Method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for landing flight device

• US 10,220,958 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Liu, Huayijun, Chen, Tao, Wu, Ke
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US15/465,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20170341775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 701 17
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/028 Micro-sized aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for landing a flight device are provided. The method includes: detecting whether the flight device meets a condition for landing; detecting whether a current landing area for the flight device is a safe landing area, when the flight device meets the condition for landing, wherein the safe landing area is an area on the ground which enables the flight device to land safely; and adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area, when the current landing area is not the safe landing area.

Claims

1. A method for landing a flight device, the method comprising:

detecting whether the flight device meets a condition for landing;

detecting whether a current landing area for the flight device is a safe landing area, when the flight device meets the condition for landing, wherein the current landing area is an area comprising a location where the flight device is projected vertically on the ground when it meets the condition for landing and respective locations whose distances from said location are less than a predetermined distance, and the safe landing area is an area on the ground which enables the flight device to land safely; and

adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area, when the current landing area is not the safe landing area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area comprises:

determining, via a positioning system, a first positioning area comprising the current landing area in a map;

determining, via the positioning system, an altitude of each location within the first positioning area;

capturing, via a camera, live-action data of the current landing area;

determining a second positioning area within the first positioning area, wherein map data of the second positioning area is matched with the live-action data;

detecting whether a difference between a maximum value among altitudes of locations within the current landing area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than a predetermined threshold, and whether the second positioning area is an area on the ground according to the map data of the second positioning area; and

determining that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when the difference between the maximum value among the altitudes of locations within the current landing area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than the predetermined threshold and the second positioning area is the area on the ground.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area comprises:

capturing, via a camera, live-action data of the current landing area;

determining a third positioning area, wherein map data of the third position area is matched with the live-action data;

detecting whether the third positioning area is an area on the ground according to the map data of the third positioning area; and

determining that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when the third positioning area is the area on the ground.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area comprises:

determining, via a positioning system, a fourth positioning area comprising the current landing area in a map;

determining, via the positioning system, an altitude of each location within the fourth positioning area;

detecting whether a difference between a maximum value among altitudes of locations within the fourth positioning area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than a predetermined threshold and whether the fourth positioning area is an area on the ground according to map data of the fourth positioning area; and

determining that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when the difference between the maximum value among the altitudes of locations within the fourth positioning area and the minimum value among the altitudes is less than the predetermined threshold and the fourth positioning area is the area on the ground.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area comprises:

adjusting the current landing area;

triggering execution of detecting whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area; and

continuing execution of adjusting the landing area until the current landing area is the safe landing area, when the current landing area is not the safe landing area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area comprises:

determining one or more safe landing areas from a database of safe landing area;

obtaining, via a positioning system, a current location of the flight device;

determining a safe landing area closest to the current location from the one or more safe landing areas; and

adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the determined safe landing area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area comprises:

analyzing map data in a map and determining one or more safe landing areas according to a result of the analysis;

obtaining, via a positioning system, a current location of the flight device;

determining a safe landing area closest to the current location from the one or more safe landing areas; and

adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the determined safe landing area.

8. An apparatus for landing a flight device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to;

detect whether the flight device meets a condition for landing;

detect whether a current landing area for the flight device is a safe landing area, when it is detected that the flight device meets the condition for landing, wherein the current landing area is an area comprising a location where the flight device is projected vertically on the ground when it meets the condition for landing and respective locations whose distances from said location are less than a predetermined distance, and the safe landing area is an area on the ground which enables the flight device to land safely; and

adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area, when it is detected that the current landing area is not the safe landing area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor configured to detect whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area is further configured to:

determine, via a positioning system, a first positioning area comprising the current landing area in a map;

determine, via the positioning system, an altitude of each location within the first positioning area;

capture, via a camera, live-action data of the current landing area;

determine a second positioning area within the first positioning area, wherein map data of the second positioning area is matched with the live-action data;

detect whether a difference between a maximum value among altitudes of locations within the current landing area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than a predetermined threshold, and whether the second positioning area is an area on the ground according to the map data of the second positioning area; and

determine that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when it is detected that the difference between the maximum value among the altitudes of locations within the current landing area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than the predetermined threshold and the second positioning area is the area on the ground.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein processor configured to detect whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area is further configured to:

capture, via a camera, live-action data of the current landing area;

determine a third positioning area, wherein map data of the third position area is matched with the live-action data;

detect whether the third positioning area is an area on the ground according to the map data of the third positioning area; and

determine that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when it is detected that the third positioning area is the area on the ground.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor configured to detect whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area is further configured to:

determine, via a positioning system, a fourth positioning area comprising the current landing area in a map;

determine, via the positioning system, an altitude of each location within the fourth positioning area;

detect whether a difference between a maximum value among altitudes of locations within the fourth positioning area and a minimum value among the altitudes is less than a predetermined threshold, and whether the fourth positioning area is an area on the ground according to map data of the fourth positioning area; and

determine that the current landing area is the safe landing area, when it is detected that the difference between the maximum value among the altitudes of locations within the fourth positioning area and the minimum value among the altitudes is less than the predetermined threshold and the fourth positioning area is the area on the ground.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor configured to adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area is further configured to:

adjust the current landing area;

trigger execution of detecting whether the current landing area for the flight device is the safe landing area; and

continue execution of adjusting the landing area until the current landing area is the safe landing area when it is detected that the current landing area is not the safe landing area.

13. The apparatus of any one of claim 8, wherein the processor configured to adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area is further configured to:

determine one or more safe landing areas from a database of safe landing area;

obtain, via a positioning system, a current location of the flight device;

determine a safe landing area closest to the current location from the one or more safe landing areas; and

adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the determined safe landing area.

14. The apparatus of any one of claim 8, wherein the processor configured to adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area is further configured to:

analyze map data in a map and determining one or more safe landing areas according to a result of the analysis;

obtain, via a positioning system, a current location of the flight device;

determine a safe landing area closest to the current location from the one or more safe landing areas; and

adjust the current landing area for the flight device to the determined safe landing area.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling a flight device, the method comprising:

detecting whether the flight device meets a condition for landing;

detecting whether a current landing area for the flight device is a safe landing area, when the flight device meets the condition for landing, wherein the current landing area is an area comprising a location where the flight device is projected vertically on the ground when it meets the condition for landing and respective locations whose distances from said location are less than a predetermined distance, and the safe landing area is an area on the ground which enables the flight device to land safely; and

adjusting the current landing area for the flight device to the safe landing area, when the current landing area is not the safe landing area.