Apparatus, Systems and Methods for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

• US 20160304217A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foundation Productions LLC
• Original Assignee: Foundation Productions LLC
• Inventors: Fisher, James Mark, Davis, Bryan Jonathan, Fisher, Ronald Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 10,370,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/26 Ducted or shrouded rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/70 Movable wings, rotor supports or shrouds acting as ground-engaging elements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/90 Launching from or landing on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/60 by wearable objects, e.g. garments or helmets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/80 by vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement

Abstract

The disclosed inventions include personal Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV'"'"'s) and UAV universal docking ports “docking ports” to be incorporated into and/or attached to headwear, including helmets, hard hats and hats and face masks, as well as footwear including boots and shoes, clothing and outerwear, devices, gear and equipment, land, air, water and space vehicles, buildings, wireless towers and other mobile or stationary objects and surfaces referred to collectively as “docking stations”. A docking station may have one or more docking ports for docking, networking and charging or refueling compact personal UAVs, and for providing data communications between said UAVs and other electronic devices that remain with the person while the UAV is in flight or driving or landed on terrain. Said docking ports may also incorporate wireless power transmission for remote wireless charging of one or more UAV'"'"'s. Supplemental power for recharging said UAVs when docked may be supplied by integrated battery(s) in said docking port or me be provided directly from the docking station or other connected power source.

Claims

1. A system comprising

an unmanned aerial vehicle having a body, a propulsion system, a communication device, a sensor, a power source, a controller system and at least one docking port, said body having a shape incorporating said propulsion system, said communication device, said sensor, said power source, said controller system and said at least one docking port, said propulsion system being operable to move said unmanned aerial vehicle, said communication device being operable to transmit a unmanned aerial vehicle communication signal, said sensor being operable to generate detected data based on a detected parameter, said power source being operable to provide power to said propulsion system, to said communication device, to said sensor and to said controller system, said controller system being operable to control, according to said generated data, said propulsion system, said communication device, said sensor and said power source;

wherein said controller is further operable to control said propulsion system to autonomously dock said docking port with at least one other unmanned aerial vehicle docking port and/or at least one docking station docking port.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises an optical guidance system and wherein said optical guidance system includes at least one optical sensor and at least one light emitter, said at least one optical sensor and at least one light emitter being incorporated in said docking port, and said optical guidance device being operable to determine relational position and/or distance to said other docking port.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said optical guidance system includes an optical imaging system operable to map optical depth and/or image objects in a field of view of said at least one optical sensor.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said optical guidance system includes an optical data transfer device and/or a wireless power transfer device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle docking port includes at least one communications, wired or wireless connector module and/or at least one power source, wired or wireless connector module operable to connect with at least one communications connector and/or at least one power source connector of said other docking port of said other unmanned aerial vehicle or of said docking station.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said controller is further operable to control said power connector modules to control power transfer to said power source from a power supply of said other unmanned aerial vehicle or docking station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle includes a local wireless communications module operable to communicate with a corresponding wireless communications module of said docking port of the another unmanned aerial vehicle or of said docking station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a networking system operably connected to said docking port, said networking system being operable as a network hub or node and/or sensor hub or node of a group of networked docking ports of other unmanned aerial vehicles and/or docking stations.

9. The system of claim 1, where said unmanned aerial vehicle docking port includes a data processing system, said data processing system being operable to process at least one of light and optical depth mapping, imaging, location, orientation and other sensor data, flight, navigation, networking, docking, launching, charging, power transfer, induction, distribution, power management and/or other operational data independent of and/or in coordination with a data processing module of said other unmanned aerial vehicle or of said docking station.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an article of clothing including said docking station, wherein said controller is operable to control said propulsion system to dock said unmanned aerial docking port with a docking port of said docking station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said article of clothing comprises headwear, eyewear, armwear, footwear or other bodywear.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the shape and/or configuration of said body of said unmanned vehicle is adjustable between a first configuration in which the body is shaped and/or configured in a flying orientation and a second configuration in which the body is shaped and/or configured to confirm or cooperate with the docking station and optionally a surrounding region of the article of clothing.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wearable docking station, wherein said controller is operable to control said propulsion system to dock said docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle with a docking port of said wearable docking station.

19. A docking port operable to connect physically and, optionally electrically and optionally optically, with a docking port of the unmanned aerial vehicle of the system of claim 1.

20. The docking port of claim 19, wherein said docking port is wearable or incorporated into an article of clothing.

14. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising

processing an unmanned aerial vehicle communication signal,

generating detected data based on a detected parameter,

powering a propulsion system of said unmanned aerial vehicle to move said unmanned aerial vehicle,

controlling said propulsion system according to said generated data, wherein controlling said propulsion system includes controlling said propulsion system to dock a docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle with a corresponding docking port of another unmanned aerial vehicle or of a docking station.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving, wireless or wired, power to said docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle from said corresponding docking port of the another unmanned aerial vehicle or of a docking station, and charging a power source of said unmanned aerial vehicle using said receiving power.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, wirelessly or wired, data communication between said docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle and corresponding docking port of the another unmanned aerial vehicle or of a docking station docking port.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising

networking said docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle with docking ports of other unmanned aerial vehicles and/or of other docking stations.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling said propulsion system further includes controlling said propulsion system to dock the docking port of said unmanned aerial vehicle with a corresponding docking port of a wearable docking station or a docking station incorporated into an article of clothing.