Method, storage medium, and electronic device for controlling unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,452,063 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Ha, Tae-Eun, Kim, Chang-Sik, Kim, Han-Bit, Choi, In-Hyuk, Choi, Jae-Woo, Kim, Youn-Lea, Moon, Ha-Sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US15/605,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle

Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device for controlling a movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the electronic device comprising: a display that displays information associated with the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; a user interface disposed to be rotatable around the display and configured to detect an input; at least one processor configured to generate a control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on an input through at least one of the display and the user interface; and a communication interface that is configured to transmit the control signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. A wearable device for controlling a movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the wearable device comprising:

a display;

a user interface comprising a ring structure that is rotatable on the display;

communication circuitry; and

at least one processor configured to;

control the display to display information associated with the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

provide a control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on a rotation of the ring structure; and

control the communication circuitry to transmit the control signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect an input based on at least one of an amount of the rotation of the ring structure and the display, and provide the control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the detected input.

3. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising sensor circuitry that detects an orientation of the wearable device with a first reference surface, wherein the orientation comprises a horizontal state in which the wearable device is substantially parallel with the first reference surface, and a vertical state in which the wearable device is substantially orthogonal to the first reference surface, and a movement of the wearable device.

4. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor provides a control signal to adjust a rotation of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the rotation of the ring structure, when the orientation is the horizontal state.

5. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor provides a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the rotation of the ring structure, when the orientation is the vertical state.

6. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor calculates a movement change rate of the wearable device based on at least one of a movement direction and a movement angle of the wearable device, which are detected by the sensor circuitry, and provides a control signal to adjust a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle in one direction of roll and pitch directions corresponding to the calculated movement change rate and the movement direction.

7. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein when a movement direction of the wearable device detected by the sensor circuitry is a vertical direction, with a touch input through the display being maintained, the at least one processor provides a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to a vertical movement.

8. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor provides a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to a multi-touch and drag from one of divided upper and lower areas of the display to another area, and provides a control signal to adjust a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle in one direction of roll and pitch directions corresponding to a touch input through a central area of the areas.

9. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein when a rotation angle of the wearable device detected by the sensor circuitry exceeds a threshold value, with flight information that indicates a head direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle being displayed on the display, the at least one processor controls the display to display the flight information, which is changed corresponding to the head direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a main body that comprises a substantially front surface on which the display and the user interface are disposed and a rear surface that is in contact with a body part of a user wearing the wearable device; and

a band that is connected to opposite ends of the main body to fix the wearable device to the body part of the user.

11. A non-transitory storage medium of a wearable device that stores instructions, wherein the instructions are set for at least one processor to perform at least one operation when executed by the at least one processor, the at least one operation comprising:

displaying information associated with a movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle on a display of the wearable device;

detecting a rotation of a ring structure that is rotatable on the display;

providing a control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the rotation of the ring structure; and

transmitting the control signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the rotation of the ring structure comprises detecting an input based on at least one of the display and an amount of the rotation of the ring structure that is formed along a circumference of the display and is physically rotatable.

13. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the providing of the control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises providing a control signal to adjust a rotation of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to the rotation of the ring structure when it is detected that the wearable device is in a horizontal state of being substantially parallel with a first reference surface.

14. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the providing of the control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises providing a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to the rotation of the ring structure when it is detected that the wearable device is substantially orthogonal to a first reference surface.

15. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one operation further comprises:

calculating a movement change rate of the wearable device based on at least one of a movement direction and a movement angle of the wearable device; and

providing a control signal to adjust a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle in one direction of roll and pitch directions corresponding to the calculated movement change rate and the movement direction.

16. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one operation further comprises:

detecting a movement direction of the wearable device, with a touch input through the display being maintained; and

providing a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to a vertical movement when the movement direction of the wearable device is a vertical direction.

17. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one operation further comprises:

providing a control signal to adjust an upward-and-downward flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle corresponding to a multi-touch and drag from one of divided upper and lower areas of the display to another area; and

providing a control signal to adjust a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle in one direction of roll and pitch directions corresponding to a touch input through a central area of the areas.

18. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein when a rotation angle of the wearable device exceeds a threshold value, with flight information that indicates a head direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle being displayed on the display, the at least one operation further comprises displaying the flight information, which is changed corresponding to the head direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

19. A method of controlling a movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle by an wearable device, the method comprising:

displaying information associated with the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle on a display of the wearable device;

detecting a rotation of a ring structure that is rotatable on the display;

providing a control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the rotation of the ring structure; and

transmitting the control signal to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the providing of the control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises detecting an input based on at least one of an amount of the rotation of the ring structure and the display and providing the control signal to control the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the detected input.