Magnetic field navigation of unmanned autonomous vehicles

• US 9,975,634 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Von Novak, III, William Henry, Maalouf, Joseph, Shevde, Sumukh
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US15/202,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20180009527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• 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: G01S 11/00 Systems for determining distance or velocity not using reflection or reradiation position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• 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 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments include devices and methods for navigating an unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) based on a measured magnetic field vector and strength of a magnetic field emanated from a charging station. A processor of the UAV may navigate to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength. The processor may determine whether the UAV is substantially aligned with the charging station, and the processor may maneuver the UAV to approach the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is substantially aligned with the charging station. Maneuvering the UAV to approach the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength may involve descending to a center of the charging station. The UAV may follow a specified route to and/or away from the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength.

Claims

1. A method of navigating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

calculating, by a processor of the UAV, a magnetic field vector and strength of a magnetic field emanating from a charging station detected by a magnetic field sensor of the UAV;

navigating, by the processor, the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength;

determining, by the processor, whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field; and

maneuvering, by the processor, the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is substantially aligned with the center of the magnetic field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the processor, whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field comprises determining, by the processor, whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the charging station.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

recalculating, by the processor, the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is not substantially aligned with the center of the charging station; and

maneuvering, by the processor, the UAV to approach the charging station using the recalculated magnetic field vector and strength.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein maneuvering, by the processor, the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength comprises:

descending, by the processor, the UAV to the charging station while maintaining the UAV substantially above a center of the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, whether the UAV is sufficiently proximate to the charging station; and

initiating, by the processor, charging of a power storage of the UAV in response to determining that the UAV is sufficiently proximate to the charging station.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the processor, the magnetic field;

detecting, by the processor, one or more characteristics of the detected magnetic field; and

verifying, by the processor, that the charging station is generating the magnetic field based on the detected one or more characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein navigating, by the processor, the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength comprises:

obtaining, by the processor, route information defining a specified route for approaching the charging station; and

navigating, by the processor, the UAV along the specified route using the route information and the calculated magnetic field vector and strength.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

navigating, by the processor, the UAV away from the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein navigating, by the processor, the UAV away from the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength comprises:

obtaining, by the processor, route information for a specified route away from the charging station; and

navigating, by the processor, the UAV along the specified route away from the charging station using the route information and the calculated magnetic field vector and strength.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the processor of the UAV, the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station comprises:

receiving, by the processor, information from the magnetic field sensor, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein each coil is oriented orthogonally to the other two coils; and

calculating, by the processor, the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the processor of the UAV, the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station comprises:

receiving, by the processor, information from the magnetic field sensor, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein at least one of the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil comprises a charging coil of the UAV; and

calculating, by the processor, the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the processor of the UAV, the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station comprises:

receiving, by the processor, information from the magnetic field sensor, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil are oriented substantially in the same plane and wherein each coil is oriented to detect a first magnetic field component of a first plane and a second magnetic field component of one of a second plane and a third plane; and

calculating, by the processor, the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

13. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

a magnetic field sensor; and

a processor coupled to the magnetic field sensor and configured with processor-executable instructions to;

calculate a magnetic field vector and strength of a magnetic field emanating from a charging station;

navigate the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength;

determine whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field; and

maneuver the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is substantially aligned with the center of the magnetic field.

14. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to determine whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the charging station.

15. The UAV of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

recalculate the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is not substantially aligned with the center of the charging station; and

maneuver the UAV to approach the charging station using the recalculated magnetic field vector and strength.

16. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to maneuver the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength by descending the UAV to the charging station while maintaining the UAV substantially above a center of the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength.

17. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether the UAV is sufficiently proximate to the charging station; and

initiate charging of a power storage of the UAV in response to determining that the UAV is sufficiently proximate to the charging station.

18. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

detect the magnetic field;

detect one or more characteristics of the detected magnetic field; and

verify that the charging station is generating the magnetic field based on the detected one or more characteristics.

19. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to navigate the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength by:

obtaining route information defining a specified route for approaching the charging station; and

navigating the UAV along the specified route using the route information and the calculated magnetic field vector and strength.

20. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

navigate the UAV away from the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength.

21. The UAV of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to navigate the UAV away from the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength by:

obtaining route information for a specified route away from the charging station; and

navigating the UAV along the specified route away from the charging station using the route information and the calculated magnetic field vector and strength.

22. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to calculate the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station by:

receiving information from the magnetic field sensor, the magnetic field sensor comprising a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein each coil is oriented orthogonally to the other two coils; and

calculating the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

23. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to calculate the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station by:

receiving information from the magnetic field sensor, the magnetic field sensor comprising a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein at least one of the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil comprises a charging coil of the UAV; and

calculating the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

24. The UAV of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to calculate the magnetic field vector and strength of the magnetic field emanating from the charging station by:

receiving information from the magnetic field sensor, the magnetic field sensor comprising a first coil, a second coil, and a third coil, wherein the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil are oriented substantially in the same plane and wherein each coil is oriented to detect a first magnetic field component of a first plane and a second magnetic field component of one of a second plane and a third plane; and

calculating the magnetic field vector based on the information received from the first coil, the second coil, and the third coil.

25. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

means for calculating a magnetic field vector and strength of a magnetic field emanating from a charging station;

means for navigating the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength;

means for determining whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field; and

means for maneuvering the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is substantially aligned with the center of the magnetic field.

26. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform operations comprising:

calculating a magnetic field vector and strength of a magnetic field emanating from a charging station;

navigating the UAV to the charging station using the calculated magnetic field vector and strength;

determining whether the UAV is substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field; and

maneuvering the UAV to approach the charging station by maintaining the UAV substantially above the center of the magnetic field while descending to the charging station using the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is substantially aligned with the center of the magnetic field.

27. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor of the UAV to perform operations further comprising:

recalculating the magnetic field vector and strength in response to determining that the UAV is not substantially aligned with a center of the magnetic field; and

maneuvering the UAV to approach the charging station using the recalculated magnetic field vector and strength.

28. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor of the UAV to perform operations further comprising:

detecting the magnetic field;

detecting one or more characteristics of the detected magnetic field; and

verifying that the charging station is generating the magnetic field based on the detected one or more characteristics.