Unmanned flight vehicle having rotor, motor rotating the rotor and control device

• US 10,720,067 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2019
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Original Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Inventors: Tabuchi, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US16/396,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20190272761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• 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 50/23 with each propulsion means having an individual motor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/00 Traffic control systems for aircraft , e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

An unmanned flight vehicle includes a rotor, a motor rotating the rotor, and a control device controlling the motor and the vehicle. The control device has a memory storing identification information enabling identification of a user of a communication service for receiving first control information or airspace information about an airspace in which the flight vehicle flies via a wireless base station by the unmanned flight vehicle. The control device also has a processor controlling the vehicle to communicate with the wireless base station based on the stored identification information. The processor controls i) a flight state of the vehicle based on the first control information or the airspace information received via the wireless base station by using the identification information, and ii) the vehicle based on a quality of a radio wave that the vehicle has received from the wireless base station.

Claims

1. An unmanned flight vehicle comprising:

a rotor;

a motor rotating the rotor; and

a flight vehicle control device, controlling the motor and the unmanned flight vehicle, comprising;

a memory storing airspace information and identification information, wherein the airspace information comprises information about an airspace in which the unmanned flight vehicle flies and the identification information comprises identification information that enables identification of a user of a communication service for receiving first control information via a wireless base station by the unmanned flight vehicle; and

a processor that controls the unmanned flight vehicle to communicate with the wireless base station based on the stored identification information,

wherein the processor controls a flight state of the unmanned flight vehicle based on the airspace information and the first control information, the first control information being received via the wireless base station by using the identification information, and

the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle located in a cell which is set for the wireless base station to receive a base station identifier from the wireless base station, the base station identifier information being information for identifying the wireless base station.

2. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the memory stores a program for the unmanned flight vehicle to fly by auto pilot, and

the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle by auto pilot based on the stored program, depending on a quality of a radio wave that the unmanned flight vehicle has received from the wireless base station.

3. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle by auto pilot based on the stored program, in a case where a size of the radio wave is less than a predetermined value.

4. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the airspace information comprises information that indicates a flight course along which the unmanned flight vehicle flies.

5. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle along the flight course by auto pilot.

6. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the processor determines whether a position at which the unmanned flight vehicle is flying is within a range of a flight permitted airspace associated with the unmanned flight vehicle.

7. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 6, wherein when the processor determines that the position at which the unmanned flight vehicle is flying is not within the range of the flight permitted airspace, the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle by auto pilot so that the unmanned flight vehicle flies within the flight permitted airspace.

8. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the processor receives the first control information via the wireless base station by using the identification information, the first control information comprising an instruction to control flight of the unmanned flight vehicle, and

the processor controls flight of the unmanned flight vehicle based on the first control information.

9. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 8, the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle executing an autonomous control mode for controlling the flight state of the unmanned flight vehicle based on second control information stored in the memory, the second control information including a program for the unmanned flight vehicle to fly by auto pilot.

10. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an identification number of a communication provider providing the communication service or an identification number assigned to the user from the communication provider.

11. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises information related to an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).

12. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives the airspace information via the wireless base station.

13. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle based on a quality of a radio wave that the unmanned flight vehicle has received from the wireless base station.

14. The unmanned flight vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the unmanned flight vehicle to transmit a response comprising the base station identifier.

15. A method for an unmanned flight vehicle that includes a rotor, a motor rotating the rotor, and a flight vehicle control device, the method comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the motor and the unmanned flight vehicle;

communicating, using the flight vehicle control device, with a wireless base station based on identification information stored in a memory of the flight vehicle control device, wherein the identification information comprises identification information that enables identification of a user of a communication service for receiving first control information via the wireless base station by the unmanned flight vehicle;

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, a flight state of the unmanned flight vehicle based on airspace information stored in the memory and the first control information, wherein the airspace information comprises information about an airspace in which the unmanned flight vehicle flies and the first control information is received via the wireless base station by using the identification information; and

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle located in a cell which is set for the wireless base station to receive a base station identifier from the wireless base station, wherein the base station identifier information is information for identifying the wireless base station.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle by auto pilot based on a program stored in the memory, depending on a quality of a radio wave that the unmanned flight vehicle has received from the wireless base station, wherein the program comprises a program for the unmanned flight vehicle to fly by auto pilot.

17. The method according to claim 15,

wherein the airspace information comprises information that indicates a flight course along which the unmanned flight vehicle flies, and

the method further comprises:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle along the flight course by auto pilot.

18. The method according to claim 15, the method further comprising:

determining, with the flight vehicle control device, whether a position at which the unmanned flight vehicle is flying is within a range of a flight permitted airspace associated with the unmanned flight vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle by auto pilot so that the unmanned flight vehicle flies within the flight permitted airspace when it is determined that the position at which the unmanned flight vehicle is flying is not within the range of the flight permitted airspace.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, with the flight vehicle control device, the first control information via the wireless base station by using the identification information, the first control information comprising an instruction to control flight of the unmanned flight vehicle, and

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, flight of the unmanned flight vehicle based on the first control information.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle executing an autonomous control mode for controlling the flight state of the unmanned flight vehicle based on second control information stored in the memory, the second control information including a program for the unmanned flight vehicle to fly by auto pilot.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises an identification number of a communication provider providing the communication service or an identification number assigned to the user from the communication provider.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises information related to an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI).

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, with the flight vehicle control device, the airspace information via the wireless base station.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle based on a quality of a radio wave that the unmanned flight vehicle has received from the wireless base station.

26. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

controlling, with the flight vehicle control device, the unmanned flight vehicle to transmit a response comprising the base station identifier.