Variable condition motor controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12214913-B2
Application number	US-202418601114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2024
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

An aerial vehicle, comprising: one or more motors, one or more sensors, and a flight sub-system. The one or more sensors configured to detect data. The flight sub-system includes an attitude controller module; a rate controller module; and a compensator module. The compensator module is configured to: determine a maximum RPM of the one or more motors or a maximum torque of the one or more motors; receive a torque vector from the rate controller module; determine a rotational speed of the one or more motors to generate a desired flight orientation based upon the torque vector; and consider sensor data from the one or more sensors to adjust the rotational speed of the one or more motors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial vehicle comprising:
one or more motors;
one or more sensors configured to detect data;
a compensator module comprising:
a conditions adjustment module that adjusts torque of the one or more motors of the aerial vehicle based on the data that comprise environmental conditions;
an iterative mixing module that scales the adjustment of the torque of the one or more motors to control the one or more motors based on the environmental conditions; and
a converter module that converts the adjustment of the torque of the one or more motors based upon the adjustment of the iterative mixing module; and

a control system configured to:
generate torque values based on the data;
generate revised torque values by validating sub-torque values representing a minimum amount of torque to maintain the aerial vehicle at a hover status; and
determine a motor speed for the one or more motors based on the revised torque values.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flight subsystem; and
a telemetric subsystem module in communication with the flight subsystem to provide the data to the flight subsystem.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the flight subsystem is configured to calculate an input and provide the input to a motor controller module so that the one or more motors are controlled to change a position of the aerial vehicle.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the control system includes the flight subsystem, and wherein the flight subsystem is configured to receive controller data from a remote controller.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a compensator module configured to provide feedback information that comprises environmental conditions.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , wherein a speed of the one or more motors are changed based upon the environmental conditions.

7. A method comprising:
detecting, with one or more sensors, data;
generating torque values, with a control system, of one or more motors, based on the data;
revising the torque values, with the control system, by validating sub-torque values representing a minimum amount of torque to maintain an aerial vehicle at a hover status;
determining a motor speed of the one or more motors based on the revised torque values;
adjusting the torque of the one or more motors, with a conditions adjustment module, based on environmental conditions;
adjusting the torque of the one or more motors, with an iterative mixing module, to scale and control the one or more motors based on the environmental conditions; and
adjusting the torque of the one or more motors, with a converter module, by converting the torque based upon the adjustment of the iterative mixing module.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing the data from a telemetric subsystem module to a flight subsystem.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
calculating, with the flight subsystem, an input; and
providing the input to a motor controller module so that the one or more motors are controlled to change a position of the aerial vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the control system includes the flight subsystem, and wherein the flight subsystem is configured to receive controller data from a remote controller.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
providing feedback, from a compensator module, that comprises environmental conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
changing the motor speed of the one or more motors based upon the environmental conditions.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising operations to:
detect, with one or more sensors, data;
generate torque values, of one or more motors, based on the data;
revise the torque values, with a control system, by validating sub-torque values representing a minimum amount of torque to maintain an aerial vehicle at a hover status;
determine a motor speed of the one or more motors based on the revised torque values;
adjust the torque of the one or more motors, with a conditions adjustment module, based on environmental conditions;
adjust the torque of the one or more motors, with an iterative mixing module, to scale and control the one or more motors based on the environmental conditions; and
adjust the torque of the one or more motors, with a converter module, by converting the torque based upon the adjustment of the iterative mixing module.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising operations to:
provide the data from a telemetric subsystem module to a flight subsystem.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further comprising operations to:
calculate, with the flight subsystem, an input; and
provide the input to a motor controller module so that the one or more motors are controlled to change a position of the aerial vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further comprising operations to:
receive controller data from a remote controller.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , further comprising operations to:
provide feedback, from a compensator module, that comprises environmental conditions.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising operations to:
change the motor speed of the one or more motors based upon the environmental conditions.

Assignees

• Skydio Inc

Inventors

• Enke Joseph Anthony
• Tankersley Benjamin
• Berteaux Jean-Bernard
• Murguet Axel
• Bruneau Garance

Classifications

• B64U50/19 Primary

  using electrically powered motors · CPC title

• B64U10/14

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

• G05D1/46

  Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D] · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• G05D1/0858

  specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft · CPC title