UAV HARDWARE ARCHITECTURE

• US 20190004512A1
• Filed: 08/28/2018
• Published: 01/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: LIU, Huaiyu, QIU, Hualiang, WU, Jun, ZHOU, Guyue, HUANG, Jinzhu
• Granted Patent: US 11,231,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/50 Depth or shape recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes one or more propulsion units that effect flight of the UAV, an application processing circuit configured to verify a validity of a system image of the UAV in a secure environment, and a flight control circuit operably coupled to the application processing circuit. Generation and/or transmission of control signals from the flight control circuit to one or more electronic speed controllers (ESC controllers) is prevented prior to verification of the validity of the system image.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

one or more propulsion units that effect flight of the UAV;

an application processing circuit configured to verify a validity of a system image of the UAV in a secure environment; and

a flight control circuit operably coupled to the application processing circuit, generation and/or transmission of control signals from the flight control circuit to one or more electronic speed controllers (ESC controllers) being prevented prior to verification of the validity of the system image.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the application processing circuit is configured to verify the validity of the system image when the UAV is powering up.

3. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising:

a micro fuse including a key for verifying the validity of the system image.

4. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the application processing circuit is further configured to verify and record login information of a user in the secure environment before flight of the UAV is allowed.

5. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the application processing circuit is configured to receive data from an imaging sensor and store the data in the secure environment.

6. The UAV of claim 5, wherein the application processing circuit is further configured to encrypt the data before transmission of the data to a storage medium.

7. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the application processing circuit is configured to verify one or more signals received from an external source.

8. The UAV of claim 7, wherein the one or more signals include control signals received from a ground terminal.

9. The UAV of claim 7, wherein the application processing circuit is further configured to verify or authenticate a source of the received signal.

10. The UAV of claim 7, wherein the application processing circuit is further configured to assess a risk of the one or more signals.

11. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the flight control circuit includes an embedded processor.

12. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the flight control circuit is configured as a backup component in case the application processing circuit fails.

13. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the application processing circuit is located on a first printed circuit board, and the flight control circuit is located on a second printed circuit board.

14. The UAV of claim 13, further comprising:

an image processing circuit located on a third printed circuit board.

15. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the flight control circuit and the application processing circuit are coupled to different sensors on board the UAV.

16. The UAV of claim 1, further comprising:

a real-time sensing circuit configured to receive the system image from the application processing circuit.

17. The UAV of claim 16, wherein the real-time sensing circuit is further configured to verify the validity of the system image.

18. The UAV of claim 17, wherein the flight control circuit is configured to prevent flight of the UAV prior to verification of the validity of the imaging system by both the application processing circuit and the real-time sensing circuit.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium for managing flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the non-transitory computer readable medium storing code, logic, or instructions to:

verify, at an application processing circuit, a validity of a system image of the UAV in a secure environment; and

prevent, at a flight control circuit operably coupled to the application processing circuit, generation and/or transmission of control signals from the flight control circuit to one or more electronic speed controllers (ESC controllers) prior to verification of the validity of the system image.

20. A method for managing flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

verifying, at an application processing circuit, a validity of a system image of the UAV in a secure environment; and

preventing, at a flight control circuit operably coupled to the application processing circuit, generation and/or transmission of control signals from the flight control circuit to one or more electronic speed controllers (ESC controllers) prior to verification of the validity of the system image.