UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE MOVEMENT VIA ENVIRONMENTAL AIRFLOW

• US 20180093171A1
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mallinson, Dominic Saul
• Granted Patent: US 10,357,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0604 Type of ball game A63F7/0672 and A63F7/0684 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0664 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/07 in which the playing bodies contact, or are supported by, the playing surface continuously, e.g. using air-cushion support A63F7/0604 - A63F7/0696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/20 in which the playing bodies are projected through the air A63F7/0604 - A63F7/0696 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/05 for sports or gaming, e.g. drone racing
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/00 Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
• 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 1/0038 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

Abstract

An arena includes a porous surface through which an airflow is output, thereby providing lift for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to push the UAV away from the porous surface. The airflow may also provide thrust to push the UAV in a direction that is parallel to the porous surface. The UAV may include one or more propellers that can provide lift, thrust, or both to the UAV. The airflow may be modified over a duration of time to modify lift or thrust to the UAV. The airflow may be modified based on regions of the arena to modify lift or thrust in different regions of the arena. The arena may include a scoreboard to display a score that may be modified as a result of actions undertaken by the UAV. Two or more UAVs may be used to play a game via the arena.

Claims

1. A system for movement control, the system comprising:

an air propulsion device that generates an airflow;

a porous surface, wherein the airflow generated by the air propulsion device is output through a plurality of pores in the porous surface, wherein the airflow thereby provides lift to an unmanned vehicle, wherein at least a vector component of the lift is perpendicular to the porous surface and pushes the unmanned vehicle away from the porous surface; and

a communication transceiver that receives an airflow modification signal from a controller device, wherein the air propulsion device modifies the airflow in response to receipt of the airflow modification signal at the communication transceiver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the air propulsion device modifies the airflow to strengthen the lift in response to receipt of the airflow modification signal at the communication transceiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the air propulsion device modifies the airflow to weaken the lift in response to receipt of the airflow modification signal at the communication transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the air propulsion device modifies the airflow to provide a thrust to the unmanned vehicle in response to receipt of the airflow modification signal at the communication transceiver, wherein at least a vector component of the thrust pushes the unmanned vehicle in a direction that is parallel to the porous surface.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a scoreboard to display a score, wherein the scoreboard increments the score in response to receipt of a score signal at the communication transceiver.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a sensor identifying when an object has entered a region along the porous surface, wherein the score signal is received from the sensor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the score signal is received from the unmanned vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising the controller device, wherein the controller device includes a joystick, wherein a movement of the joystick triggers receipt of the airflow modification signal at the communication transceiver.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the air propulsion device includes a fan, wherein rotation of the fan generates the airflow.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the air propulsion device includes a plurality of fans, wherein rotation of the plurality of fans generates the airflow, and wherein the air propulsion device modifies the airflow in response to receipt of the airflow modification signal by modifying motion of a subset of the plurality of fans.

11. A system for movement control, the system comprising:

a body, wherein the body is lifted away from a porous surface at least in part by an airflow expelled through a plurality of pores in the porous surface;

a motor coupled to the body;

a propeller coupled to the motor, wherein actuation of the motor causes the propeller to spin, thereby generating a thrust, wherein at least a vector component of the thrust is parallel to the porous surface; and

a communication transceiver that receives an actuation signal from a controller device, wherein the motor is actuated in response to receipt of the actuation signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the actuation signal is a wireless signal.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a set of one or more secondary propellers, wherein each of the set of one or more secondary propellers is coupled to one of a set of one or more secondary motors, the set of one or more secondary motors coupled to the body.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a claw, the claw to grasp upon receipt of a claw signal via the communication transceiver.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a laser emitter, the laser emitter to emit a laser upon receipt of a laser signal via the communication transceiver.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a light sensor, the light sensor to detect a laser, wherein the communication transceiver transmits a score signal in response to detection of the laser.

17. A method for movement control, the method comprising:

transmitting an activation signal to an arena system, wherein the arena system generates an airflow in response to receipt of the activation signal, the airflow providing lift to an unmanned vehicle;

receiving a thrust input via an input interface; and

transmitting a thrust signal to the unmanned vehicle, wherein the unmanned vehicle actuates a motorized propeller in response to receipt of the thrust signal, the motorized propeller providing thrust to the unmanned vehicle, wherein at least a vector component of the thrust is perpendicular to at least a vector component of the lift.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the input interface includes a joystick.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a claw input via the input interface; and

transmitting a claw signal to the unmanned vehicle, wherein the unmanned vehicle actuates a motorized claw in response to receipt of the claw signal, thereby causing movement of at least a portion of the motorized claw.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a laser input via the input interface; and

transmitting a laser signal to the unmanned vehicle, wherein the unmanned vehicle emits a laser via a laser emitter in response to receipt of the laser signal.