Method and apparatus of prompting position of aerial vehicle

• US 10,181,211 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhong, Heli, Zhang, Zhiyuan, Zhang, Liutao
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinle, Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US15/493,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20170221246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Method and apparatus of prompting a position of an aerial vehicle are provided. The method may include: obtaining first position information of the aerial vehicle and second position information of a ground end; and presenting a relative position relationship between the aerial vehicle and the ground end on a preset map according to the first position information and the second position information. Flight status including flight position and other suitable information of an aerial vehicle may therefore be directly provided.

Claims

1. A method of prompting a position of an aerial vehicle, comprising:

obtaining first position information of the aerial vehicle and second position information of a terminal configured to control the aerial vehicle;

presenting a relative position relationship between the aerial vehicle and the terminal on a preset map according to the first position information and the second position information;

obtaining first orientation information of the aerial vehicle and second orientation information of the terminal; and

displaying the preset map in a displaying interface aligned with a reference direction, the reference direction being dynamically determined based on at least one of the first orientation information or the second orientation information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining third position information of a set return target point for the aerial vehicle, and

displaying the set return target point on the preset map showing the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle and the terminal, according to the third position information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle and the terminal on the preset map and displaying the return target point comprise:

drawing a first icon corresponding to the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to the first position information;

drawing a second icon corresponding to the terminal on the preset map according to the second position information;

drawing a third icon corresponding to the return target point on the preset map according to the third position information; and

displaying the preset map drawn with the first icon, the second icon and the third icon.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying an orientation of the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to the first orientation information; and

displaying an orientation of the terminal on the preset map according to the second orientation information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the first icon and the second icon are icons with direction indication;

displaying the orientation of the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to the first orientation information comprises;

adjusting a pointing direction of the first icon according to the first orientation information; and

displaying the orientation of the terminal on the preset map according to the second orientation information comprises;

adjusting a pointing direction of the second icon according to the second orientation information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the preset map drawn with the first icon, the second icon and the third icon comprises:

adjusting at least one of a displaying direction of the preset map, a pointing direction of the first icon, and a pointing direction of the second icon according to the reference direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a presentation mode of the relative position relationship in the terminal comprises a primary interface presentation mode and a secondary interface presentation mode, which are switchable according to a selection of a user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the primary interface presentation mode comprises:

displaying the preset map and presenting the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle, the terminal and the return target point in a main displaying interface of the terminal; and

displaying a video image captured by the aerial vehicle and obtained in real time in a picture-in-picture displaying interface provided on the main displaying interface.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondary interface presentation mode comprises:

displaying a video image captured by the aerial vehicle and obtained in real time in a main displaying interface of the terminal; and

displaying the preset map and presenting the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle, the terminal and the return target point in a picture-in-picture displaying interface provided on the main displaying interface.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a moving distance of the terminal from a first location to a second location, resetting a position of the return target point to obtain updated third position information, when the detected moving distance is greater than a preset distance threshold; and

displaying the return target point on the preset map where the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle and the terminal has been shown, according to the updated third position information.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a distance of the aerial vehicle from the return target point; and

limiting a flight of the aerial vehicle, or resetting the return target point, or issuing a prompt of going beyond a distance limitation, when the detected distance value is greater than a preset return distance threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the relative position relationship on the preset map includes:

determining a relative distance between the aerial vehicle and the terminal;

determining, according to the relative distance, a zoom level for completely displaying the relative position relationship; and

presenting the relative position relationship on the preset map according to the first position information, the second position information, and the determined zoom level.

13. A terminal for controlling an aerial vehicle, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory to execute computer-readable instructions stored on the memory to;

obtain first position information of the aerial vehicle and second position information of the terminal; and

present a relative position relationship between the aerial vehicle and the terminal on a preset map according to the first position information and the second position information;

obtain first orientation information of the aerial vehicle and second orientation information of the terminal; and

display the preset map in a displaying interface aligned with a reference direction, the reference direction being dynamically determined based on at least one of the first orientation information or the second orientation information.

14. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

draw a first icon corresponding to the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to the first position information;

draw a second icon corresponding to the terminal on the preset map according to the second position information;

draw a third icon corresponding to a return target point for the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to third position information of the return target point; and

display the preset map drawn with the first icon, the second icon and the third icon.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

display an orientation of the aerial vehicle on the preset map according to the first orientation information; and

display an orientation of the terminal on the preset map according to the second orientation information.

16. The terminal of claim 15, wherein:

the first icon and the second icon are icons with direction indication, and

the at least one processor is further configured to;

adjust a pointing direction of the first icon according to the first orientation information; and

adjust a pointing direction of the second icon according to the second orientation information.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

adjust at least one of a displaying direction of the preset map, a pointing direction of the first icon, and a pointing direction of the second icon according to the reference direction.

18. The terminal of claim 13, wherein a presentation mode of the relative position relationship in the terminal comprises a primary interface presentation mode and a secondary interface presentation mode, which are switchable according to a selection of a user.

19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the primary interface presentation mode comprises:

displaying the preset map and presenting the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle, the terminal and a return target point in a main displaying interface of the terminal; and

displaying a video image captured by the aerial vehicle and obtained in real time in a picture-in-picture displaying interface provided on the main displaying interface.

20. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the secondary interface presentation mode comprises:

displaying a video image captured by the aerial vehicle and obtained in real time in a main displaying interface; and

displaying the preset map and presenting the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle, the terminal and a return target point in a picture-in-picture displaying interface provided on the main displaying interface.

21. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

detect a moving distance of the terminal from a first location to a second location;

reset a position of a return target point to obtain updated third position information of the return target point, when the detected moving distance is greater than a preset distance threshold;

display the return target point on the preset map where the relative position relationship of the aerial vehicle and the terminal has been shown, according to the updated third position information;

detect a distance of the aerial vehicle from the return target point; and

limit a flight of the aerial vehicle, or reset the return target point, or issue a prompt of going beyond a distance limitation, when the detected distance value is greater than a preset return distance threshold.