Systems and methods for adjusting UAV trajectory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11932392-B2
Application number	US-202117322527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a flight controller. The flight controller is configured to, in response to a first user interface receiving a first user input, generate a first control signal. The first control signal is configured to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to effect an autonomous flight with a first flight parameter and a second flight parameter. In response to a second user interface, different from the first user interface, receiving a second user input, the flight controller is further configured to modify the first flight parameter to obtain a modified first flight parameter, generate a second control signal based on the modified first flight parameter and the second flight parameter, and control the UAV to operate based on the second control signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a controller configured to:
in response to a first user interface receiving a first user input, generate a first control signal, the first control signal being configured to control a movable object to effect an autonomous operation with a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter being associated with a process of achieving a target or a task of the autonomous operation, the second parameter being associated with the target or the task of the autonomous operation; and
in response to a second user interface, different from the first user interface, receiving a second user input:
generate a second control signal based on a modified first parameter and the second parameter, the second user input providing one or more instructions to modify the first parameter to obtain the modified first parameter, and the second parameter being unchanged by the second user input; and
control the movable object to continue the autonomous operation based on the second control signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous operation includes at least one of:
a movement to a predetermined location;
an autonomous return of the movable object;
an autonomous navigation along one or more waypoints;
an autonomous movement to a point of interest;
a movement along a preset trajectory or a preset direction;
a movement along an autonomously planned trajectory;
a movement along a user configured trajectory;
a movement to a tapped location on a map of the first user interface; or
a movement tracking a target object.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the autonomous operation includes a movement of the movable object toward a first target object; and
in response to the second user input including a distance vector from a current location of the movable object based on the autonomous operation, the controller adds the distance vector to coordinates of the current location to obtain a second target object, the second control signal being configured to control the movable object to move toward the second target object.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in response to the second user input including a velocity vector, the controller adds the velocity vector to a current velocity of the movable object, based on the autonomous operation, to obtain a new velocity, the second control signal being configured to control the movable object to operate based on the new velocity; or
in response to the second user input including an acceleration vector, the controller adds the acceleration vector to a current acceleration of the movable object, based on the autonomous operation, to obtain a new acceleration, the second control signal being configured to control the movable object to operate based on the new acceleration.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the second user input includes a force intensity of a force applied by a user on the second user interface; and
a modification level of the first parameter is proportional to the force intensity.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the second user input includes a period of the second user input applied on the second user interface; and
a modification level of the first parameter is proportional to the period.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is further configured to generate a third control signal, the third control signal being configured to control the movable object to move according to a trajectory before the second control signal is generated.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in response to receiving a third user input, the controller generates a third control signal to terminate the autonomous operation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
at least during a duration of the second user input, the controller controls the movable object to operate based on the second control signal.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in response to determining that the second control signal causes the movable object to move to a distance greater than a threshold distance from an autonomous operation trajectory, the controller controls the movable object to:
move based on the threshold distance;
return to the autonomous operation trajectory associated with the first user input; or
hover at a location where the distance threshold is reached.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
in response to determining that the movable object reaches the threshold distance, the controller generates a warning signal.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
in response to determining that the second control signal causes the movable object to move away from an autonomous operation trajectory, associated with the first user input, for a time duration greater than a threshold time, the controller generates a warning signal.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein after the second user input is received and released, the movable object is configured to:
move according to an autonomous operation trajectory, based on the first user input, prior to the second user input; or
move according to a new operation trajectory different from the autonomous operation trajectory.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is carried by the movable object; and
the first user interface and the second user interface are arranged on one or more devices different from the movable object.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first user interface is arranged on a first device, and the second user interface is arranged on a second device different from the first device; and
the first device is operably coupled to the second device.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured to modify the first parameter according to environmental information associated with the first parameter.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the movable object includes one or more sensors configured to determine the environmental information.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first parameter includes at least one of a movement direction of the movable object, a movement trajectory of the movable object, an altitude of the movable object, a velocity of the movable object, or an acceleration of the movable object; and

the second parameter includes a destination or a tracking target of the autonomous operation of the movable object.

19. A controlling method for a movable object, comprising:
in response to receiving a first user input at a first user interface, generating a first control signal, the first control signal being configured to control the movable object to effect an autonomous operation with a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter being associated with a process of achieving a target or a task of the autonomous operation, the second parameter being associated with the target or the task of the autonomous operation; and
in response to receiving a second user input at a second user interface different from the first user interface:
generating a second control signal based on a modified first parameter and the second parameter, the second user input providing one or more instructions to modify the first parameter to obtain the modified first parameter, and the second parameter being unchanged by the second user input; and
controlling the movable object to continue the autonomous operation based on the second control signal.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing computer-executable instructions to be executed by one or

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Litian
• Hu Xiao
• Liu Ang
• Zhou Guyue

Classifications

• B64C39/024 Primary

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

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/34 Primary

  for flight plan modification · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title