Multi-zone battery exchange system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167807-A1
Application number	US-201615048948-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-zone battery station is provided, comprising a plurality of landing areas configured to support a UAV. The battery station may permit battery life to be reloaded onto a UAV, which may include recharging a battery of the UAV or exchanging the UAV battery for a new battery. The different zones may accommodate different UAV types, different battery types, or operate in accordance with different energy provision rules. A marker may be provided on a landing area to aid in guiding the UAV to an appropriate landing area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A UAV energy provision station, said station comprising:
a first UAV landing area comprising a first visible marker, said first UAV landing area configured to (1) support a first UAV when the first UAV is resting at the station, said first UAV coupled to a first battery configured to power the first UAV, and (2) charge the first battery or exchange the first battery for another battery located at the station while the first UAV is supported by the first UAV landing area; and a second UAV landing area comprising a second visible marker, said second UAV landing area configured to (1) support a second UAV when the second UAV is resting at the station, said second UAV coupled to a second battery configured to power the second UAV, and (2) charge the second battery or exchange the second battery for another battery located at the station while the second UAV is supported by the second UAV landing area, wherein the first visible marker is visually distinguishable from the second visible marker.

2 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , wherein the first visible marker is an image and the second visible marker is a different image than the first visible marker.

3 . The energy provision station of claim 2 , wherein the first visible marker is a bar code or QR code and the second visible marker is a bar code or QR code of a different pattern than the first visible marker.

4 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , wherein the first visible marker comprises a pattern of lights and the second visible marker comprises a different pattern of lights from the first visible marker.

5 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , wherein the first visible marker and the second visible marker dynamically change over time.

6 . The energy provision station of claim 5 , wherein the first UAV is configured to land when the first visible marker becomes apparent, and wherein the second UAV is configured to land when the second visible marker becomes apparent.

7 . The energy provision station of claim 6 , wherein the first visible marker remains visible while the first UAV is at the first UAV landing area, and wherein the second visible marker remains visible while the second UAV is at the second UAV landing area.

8 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , wherein the first visible marker is indicative of the first landing area for the first UAV of a first type, and the second visible marker is indicative of the second landing area for the second UAV of a second type that is different from the first type.

9 . The energy provision station of claim 40 , wherein the first visible marker is indicative of the first landing area using a first set of energy provision rules, and (2) the second visible marker is indicative of the second landing area using a second set of energy provision rules different from the first set of energy provision rules.

10 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , wherein the first UAV and the second UAV are of the same type.

11 . A UAV energy provision station, said station comprising:
one or more UAV landing areas each comprising at least one visible marker, said UAV landing area configured to (1) support a UAV when the UAV is resting at the station, said UAV coupled to a battery configured to power the UAV, and (2) charge the battery or exchange the battery for another battery located at the station while the UAV is supported by the UAV landing area, wherein the visible marker is configured to dynamically change from a first visible marker configuration to a second visible marker configuration, and wherein the first visible marker configuration is visually distinguishable from the second visible marker configuration.

12 . The energy provision station of claim 11 , wherein the visible marker is an image, and the first visible marker configuration is a first image and the second visible marker configuration is a second image that is different from the first image.

13 . The energy provision station of claim 12 , wherein the first image is a bar code or QR code and the second image is a bar code or QR code of a different pattern than the first image.

14 . The energy provision station of claim 11 , wherein the visible marker comprises a pattern of lights, and the first visible marker configuration comprises a first pattern of lights and the second visible marker configuration comprises a second pattern of lights that is different from the first pattern of lights.

15 . The energy provision station of claim 14 , wherein the pattern of lights comprises a change of the lights within a predetermined period, wherein said pattern comprises at least a blinking pattern or a spatial arrangement of the lights.

16 . The energy provision station of claim 11 , wherein the first visible marker configuration is indicative that the landing area is prepared to receive a first UAV of a first type, and the second visible marker configuration is indicative that the landing area is prepared to receive a second UAV of a second type that is different from the first type.

17 . The energy provision station of claim 11 , wherein the first visible marker configuration is indicative that the landing area is prepared to operate using a first set of energy provision rules, and the second visible marker configuration is indicative that the landing area is prepared to operate using a second set of energy provision rules different from the first set of energy provision rules.

18 . The energy provision station of claim 1 , further comprising one or more processors that are configured to, individually or collectively, (1) receive information about a priority level of missions to be performed by the first UAV and the second UAV, and (2) cause the first visible marker and the second visible marker to indicate the priority level of the missions to be performed by the first UAV and the second UAV.

19 . The energy provision station of claim 18 , wherein the first UAV has a higher priority mission than the second UAV, and the first UAV is directed to land at the first UAV landing area with aid of the first visible marker and the second UAV is directed to land at the second UAV landing area with aid of the second visible marker.

20 . The energy provision station of claim 19 , wherein the first UAV is directed to land at the first UAV landing area prior to the second UAV landing at the second UAV landing area.

21 . The energy provision station of claim 17 , wherein the first UAV requires a faster energy reload than the second UAV, and the first UAV is directed to land at the first UAV landing area with aid of the first visible marker and the second UAV is directed to land at the second UAV landing area with aid of the second visible marker.

22 . The energy provision station of claim 21 , wherein the first UAV is directed to land at the first UAV landing area prior to the second UAV landing at the second UAV landing area.

23 . The energy provision station of claim 17 , wherein the first UAV requires an energy reload by charging the first battery onboard the first UAV, the second UAV requires an energy reload by exchanging the second battery onboard the second UAV for another battery located at the station, and wherein the first UAV is directed to land at the first UAV landing area with aid of the first visible marker and the second UAV is directed to land at the second UAV landing area with aid of the second visible marker.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Mingyu

Classifications

• B60L53/52

  Wind-driven generators · CPC title

• B64F3/00

  Ground installations specially adapted for captive aircraft · CPC title

• B60L53/80

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title

• B60L53/51

  Photovoltaic means · CPC title

• B60L53/53

  Batteries · CPC title