Unmanned aircraft and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787257-B2
Application number	US-201515753655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is an unmanned aircraft including: a housing; a drive unit that is formed in such a manner that the housing is moved; multiple UWB communication modules that are arranged a distance away from one another and that receives a wireless signal from an external device; a sensor unit that detects movement of the housing; and a control unit that calculates a distance between the external device and the housing, using pieces of movement information which are output by the multiple UWB communication modules and the sensor unit, and that controls the drive unit in such a manner that a specific distance between the external device and the housing is maintained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned aircraft comprising:
a housing;
a drive unit that is formed in such a manner that the housing is moved;
multiple ultra-wideband (UWB) communication modules that are arranged a distance away from one another and that receive a wireless signal from an external device;
a sensor unit that detects movement of the housing; and
a control unit that calculates a distance between the external device and the housing, using pieces of movement information which are output by the multiple UWB communication modules and the sensor unit, and that controls the drive unit in such a manner that a specific distance between the external device and the housing is maintained,
wherein, in a situation where a reception quality of the wireless signal is poorer than a reference quality, the control unit transmits warning information to the external device.

2. The unmanned aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the external device and the housing is calculated using at least one scheme among time of arrival (TOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), and angle of arrival (AOA).

3. The unmanned aircraft of claim 2 , wherein the drive unit includes at least three propellers that are arranged a predetermined distance away from one another, and
wherein the multiple UWB communication modules are arranged near at least one or more of the three propellers.

4. The unmanned aircraft of claim 3 , further comprising:
a camera that is arranged adjacent to one of the multiple UWB communication modules,
wherein, based on a distance between each of the multiple UWB communication modules and the external device, the control unit controls the drive unit in such a manner that a photographing range of the camera is maintained with respect to the external device.

5. The unmanned aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the control unit controls the drive unit in such a manner that the camera in the housing is positioned the closest to the external device, using the distance between each of the multiple UWB communication modules and the external device.

6. The unmanned aircraft of claim 1 , wherein movement information of the external device is received from the external device, and the distance between the external device and the housing is calculated.

7. The unmanned aircraft of claim 6 , wherein, in a situation where the distance between the external device and the housing is constant for a predetermined time, the control unit receives the movement information of the external device.

8. The unmanned aircraft of claim 7 , wherein, based on the movement information, the control unit controls the drive unit in such a manner that the housing rotates in a state where the distance between the external device and the housing is maintained.

9. The unmanned aircraft of claim 7 , wherein, in the situation where the reception quality of the wireless signal is poorer than the reference quality, the control unit receives the movement information.

10. The unmanned aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the movement information includes information about a change in altitude, and
wherein, based on the movement information, the control unit controls the drive unit in such a manner that the change in the altitude of the housing is changed.

11. The unmanned aircraft of claim 1 , wherein, in the situation where the reception quality of the wireless signal is poorer than the reference quality, the control unit receives location information from the external device, and based on the location information of the external device, controls the drive unit in such a manner that the unmanned aircraft rotates around the external device.

12. The unmanned aircraft of claim 1 , wherein, in a situation where a specific control command is received from the external device, the control unit controls the drive unit in such a manner that the unmanned aircraft flies in a flight pattern corresponding to a movement pattern of the external device.

13. A method of controlling an unmanned aircraft that includes a housing and a drive unit that is arranged in such a manner as to move the housing, the method comprising:
receiving a wireless signal from an external device using multiple ultra-wideband (UWB)-communication modules;
detecting movement of the housing;
calculating a distance between the external device and the housing using movement information output by the multiple UWB communication modules;
controlling the drive unit in such a manner that a specific distance between the external device and the housing is maintained; and
transmitting warning information to the external device in a situation where a reception quality of the wireless signal is poorer than a reference quality.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the distance between the external device and the housing is calculated using at least one scheme among time of arrival (TOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), and angle of arrival (AOA).

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Jungsik
• Park Jaehark
• Chang Woosok
• Cho Taegil

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2201/102

  adapted for flying in formations · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2201/104

  using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• B64U50/34 Primary

  In-flight charging (photovoltaics B64U50/31) · CPC title