Server apparatus, system, flight vehicle, and operation method for system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11952115-B2
Application number	US-202217698555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2022
Priority date	Mar 30, 2021
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A server apparatus includes a communication unit, and a control unit configured to send an instruction for causing flight vehicles to perform a flight operation, to the flight vehicles. The flight operation includes energizing, by a first flight vehicle, a penetration tool toward a target object in a space, holding a first part, penetrated through the target object, and a second part, not penetrated through the target object, of a cord-shaped member attached to the penetration tool, and flying to outside the space, waiting, by a second flight vehicle, outside the space and receiving any one of the first and second parts from the first flight vehicle, and towing, by the first and second flight vehicles, the target object with the cord-shaped member and transporting the target object to outside the space by flying while respectively holding any one and the other of the first and second parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A server apparatus comprising:
a communication unit; and
a control unit configured to send, to a plurality of flight vehicles, an instruction for causing the plurality of flight vehicles to perform a flight operation, wherein
the flight operation comprises:
energizing, by a first flight vehicle, a penetration tool toward a target object placed in a predetermined space, holding a first part and a second part of a cord-shaped member attached to the penetration tool, the first part being penetrated through the target object, and the second part not being penetrated through the target object, and flying to outside the predetermined space;
waiting, by a second flight vehicle, outside the predetermined space and receiving any one of the first part and the second part from the first flight vehicle; and
towing, by the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle, the target object with the cord-shaped member and transporting the target object to outside the predetermined space by flying while respectively holding any one and the other of the first part and the second part,
wherein when the first flight vehicle is inside the predetermined space, and is unable to ensure enough space to penetrate the penetration tool through the target object, the flight operation further comprises:
towing, by the first flight vehicle, the target object to a predetermined location in the predetermined space by gripping the target object with a gripping mechanism, and energizing the penetration tool toward the target object after towing the target object to the predetermined location.

2. The server apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined space is a space surrounded by a floor surface and parapet of a balcony and smaller than a space with a size required for the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle to fly next to each other.

3. The server apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first flight vehicle is configured to hold the first part and the second part and fly to outside the predetermined space through an opening provided in the parapet of the balcony.

4. A system comprising:
the server apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a plurality of flight vehicles.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are executable by a computer and that cause the computer to execute functions of the server apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. A first flight vehicle comprising:
a communication unit;
a control unit configured to receive an instruction from a server apparatus via the communication unit;
a holding mechanism configured to hold a penetration tool,
wherein the control unit is configured to, under control in accordance with the instruction, execute:
energizing a penetration tool toward a target object placed in a predetermined space, holding a first part and a second part of a cord-shaped member attached to the penetration tool, the first part being penetrated through the target object, the second part not being penetrated through the target object, and flying to outside the predetermined space;
handing over any one of the first part and the second part to a second flight vehicle waiting outside the predetermined space; and
towing the target object with the cord-shaped member and transporting the target object to outside the predetermined space by flying together with the second flight vehicle while the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle are respectively holding any one and the other of the first part and the second part; and

a gripping mechanism configured to tow the target object to a predetermined location in the predetermined space by gripping the target object,
wherein when the first flight vehicle is inside the predetermined space, and is unable to ensure enough space to penetrate the penetration tool through the target object, the control unit is further configured to, under the control in accordance with the instruction, execute:
towing, by the first flight vehicle, the target object to the predetermined location in the predetermined space by gripping the target object with the gripping mechanism, and energizing the penetration tool toward the target object after towing the target object to the predetermined location.

7. The first flight vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the first flight vehicle is configured to energize the penetration tool by moving while holding the penetration tool toward the target object.

8. The first flight vehicle according to claim 6 , further comprising a launch mechanism configured to launch the penetration tool by energizing the penetration tool toward the target object.

9. The first flight vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined space is a space surrounded by a floor surface and parapet of a balcony and smaller than a space with a size required for the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle to fly next to each other.

10. The first flight vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the first flight vehicle is configured to hold the first part and the second part and fly to outside the predetermined space through an opening provided in the parapet of the balcony.

11. The first flight vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the first flight vehicle is configured to tow the target object put on a placement base provided on a floor surface and including a movement mechanism for moving to the predetermined location.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are executable by the control unit of the first flight vehicle according to claim 6 , and that cause the control unit to execute functions of the first flight vehicle.

13. An operation method for a system including a server apparatus and a plurality of flight vehicles, the operation method comprising:
sending, by the server apparatus, a flight instruction to a first flight vehicle and a second flight vehicle;
energizing, by the first flight vehicle, a penetration tool toward a target object placed in a predetermined space, holding a first part and a second part of a cord-shaped member attached to the penetration tool, the first part being penetrated through the target object, and the second part not being penetrated through the target object, and flying to outside the predetermined space;
waiting, by the second flight vehicle, outside the predetermined space and receiving any one of the first part and the second part from the first flight vehicle; and
towing, by the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle, the target object with the cord-shaped member and transporting the target object to outside the predetermined space by flying while respectively holding any one and the other of the first part and the second part,
wherein when the first flight vehicle is inside the predetermined space, and is unable to ensure enough space to penetrate the penetration tool through the target object, the method further comprises:
towing, by the first flight vehicle, the target object to a predetermined location in the predetermined space by gripping the target object with a gripping mechanism, and energizing the penetration tool toward the target object after towing the target object to the predetermined location.

14. The operation method according to claim 13 , wherein the predetermined space is a space surrounded by a floor surface and parapet of a balcony and smaller than a space with a size required for the first flight vehicle and the second flight vehicle to fly next to each other.

15. The operation method according to claim 14 , further comprising holding, by the

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nishimura Kazuya
• Sakurada Shin
• Kaneko Soutaro

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

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

• B64D1/22

  Taking-up articles from earth's surface · CPC title

• B64D3/02

  for towing targets · CPC title

• G05D1/0027

  involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00) · CPC title