Unmanned aerial vehicle, wearable apparatus including unmanned aerial vehicle, wristwatch including wearable apparatus, method of operating unmanned aerial vehicle, and apparatus for operating unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,202,189 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhao, Kai, Gu, Yu, Ding, Hongli, Zhang, Yifei, Zhang, Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/571,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20180312253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/30 Parts of fuselage relatively movable to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/028 Micro-sized aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• 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 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/50 Foldable or collapsible UAVs with frangible components B64U20/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/00 Transport or storage specially adapted for UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/60 by wearable objects, e.g. garments or helmets
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 : specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 : Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones

Abstract

The present application discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a support having a plurality of receiving slots; a plurality of arms attached to the support; and a plurality of propellers respectively attached to the plurality of arms. Each of the plurality of receiving slots is configured to receive one of the plurality of arms and one of the plurality of propellers attached to the one of the plurality of arms.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a support having a plurality of receiving slots;

a plurality of arms attached to the support; and

a plurality of propellers respectively attached to the plurality of arms;

wherein each of the plurality of receiving slots is configured to receive one of the plurality of arms and one of the plurality of propellers attached to the one of the plurality of arms.

2. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of propellers.

3. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of arms;

wherein each of the plurality of arms is articulated to the support.

4. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arms are a plurality of retractable arms.

5. The UAV of claim 1, wherein a total number of the plurality of arms is in a range of 3 to 6;

and

the plurality of arms are symmetrically distributed on the support.

6. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising a first controller operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of propellers and configured to be programmed with flight instructions to direct movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

7. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising a first sensor configured to detect a flight trajectory of the UAV.

8. A wearable apparatus, comprising:

the UAV of claim 1; and

a main body comprising a base portion;

wherein the UAV is detachably attached to the base portion.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 8, wherein the UAV is magnetically attached to the base portion.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a cap portion configured to be cooperatively engaged with the base portion;

wherein the cap portion is attached to the UAV.

11. The wearable apparatus of claim 8, wherein the UAV further comprises a first controller operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of propellers and configured to be programmed with flight instructions to direct movements of the UAV;

the main body further comprises a second controller, and a second sensor in communication with the second controller and configured to detect a gesture of a user wearing the wearable apparatus;

the second controller is configured to receive user gesture information from the second sensor and provide the flight instructions to the first controller based on the user gesture information; and

the first controller is configured to receive the flight instructions from the second controller to direct movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

12. The wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user gesture information comprises an initial status information of the user and a motion information of the user.

13. The wearable apparatus of claim 12, wherein the initial status information comprises an initial status information of a human body part wearing the wearable apparatus;

and

the motion information comprises a motion information of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus.

14. The wearable apparatus of claim 13, wherein the motion information comprises information regarding a projected direction of motion of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus having the unmanned aerial vehicle;

the second sensor is configured to determine a displacement of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus having the unmanned aerial vehicle along a direction of motion of the human body part; and

the second controller is configured to use the direction of motion of the human body part as the projected direction of motion, based on a determination that the displacement along the direction of motion of the human body part is equal to or greater than a threshold displacement value.

15. The wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a first sensor in communication with the first controller and configured to detect a flight trajectory of the UAV;

and

the first controller is configured to receive flight trajectory information of the UAV from the first sensor, and modify the flight trajectory of the UAV based on the flight instructions and the flight trajectory information of the UAV received from the first sensor.

16. The wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a plurality of first driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of propellers and a plurality of second driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of arms;

and

the first controller is configured to control the plurality of first driving motors and the plurality of second driving motors thereby controlling movements of the plurality of propellers and the plurality of arms.

17. A wristwatch comprising the wearable apparatus of claim 8;

a watch belt attached to the main body; and

a display screen;

wherein the UAV further comprises a cap portion configured to be engaged with the base portion; and

the display screen is on the cap portion.

18. The wristwatch of claim 17, further comprising a camera attached to the UAV.

19. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

receiving user gesture information of a gesture of a human body part wearing a wearable apparatus detected by a second sensor;

determining flight instructions based on the user gesture information of the gesture of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus; and

sending flight instructions to a first controller to direction movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

20. An apparatus for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a receiver configured to receive from a second controller user gesture information of a gesture of a human body part wearing a wearable apparatus;

a determinator configured to determine flight instructions based on the user gesture information of the gesture of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus; and

a transmitter configured to send flight instructions to a first controller to direction movements of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flight instructions.