Operational parameter based flight restriction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11307571-B2
Application number	US-201816205476-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	May 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

A method for operating a vehicle includes, with aid of one or more processors, individually or collectively, receiving a parameter regarding operation of the vehicle, processing the parameter regarding the operation of the vehicle, and varying a restriction affecting operation of the vehicle based on the processing of the parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a vehicle, the method comprising:
with aid of one or more processors, individually or collectively,
receiving a parameter regarding operation of the vehicle, the parameter including a subset parameter of one or more batteries coupled to the vehicle;
processing the parameter regarding the operation of the vehicle, including:
selecting the subset parameter from the parameter based on at least one of an environmental factor or a state of the vehicle; and
applying a weight to the subset parameter; and

varying a restriction affecting operation of the vehicle based on the processing of the parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is processed differently by the one or more processors depending on the state of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the state of the vehicle comprises one of different operational modes of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the state of the vehicle depends on whether the vehicle is idle, taking-off, landing, ascending, descending, accelerating, decelerating, hovering, cruising, or performing a special operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter further comprises at least one of a current, voltage, voltage drop, power, total capacity, remaining capacity, internal resistance, or discharge rate of the one or more batteries.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter further comprises an environmental parameter comprising at least one of a wind speed, temperature, humidity, precipitation, or pressure around a vicinity of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein varying the restriction prevents:
the vehicle from performing a task; or
insufficient power output by the one or more batteries for the operation of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the task comprises at least one of taking-off or entering an autonomous operational mode.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein varying the restriction forces the vehicle to perform a task.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the task comprises at least one of forced return or landing of the vehicle, entering an autonomous operational mode, or providing a warning signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the autonomous operational mode comprises a warm-up mode.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein varying the restriction imposes a modification on a user input given on an input device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the modification attenuates an effect of the user input.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the user input affects a change in at least one of a direction of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, or a height of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein under the restriction, the change in the at least one of the direction of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, or the height of the vehicle occurs more gradually.

16. A system for operating a vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors, individually or collectively configured to:
receive a parameter regarding operation of the vehicle, the parameter including a subset parameter of one or more batteries coupled to the vehicle;
process the parameter regarding operation of the vehicle, including:
selecting the subset parameter from the parameter based on at least one of an environmental factor or a state of the vehicle; and
applying a weight to the subset parameter; and

vary a restriction affecting operation of the vehicle based on the processing of the parameter.

17. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV comprising:
one or more propulsion units that effect flight of the UAV; and
one or more processors, individually or collectively configured to:
receive a parameter regarding operation of the UAV, the parameter including a subset parameter of one or more batteries coupled to the vehicle;
process the parameter regarding operation of the UAV, including:
selecting the subset parameter from the parameter based on at least one of an environmental factor or a state of the vehicle; and
applying a weight to the subset parameter; and

vary a restriction affecting operation of the UAV based on the processing of the parameter.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the parameter includes a first temperature of the one or more batteries coupled to the vehicle and a second temperature at a location on the vehicle different from the one or more batteries;
processing the parameter regarding the operation of the vehicle includes determining a reference temperature according to the first temperature and the second temperature; and
varying the restriction affecting operation of the vehicle includes varying the restriction according to the reference temperature.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the subset parameter is a first subset parameter, and the restriction is a first restriction; and
the method further comprises:
selecting a second subset parameter from the parameter, the second subset parameter being different from the first subset parameter; and
processing the second subset parameter to obtain a second restriction affecting the operation of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the weight includes:
dynamically changing a value of the weight based on one of the environmental factor or the state of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lai Zhenzhou
• Geng Chang
• Chen Xi
• Xu Bogao
• Wang Lei

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U50/39

  Battery swapping · CPC title

• G05B23/0289 Primary

  Reconfiguration to prevent failure, e.g. usually as a reaction to incipient failure detection · CPC title