FLIGHT CONTROL METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE SAME

• US 20180155023A1
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: CHOI, In Hyuk, KIM, Youn Lea, CHANG, Dong Hyun, CHOI, Bo Kun, KIM, Sung Jun, KIM, Seung Nyun
• Granted Patent: US 10,800,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• 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
• 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 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

An electronic device includes a communication circuit configured to communicate with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a camera, a memory configured to store first flight information including a first flight pattern for a first location and first driving information of the camera, the first driving information corresponding to the first flight pattern, and a processor configured to be operatively connected with the communication circuit and the memory. The processor is configured to determine a flight reference location of the UAV, and control the UAV via the communication circuit such that the UAV flies based on the determined flight reference location and the first flight information.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a communication circuit configured to communicate with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a camera;

a memory configured to store first flight information including a first flight pattern for a first location and first driving information of the camera, the first driving information corresponding to the first flight pattern; and

a processor configured to be operatively connected with the communication circuit and the memory,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

determine a flight reference location of the UAV; and

control the UAV via the communication circuit such that the UAV flies based on the determined flight reference location and the first flight information.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit the determined flight reference location and the first flight information to the UAV via the communication circuit, as at least part of controlling the UAV.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate control signal information about the UAV using the determined flight reference location and the first flight information and transmit the control signal information to the UAV via the communication circuit, as at least part of controlling the UAV.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the flight reference location based on a second location of the UAV and the first location, as part of determining the flight reference location,

wherein the second location is a current location of the UAV.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

if an obstacle exists on a flight path of the UAV, calibrate the first flight pattern as a second flight pattern to make a detour around the obstacle;

calibrate the first driving information as second driving information to correspond to the second flight pattern; and

control the UAV via the communication circuit such that the UAV flies based on second flight information including the second flight pattern and the second driving information and the determined flight reference location.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first location includes a relative location for a specified object.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first flight pattern includes a pattern of control signal information about the UAV.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a user interface configured to be detached or integrated with the display;

at least one wireless communication circuit configured to establish a wireless communication channel with a UAV including a camera;

a processor configured to be electrically connected with the display, the user interface, and the at least one wireless communication circuit; and

a memory configured to be electrically connected with the processor,

wherein the memory stores instructions, when executed, causing the processor to;

store at least one or more previously configured flight paths in the memory at least temporarily;

establish a wireless communication channel with the UAV using the at least one wireless communication circuit;

receive a user input for selecting a flight path of the at least one or more previously configured flight paths through the user interface;

receive first geographic data associated with at least one of the electronic device and the UAV using the at least one wireless communication circuit;

calibrate the selected flight path based on at least part of the received first geographic data; and

transmit information about the calibrated flight path to the UAV over the wireless communication channel.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory stores instructions, when executed, causing the processor to:

receive video data associated with second geographic data different from the first geographic data using the at least one wireless communication circuit;

output a video on the display based on the video data;

receive a user input for selecting the video; and

extract the flight path based on at least part of the video data.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory further stores instructions, when executed, causing the processor to:

transmit a control signal to the UAV over the wireless communication channel such that the camera faces or tracks a selected object or the electronic device while the UAV moves along the calibrated flight path.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory further stores instructions, when executed, causing the processor to:

change at least one of an altitude, a coordinate, or a speed of the selected flight path.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the memory further stores instructions, when executed, causing the processor to:

transmit a signal associated with driving the camera to the UAV over the wireless communication channel based on at least one of direction information, angle of view information, or zoom information of the camera associated with the selected flight path.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the direction information, the angle of view information, or the zoom information of the camera is included in metadata of a video corresponding to the selected flight path.

14. A flight control method of a UAV including a camera, the method comprising:

obtaining first flight information including a first flight pattern for a first location and first driving information of the camera, the first driving information corresponding to the first flight pattern;

determining a flight reference location of the UAV; and

controlling the UAV via a communication circuit such that the UAV flies based on the determined flight reference location and the first flight information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the UAV includes:

transmitting the determined flight reference location and the first flight information to the UAV via the communication circuit.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling of the UAV includes:

generating control signal information about the UAV using the determined flight reference location and the first flight information; and

transmitting the control signal information to the UAV via the communication circuit.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of the flight reference location of the UAV includes:

determining the flight reference location based on a second location of the UAV and the first location,

wherein the second location is a current location of the UAV.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

if an obstacle exists on a flight path of the UAV, calibrating the first flight pattern as a second flight pattern to make a detour around the obstacle;

calibrating the first driving information as second driving information to correspond to the second flight pattern; and

controlling the UAV via the communication circuit such that the UAV flies based on second flight information including the second flight pattern and the second driving information and the determined flight reference location.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the obtaining of the first flight information includes:

obtaining a relative location for a specified objet as the first location.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the obtaining of the first flight information includes:

obtaining a pattern of control signal information about the UAV as the first flight pattern.