Remote control methods and systems

• US 9,397,782 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• 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: Wang, Hong Tao, Huang, Zhi Cong
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/542,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20150147976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701/483, 701/517, 340/961
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/02 Model aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0031 means for overriding or restricting access to flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0034 by ground-control override
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/02 simultaneously, i.e. using frequency division
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/06 successively, i.e. using time division
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0015 characterised by the adaptation strategy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for preventing interference from simultaneous data transmissions in a remote control system. A controlled terminal is typically configured to receive control data from a controlling terminal and to transmit feedback data to a monitoring terminal. To prevent interference caused by the simultaneous transmissions of control data and feedback data. The controlling terminal can transmit the control data to the monitoring terminal, which then transmits the control data to the controlled terminal. Such transmission of the control data may be carried out in a way that does not interfere with the transmission of the feedback data.

Claims

1. A controlling terminal located remotely from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a first communication module configured to transmit control data directly to the UAV, the control data used to control operations of the UAV;

a second communication module configured to transmit the control data to a monitoring terminal located remotely from the UAV, the monitoring terminal configured to transmit the control data to the UAV and to receive feedback data from the UAV; and

one or more processors, individually or collectively, configured to preferentially select the first communication module or the second communication module for transmission of the control data based at least in part on one or more characteristics of a communication environment for the UAV.

2. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein the control data is generated at the control terminal.

3. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein preferentially selecting the first communication module or the second communication module for transmission of the control data comprises selecting the second communication module for transmission of the control data when the one or more characteristic of the communication environment indicate a high level of interference.

4. The controlling terminal of claim 3, wherein preferentially selecting the first communication module or the second communication module for transmission of the control data further comprises deactivating the first communication module prior to selecting the second communication module.

5. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein preferentially selecting the first communication module or the second communication module for transmission of the control data comprises selecting the first communication module for transmission of the control data when the one or more characteristics of the communication environment indicate a low level of interference.

6. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein one or more characteristics of the communication environment comprise at least one of a detected energy level, a signal to noise ratio, or an error rate.

7. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is configured to communicate with the UAV using a first frequency band and the second communication module is configured to communicate with the monitoring terminal using a second frequency band.

8. The controlling terminal of claim 1, wherein the second communication module is configured to communicate with the monitoring terminal using a wired connection.

9. The controlling terminal of claim 8, wherein the second communication module comprises a trainer interface.

10. A method for communicating with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

transmitting, by a controlling terminal located remotely from the UAV, control data used for control operations of the UAV directly from the controlling terminal to the UAV;

determining, by one or more processors, one or more characteristics of a communication environment for the UAV; and

in response to the determined one or more characteristics of the communication environment, transmitting, by the controlling terminal, the control data from the controlling terminal to a monitoring terminal located remotely from the UAV and configured to (1) transmit the control data to the UAV; and

(2) receive feedback data from the UAV.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more processors are located on the controlling terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more processors are located on the monitoring terminal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more processors are located on the UAV.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein one or more characteristics of the communication environment comprise at least one of a detected energy level, a signal to noise ratio, or an error rate.

15. A system for communicating with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a monitoring terminal that is located remotely from the UAV; and

a controlling terminal that is located remotely from the UAV and configured to transmit control data for controlling operations of the UAV to the monitoring terminal,

wherein the monitoring terminal is configured to

     1) receive the control data transmitted by the controlling terminal;

     2) transmit the received control data from the controlling terminal to the UAV; and

     3) receive feedback data comprising sensor data from the UAV.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring terminal is configured to communicate with the controlling terminal via a wired connection.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring terminal is configured to communicate with the controlling terminal via a wireless connection.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring terminal is configured to receive the control data transmitted by the controlling terminal via a first communication link and wherein the monitoring terminal is configured to transmit the received control data from the controlling terminal to the UAV and receive feedback data comprising sensor data from the UAV via a second communication link that is not likely to interfere with the first communication link.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein second communication link utilizes a frequency division multiplexing (FDM) scheme.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein second communication link utilizes a time division multiplexing (TDM) scheme.