SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TARGET TRACKING

• US 20160031559A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• 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: Zang, Bo
• Granted Patent: US 9,567,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• 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 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• 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 1/12 Target-seeking control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices related to target tracking by UAVs. The UAV may be configured to receive target information from a control terminal related to a target to be tracked by an imaging device coupled to the UAV. The target information may be used by the UAV to automatically track the target so as to maintain predetermined position and/or size of the target within one or more images captured by the imaging device. The control terminal may be configured to display images from the imaging device as well as allowing user input related to the target information.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

one or more receivers, individually or collectively, configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to dynamically adjust allocation of control over a tracking process between the user and the UAV based on factors including a surrounding of the UAV, speed of the UAV, altitude of the UAV, user preferences, or available computing resources.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking process utilizes a selection between (1) an automatic tracking mode in which the user can specify a type of target to track, and (2) a manual tracking mode in which the user can specify a specific target to track.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control terminal configured to receive from the user (1) a type of target to track, or (2) a specific target to track.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least one or the following target characteristics:

a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least two different target characteristics.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to allocate (1) more control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating in a more complex environment compared to when the UAV is navigating in a less complex environment, and (2) less control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating in a less complex environment compared to when the UAV is navigating in a more complex environment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to allocate (1) more control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating at a lower altitude compared to when the UAV is navigating at a higher altitude, and (2) less control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating at a higher altitude compared to when the UAV navigating in a lower altitude.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating that the target is selected.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the tracking indicator is a circle or a box around the target.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

12. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

one or more receivers, individually or collectively, configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to automatically select between (1) an automatic tracking mode, and (2) a manual tracking mode, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, less control is allocated to the user over a tracking process compared to the manual tracking mode.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, the one or more receivers are configured to receive a type of target to track from the user, and wherein in the manual tracking mode, the one or more receivers are configured to receive a specific target to track from the user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least one of the following target characteristics:

a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least two different target characteristics.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein selection between the automatic tracking mode and the manual tracking mode depends on factors including a surrounding of the UAV, speed of the UAV, altitude of the UAV, user preferences, or available computing resources.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select between the manual tracking mode and the automatic tracking mode based on an environmental complexity, wherein when the manual tracking mode is selected, the environmental complexity is greater than when the automatic tracking mode is selected.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select between the manual tracking mode and the automatic tracking mode based on an altitude the UAV is navigating in, wherein when the manual tracking mode is selected, the altitude is lower than when the automatic tracking mode is selected.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating that the target is selected.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the tracking indicator is a circle or a box around the target.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

23. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

one or more receivers, individually or collectively, configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and

a control terminal configured to allow a user to select between (1) an automatic tracking mode, and (2) a manual tracking mode, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, less control is allocated to the user over a tracking process compared to the manual tracking mode.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, the one or more receivers are configured to receive a type of target to track from the user, and wherein in the manual tracking mode, the one or more receivers are configured to receive a specific target to track from the user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least one of the following target characteristics:

a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the type of target to track comprises at least two different target characteristics.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating a selected target.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the tracking indicator is a circle or a box around the target.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.