Autonomous mobile base apparatus for charging UAVs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11905036-B2
Application number	US-201917052850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A base apparatus for docking of at least one flying apparatus includes a controller. The controller outputs information of a location to which the base apparatus is to be moved, the location being determined based on a predetermined condition including a condition related to the battery level of the at least one flying apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A base apparatus for docking of at least one flying apparatus of a plurality of flying apparatuses, the base apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to output information of a target location to which the base apparatus is to be moved, the target location being determined based on a predetermined condition including a condition related to a respective battery level of a respective battery of each of the plurality of flying apparatuses including the at least one flying apparatus,
wherein
when the battery level of one of the at least one flying apparatus is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined to be a location within a determined distance from the one of the at least one flying apparatus with the battery level equal to or less than the predetermined level, such that the target location is in a range over which the battery level of the battery of the one of the at least one flying apparatus is sufficient to provide power required for flying the one of the at least one flying apparatus to the base apparatus, and
when the battery level of each flying apparatus among the plurality of flying apparatuses is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined based on priority set for the plurality of flying apparatuses.

2. The base apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output the information of the target location from a notification interface as a notification comprising at least one of, or any combination of, visual information, auditory information, and tactile information.

3. The base apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the base apparatus is installed in transportation means; and
wherein the controller is configured to output the information of the target location to the transportation means.

4. The base apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the transportation means performs autonomous driving based on the information of the target location.

5. The base apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the transportation means is driven by a driver to approach the target location based on the information of the target location.

6. The base apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the battery level of each flying apparatus among the plurality of flying apparatuses is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, the target location is determined to be a location with a shortest average distance from a location of each flying apparatus.

7. The base apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the target location is in a range over which the battery level of the battery of the one of the at least one flying apparatus is sufficient to provide power required for flying the one of the at least one flying apparatus to the base apparatus, taking into account the location of the other flying apparatuses.

8. A control method of a base apparatus for docking of at least one flying apparatus of a plurality of flying apparatuses, the control method comprising:
determining a target location to which the base apparatus is to be moved based on a predetermined condition including a condition related to a respective battery level of a respective battery of the plurality of flying apparatuses including the at least one flying apparatus;
and outputting information of the target location,
wherein when the battery level of one of the at least one flying apparatus is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined to be a location within a determined distance from the one of the at least one flying apparatus with the battery level equal to or less than the predetermined level, such that the target location is in a range over which the battery level of the battery of the one of the at least one flying apparatus is sufficient to provide power required for flying the one of the at least one flying apparatus to the base apparatus,
and when the battery level of each flying apparatus among the plurality of flying apparatuses is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined based on priority set for the plurality of flying apparatuses.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer program instructions, which when executed by a base apparatus for docking of at least one flying apparatus of a plurality of flying apparatuses, cause a computer of the base apparatus to: determine a target location to which the base apparatus is to be moved based on a predetermined condition including a condition related to a respective battery level of a respective battery of the plurality of flying apparatuses including the at least one flying apparatus;
and output information of the target location,
wherein when the battery level of one of the at least one flying apparatus is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined to be a location within a determined distance from the one of the at least one flying apparatus with the battery level equal to or less than the predetermined level, such that the target location is in a range over which the battery level of the battery of the one of the at least one flying apparatus is sufficient to provide power required for flying the one of the at least one flying apparatus to the base apparatus,
and when the battery level of each flying apparatus among the plurality of flying apparatuses is equal to or less than a predetermined level, the target location is determined based on priority set for the plurality of flying apparatuses.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Higuchi Takeshi
• Kanda Toi

Classifications

• B64F1/007 Primary

  Helicopter portable landing pads · CPC title

• B60L53/30 Primary

  Constructional details of charging stations · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U50/38

  by wireless transmission · CPC title