Magic wand interface and other user interaction paradigms for a flying digital assistant
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for controlling a flying digital assistant (FDA), the method comprising:
- determining, by one or more processors, a current position of the FDA relative to a point of reference;
receiving a first input, the first input based on a detected motion of a portable multifunction device (PMD);
calculating, by one or more processors, a first target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the detected motion of the PMD;
tracking the motion the PMD over time;
updating, by one or more processors, the first target position of the FDA based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time;
recognizing the first input as one or more of a plurality of preset gestures based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time;
calculating, by one or more processors, a predicted path of motion for the FDA from the current position to the first target position based on the first input; and
generating, by one or more processors, control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the current position, along the predicted path, to the first target position relative to the point of reference.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are described for new paradigms for user interaction with an unmanned aerial vehicle (referred to as a flying digital assistant or FDA) using a portable multifunction device (PMD) such as smart phone. In some embodiments, a magic wand user interaction paradigm is described for intuitive control of an FDA using a PMD. In other embodiments, methods for scripting a shot are described.
55 Citations
47 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a flying digital assistant (FDA), the method comprising:
-
determining, by one or more processors, a current position of the FDA relative to a point of reference; receiving a first input, the first input based on a detected motion of a portable multifunction device (PMD); calculating, by one or more processors, a first target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the detected motion of the PMD; tracking the motion the PMD over time; updating, by one or more processors, the first target position of the FDA based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; recognizing the first input as one or more of a plurality of preset gestures based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; calculating, by one or more processors, a predicted path of motion for the FDA from the current position to the first target position based on the first input; and generating, by one or more processors, control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the current position, along the predicted path, to the first target position relative to the point of reference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for controlling a flying digital assistant (FDA), the system comprising:
-
one or more processors; and one or more memory units, the one or more memory units having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; determine a current position of the FDA relative to a point of reference; receive a first input, the first input based on a detected motion of a portable multifunction device (PMD); calculate, a first target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the detected motion of the PMD; track the motion of the PMD over time; update the first target position of the FDA based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; recognize the first input as one or more of a plurality of preset gestures based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; calculate a predicted path of motion for the FDA from the current position to the first target position based on the first input; and generate control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the current position, along the predicted path, to the first target position, relative to the point of reference. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method for scripting image capture by a flying digital assistant (FDA), the FDA including an image capture device, the method comprising:
-
tracking a position and orientation of a portable multifunction device (PMD), relative to a first point of reference, over a period of time; generating a first flight path, relative to the first point of reference, based on the tracked position and orientation of the PMD over the period of time; translating the first flight path into a second flight path, relative to a second point of reference, wherein the second flight path is a scaled version of the first flight path; determining a position and orientation of the FDA relative to the second point of reference; and generating a set of control commands configured to cause the FDA to move along the second flight path and adjust image capture by the image capture device, based on the second flight path and the determined position and orientation of the FDA. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A system for scripting image capture by a flying digital assistant (FDA), the FDA including an image capture device, the system comprising:
-
one or more processors; and one or more memory units having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; track a position and orientation of a portable multifunction device (PMD), relative to a first point of reference, over a period of time; generate a first flight path, relative to the first point of reference, based on the tracked position and orientation of the PMD over the period of time; translate the first flight path into a second flight path, relative to a second point of reference, wherein the second flight path is a scaled version of the first flight path; determine a position and orientation of the FDA relative to the second point of reference; and generate set of control commands configured to cause the FDA to move along the second flight path and adjust image capture by the image capture device, based on the second flight path and the determined position and orientation of the FDA. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A method for controlling a flying digital assistant (FDA), the method comprising:
-
determining, by one or more processors, a current position of the FDA relative to a point of reference; defining a three dimensional coordinate system relative to the point of reference; wherein, any given point in the coordinate system is defined by a first, second, and third coordinate; receiving a first input, the first input based on a detected motion of the PMD; calculating, by one or more processors, a first target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the detected motion of the PMD; tracking the motion the PMD over time; updating, by one or more processors, the first target position of the FDA based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; generating, by one or more processors, control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the current position to the first target position; wherein the generated control commands are configured such that the position of the FDA at any point between the current position and the first target position is constrained such that the first coordinate remains constant or substantially constant; receiving a second input, the second input received via the PMD; determining, by one or more processors, an updated current position of the FDA relative to the point of reference; calculating, by one or more processors, a second target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the second input; generating, by one or more processors, control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the updated current position to the second target position; wherein, the generated control commands are configured such that the position of the FDA at any point between the updated current position and the second target position is constrained such that the second and third coordinates remain constant or substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
-
-
47. A system for controlling a flying digital assistant (FDA), the system comprising:
-
one or more processors; and one or more memory units, the one or more memory units having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to; determine a current position of the FDA relative to a point of reference; define a three dimensional coordinate system relative to the point of reference; wherein, any given point in the coordinate system is defined by a first, second, and third coordinate; receive a first input, the first input based on a detected motion of a portable multifunction device (PMD); calculate, a first target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the detected motion of the PMD; track the motion of the PMD over time; update the first target position of the FDA based on the tracked motion of the PMD over time; generate control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the current position to the first target position wherein the generated control commands are configured such that the position of the FDA at any point between the current position and the first target position is constrained such that the first coordinate remains constant or substantially constant; receive a second input, the second input received via the PMD; determine an updated current position of the FDA relative to the point of reference; calculate a second target position of the FDA relative to the point of reference based on the second input; and generate control commands configured to cause the FDA to maneuver from the updated current position to the second target position; wherein, the generated control commands are configured such that the position of the FDA at any point between the updated current position and the second target position is constrained such that the second and third coordinates remain constant or substantially constant.
-
Specification