Systems and methods for target tracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567078-B2
Application number	US-201514845894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods, and devices related to target tracking by UAVs. The UAV may be configured to receive target information from a control terminal related to a target to be tracked by an imaging device coupled to the UAV. The target information may be used by the UAV to automatically track the target so as to maintain predetermined position and/or size of the target within one or more images captured by the imaging device. The control terminal may be configured to display images from the imaging device as well as allowing user input related to the target information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and
one or more processors configured to dynamically adjust allocation of control over a tracking process between the user and the UAV based on factors including a surrounding of the UAV,
such that the one or more processors to allocate (1) more control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating in a more complex environment compared to when the UAV is navigating in a less complex environment, and (2) less control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating in a less complex environment compared to when the UAV is navigating in a more complex environment, and wherein an environmental complexity is based on a number of potential obstructions in the environment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tracking process utilizes a selection between (1) an automatic tracking mode in which the user can specify a type of target to be tracked, and (2) a manual tracking mode in which the user can specify a specific target to be tracked.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the type of target to be tracked is specified based on at least one of the following target characteristics: a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating that the target is selected.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the tracking indicator is a graphical object on the display.

8. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and
one or more processors configured to dynamically adjust allocation of control over a tracking process between the user and the UAV based on factors including a surrounding of the UAV,
such that the one or more processors allocate (1) more control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating at a lower altitude compared to when the UAV is navigating at a higher altitude, and (2) less control over the tracking process to the user when the UAV is navigating at a higher altitude compared to when the UAV is navigating in a lower altitude.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the tracking process utilizes a selection between (1) an automatic tracking mode in which the user can specify a type of target to be tracked, and (2) a manual tracking mode in which the user can specify a specific target to be tracked.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the type of target to be tracked is specified based on at least one of the following target characteristics: a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating that the target is selected.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the tracking indicator is a graphical object on the display.

15. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and
one or more processors configured to automatically select between (1) an automatic tracking mode, and (2) a manual tracking mode, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, less control is dynamically allocated to the user over a tracking process compared to the manual tracking mode,
wherein the one or more processors are configured to select between the manual tracking mode and the automatic tracking mode based on an environmental complexity, wherein the environmental complexity is based on a number of potential obstructions in an environment in which the UAV navigates, and wherein when the manual tracking mode is selected, the environmental complexity is greater than when the automatic tracking mode is selected.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the tracking process utilizes a selection between (1) the automatic tracking mode in which the user can specify a type of target to be tracked, and (2) the manual tracking mode in which the user can specify a specific target to be tracked.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the type of target to be tracked is specified based on at least one of the following target characteristics: a color, texture, pattern, size, shape, or dimension of the target.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a display configured to display the target with a tracking indicator indicating that the target is selected.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the tracking indicator is a graphical object on the display.

22. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote user (1) one or more navigation commands to move the UAV, and (2) target information of a target to be tracked by an imaging device on the UAV; and
one or more processors configured to automatically select between (1) an automatic tracking mode, and (2) a manual tracking mode, wherein in the automatic tracking mode, less control is dynamically allocated to the user over a tracking process compared to the manual tracking mode, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select between the manual tracking mode and the automatic tracking mode based on an altitude at which the UAV navigates, and wherein when the manual tracking mode is selected, the altitude is lower than when the automatic tracking mode is selected.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the target is tracked by automatically adjusting at least one of the UAV or the imaging device while the UAV moves according to the one or more navigation commands from the user.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more navigation commands are adapted to control a speed, position, or attitude of the UAV.

25. The system of claim 22 , wherein the tracking process utilizes a selection between (1) the automatic tracking

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zang Bo

Classifications

• G05D1/221

  Remote-control arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/689

  Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets (positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672) · CPC title

• G05D1/2247

  providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · 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