System and method for providing easy-to-use release and auto-positioning for drone applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969784-B2
Application number	US-201816192151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

System and method for controlling an aerial system to perform a selected operation using an easy-to-use release and auto-positioning process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial system, comprising:
a body;
a lift mechanism coupled to the body;
an optical system including an optical sensor mounted to the body;
a user interface including a display screen mounted on an outer surface of the body; and
a processing system including a memory device and a processor coupled the memory device, the memory device including a plurality of predefined flight control operations stored thereon, each predefined flight control operation including a corresponding flight trajectory performed by the lift mechanism and a corresponding image capture operation performed by the optical system, the processor programmed to:
display the plurality of predefined flight control operations on the display screen;
receive a selection of a predefined flight control operation from a user via the user interface; and
execute the user selected predefined flight control operation by:
operating the lift mechanism in a flight mode;
operating the optical system to detect a target;
establishing a current flight trajectory relative to the target based on the corresponding flight trajectory associated with the selected predefined flight control operation;
controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory; and
operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation associated with the selected predefined flight control operation; and
operate the aerial system in a standby mode upon completing the selected predefined flight control operation.

2. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
detect a release event in which the aerial system is released from being physically held by the user and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system;
detect a flight event indicating that the aerial system has been supported substantially horizontally for greater than a threshold period of time; and
control the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory upon detecting the flight event.

3. The aerial system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
determine a current location of the aerial system upon receiving the selection of the predefined flight control operation by the user via the user interface;
associate the current location of the aerial system with an initial target location associated with the target;
detect the release event and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system; and
control the lift mechanism to orientate the optical sensor towards the initial target location.

4. The aerial system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is programmed to detect an initial release speed upon detecting the release event and responsively establish a distance travel command as a function of the detected initial release speed.

5. The aerial system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
detect an initial trajectory upon detecting the release event; and
establish a direction to travel based on the established current flight trajectory and the detected initial trajectory.

6. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:
operate the aerial system in a retrieving mode when the selected predefined flight control operation has completed;
detect a standby event; and
operate the aerial system in the standby mode in response to detecting the standby event.

7. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is implemented using one or more of the following: a menu displayed on the display screen, a touchscreen device, and/or one or more buttons.

8. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation including automatically begin obtaining pictures and/or video of the target.

9. The aerial system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is programmed to track the target during flight mode and automatically adjust an orientation of the optical sensor to maintain the target within pictures and/or video captured by the optical sensor.

10. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding image capture operation includes the optical system performing one of more of: (1) taking a snapshot, (2) taking a series of snapshots, (3) taking a video with or without snapshot(s), and (4) taking one or more videos with or without snapshot(s).

11. A method for controlling an aerial system including a body, a lift mechanism coupled to the body, an optical system including an optical sensor mounted to the body, a user interface including a display screen mounted on an outer surface of the body, and a processing system including a memory device and a processor coupled the memory device, wherein the memory device includes a plurality of predefined flight control operations stored thereon, each predefined flight control operation including a corresponding flight trajectory performed by the lift mechanism and a corresponding image capture operation performed by the optical system, the method includes the processor performing the steps of:
displaying the plurality of predefined flight control operations on the display screen;
receiving a selection of a predefined flight control operation from a user via the user interface; and
executing the user selected predefined flight control operation by:
operating the lift mechanism in a flight mode;
operating the optical system to detect a target;
establishing a current flight trajectory relative to the target based on the corresponding flight trajectory associated with the selected predefined flight control operation;
controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory; and
operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation associated with the selected predefined flight control operation; and
operate the aerial system in a standby mode upon completing the selected predefined flight control operation.

12. The method of claim 11 , including the processor performing the steps of:
detecting a release event in which the aerial system is released from being physically held by the user and responsively operating the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system;
detecting a flight event indicating that the aerial system has been supported substantially horizontally for greater than a threshold period of time; and
controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory upon detecting the flight event.

13. The method of claim 12 , including the processor performing the steps of:
determining a current location of the aerial system upon receiving the selection of the predefined flight control operation by the user via the user interface;
associating the current location of the aerial system with an initial target location associated with the target;
detecting the release event and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system; and
controlling the lift mechanism to orientate the optical sensor towards the initial target location.

14. The method of claim 13 , including the processor performing the steps of detecting an initial release speed upon detecting the release event and responsively establishing a distance travel command as a function of the detected initial release speed.

15. The method of claim 14 , including the processor performing the steps of:
detecting an initial trajectory upon detecting the release event; and
establishing a direction to travel based

Assignees

• Hangzhou Zero Zero Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Tong
• Wang Mengqiu

Classifications

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• H04N23/62 Primary

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title