METHODS FOR RECONFIGURABLE POWER EXCHANGE FOR MULTIPLE UAV TYPES

• US 20180222339A1
• Filed: 04/02/2018
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asylon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Asylon, Inc.
• Inventors: HENRY, Damon C., MOHAMED, Adam I., MCLAUGHLIN, Brent, DONES, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,318,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/20 Arrangement of optical beacons
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• 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 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/92 Portable platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/95 Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/99 Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 : with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/40 : for two or more UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 : involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 : specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/654 : Landing docking at a base station G05D1/661
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/692 : involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A reconfigurable system capable of autonomously exchanging material from unmanned vehicles of various types and sizes. The system comprises an environmental enclosure, a landing area, a universal mechanical system to load and unload material from the unmanned vehicle, and a central processor that manages the aforementioned tasks. The landing area may comprise a one or more visible or non-visible markers/emitters capable of generating composite images to assist in landing the unmanned vehicle upon the reconfigurable, autonomous system.

Claims

1. A method of swapping a power supply in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

emitting one or more composite images to a UAV via one or more markers or emitters when the UAV is in proximity to a landing zone located on a reconfigurable power station (RPS);

determining an orientation of the UAV relative to the landing zone after the UAV has landed;

removing a first swap cartridge from the UAV via a swapping mechanism within the RPS; and

installing a second swap cartridge from the RPS and into the UAV.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request from the UAV by the RPS prior to emitting one or more composite image to the UAV.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a request comprises transmitting the request via a universal swap cartridge processor positioned within or upon the UAV.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving mission or payload data from the UAV via the universal swap cartridge.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a mechanical link with the UAV prior to removing a first swap cartridge.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising establishing an electrical link with the UAV.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an orientation of the UAV comprises optically determining the orientation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein removing a first swap cartridge comprises removing a depleted swap cartridge from the UAV.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein installing a second swap cartridge comprises installing an energized swap cartridge from the RPS and into the UAV.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a clearance signal for take-off to the UAV via the RPS.