reflect a second image, from an environment of the aerial vehicle, towards an image capturing component of the mobile electronic device.

15. The aerial vehicle of claim 13, wherein a speaker of the mobile electronic device outputs audio based on audio data, and wherein a microphone of the mobile electronic device receives an audio input from the environment of the aerial vehicle.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a projector configured to project a second image onto the first mirror such that the first mirror reflects the second image towards the surface.

17. A method comprising:

operating an image output device coupled to an aerial vehicle to project an image onto a surface;

measuring in real-time an orientation of the surface with respect to the image output device;

determining, based on the measured orientation, that the image projected onto the surface is distorted;

in response to determining that the image is distorted, determining in real-time an adjustment to the image output device at which the image is not distorted on the surface; and

adjusting the image output device according to the determined adjustment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the image output device is coupled to the aerial vehicle via an adjustable coupling mechanism, wherein determining in real-time an adjustment to the image output device comprises determining an orientation of the image output device at which the image is not distorted on the surface, and wherein adjusting the image output device comprises adjusting the adjustable coupling mechanism to orient the image capturing device at the determined orientation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein determining in real-time an adjustment to the image output device is further in response to detecting a movement of the surface.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining based the measured orientation that the image is distorted on the surface comprises determining based on the measured orientation that an area of the image on the surface is larger than a predetermined area.