ROBUST AND AUTONOMOUS DOCKING AND RECHARGING OF QUADROTORS
First Claim
11. A control method for docking and charging a multicopter, comprising:
- detecting a presence of a frame on the multicopter in an airspace above receiving surfaces of base station;
determining a first position of the frame relative to the receiving surfaces;
transmitting a first control signal to the multicopter to move from the first position to a second position over the receiving surfaces;
determining the multicopter is in the second position;
after the multicomputer is determined to be in the second position, transmitting a second control signal to the multicopter to turn off thrust;
receiving the multicopter with the receiving surfaces and passively guiding the frame into a set of receiving grooves; and
charging a battery via electrical connection of contacts on the frame and contacts on the base station.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of docking and recharging using a base station and a station-mating frame on the multicopter. The base station includes an upward-facing camera that is used by a docking controller to detect the presence, position, and orientation of a frame, with infrared light-emitting diodes arranged in a predefined pattern. The controller of the base station acts to emit wireless signals to the multicopter to guide the multicopter with its station-mating frame to a predefined position above the base station. The controller transmits a wireless signal to the multicopter to reduce thrust, and the multicopter lowers itself onto a sloped receiving surface that may be arranged in a crown pattern to provide passive gravity-driven centering, which causes the station-mating frame to slide to a lowest vertical point of the receiving assembly. A locking mechanism engages to lock the frame in place and provide electrical contact for recharging.
121 Citations
21 Claims
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11. A control method for docking and charging a multicopter, comprising:
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detecting a presence of a frame on the multicopter in an airspace above receiving surfaces of base station; determining a first position of the frame relative to the receiving surfaces; transmitting a first control signal to the multicopter to move from the first position to a second position over the receiving surfaces; determining the multicopter is in the second position; after the multicomputer is determined to be in the second position, transmitting a second control signal to the multicopter to turn off thrust; receiving the multicopter with the receiving surfaces and passively guiding the frame into a set of receiving grooves; and charging a battery via electrical connection of contacts on the frame and contacts on the base station. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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18-1. The base station of claim 17, wherein the LEDs are IR LEDs and wherein the processing of the digital images comprises masking non-infrared radiation from the digital images.
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21. A system for landing a UAV, comprising:
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a landing dock with a controller and a wireless communication assembly; a target assembly on the UAV; and in the landing dock, a sensor assembly sensing the target assembly and output sensor signals to the controller, wherein the controller processes the output sensor signals to determine a position of the UAV relative to the landing dock, and wherein the controller transmits, using the wireless communication assembly, control signals to the UAV to guide the UAV to land on the landing dock based on the determined relative position of the UAV.
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Specification