DOCKING PORT AND BATTERY CHARGING DEPOT FOR AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE AND A METHOD FOR DOCKING AND CHARGING THE VEHICLE

Abstract

A docking port is for an unmanned aerial vehicle being a rotorcraft, said docking port having at least one primary coil. The docking port has a primary coil housing formed with a funnel shaped indentation adapted to receive a complementary frustoconical shaped external surface of a secondary coil housing positioned on a landing gear of the rotorcraft, and the primary coil is formed to follow closely a funnel shaped indentation surface. The rotorcraft is charged wirelessly by the primary coil in the primary coil housing and a secondary coil in the secondary coil housing. The invention further concerns the landing gear and a system comprising the docking port and the landing gear. A method for docking the unmanned aerial vehicle on the docking port by use of a magnetic homing field is described.

Claims

1.-29. (canceled)

30. A docking port for an unmanned aerial vehicle being a rotorcraft, said docking port comprising at least one primary coil, the docking port comprises a primary coil housing formed with a funnel shaped indentation adapted to receive a complementary frustoconical shaped external surface of a secondary coil housing positioned on a landing gear of the rotorcraft, and the primary coil is formed to follow closely a funnel shaped indentation surface, wherein the primary coil housing comprises at least one primary communication coil, said primary communication coil is adapted for forming a duplex inductive communication channel with a secondary communication coil.

31. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the docking port comprises a locking device for releasable fixation of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the docking port.

32. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the primary coil housing comprises a through hole.

33. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the primary coil housing comprises radial grooves on the funnel shaped indentation surface.

34. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the primary coil housing comprises a plurality of primary coils, said plurality of primary coils are stacked on top of each other, and each primary coil is formed to follow closely the funnel shaped indentation surface.

35. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the docking port comprises at least two primary coil housings.

36. The docking port according to claim 35, wherein the docking port comprises means for adjusting a center distance of the primary coil housings.

37. The docking port according to claim 30, wherein the docking port comprises a dedicated electrical coil for emitting a magnetic homing field.

38. A landing gear for an unmanned aerial vehicle being a rotorcraft, said rotorcraft comprising a rechargeable electrical battery package, said landing gear comprising means for transfer of electrical energy from an electrical energy source to the rechargeable battery, the landing gear comprises at least one leg, said leg comprises at a free end portion a conical or frustoconical secondary coil housing comprising a secondary coil adapted to receive electrical energy from a primary coil positioned in a primary coil housing positioned on a docking port, said primary coil housing is formed with a complementary funnel shaped indentation, and the secondary coil is formed to follow closely a conical or frustoconical external surface of the secondary coil housing, wherein the secondary coil housing comprises at least one secondary communication coil, said secondary communication coil is adapted for forming a duplex inductive communication channel with a primary communication coil.

39. The landing gear according to claim 38, wherein said leg comprises a locking means for releasable fixation of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the docking port, said locking means comprises a nose at the free end portion of the leg.

40. The landing gear according to claim 38, wherein an external surface of the secondary coil housing comprises radial grooves.

41. A system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle being a rotorcraft and a docking port for the rotorcraft, where the docking port is arranged for transfer of electrical energy to the rotorcraft when the rotorcraft is docked, through a primary coil, and the rotorcraft is provided with means for aerial navigation, the docking port is provided with at least one first coil arranged for emitting a magnetic homing field, and the rotorcraft is provided with at least one receiving means for measuring a strength of the emitted magnetic homing field received by the receiving means, and the rotorcraft is provided with a positioning electronics that guides the rotorcraft in a horizontal plane (X-Y plane) to maximize the measured local magnetic homing field, said positioning electronics guides the rotorcraft in a vertical direction (Z-direction) when the measured magnetic homing field is at the local maximum and the magnetic homing field increases in strength when the rotorcraft descends towards the first coil, wherein primary coil housing comprises at least one primary communication coil, and the secondary coil housing comprises at least one secondary communication coil, said primary communication coil and secondary communication coil are adapted for forming a duplex inductive communication channel between them.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein the at least one first electrical coil is a primary coil in a wireless connection for transfer of the electrical energy.

43. The system according to claim 41, wherein the docking port is provided with means for modulation or alteration of the magnetic homing field.

44. The system according to claim 43, wherein the means for modulation or alteration of the magnetic homing field is adapted for transferring information by the modulated or alternated magnetic homing field.

45. The system according to claim 41, wherein the at least one receiving means is a second electrical coil, and the rotorcraft is provided with means for interpretation of the magnetic homing field.

46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the second electrical coil is a secondary coil in a wireless connection for transfer of the electrical energy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] In the following is described examples of preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows schematically in perspective a rotorcraft provided with a landing gear according to the invention above a docking port according to the invention;

[0060] FIG. 2 shows the same as FIG. 1 and in addition a magnetic homing field for navigation onto the docking port;

[0061] FIG. 3 shows in the same scale as FIG. 1 the rotorcraft after completion of the landing;

[0062] FIG. 4 shows the same as FIG. 3 in a different embodiment;

[0063] FIG. 5 shows in the same scale as FIG. 1, a locking device for releasable fixation of the rotorcraft to the docking port, the docking port is seen from beneath;

[0064] FIG. 6 shows schematically in a larger scale a cross section through a free end portion of a foot of the landing gear with a secondary coil and a corresponding house of the docking port with a primary coil;

[0065] FIG. 7 shows the same as FIG. 6 in another embodiment with two stacked secondary coils at the free end portion of the foot of the landing gear, and with two stacked primary coils in the corresponding house of the docking port;

[0066] FIG. 8 shows the same as FIG. 6 in another embodiment where an a primary communication coil and a secondary communication coil are positioned in the house of the docking port and in the foot of the landing gear, respectively;

[0067] FIG. 9 shows the same as FIG. 7 in another embodiment where two primary communication coils and a secondary communication coil, are positioned in the house of the docking port and in the foot of the landing gear;

[0068] FIG. 10 shows schematically a prior art set up for inductive charging of a battery via a separate charger that comprises a battery regulation and charging; and

[0069] FIG. 11 shows schematically a set up for inductive charging of a battery with a high speed full duplex inductive communication channel between the primary communication coil and the secondary communication coil.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a system. The system 1 comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 2 and a docking port 3. The UAV 2 is schematically shown in the drawings as a rotorcraft 21. The rotor/rotor blades of the rotorcraft 21 have been omitted in the drawings. The rotorcraft 21 comprises rechargeable batteries 23. The docking port 3 is provided with a battery charging depot 4. The battery charging depot 4 is arranged for transfer of electrical energy to the rotorcraft 21 when the rotorcraft 21 is docked.

[0071] The rotorcraft 21 comprises a landing gear 5. The landing gear 5 comprises means 51 for transfer of electrical energy from an electrical energy source (not shown) at the docking port 3 to the rechargeable battery 23.

[0072] In the figures, the landing gear 5 is shown as a landing gear comprising four legs 51, however the invention is not limited to this configuration. In one embodiment (not shown) the landing gear 5 may comprise only one leg 51 or pole 51. The one leg 51 or pole 51 is sufficiently robust to carry the weight of the rotorcraft 21 and to withstand lateral forces from wind when the rotorcraft 21 is docked. In an alternative embodiment the landing gear 5 may comprise two legs 51. In an alternative embodiment the landing gear 5 may comprise three legs 51, said landing gear 5 forming a tripod. A landing gear 5 comprising one, two or three legs 51 have the advantage that the landing gear 5 will not tip on a surface. The landing gear 5 may in a further embodiment comprise more than four legs 51.

[0073] The leg 51 comprises at a free end portion 50 a secondary coil housing 53. A secondary electrical coil 54 is positioned inside the housing 53 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The secondary coil housing 53 is shown as a housing 53 formed with a frustoconical shaped external surface 55. The housing 53 may in one embodiment (not shown) be formed with a conical shaped external surface 55. The secondary electrical coil 54 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is formed frustoconical such that the secondary electrical coil 54 follows closely the external surface 55.

[0074] The landing gear 5 comprises a locking means 57. The locking means 57 may be a nose 58 that is positioned at the free end portion 50. The nose 58 may be positioned at a tip 59 of the free end portion 50.

[0075] The external surface 55 may comprise first radial grooves (not shown). The radial grooves are formed between the nose 58 and a base 56 of the conical or frustoconical formed external surface 55.

[0076] The docking port 3 comprises at least one primary coil housing 33. The primary coil housing 33 is provided with a funnel shaped indentation 35. The indentation 35 is complementary to the external surface 55 of the secondary coil housing 53.

[0077] The docking port 3 may comprise a locking device 37 (see FIG. 5) which is adapted to connect with the locking means 57. The locking device 37 fixes the rotorcraft 21 to the docking port 3. The locking device 37 may comprise a gripper 371 that interacts with the nose 58. In one embodiment, as shown, the gripper 371 comprises a slot formed with a wide end portion and a narrow end portion. The gripper 371 is displaceable such that when the rotorcraft 21 lands or takes off, the wide end portion encompasses the nose 58. After landing, the gripper is displaced such that the narrow end portion encompasses the nose 58 and thereby locks the nose 58.

[0078] The primary coil housing 33 comprises a through hole 39 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The through hole 39 is wider than the nose 58 such that the nose 58 protrudes from the primary coil housing 33 when the secondary coil housing 53 rests in the primary coil housing 33.

[0079] The primary coil housing 33 may comprise second radial grooves (not shown) on an indentation surface 350. The radial grooves are formed between the through hole 39 and an edge 36 of the funnel shaped indentation 35.

[0080] The primary coil housing 33 comprises in one embodiment a single primary electrical coil 34. The primary electrical coil 34 is formed such that the primary electrical coil 34 follows closely the indentation surface 35. In an alternative embodiment the primary electrical coil 34 comprises a plurality of independent electrical coils 341 stacked side by side/on top of each other.

[0081] The docking port 3 may in one embodiment comprise at least two primary coil housings 33. The docking port 3 may comprise adjusting means 38 for regulating a centre distance between the primary coil housings 33. The adjusting means 38 may be operated by a motor, such as a step motor (not shown). The adjusting means 38 may comprise a gear (not shown). The adjusting means 38 may operate each primary coil housing 33 individually or in a coordinated manner. The adjusting means 38 may be protected from the surroundings by a suitable housing or by panels (not shown).

[0082] The primary coil housing 33 and the primary electrical coil 34 form the battery charging depot 4 for the rotorcraft 21. The battery charging depot 4 transfers electrical energy by induction to the rotorcraft's 21 rechargeable batteries 23 from the primary electrical coil 34 to the secondary electrical coil 54. The secondary electrical coil 54 is connected to the batteries 23 by wiring.

[0083] The primary coil housing 33 may comprise heating means 6. The heating means 6 may be an electrical heating element 61 adapted to melt snow and ice that may accumulate in the indentation 35. Water such as rainwater or melt water, is drained from the indentation 35 through the hole 39. The primary electrical coil 34, 341 may act as heating means 6.

[0084] In one embodiment the primary electrical coil 34 is adapted to be a first electrical coil 71 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) that emits a magnetic homing field 7 as schematically shown in FIG. 2.

[0085] In one embodiment each primary coil housing 33 comprises a collar 31 as shown in FIG. 4. The collar 31 is shaped such that a collar rim 310 abuts a corresponding collar rim of 310 of a neighbouring collar 31 when the primary coil housings 33 are displaced towards a centre of the docking port 3. In this position the collars 31 form a tray 32. The primary coil housings 33 are displaced towards the centre of the docking port 3 when a comparable small or light rotorcraft 21 approaches for docking. The tray 32 forms an enlarged landing space such that the landing gear 5 does not by mistake become stuck in a space between the primary coil housings 33.

[0086] FIG. 10 shows a prior art charging set up 9 for charging a battery 91 with electrical power from a wireless power transmission. Electrical power is transferred from a primary coil 34 to a secondary coil 54. The wireless power transmission is controlled by a wireless regulation and monitoring means 93. Power is transferred to a battery charger 95. The battery charger 95 is controlled by a battery regulation and monitoring means 97. The battery charger 95 provides a battery 99 with electrical energy.

[0087] In one embodiment according to the invention, each primary coil housing 33 comprises at least one primary communication coil 81 forming an inductive communication channel 8. The primary communication coil 81 is adapted for inductive duplex communication 89 with a secondary communication coil 82 in the inductive communication channel 8, as seen in FIGS. 8, 9 and 11. The inductive duplex communication channel 8 may be a high-speed communication channel. The high-speed communication may be at a speed of 200 kB/sec or greater than 200 kB/sec. The inductive communication channel 8 is protected from disturbances from the surroundings as the primary communication coil 81 and the secondary communication coil 82 are protected within the primary coil housing 33 and the secondary coil housing 53, respectively. The battery regulation and monitoring means and the inductive power regulation and monitoring means are combined in one system 98.

[0088] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0089] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.