Method and system for providing route of unmanned air vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12066840-B2
Application number	US-202217981980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2022
Priority date	Feb 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A method and a system for establishing a route of an unmanned aerial vehicle are provided. The method includes identifying an object from surface scanning data and shaping a space, which facilitates autonomous flight, as a layer, collecting surface image data for a flight path from the shaped layer, and analyzing a change in image resolution according to a distance from the object through the collected surface image data and extracting an altitude value on a flight route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an operations of an unmanned machine by at least one processing unit with executing executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the unmanned machine, the method comprising:
identifying an object from scanning data in which an area for controlling the operation of the unmanned machine is scanned and modeling a space that allows autonomous controlling of the unmanned machine; and
establishing an autonomous navigation map for the operation of the unmanned machine on the space by matching at least one of a detailed digital map and route information for operating the unmanned machine corresponding to the modeled space,
wherein the autonomous navigation map is used to generate map data for controlling of the operation of the unmanned machine based on the modeled space.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
shaping the autonomous navigation map for the operation of the unmanned machine established on the modeled space as a space map applicable to the unmanned machine by synchronizing the autonomous navigation map with the unmanned machine in accordance with safety standards preset based on information of a global positioning system (GPS) or a location coordinate correction device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modeling comprises:
obtaining a point cloud of the object from the scanning data;
identifying the object by analyzing the point cloud; and
modeling the space based on a location and a shape of the object.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the obtaining of the point cloud comprises obtaining the point cloud of the object on which LiDAR pulses are projected by a LiDAR device scanning the area.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modeling comprises modeling the space into a plurality of division areas.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a route through which the unmanned machine is to be controlled according to a mission set to the unmanned machine, in the modeled space,
wherein the establishing of the autonomous navigation map comprises establishing the autonomous navigation map to include the route, and
the route includes at least two way points including a location of a ground object that is present in the area.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the established autonomous navigation map is used for the unmanned machine to be controlled through the way points included in the route to perform the mission.

8. An operation method of the unmanned machine, the operation method by at least one processing unit with executing executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the unmanned machine comprising:
downloading the autonomous navigation map according to claim 7 from an operation system of the unmanned machine; and
performing the mission by controlling through the way points based on the downloaded autonomous navigation map.

9. The operation method of claim 8 , wherein the way points are points for the unmanned machine to perform the mission,
the mission includes transporting an object to a first location and/or picking up the object at a second location, and
at least one of the way points is the first location and/or the second location.

10. The operation method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining whether a controlling start time of the unmanned machine arrives based on the downloaded autonomous navigation map,
wherein the unmanned machine is controlled to wait unless the controlling start time arrives and to start to be controlled to perform the mission if the controlling start time arrives.

11. The operation method of claim 8 , further comprising:
performing a self-function diagnosis of the unmanned machine;
reporting a failure to the operation system when the failure is determined to occur in the unmanned machine according to the self-function diagnosis; and
controlling the unmanned machine to move to a retrieval point or a safety zone.

12. The operation method of claim 11 , wherein the performing of the self-function diagnosis is performed while the unmanned machine is controlled to perform the mission, and
the controlling of the unmanned machine to move to the retrieval point or the safety zone comprises controlling the unmanned machine to move to the retrieval point or the safety zone instead of moving the unmanned machine through the way points.

13. The operation method of claim 8 , wherein the downloading comprises downloading the autonomous navigation map from the operation system of the unmanned machine after the unmanned machine is authenticated for a control system of the unmanned machine.

14. A method of generating a map for controlling an operation of an unmanned machine by at least one processing unit with executing executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of a computer system, the method comprising:
loading a space model that models an area in which the unmanned machine is allowed to be controlled according to a mission set to the unmanned machine;
setting a route of the unmanned machine on the space model; and
establishing an autonomous navigation map that includes the space model and the route,
wherein the route includes at least two way points including a location of a ground object that is present in the area.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
establishing the autonomous navigation map for each mission based on identification information of the unmanned machine.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the way points are points for the unmanned machine to perform the mission.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mission includes transporting an object to a first location and/or picking up the object at a second location, and
at least one of the way points is the first location and/or the second location.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the established autonomous navigation map is used for the unmanned machine to move through the way points included in the route to perform the mission.

Assignees

• Thinkware Corp

Inventors

• Ham Young-Kuk
• Han Tae Kyu

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• G05D2101/10

  using artificial intelligence [AI] techniques · CPC title

• G05D2109/20

  Aircraft, e.g. drones · CPC title

• B64U30/00

  Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof · CPC title

• G05D1/229

  Command input data, e.g. waypoints · CPC title