Flight control system, a circuit board assembly and a configuration method thereof

• US 9,829,886 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zerotech shenzhen Intelligence Robot Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Zerotech shenzhen Intelligence Robot Co Ltd
• Inventors: Yang, Jianjun, Wu, Shijun, Wang, Hao, Li, Jun, Xie, Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/141,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20170196087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/06 actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• 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 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6815 by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/36 Assembling printed circuits with other printed circuits H05K7/142 takes precedence

Abstract

A flight control system is provided. The system includes a primary circuit board, a secondary circuit board electrically connected to the primary circuit board, a system on chip (SOC) integrated chip, a power management chip configured to supply power to the SOC integrated chip, an electronic speed control (ESC) driving circuit module configured to control flight speed in response to an instruction from the SOC integrated chip. In the system, the SOC integrated chip and the power management chip are arranged on the primary circuit board, and the ESC driving circuit module is arranged on the secondary circuit board.

Claims

1. A flight control system, comprising:

a primary circuit board;

a secondary circuit board electrically connected to the primary circuit board;

a system on chip (SOC) integrated chip;

a power management chip configured to supply power to the SOC integrated chip;

an electronic speed control (ESC) driving circuit module configured to control flight speed in response to an instruction from the SOC integrated chip, wherein the ESC driving circuit module comprises a plurality of ESC driving units arranged in parallel with each other and each having an input electrically connected to an output of the SOC integrated chip, such that a power of each of the plurality of ESC driving units is reduced and an inference caused by the ESC driving circuit module to other modules of the flight control system is reduced; and

wherein the SOC integrated chip and the power management chip are arranged on the primary circuit board, and the ESC driving circuit board is arranged on the secondary circuit board.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one connector, the at least one connector being positioned between the primary circuit board and the secondary circuit board to be receptive to the primary circuit board and the secondary circuit board, respectively, such that the secondary circuit board and the primary circuit board are pluggable into each other.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one connector has 120 pins.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary circuit board is a multiple layers printed circuit board.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ESC driving units comprises at least one differential sampling module, a ESC driving chip, an analog ground unit, and a digital ground unit;

wherein the analog ground unit and the digital ground unit is separated and an end junction between the analog ground unit and the digital ground unit is positioned below the ESC driving chip.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of ESC driving units comprises four ESC driving units and the at least one differential sampling module comprises one differential sampling module, the four ESC driving units being symmetrically positioned adjacent to respective edges of the secondary circuit board.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the four ESC driving units is symmetrically positioned in respective corner of the secondary circuit board.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one differential sampling module comprises two differential sampling signal lines, the two differential sampling signal lines being arranged on the same layer of the multiple layers printed circuit board.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein all of the differential sampling signal lines of the four ESC units are arranged on the same layer of the multiple layers printed circuit board.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ESC driving units comprises three motor driving signal lines, each of which connected to a motor having a thickness at least 2 ounce and a width at least 1 mm.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a flight sensor module arranged on the secondary circuit board.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the flight sensor module comprises at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being selected from the group consisting of an inertial measurement sensor, a height sensor, an orientation sensor, a position sensor, and a distance sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory chip, a wifi chip, and a gyroscope;

wherein the memory chip is arranged on the primary circuit board, a wifi chip and a gyroscope are arranged on the secondary circuit board.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory chip, a wifi chip, and a gyroscope;

wherein the memory chip, the wifi chip and the gyroscope are arranged on the secondary circuit board.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a baroceptor sensor module, wherein the baroceptor sensor module is arranged on an area of the secondary circuit board that has no through holes, and arranged in a distance from heat-dissipating electrical components such that the sampling data of the baroceptor sensor module is ensured.

16. A circuit board assembly of a flight control system, the assembly comprising:

a primary circuit board on which a SOC integrated chip and a power management chip electrically connected to the SOC integrated chip are arranged

a secondary circuit board on which an ESC driving circuit module electrically connected to the SOC integrated chip is arranged, wherein the ESC driving circuit module comprises a plurality of ESC driving units arranged in parallel with each other and each having an input electrically connected to an output of the SOC integrated chip, such that a power of each of the plurality of ESC driving units is reduced and an inference caused by the ESC driving circuit module to other modules of the flight control system is reduced; and

wherein the primary circuit board is electrically connected to the secondary circuit board.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising at least one connector positioned between the primary circuit board and the secondary circuit board to be receptive to the secondary circuit board and the primary circuit board, respectively, such that the secondary circuit board and the secondary circuit board are pluggable into each other.

18. A method of configuring a circuit board assembly of a flight control system, the method comprising:

arranging a SOC integrated chip and a power management chip electrically connected to the SOC integrated chip on a circuit board, and setting the circuit board as a primary circuit board;

arranging a ESC driving circuit module electrically connected to the SOC integrated chip on another circuit board, and setting the another circuit board as a secondary circuit board, wherein the ESC driving circuit module comprises a plurality of ESC driving units arranged in parallel with each other and each having an input electrically connected to an output of the SOC integrated chip, such that a power of each of the plurality of ESC driving units is reduced and an inference caused by the ESC driving circuit module to other modules of the flight control system is reduced; and

electrically connecting the secondary circuit board into the primary circuit board.