Distributed unmanned aerial vehicle architecture

• US 9,403,593 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unmanned Innovation Inc (Delair SAS)
• Inventors: Downey, Jonathan, Michini, Bernard J., Richman, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/019,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20160152337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 244/53.R, 244/1.R, 244/75.1, 244/76.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/19 for use as targets or decoys
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a distributed system architecture for unmanned air vehicles. One of the methods includes obtaining information identifying flight information of a UAV, with the flight information including flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module included in the UAV. The obtained information is analyzed, and one or more first payload modules are determined to enter a modified power state. Requests to enter the modified power state are caused to be transmitted to each determined payload module in the one or more first payload modules.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight processing system comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with one or more payload modules including a first payload module;

an interface configured to communicate with one or more flight critical modules;

one or more processors comprising hardware, the one or more processors configured to at least;

obtain information identifying flight information of the UAV, the flight information comprising flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module;

analyze the identified flight information;

determine, based at least in part on the analysis of the identified flight information, respective acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules; and

cause, at least in part, the one or more payload modules to use up to the respective acceptable data bandwidth usages.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight information identifies a contingency condition associated with the flight critical module, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

based on information associated with the contingency condition, block delivery of data messages associated with the first payload module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, modify an ability of the first payload module to deliver data messages over a data bus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, block delivery of data messages from being sent to, or from, the first payload module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, restrict the use of a data bus by the one or more payload modules.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, prioritize the use of a data bus by the one or more flight critical modules over the first payload module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, store in a data structure, data messages sent to, or from, the first payload module, and provide the data messages to an intended module based on a change in the flight information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein determining acceptable data bandwidth usages comprises:

determining the acceptable data bandwidth usage of the one or more payload modules so as not to interfere with bandwidth usage of the one or more flight critical modules.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the flight information indicates a present flight phase associated with the UAV in flight, and wherein the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages are based on a determination of sufficient bandwidth for the one or more flight critical modules.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, instruct the first payload module not to place data messages on, or consume bandwidth of, a data bus shared with the one or more flight critical modules.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, restrict use of a data transmission radio for data by the one or more payload modules.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the flight information identifies a contingency condition associated with a lost global positioning system lock.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight information indicates a present flight phase, and wherein the determined data bandwidth usage for the first payload module is substantially no data bandwidth usage, wherein determining acceptable data bandwidth usage for the first payload module is based on a determination that the first payload module is not needed during the present flight phase.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight phase information indicates a present flight phase associated with configuration of the UAV, and wherein the acceptable data bandwidth usage for each payload module is all data bandwidth usage requested by the payload module.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight phase information indicates a present flight phase associated with launching of the UAV, and wherein the acceptable data bandwidth usage for each payload module is substantially no data bandwidth usage.

16. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a system comprising hardware included in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and in communication with at least a first payload module and one or more flight critical modules included in the UAV, information identifying flight information of the UAV, the flight information comprising flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module;

analyzing the identified flight information;

determining, based at least in part on the analysis of the identified flight information, respective acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules; and

causing, at least in part, the one or more payload modules to use up to the respective acceptable data bandwidth usages.

17. A system included in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the system comprising:

a flight system comprising one or more processors, the flight system connected, via one or more data buses, to one or more flight modules;

a payload system comprising one or more processors, the payload system connected, via one or more payload data buses, to one or more payload modules including a first flight module;

wherein the one or more processors of the flight system are configured to at least;

obtain information identifying flight information of the UAV, the flight information comprising flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with the one or more critical flight modules; and

provide the flight information to the payload system; and

wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are configured to at least;

receive the flight information from the flight system;

analyze the identified flight information;

determine, based at least in part on the analysis of the identified flight information, acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules; and

cause, at least in part, the one or more payload modules to use up to the respective acceptable bandwidth usages.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the flight information identifies a contingency condition associated with a flight module, and wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are configured to:

based on information associated with the contingency condition, block delivery of data messages associated with the first payload module.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, modify an ability of the first payload module to deliver data messages over a data bus.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, block delivery of data messages from being sent to, or from, the first payload module.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, restrict the use of a data bus by the first payload module.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, prioritize the use of a data bus by the one or more flight modules over the one or more payload modules.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, store in a data structure, data messages sent to, or from, the first payload module, and provide the data messages to an intended module based on a change in the flight information.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein determining acceptable data bandwidth usages comprises:

determining the acceptable data bandwidth usage of the one or more payload modules so as not to interfere with bandwidth usage of the one or more flight modules.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to at least:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, instruct the first payload module not to place data messages on, or consume bandwidth of, a data bus shared with the one or more flight modules.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the payload system are further configured to:

at least partly in response to the determination of acceptable data bandwidth usages for the one or more payload modules, restrict use of a data transmission radio for data by the one or more payload modules.

27. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a system comprising hardware included in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and in communication with one or more payload modules, including a first payload module, and one or more flight critical modules included in the UAV, information identifying flight information of the UAV, wherein the flight information comprises flight phase information or a contingency condition associated with a flight critical module;

determining a measure indicating sufficient bandwidth for the flight critical modules; and

maintaining, by the system, sufficient bandwidth for the flight critical modules comprising;

determining, from the determined measure, a respective adjustment to bandwidth usage of, at least, the first payload module, and

causing, at least in part, the first payload module to use the respective adjusted bandwidth usage.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein a measure indicating sufficient bandwidth is a measure of central tendency of bandwidth usage of the flight critical modules.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein a measure indicating sufficient bandwidth is a measure of peak bandwidth usage of the flight critical modules.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the measure indicating sufficient bandwidth is based on the flight phase information of the UAV indicating a present flight phase comprising take-off, on-station, landing, returning to base, taxiing, or in-flight.