Drone landing ground station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021122495-A1
Application number	US-202017079085-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2020
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Apr 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for drone landing ground station. A method includes determining that a drone is landing on a ground station, based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station, and generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
determining that a drone is landing on a ground station; based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station; and generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station comprises:
determining a final orientation for the drone to land; and determining the magnetic field based on the final orientation determined for the drone.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining a final orientation for the drone to land comprises:
determining that a property is occupied; and based on determining that the property is occupied, landing the drone facing a wall.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining a final orientation for the drone to land comprises:
determining that a property is unoccupied; and based on determining that the property is unoccupied, landing the drone facing away from a wall.

5 . The method of claim 2 , comprising:
based on the final orientation, determining a positive current to provide through a first recharging contact of the ground station and a negative current to provide through a second recharging contact of the ground station.

6 . The method of claim 2 , comprising:
based on the final orientation, determining a negative current to provide through a first recharging contact of the ground station and a positive current to provide through a second recharging contact of the ground station.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component comprises:
determining that a current orientation of the drone satisfies an orientation criteria; and based on determining that the current orientation of the drone satisfies the orientation criteria, generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining that a current orientation of the drone satisfies an orientation criteria comprises:
determining that the current orientation results in the magnetic field at the first magnetic component attracting a particular magnet in the drone.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that a drone is landing on a ground station comprises:
receiving an indication from the drone that the drone is landing.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component comprises:
applying a positive current to the first magnetic component.

11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
stopping generation of the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component; and generating the magnetic field at a third magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at a fourth magnetic component.

12 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining that the drone is taking off; and based on determining that the drone is taking off, stopping generation of the magnetic field at the first magnetic component.

13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining that the drone is taking off; and based on determining that the drone is taking off, generating the opposing magnetic field at the first magnetic component.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
stopping generation of the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component; and generating the magnetic field at a third magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at a fourth magnetic component.

15 . A system comprising:
one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: determining that a drone is landing on a ground station;
based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station; and
generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station comprises:
determining a final orientation for the drone to land; and determining the magnetic field based on the final orientation determined for the drone.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein determining a final orientation for the drone to land comprises:
determining that a property is occupied; and based on determining that the property is occupied, landing the drone facing a wall.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein determining a final orientation for the drone to land comprises:
determining that a property is unoccupied; and based on determining that the property is unoccupied, landing the drone facing away from a wall.

19 . The system claim 16 , the operations comprising:
based on the final orientation, determining a positive current to provide through a first recharging contact of the ground station and a negative current to provide through a second recharging contact of the ground station.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
determining that a drone is landing on a ground station; based on determining that the drone is landing on the ground station, determining a magnetic field to generate at a first magnetic component at a first position in the ground station and an opposing magnetic polar at a second magnetic component at a second position in the ground station; and generating the magnetic field at the first magnetic component and the opposing magnetic field at the second magnetic component.

Assignees

• Alarm Com Inc

Inventors

• Rezvani Babak
• Madden Donald Gerard
• Tournier Glenn
• Seyfi Ahmad

Classifications

• 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

• B64U50/37

  Charging when not in flight · CPC title

• B64U70/99

  Means for retaining the UAV on the platform, e.g. dogs or magnets · CPC title

• B64U10/14

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