# US 10,766,618 B2 · Drones convertible into personal computers

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,766,618 B2
- Document ID: US10766618B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/855,516
- Filed: 2017-12-27
- Published: 2019-02-14
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-27
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Shantanu D. Kulkarni; Gavin Sung; Jeff Ku
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766618B2

## CPC

- B64C 11/46: Arrangements of, or constructional features peculiar to, multiple propellers {(B64C11/306 takes precedence)}
- B64C 25/10: retractable, foldable, or the like
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- B64U 20/92: of avionics
- B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports
- B64U 60/50: with landing legs
- B64U 80/25: for recharging batteries; for refuelling
- B64U 80/70: in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence)
- G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations}
- G06F 1/1656: {Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203)}
- G06F 1/166: {related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle}
- G06F 1/1677: {for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment}
- G06F 1/206: {comprising thermal management}
- G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency
- B64U 20/80: Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
- B64U 80/30: with arrangements for data transmission
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Drones convertible into personal computers are disclosed, A disclosed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a body and rotors carried by the body. The rotors move relative to the body from a first position when the UAV is in a drone mode to a second position when the UAV is in a computer mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
a body;
a heatsink carried by the body, the heatsink to cool a heat generating device of the UAV;
arms pivotable relative to the body; and
rotors carried by the arms, the arms to pivot relative to the body to move the rotors from a deployed position in which the rotors are positioned to rotate and levitate the body when the UAV is in a drone mode to a folded position in which the rotors are positioned proximate the heatsink to rotate and move air toward the heatsink when the UAV is in a computer mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including
at least one processor carried by the body,
the heatsink operatively coupled to the processor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including a support, the arms carried by the support, the support pivotally coupled to the body to pivotally couple the arms to the body.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including an interface carried by the body, the interface to engage a connector of a dock when the UAV is positioned in the dock.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including landing legs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The UAV as defined in claim 5, wherein the landing legs are mounted to move from a deployed position to a stored position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including a camera.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotors include first, second, third and fourth rotors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The UAV as defined in claim 8, wherein the first and second rotors are located to a first side of the body when the UAV is in the drone mode, and the third and fourth rotors are located to a second side of the body opposite of the first side when the UAV is in the drone mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A UAV as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second rotors pivot with respective ones of first and second arms about a first axis, and the third and fourth rotors pivot with respective ones of third and fourth arms about a second axis.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The UAV as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second rotors are located adjacent a top side of the body when the UAV is in the computer mode, and the third and fourth rotors are located adjacent a bottom side of the body when the UAV is in the computer mode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A UAV as defined in claim 11, wherein the first and second rotors spin in a first direction, and the third and fourth rotors spin in a second direction opposite of the first direction when the UAV is in the computer mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The UAV as defined in claim 1, further including an actuator to move the rotors.

### Claim 14

A system comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including:
a body;
a heatsink carried by the body, the heatsink to cool a device that generates heat within the body when the UAV is operable,
arms pivotable relative to the body, and
rotors carried by the arms, the arms pivotable relative to the body to move the rotors from a deployed position in which the rotors are positioned to rotate and levitate the body when the UAV is in a drone mode to a folded position in which the rotors are positioned proximate the heatsink to rotate and move air toward the heatsink when the UAV is in a computer mode; and
a dock to receive the UAV when the UAV is in the computer mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system as defined in claim 14, further including a sensor to detect a presence of the UAV in the dock.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system as defined in claim 14, further including a connector operatively coupled to the UAV or the dock, and an interface operatively coupled to the other of the UAV or the dock, wherein placement of the dock on a support surface facilitates engagement of the interface to the connector via gravity.

### Claim 17

A system comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including:
a body;
rotors carried by the body, the rotors to move relative to the body from a first position when the UAV is in a drone mode to a second position when the UAV is in a computer mode; and
a dock to receive the UAV when the UAV is in the computer mode, the dock including an opening for a camera of the UAV when the UAV is positioned in the dock.

### Claim 18

A method comprising:
determining whether arms carrying rotors of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are moved into a deployed position corresponding to a drone mode in which the rotors are positioned to levitate a body of the UAV or a folded position corresponding to a computer mode of the UAV in which the arms are pivoted to position the rotors proximate a heatsink carried by the body; and
upon determining that the arms are in the folded position, spinning the rotors to move air toward the heatsink to cool the heatsink.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method as defined in claim 18, further including increasing a clock speed of a processor of the UAV based on the determining that rotors are in the computer position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method as defined in claim 18, further including decreasing a clock speed of a processor of the UAV based on the determining that the arms are in the folded position.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method as defined in claim 18, further including determining whether the UAV is placed in a dock.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The method as defined in claim 18, further including:
detecting a temperature of a component of the UAV; and
varying a rotational speed of at least one of the rotors based on the detected temperature.