Surface cleaning unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 9,993,852 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chin, Hon Wah, Gross, Bill, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Petroski, Robert C., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kornakov, Mikhail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Natasha N
• Application Number:
  US14/463,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20160052026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/02 Power-driven machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/00 Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/16 Rigid blades, e.g. scrapers; Flexible blades, e.g. wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/165 Scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/29 for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/00 Working measures on existing buildings, domestic cleaning of walls or floors A47L11/00; grinding floors or walls B24B7/18; removing of wall coverings B44C7/00; removing of paint from surfaces B44D3/16; electrochemical desalination or re-alkalisation C04B41/00; on foundations E02D35/00, E02D37/00; in connection with insulations E04B; subsequent or finishing work E04F
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/002 Arrangements for cleaning building facades
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Described embodiments include an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes an airframe and a rotary wing system coupled with the airframe and configured to aerodynamically lift the vehicle in the air. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight controller configured to control a movement of the vehicle while airborne. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a cleansing controller configured to manage a removal of a surface contaminant from a selected portion of a surface of an external object using an airflow generated by the rotary wing system.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

an airframe;

a rotary wing system including a plurality of rotors coupled with the airframe and configured to aerodynamically lift the vehicle in the air;

a flight controller configured to control the plurality of rotors while airborne; and

a cleansing controller configured to manage a removal of a surface contaminant from a selected portion of a surface of an external object using an airflow generated by the rotary wing system and further configured to instruct the flight controller to controllably direct at least a portion of the airflow of one or more of the plurality of rotors toward the selected portion of the surface of the external object to dislodge the surface contaminant.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rotary wing system including the plurality of rotors includes a dual-rotor, quad-copter, or quad-rotor configuration.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the rotary wing system includes a protective structure to decrease any damage caused by a contact between the rotary wing system and the external object.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flight controller is further configured to control a cleaning route of the vehicle relative to the selected portion of the surface.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the flight controller is configured to control a cleaning route of the vehicle relative to the selected portion of the surface in response to a record of a previous cleaning activity.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flight controller includes an autonomous flight controller.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flight controller includes a remotely-controlled flight controller.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flight controller is further configured to control a movement of the vehicle relative to the external object.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the flight controller is further configured to control a movement of the vehicle relative to the external object in response to data received from a proximity sensor.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to generate data indicative of at least one of a distance and a bearing of the external object relative to the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the surface contaminant includes dust, particles, stain, or soiling.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleansing controller is configured to manage the removal of the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface of the external object where the external object includes a solar panel.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleansing controller is configured to manage the removal of the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface of the external object where the external object includes an exterior window of a building or other stationary structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleansing controller is configured to manage the removal of the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface of the external object where the external object includes a component of an electrical power transmission line.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cleansing controller is configured to manage the removal of the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface of the external object where the external object includes a mirror or an array of mirrors.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor carried by the airframe and configured to acquire data indicative of the surface contaminant.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to acquire data indicative of a contamination state of the surface.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an ultrasound sensor.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a response by the surface to a polarized light source.

21. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes an illumination source and sensor.

22. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment member having a first portion coupled to the airframe and a second portion configured to removably attach to the external object.

23. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the second portion is configured to removably attach to the external object using a suction device.

24. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the second portion is configured to removably attach to the external object using a positive engagement device.

25. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a base station.

26. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a tether controller configured to communicate with a base station via a tether.

27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the tether controller is configured to distribute power received from the base station to a propulsion unit of the rotary wing system.

28. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the tether controller is configured to distribute power received from the base station to an energy storage device carried by the airframe.

29. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the tether controller is configured to communicate flight instructions received from the base station to the flight controller.

30. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the tether controller is configured to communicate data indicative of a contamination state of the surface received from the base station to the cleansing controller.

31. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the tether controller is configured to communicate data indicative of a contamination state of the portion of the surface to the base station.

32. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the base station includes a land-based mobile structure.

33. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the base station includes a land-based fixed structure.

34. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the base station includes another airborne device.

35. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a power receiver configured to receive wirelessly transmitted energy.

36. The vehicle of claim 35, wherein the wirelessly transmitted energy is received from a base station or another airborne device.

37. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of rotors includes a ducted rotor configured to facilitate controllably directing at least the portion of the airflow of the one or more of the plurality of rotors toward the selected portion of the surface of the external object.

38. A method implemented in an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

launching the unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a rotary wing system including a plurality of rotors coupled with an airframe and configured to aerodynamically lift, hover, and maneuver the vehicle;

selecting a portion of an exterior surface of an object having a surface contaminant;

maneuvering the vehicle to a working proximity to the selected portion of the surface; and

removing the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface by controllably directing at least a portion of an airflow generated by one or more of the plurality of rotors of the rotary wing system toward the selected portion of the surface of the external object to dislodge the surface contaminant.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the maneuvering the vehicle includes autonomously maneuvering the vehicle.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the maneuvering the vehicle includes remotely maneuvering the vehicle.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the selecting includes selecting the portion of the surface of the external object in response to data acquired by a sensor and indicative of a contamination present on the surface of the external object.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein one or more of the plurality of rotors includes a ducted rotor configured to facilitate controllably directing at least the portion of the airflow of the one or more of the plurality of rotors toward the selected portion of the surface of the external object.

43. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

means for aerodynamically lifting and hovering the unmanned aerial vehicle in the air using a plurality of rotors;

means for selecting a portion of an exterior surface of an object having a surface contaminant;

means for aerodynamically maneuvering the vehicle to a working proximity to the selected portion of the surface; and

means for removing the surface contaminant from the selected portion of the surface by controllably directing at least a portion of an airflow generated by one or more of the plurality of rotors of the means for aerodynamically lifting and hovering toward the selected portion of the surface of the external object to dislodge the surface contaminant.