Method for adjusting the direction of head end of aircraft and remote control aircraft using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016299501-A1
Application number	US-201615086963-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for adjusting the direction of a head end is disclosed. The method for adjusting the direction of the head end is applied to a remote control aircraft for controlling the remote control aircraft to rotate in the direction of an electronic device after the remote control aircraft receives a wireless signal transmitted by the electronic device, such that the remote control aircraft is first oriented toward the electronic device and flies in a direction chosen by a user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for adjusting the direction of a head end, applied to a remote control aircraft and used for adjusting the direction of a head end of an aircraft body of a remote control aircraft, such that the head end turns toward an electronic device, wherein the aircraft body comprises a plurality of antennas, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the electronic device by each of the antennas; determining whether the head end is oriented toward the electronic device according to the strengths of the wireless signals received by each of the antennas; if not, controlling the head end of the aircraft body to turn toward the electronic device; and if yes, keeping the head end oriented toward the electronic device.

2 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprise a first antenna and a second antenna which are correspondingly disposed at the left and right sides of the aircraft body, and the distance from the first antenna to the head end is equal to the distance from the second antenna to the head end.

3 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of antennas further comprise a third antenna, and the distance from the third antenna to the head end is greater than the distances from the first antenna to the head end and from the second antenna to the head end.

4 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the aircraft body further comprises a tail end which is opposite to the head end, and the third antenna is adjacent to the tail end.

5 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the strengths of the wireless signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna are equivalent and greater than the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna, the method determines that the head end is oriented toward the electronic device.

6 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna is greater than the strengths of the wireless signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna, the method determines that the head end is oriented away from the direction of the electronic device.

7 . The method for adjusting the direction of a head end as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna is less than the strengths of the wireless signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna, the method determines that the head end is oriented toward the electronic device.

8 . A remote control aircraft, capable of being remotely operated by a user with an electronic device, the remote control aircraft comprising:
an aircraft body, comprising a head end; a plurality of antennas, disposed on the aircraft body and used for receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the electronic device; and a control unit, disposed on the aircraft body and electrically connected to the antennas for determining whether the head end is oriented toward the electronic device according to the strengths of the wireless signals received by each of the antennas, and when the head end is not oriented toward the electronic device, controlling the head end of the aircraft body such that it is oriented toward the electronic device.

9 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprise a first antenna and a second antenna which are correspondingly disposed at the left and right sides of the aircraft body, and the distance from the first antenna to the head end is equal to the distance from the second antenna to the head end.

10 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of antennas further comprises a third antenna, and the distance from the third antenna to the head end is greater than the distances from the first antenna to the head end and from the second antenna to the head end.

11 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the aircraft body further comprises a tail end which is opposite to the head end, and the third antenna is adjacent to the tail end.

12 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 10 , wherein when the strengths of the wireless signals received by first antenna and the second antenna are equivalent and greater than the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna, the control unit determines that the head end is oriented toward the electronic device.

13 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 10 , wherein when the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna is greater than the strengths of the wireless signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna, the control unit determines that the head end is oriented away from the direction of the electronic device.

14 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 10 , wherein when the strength of the wireless signal received by the third antenna is less than the strengths of the wireless signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna, the control unit determines that the head end is oriented toward the electronic device.

15 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a camera disposed at the head end.

16 . The remote control aircraft as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the aircraft body is a disc, the distances from the first antenna, the second antenna and the third antenna to the center of the disc are equivalent, and the angles between any two positions of the antennas and the center of the disc are 120 degrees.

Assignees

• Pegatron Corp

Inventors

• Chang Hao-Yung
• Chen Yu-Chang
• Chen Chun-Chih
• Wang Chun-Wei
• Chang Yu-Cheng
• Ting Chia-Ho

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64C39/024

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

• G01S5/0284

  Relative positioning · CPC title