MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE-BASED GUIDANCE NAVIGATION AND CONTROL FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES AND ROBOTIC SYSTEMS

• US 20150344136A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Working Drones, Inc.
• Inventors: Dahlstrom, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,611,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• 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 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/30 detachable from the body
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0866 specially adapted to captive aircraft

Abstract

A system is disclosed including an aerial vehicle to perform a task to an object, while in an aerial mode that includes at least one of a hover mode or a slow movement mode during a predominant phase of the task being performed, the aerial vehicle has a command and control system, a removable mobile computing device that when attached to the aerial vehicle assists in control of the aerial vehicle and when detached assists in control of the aerial vehicle with user intervention through the mobile device, wherein assist in control is further performed through the command and control system and at least one attachment attachable to the aerial vehicle for facilitating the task performed to the object by the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is in the aerial mode, the at least one attachment is controlled by the removable mobile computing device. Methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an aerial vehicle to perform a task to an object, while in an aerial mode that includes at least one of a hover mode or a slow movement mode during a predominant phase of the task being performed, the aerial vehicle further comprises a command and control system;

a removable mobile computing device that when attached to the aerial vehicle assists in control of the aerial vehicle while in the aerial mode and when detached from the aerial vehicle assists in control of the aerial vehicle with user intervention through the mobile device, wherein assist in control is further performed through the command and control system; and

at least one attachment attachable to the aerial vehicle fur facilitating the task performed to the object by the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is in the aerial mode, the at least one attachment is controlled by the removable mobile computing device.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a base station comprising at least one applyable material supply reservoir that is applied to an object during the task, and a power supply.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a tether extending between the aerial vehicle and the base station, to transfer applyable material to the object from the reservoir to the aerial vehicle for application, with the at least one attachment, of the applyable material to the object, wherein at least one of transfer and application of the applyable material is controlled by the movable computing device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile computing device communicates at least one of wirelessly or via a wire tether with the aerial vehicle when detached from the aerial vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the applyable material comprises at least one of a foam material, an insulation material, water, soap, a cleaning solution, paint, another coating, a chemical, a pesticide, a herbicide, a plastic, an epoxy, a liquid metal, a resin, ink, liquid concrete, another liquid, a gas, a liquid material which comprises small solid material mixed within, and a gas which comprises small solid material mixed within.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one attachment comprises a heating element to transform the applyable material to an additive manufacturing composition for additive layering of the composition on the object.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the tether comprises a wired connection to the command and control system wherein the command and control system directs the aerial vehicle via the wired connection with assistance of the mobile computing device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device identifies a structure to which the aerial vehicle performs the task, receives instructions regarding the task to perform, and performs the task including deter mining and executing at least one of a flight path, an application blueprint, and a pattern to complete the task.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device comprises an imaging device to acquire an image of the object.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the task comprises applying at least one of a non-solid element and a solid element to the object with the at least one attachment controlled by the mobile computing device.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the non-solid element comprises at least one of a foam material, an insulation material, water, soap, a cleaning solution, paint, another coating, a chemical, a pesticide, a herbicide, a plastic, an epoxy, a liquid metal, a resin, ink, liquid concrete, another liquid, a gas, a liquid material which comprises small solid material mixed within, and a gas which comprises small solid material mixed within.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the solid element comprises at least one of a plastic, foam, cardboard, wood, rock, metal, another solid rigid material, and a semi rigid material.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device assists in determining whether to move at least one of the aerial vehicle from a first location in the hover mode to a second location and the at least one attachment to perform the task.

14. A method comprising:

identifying an object to apply a material onto with information acquired specific to the object with a detachable mobile computing device that is functionally attached to and detached from an aerial vehicle that while in an aerial mode can apply the material to the object;

specifying, with the mobile computing device, at least one specific area on the object to apply the material;

developing instructions, including at least one of a flight path, an application blueprint, and a pattern, for the aerial vehicle to follow to apply the material to the object;

executing the at least one of the flight path, application blueprint, and pattern by the aerial vehicle based on the instructions developed; and

applying the material to the object at the at least one specific area based on the instructions developed as directed by the mobile computing device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein identifying the object comprises taking an image of the object with the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is at least one of detached from an aerial vehicle and a user takes an image of the object with an imaging device that is a part of the mobile computing device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein identifying the object comprises taking an image of the object with the mobile computing device attached to the aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle hovering at a distance from the object to take the picture.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein identifying the object comprises utilizing at least one of radar detection, laser range finding, optical surveys to identify the object.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein specifying at least one specific area comprises analyzing the image to determine the at least one specific area.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein analyzing the image comprises manually selecting the at least one specific area through a user interface of the mobile computing device.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the at least one of the flight plan, application blueprint, and pattern is determined based on at least one of a technique used to apply the non-solid element, a desired operation work time of the aerial vehicle, and an operational limitation of the aerial vehicle.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein identifying an object to apply the material further comprises determining a location of the mobile computing device when an image is taken and offsetting that location by a relative location of the object.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein developing instructions, including the at least one of flight path, application blueprint, and pattern, comprises determining the at least one of flight path, application blueprint, and pattern by at least one of a command and control module of the aerial vehicle, input by a user entered through the mobile computing device, and provided in whole or in part by a third party individual or service.

23. The method according to claim 14, further comprises updating the at least one of flight path, application blueprint, and pattern by the aerial vehicle based information acquired about the material previously applied.

24. The method according to claim 14, further comprising transporting the material from a base station to the aerial vehicle through a tether that extends between the aerial vehicle and the base station wherein transporting the material is controlled by the mobile computing device.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the material comprises applying at least one of a non-solid element and a solid element to the object with the at least one attachment controlled by the mobile computing device.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the non-solid element comprises at least one of a foam material, an insulation material, water, soap, a cleaning solution, paint, another coating, a chemical, a pesticide, a herbicide, a plastic, an epoxy, a liquid metal, a resin, ink, liquid concrete, another liquid, a gas, a liquid material which comprises small solid material mixed within, and a gas which comprises small solid material mixed within.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the solid element comprises at least one of a plastic, foam, cardboard, wood, rock, metal, another solid rigid material, and a semi rigid material.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein the non-solid element comprises at least one of a foam material, an insulation material, water, soap, a cleaning solution, paint, another coating, a chemical, a pesticide, a herbicide, a plastic, an epoxy, a liquid metal, a resin, ink, liquid concrete, another liquid, a gas, a liquid material which comprises small solid material mixed within, and a gas which comprises small solid material mixed within.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein the solid element comprises at least one of a plastic, foam, cardboard, wood, rock, metal, another solid rigid material, and a semi rigid material.

28. A method comprising:

acquiring at least one of an image of an object and additional identification information about the object with at least one of a mobile computing device and from a remote location that transmits the image to the mobile computing device;

selecting at least one candidate area visible in the image to apply a material to the at least one candidate area by an aerial vehicle;

developing a plan to apply the material with the aerial vehicle, the plan resides in the mobile computing device;

attaching the mobile computing device to the aerial vehicle to assist in control of the aerial vehicle during aerial operation of the aerial vehicle; and

executing the plan to provide for the aerial vehicle to apply material in accordance with the plan.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising further updating the plan based on information acquired about the material previously applied to the object during implementation of at least one of the plan and a prior implemented plan.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein to apply the material comprises applying at least one of a non-solid element and a solid element to the object with the at least one attachment controlled by the mobile computing device.