FLYING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF REMOTELY CONTROLLING A FLYING APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20160170416A1
• Filed: 12/16/2015
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Hao-Yung, Cheng, Tao-Hua, Chen, Yu-Chang
• Application Number:
  US14/970,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170416A1
• 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 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00

Abstract

The flying apparatus of the invention includes a main body, a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor. The first distance sensor and the second distance sensor are disposed at the bottom surface and the top surface of the main body, respectively. Moreover, the main body has a processing module that can receive the sensed signal outputted from the first distance sensor or the second distance sensor and output a displacement signal according to the content of the first sensed signal. When the relative distance between the first distance sensor and the sensed object is shorter than a default reception distance, the first distance sensor outputs the first sensed signal. When the relative distance between the second distance sensor and the sensed object is shorter than the default reception distance, the second distance sensor outputs the first sensed signal. The main body also has a flight driving module that receives the displacement signal and increases or decreases the height of the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal.

Claims

1. A flying apparatus, comprising:

a main body, including;

a top surface;

a bottom surface;

a processing module for outputting a displacement signal according to a first sensed signal;

a flight driving module for receiving the displacement signal and increasing or decreasing the height of the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal;

a first distance sensor disposed at the bottom surface of the main body for sensing a relative distance to a sensed object and outputting the first sensed signal when the relative distance is shorter than a default reception distance; and

a second distance sensor disposed at the top surface of the main body for sensing the relative distance to the sensed object and outputting the first sensed signal when the relative distance is shorter than the default reception distance.

2. The flying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of first arms, each of the first arms having one end connected with the main body and extending from the main body; and

at least one external housing disposed around the main body and connected with the first arms.

3. The flying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second arm connected with the main body along a radial direction;

a first camera unit connected with the second arm and disposed toward the direction of the bottom surface; and

a third arm connected with the main body along the radial direction opposite to the second arm.

4. The flying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first camera unit outputs a second sensed signal, the processing module outputs the displacement signal according to the second sensed signal, and the flight driving module increases or decreases the height of the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal.

5. The flying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the external housing further comprises:

a rotatable part having two side plates and a connecting plate connecting the two side plates, a pivot is formed at the two side plates respectively so that the rotatable part is rotatably connected to the external housing; and

a second camera unit disposed at the outer surface of the connecting plate.

6. The flying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of rotors disposed at the first arms and within the external housing.

7. The flying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first distance sensor generates a measured signal according to the relative positional relationship to the sensed object, and the processing module judges the content of the measured signal to generate a judging value, the main body further comprises:

a switching module for receiving the judging value to generate a control signal, the processing module switching to a first reading mode or a second reading mode according to the control signal.

8. A method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus for the flying apparatus claimed in claim 7, the method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus comprising the steps of:

obtaining the relative distance between the first distance sensor and the sensed object by the first distance sensor;

comparing the relative distance with the default reception distance;

entering into the first reading mode if the relative distance is shorter than or equal to the default reception distance, wherein in the first reading mode the first distance sensor performs height positioning and motion sensing, the first camera unit performs horizontal positioning; and

entering into the second reading mode if the relative distance is longer than the default reception distance, wherein in the second reading mode the first distance sensor performs height positioning, the first camera unit performs horizontal positioning and motion sensing.

9. The method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when executing the first reading mode, the method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus further comprises:

receiving the first sensed signal from the first distance sensor;

outputting the displacement signal according to the first sensed signal; and

receiving the displacement signal and increasing or decreasing the height of the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal.

10. The method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the processing module has a motion recognition function, when executing the second reading mode, the method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus further comprises:

initiating the motion recognition function;

capturing the gesture of the sensed object by the first camera unit to generate the second sensed signal;

receiving the second sensed signal and outputting the displacement signal according to the second sensed signal; and

receiving the displacement signal and increasing or decreasing the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal.

11. The method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first distance sensor can receive a distance signal, the first camera unit can receive a surface image signal, and the processing module has a default image-capturing time period, the method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus further comprises:

outputting a shutter signal when both the surface image signals and the distance signals have no difference within the default image-capturing time period; and

receiving a captured image from the second camera unit.

12. The method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the flying apparatus can enter into a third reading mode by the second distance sensor, in the third reading mode the first distance sensor performs height positioning, the second distance sensor performs motion sensing, the first camera unit performs horizontal positioning, when executing the third reading mode the method of remotely controlling a flying apparatus further comprises:

receiving the third sensed signal;

outputting the displacement signal according to the content of the third sensed signal; and

receiving the displacement signal and increasing or decreasing the height of the flying apparatus according to the displacement signal.