Control normalization for unmanned autonomous systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545995-B1
Application number	US-201514798715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2015
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

Methods, systems, and process-readable media include an autonomous vehicle override control system that receives override commands from a pilot qualified on a first type of unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) and translates the inputs into suitable commands transmitted to a target UAV of a second UAV type. A pilot's certification for a first UAV type may be determined from the pilot's login credentials. The system may obtain a first control model for the first UAV type and a second control model for the target UAV. Pilot input commands processed through the first control model may be used to calculate movements of a virtual UAV of the type. The system may estimate physical movement of the target UAV similar to the first physical movement, and generate an override command for the target UAV using the second control model and the second physical movement. Control models may accommodate current conditions and pilot experience.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for an autonomous vehicle override control system to provide override commands to a target unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV), comprising:
identifying, via a processor of the autonomous vehicle override control system, a certification for a remote pilot for a first UAV type based on login credentials from the remote pilot;
obtaining, via the processor, a first control model for the first UAV type based on the certification;
obtaining, via the processor, a second control model for the target UAV of a second UAV type;
receiving, via the processor, an input command from a control input device corresponding to the first UAV type;
calculating, via the processor, a first physical movement of a virtual UAV of the first UAV type using the first control model and the input command;
estimating, via the processor, a second physical movement of the target UAV that is similar to the first physical movement; and
generating, via the processor, an override command for the target UAV using the second control model and the second physical movement.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via the processor, the override command to the target UAV.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
obtaining, via the processor, connection information for communicating with the target UAV, wherein the connection information is one or more of an access code, a transmission frequency, a transmission medium, an identifier of an intermediary receiver device, and a message format, and
wherein transmitting the override command to the target UAV comprises:
transmitting the override command to the target UAV using the connection information for the target UAV.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying, via the processor of the autonomous vehicle override control system, the certification for the remote pilot for the first UAV type based on the login credentials from the remote pilot comprises:
obtaining, via the processor, a pilot profile for the remote pilot, wherein the pilot profile is a data record that includes data indicating one or more certifications for piloting different UAV types; and
identifying, via the processor, the certification for the first UAV type based on the pilot profile.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
retrieving, via the processor, an experience profile based on the login credentials from the remote pilot, wherein the experience profile is stored within the pilot profile and includes data indicating experience with UAVs of the second UAV type; and
configuring, via the processor, the first control model and the second control model based at least in part on the experience profile.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the experience with the UAVs of the second UAV type comprises a time spent controlling UAVs of the second UAV type, a diversity of maneuvers executed with regard to the UAVs of the second UAV type, or both.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising updating, via the processor, the experience profile based on the input command.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining, via the processor, the first control model for the first UAV type based on the certification and obtaining, via the processor, the second control model for the target UAV of the second UAV type comprises retrieving, via the processor, the first control model and the second control model from a database of control models.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein retrieving, via the processor, the first control model and the second control model from the database of control models comprises downloading, via the processor, the database of control models from a remote server.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating, via the processor, the first physical movement of the virtual UAV of the first UAV type using the first control model and the input command comprises:
performing, via the processor, a simulation using the first control model to determine how the virtual UAV of the first UAV type would move in response to receiving the input command.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing, via the processor, the simulation using the first control model to determine how the virtual UAV would move in response to receiving the input command comprises:
identifying, via the processor, a setting associated with the virtual UAV for an engine, a flap, an actuator, a rotor, a ballast, or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing, via the processor, the simulation using the first control model to determine how the virtual UAV would move in response to receiving the input command comprises:
identifying, via the processor, a change in an altitude of the virtual UAV, a speed of the virtual UAV, a roll state of the virtual UAV, a pitch state of the virtual UAV, a yaw state of the virtual UAV, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating, via the processor, the second physical movement that is similar to the first physical movement comprises:
identifying, via the processor, a first component of the target UAV that has a similar function as a second component of the virtual UAV.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating, via the processor, the override command for the target UAV using the second control model and the second physical movement comprises:
performing, via the processor, a reverse simulation using the second control model to identify the override command that would cause the target UAV to move according to the second physical movement.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, via the processor, information regarding current conditions at the target UAV; and
configuring, via the processor, the first control model and the second control model based at least in part on the information regarding the current conditions at the target UAV.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the information regarding the current conditions at the target UAV includes sensor data from the target UAV, settings of instruments of the target UAV, weather conditions near the target UAV, or any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising synchronizing, via the processor, a display, the control input device, or both to the information regarding the current conditions at the target UAV.

18. A computing device, comprising a processor configured with processor-executable instructions to:
identify a certification for a remote pilot for a first unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) type based on login credentials from the remote pilot;
obtain a first control model for the first UAV type based on the certification;
obtain a second control model for a target UAV of a second UAV type;
receive an input command from a control input device corresponding to the first UAV type;
calculate a first physical movement of a virtual UAV of the first UAV type using the first control model and the input command;
estimate a second physical movement of the target UAV that is similar to the first physical movement of the virtual UAV; and
generate an override command for the target UAV using the second control model and the second physical movement.

19. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to transmit the override command to the target UAV.

20. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to identify the certification for the remote pilot fo

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Chau Kiet Tuan
• Canoy Michael-David Nakayoshi
• Devico Michael Orlando
• Sprigg Stephen Alton

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

• G05D2109/20

  Aircraft, e.g. drones · CPC title

• G05D2101/10

  using artificial intelligence [AI] techniques · CPC title

• B64U10/10

  Rotorcrafts · CPC title