Unmanned aerial vehicle, wearable apparatus including unmanned aerial vehicle, wristwatch including wearable apparatus, method of operating unmanned aerial vehicle, and apparatus for operating unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202189-B2
Application number	US-201715571606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2017
Priority date	Aug 22, 2016
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

The present application discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a support having a plurality of receiving slots; a plurality of arms attached to the support; and a plurality of propellers respectively attached to the plurality of arms. Each of the plurality of receiving slots is configured to receive one of the plurality of arms and one of the plurality of propellers attached to the one of the plurality of arms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a support having a plurality of receiving slots;
a plurality of arms attached to the support; and
a plurality of propellers respectively attached to the plurality of arms;
wherein each of the plurality of receiving slots is configured to receive one of the plurality of arms and one of the plurality of propellers attached to the one of the plurality of arms.

2. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of propellers.

3. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of second driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of arms;
wherein each of the plurality of arms is articulated to the support.

4. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms are a plurality of retractable arms.

5. The UAV of claim 1 , wherein a total number of the plurality of arms is in a range of 3 to 6; and
the plurality of arms are symmetrically distributed on the support.

6. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a first controller operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of propellers and configured to be programmed with flight instructions to direct movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

7. The UAV of claim 1 , further comprising a first sensor configured to detect a flight trajectory of the UAV.

8. A wearable apparatus, comprising:
the UAV of claim 1 ; and
a main body comprising a base portion;
wherein the UAV is detachably attached to the base portion.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the UAV is magnetically attached to the base portion.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a cap portion configured to be cooperatively engaged with the base portion;
wherein the cap portion is attached to the UAV.

11. The wearable apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the UAV further comprises a first controller operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of propellers and configured to be programmed with flight instructions to direct movements of the UAV;
the main body further comprises a second controller, and a second sensor in communication with the second controller and configured to detect a gesture of a user wearing the wearable apparatus;
the second controller is configured to receive user gesture information from the second sensor and provide the flight instructions to the first controller based on the user gesture information; and
the first controller is configured to receive the flight instructions from the second controller to direct movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

12. The wearable apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the user gesture information comprises an initial status information of the user and a motion information of the user.

13. The wearable apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the initial status information comprises an initial status information of a human body part wearing the wearable apparatus; and
the motion information comprises a motion information of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus.

14. The wearable apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the motion information comprises information regarding a projected direction of motion of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus having the unmanned aerial vehicle;
the second sensor is configured to determine a displacement of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus having the unmanned aerial vehicle along a direction of motion of the human body part; and
the second controller is configured to use the direction of motion of the human body part as the projected direction of motion, based on a determination that the displacement along the direction of motion of the human body part is equal to or greater than a threshold displacement value.

15. The wearable apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the UAV further comprises a first sensor in communication with the first controller and configured to detect a flight trajectory of the UAV; and
the first controller is configured to receive flight trajectory information of the UAV from the first sensor, and modify the flight trajectory of the UAV based on the flight instructions and the flight trajectory information of the UAV received from the first sensor.

16. The wearable apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the UAV further comprises a plurality of first driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of propellers and a plurality of second driving motors configured to respectively drive the plurality of arms; and
the first controller is configured to control the plurality of first driving motors and the plurality of second driving motors thereby controlling movements of the plurality of propellers and the plurality of arms.

17. A wristwatch comprising the wearable apparatus of claim 8 ;
a watch belt attached to the main body; and
a display screen;
wherein the UAV further comprises a cap portion configured to be engaged with the base portion; and
the display screen is on the cap portion.

18. The wristwatch of claim 17 , further comprising a camera attached to the UAV.

19. A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
receiving user gesture information of a gesture of a human body part wearing a wearable apparatus detected by a second sensor;
determining flight instructions based on the user gesture information of the gesture of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus; and
sending flight instructions to a first controller to direction movements of the UAV based on the flight instructions.

20. An apparatus for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a receiver configured to receive from a second controller user gesture information of a gesture of a human body part wearing a wearable apparatus;
a determinator configured to determine flight instructions based on the user gesture information of the gesture of the human body part wearing the wearable apparatus; and
a transmitter configured to send flight instructions to a first controller to direction movements of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flight instructions.

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhao Kai
• GU Yu
• Ding Hongli
• Zhang Yifei
• Zhang Ying

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64C2201/108

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/127

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G04B47/00

  Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece ({clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of} writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00) · CPC title