Methods and apparatus for reconfigurable power exchange for multiple UAV types

• US 9,969,285 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asylon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Asylon, Inc.
• Inventors: Henry, Damon C., Mohamed, Adam I., McLaughlin, Brent, Dones, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US15/285,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20170096075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/007 Helicopter portable landing pads
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/12 for anchoring aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/20 Arrangement of optical beacons
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/362 Installations for supplying conditioned air to parked aircraft
• 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 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/92 Portable platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/95 Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/99 Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/25 for recharging batteries; for refuelling
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/30 : with arrangements for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/40 : for two or more UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 : involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 : specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A reconfigurable system capable of autonomously exchanging material from unmanned vehicles of various types and sizes. The system comprises an environmental enclosure, a landing area, a universal mechanical system to load and unload material from the unmanned vehicle, and a central processor that manages the aforementioned tasks. The landing area may comprise a one or more visible or non-visible markers/emitters capable of generating composite images to assist in landing the unmanned vehicle upon the reconfigurable, autonomous system.

Claims

1. A power station for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), comprising:

an enclosure defining a surface and an interior; and

a landing zone positioned upon the surface and sized to receive one or more UAV types, wherein the landing zone has one or more markers or emitters configured to generate one or more composite images when a UAV is in proximity to the landing zone;

wherein the one or more composite images are scalable in size depending on a distance of the UAV relative to the landing zone.

2. The power station of claim 1 further comprising at least one modular power bay positioned within the interior, the modular power bay defining one or more receiving bays for retaining a corresponding swap cartridge.

3. The power station of claim 2 further comprising one or more swap cartridges positioned within the one or more receiving bays.

4. The power station of claim 3 further comprising a modular power bay status monitor configured to monitor a status of the one or more swap cartridges.

5. The power station of claim 2 further comprising a swapping mechanism configured to load and/or retrieve a swap cartridge between the one or more receiving bays and the UAV after positioning upon the landing zone.

6. The power station of claim 1 further comprising a central processor in communication with the one or more markers or emitters.

7. The power station of claim 6 further comprising a sensor system in communication with the central processor and configured to optically determine an orientation of the UAV relative to the landing zone.

8. The power station of claim 6 further comprising an external environment sensor in communication with the central processor and configured to determine a condition of an external environment.

9. The power station of claim 6 further comprising a transmitter and receiver in communication with the central processor for transmitting and receiving data via a communication network.

10. The power station of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical connector and an electrical connector positioned upon the landing zone and configured for attachment to the UAV after positioning upon the landing zone.

11. The power station of claim 1 wherein the one or more markers or emitters are configured to emit visible or invisible signals when the UAV is in proximity to the landing zone.

12. The power station of claim 1 further comprising at least one UAV which is positionable upon the landing zone.

13. The power station of claim 12 further comprising a universal swap cartridge processor positionable upon the UAV and which is in communication with the power station.

14. A reconfigurable power station for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), comprising:

a housing defining a surface,

one or more modular power bays positioned within the housing, the modular power bays defining one or more receiving bays for retaining a corresponding swap cartridge;

a landing zone positioned upon the surface and sized to receive one or more UAV types, wherein the landing zone has one or more markers or emitters configured to generate one or more composite images when a UAV is in proximity to the landing zone; and

a central processor in communication with the one or more markers or emitters;

wherein the one or more composite images are scalable in size depending on a distance of the UAV relative to the landing zone.

15. The power station of claim 14 further comprising one or more swap cartridges positioned within the one or more receiving bays.

16. The power station of claim 14 further comprising a modular power bay status monitor configured to monitor a status of the corresponding swap cartridge.

17. The power station of claim 14 further comprising a swapping mechanism configured to load and/or retrieve a swap cartridge between the one or more receiving bays and the UAV after positioning upon the landing zone.

18. The power station of claim 14 further comprising a sensor system in communication with the central processor and configured to optically determine an orientation of the UAV relative to the landing zone.

19. The power station of claim 14 further comprising an external environment sensor in communication with the central processor and configured to determine a condition of an external environment.

20. The power station of claim 14 further comprising a transmitter and receiver in communication with the central processor for transmitting and receiving data via a communication network.

21. The power station of claim 14 further comprising a mechanical connector and an electrical connector positioned upon the landing zone and configured for attachment to the UAV after positioning upon the landing zone.

22. The power station of claim 14 wherein the one or more markers or emitters are configured to emit visible or invisible signals when the UAV is in proximity to the landing zone.

23. The power station of claim 14 further comprising at least one UAV which is positionable upon the landing zone.

24. The power station of claim 23 further comprising a universal swap cartridge processor positionable upon the UAV and which is in communication with the power station.