Systems and methods for UAV docking

• US 9,457,915 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• 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, Mingyu
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/828,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/00 Ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations specially adapted for captive aircraft B64F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/222 for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0684 on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for docking an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a vehicle. The UAV may be able to distinguish a companion vehicle from other vehicles in the area and vice versa. The UAV may take off and/or land on the vehicle. The UAV may be used to capture images and stream the images live to a display within the vehicle. The vehicle may control the UAV. The UAV may be in communication with the companion vehicle while in flight.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information based on data received from and transmitted to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

(a) receiving data from the UAV;

(b) transmitting data from a vehicle to the UAV, wherein said transmitted data comprises a location of the vehicle;

(c) generating the information for display based on the data transmitted to and received from the UAV; and

(d) displaying the information of (c) at a display unit within the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion,

wherein the vehicle is configured to permit the UAV to (1) autonomously take off from the vehicle and (2) autonomously land in or on the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, wherein the autonomous taking off and landing of the UAV is effected via a thrust generated by the UAV, and wherein the autonomous landing of the UAV is effected using in part the transmitted location of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display unit is built into the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display unit is removable from the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a location of the UAV relative to the vehicle or a geographic feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic feature is a road, a structure, a city line, a water body or a mountain.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a state of charge of an energy storage device of the UAV.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises environmental information around the UAV or the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the environmental information comprises temperature, wind speed and/or direction, sunniness, precipitation, or air pressure around the UAV or the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a location of the vehicle relative to at least one of the UAV or a geographic feature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises an image or a video captured by a camera on the UAV.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is displayed at the resolution it is captured, or at a lower resolution than that it is captured.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is displayed while the UAV is in flight.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is displayed while the UAV is landed on the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprising the location of the vehicle is transmitted to the UAV in real-time.

29. The method of claim 6, wherein the autonomous landing of the UAV is effected when the state of charge of the energy storage device of the UAV falls below a predetermined threshold.

14. A vehicle configured to be in communication with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the vehicle comprising:

a) a docking station from which the UAV is configured to autonomously take off and on which the UAV is configured to autonomously land, while the vehicle is in motion;

b) one or more communication units, individually or collectively, configured to receive data from and transmit data to the UAV;

c) a display unit within the vehicle configured to display information associated with the autonomous taking off from and landing of the UAV on the vehicle; and

d) one or more input components configured to receive one or more user inputs to generate instructions transmitted via the one or more communication units to the UAV, to effect the autonomous taking off and landing of the UAV via a thrust generated by the UAV.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the display unit is built into the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the display unit is removable from the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the display unit is a mobile device of a user.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the display unit is within arm'"'"'s reach of a driver of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the information comprises location of the UAV relative to at least one of the vehicle or a geographic feature.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the geographic feature is a road, a structure, a city line, a water body or a mountain.

21. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the information comprises a state of charge of an energy storage device of the UAV.

22. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the information comprises environmental information around the UAV or the vehicle.

23. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the environmental information comprises temperature, wind speed and/or direction, sunniness, precipitation, or air pressure around the UAV or the vehicle.

24. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the information is displayed while the UAV is in flight.

25. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the information is displayed while the UAV is landed on the vehicle.

26. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the one or more communication units are configured to transmit data comprising a location of the vehicle to the UAV.

27. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the display unit is also configured to show fuel efficiency, level of fuel and/or charge left, malfunction of a component of the vehicle, low battery level, low tire pressure, check engine, or parking brake on, relating to the vehicle.

30. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the autonomous landing of the UAV is effected using in part the transmitted location of the vehicle.