Control device, unmanned aerial vehicle, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12515796-B2
Application number	US-202318358266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2023
Priority date	Jul 28, 2022
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A control device 133 acquires distance information indicating a distance between an UAV 1 and an article B positioned under the UAV 1 and controls a winch 16 to unreel a linear member 15 on the basis of the distance indicated in the acquired distance information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control device configured to control a winch of an unmanned aerial vehicle including an attachment member capable of attaching to an article, a linear member connected to the attachment member, and the winch capable of unreeling and reeling the linear member, the control device comprising:
at least one memory configured to store program code; and at least one processor configured to access the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including: acquisition code configured to cause the at least one processor to acquire distance information indicating a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the article positioned under the unmanned aerial vehicle; detection code configured to cause the at least one processor to detect an external force; and control code configured to cause the at least one processor to control the winch to unreel the linear member on the basis of the distance indicated in the distance information, wherein the control code is further configured to cause the at least one processor to, in a state where a distance between the attachment member and the article or a connection member provided on the article is equal to a predetermined distance, control the winch to generate a reaction force for reeling the linear member in response to detecting the external force when the linear member is further unreeled by an external force.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , the program code further including determination code configured to cause the at least one processor to determine an unreeling length of the linear member on the basis of the distance indicated in the distance information,
wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to control the winch to unreel the linear member according to the determined unreeling length.

3 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition code causes the at least one processor to acquire the distance information more than once in a time series, and
the control code causes the at least one processor to control the winch to unreel the linear member until a time when the distance indicated in the distance information becomes equal to a predetermined distance.

4 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to, in the state where the distance between the attachment member and the article or the connection member provided on the article is equal to the predetermined distance, control the winch to generate a reaction force balanced with gravity acting on the linear member subjected to the unreeling and on the attachment member.

5 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction force for reeling the linear member is larger than gravity acting on the linear member subjected to the unreeling and on the attachment member.

6 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to control the winch to lock the unreeling of the linear member when the distance between the attachment member and the article or the connection member provided on the article reaches the predetermined distance.

7 . The control device according to claim 6 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to, in a state where the unreeling of the linear member is locked, and when a predetermined external force is detected by an external force detector included in the unmanned aerial vehicle, control the winch to release the lock and controls the winch to generate a reaction force equal to or more than gravity acting on the linear member subjected to the unreeling and on the attachment member.

8 . The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to, when the linear member is further unreeled by an external force after releasing the lock, control the winch to generate the reaction force until the distance between the attachment member and the article or the connection member provided on the article returns to the predetermined distance and lock the unreeling of the linear member when the distance returns to the predetermined distance.

9 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to control the winch to unreel the linear member until a vertical position of the attachment member corresponds to a vertical position of a connection member provided on the article on the basis of the distance indicated in the distance information.

10 . The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to, in a state where the vertical position of the attachment member corresponds to the vertical position of the connection member provided on the article, control the winch to generate a reaction force balanced with gravity acting on the linear member subjected to the unreeling and on the attachment member.

11 . The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to control the winch to lock the linear member to prevent unreeling when the vertical position of the attachment member corresponds to the vertical position of the connection member provided on the article.

12 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control code causes the at least one processor to, in a state where the winch is controlled to generate the reaction force, control the winch to lock the unreeling of the linear member when an unreeling length of the linear member does not change for a predetermined period of time.

13 . The control device according to claim 12 ,
wherein the winch includes an attachment portion to be attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winch being attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle with the attachment portion as a fulcrum so as to be swingable or non-swingable by the external force, and the control code causes the at least one processor to, a state where the winch is unable to swing by the external force, control the attachment portion to enable the winch to swing when the unreeling of the linear member is locked.

14 . The control device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the winch includes an attachment portion to be attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the winch being attached to the unmanned aerial vehicle with the attachment portion as a fulcrum so as to be swingable or non-swingable by the external force, and the control code causes the at least one processor to: in a state where the linear member is able to be unreeled by the external force, control the attachment portion to disable swinging of the winch; and in a state where the linear member is unable to be unreeled by the external force, control the attachment portion to enable the winch to swing.

15 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the distance indicated in the distance information is a distance between the attachment member and the article or a connection member provided on the article.

16 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition code causes the at least one processor to acquire information indicating a height of the article and a height of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to a placement surface where the article is placed and acquire the distance information on the basis of each of the heights.

17 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a sensor configured to measure the distance, and
the acquisition code causes the at least one process

Assignees

• Rakuten Group Inc

Inventors

• MATSUMOTO Asaki
• Seki Tatsuhiro
• INUMA Takayoshi

Classifications

• B64U2101/66

  for retrieving parcels · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U20/00

  Constructional aspects of UAVs (of lift-producing means B64U30/00) · CPC title

• B64D1/00

  Dropping, ejecting, releasing or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight (refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00; weapon sights or aiming F41G) · CPC title

• B64U2101/64

  for parcel delivery or retrieval · CPC title