BATTERY EXCHANGE SYSTEMS FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
First Claim
1. A system for exchanging batteries of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the system comprising:
- a battery holding tube that is located on the unmanned aerial vehicle and that includes a first end with a first opening and a second end with a second opening; and
a battery loader configured to;
cause a cylindrical battery to move into the battery holding tube through the first opening of the first end in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the cylindrical battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, andcause the cylindrical battery to move out of the battery holding tube through the second opening of the second end in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the cylindrical battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are systems for exchanging batteries of an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”). In some embodiments, a system may include a battery holding tube that is located on the UAV and that includes a first end with a first opening and a second end with a second opening and a battery loader configured to cause a battery to move into the battery holding tube through the first opening in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, and cause the battery to move out of the battery holding tube through the second opening in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube.
41 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for exchanging batteries of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the system comprising:
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a battery holding tube that is located on the unmanned aerial vehicle and that includes a first end with a first opening and a second end with a second opening; and a battery loader configured to; cause a cylindrical battery to move into the battery holding tube through the first opening of the first end in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the cylindrical battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, and cause the cylindrical battery to move out of the battery holding tube through the second opening of the second end in a direction parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube, wherein the center axis of the cylindrical battery is parallel to the center axis of the battery holding tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
a plurality of battery exchange stations for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein each battery exchange station includes; a landing zone configured to receive the unmanned aerial vehicle; a battery exchanger configured to unload batteries from and to load batteries into the unmanned aerial vehicle; a battery storage configured to store one or more batteries for the unmanned aerial vehicle; a first battery transporter configured to transport one or more batteries from the battery storage to the battery exchanger; a battery charger configured to charge one or more batteries in the battery storage; one or more photovoltaic cells configured to supply power to the battery charger; a battery receiver configured to receive batteries unloaded from the unmanned aerial vehicle; a second battery transporter configured to transport one or more batteries from the battery receiver to the battery storage; a communications mechanism configured to communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a controller configured to control the battery exchanger, the first battery transporter, the battery charger, the second battery transporter, and the communications mechanism, wherein the controller includes control logic for; causing the battery exchanger to unload batteries from an unmanned aerial vehicle in the loading zone, causing the battery exchanger to load batteries into an unmanned aerial vehicle in the loading zone, causing the first battery transporter to transport one or more batteries from the battery storage to the battery exchanger, causing the second battery transporter to transport one or more batteries from the battery collector to the battery storage, and causing the battery charger to charge one or more batteries in the battery storage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21-28. -28. (canceled).
Specification