Determination of position sending interval for flying vehicle dependent upon ground surface below vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891176-B2
Application number	US-201917053185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2019
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

Recovery of a flying vehicle that has fallen to the ground is facilitated. A positioning unit measures a position of the flying vehicle during flight. A specification unit specifies a feature of a region on the ground corresponding to the measured position. A determination unit determines a sending interval of position information indicating the position of the flying vehicle, according to the specified feature. A sending unit sends the position information at the determined sending interval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sending apparatus comprising:
a positioning device that measures a position of a flying vehicle during flight; and
a processor configured to:
specify a feature of a region on a ground corresponding to the measured position;
determine a sending interval of position information indicating the position, according to the specified feature; and
send the position information at the determined sending interval during the flight.

2. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a first sending interval, in a case where the specified feature is a feature other than a predetermined feature, and
determine a second sending interval that is shorter than the first sending interval, in a case where the specified feature is the predetermined feature.

3. The sending apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect that the flying vehicle has fallen to the ground; and
determine a third sending interval that is longer than the first sending interval, in a case where the flying vehicle having fallen is detected.

4. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device that stores map information showing a map of the region; and
wherein the processor is further configured to specify the feature based on the map information stored in the storage device.

5. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an image capturing device that shoots an image of the region; and
wherein the processor is further configured to specify the feature based on the shot image.

6. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device that stores map information showing a map corresponding to a predetermined flight path;
an image capturing device that shoots an image of the region; and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
specify the feature based on the map information stored in the storage device, in a case where the flying vehicle is flying in accordance with the predetermined flight path; and
specify the feature based on the shot image, in a case where the flying vehicle is flying off the predetermined flight path.

7. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
measure a direction of travel of the flying vehicle;
specify a feature of another region on the ground corresponding to another position that is a predetermined distance from a current position of the flying vehicle in the measured direction of travel; and
determine the sending interval according to the specified other feature.

8. The sending apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
judge whether there is a possibility of the flying vehicle falling, based on state information indicating a state of the flying vehicle or weather information indicating weather corresponding to the position;
determine a first sending interval, in a case where it is judged that there is not a possibility of the flying vehicle falling; and
determine a second sending interval that is shorter than the first sending interval, in a case where the specified feature is a predetermined feature, and it is judged that there is a possibility of the flying vehicle falling.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute:
measuring a position of a flying vehicle during flight;
specifying a feature of a region on a ground corresponding to the measured position;
determining a sending interval of position information indicating the position, according to the specified feature; and
sending the position information at the determined sending interval during the flight.

Assignees

• Ntt Docomo Inc

Inventors

• Kameyama Naoki
• Ushiro Tomoe
• Oono Youhei
• Segawa Yuichiro

Classifications

• G08G5/727 Primary

  from a ground station · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U10/13 Primary

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

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

• G08G5/0082

  Physics · mapped topic